Page 60 of Shape Of My Heart
At least she wasn’t averse to any of it and seemed to likehimtoo.
* * *
Amy wasglad to have the privilege of meeting Josh’s father. He seemed like a reallyniceguy.
True to her word, she brought out the tea like she promised in half an hour. At that point they’d talked about the more sensitive matters and looked in betterspirits.
Josh invited her to sit with them and she listened with keen fascination as his father talked about the family property development business. He explained how he grew it and expanded to countries in the Caribbean and South America. She loved his talk of Italy and all the exciting places there. It was one of the places she desperately wanted to visit and planned to when she made it big as a designer. If.She shouldn’t get too overconfident. It was stillanif.
She left them later than she had planned and headed back to her apartment. This was the part of the day she disliked the most. She hated when she drove out of Malibu and headed towards downtown L.A. and watched the scenery around her change. No more grand mansions, manors, and beach houses. No more style andglamour.
Amy could only describe where she lived as rough and unsafe. She parked in her usual spot and headed into the complex with more caution than she usually exhibited because it waslater.
Police were outside again questioning witnesses to whatever crime had happened today. It was a daily thing here. She just made sure that when she was here she walked with her head focused straight ahead and got up to her apartment as quickly aspossible.
As she got on her floor she heard talking and laughing. Amy hoped it wasn’t Dom and his friends, but sadly it was. She froze when she saw them standing atherdoor.
No, not at her door. They were inside her apartment, she quickly realized to her horror. She was shocked to see him holding a pair of her panties tohislips.
She would have run away but saw that one of the guys was holding her dress for the showcase. He was picking the rhinestones off andlaughing.
“What are you doing with my stuff?” She’d been taught to never confront anyone who could have the potential to harm her. She’d been taught self-preservation over challenging a threat. But, as Amy looked at the dress she had worked so hard on, and saw that they had it and were destroying her chance to fulfill her dream, she felt like she wantedtodie.
All she’d done most of her life was take care of others, but when it came to what she wanted the opportunities were always pushed back or delayed in some way. Or pushed out of herreach.
She put her heart and soul into that dress, and her last cent. So no, she couldn’tjustrun.
“Blondie,” Dom said, coming up to her. “I’m tired of waiting. It’s time for thatKitKat.”
“Give me back my stuff,” she cried. The men behind him laughed and walked away. As they did she saw that they had her mannequin and sewing machine. She made a move to go after them but Dom grabbed her and held her back. “Let go of me,” she cried,pinchinghim.
He did let go, but not without striking her across her face first. She screamed as the impact of his massive hand split her lip and sent her to the floor, reeling in pain. It felt like her brain had been knocked out of her head as everything spunaroundher.
“Crazy bitch,” he balked. When she looked up to him cold terror gripped her as she found herself staring down the barrel of the gun he held at her. Certain this would be her last moment, she started to cry and shake. “See this, girlie? Next time you try something like that this will be in your pretty head. Be glad that I like you and have other plans for you. Go inside and wait for me.” He motioned inside her apartment. His gaze burned with such an intensity she felt her soul shiver. She did as he instructed, trying to make her body move against the fear and pain she felt. “Good girl. I’llbeback.”
Amy broke down the minuteheleft.
