Page 14 of Keeping My Girl

It was my fault.

They’re dead because of me.

“Selina!”

I hear my name being called, and it takes a few moments for me to come back to the present. The stranger is standing next to my bed, reaching out towards me. I quickly put my hand up to stop him, and to my surprise, he does.

“You’re in a secure compound,” he begins to explain. “Carbone would need an army to get to you.”

His words should comfort me, but they don’t. I’ve tried to escape Constantine before, and he has always found me. He told me once that the only way he would let me go was if one of us were dead. And I truly believe that. He has some kind of sick fascination and obsession with me. He always has, ever since I was first sold to him when I was a young girl. I was his little pet. My body begins to tremble at just the thought of his nickname for me.

“He’ll come for me,” I say resolutely with a heavy sigh. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“He’ll have to kill me first,” the man says with such resignation that I almost believe him.

I don’t know who the hell this guy thinks he is, but if he thinks he’s any match against Constantine, he’s got another thing coming. That man is the devil himself, all-powerful. Nothing can stand in the way of him getting what he wants. And he wants me and revenge for his son’s murder, I’m sure. It’s only a matter of time before the guy standing before me is as good as dead.

“Considering you killed his son, I’m sure he will kill you first,” I state matter-of-factly.

A smile appears on the handsome man’s face. “I’d like to see him try.”

Cocky. Confident. He won’t be feeling so confident when Constantine is ripping him to shreds with his own bare hands for killing his son and for taking what’s his.

“I’m tired,” I lie, rolling over to my side and closing my eyes, effectively blocking out the stranger. The truth is, I just want to be left alone to process everything.

The man doesn’t say anything. I hear his footsteps retreat as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I expect to hear a lock clicking in place, but there are no other sounds except his footfalls fading as he walks away, leaving me alone just like I wanted.

I breathe in deeply and let out a long sigh. Am I truly free of Constantine, or is this just simply another one of his tricks to test my allegiance to him?

Only time will tell I suppose. Until then, I’ll keep my guard up and not allow my walls to come down for anything or anyone.

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