Page 21 of My Russian Roommate

“We both need to walk out of here alive. Let’s go get some coffee and talk about it. You might see things differently if we go somewhere else.”

“That’s a sweet thought, but I know you don’t mean it. You’ll make a run for it as soon as we set foot out the door.”

“I promise you I won’t. We can have a cup of coffee and talk about what to do next. I think I need to get my head checked out. It hurts really bad. Maybe you can take me to the hospital after and stay with me until I’m better.”

“What about your cop boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend. We just met the night of the fire, and he gave me a place to stay.”

“See, now I know you’re a liar. I saw the two of you outside that restaurant. You were all over each other.”

“I’m not lying, Jack. I promise.” I have to convince him to untie me. If I can get him to agree to leave here with me, that would be even better.

“If you’re not lying, why did you cringe when I touched your face?”

“It’s my head, Jack. It hurts so bad.”

“Oh, well then. What if I touch you somewhere else? Like this,” I hold my breath as he reaches out and places his hand on my breast. “I’ve waited a long time to touch your tits.”

This is it, I tell myself.He’s going to rape you, then he’s going to kill you.

I’ve been fighting back the tears all night, but I can’t stop them from flowing from my eyes.

“Why are you crying? You don’t like me touching you?”

“I don’t want to die, Jack. How can you expect me to want to be touched by you when you told me that you’re going to kill me?”

“I’ll be gentle with you, then. I’ll make sure you just go to sleep. No pain, no fear, I swear.”

“I’m already in pain, Jack!”

“See, that will all go away. No need to thank me.”

He flashes the most sinister grin I’ve ever seen, and I realize he’s been toying with me this whole time. He’s not just delusional, he’s twisted. He wants to kill me. If I had stayed back home and dated him, he probably would have killed me then, too.

I close my eyes and try to remove myself from what’s about to happen to me. If these are going to be my last thoughts, I want them to be about Lev. I want to think about the future we could have had together.

Jack is still touching my breasts but suddenly lets go and rushes toward the entrance to the apartment. I spring to attention, my eyes darting back and forth trying to detect whatever it is that has spooked him. A flash of light passes under the door and I scream, “I’m here. In here!”

Jack rushes me, drops to his knees, and slides across the floor. Placing both hands on my throat he begins to squeeze. I gasp for breath, choking and wheezing. He’s done playing this game with me. I’ve proven that I’ll never see him as anything but a crazy monster. It’s time for him to put an end to it.

13

FINDING LEAH

LEV

The first thing I see when I pull up to the curb is the sedan that the so-called delivery driver got into on the night I confronted him on my porch. I slam my fist down hard on the dash. An hour ago, I was just three blocks away and never considered checking Leah’s old place. Him bringing her here can mean only one thing. He must have set the fire.

I pull my flashlight off my belt and enter the building. The fire department cut the power, and it feels and smells more like a musty cavern than an apartment building. The fire left Leah’s apartment and burned the hallway and the top of the stairs. I shift my weight and tread gently in hopes of not crashing through the staircase to the floor below.

I shine my light down the hall to look for obstacles in my path, and that’s when I hear Leah cry for help. I quicken my pace and rush to her door. The whole building could cave in around me, and I wouldn’t care.

All that matters is getting to my girl. I push on the door but it sticks. He must have wedged something against it, so I take a few steps back to get a running start. My shoulder makes an impact with the fire-damaged wood and it gives, coming clear off of its hinges.

I shine my light across the room in search of Leah and her captor. I find them in the far corner of the living room. He’s crouched down over something, so I step closer for a better look.

The blood boils between my ears when I see that he’s on top of Leah with his hands around her throat.

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