I picked up the salt shaker from the table beside me and hurled it at her head. That would stop her talking those stupid words. It struck her on her cheek and then fell to the ground, shattering and leaving a bleeding cut on her face.
"You can't talk to me like that. Shut up. Just shut your fucking mouth. Just stop pretending you’re his girlfriend and get out of his life."
She backed away but the counter was behind her, preventing her from going anywhere. I had her cornered. There was nothing there for her to use against me, just the noticeboard with fliers for local gardening services.
"You’re nothing to him," she kept saying. "Nothing."
I slapped her across the face. My head buzzed too loud to think clearly and the room blurred but I knew then what I had to do. Nothing could stop me. Nothing. Not her. Not anyone.
I hit her again and this time she fell to the floor, knocking her head on the counter. I waited for her to get up but she didn’t move.
Chapter 19
Ruby
I had no idea where I was when I woke up. I thought I was still asleep and in my nightmare. I shivered in the cold and tried to reach for my blanket but my hands couldn’t move. I couldn’t see anything then I realised my hands were tied and I had a blindfold on. It had to be a nightmare.
Then I remembered. I’d been at the pizza shop and that crazy bitch had been threatening me. She hit me and I started falling then everything had gone black.
My head throbbed. My entire body felt bruised.
I tried to scream but I had something shoved in my mouth. All I could manage was a muffled cry. Not that I even knew if it was worth screaming. I could be anywhere. I sat on something. A chair, a wooden chair by the feel of it against my legs. The pizza place had wooden chairs, maybe I was still there.
I tried to move my legs and they weren’t tied, just my hands. She’d attached them to the middle slat on the back of the chair and I could move them up and down slightly but that was the only movement I could make.
I tried to stand up but, if I did, the chair might topple from under me. I’d end up on the ground with a fallen chair attached to me. Even if I stood, I figured I’d have nowhere to go. She wouldn’t have put me anyway I could easily escape from.
While I waited, I tried to think happy thoughts. There was nothing for me to fear, in this cold, dark place. Those rustlings I heard were nothing. Maybe some birds nesting. The place smelt like garbage and motor oil. It had to be a storeroom or something. The stink of garbage was strong. Not even like fresh garbage but like garbage someone had dumped somewhere and had forgotten about. Putrid. The kind of smell that would attract rats.
Urggh. My skin crawled. I wanted to rub myself, to get clean, but I was powerless and vulnerable. All I could do was curl my toes to save them from being eaten.
I couldn’t think about rats or spiders or anything bad. I had no idea how long I’d have to be in this place.
A wave of dread rose inside me but I pushed it down. Happy thoughts. That was all I had to fight with.
I had no sense of how long I'd been there. My stomach rumbled. I'd not eaten for hours. When Lizzie came over, I'd had a cup of tea but we'd not had any food. I'd made the sandwich for dinner and left it cooking on the stove. I had turned the stove off before I left? I must've done but I couldn't remember doing it.
Happy thoughts. All my happy thoughts were of Tex. He had become everything to me. But his world was going to destroy me. It had started already. I couldn't think of that though. Instead, I thought about the way he wound my hair around his fingers, making curls. The way his eyes shone and he called me Ruby Red.
When we were together, everything was perfect. He made me laugh and made me feel like I was the only woman in the world. He made up stupid songs for me.
That morning before he left for rehearsal, he’d mentioned the Awards night.
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want, Rubs. Of course, I want you there but it’s not like I want you to force yourself.”
I watched him getting dressed, hesitating about my reply. I started to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. If I said “yes”, it wasn’t just a simple case of putting on a fancy dress and walking beside him. It’d be like wearing a huge sign saying “Tex’s girlfriend”.
Part of me wanted that. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but my stomach clenched in fear. The photos posted online had freaked me out enough, going to the Awards would be a hundred times worse.
A foreboding chill crept through my body telling me that if I agreed, something really awful would happen.
I watched Tex leave, wishing I’d given him the answer he wanted.
I’d said nothing and the evil happened anyway. Maybe it was better to be bold than to hide in fear.
Why had he sent me that message? It wasn’t him. It couldn’t be. She’d stolen his phone or done something creepy. Tex would realise and he’d find me.
If I went through every happy thought I had of Tex, maybe he’d find me before I got to the end of that list.
I ignored all the rustling and thought about Tex’s fingers, such long fingers that splayed out just a little at the ends. His square, ragged nails that were always so clean. The way he moved them up the neck of the guitar or along my spine.
Tex would find me. I had no idea how but I knew he would.
Chapter 20 Denise
The knock on the door of the pizza shop startled me. I hadn't quite finished cleaning up. I almost squealed when I saw Tex standing there. He'd come for me. I'd always known he would. We'd fall into each other's arms. I'd be the one beside him. I'd go to the Awards night with him. I'd be with him forever.
"Where's Ruby?" he asked when I opened the door.
I shrugged. "Who?"
He moved closer to me. The heat of his skin touched against mine, sending shivers through me. He was asking about Ruby with his words but his eyes said, "I want you." I knew he’d turn to me. I’d just had to get rid of her. She’d been the only thing standing in my way.
He stood so close to me, I was sure he could hear the beating of my heart but that would only prove to him how much I loved him. The way he looked at me was brutal and animalistic. Just like I’d always imagined him to be.
“She’s gone missing and I swear you know something about it.”
That growl in his voice did wild things to my insides, way more intense than even my sexiest fantasies.
“What? I don’t know anything. I just came in to do some clean up at the shop. I don’t even know the woman.” I thrust my breasts forward, letting them say the things my words couldn’t. The build-up of sexual tension between us was almost too much for me to bear.
He glared at me, his nostrils flaring as though he could barely control his urges. He didn’t need to control them. I welcomed all of his urges.
"You can come in and look around if you like."
Of course, he walked in. He wanted to be nearer to me. You could see that written all over his face. I slammed the door behind him and smiled with satisfaction as I heard the click of the deadlock. It was just Tex and me, in the pizza shop for eternity. A fairy-tale come to life.
"Ruby?" he called out. "Ruby?"
He walked through to the back of the shop and into the kitchen making a pretence of searching for her. She wouldn’t answer though. I’d made sure she was right out of the way. Soon, the spell she’d put on him would be broken and he’d be all mine.
"Ruby?"
There was no sound except the CD playing in the background and the palpations of my desire.
"It’s okay. She’s not here. It’s just us. So, while you're here, do you want a drink or something?"
I walked to the fridge to get out a couple of beers. I made sure I put an extra wiggle in my walk, knowing he'd be watching me. It made my body thrill.
"Why's this door locked?" he asked. He was at the front door, rattling the deadlock.
"Oh that... It does it automatically."
"Open it."
The buzzing, foggy feeling was gone now. I had one focus. Tex. It'd always been him. Only him. I wanted to savour this moment because I’d worked so hard to get to it. Every breath I’d taken in life, every heartbeat, had one purpose and that was to take me to this place.
When I got close to him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and turned my head up to him, waiting for his lips to settle on mine. I'd dreamed of this moment every night and finally I'd know what Tex’s kiss felt like. Would it be like a raging ocean or like the ray of sun that warms your body on a winter’s day? Would it be a hot gush to my minge or a slow warming?
He stared at me for a second as though not believing it was true. I understood how he felt.
Then he pushed me away. I stumbled and fell to the floor, so hard the tears welled in my eyes. Flat on my arse.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he yelled.
"You know we're meant to be..." Maybe I’d come on too strong. Of course, he’d want to be the one to initiate things. I should’ve waited for him to make the first move. Or maybe he just liked it rough. If he wanted to tie me up and force himself on me, that would be okay too.
"We’re meant to be nothing. I want Ruby. If she's not here, open the door and let me out."
What was he saying? The buzzing came back in my head, like a swarm of flies. I reached out for his foot. He didn’t understand, but I’d make him. The whole destiny thing.
“She’s nothing. If she’s left you, then good riddance to her. Forget about her, Tex, and think about our future together. We were meant to be. All the signs say so. We can have a drink and discuss this.” I gave him a zesty wink to let him know that drinks would just be the start of it.
"You're fucking nuts," he said. “Open the door before I smash it.”
There was no way I would unlock that door. He would stay with me until he came to his senses. I could see through his tough guy front.
Then I heard a shatter. He'd kicked the door and smashed the glass. Shards rained down on the floor around me.
Then he was gone.
Through the buzzing, I had the sense to realise an alarm sounded. Of course, Tony had the windows alarmed. The cops would arrive and I'd be on the scene. I got up off the floor and ran outside, in time to see a car take off down the street. Was that Tex? He didn't have a car. I ran down the street. Maybe I could catch up to him? Then I’d make him understand.
Chapter 21
Ruby
I’d gone way past panic to recrimination, the same thoughts running around and around my mind.
Why had I been stupid enough to go to the pizza shop? I should’ve messaged Tex back to confirm things. I should’ve checked the address before I got there. I should’ve not gotten out of the cab.
When I’d turned up and realised what the place was, why’d I gone in?
The moment I’d gotten out of the cab and seen the shop sign, I’d had a creepy feeling. I mean, why would Tex want to have dinner at the pizza place where that woman worked?
But the message had come from Tex.
She was so strong too. She'd overpowered me easily. Her eyes had been the worst. There was nothing in those eyes. They were blank and vacant, like all rational sense had left.
I rubbed my wrists, hoping to loosen the bonds. I had no idea what she'd tied around them. It didn't feel like rope. It was soft fabric. Maybe a scarf or something. I rubbed the knot against the back of the chair. Either the slat on the chair would break or the fabric would loosen. I’d been doing it for what felt like hours though and I didn’t seem to have made any progress.
I had to get out. I couldn’t wait to be rescued. I kept on trying it. I had nothing else to do with my time anyway. At least the effort warmed me up a little. My thin dress gave me little protection against the cold.
What did she intend to do to me? She couldn't leave me tied up forever. Or could she? Maybe she’d dumped me and I’d die a slow, lingering death in this place.
But, if she wanted to kill me, wouldn’t she have just killed me straight away, not left me tied up? Maybe, after she hit me and I’d lost consciousness, she’d panicked. She’d come to her senses and come back to let me go.
No. She had no senses.
Or maybe she just thought it would be stupid to kill me in the pizza place. My blood would be all over the floor. She’d have to clean up every trace or I’d be identified. With everything that had happened, she’d be the prime suspect.
She'd take me somewhere far away. Into some backwoods.
Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts were good. Thoughts of shallow graves in the woods were NOT good.
The way Tex stroked my skin after we had sex, brushing his fingertips against me as though I was so delicate that he might break me. Surprisingly gentle after the roughness of our lovemaking. That contrast always made my heart flip. That was as close as he ever came to saying he loved me. Not that I needed the words. I had the way he looked at me and the way he said my name and the way he wrapped his body against mine.
Was that an alarm?
The noise pulsated through me. I'd been in the dark silence for so long that I questioned if it was just inside my head. I was being pushed over some edge. Maybe I’d start hearing all kinds of things – voices and bells and footsteps – until I slowly went mad.
No, it was out there. An alarm.
That meant someone was coming. Surely. Someone would hear the alarm and search the place and find me. Maybe they'd find me. I had no idea where I was. I could hear nothing over the noise of the alarm. I tried to call out so that if anyone arrived, they'd hear me but I couldn’t make any noise. I’d tried to work the gag out of my mouth but had only slackened it a little.
Maybe I could do something else though.
I tried to jump the chair she'd tied me too. It moved a little but didn't make much sound. And I’d moved it to less stable ground so that it rocked in a scary way. The ground under my feet was hard. I tried stomping my feet to make noise but the sound was so weak no one would even notice it.
I thought about what people did on TV. Maybe I should try to tip the chair over. Then I'd be on the ground. I wasn't sure if the ground was where I wanted to be though. I had a relatively comfortable chair but the ground could be cold concrete and covered in any kind of awful muck. I shuffled the chair some more but hit something. Some boxes, by the feeling against my arm. I rocked my body, hoping I could get the boxes to fall over but they were solid. Still, I kept trying.
My wrist burnt from the friction of the fabric and my legs ached from the effort of trying to move. But I had to try.
Then the alarm stopped. I listened for footsteps or any noise that suggested another person was around. All I could hear was that horrible rustling though. I was alone. Totally alone.
The blindfold was wet against my face. I hadn't even realised I'd been crying.
Chapter 22
Denise
The phone in my back pocket rang again. I took it out and turned it off. I didn't want any sound pinpointing my position. I sat on the fire escape of the building opposite the pizza shop watching the police. They'd search the building and find nothing wrong. They'd never find her in the store shed. I'd tied her and gagged her. When they left, Tony might send someone to secure the building. He’d be contacted by the security company and would have someone come over to board up the door.
Shit, I'd parked the pizza delivery car out the back of the building. If Tony’s minion saw it there when he turned up, they'd figure out I'd been at the shop. I needed to move it but I'd wait for the cops to leave.
There was nothing to do but wait but shit, the night was cold. I hadn't planned on hiding out in an alleyway when I'd left my apartment. Surely it wouldn't take the cops long to search the building.
I had to do something about the phone. I couldn’t have it on me but I didn't want to ditch it near the pizza shop. I'd stop somewhere once I had the car and throw it in the trash.
Maybe I should use it. Send Tex a message and tell him he was dumped. That witch obviously had a hold over him.
I needed him to feel so totally dumped, he'd never think of going after her. What would she do if she dumped him? Hell, I should've thought this plan out better before I started.
Her parents were in Bali. That's where she'd go. It's not like he'd follow her there. He had the Awards show and then a gig not long after. It'd be perfect. Yep, she’d totally be the type to go running back to her parents. She obviously was the type who had parents she could run to. If he thought she was there with them, he’d forget about her in an instant.
"Sorry. Can't handle this relationship. The stress might make me have another breakdown." Good, hopefully he didn't know about the breakdown. "Going to join my parents in Bali. Don't try to find me :)"
Then I deleted the smilie face. She probably wouldn't use that in a break-up email. I pressed send.
The cops were leaving. I got up and stretched my legs. I'd go get the car soon. Then what? Go to the studio? Tex would need comfort and I would be there for him.
Maybe I should leave that for a night though. I didn't want Tex to suffer too much but I had to wait a while. I couldn't go running straight to him. He was crazy freaked about that witch. I had to wait until the impact of the message hit him. If I waited a day, he'd definitely be over her and looking for comfort.
The cops drove off and I wondered if I had time to check on the witch before Tony’s henchman arrived. It was probably safe to leave her in the store shed for a few more hours. It wasn't as if the rats would completely eat her in that time. And she could go a few hours without food or water. On the other hand, maybe she'd managed to untie herself somehow and would be able to call out for help when Tony’s friend arrived. If they found her in the back shed, I'd be up shit creek.
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