“Ah! Miss, where can I put your bag?” the driver asked, pulling me from my daze. I couldn’t believe I would be living in a place like this.
“Just over there is fine.” I motioned, waving him off. “And please call me, Vicky,” I mumbled.
“Are you sure, Miss? I should take it to the bedroom, it’s very heavy,” he insisted with a pained expression, it must be weighing on him.
“I can take it myself, no worries,” I continued to mumble awestruck. I would be living in this place. It was huge. It was beautiful. I wanted to shriek from excitement.
“Please, Vicky, I was told to make sure you are settled in, can I please take this to your room,” he said as his face reddened by the moment. The duffle really was heavy.
“Sure, sorry go ahead, the bedroom must be back there.” I motioned to the back of the apartment.
“I know, ma’am, I mean, Vicky,” he mumbled.
A few moments later he stepped back into the main room huffing and puffing. “Bryce wanted you to have this, he said feel free to use it for whatever you need.” I had no idea what he was referring too until he placed a platinum colored credit card in my hand. My eyes went wide.
“Oh no, thank you, that won’t be necessary,” I said passing the card back.
Derek lifted his hands up, making it difficult to place the card in his hand. “I’m sorry, Vicky, I am only following the boss's orders.”
“Of course, I am sorry. I will talk to Bryce,” I said holding up the card. I was going to have to stop by his office tomorrow morning, we agreed to no special treatment. I wanted him to keep his end of things, even though this apartment was definitely special. I assumed Bryce had lots of properties and this one was probably sitting empty so it was no big deal anyway to him.
“Thank you,” I said to the driver. He nodded his head and smiled, making his way to the door.
“You should lock up, take care, Miss,” he said, closing the door behind him.
I felt like a little girl at Christmas as I danced through the apartment, twirling around while checking out every little thing from the main bathroom to the walk-in closets. The luxurious kitchen was set up for a sous chef and the two bedrooms were massive and modern. I stopped in the master bedroom, assuming I would claim the largest room. Then I hopped onto the bed dancing and thrashing my head around. Feeling the need for some music I flicked through my playlist on my phone and put on My Sharona by The Knack and continued to jump and squeal like a teenager. I felt free, happy, and out of breath by the time the song ended. I fell back on the bed and stared up to the white ceiling blowing out a breath. My smile quickly faded the minute Scott Wellington came to mind. All this could be taken from me in the blink of an eye if Bryce knew how messed up I was, and if the video Scott took of me released to the world, disgracing his name.
My happy mood quickly fell into a familiar pool of despair. I needed some advice so I called the only other person who knew about that awful night. She had been there to pick up all the broken pieces that were left of me once it was over.
After a few rings she picked up. “Hello,” she answered hesitantly into the phone. She was always on guard when she picked up her phone. As if she was hiding something.
“Nessa, it’s Vicky.”
“Vicky? Vicky who?” she cackled.
“Very funny, Ness. How are things back home?”
“Oh, you know the usual run of the mill. Ed is Ed. I serve drinks and that’s about it. I’m starting to go stir crazy though. When are you coming home? I need to have some fun…we should definitely hit the scene in Toronto when you get back.”
“Actually, Ness, that’s the reason for my call. I’m not coming back so soon…” I trailed off because I heard a loud gasp into the phone.
“Vick, you can’t leave me,” she huffed desperately.
“I’m not leaving you, Ness, but I want you to come here. I have an apartment for both of us to stay in, rent free,” I began to explain.
“Are you crazy, Vicky, I can’t do that. I have no money and…”
“I’m sending you a bus ticket and you are coming to live with me. We can figure things out when you get here. Please, Nessa,” I practically begged her. I knew she was alone back home and now she didn’t even have me as her partner in crime, which probably made things even more difficult for her.
“Okay, I’ll come. Just send me your address. I’ll buy the bus ticket no worries.”
“I want you on a bus tomorrow, seriously, there isn’t anything for you to do in Thunder Bay anyway,” I insisted.
“Okay, pretty woman, I’m coming…relax yourself. Have you hit any parties there?” she asked. She had been the one to introduce me to the lifestyle.
“Yeah, I have. Nessa, I have some trouble…”
“What kind of trouble?”
“You remember the guy that beat the shit out of me two years ago when I left….”
I didn’t even finish my sentence when Nessa cut in. “What is it, Vicky?” she asked frantically. “I know who you’re talking about but what happened?”
“Nessa…he knows Bryce…he was at his office today. His name is Scott Wellington, he’s a CEO…of something, anyway he threatened me…he says he has a video of our time together, and he said he would show it to Bryce if I didn’t sleep with him again.”
Nessa gasped harshly into the phone. “That stupid mother fucker, how dare he? I will go to Toronto and kick his ass for you….”
“He isn’t in Toronto, he’s here in New York, I don’t know for how long…but I got away from him yesterday, but now he said he knows where to find me. I’m freaking out Nessa, that man is pure evil. There’s something psycho about him.” I huffed out and then I contemplated telling her about Luc. Should I ask her if I should confide in Luc and get his help? I already knew the answers, she would tell me that I can’t trust men. She doesn’t trust any man. Then she would want me to wait for her to arrive so she can kick Wellington’s butt herself. Only it’s not a plausible solution.
“Vick, I am getting on a bus tomorrow and we will figure things out.”
“Thanks, Ness, I’m glad you are coming. My father is a nice guy and he wants to get to know me…so I wanted to stay, but I know I would have had a hard time staying without you.”
“Thanks, Vick…thanks for not abandoning me…” she sighed.
“Never, Ness, you and I are a team. I just hope that this Scott won’t go running to the press or Bryce before I have a chance to think of a plan.”
“Did he give you his number or something?”
“No and I would be too scared to call him anyway. I froze at just the sight of him. I can’t deal with him on my own.”
“I’m coming, Vick. Just watch your back until I get there.”
“Yeah, I will. This apartment has security and in the morning Bryce sends a driver, so I should be okay…I better go now Ness, I don’t know how much this call is costing me. I will text you the address for this place. Have a safe trip and leave ASAP.”
“Yeah, yeah. See you soon, Vick. Watch out for yourself.”
“Bye, Ness.”
Once I hung up with Nessa, I noticed I had a message from Luc and butterflies swirled in my stomach. What was happening to me? I was the schoolgirl with a crush. I hadn’t been that girl since Jamie and I first hooked up. The thought of falling for him sent a jolt of panic through me, my guard was deteriorating and my heart was vulnerable. The thought scared me to death.
Vicky send me your address I will pick you up for dinner.
The message made me laugh because I never agreed to dinner and he was being presumptuous.
Actually I’m one floor under you, I replied, feeling my cheeks flush. Why was I embarrassed about this? It was completely out of my control. And saying that I was under him…mmmm….it made my inner thigh muscles contract deliriously.