Chapter 5 Stephanie McCain.
I felt like I was about to throw up everywhere the whole journey home.
I couldn't go back over to Hayden while Xavier was there. He'd know something was up or presume that I'm just one crazy bitch or maybe both.
My stomach rolled and rolled and I braced myself. Marcus is going to want juicy details and I have absolutely nothing to share with him. My fingers gripped onto the door handle and I closed my eyes, attempting to calm my erratic breathing.
He might be in a good mood.
Never.
Who was I kidding? Marcus Gustavo was never in a good mood.
When the driver pulled up outside the house I've been kept in for the past six months, I fished around my purse for some money. I prayed I had enough. Marcus just gives me the bare minimum and tells me to figure everything else out for myself.
He believed that men throw their money at me left, right and center but he couldn't be more wrong.
The driver waved his hand at me in the rear mirror and I glanced up. “Cab's already paid for, miss.” He said.
I blinked once and then again. “It is?”
He nodded. “Yup.”
Who would've paid for the cab? Xavier? I know he had the security guard escort me out of the building so I was safe….so I was safe. My heart clenched for a second before I shook my thoughts away.
“Okay.” I said as I popped open the door. “Thank you.”
“Have a good night, miss.”
As he drove away, I pulled down my dress and walked through the gates to Marcus’ mansion. I entered the code on the touch pad to get into the house. The lights were off when I stepped inside and I presumed that Marcus was either asleep or out.
I crept silently through the house and successfully made it to my bedroom without exhaling even a whisper of a breath. My ankles were shaking in my heels but hopefully, the silent night gave me the time to think through what I was going to say to Marcus tomorrow.
I had nothing. Fucking nothing!
I'm gonna have to make up one absolute shit of a story.
As I stripped myself of my clothes and got into comfortable pajamas, I washed my face in the bathroom and slipped under my duvet. I laid my head on the pillow but my eyes were wide open and I couldn't shake the nausea inside me.
Marcus was going to be so fucking angry!
Hayden was important, a big asset to his criminal activities.
My eyes swell with tears because I'm frustrated. I'm always frustrated. Every day I live in fear and it never feels like my freedom would come anytime soon. I know Marcus wants to keep me till he tires of me but for how long?
How do I get my brother to safety so I can ditch this son of a bitch?
I might as well just die here because I'll have nothing left in me even if I manage to ditch him. I'll be a ghost of a woman with nothing but pure vengeance for having a part of my life taken away from me. A death sentence I don't even deserve just because I chose to date the wrong man.
I wish I never reported him to the police. It might not have been as bad as it was now.
~~~~
The next morning, I attempted to lay in but it was impossible. I couldn't sleep for the life of me. I barely slept at all. I've been tossing and turning all night, fretting over what Marcus was going to demand of me today. What bullshit lies I could come up with without making him realise that I didn't find out anything.
I took a quick shower and brushed through my long blond hair. Marcus might be a cruel man but he's managed to give me my own space. He even orders me fresh clothes and makeup every month and whatever else I might need.
Even from the first months of dating him, money has never been an issue for him up until now.
But what was the use of money in an abusive relationship? I already hate him for everything he's made me go through. I hate him eternally.
As I stared at myself in the mirror, bare faced and damp hair, I knew I had to come out of my room soon or else Marcus would figure out that something was wrong.
At first, when I didn't get the information he needed, I'd avoid him like the plague but now he's figured out that that was my defense mechanism when I don't want to talk to him.
So I sucked down a large breath and exited the room. My stomach rumbled from desiring breakfast but at the same time, there was no way I could keep anything down right now. Not when I haven't spoken to Marcus yet.
Marcus was in the kitchen and there was an entire buffet spread out on the counter. His eyes were glued to his phone as I inched closer. He was chewing on a sausage that he held on a fork. “Ah, there you are my baby.” He chimes but doesn't even glance my way. “Good night?”
I laced my fingers together in front of me. “It was okay.” I admitted.
Marcus’ piercing eyes that once made my breath stop, finally looked in my direction. He was still chewing on the sausage, mouth open and I cautioned myself not to panic or look frightened. So instead, I forced on a smile and proceeded to the kitchen counter filled with greasy food, croissants and fruits.
Marcus cleaned off his fingers on a napkin, eyes still glued to me. “So tell me what Hayden said. I presume you had no trouble in seducing the guy. He's a total man whore even at his age. It's incredibly embarrassing.”
I bit my bottom lip and told myself to keep breathing. “He mentioned his stocks and shares.”
Marcus flexed a brow at me, unimpressed. “Tell me something I don't know already, Stephanie.”
Oh God.
My throat clenched. I've got to make something up or he'll be extremely unhappy with me. “He mentioned a project.” I blurted out of nowhere. “He didn't really go into much detail. He was mostly keeping to himself, saying how stressed he is and how the project could bring in a lot of clients.”
“A project?” He repeated.
My stomach flipped another thousand times. All I could do was hum in response.
Marcus turned back to his plate and lowered his fork. I watched his every movement intently. He leaned over the table to grab a toothpick and began using the sharp edge to remove food from his teeth. I just stood there, watching him like an idiot, trying to make my breathing as quiet as possible.
When he was done, he flicked the toothpick in my direction and I flinched slightly. He stood up from the kitchen stool he was sitting on. The stool legs dragged across the floor with a sound that reminded me of nails down a chalkboard. Uncomfortable and unpleasant.
I stood exactly where I was and he planted his hand face down on the counter. A small laugh escaped his lips but I didn't react. I kept my face neutral. “A project? Really Stephanie? That's the best you could come up with?”
“He–”
“You clearly didn't flaunt your tits and your ass in his direction enough.” He threw his hands around and I gripped my fingers tighter to stop myself from shaking. “Why didn't you sleep with him to butter him up? You could've had a nice little business talk after all the pathetic pillow talk!”
I was grimacing inside but I didn't let it show on my face. Not when Marcus could still kick my ass for not getting him what he wanted. I parted my lips slowly and shook my head. “He– he wasn't interested.”
“Bullshit!” He yelled and I ducked instinctively from the sound that echoed around the room.
“He– he didn't want to open up.” I blurted out quickly. “He kept changing the subject.”
Marcus’ nostrils flared. “Why didn't you try harder? You could've given him a goddamn blow job under the fucking table or something!”
“He was around company.” I said weakly. “He didn't have a lot of time for me.”
He rolled his eyes in my direction and then scoffed. “I find that hard to believe when I've seen him leave clubs with multiple women, even men!”
I rolled my lips together to stop them from trembling as he took three large steps towards me. My eyes reluctantly glanced up at him, watching him stare down at me with those deadly eyes. Today, his scars looked more frightening than usual, skin paler so I could see every red mark and bump.
He shifted between his feet, extending his tongue out to lick his bottom lip. Then suddenly, he had his fist in the back of my hair, squeezing tightly as I whimpered. He brought our faces together and I could smell the saltiness of the bacon he'd been devouring all morning.
“When I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it.” He grumbled under a harsh breath.
“I'm sorry.” I exhaled desperately. “I'll do better next time.”
Marcus’ fists tightened even more and I released a squeal of pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing myself for whatever was about to happen next. “Damn right you will! Because if you come back here without a single detail on Hayden, then I'm going to see how your hands feel when they're submerged in boiling water. Oh, and not to talk about making that phone call about your brother.”
I quivered in his touch as hot tears sprung to my eyes. “Okay.” I rasped quickly, my head beginning to ache. “Okay, I'll get you whatever information you need. I will.”
“Now, that's my girl.”
