Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
7
AMELIA
“Did I just hear you say, as soon as I can?” Mr. Sorokin asks with exaggerated pseudo incredulity.
“No, no…I… I didn’t mean it like that. You must know, I didn’t. You’ll have the money. I promise,” Larry says, his voice low and pleading.
“Listen you fuckin worm. Stop talking. The more you writhe and squirm, the more you piss me off.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—,”
“I said, stop talking.”
Larry nods vigorously, the sweat is pouring into his eyes, making him blink owlishly.
“I want last week’s and this week’s packet by Sunday. And by Sunday, I mean this Sunday. Two fuckin’ days from today. And if I don’t have it all, plus the interest, then you know what’ll happen, don’t you?” He pauses, letting the moment drip with menace.
Larry’s eyes bulge like a squeezed frog’s as he nods.
“Say it,” Mr. Sorokin murmurs, his voice silky with enjoyment in his ability to make Larry totally submit to him.
“You will break every bone in my worthless body.”
“Very good.” Mr. Sorokin smiles coldly before he releases Larry.
Then the three men turn as if one autonomous body to head back for the entrance.
Panic seizes me. Oh God, I can’t have Larry know I’ve seen him in such a humiliating position. He will be forced to fire me out of sheer embarrassment. Hastily, I pull my tray of orders from the bar counter and turn away, but I’m so totally shocked by what I’ve just witnessed, my fingers slip, and my tray jumps out of my hand as if it has a life of its own.
In helpless horror I watch as it flies into the air. In seemingly slow motion, I see the drinks launch into the air. Gold, amber, and white liquids splash upwards and spray everywhere. In a way it is all rather beautiful. Well, at least until the flying glasses meet the hard wooden floor. The crashing sound of the breaking glass echoes across the whole room making my heart stop in my chest.
In my wildest dream I could not have imagined myself in this scenario. Mr. Sorokin’s suit jacket is so absolutely drenched with beer it’s dripping from the edges. He turns in slow motion and trains his dead eyes on me.
He is the impersonation of evil.
My insides go cold. “Oh my God. I… I’m so very sorry,” I stutter. “Let me get some napkins for you.”
I turn on my heel to start back towards the bar, but Mr. Sorokin reaches out, grabs my arm, and spins me to face him.
He doesn’t shout or scream as I expect him to do. Instead, his voice is flat and emotionless. “You think you’re so clever, so brave. Standing up for that fat, worthless worm.”
My eyes widen with shock.
Oh shit! He thinks I did it deliberately. “No, no… I didn’t spill the drinks on purpose. It was an accident. I swear it. Honestly. You have to believe me. It’s my first day here. I’ll pay for the dry-cleaning bill, of course.”
He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me intensely, with his tar black eyes. It’s impossible for me to know what he’s thinking, but he is so close I can smell him. He reeks of smoked mackerel. Strange, but his skin looks shiny and oily as a fish. It takes everything I’ve got not to step away.
“Oh, you’ll pay all right, but not my dry-cleaning bill.” Something I’ve seen in Dan’s eyes glitters in his eyes.
First my jaw drops, then I feel a flash of pure fury. The shock of having Dan almost rape me, the pain of my mother’s betrayal, and the fear of not having a place to crash for the night rush into one boiling emotion that burns in the pit of my stomach. I straighten my spine and stare back at him.
“I’ve said it was an accident and I’m really sorry. I’ve also offered to pay for the cost of cleaning your suit even though it will probably mean I’ve worked all night for nothing. So… you can take up my offer or not, that’s totally up to you, but don’t imagine you can ask me to sleep with you just because I spilled some alcohol on your clothes. I swear, I’ll call the police if you try to force me.”
His mouth quirks with amusement, as if he is the devil himself playing with a helpless human. “Who said anything about sleep. After I’m done with you, little pigeon, you can call anyone you want, but think carefully first, it would be a such shame if I had to ruin skin like yours. It is so smooth and… young.”
Suddenly, I feel fear like I have never known before. Even with drunk Dan, I was just waiting for the moment I could knee him in the nuts and while he was reeling in pain make my escape. Sure, I was shocked, disgusted, and annoyed, and maybe even a little scared, but it was nothing, nothing like what I feel now, looking into this man’s cold killer’s eyes. Goosebumps rise all over my body. My mouth opens, but I don’t know what I can possibly to say to save myself from a fate worse than death.