Page 13

Eliza

When we got to the house, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up again until the alarms went off for work this morning. I have been stalling all day calling Troy, but now that Ryan is here at the office again, I am going to do it.

I am sitting at the round table in our office with my old phone in front of me, and I am just staring at his contact. They are quietly watching me until I finally hit the button to call and place the phone on speaker.

I haven’t heard Troy’s voice in five weeks, and it feels weird. It’s almost scary how normal calling him feels, but also unsettling all at once. When he answers and I hear his voice, anger bubbles up.

“Well, hello, Eliza,” Troy says with an amused tone.

“Hey. Have a second?” I ask simply.

“I have all the time in the world for you, babe. What’s wrong?” he asks. I am taken aback by his caring attitude.

“Can we meet up and talk? I’m free at lunchtime,” I say.

“Yeah. What’s going on?” he asks with a concerned tone.

“I just think it’s time you and I talked,” I say. “A lot has happened over the last month and a half.”

“But you are safe?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’m safe,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “Where do you want to meet? I’d prefer somewhere public.”

“Yeah. How about the diner by your work?” he suggests. “Are you still working there?”

“Yeah, that works. I’m still here,” I say. “I can be there in a few minutes.”

“Sounds good, Eliza. I’m looking forward to seeing you,” Troy says.

“See you there,” I say, ending the call. “Idiot.”

We pull into the parking lot, and I get out before my nervousness takes over. As soon as we get inside and I see him, I turn and hug Julian. He hugs me back and kisses the top of my head. “We will be over here,” Julian says. I nod before turning to Troy. He looks angry now, and that makes me happy.

“Hey,” I say, sitting in the booth across from Troy.

“You brought them?” Troy asks.

“Well, yeah. Why?” I ask.

“Why am I here?”

“Well,” I say. “I found out about the profile you made on VelvetBound.”

“Oh?” he asks.

“How did you find out?” he asks nonchalantly.

“They showed me the messages,” I say. “They were awfully convincing, but not enough.”

“Which one raped you?” he asks.

“Neither,” I laugh. “Pissed your plan didn’t work?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he deadpans.

“God, you’re stupid. Troy, we tracked the IP address back to you,” I lie. We didn’t, but he doesn’t know what we can and can’t do. It’s possible, but we haven’t done it yet.

“Why are you here then?” he asks.

“I wanted you to see that I am something without you. I found happiness despite your incessant attempts at breaking me. I know you’ve been stalking me, and it ends now.”

“Does it?” he asks. “You think you’re something special to them? You think I don’t know what they did with Erica while they were away? You’re a fucking fool if you think they could commit to you.”

“Desperation isn’t a good look for you, Troy,” I muse. “You never loved me; you loved controlling me.”

“No one will ever love someone so foul as you,” he bites back. “You were a hole to fuck and something to take my anger out on.”

“And look at you now,” I laugh. “Alone and as pathetic as always.”

“I own you, bitch,” he growls. “You’ll see.”

“You own nothing,” I seethe. “You are a vile waste of space, and I can’t fucking wait for the day you die.

You think you are something special? You have to force people to be around you.

No one loves you, Troy. Even your own mother abandoned you.

Do us all a favor and find a hole to crawl into and disappear.

No one will miss you. No one will notice your absence. ”

“Feel better?” he asks.

“I felt better the moment I walked away from you.” I stand, and he follows suit. “Fuck you and fuck everything you did to me.”

I turn to walk away, but he grabs my wrist and yanks me closer so he can grab me by the throat.

Julian, Calder, and Ryan practically run over to us but stop when I put my hand up.

“Go ahead, Troy. Hit me,” I say calmly. “Show me what a big man you are beating on a woman half your size. I bet it makes you feel so strong, doesn’t it? ”

“I will fucking break you, Eliza,” he says with a growl in his voice.

“Good luck,” I reply with a sweet smile before stepping back. His hand drops, so I turn and walk over to Julian, who grabs my face and kisses me hard. This man can make me fucking swoon , even when my body is shaking with adrenaline.

“Let’s go home, Kitten,” Julian says happily.