Page 13
Story: Vow of Vengeance
CHAPTER 13
Ophelia
“He didn’t even say goodbye.” The words slip from me. I bite my bottom lip, ashamed I said them out loud.
“He may be a grump,” Gian says, “but he’s a good man.”
I think of my family being lied to. They’re imagining me off seeing the world on the Bachman dime. What a joke. I’m here. Captive. Paying my debt off one earth-shattering orgasm at a time.
“No,” I murmur. “He’s not.”
“Good men in this world are hard to come by. I’m fiercely loyal to the entire Bachman family. But Harrison has me tied to him in a way I can’t explain. After what he did for me…”
Gian’s voice trails off. He moves to the sink, ending that line of the conversation. What did Haze do for Gian? I can feel it’s not right to ask. Instead, I listen as he continues.
“Bachmans live by their codes.” Gian turns on the tap to fill the sink. “And you may not like those codes, but they’re right in their own right. A man who lives and dies by his morals is good.” Gian glances at me. “Even if what you think he does is bad.”
“Me and the law agree he’s bad,” I say. I stand from the stool, ready to take over cleaning the kitchen. “Here. Let me do that.”
“Uh-uh.” He shakes his head at me, then points to the doorway. “You are going to read about humans' impact on biodiversity so we can rewrite your essay.”
“This kitchen is so gorgeous. It’d be fun to clean.” I stare at the pile of dishes, itching to take the work from him. He’s already done the baking.
“You’re wasting precious time.” He adds a squeeze of dish soap.
I give my final, feeble attempt. “You know my biology teacher only gives partial credit for redo’s. Are you sure it’s worth it?”
“When we reviewed your schooling for today, you told me about your grade on the first try. Can you remind me?” he asks, already knowing the grade because I had to explain the school’s unfamiliar-to-him grading system, thus making him aware I’m doing terribly.
I shrug. “A 64.” I don’t tell him I’m in the lowest level class, too. The easy one. The one the other kids call the “baby class.”
“Oh, it’s worth it. It’s certainly worth it.” He nods to himself, turning off the tap. “Go on. I’ve already got the fireplace on for you.”
Remembering the tub, I make an excuse to go upstairs. “Thank you. I’m just going upstairs to grab something.”
“Alright.”
I need to tidy up. I’m sure a daily cleaner is coming to this spotless house, and I don’t need the humiliation of what they will find. I pop into my bathroom. The tub is drained, sparkling white, and the toy is gone.
I don’t know what to think or how to feel. Here, Haze has taken care to preserve my dignity, yet he put the thing inside of me in the first place. I think of the warmth of his arms holding me last night, so different from the coldness in his eyes this morning.
After making my bed perfectly, I head back downstairs while trying not to think about the confusing state of my life.
I can’t keep my worry about my family at bay for long. Despite my best efforts, the words start to blur on the pages. My gaze travels to the flames licking the logs in the fireplace. Red at their tips, they change to orange and blue in the center. Like my mother's dress the last time I saw her, its circular pattern orange on the outer ring with red spokes leading to a blue center.
Yesterday morning seems like a lifetime ago. I’m still puzzled that Mom told me she’d paid my full tuition right after we lost our scholarship. And that she told me not to worry about adult stuff when I asked her where she’d gotten the money, which upset me.
It’s not like I’m the average teen, hanging with friends and staying up till midnight scrolling on the phone. I’m working or studying with my time.
I also didn’t like that she wouldn’t meet my eye.
Now I know why she was acting weird. Still, I can’t picture my sweet, young mother stealing, much less from the mafia. I trust Haze when he says my family isn’t hurt, but I must talk to Mom. I need to know everyone is okay, and I want to know what she did to get the money.
I think of Carter on the ground below my window, groaning in pain. I believe Haze when he promised me that Carter was taken home safely, but what about this morning? Did he arrive at school safe and sound, except for a few scratches?
I trust Haze.
Maybe it’s ridiculous, maybe I’m naive, but I trust him. Hearing Gian say how tied he is to Haze doesn’t hurt either. Still, how he went from warm last night to cold this morning left ice in my veins. That coldness makes me question him. I need to hear from my family and make sure they are safe.
Can Gian help me?
“Can I get you anything?” Gian’s voice breaks through my thoughts, jolting me to the present. He stands at the doorway, a helpful look in his eyes.
“Maybe…” I say.
“Anything,” he says, expecting a request he can fulfill in the kitchen. An espresso machine can’t cash in this favor. Though a second latte would be incredible.
“I have a question…” I start. “But it’s a bit delicate.”
He looks up for a moment, contemplating. “Ask away, and if I can answer, I will.”
“Okay…” I hope he can answer because this question has been burning in my mind. How do I word it? “Does Haze have any children?”
Gian pauses a moment and then breaks into a big belly laugh. “God, no!”
What about the woman in the street who shrieked like the devil and wore a gray coat?
“Really?” I ask. “Not even, like, a baby hidden away somewhere?”
“Absolutely not.” He shakes his head, recovering from his laughter. “Anything else before we begin work on your essay, my dear?”
“There is one more thing,” I say.
The smile fades from his face as he reads mine. He knows it will be a big ask before I even make the plea.
“I hate to put you in this position after all you’ve done to make me feel welcomed.” Hearing my tone, he looks away, knowing I’m not asking for more baked goods. I take a deep breath, stealing my nerves. “I need to talk to my family.”
Staring at the floor, he shakes his head. “I can’t help you with that. We’re under strict instructions to have no contact with any members of your family right now?—"
Desperation leaks into my tone. “I need to hear my mother’s voice.”
Gian relents after what feels like fifteen minutes but can only have been a long moment. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Don’t get yourself into any trouble, but if there’s any way to make it possible?—”
He holds up his hand, stopping me. “I’ll see what I can do.”
I feel a flutter of hope. “Thanks.”
“Moving on,” he says. “Now, let’s get back to that essay.”
“Great.” I pull out a clean sheet of paper and stare at the blank lines.
Gian prompts me, and I attempt to explain how urbanization causes habitat loss, but my only thought is of contacting my family…
And what will Haze do to me if he finds out I tried?