Chapter Eleven

Lily • Rosa • Jeanine • Park

"Changed your mind?"

When his eyes looked into mine my whole world disappeared. I turned my head just to see a handsome, majestic face full of some kind of unknown feeling. When he makes eyes contact, nothing else seems to exist.

If I wasn't wrong this is Léo's car, isn't it? Or...?

I got into the first black car, which was so-so similar to Léo's. Did I make such a mistake?

Okay. Even if I did. But why him?

"Is this not Léo's car?" I asked, stupidly.

"I don't know who Léo is, but I'm sure the car is mine." I cursed in my mind.

"But the purpose is still the same. Except the consequence."

Hell no.

In other words, he has a car which also can take me to wherever I'd like. But the price won't be low. And I don't feel like paying this person, not even a cent.

I turned my head to step out of the car, as I refused to deal with this situation, and especially with him. My hand stretched out to open the door, automatically. When I was suddenly stopped from doing so.

His hand traveled through the empty space between us and he grabbed the handle of the door the second I did, which didn't allow me to do any further actions. He quickly shut the door of the car, as he was holding onto the handle of the door together with my hand grabbing it.

He tightened the grip on my hand and turned his head to face me. His eyes interlocking with mine. A cool wave of shivers traveled through my body as I gulped hardly and loudly when his eyes looked into mine. They were sending such a strange feeling, but they felt empty at the same time.

Fear.

I saw fear. But not mine. His. They were sending so much emotions.

Anger.

Power.

Control.

Frenzy.

Wildness.

But mostly fear. I don't know what kind of fear. But fear.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"What are you doing? Let me go." I spoke the final words with a considerable calmness.

"No."

"You're going with me."

•

"What?!"

I didn't even have time to understand and the chauffeur already started to drive away. I looked at Victor and he was slowly fastening his seatbelt. I quickly tried to open the door recklessly. He quickly grabbed my hands and pinned them behind my back, so I could not move them. Then he grabbed both of my arms with only his one hand and he started pulling out the seatbelt and he very carefully trailed his hand with the seatbelt above my belly watching me reacting to his actions. I didn't move and stared at his eyes, up until he reached the click-up or the end of the seatbelt to finally fasten my seatbelt.

Click.

I roughly brushed his hand of my arms as he was gripping onto them. He released my hands and sat at his seat next to me. Satisfied.

Where is he taking me?

• • •

The next 25 minutes went very mysteriously, with the heavy air running through my lungs. My brain worked constantly. Trying to find a reasonable act to do. I needed to stay cool, because you never know what might be waiting for you the next minutes.

I came up with several alternatives.

First: Wait and see, which wasn't very consoling for my busy brain.

Second: Try to talk to him and at least get a little hint from him. Naïve.

Third: Ask him directly. Because, the reality that he is taking somewhere I don't know anything about, violates my free decision and claim to the right.

What follows from these alternatives is that I have to stay sane. No matter what. So I'll go with the third option.

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere you wouldn't be safe at." He spoke so effortlessly. I almost didn't wanted to believe his words about safety.

"No, really. Where are we going?" I was stubborn. Something in me needed to know where're we heading.

"Secret. It's a secret."

Something in this situation didn't feel right. Why is it a secret when it's supposed to be safe? And, what is he even trying to do? It's not like I agreed to go with him and even-

Shit!

Léo!

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I don't think I can continue to go to your secret place."

"Why not?"

"Well, I came with someone myself. And I was supposed to leave with him. He's probably already waiting for me."

"Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it."

"No, I really think I should go back-"

"DIDN'T I SAY, I'll take care of it?"

The words left his mouth a little more louder than I expect, which slightly scared me. And I because paralyzed. My body refused to coordinate. I only sat there, shocked. Didn't have the guts to speak up. So I just stayed silent. Breathing slowly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't wanted to scare you."

He apologized. I didn't expect him to understand the situation so fast.

I sat straight. Didn't move. Didn't make eye contact. Nothing. I just swallowed the heavy air.

When nothing seemed to be happening, I suddenly thought about my phone. I have it in my pocket. But my brain refused to take it out. The current state of my sane thinking is not that great, so I shouldn't be risking.

• • •

We drove for about half an hour to a place I didn't know. Or at least I didn't recognize. We entered a dark, gloomy part of forest which suddenly disappeared, and changed into a beautiful, aesthetic sunset as we continued on the road, when the car suddenly stopped. I spotted a breathtaking building. A house. On a hill. Luxurious and modern, yet old dazzling, with huge glazed windows and the greenery extended all the way to the house.

Victor got out of the car, alone, rushing to the house. I stared blankly. Not understanding the situation that overflowed me.

When he stopped and stood in front of the door, an old lady was standing in front of him as she opened the door. Leaving him just enough space for him to slip into the house. And he disappeared in the empty space left after his presence. The door closed.

I moved my gaze to the floor of the car. Waiting. Then, after stealing a few thoughtful glances at the car driver, trying to figure out at least something, Victor suddenly appeared. Unnoticed.

"Come."

He offered me his hand and I simply placed my hand into his to help me get out of the car. I unfastened my seatbelt and my shoes landed on solid ground. Connection with the ground calmed me, once again.

We walked sophisticatedly to the main door where we stopped and he opened the door where he let go of my hand to let me in as he put his hand out, indicating the way inside.

I walked inside without a hesitation. The fresh, plant-filtered air entered my lungs like stars onto the sky. Unknowingly.

The house was beautiful. From outside, but mostly from inside. The warm, oranged light extended inside from all above my head, illuminating the whole house with a beautiful atmosphere and calm feeling. The sunset made its own beauty. The lit fireplace complemented the atmosphere with a pleasant warmth together with inconspicuous but existing candles. The greenery filled all the empty space. Big, tall walls covered with plants and everywhere where I looked. They hanged even from the ceiling. It was simply prefect.

The house was huge. But not unnecessarily. It was open. And I mean it. The ceilings were high, glazed, with trees above them, allowing the rays of light to illuminate through, and the walls were spacious.

When I reached the space between the open, big glazed windows, a hidden world appeared. My eyes were caught by a beautiful space with an in-ground pool and a terrace, which appeared unreal and unbelievable.

When Victor walked past me, carefully caught my hand and brought me to the couch in the living room, placed opposite of the fireplace, I was disappointed, but I accepted it. He let go of my hand and sat down on the couch. I stood. The signal he sent me caused me to turn around, only to look at the direction which his attention was captivated by.

The wall. Or more preciously, what the wall provided, revealed.

Guns.

In other words, deadly weapons. They were arranged in certain rows being illuminated by installed lights, after the wall opened its secret. Just weapons. Nothing else. Big or small, short or long, light or heavy guns. Multiple and random weapons.

I stared confused. But not worried or terrified. But still. He probably expected me to react with fear. But no. As he got a little surprised, reacting to my reaction.

I couldn't react surprised or scared. This was part of my childhood. I grew up with guns. Literally.

My dad was teaching me together with Teo from our early age. I don't know why, or what for. But they were my second best friends. When he used to come back from work earlier than expected, we were learning to shoot with him. And we were good at it, as dad used to say. Mostly because we enjoyed it. The time spent with dad, doing what we liked. But then it stopped, after he left. He took all of his guns with him. And we needed to get rid of every painful memory of him. So we stopped.

It had so much hidden meaning in it. I wanted to understand what all of those guns meant. So my eyes turned back to him. With questions in my eyes. And he knew. Even though he still reacted surprised.

"My personal collection. Do you like it?"

"I love it! Are you kidding me?"

"You're not worried?"

"No, why would I?"

"You're really interesting, Miss Park." Okay, now I reacted surprised. How'd he know my name?

"Basic duties. I gotta know who I'm talking to my house."

"Impressive. Reasonable. But don't fan yourself too much." He smirked behind my back, as I stood facing the wall.

"So? What do you think?" He broke the silence.

"I'm speechless. Where did you get such treasures?" I responded immediately, with a little overwhelming tone in it.

I was absolutely taken aback, and from Victor's face, which I could finally see fully when he approached my personal space, I could read that he was just as stunned and speechless as I was.

I turned my head back to the guns, admiring the beauty of my childhood, which disappeared as quickly as my father's presence in my life. Nostalgia. When I spotted something unexpected.

"No way... Is that The Danish Sea Captain Walker?  You're kidding, right?"

•

•

•

"Wait...how the fuck'd you know that?"

To be continued...