Chapter 76: Chapter: 76

ANDREA

Beth and her new husband were on their honeymoon, and even if she were in the country, she wouldn't be here; she would be with her new rich husband in their new home. I was alone in her old apartment, where I had been living since she got married.

I had felt safe sleeping alone in the two-bedroom apartment, that was until a few days ago when I came home from work and saw the apartment door wide open.

I thought a thief had broken down the door, but nothing was missing. Since then, I've felt more exposed and anxious than I was a month ago.

My bare feet inch closer, sweat dripping down my neck, as I grapple with fear and doubt about whether confronting the burglar was brave or reckless.

I wondered if calling the cops would have been safer, but I knew he might have already fled or found what he was after.

So I steel my spine, swallowing hard, then I used my left hand to open the door while my right hand clutched the rolling pin. I screamed, Beth screamed, and I was slamming the door closed so fast I hit my leg that I'd forgotten to take out of the room.

I quickly limped back to my room and sat down on the bed, massaging the abused appendage.

Fuck!

“I'm so sorry, it's totally my fault. I didn't mean to scare the shit out of you. We just landed, we are so exhausted, and the apartment is closer than the condo, so we decided to crash here tonight. I didn't know we would wake you or that you would be alarmed. I'm sorry,” Beth, who followed a moment later, rushed in to say, now dressed in a navy blue bathrobe.

“God! Beth, I thought it was a burglar. I almost called the cops.”

“I'm sorry, are you okay?” she asked, her small face blanketed with concern for me.

“More embarrassed than hurt. If I had known what I was going to see, I would have opted to call the cops. Now, because of you freaks, I'm scarred for life, and I will never be able to forget what I saw. That is some serious kinky shit,” I said, trying to rid the image of Beth and her husband fucking.

Beth burst out laughing, even as her cheeks heated. “Just trying some new things, and you should try it sometimes, I could give you a few pointers, trust me, it's hot,” she said shamelessly before winking at me.

“Eww, no. Thank you, that's hardcore, and I'm not into that,” I replied with a shudder. Beth only laughs harder.

Freak!

I was in the small kitchenette making breakfast the next morning when Beth came in, yawning, dressed in a black silk sleeping dress. Though they'd been going at it like rabbits, she and Saul, her husband, looked fully rested; her face held a hint of a satisfied smile I envy. I, on the other hand, felt drained.

Just like two nights ago, I couldn't sleep more than two hours max before some horrible nightmare cut through my restful sleep, making it not restful. I had been up since 4 am, doing nothing but thinking, thinking, and more thinking.

I've got so many unsolved problems on my plate that I need to find a way to tackle my most recent one. Beth hugged me from behind before giving my cheek a loud kiss.

“Good morning,” she said in a happy sing-song voice.

“Morning, how are you? And where is Saul?” I asked, flipping the last pancake. Beth tried to snag one of the pancakes piled high on a plate close to the coffee machine, which was now whistling. I slapped her hand away.

“Hands off, help me set the table, then you can eat with a spoon and fork like a civil woman,” I ordered before turning off the coffee machine, which seems to have boiled. She pouted.

“You're mean. I will do as you say since you have taken the time to make breakfast this early. I'm seriously starving, though I am sure this breakfast would be enough. Coz let me tell you I could eat an elephant right now,” I said in my mind.

All this she spouted as she set the table and helped carry the scrambled eggs, the coffee jug, and the toast I had already made. I followed with the pancakes after I turned off the gas. We both sat down and began to eat. My appetite these days knows no bounds.

“Of course you'll be starving, after fucking the night away, it's bound to happen, and this food is more than enough for three people, you'll see. You might be feeling hungry now, but I know you wouldn't be able to eat much, at least not as much as Saul,” I said, knowing how little she eats.

“What did Saul do? I just heard my name,” Beth's handsome husband strolled in dressed in checkered pajama bottoms and a simple gray cotton shirt. He bent his head and captured his wife's mouth in a long kiss.

“Oh, please!” I gagged, “Get a room, you two.” Beth moans low. I snickered.

“Bitch, now you're just rubbing it in.”

“That I'm married and you're not? Yeah, I am,” she said, smiling, panting after they stopped sucking each other's face. I rolled my eyes at her, even as my lips twitched in a smile.

“Good morning, Katie,” Saul greeted after he pulled a chair and sat down.

“Good morning, Saul. How was your honeymoon?”

“It was great! Venice was wonderful, we absolutely enjoyed ourselves, right, babe?”

Smiling, she nodded. “Right, Andrea, you should definitely visit Venice sometime, it has an old-world charm and the food is to die for! God, I'm already missing it,” she added dreamily.

“I'm glad you guys enjoyed your stay. And you know what? Maybe I will go to Venice, I've heard so much about it from Alice and now you guys that I want to see it for myself.”

“You should. You'll definitely love it,” Beth said as she shoved pancakes into her mouth. I would. It will be the last country I will visit before going back to the States.

Hopefully, by then, Nicklaus had given up looking for me.

We ate and chatted with each other, while I teased the love birds who couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was beautiful what they had, and I wish someday I will also have the same.

“Andrea, you know you can always come back here, right?” Beth asks sniffing. “I'm going to miss you so fucking much. If you ever decide to migrate from the state, just come here. I would love to have you near, and I know there are so many places that you could get a job with here in Paris with your qualifications.”

Her eyes misted over with unshed tears before she hugged me tight. Beth hated goodbyes because they always made her cry. It's been four days since they returned from their honeymoon.

When I told her I was leaving, she was sad to see me go and had even tried to convince me to stay. I have told her about Nicklaus, though not everything, but she knew enough, which was why she and Saul had kept up the ruse of calling me Katie instead of my real name.

“I know Beth, but I doubt it. Getting jobs here won't be as easy as you make it sound, but I will definitely consider it,” I mutter in her long hair, hugging her back. My voice choked with emotion.

Beth had helped me escape when I needed to; if not for her call months ago, I might not have lasted this long running. Not-Nicklaus might have already caught me. She had saved me.

“And if I do decide to migrate, Paris would be it for me.”

I released her into her husband's arms, who enfolded her in his embrace, then I walked to where Pierre was waiting near the Uber, and hugged him. He squeezed the life out of me, lifting me from the ground, making me laugh as I hit his back and asked him to put me back down.

He reluctantly did and stole a kiss before I could stop him. “Know that I will come for you, Katie, and I assure you I will win your heart and bring you back to Paris,” he vowed. His light blue eyes are intense.

“Please don't. Forget about me, you are a wonderful man, Pierre, and I know one day you will have yourself a gorgeous woman who will love you as much as you deserve, and you will love her too,” I said with a smile.

I didn't say anything more; I just opened the Uber, sat down, then closed the door.

The driver pulled the car slowly, and I stubbornly refused to glance back. I'm even worse than Beth at saying goodbye. The drive to the airport was filled with thoughts on how much I'm going to miss them all and my next destination.

How will I find Mongolia? It's one of the countries I have always wanted to see for its beautiful panoramic views. As I sat there at the departures lounge waiting for the time to board the plane.

My eyes were fixed on my phone when someone sat on the metal chair close to me. Something hard dug into my sides, and my eyes quickly went to the place.

Gun!

There's a gun right now digging into my stomach right under my ribs. My breath froze in my lungs as I raised my panicked eyes and clashed with dark brown eyes filled with malice.

“If you so much as breathe loudly, much less scream. I will fucking blow your brain out, right here and now.” My throat completely closed up. I couldn't scream even if I wanted to.

“You will sit tight and quietly. If you make any sounds, I will kill your friend over there,” he thrust his phone in front of my eyes, as I watched another frightening man through the screen, yanking someone close so I could see them.

My heart sank with dread when I saw Beth, her pale face wet with tears, her hair ruffled.

My eyes widen with horror. Why would they have kidnapped Beth? Then I realized they didn't kidnap her.

They had entered their home and held them at gunpoint. The camera focuses on a different part of the house where Saul was tied up to one of the dining chairs.

Two men in black suits held their guns to his head. He had been beaten to an inch of his life. Probably from fighting them, since I noticed one of them was nursing a broken nose.

Oh God! Please!

Not Beth and Saul.