Chapter 5

Valencia had been given a black hoodie and black sweatpants to wear and told to wash off her makeup. When she took off the black wig and put on the sneakers she’d been given, she looked in the mirror, stunned to see the change back into her sixteen-year-old self. She seemed so childlike without all the extra stuff.

She hadn’t expected to, but looking at her own reflection must’ve triggered the flood of emotions she’d been carefully controlling, and she’d broken down. She must’ve sobbed for five minutes straight. When she’d finished, her face was pink and her head hurt.

She’d then come out of the bathroom, and Sly had been standing there. He’d been leaning against the wall, his fully tatted arms crossed over his chest as he stared at her.

She blinked up at him. Had he heard her cry?

Without a word, he straightened and cocked his head, telling her to follow him.

She’d followed him all the way to a secret exit where a black car was parked in the shadows of the night.

Inside the car was a driver and, in the backseat, Eliott Cross, the man who’d made her the offer.

Sly had opened the door and waved her inside.

Valencia had gotten in the car. When Sly had shut the door, she’d looked out the window to see Karma racing toward them. Sly had caught her in the doorway, stopping her from going any further.

The look on Karma’s face had been one of desperation, the fear and rage in her eyes darkening them to a nearly black colour. She’d been yelling something at Sly, shoving at his chest as he pushed her away from the car.

Straightening, Valencia had raised her hand, but the door had been instantly locked, and the car had started moving.

Karma tried to run after the vehicle, but Sly caught her around the waist, carrying her as she kicked and screamed, back into the building.

Now, standing in a dark hallway, Valencia couldn’t shake off the fear and unease crawling through her as she remembered the look on Karma’s face.

“Don’t worry,” the man beside her said.

Turning to face him, Valencia tried to find his face in the shadows, chilled by his kind voice that so perfectly concealed his inner evil.

She heard the sound of keys and then of a lock being clicked open.

She frowned. He kept his son in a locked room?

She clutched herself. It was too late to go back. She could end up dead tonight, and there was no way out of it now. They’d sat her down in an office when she’d arrived and made her sign a contract which Eliott Cross had also signed. The contract stated that she’d receive everything promised to her by tomorrow night if they confirmed, in the morning, that she’d held up her half of the deal.

He pushed open a door, and light spilt into the hallway.

Eliott stepped into the room and looked to the right. He smiled that kind smile of his again. “Hey, buddy. How’s today been?”

There was no answer.

Standing stiffly in the hallway, Valencia jolted when he suddenly looked at her. “Come in. I brought you a friend, son.”

She walked awkwardly into the room, and he tugged her forward.

The room was large, but didn’t have much in it. There was a large bed and a bookcase stuffed with novels.

Seated cross-legged on the bed, a book in his hands, was the boy from the photo.

Standing behind her and holding her shoulders, Eliott smiled at his son. “What do you think? She’s madly pretty, right?”

Silently, the boy lowered his gaze back to his book.

Eliott’s grip on her shoulders suddenly tightened, and Valencia winced.

“Evander,” he muttered darkly.

Tensing, his son met his gaze again.

Eliott didn’t smile this time. “You know what happens… if you don’t do it. Right?”

The book in his hands shook as his fingers trembled. “…Yes.”

His father smiled. “Good. Have lots of fun, kids.”

He marched out the door and slammed it shut.

Valenica heard the keys again and the lock clicked into place.

Tensely, she looked over to the bed and stared at the boy. He was already looking at her.

A soft sigh parted his lips, and then his initially blank expression crumbled into one of bitter repentance.

“I’m… so sorry.”

He was shaking his head as he whispered the words.

Valencia blinked at him as he dropped his book and slowly walked over to her. When he stood in front of her, she stared up at him in silent horror.

His guilt doubled, and Evander sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Listen. You don’t have to do anything. You can just sit here. I’ll sleep on the floor if it makes you uncomfortable.”

When she remained silent, he grew anxious. “Oh, my goodness. He threatened you, didn’t he? I hope they didn’t hurt you…”

Swallowing hard, she shook her head.

A sigh of relief parted his lips, and he nodded.

Valencia was stunned, studying his face. He hadn’t smiled once, unlike his smiley face of a father, but… the kindness in his eyes was unmistakable.

He pursed his lips, looking down at her. “Gosh, how old are you?”

“…Sixteen.”

He studied her face sadly. “What’s your name?”

Awkwardly, she held out a violently trembling hand. “I’m Valencia. Valencia Raine.”

He looked at her hand and then wrapped his around it. “Evander Cross. I’m seventeen.”

She nodded and pulled her hand away.

They didn’t say anything more for a while. They couldn’t.

After a while of standing there awkwardly, he finally turned away and started walking.

“What will he do?” she whispered.

Evander stopped. He looked back at her. “What?”

“Your father,” she said quietly. “What will he do to you if we… don’t?”

He pursed his lips, lowering his gaze. “Well… what about you? You said he didn’t threaten you.”

She bit her lip for a moment and then sighed. Why lie? It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again. “We… made a deal.”

He looked at her. “What deal?”

“A deal that… saves me. I don’t want to have sex for money for the rest of my life, I don’t want to run anymore and… I don’t want to be me anymore.”

He stared at her, puzzled. “Oh… okay… So, if you don’t do this with me, you’ll have to… remain you?”

Tears prickled her eyes again, and she didn’t trust herself to speak, so she nodded.

He stared deeply into her eyes and then saw the bruises on her neck. Mild rage simmered in his blood as he understood. She was running from abuse. His heart broke, and his guilt returned with renewed force.

“You don’t have to do this,” he whispered. “Things will get better, just hang in there.”

The sympathy in his voice stunned her, and then the comfort his words offered made her tears fill even faster. Quickly, wiping them away, she lowered her gaze.

“What about you?” she whispered.

He hesitated for a moment and then sighed. “My mother. She’s not well, and she’s being taken care of at a private clinic. Only my father knows where it is. He sometimes lets me speak to her on calls, but hasn’t allowed me to visit her because I’m… gay. Because I’m gay.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh… I didn’t know.”

He nodded silently.

Valencia’s tense shoulders slowly relaxed, and she felt relief flood through her heart. She hadn’t known that part. It meant she couldn’t do this, it wouldn’t happen. Slowly making peace with the possibility of losing her freedom, she exhaled.

Evander swallowed hard. “She dies if I don’t do it.”

Her gaze shot up to his face. “What? But… then that means you have no choice. Why would you want to not do it?”

“It would hurt you,” he said quietly. “I’d rather die with my mother than become like my father.”

She stared at him. “You… plan to take your own…”

“Yes.” He looked at her and smiled for the first time since she’d walked in. “Once he kills her, I’ll end everything. And finally be free.”

His smile widened and, suddenly filled with desperation and horror, she shook her head. “No. You shouldn’t! There’s… there’s always another way. You should never give up like this.”

“What other way?” he asked, tears glistening in his eyes even though he still smiled.

She sighed. “We… we can fake it. We can pretend to—”

“In the morning, they’ll be running medical tests on us both to verify that we really did it.” His voice was flat with resignation.

Her face fell, eyes widening. She slowly gasped. Of course, why hadn’t she realised it? In the contract… there had been mention of some medical test.

Chills ran down her back as she and Evander stood in silent hopelessness.

Swallowing hard, she thought of the life she was about to escape. She thought of her parents and the curse they were to her. She thought of Evander and his mother, who would soon lose their lives.

Tears slid down her face as she looked up at him. “I guess… we have no choice then. I’m fine with it. Don’t feel guilty. This is our only way out. After this… everything will be okay.”