Chapter 31 Chapter 31
Tessa
I stared at the message. What was the point of arguing with him? He doesn't understand freedom. I dropped the phone onto the couch. I was hungry but didn't feel like cooking. I walked to the room and into the closet. I pulled a few hundred dollars out of my bag; I’d rather use asshole Rhyland’s money than his money. I didn't need shit from him; he forced me to be her. I wasn't here willingly. I found a hoodie and wore it when I walked out; Jax and Rob stood up.
“I’m going out to get food. “You can follow me if you want,” I said, heading towards the elevator. They followed me. The ride down was quiet and tense. When I got out in the lobby, they hung back. They didn't make it obvious that they were following me.
The minute I walked out, I ran into the one person I didn’t want to, Rhyland’s blonde bimbo, and another woman.
“You,” she said, turning towards the woman beside her.
“Hannah, this is the caretaker bitch I was telling you about. The one your brother is fucking,” she said. The one named Hannah walked into me.
“You… are the gold-digging bitch after my brother,” she said through gritted teeth. She tried grabbing me, and I punched her in the face. Clarissa made a step towards me, and I punched her too. Maybe it was the pent-up anger, maybe it was stupid, but I was tired.
“You fucking bitch,” Hannah yelled, lunging for me. I stepped aside and grabbed her by her hair and kept hitting her. I know I was taking my anger out on the wrong person. I let go of her, and she dropped to the floor.
“I don't know what this bitch told you, but I have nothing to do with Rhyland.” The minute the words left my mouth, he appeared out of nowhere.
“What.The.Hell. Did you do it?” He asked, looking at the two women on the ground. I looked at him.
“I know you’re an asshole to me, and I prefer that. But keep your family away from me. Make it clear to this blonde bitch that there is nothing going on between us. There isn't even a US. If one of them ends up dead, then that's on you, and I won't be the one to do it.” I said before walking away.
When I turned the corner, I heard him ask something about lies. I walked the ten minutes to the Chinese place. I knew Jax and Rob were behind me the entire time. As I reached the door, I spun around and looked at them.
“Aren’t you two supposed to stop anyone from hurting me?” I saw the smirk on Jax’s face. “You handled it yourself,” he replied. I stared at them.
“What do you want to eat? Hurry up; I don’t have all night.”
“Pad Thai,” Jax said. I looked at Rob. “Same,” he said. I walked into the restaurant and placed my order. Jax walked in and handed me the phone. I looked at it and rolled my eyes but took it.
“What?”
“You just returned and just stepped out in public, and you’re fighting?” he asked, and I rolled my eyes again.
“What do you want, man? You already forced me back here, forced me into a place of your damn choosing. What the hell? You want to monitor who I fucking speak to now? I’m trying to get some damn food. Stop bothering me.” I said into the phone, and there was silence on the other end. I heard the heavy breathing.
“Tessa, do not tempt me. Stop fighting and stop speaking to Rhyland,” he said in that low growl.
“Or what? You’ll rape me, force me?” I asked; I didn't wait for a reply. I ended the call and handed the phone back to Jax and collected the food. Rob took it from me and started walking.
We walked back to the tower in silence. I was pissed off. When I walked into the apartment, Jax handed me the food, and I went into the apartment. I had lost my appetite. I left the food on the counter and made my way into the living room. The phone was ringing on the couch. I walked over and grabbed it.
The caller ID said Kia, and I groaned before answering it.
TESSA: What do you want now?
KAI: Stop being a brat and eat your food.
TESSA: I’m not hungry anymore.
KAI: I’m sorry.
I paused.
TESSA: For what?
KAI: For everything
TESSA: Everything like what?
KIA: Tessa
TESSA: Leave me alone.
I ended the call and turned the phone off. I went to the kitchen and grabbed my food. I was about to open the box when I heard a knock at the door. I made my way over and opened it. Jax was standing there with a bunch of yellow roses, and I began panicking. I stepped back.
“Whe…w…wher… Where did you get those?” I whispered, and he looked truly shocked.
“It was a delivery,” he said. I ran to the couch and turned the phone on with shaking hands. When it was on, I hurriedly called the number. He answers on the first ring.
KAI: Ready to talk?
TESSA: He…he’s… He’s still alive.
My voice came out in a whisper. “What?” he asked in that slow, menacing tone. “Alex, he’s still alive. He just sent me roses, yellow roses,” I said.
“Stay in the apartment,” he said, and the call ended. I sat on the couch; my entire body was shaking. He was alive; he wasn't dead. That meant Mark was the one that Kai killed; it wasn't Alex.
The realization hit me: I was never truly safe if Alex was still alive. I needed to know what Detective Ryan knew. I called him back, but he didn't answer. I went to my room and grabbed a stack of cash and pushed it in my jeans pocket. I grabbed the phone and walked to the door. I opened it, and Jax and Rob were there immediately.
There were no signs of the roses. “I need to go somewhere,” I said.
“Okay,” he replied, pulling aside.
I walked over to the apartment and stabbed the elevator button. I was clutching the cash in my jeans pocket like it was a winning lottery ticket. I couldn't even care about Jax or Rob right then. My brain was stuck on repeat: panic, panic, panic. He’s alive.Alex. That fucking lunatic who started this nightmare. The reason I was even here, trapped with fucking Kai. The reason Kai killed him on the dock is that it wasn't Alex. It had to be Mark, his twin.
Kai killed Mark to make a show and prove to me no one would ever hurt me again, and Alex knew it had something to do with me, and now he sent me the yellow roses. His stupid, sick signature.