Disturbed (Disturbed #1) (11 page)

             
I stare at her for several seconds before I just take the seat in the passenger seat. The tension between us makes the ride home extremely awkward. I want to apologize for snapping but the stubborn girl inside me says that Clarissa needs to apologize first.

             
Minutes before we arrive to my house, I attempt to cool off a little bit of the tension. After all, who knows when we'll be hanging out again. "Thanks for bringing me with you. I had fun kayaking."

             
I watch as she holds back the smile. She doesn't say anything until I open the door to the car to get out. "I did too."

             
I close the door and hold back my own tears. We've never had an argument with each other, not even a small one like that. I feel like I really did just lose my best friend, over something so petty like a guy. The only thing that'll make me okay right now is a pint of ice cream, a hot bubble bath, and to shed some tears.

I can't figure
out if the next three weeks are torture or a blessing.

             
In one corner is the fact that everything between Blaise and I has been nothing short of amazing. The countless dates, the passionate love making, the sweet gestures he does and the things he buys for me. I'm in a euphoric state of mind that I never want to shake from.

             
He has come over to hang out with dad and watch some football. I got to meet his uncle one day when he was asked to hay the field he brought me to once. Last Thursday he purchased me a gold necklace with an open heart pendant for our one month. We're with each other every chance we get, mostly at his place since I now reside in a dorm.

             
In the other corner is that Clarissa and I have said barely more than ten words to each other. We've both attempted a conversation that ended before it even actually started. I know that she is doing well in school and has found a part time job. She knows both school and work are going great, and I'm sure she assumes I'm happy with Blaise.

             
I hate that things between us are still rough, but I've made my attempts. There really is not much more I can do for her. For us.

             
Work has gotten better, that much is for sure, but it’s still stressful. Thankfully I've had a chance to cut back my hours due to school and homework, so I have less people to deal with over the phones. I've made some sales, and I made Roman's quota for the first thirty days.

             
That is practically the only time we've spoken since his business meeting that was anything but. Every time we have spoken, it’s been strictly about work. It doesn't mean that I don't see the looks he gives me or feel his eyes burning in the back of my head when I walk past his door.

             
I've tried making friends with Stephanie and this other girl at work, Fiona, but everyone is older and seem to be on the snobby side of the scale. At school I've managed to make a few acquaintances but I haven't exactly had time to make any good friends with how busy my schedule has been.

             
Plus, I hate the thought of me replacing Clarissa. Not that I'd be replacing her, but I'd definitely feel that way if I started hanging out with someone too often.

             
Getting out of school today, I have to go straight into work. It’s the one thing I hate about Tuesdays. Straight from school to work then homework thereafter. It’s the one day I never see much of Blaise, if at all. I had asked him earlier if he wanted to stay in my dorm tonight, that way once I'm done with homework we could watch a movie, but he had mentioned he, too, had to work late.

             
Walking into the lobby, Stephanie stands with a look of panic. "What are you doing here?"

             
I pause and look down at my phone to see that it is in fact Tuesday. "I work until seven."

             
"Right, but you're earlier than normal." She is acting unusually bizarre. I don't understand what is wrong with me being here a whole twenty minutes early.

             
"Class got out early and traffic wasn't bad." I shrug my shoulders before walking towards the elevator. "I won't clock in until its time if that is going to be an issue."

             
She bites down on her lip and glimpses at her phone. "Um. No. It's fine. Go ahead and clock in." She doesn't glance back at me until she is in her seat and picking up the phone to call someone. Now I'm kind of... nervous.

             
Regardless I make my way up in the elevator to the third floor.

             
Roman is standing there when I get off the elevator. He is the complete opposite to Stephanie; cool, calm, casual.

             
"Afternoon," I say as I attempt to walk past him.

             
"Wait." He grabs onto my arm.

             
I roll my eyes at him with a puff of the breath. "What is going on?"

             
"I need to speak to you." He pushes the button on the wall behind me.

             
"And it requires us to leave?"

             
He stares down at me intently, a warning in his beastly eyes not to argue with him. "We're just going down to level two. There is a meeting going on up here."

             
"That you don't have to attend?" I fire back.

             
The door opens and he steps forward, causing me to step back. Then again. Then once more. This time I'm in the elevator, so I continue backwards until my back hits the wall.

             
"Liv." His voice is deep, echoing inside the enclosed space. I look to him but don't say a word. I never like to when the intensity between us becomes this thick. "Trust me."

             
"You told me not to."

             
The door opens up but he doesn't move. His jaw tightens as he holds in his anger. About time he is the one angry and not me. "I told you to keep your distance. I never said you couldn't trust me."

             
I point to the door behind him as it slides back closed. "We missed our floor."

             
He reaches over and hits the stop button. The elevator makes this loud humming as we're trapped inside. My breathing immediately increases as anxiety starts to settle in. Roman takes a step forward, trapping me into the corner. Tears threaten in my eyes. I'm truly terrified right now and there is not a thing I can do about it.

             
"I'm the only one you can trust. You have to trust me, Liv. You have to."

             
Roman runs his fingers along my jaw line until it reaches my ear. Tucking a strand of hair behind it, he lets his hand slowly caress down my neck and arm. When his hand reaches mine, he holds onto it. For some strange reason, I let him. He brings it up to his chest and lays it over his heart. Its odd but... endearing.

             
"I'm saving you."

             
"I don't understand," I whisper.

             
He leans in closer. "I don't want you to ever understand. I don't want you to ever find out. You're innocent and you need to stay that way."

             
My defensive side kicks back in. "I'm far from innocent and I don't need your protection."

             
"My sweet, sweet little Liv, how very wrong you are right now."

             
Fear washes through me all over again.

             
"Roman," I tremble. "You're scaring me."

             
His lips turn into a broad smile. He likes me fearing him. "Good."

             
My other hand reaches for his chest and I use both to push him away. "Stop." Tears resurface. "Just stop. What is going on?"

             
"I said you can't handle them, Liv."

             
"Stop saying that!" The tears spill over and my body starts shaking. "Stop acting like you know what is best for me. Just stop! I want to know what is going on."

             
"You'll walk away. From here, from Blaise, from... me. I can't let you. You're safe here."

             
"The more you warn me I'm safe the more fucking terrified I become."

             
"Liv," he yells. His chest heaves and I know I've crossed a line with him. My mouth snaps closed. When he speaks again, it’s in calmer tone, making peace with me. "You'll find out... soon. I promise. Just not today. And when you do... don't run. Please, don't run."

             
I make an empty promise to Roman by nodding my head. I'm just ready for this conversation to be done, and even more anxious to be out of this enclosed space with him.

             
"Are we done?" I ask, looking away from him.

             
Roman's thumb runs under my eye, taking away the tears that are still falling. His hand slowly adjusts my face to look at his once more. I see an entirely new Roman in front of me. I'm not sure if I've been blind to it all along, or if he is just showing me for the first time, but it’s obvious that I'm not the only one frightened about something.

             
What does someone like Roman Pelletier have to be scared of?

             
Maybe... maybe I should listen to him better.

             
His eyes continue to speak words to me I am yet to understand. I want to so bad.

             
I want to know everything. Now.

             
That is when I realize that if I want to know the truth, I have to find it. He mentioned Blaise, this company, him. I'm about to play my own version of Nancy Drew. I will find out what everyone is hiding from me.

             
Roman's hand finally drops but he doesn't stop staring at me. I speak up again, since he didn't answer me the last time. "Are we done?" This time my voice is even. I'll put on an act that none of this bothers me, and that I'm no longer curious, if it means that I can get things done.

             
He looks away from me to pull the button on the panel, allowing the elevator to resume. The door opens and I push through to get out before he has a chance to trap me once more. We're still on the second floor, which I haven't entered yet. When I pictured it, I assumed a boat load of cubicles and a few office doors. Instead it’s a long, narrow hallway with doors on either side, extending to the end of the building, where two more hallways extend from off this one.

             
It’s not noisy or busy like I assumed either. Maybe everyone is at the meeting upstairs after all.

             
Roman walks past me. "Follow me," he orders.

             
"I thought we were done talking."

             
He looks down at his watch. "Ten minutes and you can get to work. I'll adjust your time sheet later so you don't lose the time that you've been here."

A sigh leaves my mouth instead of a response as I follow him down the hallway, almost to the end. We walk through a door on the right and he latches it closed behind me. There is a long wooden table in the center of the room with chairs surrounding it. This looks more like a room to hold a meeting in than any room I've seen upstairs.

              "What are we doing in this room?" I ask, walking around the table to look outside. The view from this room is astonishing. It's not very high up, but you have a clear view of the city around us. Much better than a dirty brick wall.

             
I can sense Roman's body closer to mine. He doesn't answer me and I don't push for him to. I watch as people hustle around the streets, hurrying to get from one location to the next. The city is busy, even on the outskirts where we are.

             
A younger guy that looks to be twelve walks around a corner. He catches my attention for a few reasons, mostly because he shouldn't be walking around by himself, but also because you can tell he is sketched out by something. Possibly someone. I know that feeling, being worried about the people around you. I've felt that since I walked into this building.

             
An older male, possibly in his late thirties or early forties, walks cautiously behind him. My first thought is it’s his father just checking on him, but when he reaches into his pocket and looks around, I notice that he is the someone the young boy should be afraid of. I watch as he pulls something out of his pocket and I want to scream for the young boy to run, but I know he couldn't hear me.

             
The young boy stops and turns around, pushing himself against the wall. My body shakes, I'm scared for him.

             
He reaches into his own pocket and looks around. The older man steps closer to the young one. I feel sick to my stomach. I don't think I'm going to like what happens. The two exchange a handshake quickly, nodding their heads while they say a few quick words. Everything in my body cools off immediately. They didn't harm one another, they're friends.