Eluded (24 page)

There was a newspaper folded in
half on the table. I opened it and saw the title. As I read, I
crumbled the pages with my tight grasp and threw it on the ground.
Body parts of women were being placed around the city in
high-trafficked areas. So far, arms and legs were found, and one
head, all from different women, all unidentified, all with red
ribbons tied around them as if they were sick fucking
presents.

Liam stared at me then picked up
the paper and read the same article.

"Derrick is becoming more wild and
unpredictable. We have to stop this now."

Liam agreed. A single text message
blinked on my phone.

"Derrick's leaving. Two women
tied."

We ran to the Rover. I couldn't
let him get away from me, not when I knew Lauren was with him and
they were on the move.

LAUREN

Thirty-four

A
helicopter and pilot
waited for us at the top of a parking garage. The noise from the
blades was deafening. Derrick said several things, but I couldn't
hear a word and really didn't care. By the way he pointed his
finger at us and furrowed his brow, I knew it was a threat. He took
me and Sophie by the ropes that he had tied around our wrists and
shoved us into the back compartment. After groping our breasts, he
placed the buckles over our shoulders and strapped us in, then
placed headsets over our ears. He wanted us to hear him speaking to
us. I smiled, thinking about the horrible things he would have to
go through once I had the chance.

“
Say goodbye to London, ladies.
You’ll never see it again,” he said in a raspy tone. Moments like
this made me realize how he had fooled so many women. Made me
realized that the hate I had for him cut straight to the bone. He
lived in a make-believe world where he was king, where he ruled it
all, and made women fall to their knees in front of him and kiss
the ground he walked on. I wondered how many of us he had killed,
why we all had similar looks . . . just why in general. But I had
to stop, because I started to think about Lindsey and Abbot. My
nose burned, and I knew the tears would follow suit, so I breathed
in and out slowly to stop the pour of emotions, and focused on
something else. Vibrations coursed through my body, and I turned my
head to look below as we lifted into the sky. The buildings were
shrinking in front of me, until it all became a miniature
city.

I had never been on a helicopter
before, just a reminder that Derrick had stolen several firsts from
me. I had flown to California and New York a few times with Henry,
but the sensation of flying by blades instead of wings was much
different. The ride was rough and loud, and unlike anything I had
experienced.

We flew for an hour, maybe longer,
and the landscape below drastically changed the further we went. I
saw a cement pad in an open field, and we hovered above until the
braces of the helicopter gently touched.

Derrick opened his door, then
opened ours. He took off our headsets, and unbuckled us, then led
us to a small house in the distance. Once inside, he demanded that
we change into the clothes in the next room and meet him under the
oak tree in the backyard.

"You have nowhere to run, so do as
I say. You're mine now and no one will ever take you from
me."

The pilot had entered the room and
stood behind Derrick, but this time, I noticed something different
about him. It wasn't the fact that he had the same dead look in his
eyes, or a wicked smile on his face, but rather that he held a
bible, and had a priest collar around his neck.

Derrick nodded as I began to place
the pieces together, then he pointed for Sophie and I to change
clothes. We opened the door.

"No," Sophie whispered. When she
moved out of my way—that was when I saw the white lace and beaded
wedding dresses waiting for us. He had meticulously picked them
out, including the veils, shoes, and gloves. While ours were
different, there were little similarities in the cut.

"I can't do this," Sophie said. "I
cannot do this."

I slowly unbuttoned my shirt and
pants and noticed a red flashing light in the corner. I walked to
Sophie and whispered, "We have to do this. We are being watched." I
threw my clothes to the ground, and veered my eyes over to the
camera, then undid the long line of buttons on the back of the
dress. Once I stepped inside, and it seemed as if it were tailored
to my body, I wondered when he’d had the chance to get my
measurements.

I stood in front of Sophie as she
fastened each little button with care. My hair fell over my bare
shoulders. Next to the veil was a little black bag. I opened it,
and tucked inside was a diamond necklace. The light reflected from
it and cast sparkles across the room. I gasped as I placed it on my
neck. There was no denying it was beautiful. Then I placed the
crown on my head with the chiffon on my back. In a box were red
high heels and a makeup bag with lipstick, mascara, and blush. In
another black box was his ring, and on the dresser behind us, sat
two bouquets of flowers, red roses and white roses. By the lipstick
and heels, I knew exactly which set was mine. He made sure to give
us everything we needed to be his brides.

Sophie turned her back to me and I
zipped her dress, then tied the silk bows that revealed her back.
The dress was sleeveless and complimented her waist and breasts.
She stood in front of the mirror on the wall, as she put on the
pearls Derrick had chosen for her. She stared at herself in the
mirror, and I saw her move her hand to her stomach, holding the
baby that was growing inside of her.

"You look beautiful," I said, and
she closed her eyes to hold back tears.

"I didn't want it to be like
this," she whispered, but I could tell she was holding it all back.
"I wanted my life to be different. I wanted . . . " She turned and
hugged me, and I felt tears roll down my chest.

I pushed her away from me and
wiped away the tears. "I know. I know this isn't ideal, but we
don't have a choice. It's a fucked-up game that we have to play in
order to survive. You will survive."

"I want to die."

"You're stronger than that. Now
put on your pretty face, fake smile, and let's get this over with."
I kept my voice low so as not to be overheard.

After putting on the red lipstick,
I smacked my lips together and smiled. I wore the face of the woman
who would kill Derrick, the face of determination.

After we dressed, we walked
through the house to the back door. Derrick waited in his black
suit and tie with the priest at his side. I handed Sophie her ring
and flowers before we lifted our dresses and went to
Derrick.

At that moment, what stood out the
most was the sky. Gray. Dark gray, with low hanging clouds. Every
few seconds the sun would reveal itself and splash rays across the
ground. I couldn't help but look at the light that seemed to lead
straight to him. When I looked at him, he smiled. As sickening as
it was, pure happiness radiated from him as his two brides walked
forward.

When we were only a few feet away
from him, he went to Sophie, grabbed her hand, and walked her
further under the tree branches. I stood behind, watched, and
listened as the priest read marriage vows. Sophie placed the ring
on Derrick's finger with shaky hands. He laced his fingers through
her hair after they said their I dos, and kissed her so
passionately on the lips that, for a moment, I thought they were
really in love. But I knew better. Once they were finished, he
forced her to sign her name on a contract, what I assumed was a
marriage certificate.

Derrick left her side and came to
me. He stood in front of me, holding my hands as the priest
repeated the same vows. The only words that rang out to me were,
"until death do us part."

"I do," I said, but I was in a
totally different world until his lips were on my mine and his
tongue in my mouth.

"You're so fucking beautiful, and
now you're my wife," he said. After I placed my signature on the
bottom of a page, Derrick handed the priest both papers. The priest
then walked back to the helicopter and left us alone with our
husband.

LAUREN

Thirty-five

I
imagined my wedding would
be different, that I would walk down the aisle with my father next
to me. That it would be to the man who I would spend the rest of my
life with and all would be perfect. The day, the dress, and my
husband . . . but today was far from that. The mood became
suffocating as Derrick led us into the house. For each step we took
forward, I wanted to take two steps back. But I knew that if I
fought him now, it would not end well.

He opened the door and led us to
the kitchen table. We sat as he lit a few candles, then filled tall
glasses with red wine. The candlelight reflected shadows behind
him, shadows of tall heads that rose and fell with each flicker. In
the background, the faint sounds of classical music droned on. When
would this day end?

"I'm thrilled to have you as my
wives," he said, then looked at us over the rim of his glass. He
lifted it to the ceiling and I tinked the edge of mine against his.
Sophie did the same. Instead of drinking, I placed the crystal
glass to my lips and just made the motions. I didn't trust anything
he gave me. Sophie drank half of hers, while Derrick had only drunk
a few sips from his. Pupils, growing by the minute, stared into
mine, and when I shook my head slightly in warning, she lifted the
glass and parted her lips. Understanding flashed in her eyes as she
nodded her head and downed the rest of the glass.

Moments later, her head bobbled on
her neck as she knocked the empty crystal glass on the floor. It
shattered and sprinkled all over like glitter. Derrick crossed his
fingers and waited for me to do the same. I smiled at him,
pretending to take another sip of the wine, and then copied
Sophie’s motions, making sure to knock over my glass so he wouldn't
realize how much I didn't drink. While my heart raced, I kept my
body slack as if I had lost all control of it. Derrick slipped his
arms under my body, carried me to a bedroom, and placed me on a
bed. With care, he undid every button of the dress and hummed as he
hung it on a hanger in the closet. After a few more minutes, I was
stripped from my clothes, leaving just my bra and panties, and
posed with my ankles crossed and hands interlocked over my belly
button. After I was how he wanted me, the sound of shears snapped
close by my ear, followed by the flash of a camera. Once he was
finished posing me, he pulled my arms to the bed frame and secured
me with rope. It took everything inside of me to not open my eyes
and scream.

"You're so fucking beautiful,
Lauren. Now, you're mine. Forever, until death do us part. Together
we will create an army. Together we will take over London. Together
we will start a family."

Tight knots held me to the frame
of the bed. The pain pounded around my wrists, but I focused. I
stayed calm. Derrick placed the scissors on the side table, then I
heard the unzipping of pants and felt the ripping of my
panties.

Before he inserted himself into
me, his phone rang, interrupting everything he was about to do. I
said a silent prayer, thankful for the disruption.

"Oh, Abbot," he said. "You're such
a little baby with your silly little threats. Always have
been."

Mumbling echoed from the other
end, then laughter from Derrick, and the call was over. Instead of
coming back to me to take every ounce of dignity I had left, I
heard the door click closed. Without hesitation, I opened my eyes
and looked around the room. The scissors were sitting on top of the
table, and I knew that if I could get them, I could stop him in his
tracks.

With all I had, I tried to loosen
the tightness around my wrists. I made fists, trying to bring the
blood flow back to my hands, but with every move, the rope cut
deeper into my skin. Instead of tiring myself, I lay there with my
eyes closed, contemplating how I would get free.

Moments later, Derrick entered.
Beside me, I felt the weight of Sophie's body next to me. He went
through the same motions with her as he did me, but he didn't
secure her to the bed. A small gust of air swept past me, then I
heard the sound of the scissors as he trimmed her hair too. After
he posed her and took pictures of us next to one another, he left
the room.

Hours upon hours passed, and
eventually Sophie woke up and shook me.

"Be quiet," I whispered. "I'm
okay. Can you undo my wrists?"

Her eyes were drowsy, and I knew
exactly how she had felt . . . like she was raised from the dead.
She tried with all the strength she had, and was able to loosen my
bondage a little, and it was just enough for me to wriggle free.
Purple marks and indentations from the rope were around my
wrists.

"Pretend. Stay asleep no matter
what happens," I said, as footsteps echoed down the
hall.

Derrick entered. He sawed the rope
free from the bed and with sweet relief my arms fell to my sides.
Hoping it was okay, I moaned quietly. He sat next to me on the bed
and waited with complete stillness.

I fluttered my eyes open, making
sure to give the best performance of my life, and whispered,
"Husband." A smile covered his face as he leaned down and kissed
me.