“Lonely?” he replied, taking a step in my direction while cracking his knuckles and scowling. “You, Sammy Jo Knox, were lonely in the big ol’ city? The girl who wanted nothing more than to escape her hick town full of what she referred to as ‘permanents’? She then manages a penthouse in greedy Manhattan and complains about being lonely. Can you not afford to be happy? Are you already that spoiled and demanding, that you require constant attention?”
“That’s not what I meant Hale.” My voice sounded like that of a child. I was scared and it was obvious. He was wrong on every point.
“It’s how you’re acting Samantha. You aren’t grateful for one damn thing. Do you know the girls who would promise their souls to be in your shoes at this moment? What they’d give up to live here? To be on my arm at those parties? Do you? No, of course not. You’re goofy and simple minded. All you know is the country ass life you’ve lived and I tell you, the world isn’t basic. Not one fucking bit my dear.”
This wasn’t getting any better. I was making it worse with every word that I said, so I did what I knew was safe. “I’m sorry Hale. Please forgive me.” It was an apology I didn’t mean, but I said it anyway.
He let loose a laugh and remarked. “You’re sorry?” he said, shutting the distance, as the fury flashed in his eyes. Why was Hale so angry? He had no reason to be. The man was a psychopath. “I don’t care if you’re fucking sorry. I care that you get your stupid ass educated and learn proper behavior. I own you Samantha Knox. You have the innocent beauty that will ideally fit on my arm in the public sphere. I knew that the moment I saw you. That’s why you are here. To be exactly what I need you to be. You do as I say and you don’t make decisions for yourself ever again. Do I make myself clear? Is it crystal?”
I was stunned. I just stood there. His words had left me empty. This wasn’t what I’d come for. I never agreed to being a piece of property. “I didn’t ask you to buy my mother the bakery… ” I managed to get that out before his hand struck my face. I flew against the door I’d come through, the distance the length of my body and my jaw was on fire with pain.
“Ungrateful bitch!” he roared. His voice was deranged and cultured Hale was gone from the city and the planet. My vision was blurry and my nose was bleeding as I tried to hold myself up. I needed to get my footing to defend against his coming onslaught. If I was down he might kill me.
My head was screaming RUN when he grabbed my arm and twisted it unnaturally behind me. I cried in pain, the muscle was tearing, and I was sure he would snap a bone.
“Shut up! I didn’t say you could fucking speak! I’m tired of hearing your voice!” And with that he slammed me against the door twice, causing my head to bounce. I blinked, but the world was still blurry. I wanted to cry and beg him to stop, but was afraid of what he’d do if I spoke and made any noise.
“You wanted this life. I MADE it happen. I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars making your life what you dreamed. You expect me to want nothing in return? Are you that stupid, you bitch? I didn’t do it for fucking free. You’ll conform to what I want or you’ll pay me back every dime.”
Pay him back? Why would he expect that? My head was splitting open from the pain and my arm was still twisted behind me. It was hard to breathe with the panic. I would say whatever I needed to say in order to get him away. Then I would run straight home. I could afford the bus. I wasn’t staying here. This was enough for me.
“I don’t waste time Samantha. I get what I want when I want it. Do you understand that? Is it clear? You will do what I fucking say.”
I couldn’t answer. My ability to speak was stolen by the horror of his terror. He jerked my arm and threw me again off the door and I landed on the floor with a whump. “Talk now woman! Speak! You have my motherfucking permission!”
I opened my mouth while praying in my head that I could say anything to stop him. One syllable to make him quit. As my words were forming the door swung inward and there was something else in the room. Another presence I couldn’t make out.
Chapter Sixteen
“Back away from her Hale. Do it now.” Ezra’s voice was a welcomed sound. The tears that had pooled in my eyes ran freely down my cheeks. He was here. I wasn’t going to die.
“Go check on her,” he said to another and there was someone else beside me. With the blow to my head my vision was bad and I couldn’t see who it was. She was then on her knees beside me gently touching my face. It was the woman from the street earlier in the day. The female I’d seen with Ezra. I didn’t want her hands on my body, but I had no strength to resist her.
“She needs a doctor,” the woman told him, with concern in her voice and manner.
“What the fuck are you doing Hale? You assault women now as a hobby?” The anger was clear in his voice. Hale was only mildly concerned.
“Ezra, you work for me. Don’t question my decisions or actions and never barge into my house.” Hale replied without emotion in his voice. As if talking about the weather.
“I work for your father, not you. That’s who I fucking work for. And he wouldn’t be okay with you beating a woman you entitled little prick.” Ezra’s tone had gone from angry to a barely controllable fury.
“No sir, you work for me.” After he replied his body turned towards me. He motioned with his hand for the woman to move and spoke as if I were nothing. “Move back. She doesn’t need a doctor. You’re creating drama that doesn’t need to be. You will both do what I say.”
Ezra was holding words in his mouth that had never been spoken before. He knew something Hale did not know and would not unless Ezra informed him. And so Ezra said it like this: “you could possibly be the target of a hit. Your father hired me to protect you. As for her, she’s leaving with us and I’m getting her medical attention.”
Either my brain was a mess from the beating or I was hearing that Ezra was security. A bodyguard hired for Hale. Why would Hale need protecting? He seemed capable enough.
“What hit?” Hale asked, his tone then changing to something else entirely. He wasn’t unconcerned anymore.
“Ah, now that it centers on your precious existence your attitude suddenly shifts. Business gone bad my man. I think you probably know more about it than you want to admit,” said Ezra. “Now I’m taking Sammy Jo to a doctor. You call your father and figure this out.”
Hale stepped between Ezra and I. “She’s not leaving. She’s fine. Nothing is permanent. She’s roughed up but will survive. You both can leave and pack your bags because once I talk to my father you’ll each be out of a job.”
Ezra laughed then yanked it back. It was a deep twisted laugh like the man was amused because Hale had to tell his father to have any power at all.
“Can you take a deep breath?” she asked me. The woman was talking quietly to me and the concern in her voice was motherly. As much as I didn’t want my focus off the others I glanced at her instead. She was even more beautiful up close. And she was truly worried about me. It was hard to hate someone who was trying to help you and meant it.
I nodded and winced. “Just sore. My chest and neck hurt a little.”