Stalker - Clarissa Wild Page 0,40

know that, wouldn’t you?”

“Did you kill her?” I growl. “Because I swear to god, if you did, I’ll—”

“You’ll what? Try something?” He smirks. “Because, by all means, do it. It’ll only give me more excuses to punish you.”

I swallow back my disgust. “Tell me, is she still alive or not?”

He walks into the room and places the gun on the table. “Maybe.”

“If you don’t tell me, our agreement is off.”

“What agreement?” he muses.

“I’m not going to be an easy victim if you killed her.”

He comes close to my prison and taps on the metal. “You forgot the part where you’re in a cage, and I can do anything I want to you.”

I want to rip the smirk off his face. “Then why don’t you just say she’s dead? Why even bother waiting? If you think it doesn’t matter anyway?”

“Because I love to see the anger in your eyes,” he says, leaning in while smiling. “It reminds me of myself. It means you’re going through some emotions that I’ve experienced plenty of times.” He takes a deep breath through his nose, almost as if he can smell my rage. “Feel it, Vanessa. Feel the anger boil and know that it was me who caused it … and then realize there’s nothing in the world you can do about it.” He smiles. “And you know what the worst part of it all is? That I’ll still get my way. You wanna know why? Because this is my revenge, not yours. Mine. And everything in this place is now mine … including you. And I will use and abuse you how I see fit until I’m sated.”

“You’re sick …” I spit.

“Hmm … The question you should be asking is what will I do once I’m finished with you?”

“Let me guess … I’m probably dead.”

“Bingo!” he says, grinning as he gets up.

Bile rises in my throat as I find it hard to comprehend just how cruel he’s become. What happened to him? Did he really become this way because of me? How?

The problem is that I already know the answer. I just wish I could change the past.

However, wishing won’t change the fact that I’m in this prison. Now I have to face the consequences of my actions; each step of my past contributes to the horrible things I’m experiencing now. I just hope I can change his mind before it’s too late. Before I lose my mind. Before I say things that I’ll regret. Before he hurts me to the point of no return. Before I die.

***

Age 14

With a bright red lipstick, my mother paints my lips, making sure each stroke is as perfect as the next. She does it with her mouth open, which is weird, because I’m the one wearing the make-up. She focuses so intently on the job that she doesn’t even hear the housekeeper knocking on the door.

“Ma’am, the guests have arrived.”

My mother ignores her and picks up some mascara so she can bathe my eyelashes in them. I try to stay as still as possible while taking the occasional peek at the mirror to see what I look like. My cheeks are as rosy as when my mother slaps me, except it’s the make-up doing all the work this time.

“Ma’am?” the housekeeper says.

“We’ll be there in a minute,” my mother finally answers.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll tell them that you’ll be there in a second. I’ll take their coats and bring them some coffee or tea.”

“Good.” My mother’s snappy tone makes me frown, but then she says, “Ah-ah, Vanessa. No frowning. I don’t want you to mess up your make-up.”

“Sorry,” I say, sighing.

“And try to sigh a little less, too.”

“Should I stop breathing too, mother?” I ask.

She chuckles in that regular uptight tone of hers. “Nonsense, my dear. I just want you to look good.”

“No, you want me to look like a doll.”

“What’s wrong with looking like a doll, dear?” she says, smiling as she applies some last-minute powder, making me cough. “Perfect.” She grabs my shoulders and points at the mirror. “Look at how pretty you are.” I smile when I hear her compliment. “Almost as beautiful as your mother.” The smile immediately disappears.

“Mother, why are we doing this again?” I ask, as she starts pulling on my dress to make it tighter so she can zip me up.

“Because we have important visitors today, honey. I already told you that.”

“But you promised me that I could go out and have some fun today.”

“Honey … we’ve been through this already.