Chapter 22

I try not to flinch in fear as I ask him, “Do you know where they are right now?”
Seemingly totally unaware of my panic, Shawn continues, looking in the opposite direction of where I just came from. “They just left. But they seemed pretty pleased with the response they got from the neighbor next door. I guess they’ll be back soon.” His gaze meets mine, and his brows furrow. “Do you know them?” he asks, unexpectedly giving me a once-over before adding, “They didn’t seem like good people to me... Even for this place.” Once again, he glances around as if expecting some sort of threat to emerge. I do my best to block out the noise of a drill being used in the apartment beside mine.
Before he can ask any more questions, I say in a rush, “I’m sure they must have made a mistake! Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m in a bit of a hurry.” I quickly open the door to my apartment and rush inside.
“Hey, I don’t recall your name—”
I shut the door before he can finish his sentence, but I still respond after locking it. “I’ll talk to you later!” Then, I immediately run into the apartment.
How did they find me? After all this time?
I put my hand on my racing heart, trying to calm myself.
I need to get out of here.
I need to get Az out of here.
I can’t be here if those guys come back. Only God knows what they’ll do to me and, even worse, to my son!
I quickly enter my room and snatch my backpack, hastily stuffing my few clothes inside. The backpack is nearly full, as I already have some work items in it.
“Mom, I’m hungry.” Without making eye contact, Az enters my room, holding a book to his face. When I don’t answer right away, he asks, “What are you doing? What’s wrong?” He looks alarmed, and for a second, in the middle of all this chaos in my head, I pause to look at my precious son.
Although he hasn’t put on any pounds, he doesn’t look as fragile as he did a few days ago. He seems slightly taller, but he is still not as tall as most boys his age. My baby boy is really growing up. I find his sudden change peculiar but I try to think on the bright side, I mean, what mother wouldn’t want her son to appear less fragile? I must be imagining things.
“Nothing’s wrong, bud, I just, uhm...” As I attempt to answer him, I quickly place my toothbrush and a bar of soap in my backpack.
“Mom!” I look at him and notice that he has his book down, looking around my head as if my hair is messed up. I glance back, but there’s nothing there except the wall. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, frowning.
“Yeah! Don’t worry. Honey, can you make yourself a sandwich in the kitchen while I finish up here?”
“Sure,” he says, still looking at me suspiciously, but he turns around and leaves, much to my relief.
Then I entered his room and packed his clothes into my backpack, which became completely full after I added his toothbrush. That’s the good part of not having a lot of stuff. You don’t have much to carry on.
Next, I put his school supplies inside his school bag and on top of everything I add his doll, Elizabeth.
As soon as I go to the kitchen to call him, he’s already finished eating.
“Az, put on your shoes. We’re going out.” I say as I help him put his backpack on his shoulders.
“Where are we going?”
“Hush, bud. I’ll explain later.”
Not long after, with trembling hands, I lock our place and sprint out of the building, holding Az’s hand.
About less than half a mile up the street, we get into the dirty parking lot that belongs to our building’s apartments, and then immediately I find my old junker parked off in one of the spots toward the back of the lot.
The good thing about not having a fancy or expensive car is that no one will want to waste their time stealing it; besides that, the owner of the building is so frighteningly dangerous that even locals of this sketchy place would think twice before messing with his stuff.
I waste no time putting Az in the car, closing the door, and getting inside.
“Mom, you don’t look—”
“Az, bud... Please! I’ll explain everything later, okay?” I look at him with a pleading look. He continues to look around my face for a few seconds before he nods.
My mind tries to think about what to do, but the images of *that night* flood into my head instead.
I put both hands on my face and try to take a deep breath while trying to get the noises of that night out of my mind.
What could have happened? I thought I was free of the... so many years have passed!
What am I going to do?
I feel so lost. I have no one!
I need to take Az to a safe place. Now!
For a brief second, Ethan crosses my mind, but he leaves as quickly as he arrives. He didn’t want me in his apartment for more than literally a minute. Obviously, he would never ever help me. Not that I would have the dare to suddenly arrive at his apartment. He made it very clear that he only wanted sex, which for some people is fine, but after I woke up in his cold, empty bed and the reality of everything that happened boomed in my mind this morning, I realized that one-night stands are not for me. I don’t want to do that again. I’ve felt too connected to him to just leave abruptly and pretend nothing happened. I found out that I could get attached to him too easily. I would be the only one to suffer because of it.
Out loud, it sounds so insecure. But my heart can’t take being broken again. It can’t withstand a man like Ethan treating me like I’m nothing more than a one-night stand, someone just for sex and nothing more. I don’t know whether people usually feel this way after or not, but I realize this casual thing isn’t for me.
I could call Logan and ask if just Az can stay with him because I’m sure Chelsea would never let me stay there, but my son and his safety come first. If their house was safe, I’d leave my son there. But last time he was with his dad, safety wasn’t a thing. Az came home alone. Just thinking about the danger he went through makes me grind my teeth in anger.
No! It isn’t safe to leave Az with Logan.
Vi!
As I think of her and a glimmer of hope springs up in my heart. I immediately reach the glove compartment to check for the card she gave me after we met.
With the card in one hand and my phone in the other, a sense of relief begins to fill my body. Az looks at me curiously, with that face of his that wants to ask a thousand questions, but I continue with my task. This is more urgent.
However, my hope is soon annihilated when I realize that my phone’s battery is about to die.
Oh, no!
Three percent.
With shaking hands, I try to type Vi’s number on my phone. I should have done this already, it would have saved me time now.
Oh, God, please work! Vi is the only person who might be able to help me. This is a long shot. It is doubtful that Violet even gives a damn about me. Perhaps she was just being polite when she gave me that card. And I’m sure she’ll regret giving it to me when she realizes I only contacted her to ask for something. I don’t blame her for that.
“Come on, come on, pick up,” I mutter. I look at the phone to make sure it’s calling and notice that the battery has dropped by one percent. Ugh!
After what seems like an eternity, she finally answers. “Hi, this is Violet. Leave a message. I’ll get back to you. Maybe.”
Tears enter my eyes at the sound of the other woman’s voice. I hate calling her for this. I hate calling her for not being a decent friend. Would this be the last time I’d hear her? Most likely, if those guys find me first.
“Violet,” I clear my throat. “Vi, it’s me, Alicent. I need help. Please—”
The call ends suddenly, and I look down at my shitty phone, seeing that it is dead now. Oh, Lord!
I have no idea whether my message got through. I need a decent phone—one that actually works!
Holding back a sob, I read the Blackmoon address elegantly positioned at the bottom of the card.
I have a rough idea of where this place is. I just hope I can get there without a GPS.
I toss my useless phone and her card into the cup holder and turn to Az when he asks me hopefully, “Where are we going, Mom? To Dad’s?”
Forcing a smile, I reply, “No, but I promise to take you there as soon as I can.”
I get my hands on the wheel and fire up the car. We have to get out of here.
Az doesn’t seem too happy with my answer but doesn’t ask me anything else as I literally race for our lives.

🐺 🐺 🐺

Some time later, driving for what seemed like an eternity to my aching heart, I finally get close to where the place was supposed to be. Az is asleep, he fell asleep not long after we left the city.
Wait. What if I am at the wrong place?
There hasn’t been a name written out at nowhere, I’ve relied just on the instructions of the few roadside signs I’ve been reading, but maybe Blackmoon is further along the road.
Relief almost makes me feel giddy, even though I ignore the voice telling me that I’m grasping at straws, when I read Blackmoon written out at the huge gate at the entrance to the place. God, this place looks like a fortress. It seems to scream to outsiders to keep their distance!
I stop the car near the gate, leaving it running, and then I roll down the window with some struggle because it’s stuck. Before I can get out of the car, a voice says, “Who are you, and what are you doing here? Are you lost?”
I look around to locate the source of the man’s voice, and when I raise my eyes, I find him in a tower near the gate, giving me a disapproving look.
His voice wakes up Az, who looks at me with a hint of fear and starts looking around to figure out what’s going on.
With a hand stroking his hair, I answer the man, “Hi, uhm, my name is Alicent. I’m Vi’s friend. I mean, Violet.” When he doesn’t say anything, I continue, “Can I talk to her?”
“She didn’t say you’d be here.”
“She didn’t know... My phone’s dead. Can you contact her for me, please?”
He doesn’t answer. I start to get nervous and anxious. It’s already dark and I don’t know where to go anymore. It’s not safe to drive at night in this old car, especially with my son in the passenger seat.
When I am about to have a panic attack, the massive gray gates swing open and the guy answers in a stern, slightly annoyed, “Your access has been authorized by her. Follow the car ahead of you and it will lead you to her residence.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Okay! Thank you so much!”
I immediately follow the car in front, with a positive feeling in me. The car takes multiple turns, and I can’t help but admire the beauty of the place, even though I can’t see much. The surrounding forest is thick and lush with dark greenery. I believe fatigue is playing tricks on me because when we got closer to the imposing houses lining the street—clearly belonging to rich people—their lights suddenly went out, and the streetlights as well... Now, I can’t see much around me.
Next to me, Az is fully awake and eagerly taking in the sights. For a moment, he sniffs the air as if he’s trying to smell where we are passing through. I really need to get my son out in nature more. The fresh air here is probably making him feel out of place compared to the city.
Not long after, the car stops, and for a moment, I think we’re at the wrong address.
This isn’t a house. This is a mansion. A huge mansion.
I can’t see much since it’s dark, just the massive structure of Violet’s house. I knew she was rich, but I didn’t know she was *this* rich!
I also park the car in one of the spots right in front of the house. As soon as I get out of the car with Az, the guy points to the house, then speeds off in the direction we came from so fast you’d think he was fleeing a crime scene. Honestly, if I ran into him in the daylight tomorrow, I wouldn’t have a clue who he was.
The mansion door is ajar, and as we step inside and make our way toward the grand foyer, I turn to Az. “Stay here for a second. Okay? I need to talk to Violet first.”
“But Mom—”
“Please, bud. I know you’re tired, but just wait here for a moment, okay?” I direct him to a chair near the entrance, and he reluctantly sits down without taking his backpack off his back.
I stroll through the hallway, searching for Violet as I grip my backpack’s straps. I hope she doesn’t mind me coming in.
Wow! The place is as big as it looks outside! I take in the opulence surrounding me. The marble floors shine beneath my feet, and crystal chandeliers hang from the high ceilings. Everything is immaculate. It gives off the impression that everything was updated not long ago, yet it still looks like the furniture has been here for generations.
I enter what appears to be the third living room, and just like the others I’ve passed, this one is just as grand, with two long sofa sets for ten or more people.
But what really grabs my attention in the place is who’s sitting in a massive chair, leaning back like a king on his throne.
Ethan!
It’s Ethan!
Holy fuck!