Make a Break For It
Ella stared at her father for what seemed like five or even ten minutes, with her mouth hanging open, before she could finally formulate a sentence. “You want me to do... what?”
“Henry Caron comes from a good family,” Lloyd continued. “He’s smart, funny, charismatic, and quite good with money. Plus, he knows a lot about technology, just as you do. I feel the two of you will really hit it off.”
“But… Dad… I’m not looking for a relationship.”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You’re both single. Besides, a relationship with Henry would allow you to move back to France where you’re most happy. It would be a way to mend the hurt feelings between your mother and yourself.”
His use of the word “mother” had Ella’s blood running cold. She pulled her hand away. “Stepmother,” she corrected. Her dad nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “I am happy here.”
“You are? It sure doesn’t seem like it, not after what I’ve heard from Tim.”
“That was before. Now that I’ve got my own place, I’m making friends and starting to enjoy myself. I don’t want to move back to France right now. Besides, I thought you said you were leaving tomorrow.”
“I am. But Henry will stay here for a week or two, get to know you, and then the two of you can plan your return together. It would certainly be preferable for you to stay at the house where you can spend more quality time with him, at least while he’s in town. If for some reason you chose to go back to France at a later date, after he’s gone home, then you could return to your apartment for a week or two, but really, Ella, this is for the best.”
Ella leaned back in her seat, tears coming to her eyes. She knew that tone. Her father had already decided what was going to happen. If she went against him, it would be a fight. And Lloyd Sinders never backed down or lost a fight.
She couldn’t think, not with his heavy stare bearing down on her. She couldn’t marry Henry from Paris. She was in love with Rome--the son of her father’s enemy. The idea of telling him that at the moment, when he’d already decided her fate, was akin to committing suicide. He’d be livid. While she didn’t think he’d ever truly hurt her, now was not the time to find out.
“What about Anna or Drew?” she asked. “They both seemed enamored with Mr. Caron.”
Her father snickered. “He wouldn’t put up with those silly girls for more than a day or two. Ella, come now, this is what’s best for the family. For the company. For you.”
Running her hands through her hair, Ella suddenly felt as if she needed to get out of the situation--get away from him, get away from everyone. Except for Rome. “Can I have some time to think about this please?”
“Certainly.” She knew that tone. That was not the “certainly” that meant yes. It was the “certainly” that meant he was pretending to bend slightly. “You can stay in one of the guest rooms tonight. We’ll have one of the servants go back to your apartment to fetch your things.”
“No, Dad. I need to go home to think about it.”
The laugh that emanated from his throat was condescending to say the least. “Ella, you’ll stay here. I’m only in town for the night.”
“But, Dad….”
“Ella, stop arguing with me!” He didn’t raise his voice, not much anyway, but it was a warning, a threat. And she knew better than to say anything else.
Lloyd rose from his seat and started walking toward the house, already calling for one of the servants to come and speak to Ella about how to go about getting her things.
She couldn’t wait another second, certainly couldn't wait on Tim. As soon as her father was next to the door, Ella stood… and began to run.
The driveway that led to Tim’s car wasn’t safe. One of her father’s drivers could grab her before Tim made it out to the car. She couldn’t get through the gate without someone opening it for her. No, Ella only had one chance of getting out of her father’s compound. With every ounce of energy she could muster, she sprinted toward the wall, praying she’d be able to find her way over it, the same way that Rome had.
By the time she reached the tree line, she could hear shouts behind her. First, it was just her father, then, it was some of the servants and her father’s other associates who must’ve been elsewhere in the house. Ella’s lungs were burning, but she had to dig deeper to get to that wall and away before they caught her. She hoped Rome was close by on the other side of the wall because otherwise, even if she got out, they’d find her and drag her back.
She reached the wall and started climbing, fighting for grips within the nearly sheer face to wedge her fingertips in and pull herself up. How Rome had managed this, she didn’t know, but she couldn’t fall, couldn’t find herself stuck on this side of the barrier.
It was slow going, but she fought her way up, one handgrip at a time. Her fingertips were bleeding from the sharp rock biting in, but she climbed on. Shouts from the base of the wall kept her moving forward until she reached the top.
A quick glance down told her three men in suits were doing their best to follow, one climbing up the others’ legs for a boost. Ella had no time. She glanced down and knew a ten foot fall would hurt, and she could even break something.
She swung her other leg over the top and grabbed ahold of the lip of the wall with both hands, swinging her legs down. Her feet would be closer to the ground this way. Without another thought, she let go.
Her feet hit the ground with a slight sting in her left ankle, but she couldn’t slow to make sure she was all right. Ella started running again, hearing the guys on the other side calling her name.
Cutting between her neighbors trees and shrubs, she fought her way toward the street. She saw Rome’s car parked about a half-block down the road on a curve. She was almost there, but she could hear the men reaching the top of the wall.
He must’ve been watching because the sportscar came flying in her direction in reverse, just as she heard a loud thunk behind her. Without looking, she knew it was the sound of shoes hitting the ground. They were closing in, and she was still several feet from the car, her heart about to burst through her chest. Ella reached for the handle as the sound of breaking branches and footsteps closed in. If she didn’t make it in time, Rome would get out of the car and try to fight them all off. They’d probably end up capturing both of them. Then what?
Ella pressed on--the door handle was almost in her fingertips, the men breathing down her neck. She had to get away from her father, his treacherous plan, this place forever. But was she strong enough to make it the last few inches? She had to be.
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