Before A Perfect World: Movie Trilogy, Book Two (The Movie Trilogy) (26 page)

I halted, freezing at his words.

Don’t call me that,
I wanted to scream.

The bathroom was utterly disgusting. The running water in the shower was slightly orange, and the toilet was stained with hard water and grime. I had to use the bathroom so badly, and I knew that Keaton probably did, too.

“Please let him come in here with me,” I asked, my voice barely carrying across the room.

I wished my words back immediately.

Derrick took a step in my direction. “Are you needing some company?”

I shook my head, forcing myself to close the bathroom door.

A single light bulb hung on a wire above my head, and the room was windowless. I searched every horrible inch of the bathroom for something, anything, to use as a weapon.

“I don’t hear the water,”
Derrick called.

I jumped, hurriedly twisting the nozzle.

The water was bitingly cold, and barely made it to cool, even with the dial turned all the way to hot. I let the water wash away the filth, ignoring the old bar of rotted soap against the dish. Defeated, I relieved the pressure in my bladder.

How many girls did he kill?

How many victims stood right here?

I turned the water off not three minutes later, shivering against the cold.

“Put your clothes back on. You’ll dry eventually.”

I hated his voice.

I left my underwear on the ground, slipping the dress over my shoulders and wrapping myself in Keaton’s jacket.

As I hurried from the bathroom,
I gave Keaton a quick assessment. He was exactly where I’d left him, following my every move as I lingered near the wall again.

“
Oh, no, beautiful. Let’s get you to the bed.”

Oh God.

I would kill him. I’d tear him apart if he touched me, I already knew it. I’d fight and fight until my own bones broke. There was no way in hell I’d let him humiliate me.

“There, now,” he soothed,
gesturing to the dirty fucking mattress, gun pointed at my head. “See? You have chains here, too.”

I lowered to the decrepit cot, shaking as he reached for my bare ankle. In seconds, I was chained to the wall near the bed.

“Are you hungry?” Derrick asked, and I had no idea if his compassion was real. I nodded, keeping my eyes on Keaton. “I’ll go get you some food. Hey. Look at me,” he urged, and as he reached for my head, I reared back and flattened myself against the wall.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” Keaton said, and I could tell that he was losing his resolve.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I already told you. You made your choices; that was all I asked. We’ll shoot your big love scene tonight. I’ll get you something to eat. Be back soon,” he assured me.

I watched him leave again, wrapping my arms around my body and turning to Keaton.

“Do you feel a little better?” he asked. I cringed, hating that I was semi-clean and had the chance to go to the bathroom, while he sat in his own blood and filth.

“He isn’t going to let you use the bathroom?” I demanded.

Keaton almost chuckled. “Vivian, that ship has sailed. I’d rather be sitting in my own piss than dead.”

I cringed, my heart breaking.
“I won’t eat in front of you.”

“Yes you fucking will.”

His commanding tone startled me, and I swallowed hard.

“Where are they? The FBI? How can this be happening?” I begged.

He turned away from me, resting his head against the wall. His face had swollen overnight, and the bruises absolutely gutted me.

“Keaton?”

“I’ll hear him when he gets back. I’m going to rest while I know you’re safe.”

“You stayed awake all night, didn’t you?” I whispered, fighting back the pangs of hunger in my belly.

“We’re getting out of here,” he replied.

I took a careful breath, closing my eyes.

And I waited.

K

If I slept, I couldn’t
tell.

My body ached, and I was so
goddamn cold. The sound of the door opening jolted me awake, and I watched Vivian’s eyes open in fear.

Derrick
carried a brown paper bag and a box of saltine crackers.

He set the crackers and a
bottle of water next to Vivian on the bed.

“Please give some to
him,” she pleaded immediately, her eyes on me.

“You’r
e going to eat in front of him or not at all.” His menacing tone was not nearly as compassionate with her as it had been earlier.

I wondered what had changed.

It had already become apparent to me that he intended to be careful with her. If he truly planned on raping her in front of me, he had to know that it would destroy her. Based on his actions up until that moment, I was beginning to believe that he would continue to care for her, no matter how little or for what reason.

And then, my mind would circle back to the fact that he’d just spent months on a killing spree, and I felt like banging my head against the wall.

“Vivian, eat.” I shifted my legs uncomfortably. It hadn’t been the first time that I’d woken up slumped over, dirty, and damp with my own piss, but usually that involved a long night of drinking.

“Yes, Vivian, eat,”
Derrick echoed, reaching into the brown paper bag. “I even got you a toothbrush and some toothpaste. I want you to be at your best for tonight’s big scene.”

She covered her stomach, and I could tell
that she was nauseated.

“If you try to feed him, I’m going to hurt your pretty face, do you understand?” His voice grated on my spine, and I watched her big, blue eyes widen in terror.
“Director, are you feeling strong enough to direct this scene? Or would you prefer I took over?” Derrick turned to me, and I lazily lifted my eyes to his.

“Is this the scene where you go fuck yourself? I’m ready whenever you are,” I drawled, keeping my emotions in check.

He only grinned, squatting down in front of me.

“You have to wonder why I didn’t
break your face like you broke mine. Why do you think that is, Director?”

I didn’t answer him. Vivian watched us in horror, her entire body tense.

“Let me tell you why.” He turned his face slightly, toward Vivian. “I want you fully aware. Hyper-aware, if you will. Unable to look away.”

I deadpanned, raising my eyebrows with a bored stare. “Then I could use a cup of coffee.”

He laughed, shooting to his feet and continuing to chuckle on this way out the door.

The moment that we were left alone again, Vivian scrambled for the crackers and water. “I’m going to throw these to you,” she said urgently.

“No,” I urged. “I’m not giving him any reason to touch you.”

“I don’t think he’s looking for a reason.”

She removed a handful of crackers, taking a sip of the water. Minutes later, she slid off the cot with the bottle.

“Don’t,” I ordered.

“Get ready,” she replied, rolling the plastic water bottle my way. It stopped against my bare foot, and I reached for it, shaking my head.

“You don’t listen.”

“Drink. I’m going to figure out a way to get these crackers over to you.”

I took a long sip of the water, letting the liquid soothe my burning throat. “No. If I eat, I’ll vomit, kiddo. I know my body well enough. Just keep them, and eat them slowly. Save some. Hide them in my jacket pocket if you can.”

Her chin quivered and her eyes filled with tears. “Okay,” she managed.

We spent almost an hour in silence, her nibbling on the crackers, me focused on my watch and wondering why he let me keep it.

He wants me to know how much time is passing.

The thought of his disgusting body on hers nearly sent me into a futile rage. I dug my fingers into my scalp, lowering my face to my knees. “
I know that I told you to fight, to give me a chance to save you. But I don’t want him to have a reason to hit you, Vivian. So I want you to be strong, and we’ll get through this together, okay?”

She broke into inconsolable
sobs then, and I sighed heavily, fighting back the burning moisture in my eyes.

Darkness fell around us as the sun began to set. I no longer felt the need to urinate.

The moment the door burst open, both of our faces turned in his direction.

I registered the second man before she did, my chest caving in.

“Matthew?
No…
” she moaned, turning to Derrick as tears streamed down her face. “Don’t hurt him!”

“Vivian, are you okay?” Matthew asked urgently.
Derrick let him go to her, the gun aimed at both of them the entire time.

He dropped to the cot and she
fell into his arms, letting him comfort her. “I’m okay, but Keaton isn’t,” she cried tearfully, her eyes on me before turning back to Derrick. “Please don’t hurt them!” she screamed, her neck and chest breaking into red, emotional hives.

“Keaton
… holy shit,” Fowler breathed, and only then did I realize that his own eye beneath his stupid fucking glasses was black and blue. “Jesus. He needs a doctor,” he murmured incredulously, turning to our captor. “You have options here. What you decide could mean the difference between life in prison or the death penalty.”

“Alright, Director, are we ready?”
Derrick asked, completely ignoring Fowler’s words.

“Are our families okay?” Vivian begged, and Fowler nodded.

“They’re scared to death for both of you, but they’re safe.” He turned to Derrick. “He had someone knock me out, and I’ve been on the road for hours.”

“
That’s right, get comfortable with each other,” Derrick encouraged. “Love scenes are especially difficult when everyone’s watching. Right, Director?” he taunted.

“Fuck you, lunatic.” I shifted against the wall, watching Vivian.

“Vivian, I’ll let you go to your dressing room to get freshened up. Here you go,” he added, the pistol trained on her as he handed her the brown paper bag. “Teeth, hair, makeup. You’ll want to look your absolute best.”

“You’re fucking sick,” she hissed, limping toward the bathroom. When she disappeared inside, we all heard her turn on the sink.

“If you think you’re going to force yourself on her in front of
us
, you’re out of your fucking mind,” Fowler said, exhaling quickly and shaking his head. “I don’t care how many guns you have pointed at my head. I’m not letting that happen.”

Derrick
kept the weapon pointed at Fowler, moving to the camera. “Oh, no, I’m just the casting director. You’re the star,” he replied, aiming the camera at the putrid cot.

My arms went numb.

Fowler turned to look at me, and I alternated between relief and rage.

“Me?” Fowler demanded, pointing at the cot. “
You think I’m going to force her?”

“It’s me or you. Your choice.”

“God-fucking-
damnit
,” I growled, yanking furiously at the chain around my ankle. “You’re going to
fucking
pay for this. What I did to your face is nothing compared to what I’m going to do to your fucking
life
.”

“
Now
he’s awake,” Derrick taunted, grinning. “Let’s see if our star is ready. Vivian?”

She stepped into the room, my jacket covering most of her entire upper body.

“Now, we have our stars. Director, how should we start? Kissing? Yes, I think kissing.”

Fowler turned to Vivian, and she looked between us all in confusion.

“Kiss Matthew?” she clarified, her hands trembling as she pressed them to her lips.

“
Vivian
.” Fowler’s voice lowered, and he moved to her, his eyes on Derrick. When the psycho did nothing to stop him, I watched him pull her into his arms.

The gun cocked, and he tightened his hold on her. I jerked at the chain, some kind of feral
burn eating away at my chest.

“
What do you say, Director? Fast or slow? Should he undress her?”

Vivian’s eyes whipped to mine, and she gripped my jacket at her neck. “What?”

“Kiss him. Now.”

He moved forward and pressed the barrel of the gun to Vivian’s head.

Jesus fucking Christ, I lost my mind.

“
Get the
fuck
off of her!
Get off!
” I roared, nearly tearing my ankle from its bones.

“
Matthew
,” she sobbed, staring up at him, her head tilted by the pressure of the gun at her temple.

“Tell them what to do!”
Derrick shouted at me.