Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (32 page)

“
So,
what?
 
You
’
re afraid of me now?
”

“
Did
you follow me here?
”

“
Did
I what?
”

“
You
know where I live.
 
I want to know
if you followed me here.
”

“
Are
you fucking kidding me?
”

“
I
don
’
t
believe in coincidence.
”

“
Time
to start believing, babe.
”

“
I
think you
’
ve
followed me.
”

“
You
’
re not that big of a
celebrity, Lisa.
 
At least not
yet.
 
Don
’
t flatter yourself.
”

“
I
’
m not flattering
—”

“
Then
why do you look so scared?
”

“
I
’
m not scared of you.
”

“
Really?
 
Because it looks as if you
’
re going to run away
now.
 
Just as everyone else has from
me.
”

I didn
’
t answer.

“
You
and I used to be in love,
”
he
said.
 
“
Why can
’
t we be in love again?
”

“
Because
that part of our lives is over.
”

“
I
think it
’
s
because you
’
re
in a relationship.
 
Relationships
end every day.
 
So, end yours with
him now.
”

I turned on him.
 
“
How do you know that I
’
m seeing someone?
”

“
Because
I
’
ve
seen you with him.
”

“
What
do you mean you
’
ve
seen me with him?
”

“
I
get around.
”

“
So,
you
have
followed me.
”

“
What
if I have?
”

“
If
you have, then you need to stop.
”

“
Fuck
you.
 
I
’
ll do what I
want.
 
Just because you can afford
to dress all fancy like that and have your face plastered on billboards doesn
’
t mean you own
me.
 
Or that you
’
re better than
me.
 
It just means that you
’
re a corporate
sell-out.
”

“
You
don
’
t
know me now, Kevin.
”

“
I
know this about you
—
you
’
ll apparently do
whatever it takes to sell your books through some manipulated, false, and
manufactured image.
 
Diamonds on
your lips.
 
Really?
 
The Lisa I once knew never would have
done that.
”

“
The
Lisa you grew up with was as poor as you remember.
 
If you
’
re coherent right now
—
which I
’
m seriously doubting the more we talk
—
you
’
ll remember how much I
always wanted to be a successful writer.
 
If a billboard is what it takes to help me to become that person, then
so be it.
 
If you have a problem
with it, I don
’
t
give a damn.
 
It doesn
’
t matter to me.
 
You don
’
t know what I
’
ve been through these past few years to get to this
point.
 
You don
’
t know how hard I
’
ve worked, or how much
I
’
ve sacrificed.
 
It took me years of eighteen-hour days
to get to this point.
 
But here I
am.
 
I got lucky, and guess what,
Kevin?
 
I still
want
to live
the dream I once told you about when we were dating.
 
I still want to be a traditionally
published author.
 
I want that as
much now as I did when we were young.
 
Nothing has changed for me.
 
And if you have a problem with that, that
’
s your problem.
 
I still have my dreams.
 
Too
bad you gave up on yours.
 
Now,
leave me alone.
”

“
I
don
’
t
think you want that.
”

I held out my hand for a cab.
 
“
The hell I don
’
t.
”

“
Really?
”

“
Really.
”

“
Because
there
’
s a
reason why you should,
”
he
said.

“
What
possible reason could you have?
”

He didn
’
t answer at once.
 
“
You
were my first love,
”
he
said.
 
“
I was yours.
”

“
That
was a long time ago.
”

“
So,
I
’
m
not good enough for you now?
”

“
I
’
m with someone else
now
—
as
you
’
ve
apparently seen.
”

He took a last drag off his
cigarette, tossed it onto the median, and then crushed it with his shoe.
 
“
You need to be careful with me,
”
he
said.

“
What
does that mean?
”

“
You
’
ve got a short memory.
”

“
I
don
’
t
know what you
’
re
talking about.
”

“
Really?
 
I think you do.
”
 
He paused.
 
“
I still have those photos of you, you know?
”

There was a clear threat behind his
words.
 
I lowered my hand.
 
I knew what he was talking about and I
felt fear lacing through me, but I played dumb.
 
“
What photos?
”

“
You
know which photos.
 
The naked
ones.
 
I still have them.
 
Wouldn
’
t it be a shame if they were somehow leaked to the press on
the day that your book was released?
”

“
You
took those photos of me without consent.
 
I had no idea that you took them.
 
I was asleep when you took them.
”

“
At
a Motel 6 in Bangor, I believe
—
not
long after I fucked you.
 
Doesn
’
t matter.
 
They
’
re still clearly of you.
”

“
You
’
d do that to me?
”

“
Hell,
yes.
 
I told you
—
I
’
m broke.
 
I want some money.
 
So, give me some fucking money.
”

“
I
’
m not giving you shit.
”

“
Eventually,
you will.
 
Eventually, you
’
ll have no choice but
to buy back those photos.
 
I know
where you live.
 
I can get in touch
with you when I need to.
”

“
What
is wrong with you?
”
I
asked.
 
“
I
’
ve done nothing to
you.
 
Why are you threatening me
like this?
”

“
Because
I need my meth money, baby.
 
I
’
m tired of living on
the streets.
 
I
’
m tired of eating shit
for food.
 
The way I see it?
 
You
’
re my ticket to getting out of all of it.
”

“
My
boyfriend is former Marine.
 
SEAL.
 
He will fuck you up if
you try anything like this.
”

“
He
’
s a big guy.
 
I
’
ll admit that.
 
But what I have in my possession is more powerful than him.
”

“
Why
would you do something like this to me?
 
I
’
ve
done nothing to you.
”

“
I
just told you.
 
Are you fucking
deaf?
 
I
’
m a junkie.
 
The way I see it?
 
A million dollars and those photos are
yours?
 
No humiliation that way,
babe.
 
Your career can go on
unscathed.
”

“
Try
that, and you
’
ll
be in prison for years for extortion.
”

“
Really?
 
By the time that even came to court, the
photos already would have been released.
 
The damage would be done.
 
Your career would be ruined.
 
And I have to wonder how long it would take for someone to find me in
this city
—
assuming
that I even stay here.
 
I
’
m no fool.
 
I might move elsewhere
—
someplace
south, east, west, north
—
and
threaten you from there.
”

I saw a cab coming my way, and I
snagged it with an outstretched arm.
 
I was rattled.
 
I
’
d never felt this kind
of fear before.
 
What he was saying
terrified me, especially with how close he was to me.
 
I felt that he wanted to strike me.
 
In his eyes was nothing but hatred.

The car pulled up next to me, and
with haste, I opened the door, and slid inside.
 
But before I could close the door, his
hand was on it, preventing me from closing it.

“
Get
away from me!
”
I
screamed.

“
Hey!
”
the
driver said.
 
“
Leave the woman alone,
man.
”

I slammed my fist down onto his
fingers, but I wasn
’
t
strong enough.
 
He didn
’
t let go.
 
Instead, he just laughed, leaned into
the car and said one last thing to me.
 
Now that I was out of the breeze and his face was so close to mine, I
could fully smell him, and I wanted to wretch at the scent.