CHAPTER 1 The taxi

Aria Douglas

My phone rings incessantly. I wonder, because Samme has never called me so insistently. We agree on something physical and without getting emotionally involved, which I have not respected

Shit, I fell in love with him in such a short time.

I never believed that I could trust someone enough to fall in love again, but it seems that the order has changed.

I fell in love with a man who has promised me nothing.

There are no promises of fidelity, of marriage, of a one-sided relationship.

There is nothing between us, only sex.

I look from the living room at my best friend's parents, who are chatting with her. They have argued since we came from town. I try not to take sides, but I know my friend is being a bit unfair to them.

Fuck, they go out of their way for her.

They love her.

Yes, they have hidden that she has a father who wants to meet her and be in her life, but they have been there with her all her damn life.

She has had with them what I have never had with my parents.

Being an only child never hurt so much until I met Sophia's family and realized what love and family bonding can be.

I go out to the porch of the house; from here I can see the waves on the beach carry the water to the shore. I love being here. It's one of those places where I can get away when I'm feeling heavily loaded. Both Sophia's stepfather and her mother have opened the doors to their family for me and consider me as one more daughter. What they don't know is that I consider them my parents much more than those who conceived me.

I dial Samme's number and he takes the call right away.

"Why the hell don't you answer ?! He asks in a rather high tone.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I question surly.

I hate that they rule me, that they try to manage me at will. I'm a bloody full-fledged woman. No one can come and tell me what to do, much less fight me without me being aware of anything, without having given them a reason to be angry with me.

"Why didn't you pick up the phone?" Where are you?

"What does it matter to you where I am?" I saw you yesterday! We came from Chicago together! Give me some air. "Although I'm dying to see it."

"Aria, I'm not into games." Tell me where the hell are you. I need to see you right now.

"I told you I was going out with my friend."

"Yes, you did." Now give me the damn address to get there.

"I'm not going to give you an address." I am working out something with her and her family. I'm not here to see you this afternoon. Shall we organize something at night?

"Aria, damn it, I need to see you!" His voice hardens.

I feel it serious and even unstable.

What will happen to him? He's never like that, not with me. He does not usually speak ill of me and does not usually treat me like one of the employees he has at the club.

Samme Cassel is the manager of his brother's club. It was there that my friend met the one who is now the love of her life. The romance that those two have formed in so few days seems almost like a movie.

Maybe things could work out for some people wonderfully, but not for me, even though I'm doomed to fall in love with fucking fuckboys who just want sex. It is something that does not offend me, since I am quite liberal. I like to enjoy my life in my own way, without hesitation or shame, but I have not always been this way.

"Samme, what is it?"

"Are you ... Shit ... I ... I'll be there in less than twenty minutes."

“That? You don't even know where I am!

"I already have the address." Wait for me there.

"Fuck off, Samme." You tell me right now what the hell is going on or I won't be here by the time you get there.

"Baby, I can't on the phone."

“Well.

I hang up and ask for an Uber. I wait patiently for it to arrive. The location on the map says it's less than ten minutes away.

I look towards the door of my friend's house.

I have not said goodbye.

Better this way.

I know I'm delusional. She'll be furious when she realizes that I'm gone.

The cell phone rings again in my hand just as I get into the Uber.

"Don't make it difficult for me, Aria." Wait for me there. I'm less than ... Shit! “I hear a noise.

I get scared, because he drives.

"Samme?" Are you there? Are you okay?

"I'm fine, Aria." Don't move, please. Trust nobody. Do not talk to anyone. Please wait for me baby

I watch the driver; the man writes something on his cell phone and raises his face a little. I can distinguish the words that make me get out of the car in terror.

"I got it".

“Ms! He yells at me when he sees me get out of the vehicle.

"I don't need it, thank you." My ... my boyfriend will come for me. You just wrote to me. Thank you, and I'm paying you right now!

Boyfriend?

Listing Samme Cassel as my boyfriend is almost sacrilege.

That man doesn't know what that is.

It's just that I can't even assure that he hasn't been with other women while he's with me.

I did not ask, of course.

And he didn't mention it either.

My heart is beating fast and my hands are shaking. I look at the cell phone in my hand, I unlock it with my fingerprint and dial Samme's number, which is on the screen first, since he was the last to call me.

"Young man, come on, get in the vehicle." If you like, you can wait here.

I fill myself with a value that I don't feel and walk towards it.

I know I shouldn't.

I know that I must get away, enter the house and close the doors, but then I could not answer my doubts.

“Aria?

"I already told you, someone will come for me, so I don't need a ride."

“I can bring her to where that person if she likes.

“Aria! Samme's voice comes from the cell phone speaker. I'm still too far from the man for him to hear the roar behind the line. Aria, don't get in the bandwagon! Don't get in the damn car!

I get to the vehicle.

I'll pass for a maniac idiot if that man doesn't want to hurt me.

He raises the cell phone and sticks it to his ear.

"He doesn't want to go up." I upload it?

I open my eyes wide. My instinct finally takes control of my body and stops me and then takes a few steps back.

"She says he's coming to get her." No sir. I can take it with you without problem. No sir.

With each phrase he releases my heart pounding faster and more out of control.

It's real panic that I feel.

The sound of an approaching car causes the suspicious driver to turn his face and look at the newcomer.

Samme gets out of the black car and walks towards me.

I only see his face above that guy's car.

He is furious.

He keeps getting closer, but then I see him getting closer to the man.

"Tell your boss that his war is with me." If you put a single finger on my wife, she won't live to tell the tale.

The driver changes his face so quickly that I blink in confusion as I realize there is no longer a trace of warmth in his eyes. He wears a long”sleeved white shirt and is holding his cell phone tightly.

“Tell her! Samme roars, then reaches up and aims a pistol at the man's head. Tell him not to fuck with what belongs to me!

"Samme ...

"Hush, Aria!"

I can't believe what my eyes see. My brain refuses to process the image in front of it. Samme Cassel with a black pistol pointed at the intimidating chauffeur. Sam yelling at me.

What the heck is going on? What is Samme up to?

"Tell him, or I'll blow your brains out right now." "He doesn't have time to do what he says, as he snatches the cell phone from her hand and places it on her ear." Listen well…

I hear what he says in his husky, implacable voice.

I hug myself to control the trembling that has taken over my slim body.

The cool sea breeze begins to give me goosebumps.

Who the hell am I kidding ?! I'm fainting from fear!

"Aria, get in the car." He takes a step back and walks away from the driver, but without lowering the gun. Goes up.

My body responds to his second command and I start to walk towards his car, I open the door and put my seat belt on automatic. Meanwhile, I watch through the smoked glass as he says something else to the man and hands him his cell phone.

I hold my cell phone hard until my knuckles turn white.

What is all this? Samme, what is he up to?

This is obviously not a sleepover. It is serious, delicate and, more than anything, life and death.

Sam opens the door for me and sits next to me. His hands are shaking; he still holds the gun. I walk away immediately. He looks at me and sees the gun in his hand. He grabs her as if she is part of his body. I fear that it is so. It scares me that he knows how to use it. Nobody carries a weapon if they are not willing to use it.

"Put it in the glove compartment," I suggest in a voice I don't recognize. Save it, please.

Among so many things that I want to say to him, that I wish and must ask, the only thing I can think of at this moment is the pistol that he has on his thigh and that it is surely loaded.

I listen as the suspect killer's car pulls away, the wheels squealing as it drives off.

But I still scrutinize the gun.

“Are you okay?

"How did you get there so soon?"

"Would you have preferred I didn't?"

"Save that, please."

“It scares you?

I roll my eyes up to him; he looks at me worried.

"Like shit." I'm about to shit my damn fear.

"You better quit."

"The desire to get on top of me?" I blurt out without understanding.

He holds the gun and slowly puts it in the glove compartment of the car.

He starts the engine and begins to reverse.

At that moment I see Sophia come out onto the porch.

I tell Samme to stop the vehicle.

“I must say bye.

"Put your hand out and say goodbye."

"Don't be an idiot, I'm not going to ...!"

"Put your hand out and say goodbye, or I'll start right now without you even doing that."

I look at him full of anger and fear, I take my hand out of the car and say goodbye to Sophia in the distance.

Sam starts me off when I reach in and roll the window up.

"Were you thinking of going in a fucking Uber even though I asked you exactly the opposite, even though I told you to wait for me?"

I stay in silence.

I'm surprised by your question, but you're right, it's just what I did.

"Your damn rebelliousness is of no use to me now, Aria." I need you to listen to me.

We moved away from the house on the coast of my friend and her parents.

I just hope she forgives me for leaving without warning.

"Your secrecy doesn't work for me either, Samme."

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"It's not about me wanting it or not, it's about you coming here, to a place where I haven't given you the address." I don't know how the hell you got me. A man tried to kidnap me… Because that was it, right? Was that what he intended?

We take the avenue in the direction of the city center.

I am silent again.

He is focused on driving. He doesn't answer my questions, which unnerves me. I want to yell at him, shake him, punch him, scratch his stupid two hundred dollar shirt and look him in the eye to tell me what the hell is going on, but I hold back.

I still have my cell phone in my hands, so I write a quick message to my friend to let her know I'm fine and start looking out the window.

If he doesn't want to answer my questions, fine, fuck off!

I'm not going to talk to him anymore either.

"Aria…" I feel his hand on my thigh.

I slap it hard that sounds throughout the vehicle.

“Get out of me! Don't you dare lay a single hand on me! Not until you have the grace to tell me why you went to my friend's house when I asked you not to. You're not going to put a single finger on me until you trust me and tell me what the hell you're up to and why you're dragging me.

I don't watch it, I won't because I know I'm going to regret it. I am weak with him.

Damn, more than weak, I'm in love, and I think that's why I got in the car. I think that is precisely why I am here, because I love him.

He puts his hand on my thigh again like a masochist and I intend to hit him again.

"Don't even think about it," he stops me. I saved your fucking ass this afternoon. I've driven like a damn madman to pick you up, to save your life ...

"I didn't ask you to save her!" I didn't ask you to come! I don't even know why you are here! "This time I do look at him." He stops the car on the side of the road. I'm not into anything. Nobody wants to kidnap me. This is all your fault. It's your damn bar's fault.

"From my bar?"

"Yes, from your bar." I'm sure this is part of your business with that club in Chicago. Do you think I didn't see what happens there? Do you think I didn't notice some things?

"Are you listening to yourself, Aria?" Do you hear what you say to me? What the hell do you think I am?

Try to make a fake laugh, I know. I've seen him laugh like that with other people when he's with me. I know him, I know how he laughs when he's confident.

I watch people when they don't think I do and Sam is no exception.

He's in trouble, an ugly one, and he's dragged me with him.

“Listen to me. He takes off his belt and bends over to speak to me face to face. Sorry. Yes, Im sorry. I'm sorry I dragged you. She runs a hand through her super short haircut painted almost white blonde, although its dark color is already rising. I didn't want to get you involved.

"What is it, Samme?" What is happening? Was that man really going to kidnap me?

“Yes.

That he didn't hesitate to answer me makes the answer even worse.

I can't find the voice to respond and only a staccato noise comes out of my throat.

"From now on you will stay with me in my apartment." If you go anywhere, you will do it with me or with someone I send to protect you.

“That? What do you say, Samme? Speak to me clearly, damn it!

My hands tremble.

I throw the cell phone into the air and it falls on the carpet on the floor.

“Tell me! “Cheft.

"You will come with me." He holds my face in his hands and scrutinizes me. That is all you need to know.