"Are you hungry?" Bradley asked as I walked out the bathroom freshly bathed.
I nodded and held my dirty clothes.
"You can put those in there" he pointed to the closest and I walked over to it. He moved closer to me and I jumped away from him.
He laughed and I chuckled nervously with him. "You don't have to be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you" He said before he left.
I walked in the closet and shut the door behind me. I took out the flip phone and went through it, looking for a way to access the internet and send Joshua my location. When I couldn't find anything I looked for a place to hide the phone.
I saw this brown coat on my side of the closet that had deep pockets. I stuck the phone inside and opened the door to the closet.
Bradley was standing right in front of the door. I yelped and held my head. "You scared me"
"Come downstairs" he said.
I followed him downstairs and into the kitchen. He sat me down on a barstool at the island and walked to the stove just across from it.
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Anything's fine" I really don't care what I get as long as I eat.
"Alright" He said and opened the fridge. He started up a conversation with me as he made my sandwich. "I hope you'll start to see how much I really love you, I don't want to hurt you anymore"
He prepared the sandwich in front of me and sliced the tomatoes. "I believe we can make it"
There are so many things I want to say. I don't want to be with him, I need him to know that. "I want to take things slow Bradley" I said nervously. "I... need to go slow"
"We can go slow" he smiled. "We have the rest of our lives together"
I sighed quietly. "So... we'll just live here by ourselves?"
"Yea"
"But how will I go shopping?"
"What do you need to shop for?"
"Well I'm a woman I need things"
"Valentina lets not argue" he stopped and looked at me.
"This isn't arguing, this is talking. If we are going to be together we need to communicate"
He looked away from me and finished making the sandwich. "I need to trust you more"
"Okay" I said calmly. "We have the rest of our lives together"
He smiled. "You're right"
"I'm gonna go to the bathroom" I hopped down from the stool and headed upstairs. I closed the bedroom door and went into the closet.
I grabbed the cell phone the coat I hid it in earlier and called Joshua again. "Hello?" He asked.
"I'm in a house" I whispered.
"I know where you are, we're almost there, babe I'm coming to get you"
I closed my eyes and cried silently. I knew he would find me, thank God. "How?" I sobbed.
"We found the car you were in and I had people follow it, just hang tight for me okay V?"
"When are you gonna get here?"
"I'll be there soon"
I felt cold air blow on my neck but I ignored it.
"Please hurry" I began to walk out when I screamed in horror at what I saw.
The closet door was open and Bradley was standing there with tears in his eyes. He was breathing heavily as he looked at me.
"Valentina?"'I heard Joshua call in the phone. "What's going on?"
"Bradley" I said quietly. "It's not what it looks like"
He dropped the knife he had in his hands and walked toward me. "Please, I'm sorry" I put my hands up in defense.
He snatched the phone from me and threw it across the room.
Pulling on my wrist, he pushed me to the floor. "I can't trust you at all, can I? You lying bitch"
"Bradley!" I yelled as he over me.
"Shut the fuck up!" He screamed. He raised his hand and brought it across my face.
I held my cheek and tried to scramble away but he kept pulling me back.
He punched my chest a few times and got on his knees. His hands slithered up my neck and he squeezed. "All I've ever wanted was you, but I wasn't good enough for you" He said angrily.
I closed my eyes and waited to breathe again.
He stood back up and I gasped for air. He unbuckled his belt and pulled it off.
"Please don't do this" I breathed. "I promise I'll be good!" I wailed. "I promise"
"You're promises are as good as shit"
I felt around for something I could use to hit him with. Anything to stun him just for a moment.
I grabbed a high heel and hit him in the dick with the point of the shoe.
"Ah!" He groaned as he fell to the ground.
I scrambled off the floor and looked for the cell phone. After a short while of looking for it I gave up and ran downstairs.
I need to hide, there's no way I'll get away if I run from him. Hiding will be the smartest thing to do.
I opened the front door to make it seem like I had ran out the house but hid in the closet.
I heard his footsteps climb down the steps and out the front door.
I stayed quiet and listened for more when I heard nothing I fidgeted with my fingers decided if I should leave the uncertain safety of the closet.
I wife the tears from my eyes and my nose and twisted open the door knob. Stinking my head out first I saw and heard nothing. Bringing the rest of my body out into the open air I look around to see what I could do.
"Move and I'll shoot"
I stood there, frozen in my footsteps and saw a person walk in front of me. It was a man I didn't recognize until he took his hoodie off.
It was the guy from the elevator, when I went to the beach with Bradley and Kenny. He said he like my jacket.
"I don't think we've formally met" I looked at the gun in his hands and blinked away my tears. "I'm Rico"
He looked at me up and down and licked his lips. "Damn you are something else girl, you been making my man go something other than crazy"
Yea, mental. I thought to myself.
"This man has been going on and on about getting you for years and when he finally does you do this?" I stayed quiet. "Answer me!" He yelled.
I flinch and answer. "I'm not sure what I made him do"
He looked away from me and smirked. "You're the only girl he's gone all kid-nappy for. Why won't you just let him keep you?"
"I'm not a dog"
Footsteps came quickly behind me and I was hoping that they were Joshua's.
I didn't turn around as the person rubbed my arms. "Don't make a sound"
He did the whole routine. Put tape on my mouth, then hands and feet. "They're coming up the driveway"
I raised my eyebrows and tried to scream. They're coming up the driveway? They're here that fast?
"I'll throw her downstairs" the person behind me, which I knew was Bradley picked me up and carried me down stairs. I screamed and struggled trying to get delay his process but I didn't do anything.
I'm so close to getting out of here.