Like Glass We Break (Glass #2) (8 page)

Chapter Nine

Renae

Scott and Renae both arrive separately at the meeting this morning. They’re early, and Scott walks over to the coffee machine where he makes a coffee for himself and one for Renae. He brings it over to where she’s sitting at the long conference table and sets it down in front of her. She smiles politely and nods. He takes the seat next to her and her leg brushes against his. She realizes their eyes are locked so she looks away toward the projection screen where the PowerPoint presentation will be shown soon. She wants him again but can’t let this interrupt her work today. She was sent here to learn essential skills for Danis Accounting, and she’s determined to return to work tomorrow as a better, more prepared employee.

As the meeting begins, Renae focuses her eyes in the direction of the man speaking at the front. She can feel Scott staring at her and it makes her uncomfortable, mostly because she wants to be able to pay attention without thinking about him touching her.

She’s relieved when the speaker announces that it’s time for a coffee break, and she runs out of the room to the women’s washroom down the hall.

In the stall, she takes her time and checks her phone. She hears the door to the washroom open and someone enters the stall next to hers and shuts the door. She reaches for toilet paper, wipes, and flushes the toilet. She emerges from the stall and washes her hands with hot water over the sink. As she reaches for the paper towels, she sees the stall door behind her slowly open. Scott stands behind her, completely exposed, wearing only a shirt and his shoes. He is hard. She turns and begins to speak, but he’s already on her, hands at her throat once again in a familiar way that she remembers from just yesterday. She whispers the word “no” but he doesn’t slow down. When she looks at the door to the bathroom, she realizes that he hasn’t locked the deadbolt and there’s a chance someone may walk in on them but at this point she doesn’t even care; he’s inside her and she’s bent over the bathroom vanity. He pounds into her so hard that her feet lift from the ground. He’s deeper than ever, completely inside of her, like she has never felt before. Her head hits the mirror so hard that she’s sure the mirror has cracked. It leaves a bruise almost instantly that starts throbbing, and she feels slightly dizzy. He continues at her, thrusting and grunting. Sweat is pouring from his forehead.

Renae’s head cracks against the mirror one last time as Scott groans. As soon as he’s finished, he is gone. This leaves Renae standing in the bathroom alone, staring at herself in the mirror with fluids leaking down her leg, wondering what just happened.

***

The airport is surprisingly quiet, which is good because Renae’s head is pounding. Perhaps from being struck against the bathroom mirror, or just the stress of having to drive to the airport in this terrible weather. Whatever the cause, Renae knows this is going to turn into a migraine by the end of the day. Her eyes are sensitive to light and there are black splotches in her vision. The ache from her head is throbbing all the way down into her neck. She just wants to close her eyes and sleep, or sink into a scalding hot bubble bath, but here she is—amidst the incredibly bright lights of the airport.

Renae and Scott sit across from each other, waiting to hear what the fate of their flight is. Both of them are hoping to get home today and aren’t too thrilled with the news that they may have to extend their trip another day, or even two days, if this weather doesn’t let up.

Scott stands and approaches the woman at the desk. She is a tiny little blonde with bright green eyes. Her hair is pulled back into the perfect ponytail and she is wearing thick-rimmed glasses that make her look intelligent and sexy. Scott imagines how the glasses would look on the nightstand beside his bed back home. He stands, dazed, and doesn’t respond immediately when she asks him what she can help him with.

“Oh, sorry,” he mutters. “It’s been a long couple days. I’m just looking to get home.”

“All flights are still delayed, sir. I don’t know how long they will be delayed, either. Hopefully this weather clears up and we can get you home,” she responds.

“Thanks, Amrita,” he says, reading her name from her name tag. He leans in on the counter and asks her to let him know as soon as there’s an update on the status of his flight.

“Sure, no problem,” she agrees. She looks down and goes back to doing whatever paperwork she was doing before he interrupted her, and Scott returns to his seat across from Renae.

He is fidgety and antsy, twitching every couple seconds and scanning the large waiting area.

“What’s wrong?” Renae asks, putting down the book she had been reading.

“I just—I need to get home.”

“Oh. Well, we will soon, I’m sure,” Renae assures him. “Are you that excited to get back to work tomorrow, Scott?”

“No. I have other things I need to deal with,” he mumbles. “I have to see Sophie.”

“Sophie? Oh.” Renae repeats the name quietly, feeling defeated. She had been certain he was over everything that happened with Sophie, who hasn’t texted Renae in a few days.

“I need to go,” Scott announces, getting up from his chair. Renae looks up, but doesn’t move. Her eyes follow Scott as he walks out of the waiting area, quickly toward the exit, almost running.

Renae is almost not surprised. He has done weird things in the past. He seems volatile and unpredictable. Still dark, mysterious, and attractive. Renae sighs and sinks back into the soft chair cushion. She decides that if he’s running back to Sophie and they work things out, she isn’t going to be very happy with either of them. Perhaps it’s time to start searching for a new job, although so far she’s happy at Danis. Maybe if she worked at a different office, she’d meet one of the associates there and they’d start a normal relationship and not this thing—whatever it is—she has with Scott.

She finds herself still staring at the exit Scott just left through. She looks over and makes eye contact with Amrita, who smiles warmly.

“I’m just going on break,” Amrita explains. “Do you need anything before I go?”

“No, thanks. I’m good,” Renae replies, and returns to reading her book.

***

Amrita

Amrita stands outside the airport, having a smoke. She inhales slowly, feeling the smoke enter her lungs. It makes it a bit harder to breathe, but she becomes familiarly lightheaded as the nicotine high hits. She feels relaxed, which she appreciates considering it’s been one heck of a day, with all of the flights delayed and passengers becoming irate with her. She finishes her last drag and drops the butt onto the ground, snuffing it out with her foot.

“Hey,” Scott calls out behind her. She turns to face him.

“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be out here.”

“Wrong turn on my way out. How do I get out to where the car rentals are?” he asks.

“Head back in those doors, and speak with the people at the rental desk,” Amrita explains, extending her arm to point.

“Show me.”

“Oh, it’s easy. Just go right in there,” she repeats, pointing. “The rental desk is to your left, and then out through security to where their parking lot is.

“I’ve already signed up for a rental and just need to find my car. It’s a dark blue Honda Accord,” he explains. “Show me.”

“I can’t, sir. I’m on my break. If you just step inside those doors, there will be someone in there who can help you,” Amrita says, this time sternly.

Scott marches toward her. She puts both hands up and backs away but he corners her against the wall. He grabs onto her throat and squeezes so hard she begins to choke. As she does, she slides down against the wall, flailing her arms. He crouches down in front of her and reaches into her pocket.

“Show me, Amrita Daou, who lives at 494 Stonegate with her toddler,” he whispers, flipping through her wallet. He holds out a picture of her child and she closes her eyes. “If you don’t show me how to get to my rental car, your house will be my first stop once I do find it.”

“Okay, okay,” Amrita squeaks. “I’ll show you.”

As though everything is normal, both Amrita and Scott walk back into the airport. Renae sees them walk in and jumps up from her seat.

“Scott, what are you doing?” Renae asks.

“Amrita is just walking me to a manager’s office so we can have my flight reimbursed. I’ve decided to rent a car and drive home.”

Renae looks over to Amrita, who nods in agreement.

“Right this way, sir,” Amrita ushers.

Renae doesn’t say anything else; she just returns to her book once again.

Scott follows Amrita and she walks out to the rental lot. In the closest spot sits the dark blue Honda Accord that now belongs to Scott for the next two days, according to his paperwork.

“There it is,” Amrita says quietly. “Can I go now?”

“Did you really think it was going to be that easy? Get in the car,” Scott demands.

“No, I—”

“Get in, now. I just really want some company through the city. Once we get to the outskirts, I’ll drop you off. Otherwise, you can stay here, and I’ll head over to your place. Or I won’t, I don’t know. If I don’t go right away, I’ll make sure to stop by at some point, when you don’t expect it. You may not even be home. I may break the window on your door and let myself in, just so I can feel what it’s like to fall asleep in your bed. Then when you show up, we can share a bottle of wine. Do you like wine? It’s not like you’re going to move, Amrita. This is a decent job, but you’re obviously single—there’s no ring on your finger, or picture of you and a boyfriend in your wallet. Are you single? If you move, I’ll find you there. You’ll have to quit your job. Pull your child out of the pre-school closest to your house. Make sure your family hides too. There can’t be too many Daous in the phone book, even though this is a fairly big city. I have plenty of time on my hands. I can visit everyone.”

“Why are you doing this?” Amrita asks.

“You don’t even have the money to move right now, do you? Apartment hunting would be awful this time of year. Scott isn’t even my real name, and my ID is fake, so don’t bother calling the cops.”

“So what do you want? You want me to go for a ride with you? How will that make you happy?” she asks, shaking. She’s scared and the cold weather isn’t helping because she hadn’t grabbed her jacket.

“I just want the company. I’ve been really lonely lately. My wife died, and I just need someone to talk to. I didn’t mean to be forceful,” Scott admits, changing his tone of voice. For a second, he sounds like a soft, caring man.

“Well, this isn’t the way to deal with that loneliness,” Amrita insists.

“Get in the car.”

Feeling defeated, Amrita complies with his command. She walks to the passenger side of the car and gets into the vehicle. Wishing she had grabbed her cell phone, she realizes she can’t even send a text to anyone for help. They pull out of the parking lot and tears stream down Amrita’s dark cheeks.

“Where are you from?” Amrita asks, trying to make conversation, and learn about Scott’s real identity at the same time.

“Everywhere,” Scott replies.

“Where do you live now?” she asks, prying.

“You ask too many questions. I don’t live at 494 Stonegate, but I know how to get there. You take Highway Sixteen South, exit onto O'Neill, turn onto Donnell—I’ve done my research. I also don’t have a toddler I need to protect. I have no children, no spouse, and no reason to live.”

“Your late wife wouldn’t want you driving around with random women,” Amrita points out.

“I don’t have a late wife.”

Amrita is quiet for a few minutes. She hopes that if she just remains calm and humors him for the remainder of the ride to the city limits, he’ll let her out, unharmed. She hopes that he leaves her where someone will be able to find her, or within walking distance of a busy street. It’s starting to get dark out and she’s going to freeze without her jacket, wearing only her air stewardess uniform. These nylons won’t keep her legs warm at all.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

“How much further?” Amrita asks, ignoring his question.

“Not much longer.”

They continue on and see a sign that tells them they’re leaving the city. It’s 89 miles to the next city. The car accelerates.

“Are you dropping me off here?” Amrita asks. “This is the outskirt of the city, like you said. I did everything you wanted.”

“Stop talking.”

“Let me out of the car,” she pleads.

“I said stop talking.”

“I really need to get home,” Amrita explains. “Please pull over.”

“No.”

Amrita unbuckles her seat belt and reaches over to take hold of the steering wheel. She jerks it to the right and the car swerves as he fights her for control. He slams on the brakes and pulls over on the side of the road. Visibly angry, he throws the door open and marches around to Amrita’s side of the car. He rips her door open and stares at her.