The King and the Courtesan (49 page)

“
They
weigh us all down. Why do you think Metro has become a safer place? It’s because
I
come bearing no sympathy for these people and their excuses. If they want to better themselves, they can. This was true for me, and it could be true for them. Instead, they clog the system.
I
brought natural selection back to Metro.” He walked over to me and brushed a hand over my head, returning any stray hairs to their place. “This is why I chose
you
over all those women. I knew you were smart enough to survive.”

“Please don’t hurt her,” I whimpered, realizing my grave mistake. I had no clue Ezekiel would try to find her, because the money involved wasn’t his. It was
my
fault. Why wasn’t he punishing
me
for it? “Please don’t.”

He took my chin with two fingers. “What does she look like?”

I shook my head, tears gathering in my eyes. While I knew Cordelia didn’t have much hope of escaping her predicament alive, I didn’t want her to die because of
me
. Having Roger on my conscience was enough, and I could still console myself with the fact that he was alive. At least, to my knowledge he was…

“It was Blade’s money,” I whispered. “All Blade’s money!”

“What did you do to get it?”

“N-nothing. He knows I’m good on my word. He gave it to me because I promised to pay him back.”

“And how did you plan on doing that?”

I shook my head, still trying not to cry.

“Did he do anything to you?”

“No.”

Ezekiel stared at me for a few seconds before sighing and turning away. “You’d best go to bed, Melissa. It’s late.”

I wanted to ask why he wasn’t angry, why he was being so nice—though perhaps nice wasn’t the word. It didn’t sit right with me, but instead of asking questions and possibly stirring his wrath even more, I left. It hit me as I was dressing for bed just how deep I was in this. Not only was I still pregnant, but I basically caused Blade’s murder and could possibly be the cause of Cordelia’s. I straight-out lied to Ezekiel, which I’d never had the bravery to do before.

If I escaped from all of this with my heart still pumping, I’d be the luckiest person in the world.

* * *

Two days went by, and nothing. I’d felt sick since the night of Blade’s murder, though I wasn’t sure if it was because of the nightmares or the baby. I kept checking myself in the mirror, running my hands along my abdomen and wondering if I was showing or not. It was obvious to me, but I was more familiar with my body than anyone else. Ezekiel hadn’t seemed to notice. But, perhaps he had. Maybe he knew all along and was keeping his knowledge from me to watch me sweat over it…to wait until I confessed.

I sat on the toilet in the bathroom, alone, looking down at my stomach. I gently pressed my fingers against the skin, making little white moons appear.
Are you okay
? I touched the bruises Blade had left along my ribs
. I know I’m fine, but what about you? Will you let me know if you aren’t? Or are you planning on surprising me?

When I wasn’t worrying about the money hidden behind the bedroom mirror or about Cordelia, I was wondering about the baby. Was it a boy or a girl? Was the dust hindering its development? A part of me wanted to hold it and experience its love and utter dependence. It would be pure and innocent, traits I could no longer understand. Would being a mother make me a better person? I doubted it, even if I lived to find out.

After cleaning up my makeup and slipping into a chic, charcoal dress, I went downstairs to get breakfast. Ezekiel was waiting at the table.

“Before you eat, we have business to take care of.”

“Business?”

“Yes.” His voice was deadpan.

“Okay…”

“Come.” He stood. “I will take you.”

I was shocked when we got into the elevator and Ezekiel pressed the “up” button.

“Isn’t this the top floor?” I asked.

“We’re going to the roof.”

I gulped. Was he going to push me off? Or were we simply catching a helicopter? I didn’t know if Ezekiel had a helicopter—only his private jet—but I figured he probably did. What
didn’t
he have?

It was windy at the top of the building. I was used to the view of the city sprawled out underneath me, but had never seen it without walls for protection. The roof was empty, except for a few figures standing at the edge. Two I recognized as Bruce and Garrett. I gasped when I saw the middle figure—he was on his knees with a bag over his head.

“What’s going on?” I asked in a panic.

Ezekiel didn’t answer, only strode ahead of me. He stopped when he reached Bruce and Garrett and turned, the wind whipping at his perfect hair and pressed suit.

“We found Cordelia, of course,” Ezekiel said. “She was dead.”

I choked on my response, “
Dead
?”

“She’d been found dead in her apartment a month ago,” Ezekiel said. “The police were unable to identify her for some time, considering her entire face was burned.”

My reaction time was slow. Cordelia? Burned? Dead? What? I had just
seen
her. Her condition hadn’t been great, but at least she’d been alive. Yogi had even tried to help her out. I didn’t understand…

“Tell me, Melissa. How could a dead woman have asked you for money?”

I opened my mouth—nothing came out. My hand fluttered to my chest as my gaze fell upon the figure kneeling between Bruce and Garrett. If Cordelia was dead, then who…

“Who’s that?” I gasped.

“This?” Ezekiel turned to the kneeling figure, then to Bruce. “Remove the bag.”

Bruce reached over and slid off the black bag. I staggered back upon recognizing him. Even though the left side of his face was raw and bloody from a rather extensive beating, and he was gagged, there was no mistaking his narrow face and groomed goatee.

Ace.

“I would have brought your sister,” Ezekiel said. “But seeing as I gave her a great deal of money, I thought this made more economical sense. I also try to avoid harming a woman when a man will suffice.”

“What—what are you doing?”

“I don’t appreciate being lied to, Melissa. Your Cordelia story was very thin, but I decided to believe you because I trusted you. Clearly, I was wrong to do such, and I assure you, I won’t be making that mistake again.”

“But Ace—”

“I decided that if you won’t tell the truth to me, perhaps you will tell the truth to someone else.” He reached out and grabbed a handful of Ace’s hair, yanking on it so that Ace’s neck was bared. “Maybe she will be truthful with you, Ace.”

Ace could say nothing, but his eyes spoke volumes. There was fear there, but mostly hate.

“How did you find him?” I asked.

“You mentioned that you stayed with him and Juri after your little accident. I assumed this meant he was your friend. It took little time to find him. Juri is a household name in Metro, and where I can find Juri, I can find Ace. I was somewhat disappointed by the company Juri keeps. They are not as intimidating as they should be.”

“Please, Ezekiel. He did nothing. Please let him go.”

“Oh, I plan to. Of course, you have to give me a reason.”

My throat closed up. All of this was too much. Between this pregnancy thing, Cordelia’s death, and now Ace’s imminent torture—

I apparently waited too long to respond, because Ezekiel nodded at Bruce, and Bruce bent down. I didn’t see what was in his hand, but it became clear when there was a crackling sound and Ace began to jerk. Seconds later, I jumped forward, hands extended, voice high-pitched with fear.

“Stop! Please, stop!”

Bruce stopped and released Ace’s arm. Ace collapsed onto the concrete with a whimper.

“What was the money for?” Ezekiel asked, his practiced affection for me replaced by the cold snarl his debtors knew well.

“I-I—t-the money—uh—I—”

The air crackled again, and Ace twitched violently. I dashed forward and took Bruce’s arm, but he was stronger than I was and simply shrugged me off.

“Ezekiel!”

“Tell me,” he said calmly. They didn’t stop tasing Ace.

“Stop it!”

“Tell me.”

“I—”
I’m going to die
. I wanted that calm back, the peace that enveloped me before Blade beat me in the gutter. Now all I felt was raw terror and the inability to think straight.
Save Ace
and
save yourself
were two conflicting voices inside of me. One was stronger and eventually broke through. “I needed the money for an abortion!”

The crackling stopped. Ace went still, his torn face leaving a bloody streak on the concrete. The only sounds were of the wind and Ace breathing heavily. I had stopped breathing all together.

“You’re pregnant.”

I nodded, finally noticing the tears running down my cheeks.
I am going to die, I am going to die, I am going to die
…

“How is that possible?” Ezekiel whispered.

“I don’t know!” I blurted. “I swear to
God
, Ezekiel! I swear I religiously took those pills every day, just like the doctor ordered. I don’t know how it happened, but it
did
. I never meant for this to happen, ever. You know how I wouldn’t bet—”
Betray you
? But I already
had
.

Ezekiel was silent. He seemed to be thinking. I tried to read his face and gauge how angry he was, but it was impossible. It was always impossible. Why did I even try? I could only stand there and wait for my sentence.

I decided to keep talking. “I tried to get an abortion because I knew you wouldn’t be happy. You see? If I had done this on purpose to control you—you said that was what Tanya did, remember? Well, here’s proof that I don’t want this. I tried to get rid of it before you knew. I tried, Ezekiel. Please don’t act like I want this, because I can assure you, I absolutely don’t. It was an accident.”

“An accident?” he said. “Accidents can always be prevented.”

“I tried, Ezekiel,” I pleaded. “I never wanted this to happen…”

“Accidents are a sign of negligence and lack of control over a situation. If the precautions are taken, then accidents
don’t happen
.” He stepped closer to me, his movements tense. “Everything I do is given painstaking attention. Not for a
moment
do I let my guard down, because that is when you are struck, and you can blame no one but yourself. You must have forgotten to take those pills at some point. You have been
negligent
.”

“No.” I shook my head, stepping back as he advanced. “No, Ezekiel, I
swear
. I have been paying attention. I would never—”

“I am always in control,” he said, his voice sharp like a knife. “Always. That is how I got here. That is how I rose from that pathetic little
nothing
to the man I am now. Absolute and complete control. I will have control, Melissa. I can afford no slip-ups, no
accidents
. Accidents make you weak. They make you vulnerable. Once you forgive one mistake, you must forgive more, and by then, you control an operation filled with holes. You lack
structural integrity
, and your empire comes crumbling down. Do you understand me?”

For once, there was emotion in his voice, but not the kind anyone wanted to hear. I kept walking back, shaking my head and fighting the petrified tears gathering in my eyes. Flight instinct ordered me to run, but I knew Ezekiel considered moving targets more threatening than those standing.

“
No one
will sabotage my operation, my total control. No accident. Especially not a
whore
and her little bastard.”

“Ezekiel—”

He fired his gun into the air. I shrieked and cowered, throwing my arms over my head. Ezekiel grabbed my arm, and I screamed again, struggling to escape him. I only stopped when I felt the cold muzzle of his gun pressed against my temple.

“You had such promise, Melissa. I normally hate women. Did you know that? I consider them disgusting because of how pathetic they are, how they make themselves victims to both men and the system. At first, you disgusted me with how vulnerable you were. Then I grew a bit fond of you, I’ll admit. You were smart enough to behave yourself, a good quality in any woman. But now I see I let my own carnal desires get the best of me.”

“Ezekiel,” I wept, fully aware of how my crying only made the situation worse. Clear snot ran down my upper lip.

He struck me against the temple with the butt of his gun. I let out a yelp as I collapsed to the concrete. Blood trickled down my face, but I was shocked to find myself still conscious. Trembling and sobbing, I looked up through my tangled hair. His eyes were frigid, his gun pointed straight at my forehead. There was no love there, no affection. I don’t know why I expected it to be different. Maybe I thought that after serving him so faithfully for as long as I had, I would have won a part of him. Even my usual customers had some affection toward me, even if it was only in that brittle moment before they emptied themselves inside me. I knew now—Ezekiel was no man.

He was a machine, hard and cold as metal.

I tried to make him happy, tried to find some sort of satisfaction in pleasing him. He gave me purpose, as pathetic as that purpose was.

That’s why I cried. Not because I was scared of dying.

I screamed at the sound of a gunshot, expecting my world to go black, expecting a searing pain to end my life. But instead there was a
thump
, and I watched someone crumple in front of me, someone with Ezekiel’s perfectly shined shoes and tailored suit. Someone who looked like Ezekiel, but with blood splattered across his face and a hole blasted into the side of his head.

I couldn’t process what was happening. I heard shouts and the explosion of more gunshots. I started to stand, but someone grabbed me and dragged me to the side. I looked up.

“Ace?” I whispered. Hadn’t he just been unconscious?

Ace’s face was pale and his upper lip was coated in sweat, but his grip was strong and his eyes focused. “Melissa, we have to get out of here.”

“But—” I twisted around and saw Bruce hiding behind an air conditioning unit, firing his gun at several people crouched within the elevator or beside it. I recognized at least one of them—
Juri
.