The Willingness to Burn (23 page)

“That would be nice, but make sure you’re comfortable there first.”

“I know, I know.”

“And, Anna, you can always come home, okay?”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Anytime, dear.”

“Okay, I gotta go, I have to pack!” I said, shrieking with excitement.

“All right, have fun, and call me when you get there!”

“I will!”

I hung up the phone. She had a right to be concerned. Most people never get a chance like that. Most people never get to live out their dreams in luxury.
But she’ll get it soon enough. When he’s taking care of them after they retire she’ll look back on this and smile.

I was packing in a frenzy!
What do you even bring to this type of thing?
I packed the essentials but not too much. I felt like he would be okay with me ordering clothes online, so I only packed a week’s worth of clothes. Although, knowing him, I wouldn’t be wearing them much. I giggled to myself. I packed a few bathing suits and closed the suitcase. I checked the flights and saw that I could get on one that left in four hours.
God, what am I going to do with four hours to kill? I wonder if I’ll beat him there. Nah, no way. He was leaving an hour ago, he’ll be there way before I am.

Chapter 44

The airport and flight were so boring. All I could think about was how much things were going to change and what I would do down there. I saw myself doing yoga out by the beach and sunbathing topless while my man was out making million dollar deals and coming home tired. I would say I could cook for him, but why would I do that? If things were so cheap there, I was sure one of the first things he would do would be hire a chef.

I arrived at the airport, and after making my way through customs and getting some very odd looks, I found a tall, local-looking guy holding a sign with my name on it and a heart drawn around it.
I have arrived.

“I’m Anna.”

“Right this way, senorita.” He took my bag and escorted me to a black Lincoln town car.

I imagined the countryside as being beautiful, but I couldn’t see much. It was dark already, but that was okay.
I could always see it tomorrow
. We pulled up to a sprawling estate. It wasn’t even a house. It looked like a drug lord lived there. It was
huge
. It had white and tan colors and a huge stone fence around it. We pulled into the gate and into an lavish parking area. There were Mercedes’ and even a Ferrari
. I am soooo driving that. He’s gonna have to teach me to drive stick, though
. We pulled into a circular driveway, I guess..?
Can it even be called a driveway at this point?
It was a stone circle that lead to the house. It was separate from where all the cars were. It was like the loading and unloading part of a hotel.

The stone driveway gave way to a massive stained glass door. And standing in the shade of that glass door was a silhouette, the shadow of my man. I got so excited the second that I saw him. The car pulled to a stop and I hopped out. I didn’t wait for the driver and didn’t care about my bag anymore. I ran up the steps and the glass door opened. It was him. I leaped in his arms, and with the steady arms of a stronger man, he picked me up and held me. I kissed him deeply and wrapped my legs around him. He started to say something, but I wasn’t stopping. My legs were wrapped around his waist and we must have been kissing for a minute because the driver had reached the door with my bag.

He broke from me.

“Thanks, Manny.”

“No problem, Senor.” Manny smiled and went back to the car.

“Oh, my God, this place is so nice!”

“Thanks, I’m glad you like it.”

“I wasn’t expecting all this!” I was in awe as I gazed about the giant foyer. The place looked like a palace.

“What did you think? A hut by the sand?” He laughed a bit

He took my hand and began walking me through the foyer. It was huge, and the floor was made of marble. It looked like you could host a wedding in the place.
I wonder if that’s why he took me here.
I mean, I didn’t plan on getting married for another few years but God has a plan for us all and if this was his plan for me, I wasn’t going to say no.

“Okay, first, I’m going to take you someplace to freshen up. Then you’re going to put on that outfit you showed me and something else I got for you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yup.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ll see.”

I smiled.

“And then what?”

“Then I’m going to give you a tour of the house and we’re gonna drink champagne out on the beach.”

“Oh, my God, there’s a beach, isn’t there?” I squealed.

“Yes, there is, but first things first.”

“Okay,” I said with a devilish grin, already planning something else entirely. He walked me upstairs and we went into one of the bedrooms. Then he walked me over to the door and opened it. It was a huge marble bathroom. There was a steam shower, a Jacuzzi tub, and a double sink.

“And that’s the something else.”

“Oh, my God,” I said out loud as I looked down at the shoe box. It was a box of Louis Vuitton shoes. Whatever was inside was going to be super nice. I bent down again intentionally at the waist and opened them. They were a pair of heels that must of cost a fortune. I grabbed him and pushed him against the wall. I unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down.

“Wow. Don’t you want…?”

“Nope!”

I pulled his pants down, and standing in the bathroom, proceeded to give him the best blowjob I’ve ever given and probably the best he’d ever had in his life. He’s older, and I was sure he’d been with a lot of women, but at that point, I had the drive and discipline that not many people in the world have.

Afterward, he told me it was amazing, which I already knew, then he told me to get dressed. We had a long night ahead of us.
And, oh yes we do.
I wanted to get married before having kids, but it would make for such a great story if I got pregnant tonight. My first night living in the lap of luxury with this incredible man.
Damn, maybe I shouldn’t have blown him. Oh well. There’s plenty of time for that.

Chapter 45

The rain pounded down against the balcony as Jace looked out at the world in a way that he hadn’t looked out in some time. He looked out alone. Staring out into the dark city. He gazed at the water striking down, it bouncing off of the buildings, and thought about forgiveness that one experiences in a big city. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, everyone’s okay with it. The rain falls down and washes away the sins of the earth, or was it simply mixing them? The sins of all mankind, mixed together in this drink called life and we all smiled and sinned more as the ice melted and we all became drunk.

“Jace. She’s gone.”

“Did you give her the injections?” Jace asked in a monotone voice.

“Yes.”

“Thank you, Raymond.”

“Good luck to you, Jace.”

Jace nodded, still staring out the window, seeing the good doctor only in his reflection.

The doctor walked out and opened the door to Jace’s apartment. As he walked to the elevator, he passed a dark man with a thin goatee. The men didn’t speak. Simply nodded at one another and kept walking. There was a silent understanding. Their roles in this drama had already been discussed, practiced, and now was the performance.

Doctor Angelos opened the door to the apartment. The dim lights seemed to bring out the darkness in this black and white contemporary home. He and four other men walked into the lavish home. The four men immediately went to the bedroom and Doctor Angelos took a moment to consult with his benefactor.

“Raymond administered the shots?”

“Yes.”

“And she is still physically alive?”

“Yes.”

“All right. We will take good care of her.”

Jace turned from the window. A look that he once saw only in the eyes of the estranged doctor now bled from his.

“Yes, yes you will, doctor. I trust that the equipment you need has already been delivered.”

“Yes.”

“And the lab?”

“The lab is already prepared for the most part, everything we need for now.”

“Good. Then I have held up my end of the bargain,” he stated. His eyes fixed on the not so good doctor.

“Ye-Yes,” the doctor said, seeming uneasy.

“Excellent. Jace said “Cliff!” he called out.

Slow steps came from the kitchen, the sound of boots on marble methodically taunted the doctor.
Thump, Thump
. A large figure rounded the corner. He was a tall man, dark, and muscular. The figure was disguised, hidden by the shadows. Then a lightning bolt stuck and lit up the room for an instant. His hair was short and neatly trimmed.

“Meet Cliff.”

“He-Hello,” the doctor sputtered.

“Mm,” the dark man grunted from the shadows.

“Cliff is here to ensure that you uphold your end of the bargain.”

“Excuse me?”

“You will have my wife prepped and when you leave for the lab, Cliff and one of his associates will be with you. They are to ensure that you fulfill your end. Because if my wife doesn’t leave that lab. Neither will you.”

“Woah, wait.”

“No, no, no … We’re past that now.” Jace took a step forward and placed his hands on the doctors shoulders squeezing him tightly and staring into his eyes. “See, you and I are in this together now. There is no backing out. There’s no room for half measures. It’s all or nothing. And you will be as committed to me as I am to you. The type of commitment that can only exist when faced with your own mortality.” The doctor said nothing. A devilish grin overcame Jace’s face, and the words “Deliver us from evil.” Crept into his mind. “We are now blood brothers. And one way or another blood will be shed.”

“Cliff, tell James he is now this man’s shadow.”

“Copy that.”

“Cliff and James will stay with you here, and take you to the airport in four hours, don’t be late.”

“Corey!” Jace called out.

A tall pale man stepped out from the kitchen. His eyes were a steely blue, his face peppered with freckles, and on his chin was a pronounced jagged scar.

“Yeah?” Corey said, eyeballing the doctor.

“Let’s go. We have a yoga class to catch.”

Chapter 46

Anna

And that brings us to now. I carefully apply lipstick and smile into the mirror, I can’t stop smiling. I feel like my whole life has lead up to now. Like every struggle I’ve ever had has just paved the way for this dream. I carefully take the shoes out of the box and lace them up. The heel stops just below my tattoo. It’s nothing crazy just a rose around my ankle. A souvenir from my rebellious late teenage years.

These shoes are gorgeous, I can’t get over it. They are so freaking hot but a little uncomfortable. That’s okay, I’ll just have to break them in.
I adjust my boobs in the mirror then turn to check out my ass.
Goddamn, that’s why these shoes are so expensive.
My butt has never looked so good.

I open the door and he is standing on the opposite side of the bed on the phone.

“Yeah, should have it in a minute, everything ready?”

Then he turns and looks at me. He smiles.

“Yeah, great. Okay, bye.” He hangs up the phone.

“Well, Goddamn,” he says, seeming to be impressed.

“Do you like it?” I ask, turning sideways and bending over slightly.

“Baby you have the most amazing body I’ve ever seen.”

I blush. “Thank you.”

I walk over to him slowly and he stands there in awe of me. I love that look. I walk slow, partly to be sexy and partly because I’m still getting used to these heels. They’re a bit higher then I would normally wear, but I am certainly not about to complain. I stop just in front of him. We are just about eye level, and I throw my arms around him and kiss him passionately.

“C’mon,” he says and motions toward the door.

“You don’t want to check out this outfit?” I say innocently.

“Oh, baby, I’m gonna rip it off in a bit.”

I take two steps toward the door.

“Wait, is anyone else here?”

He smiles. “No, just you and me.”

“You suuuurrreee?”

“Yes, darling, and remember, you’re in paradise now. You can walk around anywhere dressed like that.”

He puts his arm around my waist and squeezes my butt. “And if I have anything to say about it, you always will.”

He smiles, and I kiss him. Then we start walking.

“Okay, let’s start at the bottom and work our way back up to the bedroom.”

“I like that plan,” I say

“I thought you might.” He winks at me.

We walk down the stairs and through the foyer. The kitchen is huge and a giant island separates us from the actual kitchen part of the kitchen.

“So the basement is full, and I had it converted into a hurricane shelter, just in case, ya know?”

“That’s good thinking. Are there a lot of hurricanes here?”

“During the season, yeah, but they’re never really that bad. This house is built like a fortress”

“It looks it.”

“Yup, so my hurricane shelter has a lot more fun stuff in it.”

“Oh, really?”

He turns the door handle and pushes it open. I take a step down and feel that the steps are finished. It’s not a wood plank or anything that you would normally find in a basement, but then again, I didn’t expect it to be. The door closes behind us and shuts out all of the light.

“Okay wait here. I don’t want you to fall in those shoes,” he says.

“Me neither!”

All I can hear is machinery; it kind of sounded like bubbles. Right now I’m tossed between the idea of this being a spa basement or like a
Fifty Shades of Grey
red room. Honestly, I’m not sure which one I would prefer.
Oh, my God, my fairy tale is completely with a
Fifty Shades
sex life? God, did I hit the jackpot!

“Are you ready?” he calls out.

“Yes!” I say emphatically over the loud sound.

The lights turn on and I shut my eyes for a second; they were bright, like spot light bright. I open them to see a medical table and a man in a white coat standing over it.

“What the fuck?” I say out loud.

My gaze turns from the man in the white coat to see large medical looking machinery. My eyes continue to wonder when I fall upon the bubbling sound. A large clear tank with a head of a girl floating, her blonde hair splayed out behind her and a heart suspended in the water. I gasp in horror and the heart beats. I scream and run for the door. I grab the door handle and push, but the lock won’t move. I scream, “Help!”

“Help! Helppp!”

“Can you stop that, please?” Jace says.

“What the fuck, what is this!”

“This is my basement, an off-site hospital for the most part.”

“What is
that
!” I scream pointing at the woman’s head floating in the tank.

“Oh, you don’t recognize her? That’s my wife.” I am taken back by horror.

“Is she ready?” the doctor says.

Jace turns to him. “Yes.”

I grab the door handle again and scream. I bang my hands feverishly, but I’m not making any progress. I turn back to face Jace. He is holding up a weird looking gun and points it at me.

“C’mon down here, I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”

“What, why!” I scream. I am overcome with terror and my eyes start to water.

“C’mon down, I’ll explain.”

I step down with my hand shaking against the railing. My feet uneasy in these new shoes. I reach the bottom, and he speaks.

“There we go. I’m sorry, sweetie, it’s just a tranq gun, but I’m afraid it won’t make a difference.

My heart batters against my rib cage. I try to think of anything I can.

“People know I’m with you!”

Jace lowers the gun and smirks. “How so? You took a random flight to a third world country. One of those crazy things young girls do. You paid for it yourself and came alone.”

“But I told my mom where you live! She’ll find you!”

“I don’t actually live there.” He shrugs. “I have some real estate guys who owed me a favor.”

I start to weep.
Everything was a lie! How could this happen?

“I guess you really made sure she didn’t have any weapons,” the doctor says, smirking.

“And that she couldn’t run.” Jace points down to my feet. Those shoes, the gift to welcome me to my new life, was really an anchor to pull me to my death.

“But, but, you said it was a fairy tale,” I stammer, my mind still trying to make sense of everything.

“Oh, sweetie, this is a fairy tale, you’re just not the princess.” My eyes fill with tears and I drop to my knees, unable to hold my own body anymore, and then everything goes black.

Everyone understands the sacrifice except the lamb.