Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (2 page)

“
Come on.
 
Who are you?
”

“
A writer who
’
s about to enter the
Twilight Zone.
”

“
Just hold on,
”
he said.
 
“
I
’
m about to bust a red
light on Broadway.
”
 

As he did, I saw cars coming at us and I heard the blaring of horns, but
he made it.
 
He made the turn.
 
I looked behind me and saw that Kevin
and his car were caught at the red light.
 
“
Thank you!
”
I said.
 
“
We
might have a chance.
 
800 Fifth.
”

“
Don
’
t get your hopes up, girl.
”

We drove at a fast pace until we reached West Fortieth Street.
 
There, he took another sharp turn and
started to maneuver toward Fifth.
 
I
looked behind us again, but all I saw were headlights.
 
“
Are
they there?
”

“
I
’
ve lost track.
 
I don
’
t know.
’

“
Here.
”
 
I reached into my clutch and
tossed what else I had on me
—
another
two hundred dollars
—
into
the front seat.
 
“
I hope this makes it worth
your trouble.
”

“
Keep your
money.
”

“
I insist.
”

“
So do I.
”
 
He reached for the additional two
bills I
’
d given him,
and handed them back to me.
 
“
My mother was abused.
 
I don
’
t do abuse.
 
We
’
ll get you
home safe.
 
We
’
re not far now.
 
Just sit tight, lean back against your
seat, and try not to be seen.
 
I
’
ll have you there in five
minutes.
”

“
Do you think
they
’
re behind us?
”

I saw him look in his rearview mirror.
 
He hesitated.
 
“
I
can
’
t tell.
”

“
My doorman
knows that I
’
m on my
way.
”

“
Did this guy
have a gun?
”

“
I don
’
t know.
 
But I doubt it.
 
He never showed one to me.
”

“
That doesn
’
t mean he doesn
’
t have one.
 
Come on.
”

What if he did
…
?

“
Look, your
doorman and I will get you inside,
”
he said.
 
“
OK?
 
You
’
ll be safe.
 
You
’
ll see.
”

And they did.

When the driver pulled in front of my building on Fifth, he wasted no
time getting me out of the car.
 
He
sprang out of his seat, met me when I opened my door, and took me by the
arm.
 
Then there was George, who
quickly greeted me before they both hurried me inside.

“
You
’
re an angel,
”
I said over my shoulder
to the driver.

“
Be safe,
”
he said.
 
“
Get
into your apartment.
 
Move!
”

And then he was gone.

CHAPTER TWO

By the time I was safely inside the apartment I shared with Jennifer, it
was just past ten-thirty, which seemed absurdly early to me given all that I
’
d been through.
 
Had this evening really ended so soon
—
and this
eventfully?
 
What the hell?
 
I still couldn
’
t believe what had transpired or how fast it had gone
down.

And how much had gone wrong.

I took off my cape, tossed it onto a chair in the living room, and then
sank onto one of the two sofas that overlooked the city.
 
Jennifer and I had one of the
penthouses, and from here, the view was spectacular.
 

Not that I gave a damn about that now.
 
I thought about Kevin
’
s older sister Katie.
 
For the two years that Kevin and I had
dated, she and I had been like sisters.
 
I hadn
’
t
talked to her since I
’
d
broken it off with Kevin, but it occurred to me that she might be able to
answer a few critical questions. If I could somehow find her number, would she
take my call now?

It
’
s
worth a try.

I went into my bedroom, flicked my finger across my Mac
’
s mouse to waken the
computer, and then went to Google to search for her phone number.
 
After a few minutes, I actually found it
—
or, at least what I
hoped was her number
—
and
I called her.
 
She answered on the
third ring.
 
I felt a start when I
recognized her voice, and a shot of relief coursed through me.

“
Hello?
”

“
Katie?
”

She hesitated.
 
“
Who is this?
”

“
A blast from
your past.
 
It
’
s Lisa Ward.
”

“
It says
‘
Jennifer Kent
’
on my caller ID.
”

“
Then you know
it
’
s me.
”

I heard her take a breath.
 
“
I can
’
t believe it,
”
she said.
 
“
I
haven
’
t heard from
you in years.
”

“
I
’
m sorry it
’
s been so long.
”

“
It
’
s so good to hear from
you!
”

“
I wish it
were under better circumstances.
”

“
What does
that mean?
 
Are you all right?
”

“
I
’
m sorry to bother you with
this.
”

“
You
’
re not bothering me.
 
I haven
’
t heard from you since you broke up with my
brother.
 
Something
’
s wrong.
”

“
Your brother is
the reason I
’
m
calling.
”

“
Why would he
be the reason you
’
re
calling?
 
He lives in New York City
now.
 
He
’
s been there for years.
 
You
’
re in Maine.
 
I don
’
t
understand.
”

“
Actually,
since May, I
’
ve been
living in New York.
”

“
You live in
New York?
”

“
Jennifer and
I moved here so we could have a fresh start.
”

“
I hope that
’
s happened for both of
you, because it certainly hasn
’
t
for Kevin.
”

I decided to feel her out.
 
“
What do you mean?
”

When she didn
’
t
answer, I sensed it was because she was ashamed of what had become of her
brother, so I didn
’
t
press.

“
Katie, do you
remember how close we once were?
”

“
Of course I
do.
 
You, Jennifer, and I used to do
everything together.
 
But then you
disappeared when you left my brother.
”

“
It was no
offense to you.
”

“
Knowing my
brother as I do now?
 
I believe
that.
”

“
What do you
mean?
”

“
Let
’
s just say that it
’
s a long story.
 
But I have to ask
—
why are you calling me at this time of
night?
 
It
’
s been forever, Lisa.
 
I understand your breakup with Kevin was
ugly, but I thought that you and I were close enough to overcome it.
”

“
I was a kid
when it ended.
 
Your brother had
become abusive.
 
And after what he
did to me, I wanted no part of him or his life.
 
I
’
m sorry if I hurt you, Katie.
 
That never was my intent.
 
But to get my head on straight, I needed
to sever all ties with him.
”

“
Kevin hurt
you?
”

“
He did.
”

“
How?
”

“
At first, it
was verbal.
 
Then, one night, I
thought for sure that he was going to rape me.
”

“
Did he?
”

“
If he
’
d had the chance, he would
have.
 
On the night that I broke it
off with him, we were at a motel.
 
He was drinking.
 
He
’
d been drinking regularly
for a good year at that point
—
his
older friends always got him whatever booze he wanted.
 
And when he drank, he became verbally
abusive.
 
I couldn
’
t take it anymore.
 
I told him that it was over between
us.
 
He was already drunk at that
point, and he told me to take it back.
 
If I didn
’
t,
he said he
’
d rape
me.
 
I got up to leave, but he came
after me.
 
He grabbed me by the back
of my hair, threw me down on the bed, and punched me in the face.
 
It took me a minute to get my bearings,
but when I did, I kneed him hard in the balls and got the hell out of there.
”

“
I had no
idea,
”
she said.
 
“
And
I
’
m so sorry.
 
I wish I could say that I was surprised
that Kevin did that to you, but I
’
m
not.
 
Did you know that he was
charged and sentenced for rape several years ago?
”

“
I didn
’
t.
”

“
He spent six
months in jail for it.
”

“
Just six
months?
”

“
Just six
months.
”

“
That
’
s all a woman is worth?
”

“
Apparently.
 
Look, I don
’
t know why you
’
re
calling me tonight, but my brother isn
’
t
the person I thought he was.
 
He
’
s been estranged from the
family for more than four years.
 
He
’
s a drunk, he
’
s a rapist, and he
’
s a drug addict.
 
We have no way to reach him.
 
He can
’
t afford his cell phone, so it was turned off a good
two years ago.
 
I think he
’
s living on the streets
—
at least that
’
s what he said to me the
last time we talked.
 
He
’
s gone from our
lives.
 
You said you were calling
about him.
 
Have you seen him?
”

“
I saw him
tonight.
”

There was a silence.
 
“
In Manhattan?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
I can
’
t believe it.
 
What happened?
”