He released his grip on her leg. “Thank you. You are everything Lori said you’d be.” The dark hid his face, but she heard a smile in his voice. “Now, we need to get you off of this dark, dirty street and someplace safe. How does that sound?”
Okay. She mouthed the word, but couldn’t get her voice to leave her body.
“Excellent.” He rose to his feet and offered her his hand. “Take it. It’s not going to bite.”
Eva pressed her back into the pavement and prayed for it to open up and swallow her whole.
“Didn’t we sort this out? You do what I say, and I won’t make veiled threats against your mom. I think I’m being reasonable.” His shoes creaked as he crouched back down to her side.
She nodded and gave him a shaking arm. He grabbed it around the wrist and yanked her to her feet.
“Ahh!” She howled as pain cut through her body. “My knee.” She stood on one leg, bending the other knee to keep her weight off of it.
“I know. Just try to fight through it. Pain builds character.”
“I can’t,” she whispered, tears streaking her face.
“That’s okay. It’s something that builds over time.” He crouched down, threading his arm under hers. He pulled her against his chest before bending down to scoop up her legs into his free arm. Her stomach churned, and the contents threatened to fly out of her mouth as his musky scent wafted up her nose.
He carried her over to the passenger side of the car and grunted as he balanced her weight to unlatch the car door. The car’s dome light flashed on, and he slowly lowered her onto the passenger seat. “There’s always so much crap in girls’ cars,” he said collecting the items she’d thrown on the seat.
With his body stretched across hers, he fastened her seatbelt. “Safety first, as they say.”
Eva’s eyes met his. The light illuminated his face as he removed himself from the car.
“Bill?” she croaked. Fresh tears filled her eyes with prickly heat.
“Eh, more or less.” He brushed off the question and made sure her appendages were securely in the car before shutting the door.
Bill climbed into the driver’s seat, fastened his seatbelt, and turned the key in the ignition.
“Bill, why are you doing this?” Eva’s voice came out so hushed she didn’t know if he heard her.
He adjusted the rearview mirror before he spoke. “I really didn’t think you’d be that surprised to see me. You had to know everything your ancestors did would eventually catch up with you.”
Eva thought back to what she knew about her family. “I…I don’t understand.”
“Eva, you can trust me. You may think you can’t, but you can. I realize how absurd it sounds, but I’m actually the good guy here.” He laughed loudly. Eva tried joining him, but it came out hollow and hoarse. “You don’t have to play the whole Midwest girl act. Better yet.” He lifted his hips and fished something out of the front pocket of his pants. “These are for you. They’ll help with any pain and make it easier for you to sleep. It is important that you remain alert tomorrow, not nodding off.” He held his hand out in front of her face. Two small blue oval pills rested in his palm.
Eva shook her head and pushed her body into the corner between her seat and the door. “I don’t want those. I’ll be good. I promise.”
“It’s not about you being good. It’s about you being comfortable.” He pinched the pills between the index finger and thumb of his other hand and pressed them to her tightly pursed lips. Eva grunted against the pressure of his fingers, determined to not let the pills into her mouth. Bill let out an annoyed sigh and grabbed under her cheekbones with his free thumb on one side and remaining four fingers on the other. He squeezed and pulled her face closer to the center of the car. Her body followed unwillingly. He again forced the pills against her mouth. Eva couldn’t fight his strength and her lips parted. His salty fingers pushed between her teeth and dropped the pills on her tongue. Their bitterness made her gag. He pinched closed her nose and the flesh around her lips. “Chew before you swallow, Eva. They’ll work faster that way.”
She chewed until the pills disintegrated into a foul tasting paste. He let go of her face and Eva gasped. Bill reached into the backseat and brought back a bottle of water. One of many that Eva had left there.
“Those probably don’t taste very good. Here, wash them down. You should start to feel better very soon.” A smile sliced his face. Eva averted her eyes and leaned her head on the passenger window.
The car pulled onto the street as she watched her reflection in the side mirror. The pills took hold, and her body felt like heavy mush. She pictured herself giving up, dissolving into a puddle of despair, and splashing onto the floorboard. She tried to combat the cloudiness cloaking her thoughts.
What has my family done? What have I done to deserve this? No answers appeared, and Eva let the passing white street lines lull her to sleep.
Eight