Wicked Destiny

Chapter 15





The rest of the week seemed to run together. I didn’t leave my place and I still refused to answer the phone. On the upside, I finished the painting and I couldn’t stop staring at it. I wasn’t eating and I wasn’t sleeping; I was becoming delirious. I’d hear knocks on the door, but I wasn’t keeping up with who it was. I didn’t want to have any visitors, more less talk to anyone on the phone. I knew Shay came by several times with Mindy and she is probably scared to come alone. I couldn’t blame her. Mindy came by to remind me it was Thursday and she wanted me to meet her and Shay at one of the new boutiques that opened. Viktor came by twice. Twice. Yep, he really cared. Why did I care anyway? I was so better off. I needed no one.

Lying on the couch, I drifted off. I dreamt of nothing much, as usual. Just a lot faces popping in and out of view. It was like I was driving down the road, passing people by, but it was the people that came in and out my life. What was I doing? Was I giving up, or rather giving in? I wasn’t sure anymore. I felt like everything would be better if I wasn’t here at all. So, needless to say, I was really feeling sorry for myself.

There was someone at my door again and I knew it was Jared. What day is it? I hadn’t a clue anymore.

“I know you’re in there, Sloane. Don’t make me kick the door in, because I will,” Jared yelled from outside the door.

I knew he wouldn’t leave and he would make good on his threat, so I got up and stumbled over my own legs until I reached the door. He must have heard me, because he was yelling even more now.

“Sloane! Are you OK? Sloane, you better answer the door!”

“I’m trying, damn it!” I snapped back.

The sound of my voice must have calmed him a little, but I knew he was still concerned.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“No!” Well, not physically, anyway.

I was crawling to the door. From lack of eating and sleeping I could barely maneuver around the room. I made it to the door and pulled myself up so that I could undo all the locks. Once the last one was done, I slid down the door and to the side, out of the way.

“It’s open.”

Jared opened the door slowly. “Where are you?” he called out.

“Down here. Shut the door,” I snapped.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Are you sick?” Jared examined me and scooped me up, placing me back on the couch where I had been all week.

“I’m fine. What are you doing here?” Jared walked off to open the curtains and blinds. The direct sunlight hurt my eyes and I threw my hands up. And magically, in a blink of an eye, the blinds and curtains shut. I shouldn’t have done it, because everything really started to spin then.

Jared looked pissed. He went to my refrigerator and grabbed the orange juice I kept for mixed drinks.

“You don’t have anything in here to eat or something I can make you, do you?” he asked, as he placed the cup into my hands and forced my both hands to hold it. “Do I need to get you a spill-proof cup?”

I shot him a glare. “I don’t need your damn help.” Even though it was a show I was putting on, I was grateful that Jared was here.

“Right.” Jared walked off and made a phone call. It sounded like he was putting in an order somewhere. “Do you want to talk about it?” he said once he’d returned.

“Nope,” was all I could get out.

“OK, I will be right back.”

Jared disappeared into my bathroom, but he wasn’t gone for very long. I turned on the TV to see what I could watch and pulled my phone out. It read I had over two hundred missed calls, forty-three voice messages, and seventy-six text messages. I didn’t even bother to check the emails. I simply cleared everything. Jared came back in the living room and grabbed the cup from my hand, sitting it on the table.

“What the hell are you doing?” I yelled at him, as he bent down to pick me up.

Jared threw me over his shoulder and walked me back to the bathroom as I kicked and screamed for him to put me down. I even hit my head on the doorjamb when he walked through the doorway.

“Put me down, damn it!”

“Gladly, because you stink!” And just like that, I was thrown into the tub fully clothed.

“Have you lost your damn mind?” I screamed.

“No, I haven’t, but by the looks of it, you have. Now don’t bring your ass out here until you‘ve washed up. Don’t make me come back in here and strip you myself!” I knew he would.

“Well, I can’t if you’re in here!”

Jared turned and walked out. “I mean it, Sloane.” And I knew he did.

I crawled out and stripped from the wet overalls along with everything else. The water wasn’t warm enough, so I quickly ran the hot water. I sat there with my knees pulled to my chest, the water running down my back. I didn’t know what I was doing, more less what I actually wanted. Declan was gone and I hadn’t heard from Viktor. Shay was mad and I knew that. I had some making up to do there.

Breaking me out of my thoughts was a knock at the door.

“Sloane?” It was Mindy. “Can I come in?” I didn’t answer, but I heard the door open.

“I don’t care,” I answered.

“I just wanted to check on you.”

She must have picked up my clothes and sat them outside, but I wasn’t too aware. And then she walked out, no doubt to put them in the washer. Just as quickly, she was back.

“Do you need to help with anything?”

“Like what?” I asked, still sitting there with my legs drawn to my chest like a scared animal. I hated feeling vulnerable like this.

“I don’t know. I can wash your hair for you?” She sat down beside the tub and reached for the lavender shampoo. “I just love lavender. I’ve been meaning to ask you what shampoo you use.” She began massaging her fingers through my hair.

On any other day I would’ve probably thought this would be a little weird, but today I was actually grateful. Mindy was just offering comfort and support. Nothing was expected of me other than getting clean. I could hear Jared cleaning or something in my kitchen, because all I could hear is the cabinets slamming.

“Have you heard from Shay?” I asked as she began to rinse through my hair.

“I talked to her before I got here. She wants to come over, but I told her I would call her first.”

“I see. You wanted to make sure it was safe,” I added.

“Yeah.” She moved to conditioning now.

“Thank you for being there for her. I have been a shit here lately.”

“Well, just think about what you have had to deal with. Shay understands. You just have to give her time to let it all sink in before you start jumping from one place to the other attached at the hip.” We laughed. “And it wasn’t just because I thought you might say or do something to hurt her. We were all scared of what we would’ve found here today. If something awful were to happen to you, I’d want to spare her the image.”

Before I could say anything, there was another knock at the door. It was Jared letting us know that food was ready and he had already called Shay. Mindy instructed me to close my eyes and to hold my breath as she took the removable shower head to rinse off my hair and my back.

“Thank you again, Mindy. For everything, really.”

“No problem. Do you need help getting out?”

“I think I can manage with what dignity I have left.” I smiled over my shoulder at her.

Once she was out, I managed my way out of the tub. I dried myself off and wrapped my robe around me, tying it tight. Taking one last and final look in the mirror, I gathered the courage to actually show my face, which looked as if my color was finally returning. I unwrapped my hair and ran both hands down its length, and when I opened my eyes, my hair was black again. Though, the tips were still blonde.

Just like my angel wings.

This was exactly who I was. Feeling confident, I followed the lingering smell of fresh fruit, french toast and coffee. Was it even breakfast time? I hadn’t even realized what time of day it was, or even the actual date.