Slowly, Caleb’s arm around Celia’s throat loosened and she collapsed on the floor, sobbing as she held her throat. I looked up at Caleb and saw the horror in his eyes as he looked down at Celia.
“What’s the plan, Caleb?” I said to refocus his attention. As much as I liked Celia, I liked living even more.
Caleb nodded as he fisted a handful of hair at his nape, “I need to go meet them.”
“You can’t! What if they’re just waiting to kill you?!”
“If everything is as Celia says, then there’s no reason I shouldn’t go downstairs?” Caleb went down on one knee and held the knife to Celia’s throat.
“No,” Celia pleaded, “Felipe sent me to warn you.”
“Why would he warn me?!” Caleb insisted.
“Felipe knows what’s been happening between the two of you and hasn’t said a word to Rafiq. He doesn’t want to deal with the fallout. You’ve been here for months, instead of the few days, Rafiq, originally promised. The last thing he needs is bloodshed in the house,” Celia cried. She rubbed at her throat; it was red, but the damage seemed relatively benign. She could speak clearly and there weren’t any bruises.
Caleb stood, “You stay here with her until I get back.”
This was my worst nightmare come to life. Caleb was going to walk out the door and never come back. I just knew it. “Caleb, please don’t go. Let’s leave. Right now.”
“I’ll get her out if there’s trouble,” Celia suddenly offered. Caleb and I stared at her incredulously. “There are passages in the walls. Felipe had them built in case we needed to escape. I’ll get her out, I promise.”
“Why would you?” Caleb asked. He seemed to be coming around toward Celia.
“Not for you,” she spat. “I don’t want her to suffer.”
Caleb nodded, “Thank you, Celia. I’m in your debt.”
“If anything happens to Felipe, I’ll be sure to collect,” she said.
“Understood,” Caleb whispered. He grabbed a shirt from the closet and put it on. “The library?” he asked. Celia nodded and with that, Caleb left the room.
I wanted to scream. Caleb was gone and he’d left me to fend for myself. He’d panicked and perhaps threatened Celia when he didn’t have to.
“Why would you bang on the door?” I asked Celia. She sat on the floor, rubbing her throat and wiping tears from her eyes.
“I didn’t want them to come looking for you. Felipe barely stopped Rafiq from coming up here himself,” Celia said calmly.
I felt the gun, warm from my hand, and wet with sweat. “Caleb says Felipe’s been watching us. He said you’ve been watching us. Why would either of you help?”
“Felipe trusts no one, Kitten. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but Felipe means more to me than you. I love him, but he’s an opportunist,” she said.
My head was spinning, “Did you really come to warn us, Celia? Is Caleb walking into a trap right now?” I tried to sound contrite. I tried to appear like a friend, asking for another friend’s advice, but truthfully, I wondered if I had it in me to shoot Celia if I had to. The answer terrified me.
“I swear I came to warn you. As far as I know, Caleb is meeting his friends and nothing more. The worst thing you could do right now is panic,” she said.
I saw the pleading in her eyes and my instincts told me I could trust her. I wasn’t sure my instincts were worth a damn, but the alternative left me cold. Celia was right, I was panicking. If Rafiq had wanted us dead and nothing more, he could have gunned us down in our sleep.
“I believe you,” I whispered and set the gun down on the bed. Celia’s eyes cut to it, but she remained in place. I started to put on the clothes Caleb had left for me.
“What are you doing? Get undressed. If they come up here and find you wearing Caleb’s clothes they’ll know you were planning to escape,” Celia said.
“What if something happens and I need clothes?”
“You won’t need them, Kitten. I promise. The danger was in Rafiq finding you both together in a compromising situation.”
Again, I believed her. Perhaps, I would believe anyone who told me I had no reason to kill, and no reason to suspect the worst. Perhaps, Celia was telling the truth. I chose to believe the less horrific of the two. I quickly removed the shirt I had just put on.
Abruptly, there was a knock at the door. “Celia?” asked a male voice.
I reached for the gun.
***
Caleb struggled for calm as he approached the door to the library. Tucked into the back of his pants and sheathed was his large hunting knife. He wondered for a moment if he was doing the right thing by meeting with Rafiq. He had hoped he could convince him their plans for revenge could still prove fruitful without sacrificing Livvie. He still hoped for that particular outcome, but having Livvie in the house, was less than ideal.