“Hello there, mi puta esposa,” he’d snarled. The coldness in his voice as he grabbed me when I went to get the stuff out of Katie’s jeep will be something that sticks with me until the day I die, which I guess won’t be that long once Colin gets me, so I should be grateful for that at least.
There’s no talking when we stop, or when I’m pulled onto the small airplane and pushed into a tiny bathroom. Not one word is exchanged. The only sound is that of the door as it locks behind me. The room is dark. I just sit there, doing my best to not give into the fear that swamps me. I’m terrified of the dark, too. It’s one of the things grandfather used to his advantage during my hell in France. I can feel the chill bumps spread over my body and I hug myself close, trying not to give into the panic. Instead, I close my eyes and picture Skull and Gabby together. I don’t understand it. He pushed me away from him, but there’s no mistaking the love I saw coming from him when he was holding Gabby. Gabby will have his love. If I have to die, then at least I can go knowing that. And maybe… maybe if Torch and Katie work out, she will be able to help care for her. That’s good. That’s really good. Gabby adores her aunt. She’s young. She’ll barely miss me. I feel my way to the floor and slide down against the wall, curling into myself. I feel safer against the wall. Nothing can come at me.
*
I don’t know how much time passes before the door opens. I’m so lost in my panic that I didn’t even notice we landed. At first, the bright light that shines in hurts my eyes. I blink, trying to adjust, but before I get a chance to, someone grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the room. I struggle to stand. My knees scrape against the hard metal door frame. I don’t know this person. His jacket reads: “prospect”. I guess I don’t warrant a full-fledged member of the club at this point. I’m dying to ask where he’s taking me, but it probably doesn’t matter.
No one talks to me as I’m pulled off the plane and towards the main building. The property used to be an old airfield, from the looks of it. Minutes later, I’m being taken through the club. I ignore all the eyes I can feel on me, even though I’m dying of embarrassment. He takes me to the area where the members have bedrooms. I’m not taken to Skull’s room, though. The man pushes me into a room and slams the door. I sit on the bed, afraid to touch anything. I must sit there for an hour. I feel like I’m going to go insane. Is this part of Skull’s torture? Make me wait for my death? Or is it Colin who’s just dragging his feet?
My heart is in my chest when Skull enters. How can I think he looks amazing and dread seeing him at the same time?
“Where’s Gabby?”
“She’s being cared for,” he answers. “That’s all you need to know.”
His voice is colder than I can ever remember it.
“Don’t I get to see her before you send me to Colin?” I know my voice sounds pleading. I can’t help it. The thought of never getting to touch my child again…
Skull stops, his dark eyes looking over me, and I feel like the dirt underneath his fingernails.
“I’m not turning you over to Colin. He wants you too much. I hate him almost as much as I do you, mi esposa. Why would I do anything that gives him pleasure?”
“You’re not giving me away? Well, if you’re not doing that, then... What are you going to do with me?” I ask him, my brain so stressed out that I’m having trouble piecing any of it together.
“That answer is easy. Whatever the fuck I want. Here’s your food. I must get back to mi hija,” he says lifelessly, leaving a plate of food on the dresser.
“Whose room is this?” I ask, not wanting to be alone again, even if it means having someone who obviously hates me in the room with me.
“Pistol’s. It seemed fitting, one traitor for another,” he shrugs, his voice trailing off.
“I’m not a traitor. I only ever tried to save you—”
“We see things differently,” he says, walking towards the door. He’s almost out before I can find my nerve to speak again.
“Can I see my daughter?”
“Maybe I should make you wait years, like you did to me. Maybe you will never see her again. Haven’t made up my mind.”
My body shakes from the unexpected reply. “You can’t… You can’t just take her from me!”
“I can do whatever the hell I want, Beth. You’re in my home. My rules.”
“Skull, don’t do this. If you do this, we’ll never be able to work together to raise our daughter.”
“I’ll be raising my daughter,” he says coldly, and fear slides through me at his announcement.
“You can’t mean to keep me away from Gabby.”
“Why not? You didn’t have a problem keeping her away from me.”