The Assistant(118)

“Let me go.”

“What is it exactly that’s stopping you from letting us happen, Emily?” David murmured, bringing his free hand to cup my cheek.

A look of disgust automatically made its way to my face as I tried to pull away from his hold. “Everything! You’re disgusting and desperate for something that’s never going to happen with me. Let me go, and we can pretend this entire thing didn’t happen.” I tried, keeping my voice even.

He chuckled again at my words and placed a kiss on my cheek before I was able to stop it from happening. My glare increased as he smiled in response.

“That won’t be happening. Have you eaten?” he asked.

My mind instantly went back to the bowl of soup that was still sitting on the small table in the room I was being held in. it was probably cold by now, but I didn’t care. “No.”

“I haven’t poisoned it, Emily.” David chuckled.

My eyes narrowed even further. “The fact that you had to clarify that for me says something.”

“I’m being honest with you. I could tell that you didn’t trust me so I brought it up for you. Would you like me to call up the chef so he can cook you a meal in front of you?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Emily. You need to eat,” David murmured.

“No, I don’t.”

“Fine. Starve for all I care. It’s not going to change anything. I’m still going to have you.” He let go of my arm and stepped back before picking up his drink and sipping on the straw.

“I’ll send some more clothes to your room if you want to change or shower.”

“I want to go home,” I growled through gnashed teeth.

“And you will. When I get what I want.” He turned to the door after that, and I watched as he pressed in a code I wasn’t able to make out before the door clicked open, and slammed shut behind him.


My body un-tensed as soon as I realised I was alone in the room, before my eyes landed on a thin, black piece of technology that was left on the counter.

My eyes immediately widened as the phone lit up. A call was coming through and I picked up the cool metal object immediately.

No caller ID blinked back at me in bold letters, and I answered it immediately in hopes that it would be Adrian. “Hello?” I breathed, tears springing to my eyes.

The other caller gasped then stayed silent on the other line, before my ears were greeted with beeping; telling me they had hung up.

I instantly put the phone back onto the counter just as voices from outside the door reached my ears, and I quickly made my way back to my room just as the door to the hotel room clicked open again.

David Walter walked back in, looking suspicious as he grabbed a hold of his phone and tucking it securely into his jacket pocket before leaving the room once again.

I sighed before shutting my own door softly and leaning all my weight onto it. Who was I kidding, why would it have been Adrian? There was no way he’d associate with him thanks to the message David had sent from my phone earlier. I began to replay the last conversation I had with him, and sighed again once I realised it was more of a fight than a conversation.

I looked around my small room once more and found a small blue book gathering dust on the vanity in the corner of the room. I walked towards it and picked up the firm cover, wiping it gently. The Lovely Bones was printed on the cover, and I took the book back to my bed and began reading it with Adrian on my mind.

***

I had drifted off to sleep, and woke up with the book open on the page I was reading last sprawled across my chest.

I made a mental note of the page number I was on before closing the book and placing in on the table beside me. I noticed the chicken soup had been taken out of my room and replaced with a pile of freshly ironed clothes.

It occurred to me then that my hair was still filled with chemical products sprayed into now-flattened curls from the event two nights ago. I grabbed the first pair of clothing within the pile and entered the adjoined bathroom to have a quick shower.

I was towel drying my hair and exiting the bathroom when a knock sounded at my door. I didn’t reply, not wanting anyone to enter the only room I felt secure in, and froze in my position.

“Emily?” David’s voice sounded from the other side of the wooden door.

I threw the towel on the chair that was currently guarding my gold dress, and opened the door slightly. David stood there with his usual smug smile and was wearing a plain red shirt. “I see you’ve made the most of the new clothes I’ve given you. I hope you’re comfortable?”

“What do you want?” I asked, not bothering to comply with his small talk.

“I was thinking we could have dinner together. I’ve brought up a chef to cater for us and so you don’t think I’ve poisoned your food.” He laughed at himself, and I blinked back in reply.

“No thank you,” I replied shortly, getting ready to shut the door.

David put an arm out before I could close the door fully; grabbing a hold of my arm in the process. “We’re going to have dinner together,” he stated again, giving me a warning look.

I didn’t say anything as he dragged me over to a dining table set up near the kitchen, where a man with blue eyes in a chef’s uniform was standing. He looked me over briefly, then smiled as he spoke. “Good evening. I am Victor Clerval, I will be your chef for tonight.”