I got to his room with no problem and knocked on his door. After a minute, he opened it with a bottle in his hands. He reeked of alcohol as he widened the door and gestured for me to come in. “Thanks for coming.”
The door shut behind me. I stepped inside and faced him.
He pointed to a glass of brown liquid. “Have a sip. I poured you a glass.”
“I don’t feel like drinking so early in the morning.”
“You can’t have a drink with a friend?”
“It’s early, Ru.”
He frowned. “You smell like him.”
“Ru, stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Acting like you’re some enraged and jealous lover. You’re my manager. This is beyond that relationship.”
“Yet you admit that we had a relationship.”
“What? A business—”
“Is that all it was?”
“Of course—”
“So, you answer your door for everyone in your pajamas? You always let men buy you gifts and—”
“Ru, don’t even try it. We had nothing more than business between us.” I backed up and he moved forward.
He spat his next words at me. “So, that’s how it’s going to be?”
“Ru, I can’t do this anymore.”
“There it goes.” He wildly swung his arms around him and yelled, “Now, she doesn’t need me!”
“Be quiet and calm down.”
“You’re just like the rest of them. None of you ever appreciate me the way I deserve.”
“What the hell are you talking about? You ruined this.”
“I ruined nothing!” He stormed toward me.
My body seized. I felt as if someone had thrown cold water on my face. He was a monster. All this time, he’d been a monster, hiding around within this fake identity, pretending to be my friend, but the whole time lying to himself about what we were.
I backed away, and he followed.
“Give me some space, Ru.”
“Why, because you’re scared of me now? Or are you scared of the truth?”
“The truth?” I hurried over to the table next to me and placed a chair between us.
“Oh, she’s so scared. Look at you.” He tapped his head. “Gio is in there now, huh? He’s got you thinking I’m the bad guy.”
“I don’t want to talk to you about this anymore. You’re drunk and acting out of control.” I tried to step around the chair. He rushed my way and knocked it down. I screamed and kicked at him. He dodged it, raised his hands in the air, and backed away. “Would you calm down, Simone? You’re acting erratic.”
“No, you are.”
“I’m just trying to talk to you.”
“I don’t like the way you’re doing it.”
“I’m your friend.”
“Then let me go.”
“I’m not keeping you here. The truth is keeping you here. You’re trying to pretend like you don’t know what’s going on.”
“Fuck this, Ru.” I headed toward the door, he blocked my way. I shoved at him. “Move.”
“Just give me a minute.” He grabbed my arms hard and pinned me to him.
“Get off me.” I hit his hand and he wrestled with me, dragging me to his bed.
“Just calm down.” He held me down. “You’re acting crazy, Simone. He’s got you thinking I’m dangerous.”
“You are! Stop it! Ru, get off me!”
“Shh. Calm down.” Ru pinned me down with one arm and reached his fingers out beneath my chin, roughly tilting my face to him. “Tell me that you haven’t been thinking about me as much as I think about you. Tell me you didn’t always want to fuck me like I want to fuck you. You can’t.”
“Get off me.”
He slapped me hard. A sting bit the side of my face. “Listen. For once in your fucking life, listen.”
I fought to get him off.
“Stop it, before I hit you again.”
I froze. Tears fell down my eyes. Fear fogged my head. I didn’t know what to do. All I could think of was to get him calm enough so I could get away from him, open the door, and race away. All I could think about was maybe screaming as loud as I could, and hoping someone heard me before he tried to knock me out.
“I think of your pussy,” he whispered. “All of the time.”
My bottom lip quivered.
“I thought you were a good girl. That we were just taking our time, but then you come here, and at the first sight of Gio, you act like a little whore.” Rage covered his face. He leaned down to me. Only an inch lay between our noses.
“Was it worth it?” he hissed.
“What?”
“Was all this worth you being a whore?”
“Ru, I don’t know what you’re saying.”
Spit fell from his mouth. “He was just warming you up for me, you know that right? Getting the kinks out. Getting you ready for me.”
“Ru, please let me go. You’re drunk and—”
In seconds, he wrapped his hands around my neck. It felt like thick sand filled my throat, like I’d been cut off from life. Like this was the end. I wagged my arms and legs, trying to get out of his hold, battling for oxygen. Scared for my life.