A feeling of rage swirled around in the pit of my stomach and I was ready to fight to protect this innocent baby inside me. I waited, getting my bearings, doing a slow but steady mental check of all my limbs and calming my heartbeat as best I could.
“The police are on their way, Joshua. If you leave, I’ll say it was an intruder but didn’t see his face. No one will know you were here.”
“What? You say that as if you didn’t invite me here.”
It was so dark in the house that I could just make out Joshua’s silhouette but even in the shadow I could see the sadistic look of crazy on his face.
“You weren’t invited here, Joshua.”
“Of course I was. You invited me here. But when you found out your other lover, Marty, my big brother was no his way you decided to change your tune. You are just a whore who got caught in her own lie and tried to make me look like the bad guy.”
“You’re crazy.” My voice trembled.
“Oh, the name calling is really unnecessary. What I am is rich, richer than you can even dream. And so that makes me more believable than you. No one is going to take the word of a slut who’s banging a set of brothers.”
My gut churned at his words. I couldn’t help but feel a part of me try and go to him as if to say yes, your right. Why bother.
“I haven’t been with you for months, Joshua. Please, you’ve got to just let me go.” I said. “There are plenty of women who…”
“Shut up, Natasha! Don’t you get it? I’m not going anywhere. I’m sure my handsome big brother will be speeding to your rescue. When he arrives, well, you’ll be waiting to tell him whatever you want. It won’t matter because within a few seconds he’ll be dead. Self-defense, you know.”
“I’ll never let you hurt him.”
“Oh, you won’t’ be able to do a thing about it. You’ll be dead too. Marty never could control his temper. I tried to save you but was too late. They’ll believe me. I’m rich, like I said.”
Slowly I went to stand up but Joshua rushed me. Without thinking, as he brought up his leg to kick me I swung the small knife and felt it bury itself into the flesh of the front of his calf.
He screamed in pain.
All I could think was one swift kick to my gut and it would all be over. But Joshua wouldn’t be able to do that now. He couldn’t even walk, let alone put all of his weight on that leg in order to kick me. The handle stuck out like a deformed tree branch. I shudde
red as I thought of the blade cutting through the skin and muscles from the force of my swing.
“You bitch!” he growled.
Just as he was about to pounce, a light popped on behind him from the kitchen. It had been on one of my dad’s many timers. Random rooms were illuminated and then darkened as timers went on and off making it look like someone was indeed home.
Startled Joshua turned on his heel and clumsily tumbled to the left trying to hide from view. It was just enough time for me to get to my feet and make a dash for the kitchen.
The back door had a dead bolt, a small button lock on the knob and a chain. All of them were engaged. All I needed were a couple of seconds and I’d have them undone and the door open. If nothing else I could scream quickly. Fire! They always say to yell fire instead of help. It gets people worried about themselves and so they are more likely to make that phone call to 9-1-1.
Running past him and into the kitchen I reached for the door and snapped the deadbolt to the right. I slid the chain along slot. It stuck for a split second before yanked it out of the chamber. I felt my hand on the knob turning it to the left to pop the lock when suddenly I felt my head yanked backwards by my hair.
“I don’t think so!” Joshua yelled. “No, you won’t be going anywhere. Not for a while.” He pulled me up against him and wrapped his arm around my middle. I squirmed and writhed trying to get his arm up or down, anywhere that wasn’t where the baby might be. “We’re going to have some fun, tonight, Natasha. Fun like we used to have. But first, there are a few things I want to know.”
Joshua’s breath was hot and stale against my face. His body radiated heat like from a fever and I could smelt he sour scent of body odor indicating it had been a few days since he showered. That scared me.
I had read somewhere that a sign of a severe mental problem was discontinuing a hygienic routine. If you suddenly don’t feel like bathing because, oh I don’t know, you feel there is no point, you don’t care what happens to yourself or maybe, just maybe you are too busy stalking your current obsession to take the time to brush your teeth or wipe after going to the bathroom then it was a pretty safe bet you were losing your marbles. And this dirty smell was a far cry from the spicy cologne that had seemed so intoxicating when we had first met.
Dragging me over to the kitchen table, Joshua slammed me down into one of the chairs so hard my teeth rattled in my head. Again, I grabbed my stomach.
“If you’re going to kill me then just do it and get it over with.” I said, surprised my voice wasn’t shaking more.
“I think I’ve got a good bit of time yet for you to tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“To tell me what my brother was like in bed.”