Bleeding Heart (2 page)

“What?” I whispered, feeling my racing heart rise in my throat until it sounded as though it were pounding between my ears. “I don’t understand?”

“Not yet, but you will.” He moved to sit beside me. I stared ahead as his large hand moved to make contact with the touchpad of the laptop. The screen glowed to life - and when I say life - I mean
life
.

On the screen, I saw my house. I saw Jaylah sitting on the front porch with a man - an officer of the law.
They were looking for me.
I felt relief pool in the pit of my belly as tears that refused to fall filled my eyes. I couldn’t hear what they were saying - I had a feeling that there was sound, but Calix hadn’t given me the luxury of hearing Jaylah’s voice.

Studying her face, I saw that she was tired. Her eyes were rimmed with dark shadows of a bruised purple and her shiny hair was pulled up in a messy bun, making it obvious that she hadn’t washed her hair in a couple days. In her thin hands, there was a cup of coffee despite the fact that it was night in Seattle as well as here in Alberta. It surprised me that Jaylah was drinking coffee, never mind that she was drinking coffee so late. She always had one cup in the morning, but never more. She claimed to be brilliant enough without caffeine - I had never claimed a superpower such as that.

Watching the screen intently, my breath hitched as the officer reached over to squeeze her hand. Her eyes flickered to the man and she smiled. It was a shy, sweet, hopeful, beautiful smile that I wished I were seeing in person - rather than over this screen.

She seemed comfortable with him - but I had never seen this man before. He was older than her, clearly, and that made me wonder, not for the first time, how old Calix was. I didn’t open my mouth or even turn to ask him, though. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen - from my little sister. I missed her so desperately, my heart ached and my stomach clenched uncomfortably.

I wondered how long Jaylah had known the officer. I doubted she’d been out on dates since my abduction. I sincerely doubted that she’d been flirting and sneaking out through her window either - and yet she seemed oddly familiar with this man.

It had been ten days since I’d been taken.

In ten days, my entire personality had been morphed into something ugly. Now, I didn’t know who I was. My gentle heart and soft-spoken soul was wary and lashing. I was angry. I was sad. I was broken.

I was broken.

Calix, the man who in only four days had tricked my body into convincing my mind of the impossible - that I loved him - had broken me.

Now, I was ashamed.

Seeing my little sister, so lacking of sleep and peace of mind on this screen did nothing but solidify the loathing I felt toward this man sitting beside me.

I wished for the first time since my first night with Calix, that I would have pressed the blade into his throat, that I would have killed him. But if I had, my family would die. He’d told me this - but maybe he was wrong. Maybe this officer who seemed so interested in my sister, would protect them from the harm of Calix.

“Officer Michael Andean has been instructed to take a special interest in your case.” Calix informed matter of fact. His voice was cold and clinical and I found myself blinking in shock. “He visits your family twice a day, before and after his shift. He has promised, on countless occasions, that he is doing all that he can to find you. His orders have been to become especially close to your sister, Jaylah.”

And that was when I realized what Calix was saying. Officer Michael Andean was under Calix’s employment.

Calix continued at my astonished silence. “He has succeeded in his mission, Nova. Jaylah trusts him implicitly. She would meet him anywhere, follow him into harm, and no one would suspect a thing of such a respected officer.” A fat tear slid down my cheek, but no sound escaped my lips. “You see, love.” His hand caught my chin to force my face toward his. “I’ve thought of everything. Your failure to act as my wife should will only result in unfavorable consequences that your family will suffer.”

“You’re a bastard.” I said without emotion. I hated the way his hand felt against my skin, but I didn’t shake his grip from my chin.

Calix cocked his head to the side, and for a brief moment, a fleeting flash of pain shone through his eyes. “You know I dislike hurting you, love. But you insist on fighting me for a freedom you will never again have.” He sighed. “I’m done riding idle threats to keep you in check, Nova. The next time you decide to ignore my calls or affections, there will be devastating consequences.” His eyes were cold and hard. His decision had been made and I knew, I just knew, this threat wasn’t in any way idle.

He continued. “My men have been expertly placed into your families lives. Keep in mind love, that I knew for two years that I was going to take you. The kind of patience I employed prior to your abduction has invaluable benefit to me now. Your mother works with two of my men - men who were loyal to my parents - who also seek revenge for your father’s actions. Know that they won’t hesitate to act on an order - no matter how devastating.”

With that, Calix leaned forward to slap the laptop closed. The image of Jaylah smiling at that dangerous man made my stomach ache and nausea bubbled up in my throat that I forced to remain down as I pulled in measured breathes.

“How could you do this, Calix?” I whispered. “How could you do this to me and my family? We did nothing wrong.”

“I did nothing wrong when I was forced to attend my parents funeral when I was only a boy. To every action there is a reaction. This is the reaction of your father’s action. This is fate, Nova.”

Looking deep into his blue eyes, I asked. “What will the reaction to your actions be, Calix?”

His lips tightened into a tense line on his face, but his voice was sad. “I am prepared to pay the price of my actions, love.”

Despite the longing I felt inside to fight this action of Calix’s, I nodded. “What do you hope to achieve from this, Calix?”

He narrowed his eyes. “What are you asking?”

“What are you trying to accomplish by making me yours?”

“You already are mine, love.” He said without an ounce of insecurity. “But I know that one day, your father will realize who has taken you, and he will come for you. When he comes, I’ll kill him.”

“You will kill my father?” My voice didn’t even crack.

“Yes.” Calix nodded his certainty.

“You will willingly, consciously, force upon me the same pain you were unfairly forced to live through when your own parents were brought to their death?” This time, I felt the blood rush from my head and I closed my eyes to steady the sudden dizziness. “You will hurt me like that?” I whispered.

I felt his hand close over mine and when I opened my eyes, Calix looked distraught. Maybe I was getting to him. “Yes, Nova. You will feel the pain of his death. But I’ll be here to comfort you.”

Was he so mentally imbalanced that he thought, for even a moment, that I could find comfort in the hands of the man who killed my father?

I didn’t ask him this. Instead, I asked quietly. “Will you release me when you’ve found your revenge against my father?”

He shook his head. “I’ll never release you, love.”

“Why?” I felt no sense of hopelessness in his statement. Hope had long ago fled my body, a long lost love of my heart. Now, I was just curious. “You’ll have gotten all you want. Why not release me? Why not allow me to live my life?”

“You’ll know too much.” He shook his head. “Fate has bound us together, love. As I’ve said before, you’ll learn to want me. You’ll learn to accept this life and all I can offer you - but you’ll never leave me. I will never permit you to leave me, love.”

“Will you tell me then?” I asked into my lap. I couldn’t bring myself to look up into his blue eyes. They were so beautiful - so deceiving. Who ever would have guessed that a monster would wear the eyes of an angel?

“Tell you what?” Calix asked gruffly.

“What happened between your parents and my father - will you explain it to me?”

“No.”

My eyes flashed up to his. “What?” I frowned. Surely I’d heard him wrong.

“I said no.” He said again. “There are some things better left unsaid.”

“I think I have a right to know.”

“You are my fiancée, Nova. You will be
my wife
- I will decide what you have a right to know or not to know.”

My mouth dropped. I realized Calix was controlling, but his words were a surprise. I don’t really know why they surprised me, but they did. I’d honestly expected he would brief me on the events of our pasts that led us to this point in our lives right now.

“However, I would like to discuss the fact that you refused, repeatedly, to accept my calls while I was away.”

“I didn’t want to talk to you.” I said quietly.

“Why?”

“I was - I am angry with you?”

He settled back into the couch. “Why?”

My brow furrowed. “Calix,” My hands shook in my lap as I tried to steady their shaking. “How can you ask that question?”

“We were getting somewhere, Nova, before I told you why I took you.” Calix shrugged and I cut him off.

“No, we were getting somewhere when you dangled the possibility of contacting my family over me.”

“I told you I would allow you to contact them once we were married.” Calix growled, his eyes and voice were tense. “If you insist on pressing this, you won’t be contacting them at all.”

I sealed my lips. Obviously, Calix wasn’t in the mood for my talking back to him. I didn’t want to anger him further than he was. Honestly, I was tired. I had slept the day away and after only an hour of this with Calix, I felt as though I could easily sleep another twelve hours.

“I’m tired.” I whispered. “Can I please go back to bed?”

“No.”

My eyes flickered up to look into his hard face. “Please, Calix.”

“I said no.”

I sighed. “What do you want from me right now?”

“I want you to tell me why you refused my calls.”

“I already told you.”

“No, you didn’t.” He shook his head. “Tell me the truth, Nova.”

“I didn’t want to talk about my father over the phone.” I cried, pressing my fingers into my temples. “I didn’t want to finish our conversation over the fucking phone!”

He reached out to catch my chin in his hands. “Language, Nova. It’s improper for a woman to speak in such a way.”

I sniffled. “Can I please go to sleep now?”

“No.” He swiped the pad of his thumb over my lip and my breath hitched as wariness flooded my body. I couldn’t handle this right now. If he kissed me - if he forced me to attend to my wifely duties of welcoming him home - I would die.

“Calix,”

He dropped his hand. “Go put a swimsuit on.”

I blinked, stunned. Making sure it was night and I hadn’t been delusional in making up the color of the sky, I glanced toward the patio. “It’s, it’s night time.”

“I’m aware what time it is, love.” Calix said sternly. “Go put a swim suit on.”

“But,”

“If you would rather swim naked,”

I stood in a hurry. “I’ll get changed.”

“Yes,” He nodded. “I thought you would.”

Escaping the chill of his blue eyes, I closed the bathroom door. I’d been swimming almost every day since Calix had been gone, so I knew I had an abundant collection of swimming suits to choose from. Sadly, none of them were one piece suits. I’d never been one to wear two piece suits, which was peculiar because the closet Calix had filled for me was almost entirely lined with clothing I would have chosen for myself. Apart from the section of flashy lingerie and bathing suits, there wasn’t a thing in the closet I would find uncomfortable to wear.

Plucking a soft pink bikini and matching bottoms from the drawer, I quickly changed from my clothing into the bathing suit. Tying the pool wrap around my waist, I exited the closet to find Calix leaning against the vanity with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Are you ready?” He asked gruffly, his eyes sweeping over my body.

I nodded. “Yes.”

I watched Calix grab another towel from the closet before turning to me. “You’ll need shoes.”

“For what?” I frowned. “I never wear shoes to the pool.”

“We’re not going swimming in the pool, Nova.” Calix informed. “Get some shoes on.”

I sputtered. “Where are we going swimming?”

Calix looked at me with concern before answering. “The lake, love.”

“But,” I pointed to the bathroom door. “It’s dark outside.”

“The moon is bright and the sky is clear. There will be enough light.” He snapped his fingers as he pointed to the closet. “Do I have to tell you again to put a pair of shoes on, Nova?”

Feeling like a child, as I often did when Calix spoke to me with such condescending dominance, I moved with hunched shoulders into the closet. Slipping my feet into a pair of white flip-flops, I moved to join him in the bathroom.

Feeling uncertain when I spoke, my voice was low. “Why are swimming in the lake when you have a pool?”

“Because I want to swim in the lake.” He answered and I knew it was the end of our discussion.

Grinding my teeth, I followed Calix through the house to the patio. The night air wasn’t particularly cold, but it wasn’t warm either. The idea of swimming in the chilly water of the lake had my teeth chattering loudly by the time we’d covered the patio’s lengthy stone distance.

Calix turned to face me with a deep frown. “You’re cold?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “You’re not?”

“No.” He moved to close the distance between us, pulling my hand into his. “Come.”

“Calix,” I protested against my better judgment. “I really am cold. I don’t want to go in the water.”

“It’ll be warmer than you think.”

I doubted that. “There’s critters in there - I don’t want to swim when I can’t see the bottom.”

“You can’t see the bottom in the daylight either.”

“I haven’t swum in the lake.” I informed matter of fact. “But I can see the bottom in the day.” I added on a mumbled breath. “At least, I can see the bottom from where I
would
swim.”

“Stop arguing with me, love.” Calix sighed. “It’s pointless.”