Buy My Time ✓

Part 7: Empty Promises

My face went numb and my heart began to skip several beats.

"Sit," he insisted as he pulled the knot on my wrists, "Let's get to know each other. I'm Titus, and I like killing. How about you?"

I gave him the death glare, which he ignored, of course.

He sat back down on the floor behind his lined up guns, gesturing with his hand for me to take a seat in front of him.

This room was so damned small, it was as if we were breathing each other's air. I was starting to feel claustrophobic.

I slowly sat down on my knees. I had somehow lost my voice.

Yolarie will come for me, I thought.

He took my mask off before he leaned back on a shelf and propped a leg up, holding out a strawberry. "Want one?"

I spat at him.

He inhaled sharply and leaned over placing the chocolate tip to my lips, "Bite."

My eyes watered, and I took a bite. It was sweet, but my fear made the aftertaste bitter as I could feel nervous puke arise in my throat, in which I managed to swallow back down.

He ate the rest and dusted his hands, moving his fingers over the candle fire. The flame touched his palm but he didn't burn.

How?

"Do you know why I'm playing these games with you?" He smirked to himself, knowing I wouldn't respond.

"It's because I like it. You're interesting."

He placed a bullet in one of his pistols and shot it in the air, causing me to headbutt the door in shock.

He laughed, "See?! You're just so fun."

My chest rose and fell rapidly.

He frowned mockingly and looked at me for a moment, "I won't shoot you. Shooting people is too easy, but... I do have a bone to pick with you."

He reached behind him to grab a glass and wine bottle, "Remember when you stepped on my shoe?"

All this cause I stepped on his shoe?! Is he crazy?!

He poured himself a cup and took a sip while looking at me over the rim before continuing.

"Women become so vulnerable when their lives are on the line. Offering their virginity, their money, their daily lives even..."

He took another long sip until his glass was empty, "Remember when you offered me your body and time? Hm?"

I curled up in the corner away from him.

"I wouldn't count on Yolarie coming back for you," he smiled underneath his hood, "It wasn't her promise to make this time. It was yours."

"What..." I managed to say, my voice hoarse.

"These walls are sound proof. I could kill you now and she wouldn't know, but where's the fun in that?"

He stood up and took off his coat, revealing his black sleeveless shirt and the clock trinket necklace. He had a black wing tattooed on his right bicep and shoulder that I could tell probably started from his back.

"A great way to destroy your prey, is to eat them up from the inside," he knelt down and held my face with one hand, tracing my lips with his callused thumb, "you won't be fulfilling your promise to her."

I stared into his eyes. What is he going to do with me?

"Just as James didn't fulfill his promise to you."

Anger quickly took over me and I jumped onto the killer, grabbing his shirt with my tied hands, "You murdered him, didn't you?"

"I did," he smiled.

I swung my arms repeatedly against his head and he took every last hit until I was breathless and crying.

"I hate you!" I screamed.

He sat up after a minute and rubbed his jaw with me still in his lap, "Alright big baby, that's enough," he said teasingly as he stood and picked me up, "Daddy's going to take good care of you."

I squirmed and kicked, "When I'm free I'll kill you! I swear!"

"Another empty promise," he mumbled, chuckling to himself.

He threw me over his left shoulder and swung his jacket over the other, taking his phone out of his pocket.

"I will," I cried, "I. Will."

His necklace started to tick and glow again.

"Oh? Well you don't have the time, sweet girl."

•••

He carried me out of the room with one arm wrapped around my legs, his free hand carrying a bag loaded with weapons.

"Mnff!!"

I saw Yolarie tied to a bar stool with duct tape on her mouth, a gun pointed at her head.

Men with red face masks were surrounding her, one of which was on the floor, knocked out by her I supposed.

They all parted when they saw me with Titus.

"Yoyo! Oh my god!"

Even though her mouth was covered, I could still see the smile in her cheeks.

Even at a time like this she wouldn't allow herself to seem weak.

My heart immediately sank.

"At ease men. Untie the woman. We have who we need," Titus said.

Need? The fuck they need me for?

They did as he said and Yolarie ripped the tape off her mouth, "Ooo, free wax."

I rolled my eyes. Why is she joking right now? We both were out numbered.

She suddenly jumped onto one of the men and took the pocket knife she had hid in her panties, stabbing him in the chest.

"Saw that coming," Titus said as he put me down, "Dumbasses don't know how to properly search for shit."

Yolarie blew her braids out of her face, pointing a gun towards Titus, shooting at him six times.

He had dodged every single bullet and grabbed her up by the neck.

Her legs started to kick and I screamed, "Leave her alone!"

My heartbeat started to ring in my ears as she held her pinky up and smiled.

What could she possibly promise to me now?

Before I could raise my pinky as well, the red masked men took me by force and covered my mouth.

I cried and saw Yolarie's legs dangle before she dropped to the floor at Titus's feet.

Looks like one of us was going to make it either way, whether going in together or apart.

I just wished it wasn't me.

•••

The men shoved me into the back seat of an SUV and I let myself fall over.

I just laid there.
My eyes wouldn't blink.
No tears would fall.

I felt so empty.

It hurt so bad that I laughed.

What more could I do?

First my fiancé, and now my best friend?

What else could he possibly take from me?

"Just end me here," I mumbled as Titus climbed into the backseat with me, the car starting to roll down the road.

He looked down at me and rubbed my back before giving my shoulder a squeeze.

"Your time isn't up yet."