ELIZA

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: JEALOUSY

I didn't run away. I convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to get to my country on my own, without documents and money. Of course, I was looking for my wallet. Being alone in the apartment, I probably searched every corner of the room, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Cosmo didn't make it easy for me. He must have taken it with him.

I always thought Serbia as a Balkan country was more wild and dangerous than western Europe. This stereotypical thinking caused me to go nowhere. I was afraid that something might happen to me, just as in Romania the boys attacked me. However...

Yeah, those were all excuses. After all, I could ask at the reception how to get to the embassy, ​​there was definitely one in Belgrade. If I wanted to, I wouldn't mind the danger. All I had to do was step outside and it would be a milestone towards my freedom.

In fact, deep down, I wanted to stay. I had to see if Cosmo would come back. His sudden leave was something surprising to me - he had never acted like this before. It was so unexpected that instead of planning my escape, I agonized over what had happened. Was he so offended by the mobile phone or by my rejection?

For the first time in a long time, I was alone. I almost forgot what to do in these situations. After bathing in the jacuzzi and drying my hair, I was lying on the king size bed in front of the TV, which was playing music videos. Fortunately, these were not local songs, but hits by famous artists. I knew them all. I felt weird - I'd been gone for a few weeks and nothing had changed in the world.

Suddenly, I heard a noise. The fact Cosmo came back I knew immediately, he was the only one who had the card to enter the apartment. The only thing I didn't like was the voices I heard along with his. Feminine, low, with a strong Scottish accent.

I leaned into the living room. Two women, both covered in blood red lipstick, weren't even surprised to see me. They didn't care too much about my presence, continuing to flirt with Cosmo, who pretended not to see me. I felt like a ghost or like a person still watching a music video.

I was in my pink pig pajamas and I felt like an idiot. Women in skimpy miniskirts and high heels chattered to Cosmo, clearly drunk. He immediately began taking them around the suite, showing the jacuzzi and the spectacular view from the twentieth floor.

He didn't seem intoxicated. He was himself, still looking attractive, only with his jacket off. His tattoos showed through his white shirt.

Nothing appeals to women like luxury. Of course, not all women are materialistic, but judging by the two here, they didn't care about anything but money.

I politely asked if I could have a word with Cosmo.

The women didn't understand our language, so before the man approached me, he asked the women in English to help themselves and drink whatever they wanted from the bar.

Bar! I didn't even know we had one... Even before they were gone, I began with a sneer:

"You could have said you were hooking up with whores, I'd give you the whole apartment..."

Cosmo looked at me coldly.

"They're tourists, and you're not bothering us at all. We'll just take the bed and you'll sleep in the living room."

After his answer, I made sure he wasn't drunk. He controlled every word.

I smiled.

"Of course. Just watch our wallets," I said, deliberately using plural form.

Cosmo raised an eyebrow.

"You had plenty of time to snoop around."

His eyes were very black. He had a ghostly gaze, and when he looked at me that way, I was both afraid of him and lost myself in him.

"I did," I admitted.

"How's your phone? Does it work?"

He wanted to throw me off balance, but I tried my best not to let him win.

A devilish idea popped into my head.

"Fortunately, yes," I said, to his surprise. "Even..." I stuttered, pretending to be debating whether to continue.

From the next room came the loud laughter of women, but Cosmo didn't take his eyes off me. He didn't even blink, still waiting for my words.

"I talked to Tom," I don't know why I changed tactics. At first I wanted to scare him with Camila or Leon, but somehow at the last moment I changed them into Tom.

Cosmo came so close to me that I bumped into the wall, backing away on my own. He grabbed my wrists and squeezed so hard I felt like my blood had stopped flowing there.

"You're bluffing," he said through clenched teeth. "And what did he say to you?"

I swallowed loudly and looked away. He was furious. Why did I even bring my boyfriend into this? Maybe I wanted it to be true, I wanted to talk to him? Or maybe I was just jealous of Cosmo?

I couldn't lie to myself. Something in me stirred when I saw him with two women who probably were gold-diggers. He deserved someone better.

He was so close to me that I stopped thinking rationally. My body was literally pressed to his. My head started buzzing and I felt like I was the only one out of the three, who was totally drunk.