The Bad Boy Calls Me Kitten

Chapter Nineteen

I was sitting in the company's cafeteria. Chairs and tables surrounded me, empty as ghosts. The light above was unusually bright. I was eating a turkey sandwich and iced tea. Taking them just didn't seem right, even though there was no one around. My guilty conscience made me leave ten dollar bill near the cash box.

The Chicago skyline was brilliantly shining out of the glass windows. The cafeteria was still high above the ground. I assumed that the first floor was just the lobby and receptionist desk I had first seen. It gave me a sense of comfort, seeing the cars and people walking by, maybe after a long day of work or coming home from the supermarket. Their lives were still normal, at least, and it gave me a sense of comfort to know that the Bratva hadn't completely taken over Chicago. It meant that maybe they could still be stopped.

I chewed, thinking about what Scar had said. He was confusing, infuriating, and devastatingly gorgeous all at once. Scar pushed me to do things I would have never thought of. Leaving home and exploring one of the most dangerous, incredible cities in the world? I would never have dreamed of doing these things without Scar. He dangled my life in front of my nose at times, but I knew that Scar would never allow me to get hurt. He played life like a game, and somehow won. 

I guess I had fallen for the bad boy, after all.

The bad boy who calls me kitten.

What were my father and Marie doing right now? Probably having a fit. I had been missing for one full day. I knew that going home would be a suicide mission now. Maybe I should just stay in Chicago and never go home. I was terrified of facing my dad's wrath. I didn't blame him. Little Genevieve would never run away with a stranger. I knew that I had some major explaining to do. Mentioning that it was all because of Scar ensured that I would never be allowed to see him again, and I wasn't sure I was ready to let him go.

I spotted a phone hanging from the corner behind the counter. For a moment, I was torn. Should I call or not? I decided to put my father's mind to rest, and Marie's. Besides, maybe they wouldn't punish me as bad when we went home if I explained beforehand. I picked up the phone and dialed the numbers. It rang 3 times before Marie answered. 

"Hello?" her voice was dull, and sounded thick. 

''Hi." I said meekly. My heart was in a panic. I gripped the cord and prepared myself.

"Hello? Who is this?" Marie demanded.

"It's me...Genevieve." I whispered.

There was no words from the other line for a second. All I could hear was heavy breathing. When Marie spoke again, her voice was skeptical. "Excuse me?"

"Marie, it's me. Genevieve."

"Genevieve?" she repeated, as if the name was foreign. "Genevieve Warrens, my step-daughter?"

"Yes."

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped from the other side. Immediately, there was sobbing noises, and then she started shouting for my father. "Henry- Henry come here! It's Genevieve! Where in the world...we have been searching everywhere for you! Do you even understand the stress your father and I have been going through....we called the cops but they said we had to wait 2 days!" Marie yelled. "Where are you, Genevieve? And where is Scar? Are you with him? Are you hurt? Oh, Henry-"

"Marie, please let me explain-"

"Genevieve Renee Warrens." Dad's voice was deep and threatening. I breathed a sigh of relief at his baritone voice. It sounded like home. "Tell me what happened. Now."

"Dad, please. Before you start yelling, just let me explain." I said quickly. "I'm totally fine, I'm not hurt at all."

"We thought you had been kidnapped!" he yelled. I winced at the loudness.