Stolen Identity

Chapter 16

“I want to hear you say it” he said menacingly, enjoying my obvious discomfort. He knew how much I hated this; he already controlled every aspect of my life physically and now he’s trying to take over everything I say? Clenching down on my jaw I allow the burning pain of it to fizzle away my anger. I’ve already sort of apologised; It still counts in my eyes, he’s just being mean. I took a deep, calm breath before speaking.

“You know I mean it and that I have said it… like mentally or whatever…”

“Apologise!” he grimaced, glaring at me.

I shifted from foot to foot avoiding Adrian’s intense gaze. For the past fifteen minutes he has been trying to make me apologise and I literally cannot bring myself to say it. Joey’s presence was behind me, making me even more nervous. After everything he’s told me I know it will be just rude to not apologise. But that fact didn’t make it any easier. I didn’t want to give him any more power over me than he has already. I’m already a puppet on his strings and if I get a chance to quit being a marionette, even for five seconds, I was going to take advantage of it.

“Megan…” I hear Joey whisper behind me.

I turn around and give Joey the saddest, most heart-rending look I could possibly make in an attempt to see my point of view. However, he completely ignored it. It was then that my brain managed to register the failure and realise that surrender truly was the only option. I had to apologise.

If I’m going to apologise, I’m going to do it my way.

Sighing, I moved forwards and roughly pulled Adrian into a hug, the impulsive being I am. I embraced him tightly grinning at his rigidness. He just refused to relax. I leaned towards his ear ever so slowly and I gave him my own little message.

“I’m very sorry for almost killing you. But remember who trained me to be so good with a gun. And I don’t care that you saved Joey’s life- you are still a heartless bastard” I whispered sweetly, pulling away and giving him the creepiest smile I could muster. Joey remained oblivious to the whole scenario. Ignorance is bliss after all.

“Was that hard?” Joey asked me, smiling before jogging towards the whiteboard before rummaging through Adrian’s desk. I smiled sweetly at an obviously shaken Adrian, who avoided my gaze and suddenly became infatuated with his white tie.

“It wasn’t hard at all” I answered dryly before the white board flickered into life. All of a sudden, a plan of a building came into view. A very intricate building from the looks of it I think as I move closer to the board to get a better look. My eyes water from the brightness from the screen and I back away slowly, my eyes releasing emotionless tears.

“That” Adrian said obviously still shaken from my ‘apology’. “Is the uh, diamond place. Turns out you did manage to um, get that thing in the back of Justin’s neck after all.”

“I’m gonna get a job as soon as possible and you are going to continue what you’re doing with Justin because in two weeks, we are going in” Joey continued, frowning at his brother’s sudden state of unease. I nodded, retrieving my bag from the floor in a not so subtle attempt to signify that I was ready to leave and move on. It seemed like Adrian had managed to find his voice at that precise moment and he pushed a button on his remote again to lock the door. How did I know? Because the once flashing green light and abruptly switched to this fire engine red flash that would put the police to shame quite frankly.

“And where do you think you’re going?” he asked cockily, staring at the blood stains on his shirt that I had so happily given him. Call it southern hospitality.

“To surgeon so that I can get my butt plants removed” I muttered sarcastically, glaring at him in annoyance. When he however remained completely mute, I felt the need to leave my sarcasm at the window and give him the most obvious answer to his stupid question. “I’m going to my so-called home, where else would I go?!”