Painting

Chapter 67

The 8 o'clock news are playing in the background. My attention is on a video about exotic fruits playing on my phone. Victor is typing on his computer and Tyler is reading a book on self-development.

I hear the front door opening.

-June? Hey, I'm sorry for last time, I shouldn't have done that, can we... talk.

Both Victor and Tyler look at him with a cold gaze.

-I can see you brought your bodyguards.

Teddy says with a smirk.

Tyler gets up. I put my hand on his arm and glance up at him, he doesn't look at me.

-I could just kill you on the spot, how dare you try to hurt her and come back like this.

-Kill me?

He grins.

-That would make a great story. I can see the title on the front page of every journal in town. "The mentally ill and the addict, the killer combo".

My eyes grow big.

-How did you...

-I told you Babydoll, I always end up knowing everything I want to know. Especially when it concerns you. That is actually one point I wanted to discuss with you tonight. Are you sure you're safe?

Victor closes his computer.

-What happened in my childhood might have affected my mental state, but I'm not the one who tried to lock her up in my apartment.

Teddy grins again.

-Try to put yourself in my shoes, having such a beautiful girlfriend who's so small, she can't even defend herself. She did call you here to feel protected, didn't she? What did you tell them June? "My ex-boyfriend was trying to keep me for himself, he is a sick fuck" I remember these are the words you liked to use when describing me, when things weren't going the way you wanted them to be.

-You kept her against her will multiple times is what I understand.

-I offered her a controlled environment is what I did, the only safe environment for a confused little girl who would get eaten alive in the real world. Now that I am thinking about it, I should've never let you go, if I hadn't, you wouldn't have thrown yourself in the arms of the first strangers you saw. Don't worry I won't make the same mistake twice.

I get up and walk towards him.

-Please, leave.

-You want me to leave... It's quite unsettling, don't you think? You were always the one trying to leave me, when all I did was showering you with love.

-You didn't...

-I did.

-I tried to help you, I saved your life, like you always like to say and you tried to swallow me in your sick world. You need help.

His expression softens to almost look like a dear in the middle of the road.

-Help me then, I'm asking you, please.

-Leave me alone, please.

His expression changes back.

-You found a new owner then or new owners, I understand.

I hear Tyler in the back.

-She already tried to help and look where it lead her and you. She does not belong to you or anyone.

-She doesn't belong to anyone? So she's free?

-Yes.

-Alright then.

He grabs my arm and clenches his fingers around it. He turns me around to face Tyler and Victor. I can see Tyler's eyes twitching and Victor's hands getting white, his nails are disappearing into his skin.

-If you say she is free, people are going to take her for themselves, just like that.

-No one is going to take me, because you are the only one with that mentality.

I push his arms away from my waist.

-Babydoll, stop this, I'm trying to talk, you don't want me to do something to you when we get home, do you?

Tyler takes a few steps closer.

-She is not going home with you.

-Don't make a step further, if you hurt me, you are going down.

-If anything you're the one who's going down, you broke into her home and kept her against her will multiple times, I'm pretty sure that's a great offense.

-Who are they going to believe? The drug addict or the guy who's been sober for years and where is the proof of that?

-You don't know anything about me.

-I know enough. I won't let my girl be influenced by people like you.

Teddy slips his hand through my hoodie and pushes it down a little bit.

-What are you doing?

-Making sure they didn't mark what's mine.

Tyler's eyes widen. I feel Teddy's hand pressing against the base of my neck.

-What's that Babydoll, hmm?

-Let me go.

-You let them touch you?

-It's none of your business.

His eyes begin to sparkle.

-When they took you, did it feel as good as when I did it?

He slides his hand under my shirt and puts his lips close to my ear.

-Did they let their fingers wander on the right places?

Victor gets up and walks toward us.

-If you don't stop this instant, I will-

-Do what? You know having a confrontation with the authorities will not be a good thing for you since you've been helping illegal immigrants hide. One of them is working for you isn't that right? What's is name again? Antonio, right?

I throw my head toward him which he easily dodges.

-Fine, I didn't want to do that, but you leave me no choice.

He lets me go and walks toward the door.

-If you don't follow me home, I'm going to the authorities and I am telling them that an illegal immigrant is working for them. It would be a shame if he had to go back there.

Victor who is now close to me takes my hand.

-You wouldn't do that, you're not this mean.

-This is not being mean, this is doing whatever it takes to make sure my girl is safe, would you be able to do the same?

-I am ready to sacrifice everything I have ever worked for to make sure she does not end up back with you. I've had my share of toxic people ruining my life, I won't let it happen to her.

Teddy starts to laugh.