The Key to My Hart

Chapter 27

"My beautiful monster. You're going to destroy the world." Carroway ran a finger down my cheek. "I wish I'd be there to see it happen."

He looked at me like a proud father would to his daughter. I stood up a little straighter. Lifting my chin, I glanced out the corner of my eye at Thomas. His deep scowl matched the one Carroway usually wore when talking to his son.

Some days Thomas seemed like the friend I grew up with. Other days he was as hateful and mean as the man who helped give him life. I just turned 16 last week. It had taken me the better part of two years to learn how to look for the signs of what type of mood he would be in. The Evil Thomas almost always had a sour pinched look on his face, but there were days where he tricked me into thinking he was the Good Thomas. So I had to learn.

It was the dimple. I wasn't sure how it was possible, but Evil Thomas never managed to smile the right way to bring it out. Good Thomas always flashed the dimple, even with the smallest of smiles.

I was dismissed from Carroway's office and went back to the training ring. I had learned that if I played along and was the star student and role model, I gained two things: more freedom and Thomas's ire. Both were worth it.

I chalked my hands and faced one of Carroway's goons. Before we could start, Thomas walked out onto the mat and motioned my opponent away. He wrapped his knuckles.

"Are you going to tell me what you did to make my father so proud of you today?" He took a swing at me.

I dodged his messy punch and stuck him in the gut. "I feel no desire to inform you of anything, Thomas." Before he could catch his breath, I swept my feet out from under him. He stood no chance. I stood over him. "You know... I'll never understand how some days you actually make me work up a sweat and other days I have you flat on your back in less than a minute."

He gracelessly jumped to his feet and tackled me. I sidestepped and grabbed his arm, using his momentum against him to fling him back to the floor. "You look good down there. You fit perfectly amongst the blood stains and dirt."

His face heated up, anger making his movements jerky and sloppy. "I hate you. You are nothing but my father's pet whore." He spat at my feet and stomped off.

I smirked at his back, struggling to not show how much his words actually hurt. Once upon a time, it had been Thomas and me against the world. I wish I knew what had happened. What had changed him into this hateful being? Had Carroway deviated from his experiments on me versus his son? I had a feeling I would never learn the truth.

"Alright, Atalia, time to go back to your room." One of the guards shoved me in the direction of the door. "I heard tomorrow is going to be a big day for you."

I made my way back to my room without complaint. This goon had no idea just how big a day it would be. I would never find out what Carroway had planned for me because I was going to escape. Tonight. I hadn't been building up my freedom for no reason, after all.

I slipped into my room and got ready for bed like the good little "pet" I was. I had to put on a show for the people watching the cameras. A dinner tray was brought to my room, and I quietly sat at my small table and ate. I made sure to eat every bite because I didn't know where my next meal would come from.

Lights went out soon. I slipped my hand into my bra under the covers and pulled out the card key I had swiped from one of the guards. A secret smile slid over my face before I reminded myself to focus. This was it. I glanced at the clock on the wall. In five minutes there would be a short window where the guards changed out. Chad usually took his time settling in and would be pouring himself a coffee rather than watching the screens.