Illuminated By The Darkness

Chapter 40

Tiara:

"Ramsey?"

"Oh my little one, I was so worried about you. How are you? I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am to hear your voice." I gripped the phone with one hand and my other hand reaching for the rings around my neck.

"I'm fine Ramsey. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you earlier" 

"No no no. I understand Tia. I'm glad you have Victoria with you."

"Me too." 

I wore my parents rings' around my neck the second I reached my room and called Ramsey.

"Do you have any idea what you almost got into? What were you thinking Tia?" he scolded.

"I know Ramsey, I'm sorry. I scared a lot of people." I whispered. 

"Can I ask you something Tia?" there was this hesitation in his voice.

"yes"

"What is your relationship with Eugene Kozlovsky?" The question caught me off guard. 

"Why do you ask?"

My heart began to beat faster and I rubbed my sweaty palms on my skirt. I moved to face the mirror. The bruises were almost gone but that is not what caught my eyes. There was a hickey on my neck. I gasped. 

It was prominent. 

I lifted up my shirt to see my side. There was another one covering my bullet scar. 

I shuddered and rubbed my forehead. What was he doing to me? I lose all my senses when I am with him. He is all I can see, hear or feel. Even when I am pulled into the darkness, I can hear him. His voice becomes an anchor then. The only thing that makes sense. 

Eugene doesn't know what his presence does to me.

"Tia?" There was this weird tone to his voice, one I was not familiar with. "What does he mean to you?" 

Did something happen? When I passed out at the hotel I was with Ramsey and when I woke up I was in my room. 

"Why are you asking?" 

"Just answer the question Tia" he was getting impatient.

"He is Victoria's brother. And if something happened to me, it would upset her. Eugene would do anything to keep his sister happy" I said. 

For the first time I lied to him. Eugene taking care of me had nothing to do with Vicky and that was scary.

"Hmm" he did not sound very convinced. 

There was this sudden commotion in the background. 

"Don't play with fire Tia, you will burn yourself. I can't lose you too." he said.

Would it be worth burning myself?

No! What the hell am I thinking? 

"I know Ramsey" I whispered.

Before he said something  I heard another voice.

"Tiara!" it was Jimmy. 

"Hey, how are you and Paul?" 

"We're fine. He is here with me. And we need to talk" 

"Okay?" I heard some shuffling around before I heard him again.

"Hey munchkin, you are on speaker. How are you? Its been so long since we heard your voice." It was Paul.

"I'm good Paul"