Ransom

•• Chapter 27 ••

Slade makes a phone call after shoving a bowl of ice cream at me.

I sit at the counter and eat it aggressively, while glaring at Slade speaking.

I hear bits and pieces.

"...yeah... yeah my sister is coming actually..." Slade speaks so smooth and now he has my attention, "...really...? oh... brave... hmm... oh yeah... when?" Slade spins and smiles at me as he pauses, and ends the call.

"What?" I ask, as Slade pockets his phone and heads toward me.

I cringe away as he wraps a 'friendly' arm around my front along my collar bone and my shoulders as he stands behind me. He pulls the bowl out of my reach and yanks the spoon from me too.

My hand opens up, asking the question... the f -?

I watch Slade dip the spoon into the ice cream and then he feeds it to me.

I cringe back from the flying aeroplane, more like a jet plane above to get shoved down my fucking throat. Even though I purse my lips, as he tilts the spoon and the sugar touches my lips, I end up angrily licking it and then biting the spoon so hard on impulse that I hurt my teeth, "Ah-OW!" I wine and Slade hmmmms.

"Cherry, do you like parties?" he sounds too sly.

"...yeah..."

"Do you like rich parties?"

"I'm not ready to go out in public, okay?"

"No one will know you at the one I'm taking you to," Slade leans into my ear, "You're my bitch to play with for the night before Emmett finds out."

"...sure..." I pull away from Slade's smirking mouth and he drops my spoon into the bowl a bit dramatically.

"Oooo, playing the ungrateful brat, I see," Slade steps away from me, "Careful, Cheryl Ransom, I won't forget the disrespect."

I stand from my stool and walk off up towards the stairs, hoping to get some reprieve in Emmett's bedroom.

"Where are you going, Chair?" Slade calls out without following me, as he is now texting on his phone, organising the night.

I. Don't. Answer. 

I head up the stairs quickly while Slade is distracted.

Once in Emmett's room, I shut the door and lock it.

I lie down on the made bed and I stare at the ceiling.

I wait as I hear Slade ascending the water accented stairs, quick lunges, two at a time.

He coughs outside Emmett's door, then promptly tries to open it and finds it locked.

"...huh."

I. Say. Nothing.

"Cheryl?" Slade calls out, "You're not allowed to do that."

And...

...I. Still. Say. Nothing.

Slade tries the handle again, "...I'm waiting."

"GO FUCK YOURSELF!" I can't help it.  I scream it to the heavens, splaying my arms out either side of me.

Slade goes silent for a few long moments and eventually replies with a more reserved answer.

"7pm, brat."

"...a party, huh?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Fine," I give in. Any excuse to get out of this penthouse. A party was the perfect place to give the Ransoms hell.