Taken, Kissed, and Loved [FREE and COMPLETED]

Chapter 19

Christina was nervous. As the elevator was rising to the huge loft her family called home, so was her anxiety. Just a few days ago she would have been excited to return here, shut herself in her room, and just be alone for a couple of hours. But now, after everything that happened, it didn’t feel like home anymore. The feeling of safety was gone, replaced by an indistinct threat and an adrenaline rush from stepping into enemy territory.

She managed to put on a tired smile as the elevator dinged and the door opened. “Chrissie!” A colorful blur swooshed through the air against her, pushing her against the wall and hugging her. “Did you hear already?”

“Michelle.” Christina groaned in surprise and tried to wiggle out of her sister’s grip. “I just got here, I didn’t hear anything.”

“Dad’s letting us use the Harmony. We’re going to the Caribbean!” Michelle finally let go of her and sprinted away. “I’m going packing!” she yelled on her way.

What the actual hell was happening? Christina walked over to her father’s study. The door was opened so she softly knocked on it and entered. “Hey, dad.” Peter Anderson’s eyes rose from the screen in front of him to meet her. He smiled and Christina felt tiny drops of cold sweat forming around her spine. Now that she knew how fake that smile was, there was no way to unsee it. Just smile and play along. “You called me? Sorry, I turned my phone off. What was Michelle talking about?”

“Christina. I hope you are all rested and relaxed? I thought about how to make it easier for you girls now, and since Michelle mentioned she didn’t feel safe in the city right now, so I thought maybe you could take the Harmony and go for a small vacation?”

Christina stared at her father in disbelief. It was one thing to find out that he was a psychopath, but him letting them aboard the Harmony? It had always been his boat, even their mother was rarely allowed to go. And now he just sends them there? To a small controlled space where you can’t make a move without someone knowing about it? Right. He really doesn’t want us around right now. But Christina couldn’t go, she promised herself she would find out the truth about Joan and try to help her. “Dad, I can’t. I’ve just applied for the grant and I have some meetings with potential donors for the shelter, and…”

“Chrissie,” he interrupted her. “You don’t have to do that.”

Again with his money, waving it around him like some sort of an all-solving shield. “I know, but I want to. And…” she hesitated. Perhaps she could twist the truth a bit? He is a man, he doesn’t know anything about girl feelings, especially if he really is a psychopath. Those don’t understand feelings at all, right? “Dad, I don’t really feel like going away. All that… that thing is getting to me more than I thought. I actually think I'll take those pills you brought me and just stay home for a couple of days." Of course, that was a brilliant idea. If he thinks she is taking sedatives, he won't suspect anything. Getting a bit paranoid, aren't you? Just staying safe, like promised.

He studied her face for a moment before hiding his head in his palms. "Chrissie, I'm so sorry." Are you sure this is all an act? Christina wasn’t sure about anything anymore. “If you don’t want to go, of course you don’t have to. I only wanted to make you girls happy, but it’s true that cruising around the Caribbean and spending a ton of money on clothes and jewelry in every port is more of Michelle's thing. Don’t worry, I’ll make it safe here, the security will be around all the time and won’t let anything bigger than a mosquito through.”

That sounded a lot like being in prison. But, by a coincidence, she actually needed to be here right now, so she didn’t object. She tried not to stare at the computer he was working on. As David said, this was the only device to which they couldn’t get even limited access. If Peter Anderson had any information about Joan Blackwood, it has to be there. “That’s great, dad, thank you. I’ll go talk to Michelle.”

“Good luck.” The corners of his mouth curled up in a warm smile, but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes. That’s just your imagination. Was it?

“Oh no, you have to go!” Michelle stopped throwing things into a huge suitcase for just a second to frown at Christina who hesitated.

Wouldn’t it be nice to just forget about everything and go somewhere warm and sunny, spend some time with her sister away from all this drama? Of course it would. But life isn’t always nice. “Maybe you could take one of your friends? I’m sure dad wouldn’t mind. How about Tracy? I bet she would be so jealous seeing the Harmony.”

Michelle’s eyes narrowed as she contemplated that option. “Hmm. That actually doesn’t sound half bad. No offense, but you are a terrible shopping partner anyway.”

“Offense taken.” Christina laughed but her smile faded away upon remembering what happened the last time they went shopping together. Seeing her sister unconscious on the ground was impossible to forget. “Michelle?” she said quietly, stepping closer. “Are you alright?”

“I… They didn’t hurt me, but…” Michelle’s cheerful and optimistic mask fell off for a few moments, revealing the scared child she was. Dammit, David. You had to drag her into this. “I was scared. So much.” Michelle sniffled and Christina hugged her tight, feeling her body tremble. “Chrissie?” Her voice was quiet. “Are you okay? I heard… that one evening I thought I heard you scream in pain. I… nobody told me anything, I asked those men and then I asked dad, but apparently, I’m just a kid and therefore free to be ignored.”

Christina pulled her even closer, her head resting on Michelle’s shoulder. They didn’t have many close and honest moments like this, especially since their mother died. “I’m fine, sweetie. They didn’t hurt me either. Well, not much.”

Michelle sniffled and pulled a bit away to look at her sister’s face. “I bit one, you know?” She smiled through the few tears rolling down her face. “When he came for me, I acted like nothing, and then I jumped at him and bit his hand!”

Christina’s brows went up, she had no idea about that. “Brave. Extremely stupid, but brave.”

“Yea.” Michelle pooched out her lips. “It probably pissed him off. The doctors said I got a way bigger dose of the drug than you, that’s why I’ve been so drowsy for days. Still, worth it.” She was grinning again, wiping the tears off with the back of her hand.

“I bet it was. You are safe now, they won’t touch you again.” At least one thing Christina was certain about.

Michelle wiggled out of the hug. “They could try. But dad said he would take care of them.” Bet he did. "Umm... Chrissie?" Michelle sounded hesitant, opening her mouth as if there was something she wanted to say but then just shook her head, the mask of an erratic teenage girl sliding back on. “I’d better go ask him if I could bring Tracy along. She’s gonna die when she sees his boat.”

Christina left her sister’s room, bumping right into Grigorievich who was just passing through the hallway. He grabbed her arms to prevent her from falling. “Ups, sorry Miss Anderson.”

The sleazy look in his eyes made her shiver, his hands touching her slightly longer than necessary. “My bad,” she whispered, trying to avoid eye contact. She always felt there was something off about him and her suspicion was confirmed. This was the man that shot David and killed Laura Denning and her family. And now he was parading through the place she used to call home, not so inconspicuously staring at her boobs. “I need to go.” She swiftly turned around and walked away, feeling his eyes on her butt. Before, she was just disgusted by him. Now that she knew what he was capable of, he terrified her.

It seemed like her initial thought about entering enemy territory wasn’t so far off.