35. The Chain

CHAPTER 35

THE CHAIN

FLEETWOOD MAC

One more day.

I haven’t taken a vacation in years, and when I did, I spent them recovering from something Luis did. This isn’t any vacation, either. Chase booked our flights the second I got the approval. I’m going to France! He’s taking me as his guest to Cannes! I’m certain I died and whichever god rules over Heaven, she gave me her sweetest angel, Chase.

So, as soon as class lets out tomorrow, a driver is picking me up and taking me to the airport. I’ll meet Chase in New York before we fly to Paris together. I loaded my tablet with books and packed all my bags last night so Dani can drop me off at work in the morning.

Sleep won’t be a thing tonight.

For now, I’m getting a bit of a break, watching over the class as they take a test. My phone buzzes on the desk, and I grab for it so it doesn’t distract anyone.

Snuggle Puppy

I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

I wish I could fly you here tonight…I mean, I could.

I smile. I do that so much more now than I did in the past. Lexi and Dani have a bet going that he’s going to propose to me on the trip. I told them both they were nuts, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Mama made me promise not to rush into it. But I reminded her it has only been four months, and we’re not ready for that kind of commitment.

I have to go to work tomorrow, you know that.

Snuggle Puppy

Quit. We’ll move to Paris and I’ll fuck you on the Eiffel Tower.

They’d throw us out of the country so fast.

Besides, tomorrow I’m showing the class those new toys you got.

The drones, not the other ones

Snuggle Puppy

Fiiiiiine. I miss you. So dies Pongo.

I’m sure you do. I’ll see you tomorrow night, silly man.

I set the phone down just as the classroom door bursts open and Marta comes in like a tornado. Someone I don’t know follows her into the room.

“Class,” Marta announces as she heads for me. “This is Ms. Monroe. She’ll be taking over for Ms. Silva for the afternoon. Renate, grab your phone and everything else you need and come with me.”

I stand there, confused. “What’s going on? Did something happen to Mama?”

She takes me by the arm and in a low voice, “I saw Luis in the office with Miley. They were talking about some pictures and he said something about leaking them. I’m going to hide you in the empty classroom while you call that cute detective guy.”

“Private investigator.”

“Whatever he is.”

“Hang on.” I run to the back of the classroom and into the storage room, opening the second drawer and feeling around above it. Shit. I kept the backup drive of Miley spying on the teachers here, and it’s gone. Only three people have a key to this room because it’s where we keep all the expensive computer equipment.

“Marta, who watched my class last week when I had the doctor’s appointment?”

“Samantha did. I would have, but I had a?—”

“Who’s Samantha?”

She nods to the woman standing at the back of the class as she pushes me out the door. “Samantha Monroe. She’s taken over for Allison in Miley’s office. Allison had a skiing accident and had to take a medical leave of absence, poor thing.”

“Skiing? In April? On our salary?” Marta shrugs and we duck down the hall and into the empty room. My fingers fly across the keys as I text Mills. Chase told me to contact Mills first if I saw Luis again. “There are new warrants out on Luis, and we have a restraining order. Miley knows about that and he let him walk in?”

“I’m not sure. Samantha had a picture of Luis and knew about the?—”

Before she can finish, Principal Miley steps inside, closing the door behind him. He’s doing a terrible job of hiding the smug smile. “Samantha told me I could find you two in here. She’s such a doll. Honestly, she’s much better than Allison in so many ways.”

“Mr. Miley, whatever Luis said—” I start, but I’m cut off.

“Marta, go back to your classroom. I’ll take care of this,” Miley demands.

“Mr. Miley, I?—”

“Now, Marta. Or you’ll be in the same trouble as Ms. Silva.”

What? Why am I in trouble?

He shuts the door behind Marta, and I watch his hand linger over the lock. He doesn’t turn it. Instead, he saunters over to the empty teacher’s desk, leaning on it like he’s about to start a lecture for his class of one. Me.

“The school board will request that I put you on a leave of absence as soon as they see these.” Miley grins, pulling an envelope like the last one from his coat pocket. He’s trying to act like he has some kind of pity for me, but he sounds more like a devil here to make a rotten deal. “At least until we can sort all of this terrible mess out. I’m sure it’s a lot of riffraff and bologna. Photoshop. The kids can do wonders on it these days.”

“What are you talking about?” I cross my arms, not backing down. “Luis lies, and he only gave you more lies. You should have called the cops on?—”

“Violation of school policies against sexual relations with what very well could be a student while on school property.”

“What?!”

He opens the envelope, smirking as he looks between its contents and me. His grin twists into something dark and lecherous, and when he licks his lips, I expect his tongue to be forked. My stomach lurches as he leans forward and slides a photo across the desk. I fall in the chair as he pulls out another photo and another. The bathroom. My clothes ripped and littering the floor. Me on the counter. Each one worse than the last as they turn a moment of passion and magic into chum for the sharks. It’s only me, though. None of the pictures have any part of Chase that’s recognizable.

“Ms. Silva, or should I call you Mrs. Santiago? Either way, Mr. Santiago simply came by to make sure I understood you had put the students in danger, Renate.” He picks up one of the pictures, eyeing it with a smirk. “I talked to the parties concerned, and they’ve agreed this can all end right now?—”

“Parties concerned? A felon with warrants? A blackmailing pig?”

“HOWEVER,” he shouts, cutting me off. “Since you’re in my school—on my turf, if you will—I’m going to add a little something to their stipulations. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“I’m not signing anything! I told that slime ball I wouldn’t.”

“Lawson told me. Renate, let’s handle this like adults. If you’re willing to do something for me, work with me. I won’t submit these pictures to the board. I’ll even talk to Mr. Lawson about his agreement. Oh, and don’t bother threatening to release your little proof of my misconduct. We’ve already taken care of that. In fact, we used your own cameras against you after we moved them to the bathroom.”

He tilts my chin up to look at him, and I smack his hand away. He snarls as his face turns red. I’m rejecting his offer, rejecting him, and that pisses him off. That look in his eyes scares me, and I lived in fear of it for too long. He reaches over the desk and grabs me by the shoulders, shouting into my face. “I’m offering you your job on a silver fucking platter. And you just need to do what you do best. Luis said you’d be easy to convince since you’re a fat fucking whore. They said I could have you. They promised me!”

“Fuck you!”

“Yes, Ms. Silva. That’s exactly what you’re going to do. Right on top of my desk. Maybe I’ll turn that camera feed back on for a little momento. If you want your job back, you’ll do as you’re fucking told. Your dignity? Well, maybe we should look in your little bag of sex toys to see if we can find it in there.”

“You fucking?—”

“Before you fight back, you should know these aren’t the only pictures. The others could easily paint your pretty little boyfriend into the same corner. God, I love technology, sometimes.”

They’re going to use this to hurt Chase, and I won’t stand by and let that happen. I jump up, pushing Miley’s hands away, seething. “You dare do anything to hurt Chase, and I will personally rip your fucking dick off and shove it down your sick, stupid throat.”

“He’s none of my concern. You’re all I wanted, all I ever asked for. I turned down money, whores, and drugs all so I could have you. And it will go so much easier once you understand your new position: on your knees.”

“You’re all sick fucking pervert,” I whisper, shaking with rage. Miley looks taken aback, expecting me to beg and cry for him, to let him take what he wants so I can have my job back. The world turns red.

“That may be, but once we take everyone and everything away from you, you’ll learn to accept your new life. If you’re a good girl, I might even marry you.”

I spit in his face and he comes at me again as the door slams open and Mills runs to me. He holds me back from clawing Miley’s eyes out of his moronic fucking head, and keeps me from crumbling to the floor in a mess of tears and anger.

“What happened, Ren?”

“It’s his fault,” I sob into his chest. “He’s working with Lawson and Luis, like I told you.”

“Oh, I’m innocent as a babe.” Miley holds his hands up and looks down at the photos.

“Luis Santiago, a known criminal with warrants and a restraining order, gave you those. You’re withholding evidence in an ongoing criminal investigation. If you want to continue playing this like a dumbass, you should know I’m friends with a few detectives in the gang and cyber crimes units. They’d love a word with you.” Mills steps forward, ripping the envelope out of Miley’s hands and scooping up the pictures from the desk. Miley cowers. He’s not a small man by any means, but Mills has him by a few inches. I’m enjoying watching how Mills looms over Miley like an ominous cloud.

“But—”

“Don’t fuck with me, or I’ll make sure Luis ends up as your cellmate.”

“I-I-I’ll have Marta pack your things. Leave your keys,” Miley says to me, his eyes never leaving Mills. “T-t-the resource officer will meet you outside to escort you to your car.”

“I don’t need a fucking escort to my fucking car. I need my damn job!”

“You have my offer. Now get out of my school. Both of you. Or I’ll have you arrested for trespassing.” Miley doesn’t wait for an answer as he slips out the door.

Mills turns me to face him. “They found Luis’s car a few blocks from here. Guns, rope, drugs, and a computer full of images. Evidence suggests he planned to go after Chase and your family before coming for you. When none of them were home, he decided to get you out of the way. We have him on camera driving near Chase’s home, and yours earlier today.”

“Fuck, what do I do?”

“We’ve got Chase covered, and Devin left yesterday for a week-long road trip, but we’ll let him and the team know just to be safe.” He goes to the desk and starts picking up my things. “I’m sending your mom and sister to a safe house. You are getting on an earlier flight and Chase will meet you in New York as planned. They won’t be able to follow you through all that security and do not leave the airports without Chase or an escort. I’ll get Cynthia to rebook all your hotels while you’re in the air. Don’t go home, go straight to the airport. Okay?”

“The school’s new secretary knows something, Mr. Mills. She looks familiar. She stole the drive with my evidence against Miley. No one knew about that but me.”

“I’ll check her out. For now, we need to get you out of here. Luis poses a serious threat, and if he’s set this in motion, it may draw out the stalker as well and force her hand.”

“My bags… my passport… We weren’t supposed to leave until tomorrow.”

“Breathe, Ren. I’ll have someone pick up your things and it will be at the airport before your flight takes off.” He stares at me, and I swear there’s pity in his eyes. “The press already has the pictures Miley tried to blackmail you with. Cynthia caught some of them, but sent me here to get you the hell out of here before it all blows up.”

Mills walks me out to my car, the vultures already circling across the street. As I climb into the car, a numbness takes over. I put the key in the ignition and whisper, “If you don’t start, I swear to the baby Jesus, I will light you on fire right here in this godforsaken parking lot, you piece of shit.” It turns over on the first try. It hasn’t done that in weeks.

“Renate, be careful. I’ll text you once I have your mother and sister. I’ll keep them safe and we’ll figure this out.” He slips me a card and I tuck it into my purse without looking at it.

He doesn’t promise me everything will work out, which I appreciate. They make promises like that on Dani’s crime shows—they promise they’ll find the guy who did it, and the case goes cold. They promise to keep someone safe, but the bad guys get to them, anyway.

“Be careful, Mills,” I say as I back out of my spot and head for the gate. Some reporters have to jump out of the way as I pull out of the lot and onto the street a little too fast. A few of them run for their cars to follow me, but I don’t need a map for these streets, and in a few blocks, I duck into a public parking garage. I watch, but no one follows me, so I find a spot and pull my phone back out, dialing Dani.

“Rene, where the fuck are you? What the fuck happened?!”

I can hear my mother yelling in Spanish in the background about her language and the men on our lawn. I hope Dani has kept this from her. Everything I said couldn’t happen has happened. Luis, Lawson, Miley, there’s just too many of them.

“I’ll tell you later, Dani. Get some things packed for you and mom.”

“Fuck, are we going to Chase’s? I’m supposed to move into my new place this weekend.”

“No. Mills has somewhere else he’s taking you for a few days.”

“What about you? What about Chase?”

Her words sound like they’re a million miles away. Luis. Miley. These are all my problems, not Chase’s. I even blame myself for Lawson. The card from Mills falls out of my purse. I pick it up and see writing on the back.

“I’ll call you back, Dani. Just do what I said.” I say flatly before hanging up.

I send a text, and I drive away. Away from the city. Away from my family. Away from the man I love.

* * *

I’ve stopped twice, each time to buy a phone from a gas station and switch out my SIM card. Being a tech girl has its advantages when you’re running away from someone. When I get to the house, I dig the key out from under a rock, where it’s always been. I toss my things on the couch, not that I have much, then take my latest burner phone and go into the bathroom. I sit in the dry tub with the lights off. It’s cold and silent, but it’s not dark because the light from the screen blinds me as I read everything Luis leaked to the press. Every lie, every truth, all muddled together to paint me into some kind of sick monster, feeding the students lies to recruit for the local gangs. Selling drugs on campus. Parents are at the school being interviewed by the press, saying they’re shocked that the school board would hire a groomer and an addict like me. Every word twists the knife in my stomach.

I’m not sure who I’m more mad at for ruining my life. My abuser. My boss. The movie producer. Or myself. I wanted to move on, to be loved. Instead, I’ve ruined not only my life, but the life of the man who loved me.

I turn off the phone, pull out the sim card, and crush it. I cry myself to sleep in the tub, apologizing to Chase over and over again as I do.