20. Billingsgate

‘What the fuck?! Where are you taking me?’

‘Just trust me.’

I can’t believe my ears. Did he just ask me to trust him? This guy who I slept with once is suddenly asking me to trust him? 

I’m about to scream but instinct stops me. What if he’s actually crazy and screaming makes it worse? I need to be calm about this situation. 

‘Is this about my number? I can give it to you right now.’

I try to say this as calmly as I can but I get no response from him. Nothing. This scares me more. Silence is worse. When people act out, you know what to expect, a few bruises here and there and that’s it but when a person is silent, anything can happen and anything goes. I can’t read him like this, I need him to react. 

‘We can talk now, I’m listening.’

‘Not here, not now. Just trust me and be patient. I know that’s asking a lot from you but you’ll understand soon.’ 

I don’t know what else to do. Should I hit him with my heels, unlock the door and make a run for it? Should I grab control of the steering wheel? So many thoughts run through my mind. What exactly does he want to do with me? It’s this state of not knowing that’s killing me. 

If he really wanted to hurt me, wouldn’t he have done it by now? Why go through all this trouble? 

‘Fine. I’ve decided to trust you.’

I can see him visibly relax. Aren’t I the one that’s supposed to be tense? 

‘So Uhm… could you at least tell me your name or do I have to trust you on that too?’

He turns to me and smiles a bit. I have no idea what’s going through his mind but his eyes seem sad. Reminds me of the night we fucked. Is he pitying me again? 

‘Stop it.’

‘Stop what?’

‘Stop looking at me like I’m a wounded puppy and you don’t have the heart to put me out of my misery.’

‘That’s very precise.’

‘Yes it is, so just stop.’

He says nothing more. Naomi’s words ring in my head;

‘… I don’t blame you about your father, that’s messed up but you need to be more careful in these streets.’

If I ever make it out of this, Naomi will never let me hear the end of it. 

Not long after, he drives us to a house. It looks really familiar. It seems he noticed me staring at the house.

‘It’s familiar, right?’

I turn to look at him, we are both still seated in the car.

‘Yeah it does. And that’s because you brought me here to fuck you the last time! Is this what this is about? “I want to talk to you” “can I have your number”. All this so you can bring me to the same house to fuck me?! Why?! I don’t mind doing it in a cheap hotel. Why did you have to kidnap me to bring me back here?’

‘Will you just be quiet and listen.’

I hear the sound of the doors unlocked and without missing a beat, I open the door and jump out. 

‘Lola damn it will you just stop and listen!’

That gets me. Lola. Did he just call me Lola? Nobody knows that name not even Naomi and Ruth. They know me as Ola. Only Mummy and Daddy called me Lola and they’re gone. 

He was already out of his car and standing by the driver’s door. The fear I initially felt was filled with curiosity as I walk straight to face him. I am careful to keep some distance but I wanted to look him in his face as I asked. 

‘How do you know that name?’

‘If you would just follow me…’ 

‘Fuck that! I’m done playing whatever game it is you’re playing! I need an explanation right here! Right now!’

A deep sigh escapes from his lips, he looks tired. 

‘You told me.’

‘What? That’s not…’

‘But it is. A very long time ago you were wondering about the walls of this very house because you wanted to get your dad’s gold watch and on that day, you met a little boy named Tosin who helped you enter this house to steal back the watch. That little boy, is me.’

I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it. He? The Gentleman, he’s Tosin? What? How? I don’t understand. My head begins to ache as painful memories start flooding in. 

‘If you’ll just come with me, I’ll explain better.’

‘No! I should never have gone inside with you! I should never have followed you! Do you have any idea what I went through? What happened to me?!’ 

‘Lola please!’

‘Just leave me alone. I need to think, I need to…’ 

One moment I’m upright and the next I’m face down on the floor, my ankle throbbing. Damn heels, to think they would betray me like this. I feel arms pull me up and I scream in pain once my feet touch the ground. 

‘My ankle.’

‘You’re definitely not going anywhere tonight. You might as well just listen to me.’