Page 47 of Ruin

I wiped the tears from my cheeks, my hands trembling as I spoke. “It hurts.”

Sam sat the tray down on the bed, keeping his distance from me. He moved quickly, placing bottles of water on the bedside table, leaving only one on the tray before me.

Sam spoke softly, his eyes glimmering with compassion. “I have ibuprofen and Tylenol. Something harder if you need it. Which one do you prefer?”

I hesitated, staring at the tray as I considered my options. I kept my eyes fixed on the far wall, my voice firm as I replied, “I’m not taking anything you give me.”

He sighed as he took a step back. “Listen, I understand. It is not what you think.”

My voice rose in disbelief. “Not what I think? I just saw that man, and you, attacking dozens of men on the beach. I saw him…covered in blood.” My eyes shot to Sam, my disgust fully released.

Sam crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his face turning up to the ceiling in contemplation. He sighed, his words flowing slowly. “You don’t know the whole story.”

I leaned back in bed until my back met the pillows. My eyes shifted onto the water that was dripping condensation onto the tray.

Sam noticed and quickly picked up the bottle, extending it in my direction and motioning for me to take it. He spoke gently, like a parent soothing an upset child. “Please, Claire. Drink something. I will tell you everything you want to know. At least, what I can answer based on my own knowledge.”

I grabbed the plastic bottle from his hand, my fingers gripping it tightly as if it could anchor me to reality. I leaned forward, swiping the ibuprofen and Tylenol from the tray, scrutinizing the pills for any sign of tampering.

I wonder what harder stuff he was referring to…

Sam cleared his throat. “My family has been working for him for a very long time,” Sam started, his voice steady and certain. “All the men in my family, really. My father, grandfather…I even have photos of my great-grandfather with Arik.”

My jaw dropped as my head lowered, eyes peering at Sam as I spoke. “Your great-grandfather?”

“Arik is not really thirty-eight. I mean, he looks like it, but he is not.”

I took a deep sip of water, swallowed the pills, and stared at the ceiling. My mind raced, half listening to Sam, the other trying to reconcile everything I witnessed.

I have to get out of here. I could pretend to be understanding. Go along with whatever the plan was. Act like Arik was the love of my life and I didn’t care about any of this. Then get out of this fucking room.

And RUN.

Sam walked across the room, the footsteps of his boots echoing through the cold cell that had been made up to look like a guest room. He made his way to the furthest corner and pulled the crimson, crushed velvet armchair closer to the bed, facing me directly.

As he sat down, he continued, “Those men you saw last night. They were probably coming to shore to rob the village. Maybe kidnapping? Human trafficking? Who really knows? They were not here to vacation, that’s for sure.”

I inhaled deeply.

All I had been thinking about was what Arik did. I never stopped to think about why.

Fuck. Stop, Claire. He murdered people!

I reached for the sandwich on the tray, my hunger outweighing any skepticism that it may be tampered with. I took a big bite, chewing the turkey and provolone slowly, trying to ground myself in something ordinary.

Sam smiled seeing me eat. He looked genuinely satisfied and it made me relax just a little bit more. He settled into the chair, speaking to me again. “Arik took care of it.”

Sam chuckled softly. “You want to know why we are one of the safest areas in the world? Arik is why. Nothing bad happens here. He takes care of it before it does.”

I looked at him, struggling to process his words.

Sam leaned forward, locking his eyes into mine. “What I can tell you is he is not going to hurt you. For one, he does not feed on women. Period.”

My head snapped up, fear rising in my throat. “Feed?”

“Claire, listen, if you believe anything I tell you, it is this…” Sam paused, his head lowering as he looked toward the floor. “I have only ever seen him feed on the worst of the worst. Those men last night…Arik felt them coming.” Sam stopped, looking at me for some sign of understanding.

My eyes stayed fixed on him as my mind raced.