by J. L. Beck
“Yes, I think…” When he finds my body, he uses both hands and pulls me into his lap, cradling me against his chest tightly.
“How…how did they find us? Do you think these are my father’s men?” My voice trembles, giving away my fear. I don’t want anything to happen to us, to Wes. I don’t want to die, not when I’ve just finally started living. These men weren’t ones I recognized, which leads me to wonder if they are enemies the brothers made previously.
“I have no idea how they found us, and I can’t be one hundred percent sure, but I think those are your father’s goons. We have other enemies but none of them are recent, and none would be as ballsy as these fuckers.”
“I didn’t recognize any of these men,” I admit, though there were far too many for me to take in every single one of their faces.
“Let’s just try and stay calm, and not provoke them in any way, okay?” My body starts to shake, and he soothes me, stroking a gentle hand up and down my back, his touch like soft waves cresting the beach.
“Will Trey and Declan know where we are?” I question.
“Yes. They’ll track us. Just try not to worry, they’ll find us. I promise.”
I want to believe him, but part of me is scared, really scared. Are they really going to find us, or is Wes just saying this in an attempt to calm me down? And even if they do happen to find us, how will they get to us without endangering themselves?
What if they kill us before they get the chance to come for us, or if they get hurt trying to rescue us? I raise a hand to my head, the throbbing inside it is insistent. So many questions, so many fears, it’s all too much, and happening way too fast. A wave of dizziness slams into me and I rest my head back down against Wes’s shoulder in an effort to stop the dizzy spell.
“Are you alright?” Wes whispers into my ear as the van takes a sharp turn sending us barreling into the other side of the van.
“Yes. I’m just…I’m scared, Wes. I’m terrified of what’s going to happen to us. Of what may happen to Declan and Trey when they try to rescue us. I don’t want them to use me against you, or your brothers. I don’t want to be your weakness, not when I should be your equal.”
Wes’s strong arms wrap around me, squeezing me tighter to his chest, and I greedily inhale his unique sandalwood scent. “It’s a little late for that, Princess.” And I know all too well it is, but these men don’t need to know that. They don’t need to know how important I am to them.
We drive for what seems like forever before the van comes to an abrupt stop. Dread digs its claws into me, consuming me, making me weak with fear. I didn’t feel this way when the brothers took me. Maybe because a part of me clung on to the hope that they wouldn’t hurt me, and they didn’t, not really, but these men, their intent is clear. They want to kill us.
“Shhh, it will be okay,” Wes says, his voice thick with an unknown emotion, one last time before the back doors open and the afternoon sun pours into the back of the van. For one single moment, I’m blind, literally blind. I can’t see anything. Someone grabs me roughly by the arms, pulling me off of Wes’s lap. I stifle a scream by taking my lip between my teeth.
I don’t want to worry Wes, who is also being hauled off roughly. With a punishing grip, they shove him onto the ground.
“No. Don’t hurt him,” I scream right as something is slipped over my face. It blocks out any light and my view of Wes. It also makes it hard to breathe.
“Awe, it seems your little captive has fallen in love with you. Do tell, does she take all three of your dicks at the same time or do you take turns?” One of the goons laughs. I don’t know who he’s talking to, but I assume it’s Wes. Hands grip my wrists behind my back tightly and a moment later I feel something binding them together. Wes grunts, as if he’s in pain, but I can’t tell since I can’t see anything.
Meaty fingers dig into my skin as I’m dragged somewhere by my arms. My legs can barely keep up with the men’s fast pace. My skin is crawling and I feel like my ears perk up, knowing that without sight my chances of escaping are dismal. I count a total of six pair of footsteps, mine included. Which means we are not only tied up and blindfolded, but we’re are also outnumbered two to one.
Dread overcomes me and tears threaten to escape my eyes, but I hold them back. I’ll have to be stronger than I’ve ever been before, because I’ll be damned if I’m going to give these fuckers the satisfaction of crying. A heavy creaking fills my ears and the air around us changes, telling me we are inside a building now. I’m pushed down into a chair a moment later, a soft whimper escapes me when my legs are pried apart and tied to the legs of the chair.
“I don’t suppose you want to tell us where the rest of your little group is?” an unfamiliar voice asks.
“Go fuck yourself,” Wes spits, his voice filled with rage.
“I figured…well, we’ve already contacted our interrogator. He always gets the information he wants out of people. So, you have that to look forward to,” the man snickers and suddenly my lunch is in danger of making a reappearance.
“You might be able to handle some pain, big guy, but we’ll see how much you can handle seeing this pretty little thing being tortured…”
I don’t say anything. I don’t want to give them any more ammunition than they’ve already got. Listening intently, I wait for the men to disappear and the door to close behind them, leaving Wes and I alone in the room. Only once they’re gone do I draw in a shaky breath, wishing I didn’t hear what that vile man just told Wes. They’re going to torture me…even worse, they’re going to make Wes watch.
“Just stay calm, Declan and Trey have most likely realized we are missing by now. They’ll be here in no time,” Wes tells me, his voice calm, soothing even, but I’m not stupid. If they don’t make it here soon, then they won’t have either of us to rescue, because there won’t be anything to save. Fighting back tears, I have no idea how he is remaining so calm. How can he be so sure that they’re going to find us?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Declan
As soon as Trey’s laptop starts making an annoying alarm sound, I know something is wrong. However, I don’t truly freak out until I see Trey’s face. His features pale, almost to a ghostly white as he looks down at the computer screen.
“What’s wrong?” I try to keep my voice calm, but it’s hard when Jessa and Wes are out there and I know shit is hitting the fucking fan.
“Jessa’s and Wes’s trackers just went off route. They left the grocery store, but they’re heading in the wrong direction.” I pull out my phone and dial Wes’s cell while Trey continues to talk. The easiest way to know if something is happening or if they’re just going off course for something is to call him, so I do just that. I bring up his number and push the green call button before putting the phone on speaker.
“Well, that didn’t take long…” an unfamiliar voice comes through the line. “We’re about to start torturing your brother and the girl…unless you just want to give up and come to us.”
“Go fuck yourself,” I growl into the phone.
“Funny, that’s exactly what your brother said too. I’m not into men, but I think I’ll go fuck the cute blonde instead. What’s her name? Jen…Jenna? Ah, doesn’t matter. I don’t need to know her name to fuck her face or cut off her fingers one by one. Give us your address and we can send each piece to you personally,” the bastard taunts.
“I’m gonna put a bullet between your eyes before the day is over,” I say through clenched teeth, hanging up the phone before he can say something else that’s going to piss me off. I’ll need a clear mindset if we’re going to do this. I look up, my gaze colliding with Trey’s.
I can see it in his eyes, the hatred, the need for revenge. It’s been a part of us for so long, but with Jessa around, the fury has become a dull ache. Now with her and Wes in danger, the fire inside of us has been rekindled, and the flames are more than flickering, they’re a blazing inferno.
It’s like someone just poured ga
soline on a tiny flame, and those fuckers have no idea to what lengths we will go to protect and save what is ours. You fuck with us, and we will kill you, your family, and anyone you’ve ever loved. I protect what’s mine and I’ll die before I let these bastards get away with hurting Jessa and Wes.
“You get their location?” I ask Trey who is currently typing on his laptop at an excessive speed.
“Of course. Getting the building’s specs right now. Go gear up. I’ll be done by the time you’re ready.” He doesn’t have to tell me. I’m over to the elevator and heading down to level four in seconds. Finding the tactical gear I need, I get dressed. Then I lay out everything Trey will need, plus a wide array of guns and other various weapons. By the time Trey comes down, I’m completely dressed, weapons selected and ready to go. He only takes two more minutes to get changed.
We don’t need to talk about what and how we are going to handle this. We both know exactly how to work an extraction like this one. We were trained first in the military, to do operations just like these, and we’ve worked so many together that we can work without talking now. The entire process is nothing more than second nature to us now.
Dressed from head to toe in tactical gear and armed to the teeth, we head to the parking garage and get in one of the cars. Trey pulls up the directions to the place the tracker phone traced from, while on his phone pulls up the schematics for the building they are in.
“It’s a storage building, but looking at their website, it’s just a front. You can’t actually rent a unit there, so this must be some kind of facility they use for who knows what. When we get closer, I can hack into their computers…”
“No, we don’t have time for that, we go in blind.”
“Okay,” Trey agrees. We both know we can’t waste time. We need to get to them before it’s too late. These people are not to be fucked with. Richards was simply waiting for a weakness, waiting for us to show our faces again. We should’ve been smarter, but what the fuck are we supposed to do? We need supplies, and we can’t remain hidden forever, no matter how much we think we can. My worry for Jessa and my brother mounts. Richards’ men are ruthless and don’t care who gets hurt. Innocent or not, if you get in their way, they will kill you and without a single shred of remorse.
“It’s one block down and then park behind that building,” Trey tells me pointing to a nearby building. I pull up behind the building, park the car and kill the engine. We get out of the car together and sneak around it, staying close to the wall and in the shadows as much as we can. The sun is slowly setting on the horizon, but if anyone sees us, I’m sure the cops will be here in a hot second.
“That’s it.” Trey points at the building. It looks like an ordinary business, but that’s how most of the world is. The darkness inside can only be seen when you pull back the layers, when you investigate deeper.
“I’ll take the front, you take the back. Soon as I get close enough, I’ll scramble their electronics, knocking out their surveillance. Come on,” Trey orders. It’s hard working without Wes. He’s like the glue that holds us together.
Nodding, I turn on the earpiece that will keep me connected with Trey. We move out at the same time but in different directions. I pray like hell nothing has happened to either of them. Wes is strong, he can handle an interrogation, the breaking of bones, the slicing of flesh, the demand for information. But Jessa, she’s not built like us, she’s never seen death like we have, never had to fight for her in life in a violent way and the thought of her being hurt. I can’t even stomach it. It turns the blood in my veins to ice.
Walking around the back of the building I find the first door. It’s a large metal door, but it’s older and has some rusted bolts. I know it won’t take much to get it open, so I grab the C4 and stick the explosive next to the doorknob. Stepping away, I take cover around the corner and push the detonator.
The explosion is so loud and powerful, it blasts the door right open. If they didn’t know we were coming before, they know we are here now. I bolt for the now open door, kicking it in the rest of the way. Then I storm inside with my M16 raised and ready to take out anyone who tries to stand in my way.
To my surprise, there isn’t anyone in sight. I can hear my pulse pounding in my ears, the blood rushing through my body as adrenaline courses through my veins. Where the fuck is everyone? Walking deeper into the building I take small steps. It’s dark, making it hard to see, but not impossible. I’ve done work in far worse elements.
“Anything?” Trey’s voice fills my ears.
“Nope. But there is a staircase leading to the levels below. I’m heading down there now.” I sneak down the stairs, still not hearing anything. There’s a heavy iron door ahead of me and I open it, entering into another hallway. Is this a fucking maze? That’s when I hear it, the sound of feet shuffling.
“I hear something up ahead,” I whisper. It sounds like people are walking around.
“She’s a pretty girl, don’t you think? It’s a shame her father wants her dead,” an unknown male voice says. My muscles tense, my entire body vibrating with anger as I move quicker than before down the hall. The voices grow louder as I get closer to them. I stop directly in front of the door where I hear the voices emitting.
“We could always keep her. Use her as our plaything for a while. You can’t possibly think that the Cameron’s haven’t done the same…” Gritting my teeth, I can’t bear to listen to another word. Without even blinking I kick the door in and fire off three bullets, each hitting their intended targets before the fuckers can say another word. They fall to the ground, dead, and I scan the room, looking for anyone else. When I don’t see anyone, I press my back to the wall and exhale a breath.
“Three down,” I tell Trey, peeking out of the room. Trey was right, this looks to be like more of a fucking compound than a fucking business. As I exit the room and move deeper down the hall, I notice that it opens up into a huge commons area, and there aren’t but one or two bastards sitting in the place. I hear the sound of Trey’s gun being fired.
Three shots. Three bullets. Three fewer fuckers to kill.
“Three more down,” Trey whispers.
“Did you hear that?” one of the men says, looking up from his newspaper. I take that moment, pop around the corner and pull the trigger on my gun. Like always, my bullet hits right where I aim. The other man looks over at me, terror overtaking his features. From the looks of it, he doesn’t have any weapons, but then again, I can’t be sure.
“Where are they?” I demand. The man doesn’t even get a chance to answer before I hear the sound of Trey’s gun going off. The bullet enters the man’s brain, blood and brain matter exploding everywhere before his body sags to the ground.
Trey appears in front of me a moment later, a grin on his face.
“Show off,” I sneer. He rolls his eyes.
“As if I was going to just let you sit there and interrogate him. I know where they are.”
“Is that all of them?” I ask Trey.
“On this floor, yes. There are two more downstairs where they’re holding Wes and Jessa.”
“Lead the way, fucker.”
“Don’t be jealous, brother. We both know you’re a good shot too.” He blows me a pretend kiss and heads for a door off the side of this room.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jessa
“Wes,” I whisper his name, though I know it doesn’t matter anymore if they hear me. Before he can answer me, the door opens. I can tell because the door squeaks when you open and close it. A set of footsteps accompany the squeaking of the door and my heart races so fast I think I’m in danger of having a heart attack. Dear lord, I hope Trey and Declan are coming. A second ticks by and then the bag on my head is ripped away forcefully.
My eyes blink open and it feels like the sun is burning into my retinas. Scanning the room I try to take in my surroundings. I don’t get very far before a large man comes to stand in front of me, blocking out most of the overhead ligh
t, making it easier for me to see. I peer up at the man and wish I hadn’t. Terror grips me in an instant. The man before me is as menacing as it gets. Dark eyes, scarred skin, with tattoos on his face. He looks like a gang member, and he’s staring at me like I’m a prime rib and he hasn’t eaten in seven days.
“Mhm…I don’t think it will take much to break you, little one,” he tells me in a thick Middle Eastern accent, his fingers gliding across my yoga pant covered leg. “It will still be fun though, for me… not so much for you.” He chuckles as if anything he’s said is amusing.
When he turns away from me, I scan the room looking for Wes. As soon as I find him, the man that was just in front of me, starts walking over to him. He rips the bag from his head and grabs him by the back of his neck, forcing his head backward.
“I’m guessing it will be hard to break you and even though I would enjoy the challenge very much, they hired me to do it fast, so…” The guy releases Wes with a shove and moves his chair to face me. My eyes find his russet brown ones. I can see the pain, the guilt, the shame in them, and I swear it takes everything inside me not to break down and start crying.
Sucking a ragged breath into my burning lungs, I try and rationalize the situation. Everything's going to be okay, it has to be. I force another breath into my heaving chest. My mind is reeling, as the giant walks back over to me. I watch him out of the corner of my eye, not wanting to make eye contact with him out of fear of what may happen if I do. Horror that I can’t disguise overtakes my features when he pulls out a knife with a long blade from a holster on his leg. It looks like it’s used to skin animals, and I swallow praying that he doesn’t plan to use that on either of us.
“What should I cut off first? Maybe we’ll start with just some skin. You do have beautiful skin, little one.” His sinister eyes taking in the blade, running his finger over the edge as if to show how sharp it is. “Have you ever seen someone being skinned alive?” The guy turns to Wes this time. “It’s quite the sight. There is really nothing like it.”