by Sienna Grant
Maybe I should tell Angelo or even Stefano. I look around, but I can’t see the car now. It’s putting me on edge, I don’t like this feeling - especially after what happened. I unscrew the lid of my drink, and take a long swig, screw the cap back on and hold it in my hand. I take my phone from my back pocket, and tap out a message.
I think someone is following me.
I press send to Angelo and prop my bag back on my shoulder, then begin to walk again.
Looking behind me again, I notice the car, but he turns off to the right. My whole-body sags, a relieved feeling that it’s not actually following me. I’m just being paranoid. Shit, I told Angelo it was. Stopping, I take my bag from my shoulder, take my earphones from the small pocket at the front and place the buds in my ears. I notice a message unopened on my home screen. Unlocking it, I see a message from Stefano. My heart skips and my belly flips as I open it up.
Where are you?
Smiling like a loon, I type a message back.
I’m on Ashford road, the one that the college sits on. ?? I’ll probably cut down the side of the park. It’s quicker.
Stick to the main roads. I’ll send someone to pick you up.
My heart takes a dive, as quick as it lifted, realising it’s not going to be him getting me.
Thanks Stef.
Seeing as the car isn’t around now, I feel a bit easier about walking. Plugging in the jack for my earphones, I press play on the screen, holding the phone in my hand and carry on my walk home.
Turning right onto the park road, like I said I would, I head for home. This takes at least ten minutes from my thirty-five-minute journey. I probably shouldn’t defy Stefano, but I decide to take the shortcut anyway.
The beat from Blow Me One Last Kiss comes from my earphones, blocking the world out. A ringing starts in my ears. I stop abruptly to look at the screen of my phone and see ‘Stefano calling’.
“Shit.”
Fumbling around with my phone to accept the call, I pull a bud from my ear.
In the few seconds it takes me, I don’t hear the car stop behind me.
I don’t hear anyone get out.
I do feel the hand that wraps around my mouth, before I can even let out a scream, ripping the phone from my hand. A rag is shoved under my nose making me gag. I do my best not to inhale the putrid smell, but his other hand is fixed securely over my mouth, making it hard to breathe. A queasy feeling begins in my tummy, as my eyes begin to droop. My hands that are trying to scratch at his one hand, loosen their grip, as my body sags with a heaviness, I’ve never felt before.
I do hear the man’s voice saying, ‘if you want her back, come get her.’
The next thing I feel is being dragged backwards, before the darkness takes me completely.
Chapter Eighteen
Stefano
“Laura.” I shout into the receiver. “Laura.” I shout louder. I hear fumbling around, on the other end of the line. “Hello? Laura is that you. Are you there?”
I hear breathing on the other end.
“If you want her, come and get her.”
“Who the fuck is this? Put Laura on.”
Slamming my foot down on the accelerator, I run through a red light, heading towards the park. As I reach the main road, I ease my foot from the pedal and look out of my window. I can’t see sight nor sound of her. I told her to stick to the main roads but no, she has to do what she wants. I turn right into Park road, the way she said was going to take and slow right down, in case I miss anything.
I could have sent Roberto to pick her up, but I decided to do it myself. This way I get five minutes with her alone in the car. I haven’t seen her for a while, so I knew I had to do it myself.
“Where the fuck, are you?” The line goes dead. The monotonous sound of the dialling tone, deafening in the silence of the car. I press the reject button on the steering wheel and carry on my search.
Just ahead, I see something abandoned on the pavement, pulling up at the side, I get out. It’s a rucksack. I look around cautiously, before picking it up and placing it on the bonnet of the car, pulling open the zip. I pull out text books, business books. There’s a zip up jacket in there, some food and a half-drunk, bottle of water. As I turn to go back to the car, I notice a phone on the ground, smashed. The screen is shattered, but the rest is in one piece. I pick it up and drop the rucksack onto the passenger seat, then get back in the car.
“Fuck.”
Dropping my head back, I let it rest against the chair and close my eyes for a few seconds. I open up my phone and find the messages I sent her. All I can hear is the unfamiliar voices saying; ‘if you want her, come and get her.’
My fist hits out at the steering wheel, repeating the action again and again, I take my frustration out on it. There’s only one person who could have done this, but I haven’t a clue where they could be keeping her. This all comes down to the O’Connor’s, I’d put my life on it.
Putting the car in gear, I start the engine, turn it around, then head back to the club.
How the fuck am I going to tell Angelo what’s happened?
We shouldn’t have let her walk.
We should’ve known better.
This is my fault; we dropped our guard.
How am I going to tell him, they’ve taken her because of me?
How do I begin to tell him, I’m in love with his sister?
“Boss.” Ethan opens the door for me as I reach the front entrance of the club. Nodding once at him, he closes it after me. With the rucksack in my hand, I enter my office.
I put it down on the desk with a thud, Angelo looks up at it with his narrowed eyes questioning my mood. He shifts his gaze to me.
“What is that?”
One by one, I pull every item from her rucksack. Next, I take the shattered phone from my pocket and lay it on the desk.
“Do you recognise anything in it.” My jaw is tense, as my teeth bite together.
“What the fuck is this? What’s going on?”
I say nothing, just watch. He pulls her jacket from the bag. His eyes widen as he recognises it.
“Is there anything there you might recognise?” I reign my temper in the best I can.
“Why do you have my sister’s bag?” He asks confused. “Where is she?”
“I went to pick her up, Roberto was busy and so were you. So, I thought I’d grab her myself. When I got there - that was the only thing there. I knew it was her bag, but I also found this,” I pick up the bits from the desk and pass them over. “I phoned her to see whereabouts she was, and someone answered her phone.”
“What did they say?” His voice is quiet, unnerving. The angry frown sits between his eyes and I know I’m going to have to tell him about us. “Where is my sister?”
“They said,‘if you want her, come get her….’ That’s it. There wasn’t really an accent, but there’s only one family I may have pissed off, with a little retaliation recently. It has to be them. There’s too much history.”
“But why? Why would they take my sister?”
“Well for a start, I fucked up O’Conner’s nephew remember - it’s not hard to figure out Ang…” My hands rub over my face, as I blow out a rough sigh.
“Fuck.” Angelo’s hands banging on the desk startle me. He pushes away from it and stands, pushing the chair behind him and banging against the wall.
“We’ll find her, I promise.”
He looks across at me.
“How can you be so sure? What if they kill her?”
My thoughts turn dark, when I think back to that day. They killed my sister with an hit and run and I doubt they’d do the same thing twice.
“If they harm her, if they so much as touch a hair on her head, I’m going to fuck them up.”
“What the fuck am I going to do? What about Mum? She’ll never cope with losing her...” He paces the office before turning around and swiping his arm across the desk, sending everything crashing to the floor…
“Arr
rrggghhhh. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Roberto barges through the closed office door, coming to an abrupt standstill, as he analyses the mess in the room.
Taking hold of Angelo’s shoulders, I make him look at me.
“We’ll find her, I promise. We’ll kill every one of those Irish fuckers, if we have too. I mean it.”
His fierce gaze holds mine; he nods. It’s a reassurance that he’s heard me and knows I’m serious. I won’t lose her now I’ve got her. The next problem I have is telling Angelo about us.
He sits at the desk dropping his face into his hands. I let him have a moment and motion for Roberto to follow me out. I pull the door closed behind me, as I let him in on all the events.
“Do you think it’s retaliation?”
“I know it is.” I answer Roberto.
“Leave it with me, I’m on it, I’ll send someone out there and see if there’s anything suspicious.”
“Thanks.” I want to go crazy. I want to hit something, but I need to pull my head in for Angelo’s sake. I can’t afford to lose it right now.
“Does he know about you and her?”
Reluctantly I shake my head. I should’ve known Roberto would guess; nothing gets past him.
“How long have you known?”
“A while. I’ve always had an inkling about you two. The way you look at her for a start, but it was when she was attacked, it confirmed my suspicions.
“I should’ve confided in you.”
“You always can you know that. I’m always here for you.” Roberto assures me.
“Thanks.”
“We’ll find her.” He gives me a friendly, reassuring pat on the back and turns away heading back out into the club. After another minute or so, I turn back and go into the office to Angelo. The best thing I do at the moment is be there for my best friend, while I try to think of the best way to get her back.
Chapter Nineteen
Laura
My mouth is dry as I try to swallow; it’s like I’ve downed a bottle of vodka. There’s no saliva in my mouth at all and my head is pounding. I try to lift a hand to hold it, but it stops when something cuts into my wrist. Peeling my eyes open, my vision is blurry at first. Blinking two or three times clears my vision a little, but the headache I have, stops me from opening them fully. In my fuzzy sight, I can see circles of steel around my wrists and I start to panic. My stomach churns making me feel sick, retching as the vomit refuses to stay in my empty stomach. I yank my hands back, but the steel cuts in to my skin.
I stop and look around; it seems I’m in some kind of cellar. It’s dark, dirty and the concrete is cold underneath my back. Pushing the sick feeling down, I close my eyes. I’m not awake long enough to worry anymore, my eyes stay closed and I’m drifting off again.
I hear distant voices, but none I really recognise.
A door slams shut, startling me.
My body jolts, as my eyes spring open and I see two men standing by the door. One redhead and one blond. I try to listen to their conversation, but they’re too quiet.
My surroundings haven’t changed, I thought it may have been a bad dream, but I’m not that lucky. Water begins to fill my eyes and my chin wobbles, as I try to hold back the tears. My nose begins to run; I sniff it back, but the blond male turns around and nudges the other one.
“She’s awake.”
They prowl towards me. I scramble back and plaster myself to the wall.
“So, you’re Di Marco’s little girlfriend huh?”
I don’t answer, as he crouches down in front of me.
“What will we do with you?” He runs a fingernail down my arm, making me cringe.
“Why am I here? Who are you?”
“It seems Stefano has been a bad boy…” He tells me in a patronising tone. His eyes roam over my face, then down my body. He clutches my knee with his tattooed hand, his fingers digging in, as I release a whimper.
“You won’t get away with this.”
“Oh? Well it seems we already have.” Cupping my jaw tightly between his fingers and thumb, he brings my face forward, slamming his lips to mine. I fight to get his hands off me, but they’re holding me fast.
“You’re a feisty one. Keep going darling, I like it when you fight me. It turns me on.”
“Just let me go, I don’t know who you are.” I cry.
“You sure? I think you do.” He nods at the other guy by the door and it opens in. “Now do you know?” A figure walks through the door with a walking stick. A plaster over the bridge of his nose and some faded bruising around his eyes. My eyes widen, when I recognise the man before me.
“Rhys?” The shake in my hands is evident, as he walks towards me on the floor, a sneer lining his face.
“Ahh, finally.”
“I warned you, you little fucking bitch. I told you to say nothing. I said I’d be back.”
Leaning on his stick, he bends down clutching at my hair and yanking my head back with his fist.
“Stand her up.”
They unlock the chain attached to my cuffs, dragging me up from the ground. I avoid his eyes, looking everywhere, but at him.
“Fucking look at me. Di Marco did this. He’s the reason why I have a hole in my knee and can’t walk without a fucking stick.” Rhys roars.
I’d never seen him like this before that night. Not even a little pissed off, but I recognise the look now. He turns a fraction; his hand follows, backhanding me up the face. Before I hit the floor from the impact, I’m dragged up again. The other man’s fist still gripping my hair, as I drop. I feel some tear out of my head, my scalp burning. The tears helplessly roll down my face. Gripping the neck of my t-shirt, he twists it around his fist, tearing it down the middle, revealing my black bra to him.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about. Maybe I’ll take what I wanted in the first place.” He drags a finger down, until it’s between my breasts. Then grabs me roughly, squeezing my breast and digging his fingers in, making me whimper again. A leer crosses his slimy face, as he steps forward slamming his mouth to mine. The man holding me, laughing maniacally.
I growl, shifting around to attempt to get him off me, before he releases my hair and pushes me back to the floor. The man next to him, boots me in the stomach, making me scream out.
He holds his phone up in the air, pointing it at me, then puts it back in his pocket.
“I’ll be back for you later.”
They leave me rolling around on the ground in pain. The door slams shut, then I hear a key turning in the lock. Realising I’m not going to get out of here, I cry. I cry for me, my family. I weep for the fact I may never see Stefano ever again. I draw my knees up into my stomach to ease the pain, but it doesn’t work.
All I can do is wait… for what, I’m not sure.
Chapter Twenty
Stefano
My phone buzzes with a message. Taking it from my pocket, I glance down to see if it’s something important, or some shit that can wait. The unknown number on the screen has me curious. Unlocking my phone, I open the message to a picture. I click on it to make it bigger. The heading just says ‘payback’.
“Fuck.”
Automatically, my hand shoves into my hair, gripping it as tightly as I can.
“Stefano?” I throw my phone to the desk in front of me and walk away from Angelo’s questioning glare.
“I fucking knew it. When I get my hands on those fuckers, I’m going to blow a fucking hole in every single one of them.” I can feel Angelo’s eyes on me, watching me closely.
He picks up the phone, looking closely at his sister pictured on the screen. Her shirt is torn open. Who knows what the fuck they’ve done to her already?
“Oh, my fucking god. If they’ve touched her…?” He punches the wall in anger.
“I’m sorry…” I tell him, dropping my face into my hands.
“This isn’t your fault.” He frowns.
“Who’s fault is it?”
“That little cunt Rhys. I�
�ll kill him with my bare hands, just you wait and fucking see.”
“No. You don’t need blood on your hands, you’ve never killed before. I won’t let you start now.”
“Fuck you Stefano. She’s my little sister, I have every right to deal with this.”
I sigh. I know what he’s saying, but I can’t let him do this, it’s down to me.
“I think you should step back and go see your mum.” I order him.
“No way. I’m here for the duration mate, and I’ll be staying here until she’s back and safe with us.” He looks away for a second before focusing back on me. “What if it was Chrissie? What if it was Chrissie now and you had the chance to save her, what would you do?”
He asks quietly, my head snapping to his. Fight, tears through my soul.
“That’s a fucking low blow Angelo.” I snarl.
“No, it’s not, I’m asking you a question.”
“I’d fight tooth and nail and made sure that the bastards never breathed again.”
“So, let me do this.”
“It’s different with Laura…
“How? How is it different? Because she’s my sister? Doesn’t she matter?” Angelo puffs his chest out, as he rounds the table.
“Don’t push me Angelo.” I cut him off. He narrows his eyes at me. “Of course, she matters, just leave it Ang...”
“No, I want to know what you meant.”
My arms hang tense at my sides, my hands fisting into balls.
“Guys not now, let’s not do this. We need to find where they’re keeping her.” Roberto stands in the middle looking between us. “Stefano?”
“Are you going to tell me?” Angelo asks again.
Taking a deep breath and for the first time in my life, I back down. This doesn’t need to be done now.
Picking up the phone from the desk, I click Logan’s name.