Saving Bliss

by Rachael Brownell

  He'll find me. He'll come for me. He has to. I don't trust anyone else with my life. My purse. The tracking—

  "She's awake," I hear Avery say from behind me. I didn't even know anyone else was in the room.

  "Where am I?" I ask, clearing my throat, the sound echoing off the walls.

  "It doesn't matter. As long as your daddy pays up, you'll get to go home soon enough."

  "And if he doesn't?" I already know the answer, but I want to hear her say it. I need to. After all the time we spent together, she can at least be honest with me now.

  "Then you won't be going home ever again."

  I let the conversation die as her words roll around in my head. I focus on Owen and the fact that he's going to come for me. Between him and Jay, they have resources. They know who has me. If Jay figured out that Avery's father owned the bar, he has to know they own this place, too.

  They'll find me.

  I repeat it over and over in my head until Avery walks into my line of sight.

  "Don't you want to know why you're here, Bliss?"

  "No."

  "You're not even the slightest bit curious?" Avery says, tilting her head slightly.

  "I know why I'm here. What I really want to know is, how you could do this to me?" Let’s see if I can get her frustrated enough to lose her focus.

  "Don't take it personally. It was only business." Classic Avery. She even rolls her eyes at me.

  "I am taking it personally. You were my best friend, Avery. I told you everything." I force my voice to crack. She has no idea that I’ve had time to move past being hurt by her actions to angry that I trusted her so easily.

  "I know. I should thank you for that, too. It was incredibly helpful. Especially taking me home last summer with you. My father was impressed with all the information I brought home from my trip."

  I don't reply. She's eating this shit up, loving every minute of my misery. I won't give her the satisfaction. Shifting the best I can, I attempt to get comfortable. If she’s not falling for my act, I’m done playing games.

  "You know, he's not coming for you. He’ll never find you here," she coos.

  "Okay." I'll let her think whatever she wants.

  "That's all you have to say? You're not even going to defend your new boyfriend, your bodyguard, the man who failed to do his job?"

  "How do you know he failed?" I ask, glaring in her direction. When our eyes meet, all I can see is pure evil staring back at me. The grin on her face emphasizes it.

  "I'm not falling for your mind games, Bliss. There's no way in hell they'll ever find you here. We smashed your pretty, new phone to bits. He has no way of finding you. And even if he does, he'll have to get through my father's best men to get in here."

  "Okay."

  "He'll die before he reaches you." Her tone is more agitated than I’ve ever heard.

  "Okay."

  "Is that what you want? Do you want him to die?" she screams.

  When I don't answer her, Avery storms off in a huff, finally realizing that she's not getting to me. I don't want to talk to her anymore. I don't want to hear her voice ever again.

  I'm left alone with my thoughts. It feels like hours pass before anyone returns. The silence is deafening. When he walks back in the room, I realize I should have been thankful for the silence.

  "Well, well, well. Look who's awake. You don't look happy to see me." Brian's voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

  "It could be because I loathe you. Or the fact that you knocked me out and brought me here. Wait, what about the fact that you tried to feel me up in the car on the way over when I had no way to defend myself? It's probably that more than anything else."

  "Feisty, I see," he retorts, sounding turned on.

  "You have no idea. Remove the restraints, and I'll show you feisty."

  Brian arches his eyebrow at me for a brief second before he pulls a phone from his pocket. "We both know that's not going to happen. Now, I need you to be a good girl and make a phone call for me."

  "Why would I do that?"

  "Because if you don't, I'll kill you." The playful tone he’s been taking with me is gone, replaced with one that startles me slightly.

  He won't, I'm almost certain. He needs me, alive, to get what he wants. What they want. I'm worth nothing if I'm dead. I need to play along, though, so I force myself to grimace and make my body. He buys it, and when he steps toward me, I scoot back a little just to reinforce my point.

  "I won't hurt you, Bliss. Not unless I need to." Brian dials a number and holds the phone up to my ear. I listen while it rings once, then twice, before my father's voice is shouting into the phone.

  "Let me talk to my daughter, you asshole!"

  "It's me, Daddy."

  "Oh my God, Bliss! Are you okay, honey?"

  "I think so. Get me out of here, please. Give them whatever they want. I wanna come home." My emotions get the best of me. I no longer need to fake being scared. Talking to my father, hearing the fear in his voice, is causing me to get choked up.

  Brian pulls the phone away and turns his back to me.

  "You heard her. She's still alive. Now, let’s talk business."

  15

  Owen

  What the hell happened?

  I look around, focusing on my surroundings. I'm lying on the floor of the bar. There are two large guys sitting up at the bar, immersed in conversation. Reaching for the back of my neck, I find it’s tender. Those assholes must have hit me with a Taser. It was over before I could even warn Bliss.

  Bliss. Where is she? This place was crawling with people before I blacked out.

  As quietly as I can, I pull my leg up to my chest and reach for my gun. I'm surprised to find that it's still in its holster. I release the snap and then the safety. Rolling onto my knees, I spot my phone on the seat of the booth. I snag it, thrusting it in my pocket.

  A wave of dizziness hits me as I get to my feet. Shaking it off the best I can, I lift the gun and keep it aimed at the two men as I slowly make my way down the back hall, past the bathrooms, and out the back door. If they heard me, they didn't let on.

  As soon as I'm on the street, I dial Jay.

  "Where the hell are you?" he asks as soon as he picks up.

  "They have her, Jay. I took a Taser to the back of the neck. How long have I been out?"

  "About an hour. I've been tracking her purse and waiting to hear from you." The concern in his voice lets on to the fact that he's not telling me everything.

  "I'm almost back to the house. Are your guys ready?" I inquire, doing my best to pick up my pace.

  "Waiting for your signal," Jay replies.

  I burst through the door to find Jay dressed head to toe in black, an automatic weapon in each hand. He's ready for battle. Good. So am I. Those bastards better hope they haven't touched her.

  "Get changed," he says, tossing me a duffel bag. "We leave in ten minutes."

  "Where is she?"

  "A warehouse just north of town. They killed her phone, but the tracking device is still active."

  As quickly as I can, I gear up, and we’re on our way. The sun has set, the cover of darkness working in our favor. When we finally arrive at the meeting point, I'm surprised to find that Jay's team only consists of four other guys. Including us, there will be six against their entire army.

  "This is it?"

  "Trust me. We don't need anyone else. They are the best men I have. Now, let’s go over a few things before we go in."

  Jay walks us all through the plan. Half of the factory is condemned and falling down, so there is only one way in and one way out. This should make things easier. We’ll approach from the south side of the building, two of us head east, the rest head west, meeting on the north side of the building.

  Jay is going to fire the first shot. Once he does, the rest of us will move in, taking out whoever is guarding the door. Jay figures there must be at least ten men, maybe more, between the front door and wherever Bliss is. That doesn't
include Avery or Brian, who I'm assuming are with Bliss.

  Once we're inside, the room is going to open up and we'll have to split up. According to the blueprints, there is a staircase on the west side of the building. Jay and I are heading to check that out while everyone else clears the main floor.

  When we find her, it'll be my job to get her out of the building and to safety. Jay’s team will take care of everything else.

  "The one thing I want to you remember, Owen," Jay says, the mention of my name grabbing my attention, "shoot first, ask questions later. If you lose your focus, people die."

  "I know." My attempt at sounding confident falls short. I'm focused on Bliss, on her safety, not my own.

  "Okay. Time to go. Any questions?"

  No one speaks up. I have a million questions, but they can wait. I'm ready to hold Bliss in my arms, to kiss her lips, and show her how much I love her. More than anything, I'm ready for this to be over.

  We load up in one SUV and follow the tracking device to where they have Bliss. The crunch of the gravel beneath the tires echoes off the buildings around us. When Jay pulls to a stop, the brakes squeal. The sound of doors shutting is amplified in the small area we're in. My worry is that they know were here. Without the element of surprise, this is a battle we may lose.

  We're all armed, headsets turned on and earpieces in. Jay does a test and receives five thumbs up. I raise my gun and follow Jay's lead around the building. There are two guys outside the entrance, smoking. Jay fires, taking one down. Before I have a chance to pull the trigger, the other goes down.

  Jay motions for us to stop and all eyes are on the open door. When no one appears after a few minutes, Jay motions for us to continue. The other team goes in first, clearing the main entrance.

  The warehouse is empty. Completely empty.

  "Are we in the wrong place?" I ask.

  Pulling out his phone, Jay taps the screen a few times and shakes his head.

  "She should be right here according to this," he replies.

  Just as he finishes, we hear footsteps approaching as well as voices. I recognize Avery’s voice easily.

  Ducking behind a beam, I watch as Avery and an older man make their way through the building and down a set of stairs. How did they get in here? I look to Jay for permission to follow, but he shakes his head, pointing to his ear. More voices. More footsteps. They come from the same direction Avery just did. There has to be another entrance. Jay must have missed it. Two men head down the same set of stairs Avery just descended.

  We hold our position until they pass. Once they're out of sight, Jay motions for us to follow. I take the lead, wanting to be the first person Bliss sees. I'm so focused on saving her that I don't see Brian's head peak above the railing. Before I can fire a shot, he shouts down below.

  "Get the girl!"

  Someone behind me fires off a shot. I hear the bullet ding off a piece of metal as Brian ducks down the stairs. Ready to run after him, Jay's hand lands on my shoulder.

  "Adam and Collin, head down first, the rest of us will follow. Stay behind me, Owen."

  The seriousness in Jay's voice is apparent, even though the headset. Shit's about to get ugly.

  It's silent as we make our way around the railing and down the stairs. As my last foot leaves the steps, the bullets begin to fly. Raising my gun, Bliss is the first person I see. Those cowards are behind her, firing at us. If we fire back, we take the chance of hitting her.

  Bliss

  There are footsteps above me. Voices travel down the stairs and echo off the walls. Moments later, two groups come into view. Avery is with her father and two other men about our age.

  "They'll find her eventually. I called the bar, and Rick said her bodyguard was gone," a man says as he makes his way into the basement.

  "It'll take them a while," Avery replies, stopping next to him.

  They form a circle in the corner, taking bets on how long it'll take before I'm found.

  "How long are we going to wait to hear back from Cooper?"

  "Let me worry about Cooper," an older man says. I recognize that voice. That's the same man that asked someone to take my picture. He must be the one in charge.

  "Did you hear that?" Avery asks.

  "Hear what? No one's here but us," Brian states.

  "Are you sure? I swear I heard voices."

  "Now who's paranoid? It's not your first rodeo, Amanda. Settle down."

  Avery shoots daggers with her eyes in Brian's direction, and he backs away slowly. This must be her alter-ego Amanda. She was never this rude or demanding toward me. Her attitude has done a complete 180. Even her voice sounds different in a way. Maybe it’s the presence of her father.

  I have to remind myself that she's been playing me since I met her. The person I became friends with no longer exists; she never did. I only saw what she wanted me to see. I only knew what she wanted me to know.

  "Why don't I check, just to make sure,” Brian suggests. I watch as he makes his way toward the stairs, taking his time. He's probably trying to piss Avery off even more.

  Walking over to where I'm sitting in the middle of the room, my feet and hands still bound, Avery circles me once and comes to a stop in front of me.

  "Are you ready to watch your boyfriend die, Bliss? That's what's going to happen. He's going to try and save you, and then both of you are going to die, only I'll make sure he goes first." Her voice is filled with hatred and anger. She's going to be even angrier in a second.

  "I'm not sure who the hell you think you are, but you have no idea what you're up against. If anyone in this room is going to die, my money is on you."

  "If you had money to gamble, you wouldn't be in this situation. Oh wait, you can thank your mother for that. She shouldn't have bet more than she could afford to lose. Now she's going to lose more than just her money unless your daddy calls soon."

  "I—"

  "Get the girl!" Brian shouts from the top of the stairs, cutting me off.

  He's here.

  Brian, Avery, and the other men move behind me. I can hear them loading and cocking their guns. They're getting ready for the fight. I sure hope Owen brought backup.

  One by one, men dressed in head to toe black make their way into the room. I can't see their faces, but they’re not the one I'm looking for. They have big guns and bulletproof vests. Those guns are aimed behind me. For a brief second, I believe I might actually make it out of this alive.

  The last man steps into the basement and our eyes meet. Owen. I'd know those baby blues anywhere. A second later, he disappears, taking cover from fire. I watch as bullets hit the cement pillars, chipping off pieces that fly in every direction. My first reflex is to duck my head, but I keep my eyes focused on the pillar Owen moved behind.

  "I wondered how long it would take you to find us. Come on out here, Owen. I know you want to." Brian's voice, taunting Owen, sets me on fire.

  "Why don't you let her go," I hear someone yell.

  "We will when we get what we want,” Avery’s father replies.

  "That's not going to happen, Romano. You and I both know that. The only way this ends is with people dying. We can avoid that if you want. All you have to do is let Bliss go and we'll leave."

  Jay's here. Thank God.

  "Sure. You put your guns down first," Romano says.

  I hear someone fire a shot and a loud thump behind me.

  "That's not putting your guns down," Avery says, her voice coming from directly behind me. I look over my shoulder to see that she's less than three feet away, pointing a gun at my head. Behind her on the ground is one of the younger guys. Blood is covering most of his face, a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. "I would hate to kill her in front of you, Owen. I know how much that would hurt. Especially after your sister. Who would you blame this time?"

  Another shot is fired. I don't hear a thump. If they missed, it was on purpose.

  "Owen," I say. "Don't listen to them. Don't let her get under your sk
in. You know no one blames you for Chelsea's death."

  He needs to hear that I'm behind him.

  Stepping out from behind the pillar, Owen points his gun toward the ceiling, raising his arms in surrender. His eyes are on me.

  "Amanda," her father states coldly.

  Looking over my shoulder, I watch as she raises her gun, pointing it at Owen.

  Her eyes meet mine, a smile breaking out across her face. Looking back toward Owen, I roll toward her, attempting to kick her feet out from under her, but I'm not in time. A look of pure evil crosses her face as she pulls the trigger.

  Whipping my head in Owen's direction, I watch as he falls to the ground, his body hitting the floor with a loud thud. He's blinking slowly, his eyes focused in my direction. I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out.

  I don't see the others come out from behind the pillars. I don't hear the sound of bullets being fired, or bodies hitting the ground. All I can focus on is Owen. His eyes are still on mine as tears stream down my face. There's a small pool of blood forming near his shoulder, expanding by the second. It seeps into the cracks of the concrete, slowly making its way further and further from his body.

  Finding my voice, I call out to him over and over again. When Jay frees my hands and feet, I crawl to his side where I tell him I love him again and again. It doesn't matter how many times I say it, he can't hear me anymore.

  16

  Bliss

  Staring out the window of the plane, I think about all the reasons I shouldn't be going back. As much as I love the city, it's also the last place I want to be. I know I have to go. For me. For Owen. For the life he was cheated out of. I need to honor the plans we made. I swore to him that I would be there tomorrow. We promised each other we would meet if we still felt the same. It was supposed to be our fresh start together.

  I do. I still love him with all of my heart. Time hasn't changed that. I just wish he was there to greet me with open arms. I miss the feel of my body pressed against his, the way my heart skipped a beat every time he would walk into a room. Most of all, I miss the feel of his lips against mine. He may have said the words, but it hadn't been necessary. The passion in his eyes and the way he kissed me told me everything I ever need to know about how Owen felt about me.