by Tosha Damaya
"You need to go back to Johari!" Destiny yelled once she could speak. "He's not here. He's going after her."
"What are you talking about?" Demetrius asked.
"He's been following her for days. He knows where she works, where she lives...he never had any intention of being here. He followed you today. Go before it's too late."
Demetrius ran out the door and called Brice. He started to panic when he saw all the missed calls from Jonathan, Zeke and Ethan. He made three attempts to call Brice and every call went unanswered.
↔
Brice couldn't answer his cell phone because he was too busy begging for his life. Trenton stood over him with a gun pointed at his head. "Where is my wife?"
"She's not here."
"Liar." Trenton shot the man in the head.
He searched every room before stopping at the bathroom door.
↔
When the door swung open, Johari thought it was Brice finally letting her out. She didn't expect to see Trenton standing there with a smile on his face.
It must have shown on her face.
"What? Aren't you glad to see me?" Trenton asked before hitting Johari in the head with the gun.
He carried her unconscious body out of the apartment before anyone could get there to stop him.
Chapter 30
Sean and Yolanda rushed into hospital in search of Destiny. They couldn't believe the call they received from Demetrius letting them know that she was found.
They went to the front desk clerk and requested her room number. Demetrius overheard and walked around the corner to greet them. "She's still in the ER. They haven't given her a private room yet." When they proceeded to rush in that direction, he stopped them. "Listen, she's in rough shape. He really hurt her, mentally and physically. Right now, she just needs love and support. Try not to react to her appearance."
Sean and Yolanda nodded their heads.
"Okay."
"Thank you," Yolanda added after Sean.
Demetrius pointed to Destiny's temporary room and watched them run over. The only decent thing about this situation was that Destiny was found. Now, they had to get Johari back. He felt like shit, and it showed all over his face. He was shocked by the turn of events. He couldn't even stare Jonathan in the eyes because he felt at fault for Johari's life.
Fuck, he should've brought her along or he should've had more than one guard at the apartment. He felt like he messed up in a major way and couldn't do anything about it. It was already creeping towards the evening and they needed to find Johari fast before Trenton put her in the same condition as Destiny.
Zeke walked out of the waiting room and patted his shoulder. "Stop beating yourself up. We'll find her. Let's give Sean and Yolanda a chance to see their daughter and then we'll see if Destiny knows anything. Jo is a tough girl. She'll be fine."
Demetrius nodded his head. "You're right." He peeked into the waiting room. "How is Jonathan?"
Zeke looked towards the room where Jonathan was sitting with Ethan. They all met up at the hospital after going by the apartment and finding Brice's dead body and the empty bathroom.
"He's distraught. Mostly upset that Jo would risk her and the baby's life. He doesn't blame you for anything. Right now, he just wants her back at home."
Demetrius knew exactly how the man felt. He was going through similar emotions when Nina was admitted to the hospital. Those feelings were there before he found out the truth about her infidelities. "I'm going to go talk to Destiny."
He left and went towards her room. Demetrius walked in on the end of Yolanda and Sean's conversation. They were telling Destiny that the three of them were going to be a family again. Demetrius heart tightened. He wanted the same thing for his future. A family.
He cleared his throat to get their attention. "Sorry to interrupt, Destiny I need for you to tell me anything you know about Trenton's whereabouts. Did he say anything about where he was headed?"
Destiny shook her head. "No. I don't know where." She started to cry hysterically. "This is all my fault. This whole entire mess. I'm so sorry, Daddy."
Demetrius watched as Sean consoled his daughter.
"It's okay, baby." Sean was trying his best to hold back the tears. He didn't expect to see his daughter covered in marks and bruises. "The only thing we can do is move forward. If you know anything, please tell Demetrius. Johari risked her life for you. We have to do anything to help her."
Destiny tried to think but couldn't come up with much. "He kept me tied up and locked in the room. I sometimes heard him talk about flying out of the country."
"Did he have a car?"
"He has a rental car. It's a black Mercedes."
Demetrius would try to work with the little information she provided. "Thank you, Destiny. Listen, I know this is hard for you. But we're going to need for you to be strong. Austin Police Department is going to need a statement from you. This way, we can put Trenton in jail. Later, you'll have to tell your story to a judge and jury when we go to trial. I also want you to be prepared for reporters to be in your face. Can you handle that?"
Destiny nodded her head. "I can try. I thought he cared for me; I was wrong. He used my insecurities against me and what he did to me was wrong."
She started to weep again.
"I'll give you guys some privacy."
Demetrius left Sean and Yolanda alone in the room with Destiny. He quickly called into the police department and notified them that Trenton was driving a black Mercedes. He hoped that it helped track him down.
↔
Jonathan didn't remain at the hospital. He left and went back to Ethan and Sierra's house. He crawled into bed and cuddled the pillow that Johari slept with the night before. He just wanted her back in his arms. He didn't know what he would do without her in his life.
He considered her his whole life.
Now, he knew how Zeke felt last year when Sydney was missing. It felt like his heart was breaking into pieces and there was nothing he could do about it. He had no clue where Trenton had taken her. He just hoped that she was found in one piece.
"Johari, I love you. Please lord don't take her away from me," he stated out loud.
Sierra and Sydney overheard him and crawled into the bed and held their brother while he cried softly.
↔
Johari woke up with a pounding migraine. Her head was pounding and for a minute she couldn't remember what happened to her. She looked out of the car window and saw that the sky was enveloped in darkness.
She closed her eyes and licked her chapped lips. "Where are we?"
Trenton looked at her in the rearview mirror. "Hi baby, we're currently in New Orleans but heading towards Florida. I have a plane waiting there that's going to fly us out of the country."
Johari eyes shot open when she heard his voice. The past events flooded her mind. First, her being locked inside of the bathroom, then Trenton showing up at Demetrius house and lastly him knocking her unconscious. When she reached up and felt the large bump on her forehead, she realized that her hands were handcuffed. She couldn't believe the irony of the situation. Demetrius left her at his apartment to keep her safe and she ended up in even more danger.
Trenton was driving the car while she was in the backseat. She scooted over in the seat and tried to open the door. She heard laughter.
"You're on child lock, JoJo. Do I look stupid? Why would I leave the doors unlocked?"
She kicked the back of the seat. "You're stupid."
"So stupid that I was able to track your movements and kidnap you without anyone finding out."
She maintained eye contact with him through the mirror. "You're a wanted man, Trenton. Do you really think you're going be able to fly out of Florida?"
"It's a private plane, love. Money talks, the pilot is ready to fly us wherever I want." He moaned in excitement. "I can't wait to get you back in bed. I missed you, Jo. I plan on fucking you for hours."
"You aren't going to touch me!" she yel
led kicking the seat again. "I have a new man. He's the only one I'm willing to share my body with."
Trenton chuckled and continued to maneuver the car down the highway. "Where is this man of yours? I don't see him anywhere in this car. I don't need permission to fuck my own wife. I'll take it from you, if I have to."
"I'll fight you."
"That'll only make it more fun. I like this new side of you. The old Johari didn't have this much guts to talk back."
Johari was fuming with anger. She hated Trenton and wanted him to pay for everything he did to her in the past and for the pain that he caused Destiny. Johari took a deep breath and spit at him. "I hate you."
Trenton rubbed the back of his head and felt the wet substance. "You’re a nasty bitch." He pulled over on the side of the highway and got out of the driver's seat. He closed the front door and opened the back door a second later. He stared at Johari as the cars passed by them. The brightness of their headlights illuminated the inside of the car. Trenton saw that Johari wasn't cowering away from him. The old Jo would never spit on him.
It was a turn on.
Trenton liked the fire in her eyes. He flattened his hand out and slapped Johari in the face.
Her head reared to the side and she felt the blood on her lips.
"If you don't learn your lesson, you'll get worse than that," Trenton threatened. "I'm trying to be nice, but you're making it hard."
Johari couldn't believe that she wasted years being married to the man standing in front of her. She wanted him to die. She quickly lifted her legs and kicked Trenton into oncoming traffic. He stumbled back and fell onto the road. She was hoping that he was going to get hit by a car, but at the last second he moved out of the way.
She was disappointed.
Trenton ran back towards the car and wrapped his hands around her neck. Johari tried to fight him off. "You are lucky that I love you." He continued choking her until she passed out.
Trenton laid her body down in the backseat and went back up front and started driving again. He hummed softly to the radio as he went across state lines heading towards their destination.
↔
When Johari became conscious again, it was no longer dark outside. The brightness of headlights and taillights was replaced with the sun beaming down on her face. The devil was still transporting her down the highway. She sat up straight. "Where are we now?"
"Orlando, Florida," he replied before sipping some soda. While she was passed out, he stopped and got something to eat.
Johari started to panic. "What part of Florida are we meeting the pilot?"
"Down in Miami."
That meant she had a few hours to get away. "Trenton, I need to pee."
He snorted. "You'll try to run. Pee in your pants."
In that moment, Johari made a choice. She didn't see a way of getting from Trenton without harming herself. She couldn't be his prisoner any longer. She made a silent prayer up to the heavens.
"I love you," she whispered for Jon and the baby in her stomach. God will see us through this.
"I love you too."
Johari chuckled. "I wasn't talking to you, asshole."
Give me strength. She sat forward from the back seat and slipped her handcuffed arms over Trenton's head. The chain from the cuffs cut out his air supply and he started to choke. He let go of the stirring wheel and the car started to swerve. Johari leaned back in the seat to apply more pressure on his neck. She intended to kill him.
They swerved to the left and collided with the car beside them.
Trenton was trying to control the wheel and stop that assault on him. He couldn't do both at the same time.
Their car then went to the left and hit the guard rail. Trenton had lost complete control of the car and it flipped over on the highway. He and Johari tossed and turned with the car. They lost count of how many times in flipped before finally hitting the ground.
Multiple calls were made to 911 by people in other cars. When help finally came, Trenton was left in a lifeless state.
Johari was carefully pulled from the vehicle by EMT. With little strength left, she opened her eyes.
"Did I kill him?" She asked before passing out again.
Chapter 31
The following morning, around 8 a.m., Zeke and Baby Teddy arrived at Sierra and Ethan's house. There still wasn't word on Johari. It had been one of the most stressful twenty-four hours that her family had experienced.
"How is he?" Sydney asked when they found Sierra in the kitchen staring at the coffee machine. She looked up when she heard Sydney.
Sierra shrugged her shoulders. "The same. Ethan is in there talking to him now. He's hoping that spending time with Sammie will lift Jonathan's spirits. I don't think he slept at all last night. Mama and Daddy tried to talk to him, but he's not listening."
"He's going to end up making himself ill," Sydney commented.
Zeke grabbed Sydney's hand. The kidnapping of Johari brought back memories of what happened with Sydney. He needed the comfort of her touch. "I couldn't sleep either when you were gone. It was the worse feeling knowing that you were out there, and I couldn't do anything to find you."
Sydney leaned against her husband. "She'll be fine. I wasn't going to let my kidnapper tear me away from you. I know Johari feels the same way about Jonathan."
Sierra finished making coffee and offered some to them. "I have faith in Johari. She's not the same woman she was when we first met her. She's stronger and will find a way out. I hope she fuck's Trenton up the same way you beat Alana's ass."
"Me too."
Zeke and Sydney watched as Sierra added some vodka to her coffee. "Don't judge me. This shit has me stressed out. What's going to happen next? Is someone going to come after me? I’m going to make sure I'm strapped, and we're all taking self-defense classes. This is the last time something like this happens to our family."
↔
"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked Jonathan.
Jonathan kept his eyes trained on his nephew. "I feel like a part of me is missing. I'm never going to be the same until I know she's okay. I want to search every house, building, street corner, and car until I find her."
"I don't think that would do any good. There's a search going on for her through law enforcement."
Jonathan snorted. "You know what's worse. I came up with the idea to leave her in Demetrius' apartment. I feel like it's partly my fault."
Jonathan couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Ethan patted his back. "It's not your fault. Don't place the blame on yourself. Jo is going to be fine and she's going to need to lean on you when we find her. She needs for you to be strong. Just try to get some sleep"
Jonathan nodded his head. "I'll try."
↔
Sierra was in the middle of changing Sammie when the phone started ringing. Jonathan had finally fallen asleep and Ethan was in the living room talking with everyone. In addition to Sydney and Zeke, Demetrius and Avery were at the house. Sean and Yolanda were still at the hospital with Destiny. Everyone was coming together under the horrible circumstance.
She answered the phone. "Hello."
"Mrs. Coleman."
Sierra dropped the phone. Thank God, her baby was on the changing table or she would have dropped him too. She was shocked. She bent down and picked the phone up.
"Jo?"
"It's me," Johari cried into the phone. "I'm okay."
Sierra started to cry. "Where are you?"
"I'm at a hospital."
That made Sierra panic. "What? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. The nurse just told me that the baby is fine too. I'm at Orlando Memorial Hospital in Florida."
Sierra picked Sammie up and started walking back to the living room. She was so grateful that Jo was okay and alive. She smiled through her tears. "Bitch, if you wanted to take a vacation in Florida you only had to say so."
Johari chuckled. She loved that Sierra was trying to make her laugh. "I love you, Sierra."
"I
love you too."
Sierra made it to the living room and put the phone on speaker. Everyone was wondering what was going on until they heard Johari.
"Hi everyone."
They all got up and spoke to her one by one asking a thousand questions.
"I promise to answer everything eventually. Sierra, where is Jon?"
Sierra took the phone to the room and woke her brother up. "Jonathan, there's someone that wants to speak to you."
He rubbed his eyes. "Hello?"
Johari started crying on the phone again. She ignored the nurses and doctors in the room with her.
"Jo? Baby, is that you?"
"Jonathan, I love you so much. I need you with me," she cried into the phone.
He jumped up and started to get dressed. He couldn't believe that she was on the phone. "Are you okay?" What happened?"
"I'm a little hurt but happy to be alive. Me and your baby are fine. Just come be with me. I need you," she repeated.
Jonathan took a deep breath and sent a prayer to the heavens. "I'm coming."
Chapter 32
Jonathan pressed a kiss to Johari's left hand. He couldn't move the right because her right arm was wrapped in a cast. "You lied to me."
"I'm sorry for not telling you the truth."
"Not that," Jonathan interrupted. "But we'll talk about that in a minute. You told me over the phone that you were fine. Baby, you are far from fine."
Johari licked her lips and shook her head slightly. She quickly regretted the movement because it caused some pain. "I'm fine. I'm alive and the baby is alive. I can't be any more thankful than I am."
Jonathan hated seeing her in so much pain. "Tell me what happened. I want the whole story."
She sighed and told him everything. From when Trenton showed up at Demetrius's apartment to when she wrapped the handcuffs around his neck and waking up in the hospital with a stranger staring at her. Jonathan sat and listened to every word. When she told him that Trenton hit and choked her, his jaw clenched. His fist was balled up. When she mentioned that the car flipped over, his eyes widened in shock. After she was finished, Johari waited for Jonathan to speak. It worried her that after five minutes he hadn't said a word.