Save Me (Taken Series Book 1)

by Cannavina, Whitney

  Now I’ve taken it upon myself to follow Mr. Morris every day to all the places he visits. There are only three constants. His house which is the opposite way that he was said to have been driving when Sierra was with him, another house which I haven’t figured out whose it belongs to or what goes on there, and an underground warehouse that is known for cage fights, drug deals and a storage unit to keep up appearances when the police come to check it out. I know this because it is also the same warehouse where I run those underground fights as a rouse to catch criminals. But I’ve never seen the whole place and now I’m curious about why a teacher would frequent a place known for illegal dealings.

  The first place I plan to look is the house he visits just a few blocks over from our place. It’s where I think he’s holding my beautiful Sierra. I’ve heard stories of it being a sex trafficking house but I don’t know for sure because I’ve never been inside. If it is then I wonder why Mr. Morris is always visiting there. Is that where he has her holed up? Is he pimping her out to men or is he just holding her there for safe keeping until they transport? I need to find out and soon before he does sell her to someone else where she will be lost in the sex trafficking world and I may never find her. I’ve got a buddy that is in the drug and sex trafficking industry. He’s an undercover cop trying to catch the head honcho of this underground ring by working his way up the ladder and I know if anybody can get inside that house and find Sierra it would be him. I called and told him what was going on. He’s agreed to go in and take a look around at the girls they have hidden to see if he can spot her and if he does he’s going to say he’s selling her to a buyer and return her back to me. Yes we both are undercover looking for the same guy but we are working different angles to catch him.

  When it comes to the sex trafficking, my guy sets up a lot of sales with people who are also undercover as buyers who purchase the girls and return them safely to their families. He doesn’t get to all of them in time and some get lost in the world but he does what he can and that’s why I am the eyes and ears at the fights. He isn’t always invited to the auctions so I step in to grab Intel on the next auction date and location where more undercover buyers try to get in. Also it’s in hopes that the head guy will show up or be mentioned because nobody has seen him except for his VP.

  Carson, my undercover friend, says that he will check it out and if he does spot Sierra then he will see who brought her in. If Mr. Morris was the one who took her like I believe, then I will serve justice with my own hands but so far Carson says he hasn’t seen him ever bring any girls to the house or set up the sales. He thinks he could just be there to pay for sex and that’s it but I think there’s more to it than that.

  As the days slowly turn into two weeks with no word from my friend I start to worry that Sierra has already been placed in the sex trafficking world and possibly even sold. I fear for her and what she’s going through and I’m out of my mind trying to find her. I’ve called in every favor I had trying to see if anyone can give me news on her whereabouts and turning up with nothing. I’ve spent several nights at the underground warehouse where I see Mr. Morris visit every day and look around as best I can only to come up empty. There was only one place I haven’t looked that could be a possible hiding spot but it’s locked down tight with several locks and a key pad to enter. If I got in then I would have to be quick so I wouldn’t get caught and I don’t even know if she’s in there or if it’s just an office that holds all the money and video screens.

  I’ve seen Mr. Morris enter the place several times with food and water and come out empty. He could be in there watching the monitors eating the food himself but after following him around all over I doubt that’s the only thing that he’s hiding back there. It is possible Sierra is being locked up in that room and I need to find a way to get in there to check. I have no clue what he would need to be there for seeing as he is a teacher which confuses me as to why he would have access to that area of the warehouse.

  Sierras parents are devastated and haven’t left their house hoping that she’ll call saying she’s ok and they don’t want to miss it. Damon is on a rampage like me asking all over the place to see if anybody has seen any sign of her since the day of her abduction coming up with the same walls as me. We’ve always looked out for Sierra and its killing us that we couldn’t protect her from being taken and even worse not knowing what kind of hell she’s going through. Every night I choose to sleep in her room in her bed to remember the smell of her and to feel as if she’s there with me. I have to because if not I would go crazy. But the more I sleep in her bed and stay in her room the less it smells of her. I’m losing it and I feel as if it’s trying to tell me that I’m losing her as well. I just want my baby girl back.

  I went through her room one day looking for clues as to who in her life she’s been in contact with that could also be named as suspects and found a box filled with all her old diaries. It looks like she has one for every year since she was little. I’m not sure how far back they go to but what I do know is there are a lot of them. I’m not sure if she will be pissed to find out I read them but I don’t care at this point because if I can find anything that could help me figure out who took her than I’m going to most likely find it in her most private admissions.

  As I read through entry after entry, most are of the man she claims she loves. How he’s her whole world and how she wishes he could see her as a woman instead of like a little sister. Every time I read an entry it kills me because I want that person to be me. None of them say who this guy is but when I reach an entry in the same diary I read before after the last one she wrote that I read, she mentions the kiss and then I know. I know just how she truly feels and I wish that I knew this earlier that the man she claims to love is actually me.

  OMG. You are not going to believe what just happened. I did it. I finally got the kiss I’ve been dreaming of. The kiss that obliterates all other kisses in the world of kissing. Yeah I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true. I never thought it would happen but I always imagined it. The scene was different than I thought it would be but the passion and love was like how I imagined. It was a deep and sensual kiss that makes your toes curl and leaves you feeling like you’re having an out of body experience. Not only was it amazing in the most amazing way, but it was with the most amazing man of my dreams. My dream man. The love of my life. My whole world. He kissed me like a man starving and I was something to feast on and it was so wonderful and amazing. Yeah I know I keep saying it was amazing but there isn’t a better word I can think of to explain it right now. I just wish he knew just how much his kiss meant to me. I love him and I can’t wait to tell him how I feel about him. I’ve decided it’s for sure going to be the day of my 18th birthday where I profess my love and I think he may feel the same. At least I hope he does. But then again he sort of made it seem as if he was just educating me. So maybe I’m just looking too far into the kiss and it really meant nothing to him. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. Until next time.

  I never knew she loved me and the man in all her other entries that she claims to love was actually me. I’m overjoyed at this new development but then my heart plummets into despair because she’s not here. I can’t run to her and tell her that I feel the same for her. That I feel as if she’s my brightest star in the dark of night and that I could never love another as much as I love her. That I don’t care if I lose Damon as my best friend because I would have her and she’s all I’ll ever need. As soon as I find her, and I will find her, I’m going to make sure she knows that she’s the only one for me.

  I may not like what happens to her while she is with her abductor but I will be there for her in any way she needs and I will never let her go. I will kill the bastard that took her and is hurting her. I just hope that he doesn’t damage her beyond repair. She’s fragile and innocent and has never seen anything darker than a few punches to a guy’s face but I know after this she will have seen and experience some of the darkest things that you could n
ever imagine and that they will scar her for life and cause real damage to that beautiful heart and mind of hers. She may just come out worse than me but I know she’s strong. She’s stronger than any person I’ve ever known. No matter how much pain she will go through during this ordeal I know that she is strong enough to pull out of it and if not I’ll be there to help her. I’ll be her hand to hold, shoulder to cry on and closest confidant for when she wants to tell me when it gets to be too much for her to handle alone.

  Even as I read through all of her private thoughts I realize she doesn’t mention anyone that could possibly be a suspect in her abduction. I don’t know what to think. Usually when someone is kidnapped it’s someone you know and interact with daily. Sure Mr. Morris is in her life daily, but she hasn’t mentioned anything about him in any of her entries. Either there wasn’t much interaction between the two or she just hadn’t put it down due to most likely not being of much importance. Although the latter seems to be the more logical reason, I still believe that he was the one to abduct my baby girl and soon I’ll figure it out and then he’s fucked. I’m usually never wrong when it comes to what my gut tells me and my gut tells me he had something to do with it.

  As I sit and contemplate all the new information I read about Sierras feelings, I get a call. “Shoot.” My usual greeting, not polite but who cares. I’m in no mood to be polite and I’m frustrated as fuck.

  “Hey buddy. So I got some news that there’s a meeting at the fight tonight and I need you all ears and eyes. Report back to me tomorrow with whatever you got. Oh and a girl was just brought in a little while ago. She was passed out but guess who had her? The fucking teacher had her. Said he’s going to leave her at the whore house for the night but will get her after the fight. Could be your girl but he wouldn’t let me get a good look at her. He locked her up in a private room and said for nobody to enter. I’ll check it out as soon as he’s gone and shoot you a text later.” Relief and dread were my two most prominent emotions running rampant through me at the moment. I knew we’d find her. I have no doubt that the girl Mr. Morris brought over is my baby girl. I want so bad to just burst through the door of that whore house and find her and take her away to somewhere safe but if I do that then all of our covers are blown. I know she’ll be safe for now and that Carlson will keep an eye on things until after the fight. I just need to be patient.

  I run my hand through my hair wanting to jump for joy before answering Carlson. “Thanks man. Fuck. You have no idea what that news means to me. Keep her safe. I know it’s her. I’ll be by after the fight and we will figure out a way to get her out of there.” I’m so close I can almost feel her in my arms and taste her sweet kisses.

  “Sure thing man. I’m glad I can help. Keep your phone close. See ya later.”

  “I will. See ya.” We hang up and I rub my hands down my face. I haven’t smiled since the day of her birthday before my world was torn apart. Now I’m smiling because I’m going to have her in my arms by the end of the night. I just know it. I can’t say anything to anybody about the whereabouts of Sierra until after I get her safely out of that place just in case they blow my cover because I know I will have to explain how I found her.

  Soon baby girl. Soon you’ll be home and in my arms and I’ll never let another living thing hurt you again. I would die before I let anything happen to her once I get her back.

  Chapter 3

  Sierra

  Day 1 of my abduction.

  “Help! Somebody please help! Can anybody hear me! Help me PLEASE!” I banged my fists on the door screaming and crying out for somebody, anybody to get me out of here. I don’t remember much of my abduction but I do know who did it. My P.E. teacher Mr. Morris. I haven’t seen him since I woke up in this hell hole on the thin mattress in the corner of the tiny space. The last thing I remember was getting in his car and him handing me a water bottle because I was thirsty after my cheerleading practice. I drank all my water so it was a welcome relief when he handed me his bottle of water.

  We were heading back to my house across town where I was supposed to be dropped off so I could get ready for my birthday party. Mr. Morris talked to me saying how he caught me at practice and how great I was with my moves. I thought it was a little inappropriate but I didn’t say anything. Just nodded my head and hoped he’d hurry up and get me home. It wasn’t too long before I started feeling tired and his voice was beginning to become muffled, almost like he was talking on the other side of a glass door to me. I tried to focus on him while I wondered what was happening to me. I vaguely remember him telling me I was very beautiful and smiling at me before placing his hand high up on my thigh. I found it disgusting because he was my teacher and he was hitting on me. No matter how hot a teacher is it’s still gross if they flirt with you.

  I tried hitting his hand away but my hands felt heavy like they were weighed down with weights. I mumbled incoherently asking him what was going on and why was I feeling like this. I don’t know what he said though because I started to drift in and out of consciousness. My eyes kept closing as I tried to fight off the drowsiness to no avail.

  When I woke up, I felt sick and had to vomit so I leaned over the side of the mattress and did just that. It took a few minutes for the nausea to wear off and a few more minutes to get my bearings and realize I wasn’t at home. I looked around the tiny room I was placed in and tried to figure out what was going on when it finally came back to me who brought me here. I may not remember being put here but I do remember who I was last with and how he flirted with me and touched me.

  I tried to sit up, becoming dizzy as I dropped back down onto the mattress with a harrumph. I realized Mr. Morris must have drugged me when he gave me the water bottle and how stupid I was to drink it when I didn’t know much about the man giving it to me. Of course he was my teacher so what student would really think that something like being drugged and kidnapped by their teacher would happen.

  As I crawled to the door I fought the urge to cry as my body hurt from the effects of the drug and the pain in my knees from the hard concrete. It’s like waking up from a bad hangover only worse because sometimes you remember what happened the night before. Being drugged as I was I can’t remember anything after drinking from the water bottle. With no windows or a clock I don’t know how long I’ve been in this room, if it’s day or night, or what happened in between the time I left the school until I woke up.

  When I finally reached the steel door at the opposite side of the room, I leaned into it with my ear to see if I can hear anyone on the other side of it. Nothing. Not a single sound coming from the other side. My hope of getting out of here diminished a little I decided to try yelling for help and hope that someone would hear me and let me out of her. I don’t know how long I yelled and banged on the door for but my voice was cutting out and hoarse and my hands ached and were starting to bruise and swell from hitting the door so much. I decided to take a few minutes break to give my hands and throat a rest when I noticed the water bottle and granola bars sitting at the foot of my bed. I knew better than to drink or eat whatever was in those contents. Mr. Morris may have drugged them again. As far as I’m concerned I would rather starve and die of thirst than eat or drink anything he brings me.

  I sit and wonder what my family is doing right now. Do they know I’ve been kidnapped? And if they do, do they realize it was my P.E. teacher who took me? Did anybody else know I was with him last? And lastly, when will I get out of here? Those are all great questions that I won’t be getting answers to. I hope my family will find me soon and they catch Mr. Morris. I miss them. I may not have been here long but I do know that sitting here thinking about all that’s happened has made me realize how much I love my family and miss them. I can’t help but drift to Forrest and wonder how he is taking this. Does he miss me? Is he going just as crazy at knowing I’ve been kidnapped as I am? I hope this doesn’t set him back in all he’s worked to achieve in his life. He could easily go back to being violent and fighting his way to fin
d me. I don’t want that for him. I want him to be happy and find someone to love him if I don’t get out of here. I just wish he knew how I felt before all this happened. If only to let him know that he can be loved.

  I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve been sitting here crying and thinking and yelling for help when I finally hear footsteps approaching and then stopping right at my door. I stand up and lean as far into the wall as physically possible as I wait for the person on the other side to either open it up or keep walking. I hear the lock being turned before the door opens making a squeak before a big man steps through. I can’t see his face because his back is to me but I wait behind the door as it opens in hopes that I can escape. The man steps fully into the tiny room and looks straight at the mattress I woke up on and I know this is the one chance I’ll have to knock him out and run. I don’t know if he is here to help me or if he is here to hurt me but I’m not taking any chances.

  As he slowly steps in the room more I shove him from behind causing him to trip forward as I swing the door open fully to make my escape. I wasn’t fast enough though to make it out because as soon as I make it out and head left down the hall to what looks to be another door the man in question grabs me by my waist and pulls me flush against his body. I scream for help at the top of my lungs while kicking and hitting the man with all my might. I know I got him a few times good in the legs because I heard him curse under his breath before I threw my head back trying to hit him in the face. I hit my mark as I hear him howl in pain before his hold on me loosens. As I drop to the floor I hurry to get up and run again. I think I’ve made it as I hear the boom boom of music on the other side of the door but just before I could reach it to open I get knocked to the ground with the full weight of the man landing on top of me. I try to scream again but he covers my mouth with his hand. I try to bite him but he hits me hard in the jaw causing me to see stars.