Barred

by Paisley Walker

She turns to her left to see Emerson smiling down at her. “Good morning,” he whispers as he kisses her nose.

  “You’re awake?”

  “Mmhmm, but your secret is safe with me.”

  “Secret?”

  “Yes. I won’t tell Jonathon how you stared at him for five minutes.”

  She laughs softly as she kisses his chest. “You caught me, but I was fixing to do the same to you.”

  “I won’t tell because I do it to you often,” he has the decency to blush, telling her of his own transgressions.

  “Well, I have a feeling I should feel violated but I don’t,” she replies as she slowly climbs over him. “I’m going to make you fella’s some breakfast.” She winces as the soreness sets in from the misbehaving’s of last night.

  “Maybe I should do that,” Emerson says, slowly sliding his naked body out of her bed. “You should probably relax, you’ll be sore today.”

  “I’m okay, I like to cook,” she assures him, throwing on a robe before making her way to the kitchen to start the coffee. She turns the radio on while she gets out the ingredients to make omelets. Just as she is preparing to pour the eggs into the skillet, she feels a pair of arms wrap around her.

  “Thank you for trusting me enough to do what we did last night,” Jonathon says, kissing her on the temple. “And, for making my coffee.” He grins, taking her cup off the counter and takes a long sip.

  “That was mine, but I will let you have it,” she smiles, surprised at how happy she is. “So, how is the case going with Mr. Harris? I haven’t heard anything on it for a couple of weeks now. Are we going to trial?”

  “It’s been handled. The case is dropped,” Emerson’s strong voice comes from behind them, his eyes daring Jonathon to question him in front of Kimberly. “Everything was taken care of last night, he realized you made a mistake and his insurance company, as well as your own, covered the damages. He decided to not proceed with the case.”

  Jonathon and Emerson both look at Kimberly, confused when she looks at them defeated.

  “What’s wrong baby? This is amazing news,” Jonathon questions as Emerson walks over.

  “Kimberly, talk to us. What’s wrong?”

  “Now, you both will leave. You have no reason to stay anymore.”

  “Not true. This is reason enough,” Jonathon retorts, grabbing a handful of her ass. “You’re stuck with us babe.”

  She bursts into tears as both of the men try to comfort her. Jonathon looks over her head at Emerson with a look in his eyes that could be clarified as, way to go asshole. They both spend the day with Kimberly, watching movies, talking about their pasts and just getting to know each other more. Both men trying to reassure her that they are not running away just because they held up their end of the bargain. Kimberly falls asleep with her head in Jonathon’s lap and her feet in Emerson’s. Jonathon runs his fingers through her curly locks as she snores softly under him.

  “What do you mean it’s taken care of?” He softly asks Emerson so that he doesn’t wake her.

  “I paid the man,” Emerson says, looking Jonathon directly in the eyes, daring him to question him. “I couldn’t see her in jail.”

  “I could have helped.”

  “Like you thought you helped with Mallory?”

  Jonathon reels back as if he’s just been slapped. Emerson wasn’t supposed to know about that, and the only person he told was Mallory and Kimberly.

  “Mallory told me. I just never told you I knew, looking back on it you were right. She was an enigma, a parasite if you will. She would have destroyed us.”

  Kimberly stirs, halting the conversation as she stretches and yawns.

  “You’re awake. We are going to take off. We have a lot of cases in the morning and you need to rest,” Emerson says, kissing her softly.

  “Yeah, he’s right. You have an early morning too,” Jonathon says, kissing her mouth a bit more aggressively. She smiles and touches her lip with her finger.

  “Okay, be careful,” she says as she follows her two men over to the door.

  “Lock the door.”

  “Yes sir,” she replies to Emerson as they walk down the stairs of her porch. She smiles, turning the lock on her door and making her way into her bedroom to snuggle with the sheets that still smell of the men she’s given her heart to.

  “What do you mean? She’s been taken?” Emerson roars into the phone as Sarah repeats herself.

  “I… I came to Kimberly’s to check on her when she wouldn’t answer her phone,” she hesitates before she speaks again. “The door was wide open and there is stuff everywhere!”

  “Don’t touch anything. I’m on my way.” He growls as he ends the call. He grabs a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Throwing them over his naked body, he slips his shoes on and jumps into his car. He picks his phone up and dials Jonathon.

  “Hello?”

  “Get your ass up. Now! I will be there in five minutes tops.”

  “What the hell is going on?”

  “Kimberly.”

  “What about her? She isn’t here.”

  “She’s been taken.”

  “Taken?”

  “Yes idiot! Taken! Someone broke into her home! Call Tyler, tell him to meet us there!”

  “Shit! Got it. See ya.”

  With that, Jonathon hangs up the phone, texting Tyler the address and to get there immediately. He jumps out of bed, grabbing the first thing he comes into contact with and throwing it over his body. He runs to the kitchen, grabbing two portable coffee mugs and pouring the already made coffee into them. He runs out of the door just as Emerson pulls into the driveway.

  “So run down?” He asks, sliding into the passenger side.

  “Don’t know much. Sarah called told me she went to check on her. She was gone, door was wide open.”

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah. Thanks for the coffee… I was up late going over files.” Emerson says, reaching over and grabbing the coffee downing half in one gulp.

  They don’t really say much of anything as Emerson flies down the interstate to Kimberly’s home. When they finally pull up to the bright yellow two bedroom home with the white porch and shutters, they both take off running. Sarah jumps when she sees them and runs to them. Jonathon grabs her and hugs her as she clings to him. He rubs her back as she sobs.

  “We will find her. It will be okay.” He coos to her as he tries to soothe her, even though he is just as frazzled as she is.

  “I’m going to look around, see if there are any clues to who did this.” Emerson says, walking into the house. The sight before him is astonishing. There is paper from books everywhere as well as dirt from the plants that have been overturned. He treads carefully through the house, trying to hold back the rage as he sees pots and pans strode over the kitchen. There looks to be some dried blood on the white counter and he prays that maybe, just maybe, his woman put up a fight. That the blood he sees is not hers. Maybe this could be a clue as to who did this—a way in the right direction to getting her back.

  After ten minutes of walking through the house, he walks back outside to see an even more hysterical Sarah crying into Jonathon’s chest. Jonathon looks up at Emerson with a helpless look, which causes him to hold back a chuckle. In a time like this, laughing is not the answer to the problem.

  Tyler pulls his black Ford F-250 into the driveway behind Emerson’s car. He steps out and Sarah lets out an audible gasp as she looks at the man coming towards them. He has very short, dirty-blonde hair that looks like he buzzed it. He is big and bulky, like he could kick someone’s ass. His black T-shirt pulled taut over his big chest and his blue jeans slung low on his narrow hips. When he smiles at her, she instantly turns a shade of red, thinking that he must have heard her thoughts aloud.

  “Hey guys. What’s the deal?”

  “Blood on the counter, hopefully she stabbed the person. House is trashed.” Emerson replies, standing to meet Tyler at the steps. “Please, please get her back.”

&n
bsp; “Of course. That’s what I do. Someone probably knows she is important to you two. I need you two to go on with your daily routine. Do they know about this one?” He asks, pointing in Sarah’s direction. He can’t help but be mesmerized by the woman—her mousy brown hair and green eyes shining with tears, pulls at the strings of his heart.

  “No, they don’t. This is Sarah… Kimberly’s sister.” Jonathon pipes in, helping her to her feet.

  “Well, I’m going to have someone follow her.”

  “What? Why?” She asks in a tiny fearful voice.

  “Just a precaution, Sugar.”

  “Don’t call me that! I don’t even know who you are.” She retorts, hands on her hips.

  “You know what, fellas? I like this one. I will make sure she’s taken care of.”

  “I’m pretty sure I can handle myself. I don’t need some macho man thinking he can come in here and help me. I am no damsel in distress, asshole.”

  Emerson and Jonathon both chortle as Sarah gives Tyler an earful. They both halt their laughter when they see the rage has been turned on them.

  “I don’t see why you’re laughing! It’s your fault my sister is gone! If you both weren’t so worried about fucking her senseless, no one would have known about her!”

  “Hey, that’s cold.”

  “No, what’s cold is fucking a woman and making her fall for you knowing there is no happily ever after because she’s in love with TWO men!” She slaps her hand over her mouth after she speaks the words. Knowing when they find Kim, she will kill her for spilling the beans.

  “I’m in love with her.” Emerson speaks up. “I will get her back.”

  “As am I. I just was afraid to tell her, or you.” Jonathon says as he looks at Emerson.

  “Just get my sister back… and you,” she says, stabbing her finger into Tyler’s rock hard chest. “You will not follow me around like some lost puppy. I am a grown woman and believe it or not I could take you down right now.”

  “Prove…” but before Tyler can get the rest out, Sarah slams her hand up. Palm up, ramming him in the nose sending him howling in pain as she then slams her knee into his stomach. “Damn.” He lets out, following up she knees him in his balls, sending him to the ground, trying to breathe through the pain.

  “Damn.” Emerson and Jonathon both say. “Who knew you had it in you, Sarah.”

  “Kim’s idea… She didn’t want either of us to be defenseless. I also have a concealed carry permit.” She retorts, then adds. “So you better find my sister.”

  She smiles at Tyler, patting him on his head before she walks to her car and drives away.

  “Tough bitch.” Tyler wheezes from the ground, slowly rising to his feet. “I like her.” He smiles as he finally stands straight.

  “Good, but play time happens after you find Kimberly.” Jonathon says, walking to her door, locking it behind him.

  “Got it. Go back to acting like everything is normal. Don’t let people see it’s bothering you. It will make it more dangerous for her.”

  “Okay.” Emerson replies, walking to his car, sliding behind the wheel and saying a silent prayer that Kimberly will be okay.

  Tyler and Jonathon continue talking for a few more moments before Jonathon joins Emerson in the car. “So, what do we do now?”

  “Find her.”

  “Not what I meant.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “We have to one day.”

  “I’d rather not.” Emerson says as he puts the car into reverse and backs out of the drive after Tyler. The rest of the ride back to Jonathon’s is spent without another word said. Emerson pulls up to his house and Jonathon exits the car with a sad wave as he walks to his driveway.

  “What the fuck are we going to do now?” Emerson says aloud, putting his head on the steering wheel.

  Kimberly wakes up slowly, her eyes heavy as she lifts her head off the pillow. She puts her hand on her temple, wincing at the pain it causes. She moves forward to step off the bed but halts as her left arm catches something. She looks back, seeing her hand cuffed to the wall. She lets out a horrifying shriek as she realizes her worst nightmare has happened. Then, through the pain in her head all the events of last night come back to her. She remembers waking up to a noise. She got out of bed, walked into the kitchen to see a man in black with a mask over his head stalking toward her. She reached for the biggest knife she could, prepared to fight him.

  “Now lady, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he growled out, stalking toward her. She never answered him but struck him with the knife, slicing his palm open. “You’ll pay for that you fucking bitch!”

  He grabbed her then, slamming her into the wall and that was the last thing she remembered before now. She hears a door turn and looks in the direction of the door. A woman walks into the room, dressed immaculately.

  “Hello Kimberly, I believe we met Saturday. I’m Natasha Masterson.” The blonde woman states.

  “So why have you kidnapped me?”

  “Simple, you mean something to Jonathon and because you mean something to him, I know Emerson cares too,” she smiles, an evil grin that doesn’t show an ounce of sincerity. “They denied me my money in court, so if they want you back, they will give me my money.”

  Kimberly decides after that statement, she won’t give the woman the satisfaction of her breath, and she prays that Emerson and Jonathon will let her die before they give the woman the money.

  “Cat got your tongue honey?”

  When Kimberly says nothing, the woman just laughs. “You see, that’s the thing… You think I am some idiot, you can try to intimidate me, but I know those men. They will pay for you, I just hope for you it’s sooner rather than later.” She stands and starts to walk out of the door. “I would sure hate to mess up any part of your body before they got you back.” She laughs an evil laugh, almost like Cruella Deville, as she walks out.

  Kimberly growls out in frustration, trying to get her hand out of the cuff, but comes up empty handed. She screams out, realizing there is nothing she can do but wait until the two men come to find her. Hopefully, by now they know she’s missing. She looks up at the sky and prays to God that the woman is not as sadistic as she makes herself out to be. Seeing as there is nothing else for her to do, she makes herself as comfortable as she can on the four poster bed with plush covers. She looks around the room, noticing that there is a bay window that leads out to a balcony, which looks like it overlooks the country club that Jonathon stays in. Does this woman not realize that Jonathon has a home in this neighborhood? At least she isn’t chained to a wall in a basement or something like that. If she ever thought about being kidnapped, this is how she would imagine it. She looks over at the nightstand, seeing a remote to a television on the bed in front of her and a Kindle. When had the woman had time to get her Kindle? Kimberly can’t help but laugh at how stupid this woman really is. She reaches for the Kindle, only to find out that she can’t connect it to the Wi-Fi. Okay, so maybe she isn’t really that stupid.

  Kimberly opens her Kindle to the latest book she was reading last night before all this shit took place. She looks over at the clock to see that it’s now two in the afternoon. She looks back at the book on her screen, reading about some typical romance. She reads a few more pages before she decides this book isn’t what she really wants to read. She sits her Kindle down on the bedside table as the door opens.

  “Would you like some food?” Natasha asks as she walks in with a tray of fruit and finger sandwiches.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “I’m sorry that I had to do this Kimberly. I feel we could have been great friends, but your boyfriend has cost me a great deal of money.”

  “I think you’re wrong. Jonathon would never let the wrong person win a case.”

  “Well, he made me lose two million dollars. So therefore he let the wrong person win.”

  “Cheaters never win,” Kimberly growls before a hand slams into
her mouth.

  “Watch what you say in my home,” Natasha slithers before leaving the food and walking out the door.

  Kimberly eats a piece of the fresh strawberry and cantaloupe. She looks out the window as she wonders when Jonathon and Emerson will find her, or if they even care.

  Jonathon walks into his office a little after ten that morning, looking more than worse for wear. His khaki pants are wrinkled, his black shirt not even tucked into them, and no tie on. He gives a sad smile to Nicole as he passes the reception area to head to the elevator. He sits down at his desk, taking a deep breath. Kimberly is gone, and it is all his fault. Had he made sure to keep that fucking picture out of the paper this wouldn’t have happened. Had he not taken her to that damn gala that Saturday night, he wouldn’t have made such a big claim with her. He was never seen with the same woman twice. It was a rule he had. Now he broke the rules, decided to go out on a limb and fall in love with someone and now she is the one reeling from it. He puts his hands on his desk after running his fingers through the mess of hair upon his head. That’s when he notices it. The letter on his desk.

  To Mr. Phillips and Mr. Stanley,

  You took something I wanted, and now I have something you want. I know Ms. Weston means something to you Jonathon, and I know you want her unharmed. I also know that if she means something to you, that she means something to Emerson as well because you mean something to him. If you’d like Ms. Weston back, it’s rather simple. Give me the two million you kept from me and she will be yours again. For every day I don’t have my money, I will make sure something happens to your beloved Kimberly.

  Kind Regards.

  Jonathon slams his hands down on the desk, immediately reaching for the phone. He dials Tyler’s number as he re-reads the letter, trying to think of what could have happened to make this happen to them.

  “Hello?” Comes the man’s voice on the other end of the line.

  “Got a letter.”

  “On my way.”

  The line disconnects as Tyler hangs up. Jonathon stands on shaky legs, gripping the letter like it’s his sole reason for living. He walks out of his office and knocks on Emerson’s door. He opens the door to see a man he isn’t used to seeing. A man he hasn’t seen since the day he sent Mallory away. Emerson is standing with his back to him, his shirt just as rumpled as the one on his own back. His hand pressed against the glass as he looks over the city.