Becoming His Princess (The Dark Prince #2)

by Autumn Winchester

  “What will be expected once we reach home?” Carter asked.

  Chase let his eyes slide closed, not in the mood to listen, nor pushing his way into the conversation again. He was tired. Tired of life.

  “Ryder mentioned that the houses could be warranted to look through,” Chase shrugged, taking a sharp left turn. “Just because they want to rule out everything, and anyone, possible. But really, with our guys, she’ll be found within days.”

  “She better be,” Chase said darkly.

  Wisely, the two men in the front didn’t say anything, not wanting to push Chase too far in such a state. Trent made sure to pick up his gun before walking into that small room where the man had been held. He wouldn’t be giving it back until he knew that Chase was well and good and back in the present.

  The rest of the ride to the hotel was silent, and Chase began to doze off right as Trent quickly parked the car.

  “Stay,” he demanded to the man, who simply huffed at the command. He was too tired to move, so that wouldn’t be a problem.

  Trent was quick to exit the car, taking the fake ID that Carter somehow gotten a hold of. He wasn’t going to question it, as the guard just knew things sometimes. Or Peter could have sent it to him, possibly.

  Once past the yellow tape of the hotel room, Carter waited downstairs to make sure that Chase did stay in the car, Trent took a number of pictures on his iPhone.

  Looking at the room, he knew that Summer had put up a fight. She was tough, and she would be found alive.

  Seeing Summer’s phone on the floor, Trent bent down to retrieve it, also finding her two rings that she wore ever since she had got them, under the bed.

  He also found a note, sitting and waiting. It had purposely been left there where it would be seen, and after the police got what evidence they had needed. Someone had been in here, but who?

  After looking at him and listening to make sure he had another few minutes, Trent opened up the white paper, reading the words with a smile.

  She will be kept alive, promise. I have inside people, too.

  Keep an ear out for Black Spy - he’s mine.

  There was no name, but Trent knew everything would be okay.

  Chapter 27

  With a pounding head, Summer awoke to pitch black. She was laying on a cold hard surface. While she let her fingertips that were at her sides, feel around, feeling a smooth top. If she had to guess, it was a metal table.

  Turning her body over on its side, Summer found the coldness a shock to her mostly naked body, but that was the least of her a concern. She had no idea where she was, and her throbbing head wasn’t helping her to think straight.

  Her hands went straight to cover her eyes, finding nothing covering them, but a sob broke through her body before she could stop it. Oh God! She thought, remembering Jack being shot, lying too still on the floor. He was dead, and Summer had been taken right underneath Chase’s nose.

  Summer remembered fighting, but not enough as the man, Sean, injected something into her arm and making darkness take over. She would have been able to get away if it wasn’t for the man that blocked the doorway, already knowing she’d try to run.

  Yet, she was still in the dark. Where was she? Her heart was in her throat as her body shook with sobs, tears coating her face. Would she ever be found? Would she die here? Alone? Where was Chase? Would he find her in time? Was he alive?

  Summer had no idea what would happen to her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out. There were too many possibilities to think of. Another hard sob racked through her body as she curled into a tight ball with her knees to her chest, trying to keep her body from shaking as much as possible.

  Eventually, her tears ran dry, and sleep took her once more. Sleep was better than the nightmare she had woke up to. It had to be.

  ~oOo~

  When Summer awoke the next time, the room was bathed in a bright light from the window. Her body was sore and stiff, and she refused to move more other than to breathe. Her nose was stuffed, and her eyes were tired from her night of crying.

  Summer wasn’t even sure how long she had cried, waking up often to pitch black in fits of pain and terror. She wasn’t sure what made her wake up this time, but she took a moment to look around the room. There wasn’t much to it.

  She was laying on something, the same cold smooth object as the first time she woke up. Across the room, she saw the window that almost ran from one side of the room to the other, but was skinny and, surprisingly, clean.

  The wall was cement with a half completed paint job that was already peeling off. It gave the room a cold feel, not that it needed more coldness to the cell-like room.

  Noise from behind her, where most likely the door was at, reached her. She wasn’t able to hear much other than a few banging sounds and yelling. Summer didn’t try hard to figure out what was going on.

  She just wanted to go home. She wanted Chase to hold her, make everything better. As tears gathered once more in her eyes, she closed them, wanting to give up.

  The cold penetrated her body and she noticed she only had on a bra and underwear. The rest of her clothes were gone. She felt slightly better that she was still partly clothed. At least she wasn’t raped.

  She was just about to doze off when the door was swung open with a bang, hitting the wall and causing Summer to jump, her eyes instantly opening. She refused to turn over or acknowledge whoever came into the room. She wanted to be left alone, more so if they were only going to hurt her.

  “How much did you give her?” a male asked as he entered the room, seeing the nameless girl there where Sean had laid her many hours ago.

  “The fuck if I know,” Sean shouted from another room. Summer was just able to keep her body still and not jump at his voice.

  She couldn’t believe that Jack had trusted him enough to let him into the room. Who else was against Chase? At the thought of Jack, Summer did the best she could to not let a sob wrack her body again. He died. He died to keep her safe, just like he promised her if anything were to happen.

  The man walked further into the room, then stopped behind Summer. He was tempted to touch her, and she expected it.

  Instead, he walked to the metal table to find her wide-eyed, begging him silently. Her eyes widened slightly at him. Since he was in view, Summer took him in. He was skinny and had black hair with light brown eyes. He was dressed in filthy clothes, but otherwise, seemed like a normal person at first glance.

  “About time you woke up,” he said, looking her up and down with a look of lust.

  He began to reach out to touch her when another voice, one that Summer knew, broke through the room.

  “Don’t touch,” Alex hissed. “Boss says she’s off limits.”

  What was he doing here? Summer thought, still fearful.

  “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt,” the man shrugged, going to touch Summer again. His other hand briefly moved his cock and balls around the in his jeans.

  Before he was able to touch her, Summer quickly kicked out at him, hitting his semi-hard cock. He doubled over in pain, hissing and crying like a baby. He did have to give her credit; she was tougher than she looked.

  Alex laughed, amused and happy he didn’t have to step in. “But I do care. I don’t want my ass shot because I didn’t listen.” There was a pause, the man trying to get his breathing back under control, still cursing Summer out.

  She rolled half way over, seeing Alex leaning against the door jam. Her eyes looked at him questionably. What was she here for? Why was he? Was Chase okay? Would she be able to go home?

  “Go take a walk to cool off, Ben,” Alex said, more of a command.

  The man, Ben, huffed, and walked bent over, his hands covering his private parts. He made sure to stay as far away from Summer, and Alex, as possible. Once he was out of sight, Alex made his way into the room, closing the door partly behind him.

  “I’m sorry, Summer, really. I am,” Alex said, his voice quiet. He stuffed his hands in
his pockets and looked down at the floor before meeting her eyes again.

  “I’ve had a thing for you for years, you know. You were the girl everyone wanted and hated at the same time. Then, I didn’t understand. Now I do. You are Jason’s daughter, a Meads. And because of that, there are so many men that want you and they will do anything to get the money to hand you over. Alive,” Alex explained, half way, and a bit hurriedly.

  He was leaving some things out, but he didn’t want to frighten her more than she already was. He then took a step closer, but still not touching. Summer’s heart beat faster, not know what he was doing.

  “I’m not one of those guys, Summer,” he whispered, his voice breaking. Just because he was raised with that horrid man didn’t mean he treated women like pigs. “I’m here to help you. Just give me a few days. They won’t touch you. Saul demanded you to not be touched in any way. He can’t risk you being pregnant when he plans to deliver you to whoever he’s working for.

  “Just give me a few days, okay,” he repeated. “The most they can do is look. I’ll make sure of it.”

  Summer simply nodded, at a loss for words. She knew Alex. He wouldn’t let her get hurt in any way, or too badly if he could help it. She would survive this. A huge weight was lifted off of her knowing that she would be able to see Chase again.

  “Jack?” she whispered out, her mouth dry.

  “Alive. He was wearing a bulletproof vest,” Alex answered. “I just have to find someone I can trust to help get you out.”

  “I . . . I know someone to call,” Summer said quickly, trying to sit up. The motion made her dizzy and fall back down onto the table.

  Alex smiled, already knowing that. He wasn’t privy to know the phone number. Like Chase, he had connections and another man that he worked under. It was all for Summer. “I’ll get a phone to you as soon as I can. The other two men will have to leave in a day or two for another job. Don’t let them bring you down. You’re strong, Summer.”

  “I thought we couldn’t touch,” Sean huffed out, entering the room.

  “Didn’t say nothing about not looking,” Alex drawled out, his sad look instantly turning dark.

  “She is a looker,” he agreed. “Food’s here.”

  “Get her a bottle of water,” Alex said, turning his back on Summer before he did something he shouldn't. “Can’t have her dying on us.” He was tempted to pick her up and carry her out, but the other men in the house would instantly know something was up.

  Sean’s laugh followed Alex out of the room, the door shutting and locking too loudly for Summer’s ears.

  Tears gathered once more in her eyes, this time from relief. She was able to breathe better knowing that someone was looking out for her, and she would be out of this place soon. And she didn’t have to fight to live.

  Slowly, she pushed herself up, fighting the dizziness as it tried to take hold. She still had no idea where she was, but in just a few days, she’d be able to find out. Ben came in, glaring at her, before tossing a closed water bottle her way.

  “Bitch,” he hissed before closing the door once more.

  Summer, too sore to move, simply looked at the water on the floor. She didn’t have enough energy to get up to get it yet. Instead, she looked at it, begging for it to move to her on its own. Her thoughts then went back to the unknown. She had no idea why so many people wanted her. Nor did she know what would happen once she was outside of these walls.

  Would she be safe? Would Chase keep searching for her, even if he didn’t know where she was? And how long had she been here?

  Finally, after what felt like twenty minutes, Summer pushed herself up off the table, seeing that it was similar to an operating table but wider. She didn’t want to think of the purpose of it as she slowly made her way down.

  The cement was just as cold against her feet as she stood. Inch by inch, Summer took small steps towards where the bottle lay. Once she was in reach, she bent down, but another wave of dizziness washed over her. She fell to the floor, blacking out. There was no time to cry out in surprise.

  ~oOo~

  Summer woke up with the feeling of being lifted. She groaned, afraid to open her eyes.

  “Sorry,” Alex whispered out, feeling how cold her body was. He was determined to get her out of here sooner than planned. If he couldn’t, she’d most likely die because she got sick, and then everything would fall apart.

  “Alex?” she whimpered out, slowly opening her eyes.

  “Welcome back,” he smiled, although it was forced. “You shouldn’t have been up.”

  “The water,” Sumer said, laying her head down on the cold metal table once Alex set her down.

  “Sorry about Ben,” he said, stepping back. “He won’t be in again. I sent him away claiming that Saul needed to see him. He won’t return.”

  Summer simply blinked, looking up at him.

  “Sean is out there, but he’s passed out,” Alex said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “Can you dial the number for me?”

  Summer nodded slowly but asked a question first while taking his phone in her cold shaky hands. The entire thing was a blur to her as her eyes attempted to adjust.

  “How long have I been here?” she asked, feeling weak. Her eyes didn’t want to stay opened, and her pounding head didn’t help as it throbbed with her heart beat.

  “Four days,” Alex said, his voice sad. “I wasn’t sure you were going to wake up. I thought maybe Sean gave you too much.”

  “Oh,” Summer said, not sure what else to say. “Chase?”

  “He’s . . . . he’s doing what he does best,” Alex said, not really answering her. She had no idea what they gave her, either. It didn’t soothe her, nor did it give her any more worry than she already had.

  With more concentration than it should have taken, Summer pushed the buttons of the phone number she had memorized. Once she finished, she handed it back to Alex, who pushed the call button before putting the phone to his ear.

  Summer let her eyes slide closed, listening as Alex took charge.

  “Summer gave me it,” Alex answered, as the person on the other end of the phone asked and demanded a number of answers from him.

  “I don’t know, sir,” he answered again. “Summer?”

  She slowly opened her eyes, although they didn’t stay opened for long: it was enough for Alex.

  “Do you know a name man named Bash?” Alex asked, not bothering to move the phone away.

  “Sebastian,” Summer whispered out quietly.

  “I believe so,” Alex answered. “She needs out, now.” He was worried about her, not sure why he had found her passed out on the floor when he came in, not to mention how long it had taken her to wake up.

  He wasn’t a doctor, but he knew something was wrong. That was the last thing that Summer heard before darkness overtook her once more.

  Chapter 28

  Summer woke up to the feeling of being watched. She tried to ignore them, knowing they wouldn’t touch her, not with Alex keeping a close eye on her at least. It was the only thing that was saving the last bit of her sanity at the moment.

  Alex’s words rang in her head, giving her the little bit of hope she needed to not give up and let the men kill her slowly. If it wasn’t for him, Summer would have gladly looked death in the eye and let it take her.

  Yes, she wanted to live, just to be able to see Chase again. Summer felt that it wasn’t his fault for her lack of luck. Her heart beat for only him, but she could only take so much.

  She had no energy, even after Alex made sure she drank an entire bottle of water and ate some soup he had made just hours earlier. Going days without food or water felt like hell in itself. She hasn't used to it anymore.

  She had gotten so used to having just about everything she could ever think of, and the shock was tough to adjust back to not having anything she could want. She had hoped to never revisit such conditions.

  Summer just wanted to go home. She no longer wanted to be here. She missed h
er husband. What was Chase doing? Was he feeling the same way she was? Helpless?

  The phone call to Sebastian felt like it was days ago, as Summer lost track of time. She had no idea what day it was, only that is was now dark outside, as the bright light above her was on, shining down on her. Almost blindingly so.

  It was the first time that light was on, but she didn’t question it, mostly because her thoughts were blank. What was the point of thinking when there was only time to wait? Time to wait for someone to come rescue her, if she was lucky enough to be.