Wicked Bad Boys

by Bella Love-Wins

  She dropped her hands to her sides. The gun wasn’t pointed at her, but she couldn’t shake the fear. The memory came flooding back in and it hit her. He shot the gun. Where was… she lifted her hand and in the dim light of Jake’s flashlight, she found it red with blood.

  She screamed out as she looked over, sitting up and scooting backward to get away from it. He shot Reggie. His lifeless body was sprawled out on the dirt ground, in a pool of blood around his torso. He may have been a jerk, and clearly he kept the wrong company if he was Jake’s friend. But Tara couldn’t help but feel horrible. Reggie died trying to help her escape, and now he was gone.

  She wondered how he and Jake ever crossed paths. He may have simply been someone that Jake could use for his own personal gain and when no longer needed, he was easily disposable, like Amy. She covered her mouth, tears stinging the back of her eyes. He was probably a part of Jake’s charade, yet he risked his life to save her. She looked up at Jake and shook her head. She couldn’t hold back her true feelings of hatred anymore.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “I told you…I want to protect you.”

  “You’re the one that’s crazy. I need protection from you.”

  The words shot out, before she could stop them. She expected to see anger behind his eyes, but instead she saw a smile on his face. He was a psycho and she was living her own nightmare.

  “You will come to find out you have me all wrong,” he said. “Take my hand.”

  She pulled back from him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He nodded slowly. “Yes, you are.” He grabbed her arm, yanking her up and pulling her back to the trail that led to the cave. “There’s only so much darkness left, and I need to come back to get rid of Reggie’s body.”

  “Leave me alone!” she argued, trying to pull her hand from his grasp.

  “Tara, resisting me will only make matters worse. Stop fighting what we have.” His words were even-toned, like he was talking to a child.

  She didn’t care what she had to do. She didn’t want to get tied back up to the chair. She was so close to freedom. She saw the cave ahead of them and then felt the brush of snowflakes on her cheek. The rush of getting away from Jake, caused her to forget it was still winter. He pulled her into the cave before the snow picked up. Her chance to get away was lost.

  “You’re not going to get away with this,” she said. “The police are going to get you. And Kevin is out there looking for me. He won’t rest until he finds me.”

  Jake nodded. “You’re probably right, but I doubt anyone will be looking here, or for me. I’m dead, remember? And by the time you admit that you love me…”

  “I will never admit that,” she said. “I will never admit that I love you, because I don’t. And if you let me leave now, I promise I won’t tell anyone about you, or here, or any of this.”

  He stepped back, crossed his arms, and stared at her. She kept eye contact, because she didn’t want him to see how rattled she really was. She needed to be strong to get through it.

  “I don’t want you scared, Tara. That never was my intention. In the end I hope that you’ll see just how much you mean to me.” He pointed to the chair. “Now sit down!”

  She stood in defiance.

  “Don’t make me have to smother you with chloroform again to get you in that chair, Tara. Sit.”

  She shook her head and turned to the entrance of the cave. It was just ten feet from where she stood. Her freedom was close, but so far away. He put out his arm and pulled her back to the chair. She thought of pulling from his grasp, but she needed to stay awake.

  “Let me go, Jake. I’ll sit.” Her body fell to the chair. “You don’t need to tie me up. I’ll stay. I’ll do what you say.”

  “I don’t think so Tara. I’ve got to take care of Reggie. And I need to be sure you’ll be here when I get back.”

  He secured her against the chair with duct tape and pulled her arms to her back to tie each wrist to a spoke of the wooden chair back.

  “You’re hurting me. Can you loosen these a little?”

  “Seriously?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m thirsty too. Can you at least give me something to drink?”

  He walked deeper inside the cave to a cooler and pulled out a bottled water.

  “Here,” he said, opening it and placing it to her lips.

  “I can’t drink like this,” she said softly. “Can you just loosen my arms? There’s no way I can get out anyway. I’m tied to the chair.”

  He looked like he was considering it, but didn’t fall for it.

  “Drink. All of it. Before I leave. I don’t want you to get thirsty while I’m gone.”

  She looked at him with disdain and drank the entire bottle.

  “Good girl,” he said, taking the empty bottle from her and throwing it in a pile of garbage in one corner.

  He turned back to her and kneeled in front of her chair. After slowly unzipping her winter jacket, he spread her legs apart to wedge himself between them. “You know, I’ve dreamed about this for so long. You don’t like me now, but I promise, before long, you will love me.”

  He snaked his hands up her legs slowly, caressing her inner thigh. She moved around to resist, but he was too strong. He slid one hand up under her top to her breast, pulling back her bra just enough to gently squeeze her nipple. He left the other hand between her legs, pressing through her jeans to find her mound. She cursed her body for reacting the way it did. Her senses were heightened, and fear dominated, but he was so gentle, he tricked her body into arousal.

  “Stop it, Jake. Please.”

  “You know you’ve always wanted me. And now I can feel it for myself.”

  He lifted her top and raised her bra above her breasts. “Oh God, Tara. You’re so beautiful. And your nipples, they’re so hard for me.”

  He leaned in and licked each one. “These are mine now.”

  Tara tried to escape him, making every effort to tip the chair back, or free her arms from behind her, but she couldn’t do anything but fight the sensations.

  “Stop, Jake.”

  He pulled back and went to the corner, and came back with more duct tape. Her eyes widened in horror as he placed a piece over her mouth.

  “If you keep begging with your voice so sweet, I think I’ll come, baby.”

  He tilted his body to reach one hand down inside her jeans.

  “God. You’re so hot, so wet for me, Tara,” he groaned, flicking her clit and reaching farther down to slide two fingers between her folds.

  She titled her head back, refusing to let herself enjoy it. She held on to the thought that she hated him, and it helped, but she felt the heat building from her core.

  “I’m so hard right now, baby,” he moaned. “And I can smell your need. But I have to go.”

  He pulled his hand out of her pants and stood up. She was so relieved.

  “See this?” He pointed at the bulge in his pants. “It wants you so fucking bad. But I’ll be back soon to show you how much it can please you. I can be as gentle or as rough as you want me to be.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Roll your eyes all you want. I felt your body react to my touch. Soon you’ll admit you always wanted me. I’m not the guy out to hurt you. You’ll see that eventually.”

  He headed toward the cave’s entrance, and paused to turn back to her. “I’ll be back soon.”

  He walked away and she immediately tried to move her wrists around in the rope. It dug deeper into her flesh, but her hand was close to her pockets, now that he had undone the zipper. As she reached for the pocket Reggie stuffed his hand into, she felt the hope rise from her chest. God bless you, Reggie. He had put her cell phone back into her pocket.

  Chapter 10

  Kevin paced in front of the desk. His heart had not stopped its rapid fluttering. He wouldn’t be able to relax until Tara was back in his arms. “Are you sure they know I’m here?” he asked the desk Sargent,
stopping from his pacing.

  The officer looked up and she nodded at him. “They’ll well aware of it, Mr. Crawford. I’m sure that Officer Jessup and Officer Grayson will be out with you momentarily.”

  He turned away from the female officer. If they had any idea of how serious this was, they’d be out there by now. He glanced up at the clock. It was after ten o’clock and time was ticking by. He couldn’t stand by for much longer, without knowing what Tara was, and what was going through her mind. She could be hurt…or dead.

  “Sir…sir…Mr. Crawford?” the officer stated with frustration.

  He looked up at her. “What?”

  “Officer Jessup asked for me to escort you back to her office.” She eyed him carefully, and led him down the hall.

  He followed her through the familiar double doors and they headed down the long stretch of hallway. He hated the familiarity of the place, and longed for when he would not have to spend his time at the police station. It seemed like only a dream. The officer got to the end of the hallway and pointed toward a door that was ajar.

  “There.”

  “Thank you,” he mumbled.

  “You’re welcome,” she said, walking back to her station.

  He nervously knocked.

  “Come in,” Jessup called.

  He opened the door and walked in. She was busily typing on her computer and didn’t acknowledge him. He sat in the chair facing her, watching and waiting for her to speak. When she didn’t, he cleared his throat and took the seat in front of her.

  “I don’t mean to interrupt your busy schedule, Officer Jessup, but…” he stopped talking and she finally looked up. “I needed to make you aware of what’s happened.”

  “I admit, I was a bit shocked to learn that you were here. So, something’s come up?” she asked, looking away from her computer and focusing her attention on him.

  “Yes. It’s Tara…she’s been kidnapped. I need your help.”

  Officer Jessup reached for a notepad and pencil. “What makes you so sure it’s a kidnapping?”

  “I…uh…I mean…I just know.”

  She looked up from writing down some notes. “You just know?”

  He nodded. “She called me and said she was on her way home, and never showed up. It was kidnapping.”

  “I don’t want to be so blunt, but maybe she changed her mind.” Officer Jessup challenged.

  “What?” he asked, glaring at her. “No she didn’t change her mind. She’s been taken. I’m positive.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved Tara’s car keys, pushing it across the desk toward her. “I found these next to her car. It was outside the community center, where she was lasts seen by her mother and others at a grief recovery meeting. She wouldn’t have walked from that far away. And her mother said she was walking to her car when she last saw her. I have no doubt…she was taken. Now, what are you going to do to help me find her? Someone has her out there. I’m guessing it’s Jake. I’m going crazy with worry, so I need you to help us.”

  “You think your brother did this?” she inquired. “How did you know he’s still alive? We’ve kept that out of the media. Has he contacted you?”

  He felt the anger rising up his neck. “You knew he was alive?” he shouted, standing to his feet. “Why didn’t you tell us something? Why didn’t you keep your people on Tara?”

  He sat but the rage was building up.

  She tapped her pen on her notebook, thinking. “Do you have evidence…a note, a phone call, or something else that would prove to us that without a doubt that she’s been kidnapped, or that your brother orchestrated her alleged kidnapping?”

  “It is,” he said, angered that she’d question it. “No. I don’t have evidence, but you can call it intuition. My brother is alive. I just feel it. And he’ll do anything to have Tara for himself.”

  “How well do you know your brother?” Officer Jessup asked.

  “Not as well as I thought,” he answered honestly. “I never thought he’d kill before, and look where that’s got us.”

  “True, but what about Tara? Do you think your brother would harm her?” she asked.

  He wanted to believe there was no way. If he felt he loved her, then how could he hurt her? Yet, a part of him didn’t know how to answer. He couldn’t get inside the head of a serial killer, even if it was his brother.

  “Jake thinks he loves Tara. I couldn’t imagine him hurting her, but…” he swallowed hard. It was difficult to admit the truth. “Clearly he’s capable. That’s what worries me the most. I need you to get people out there. Standing around waiting for evidence isn’t going to get Tara back. Now are you going to help me or do I have to go out there and find my brother myself?”

  Jessup sat there for a while, like she was thinking about her next move, and weighing all the options. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. Her eyes never left his.

  “Hey, where are you?” she asked into the phone. She continued to watch him, while she listened. “Okay. Get back to the station as soon as you can. There’s been a development.” Again, she paused, before replying, “Crawford. Just hurry up. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”

  She disconnected the call and turned her attention to him. “Tell me everything you know, even if you don’t think it will help. Where do you think Jake would take her?”

  He wasn’t sure where they were, but he felt better having Jessup entertaining the possibility. He needed the police to help. He would find a way to be strong, until Tara was back home. As he started to offer Jessup some possible places, his phone rang.

  * * *

  Jake hoped he remembered the way back. He walked and searched in the darkness, unsure he was even going the right way. Even with the flashlight, it was hard to tell which direction he was going. When he noticed the clearing ahead of him, he sighed with relief. He was back in the right place. He walked a little further, but stopped in his tracks. Reggie’s body wasn’t in the spot where they’d left it. He walked forward and spotted the blood on the ground, only slightly hidden by the falling snow.

  “Where the fuck is he?” he grumbled, frantically looking around. “He lost a lot of blood. There’s no way, he could’ve…” his words trailed off.

  As he followed it, he spotted legs sticking out from behind a tree. He rushed over. Reggie’s face was buried in the snow. Jake leaned close to his cheek to listen. There was no breathing. He survived the gunshot, but lost the battle when trying to find shelter.

  “I didn’t plan on getting rid of you so quickly, man. But you fucked it up by trying to take away my girl. I had no choice.”

  He stared down at Reggie’s body for some time, and then looked around the woods. The snow had stopped falling and the wind had picked up. He pulled his coat tighter and zipped it up, then looked back down at Reggie.

  “I have to get you out of here.” It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was his only option. He grabbed his feet and hid him deeper in the bushes behind the tree. Reggie was a fit guy, but he was heavy. Too heavy for Jake to get rid of him alone. He would get the van and bring it as close as he could to the clearing. Still, he would need to get help. He left, walking through the snow covered ground, which was becoming deeper as he went. He had a body to dispose of, so he pushed through it.

  He closed in on the spot where he parked the van, and heard movements nearby. He hid behind some trees. Again the rustling sound disturbed him. He dropped to the ground and waited. He was too close to completing his plan for something stupid to screw it up.

  * * *

  Tara searched through the dim cave and prayed. The only light in the cave came from a lantern and the glow of the fire. As she waited, she dug deep to keep her spirits up. After all, she had new hope.

  She had grasped the phone in her pocket and managed to pull it out and dial Kevin’s number, but she couldn’t speak. Jake had left her gagged, so as Kevin called out to her through the phone, all she could do was press the speaker phone and groan for help. It was so frustrating
. He was so close, and still so far away. She hoped it was enough, but couldn’t afford to take a chance.

  After hanging up from the call to Kevin, she dialed 9-1-1. The operator answered and she groaned to the speakerphone again, continuing to press the 9-1-1 buttons over and over again. She let the phone drop without hanging up this time, optimistic that they might be able to trace the signal if it was connected. She shivered, trying to work at the ropes and tape that kept her wrists tied. Nothing she did freed them. All she could do was wait.

  Chapter 11

  Jake watched as his two unsuspecting assistants sat in their camper van. Their timing couldn’t be more perfect.

  “I can’t believe it’s our first winter trip in this brand new camper and the darned thing stops running,” the man said as Jake’s eyes were trained on the pair. Talk about bad timing.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Shane,” the middle-aged woman beside him answered. “The drive out here was beautiful. And look, the stars are absolutely amazing tonight, even with the snow falling. We can’t get this kind of ambience in the city. Not to mention…it’s pretty romantic out here, honey.”

  Jake rolled his eyes at the sappy exchange.

  “See that’s why I married you, baby. You’re one tough cookie and are ready to have me anytime, anywhere. But don’t you think it’s cold out?”

  “Well close your window and we can heat things up, sugar.”

  “It won’t go up. The engine’s dead and this thing has power windows. Shit.”

  Jake watched as she leaned in and kissed him. “Baby let’s get in the back. That big comforter will have to do until morning. I don’t want to call triple A yet. We can keep each other warm until morning and enjoy having this whole park to ourselves.”

  “I like the way you think, Chelsea. Now show me what you have in mind!”

  He grabbed the woman’s hand and the two passed between the driver and passenger seats to get to the back of the camper.

  They were perfect.