by Ellie Jean
“We left her alone, but once the delivery guy had delivered the balloons, we re-alarmed the house.”
“Balloons? Delivered?” The grip of my keys is tight.
“Yeah, some guy delivered balloons for her birthday. We checked them over. Nothing in them, no listening devices, cameras, they were all clear. We presumed they were from you since there’s only limited people who know she’s here.”
The vein in my neck is filling with the gushes of blood pumping through them. “Fuck… They weren’t fucking from me. Perhaps Seth and Kameron sent them. I’ll call you if I need you.” Exhausted and raw, the only thing I want to worry about is sinking my cock into Isla before I go to sleep.
Stepping away, he turns and adds, “Ok, sir. Goodnight.”
Closing the door, I see the huge balloon arrangement in question sitting on the table. Their bright colors can still be seen in the dark. I throw my keys next to them. Walking to the kitchen, the television is still on. The Rock is on the screen, but with my sleep deprived brain, I have no idea what movie it is. I take a glass from the counter and fill it with water, taking it with me to turn the television off. Consuming the water, I go to the bathroom, splashing water on my face. I hope this refreshes me enough to take my Sweetness on. A slow, tender love session it will have to be tonight. I don’t have the energy for any more.
Ripping my shirt off, throwing it on the floor, I go in search of my naked woman. The hallway seems longer than I remember. My phone vibrates in my back pocket. What the fuck now?
“What?” I’m livid.
A voice shouts back. “Two cars approaching the front of the house. They didn’t slow down. On our way. Alerting everyone now.”
The phone drops from my hand. I’m running toward the bedroom. Have to reach Isla before they do. The doors open. Adrenaline drives me through it. Pursuing the bed, I unanticipatedly stop.
Confused… Stunned…
My Sweetness is not here.
Where the hell is she?
Frantically running now, heart leaping against my chest with each step, I hear an almighty crash.
I suspect the front door has been kicked in. But I don’t stop. Searching each room for Isla, she’s not here.
She’s fucking not here…
“Raven… You motherfucker…” The Russian is not happy.
Steadying my feet and my thoughts, I take the hidden gun from inside the hidden spot within this room and act composed. If Dimitri had x-ray vision, he would see my internal organs belting each other up for space. They’re all flipping around inside of me with worry, concern, but most of all hatred for this man.
Positioning myself at the entrance of the doorway, I hold the gun to my side without hiding it.
With his usual authority, he purposefully finds me at the end of the hall. Another man follows him.
“What the fuck are you doing in my home, Sokolov?” I’ve had more than I can stomach of this man. I throw as much venom as I can in my voice.
“Give her to me now.” He’s controlled as well.
Assessing my options, my backup is still coming.
“You’re lucky I haven’t put a bullet in your head by now. Coming into my house unannounced. You have some nerve.” My finger hovers on the trigger, ready if I should need to.
“Isla, I want her now.”
“Isla, the interior designer? Why the fuck would she be here?” My stomach constricts whilst saying these words.
“I’m not playing a fucking game. I should kill you right now.”
Moving so I am face to face with this man, I have no fear. With or without backup, my skill set could see me taking him down swiftly. His loyal servant moves as I move. I keep my gun plastered to my side. “Motherfucker, let’s get one thing clear. I’m not playing any fucking game either.” The day can’t come fast enough that we don’t have to deal with this fucker anymore. But not tonight. Not in this house.
Neither one of us backs down from the staring competition.
Petya shifts his feet and mumbles, “I’ll search the house.”
I change my feet so he can get past. “Search. She is not here.”
Not turning my back on them, I walk backward to the lounge area. They can look as hard as they desire. For some fucking reason, Isla is not here. And I need to find out why and where she is.
I take some comfort in knowing that at least Dimitri Sokolov doesn’t have her.
So, where the hell is she?
Resting my back on the wall, trying to be perceived as relaxed, I think about where the two security guys from outside are? I’ll have to chat with Seth about where he got these useless pricks from. Twice now they have been missing in action when they were on the job. They did say though that back up had been alerted. They are at least thirty minutes from here.
Cursing coming from Sokolov echoes through the empty house. Heavy steps follow.
“Keep away from, Isla. I own her. No one else ever will.” Another demanding threat. The determination on his face tells me he means what he says. In his world, he gets everything his own way. But he hasn’t come up against me or my family before. And we always win.
I don’t hide my smirk. “I guess we will see.”
Marching past me, the other big guy follows him out the front door.
Letting a breath go, I proceed to the doorway. I see Clive and the other security guy lying on the ground. Two other men are watching them.
Sokolov yells, “Let’s go.” The two guys who have taken out my security look at each other and make a beeline for their car. Spinning the wheels, both cars leave in a haze of dust.
In no rush, I bend down to see if the security is still alive. Although they may wish they were dead after letting someone get to Isla. There’s no way she would have left of her own accord. I have to believe that she knows we belong together.
Secrets… We’ve got through them.
Family… We both know about each other’s.
Trust… With my life. She trusts me completely.
Sokolov… This threat will be eliminated soon.
Fears… Getting taken back to Sokolov or her loved ones being harmed?
Could she have disappeared because of this?
The men start to moan, kicking my head into gear. I tuck the gun into my waistband. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I hit Seth’s name.
“How far are you?” Holding out my hand, Clive pulls himself up. His cut and bruised face showing he had a run-in with the fist of Sokolovs’ men. The other man is holding his ribs.
Listening, Seth fires, “About ten.”
“What the fuck is happening?” Liam’s voice comes through the speaker phone loud and clear.
“Sokolov was here.” Clive helps his mate up and they limp to the house. “To take Isla.” My voice is strained. I’m running on no sleep.
“Did they take her, should we be going to them?” Jared interrupts me.
“She’s wasn’t here.” I follow the men back inside, Clive gets ice and a cloth for himself and the other man.
There’s commotion on the phone line, all of them are yelling, and I can’t understand what they are saying.
“Guys… Isla was gone before they got here. Sokolov doesn’t have her.” Relief fills my voice, “But we don’t either.” Sitting on a chair, I have to try and work out where she is before the madman does. “Soon.”
Casting my eyes over the room, the birthday balloons interrupt my view of the glass door. How the fuck didn’t Sokolov see the twenty-five happy birthday balloon floating in front of his face?
Fuck…
Closing my eyes to think, leaving the other men to their own devices, how do I find Isla?
The woman who is my one and only. The woman who will be the last one I ever love.
Isla who has reefed my heart out, only to replace it with hers. If her heart stops beating, then mine does too.
It could be minutes or hours later, I don’t know I’m that exhausted, Seth, Liam, and Jared bustle in the house
, waking me from my thoughts.
Isla…
My Sweetness…
Seth…
The balloons…
Fuck… She’s missing…
Startled, agitation kicks in. “The security you guys had on this house were fucking useless. She’s gone… Left… Not here… Fuck!” Raising my voice doesn’t make the situation any better but it relieves some of the molten lava trying to escape from within. “Why the fuck would you send her balloons, Seth, when you know I don’t want anyone near her or here.” My hands tug at my neck, trying to keep my hands still so I don’t end up slamming my cousin.
Staying cool, but I can tell he’s offended by my outburst. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Four long strides and I pick up the wobbling balloons in question. “These…”
“They’re not from me…”
“But Kameron would have been the only one who knew it was her birthday. And you knew where she was.” Throwing the blasted things on to the floor, “This is a clusterfuck… A major goddamn fuckup.” I walk to the glass door, looking outside for anything that may give us a clue as to what the hell has happened here.
“What’s that on the table?” Liam’s voice has my head snapping back to look at it. Jared’s there before all of us.
“It’s a card… It say’s meet me out the back on the patio…” His voice has my head whizzing and my body tumbling inside like I’ve jumped out of a flying plane, hurtling toward the ground. I don’t move. I’m held hostage by the torture playing out inside my body.
We had one night…
Who the hell has her? If not Sokolov, then an enemy of Dimitri’s? Fuck… She could be lying dead by now, never to be found again…
“Liam come with me to the security room and find these fuckers who we hired to see what they have to say. Jared, go outside and see what you can spot.” Seth’s barking orders. I’m slumped on the chair by the table. Processing what this means… My hands encasing my head tightens on it. I’m pissed at myself for leaving her alone. She shouldn’t have had to be here by herself. I may as well have handed her to Dimitri or his enemies on a plate… I’m. So. Fucking. Stupid…
Just like Catherine…
My first love killed because of her connection to me.
I wasn’t there to protect what was mine. Caught up with other business or family matters, just like now.
My private pity is party is going to get me nowhere. It’s definitely not going to get Isla back.
I vow to myself that I will never put anyone’s needs before Isla’s again.
She is my family.
My future.
I won’t forget it again…
My phone’s in my pocket. I have to call uncle and tell him what’s happened. And how we are proceeding. There’s no time for slow now. It happens now…
Isla’s life depends on it.
The ringing will most definitely wake him up. A groggy voice answers, “Alessandro.”
“Isla’s gone. We’re coming to you, now.”
Jared’s grim face appears through the glass doors. It doesn’t look as though he’s found anything good. He shakes his head.
“We’ll be an hour.” Hitting the button, I disconnect him. “Nothing?”
“There’s no sign of her. I did find some squashed grass where perhaps boots have walked, leading to the side perimeter. The gate looked intact though. Nothing to go on.”
“We’re meeting uncle in an hour. Let’s get the others and go.” Putting my phone in my pocket, I go to the bedroom and get a new shirt and pants.
Replaying in my head our game this morning and her naked body given to me so willingly. A chill runs through my body. My chest tightens. I rub at it to ease the pain.
I’m fucking frightened.
If an enemy has her, would we be in time to find her alive? And…the other possibility. Did she leave of her own will?
Did she run from my life because she wanted out?
I won’t let my mind delve on that thought.
No… She knows she’s mine and I keep what’s mine…
Taking the keys, I close the door, as best as I can.
“Let’s finish this…”
Wiping the sleep away from my face, I remember where I am.
In the fancy Park Hyatt, reserved for people with lots and lots of money. Holy hell, I’m lucky to be one of those people now.
Grandmother and I had talked all night about her, our family and she listened to every word I had to say.
I cried and sobbed, reliving the memories from those six years in hell with Dimitri. I yelled and cursed when explaining about how my father gave me willingly to the devil himself to rid him of his debts. And that my mother turned a blind eye to it. My body racked with anguish, rage, and sorrow throughout each word I spoke of the step by step encounter of the fateful night I helped kill my father. I crumbled into a small ball, filled with pain but, most of all, I felt dirty remembering how Dimitri had taught me how to be the best I could for his businessmen and their needs. How for six long years I was defeated and did things I shouldn’t talk to my ninety-year-old grandmother about. Hope filled me talking about how Alex saved me, more than once. The goofy look on my face and the pink flushes that took over my cheeks when I spoke about Alex conveyed how much I love this man. A man strong enough to deal with all my problems and his.
But throughout the entire episode, I felt as though I truly belonged with this great lady. I was loved unconditionally by her. Exhaustion had kicked in when we both saw the sun peeking its rays below the black night sky. We both decided to call it a night. I had crawled under the blankets, into the most gigantic plush bed I had ever seen, only removing my dress. I was asleep before I could whisper a thank you to her.
Cuddled up in the quilt, stretching my legs, I am fully rested. It’s one of the best nights-days sleeps I have had in a very long time. Purging my thoughts and my reality to this woman has freed up space in my mind and heart to accept that change is here.
Oh, dear god… Whipping the covers off my body, I scramble to find my clothes. Pulling the dress over my head, I walk out to the main room, bundling my hair up into a messy bun.
How the hell have I forgotten about Alex not knowing where I am?
He must be going out of his mind with worry about me… Crap… I’m certainly not a very thoughtful girlfriend… If that’s what I am?
“Are you all right, Isla?” Gran’s voice makes me turn to look at her. Dressed in a bright floral dress, similar to last night’s but full of color and cheer, her hair up in the same style as yesterday, her makeup perfectly applied. She is sitting at the large table we had started talking at last night. A paper in her hands and a hot cup of tea sitting on the table ready for her drink. What time is it? I’m sure I have slept half the day away.
Smoothing my hair back, she catches me off guard. “I forgot that Alex doesn’t know where I am. He will be searching for me. Oh fuck… Oh whoops, sorry.” Covering my mouth, I can’t believe I just swore in front of my proper grandmother.
She laughs, “It’s okay… Nothing I haven’t heard before in my lifetime.”
“But I must tell him I’m here and safe. He’s probably already started world war three with Dimitri.” Undoing my hair again, I slick it back with my hands and try again. Anything to keep my hands moving. I don’t really know what I’m going to do.
I don’t know his number.
I don’t have my purse or money.
I have no clue where his farmhouse actually is to get back there without being noticed by any of Sokolov’s men.
Will I call Jules? I have her number memorized from calling her every night. She could tell Kameron, which could be passed to Seth. And then to my man.
Calmly, she drinks her tea, while my mind whirls like a washing machine on spin cycle.
Jumping up straight, I like my plan. There’s an internal phone sitting on the small table near the lounge. I all but run to the phone.
�
�Isla, what are you doing?” Concern but strength emanates in her voice. “Come take a seat with me.”
“I need to call Jules. They need to tell Alex where I am.” Words stream hurriedly out of my lips.
“Stop. Isla… Come and sit down. We already have a plan in motion.”
What?
The receiver drifts to the table. The bang brings me back to the room. Lifting it back in its place, I sit down opposite this serene and powerful woman.
“Isla. After last night’s conversation, I have had some things happening to free you of all ties with Dimitri Sokolov. And possibly the world of his existence if it comes to it.” Her hands place the newspaper carefully down on the table.
Stunned and incapable of words, even if I could talk I wouldn’t know what to say.
“I need you to stay put here for a bit child, and when I give you the word, you can go to your Alex Raven. But not before then. That’s very important or everyone’s lives will be at risk.”
“How? What…?” Sighing, I give up trying to talk. “Okay.”
“That’s my granddaughter. I give you my word, and trust me, I’ve dealt with scum like this Sokolov before. They never win. Such cocky bastards who don’t see what’s coming because they think they’re infallible.”
It’s humbling to think an old woman can save my ass. But looking in her eyes, I see the truth and the hard choices she has made during her life. She’s strong for a reason. Dealt with thing’s I imagine I will never know about. Men who could possibly bring other grown men to their knees, I’m certain she has taken them out or been witness to it.
“Sounds like you’ve met him before.”
Sipping her tea, she adds, “I’ve met many men like him. None of them were ever able to stop my husband. You need to remember one thing, Isla. There’s always a strong woman behind a strong man. And make no mistake, as powerful and as mighty as they can be, you only have to say a word and they can be brought to their knees so easily.” A smile lights up her face, perhaps thinking of happier times with her husband. “They may dominate their business world, but we influence how they run it. And we definitely have the power when it comes to the bedroom. Men think they have it all, but a naked body renders them powerless. A little piece of information to keep stored for another day.” Cackling, she lights up the room with her vivacious laugh. She’s a live wire and I have no doubt she kept my grandfather on his toes.