“I know that I can never fully understand the pain that you must be going through, but I have had my share of pain.” Chad runs his fingers through his hair as he gently smirks at me.
“What is that you know of pain?” I clear my throat again as I try to compose my fear. “I know enough,” I say as cool as I can. Chad leans back into his chair and he begins to say something, but he stops as Michael is entering the room. I feel my face flush hot as Michael glides over to me and gently strokes my cheek with his warm hand. I don’t look at him because if I did then I would lose myself. Michael means so much to me and I can’t begin to describe how I am feeling right now. Michael is supposed to look after me, he saved me and now he is the one that I need saving from – I wish that Adrian were here.
“Chad, leave us a minute.” Michael urges as he alerts Chad to stand and give him his chair. I look after Chad as he walks out of the room and then I feel a hand on my face. “You are so beautiful,” Michael says as he gently leans in and kisses me on my cheek. I shudder from his touch and he questions me on my reaction. “You are scared of me?” I finally pull my eyes from the floor as I look at him – with tears in my eyes.
“Please let me go,” Michael shakes his head as he leans back into the chair. His dark blue shirt is tight fitting around his arms and his dark blue jeans are loose. I look at him and I don’t know who he is. He looksthe same on the outside, but his eyes have changed forever. The kindness and love that was once in his icy blue eyes has been replaced with bitterness and hatred. He isn’t the Michael who saved my life, he isn’t the guy who watched gone with the wind with me and he isn’t the Michael who said that he loved me. I try to hold back my tears at those thoughts – but I can’t. My heart has been shattered in so many ways by his actions and I don’t know if it will ever heal.
“I can’t let you go,” Michael says firmly.
“If you won’t let me go then at least tell me why you are doing this to me?” “I will explain everything to you in time.” I frown at his vague answer and Michael looks at me with those angry eyes. “Don’t frown at me.” He snaps. I fall back into thechair at his tone and then I decide that I shouldn’t push him. Michael isn’t the sweet guy who I knew and that I knew my limits with. This guy sitting in front of me isn’t him and with him I have no idea of how short his fuse is. Therefore, I will keep and quiet and hope that Adrian will come and find me. “I need you to come with me.” Michael says as he rises up from his chair. He roughly begins to rip the duct tape from my wrists and ankles and I gently sob from the sudden pain.
“Chad,” Michael loudly shouts as he stands me up next to him. His hands are squeezing my hands together as he makes sure that I don’t move. Chad comes bursting into the room and then he rushes over to us – with a thick rope in his hand. Michael alerts Chad to hold me still as he makes his way around to my back. I feel my arms being ripped across my back and I gently squeal form the pain. Chad sniggers at my discomfort and then I can feel the rope tighten around my wrists. Once the rope is secure Michael spins me around so that I am looking up at him.
“It’s time to go,” Michael links his arm into mine and then Chad does the same with the other side. They begin to lead me out into the hallway and I feel the sudden the urge to run. My heart races as we approach the front door, my head is spinning as I think that perhaps I can break free from their grip once we are outside. I decide to make a run for it as soonas one of them opens the door. We approach the door and Chad is the one wholeans into the door handle. I watch him as he slowly turns the knob and when the cool air from the icy night reaches my face, I lunge forward out into the cold street. Michael is still holding onto me, but as I run further down the street, his grip on my arm is loosening and as I run, the rope begins to fall from my wrists.
I run faster, but Michael catches up with me, I can hear his panting breath as he edges closer and my heart is pounding. I run further but I fall back onto the ground when Michael roughly pulls me back by my hair. I am lying onto the ground, my head is pounding and my chest is thumping, I look up at him and I can see his shadow lurking over me as I lie onto the cold sidewalk. I manage to catch my breath, but my eyes are blurry from the sudden fall. I push my hand down onto the ground as I try to edge myself up, but I stop as I begin to feel a sharp pain in my stomach. I clutch my abdomen as I begin to fear for my baby. The pain is sharper and I scream out in anguish. Michael watches my actions as he kneels down to my level.
“Why are you yelling?” He shouts at me. I narrow my eyes at him as I continue to clutch my stomach. I breathe through the pain and luckily it seems to be fading. The sharp pain is now a distant ache, but I can’t help but worry about my baby. I look at Michael and I scowl at his smirking face. I gently slide my hand onto my stomach again as I inform him about my baby news.
“I am pregnant,” Michael’s eyes light up at my confession and I begin to worry that his actions are a bad sign. I clutch my stomach again – as I protect my baby. I gently look down at my stomach and I know it’s stupid, but I try to reassure my child that I will do everything in my power to ensure that he or she is safe. “I will never let him hurt you,” I whisper as I gently stroke my belly. Michael laughs at me and then he roughly pulls my arm towards him. He lunges me into the air and now he has his hands gripped onto my arm as he pulls me along the cold, empty street.
We reach the front door of Michael’s house and Chad is standing by the door as he shakes his head at Michael. “What on earth took you so long?” Chad says as he rushes over to a long black car that is parked on the sidewalk in front of thehouse. Michael drags me over to the BMW and he throws me into the back seat. Heslams the door in my face and then he jumps into the passenger side. Chad starts the engine of the car and then he pushes his foot down onto the gas pedal. The car bolts forward and I fall back in my seat from the sudden acceleration. The sky has now turned to dark and as Chad speeds through the London Traffic, Michael turns around in his seat so that he is facing me –when he delivers news that cripples me.
“I am glad that you are pregnant now I have two things of Adrian’s that I am going to kill.”
Eighteen
(Adrian)
“Daddy,” William shouts from his room. I slowly pick myself up from the sofa and then I begin to climb the stairs. I walk along the wide hallway of our luscious house and when I reach William’s room, I stop at the door. I rest my hand against the handle as I think of –her. Alanna’s stunning face is swirling around my mind and I am disgusted with myself as I remember how I lashed out at her in the car. Alanna is my world and I will never forgive myself for the way I have treated her. She has stood by me from the moment that I met her and now I have let her down. I lashed out and I physically hurt her –I don’t deserve her forgiveness.
I push open the door of William’s room and I see that he is sitting up straight in his bed. I walk over to him and as I edge closer I notice that he is crying. I sit myself down onto his bed and then I reach over for his tiny hand. He doesn’t take my hand instead he throws his arms around my neck. I gently pat his head as I try to comfort him. He pulls back from me and then I ask him what’s wrong.
“Are you okay mate?” William shakes his head at me and then I start to panic when he begins to sob. His tears are soaking through my white shirt as he lunges into my arms –again. I hold him and then I loosen his hands from around my neck as I try to soothe him. “Why are you crying?” William briefly pauses as he explains his reason.
“I had a … bad … dream.” He confesses as he gentlybegins to wipe away his tears. I run my fingers through my hair as I begin to feel nervous. I am not very good with words and I don’t know how to soothe a crying child – I wish that Alanna was here; she would know exactly what to do. I scratch my forehead and then I position myself next to him. My head is resting against the cool plastic of his race car bed and I have gently draped my arm over his tiny shoulders. He is staring at me with sleepy, swollen green eyes and I take a deep breath as I begin to ask
him about his dream.
“Would you like to tell me about it?” William sniffles and then he almost stops my heart when he confesses about his dream. “I was dreaming about …Alanna. She was hurt, bleeding and alone. I tried to help her, but I couldn’t … she was dead.” I stare at him as I try to hide my panic from him. I gently kiss the top of his head and then I try to calm his fears.
“It was only a dream. Alanna is fine, she will be home shortly and when she rushes in through that door, I will make sure that she tucks you in.” William laughs and then I smile at him as I playfully rummage his hair. He smiles at me and then he slouches down into the bed. I leap offand then I kneel down to his level as he gently rests his head against the pillow. I run my finger across his forehead and then I lean in and gently kiss his cheek. He smiles at my touch and then he whispers.
“I love you … daddy.” I gently pat his head as I return his gesture. “I love you too,” I lean over and I switch on his nightlight and then I make my way over to the door. I gently push my way out into the hall –making sure that I leave William’s door open slightly. I take another look in through the door and then I make my way back down the stairs.
As soon as I enter the living the room, I rush over to the side table and I roughly grab my phone. I check the time and I see that its 11:30pm –Alanna should be home by now. I dial her number and I waitas the phone rings in my ear. My nerves are shot when she doesn’t answer my call. I franticly ring her number again – but she doesn’t answer. I begin to pace around the room as I try to think of my next action. I throw open the curtains and I scan the outside of the house, but I don’t see Alanna’s car. I squeeze my phone in the palm of my hand and then I decide that I will go and look for her. I grab my car keys and I start for the front door, I open it, but I slam it shut again as I remember about William. I march back into the living room and I nervously run my fingers through my hair. I can’t breathe as thoughts of Alanna spin around in my mind. What if she has been hurt? I will never survive without her and I knew that I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight.
Alanna has such a kind heart and she wants to always be there for her friends – even if they aren’t always there for her. I felt that I didn’t have the right to stop her from going to see Michael –how could I tell her what to do when I have broken her trust by hurting her. Alanna is my - everything and I can’t think of her being in danger - I need to find her. I search through the contacts of my phone and I push send when I see the number for the doctor’s office. I anxiously hold the phone to my ear as I listen to the dial tone.
“Hello Sunnyside doctors how may I help you?” The lady at the other end of the phone says in an annoying, squeaky voice.
“I am calling to see if my wife is still there?”
“May I take the name sir?”
“Alanna Black.”
“One moment sir.” I roll my eyes at her enthusiasm and then I begin to pace the room as I wait for her next words.
“Hello sir,”
“Yes, is she there?” “I am afraid that she isn’t here. The doctor who saw her has told me that she left quite a while ago.” My heart feels as if it’s going to jump from my body – I need to know where she is.
“Can you at least tell me if there was anything wrong with her?”
“I am sorry but I am not allowed to give out that type of information over the phone. I suggest that you speak with your wife. “Oh really, that thought never crossed my mind.” I say sarcastically down the phone. I can hear the woman breathing as she thinks of her reply, but I can’t stand the sound so I rudely hang up the phone. My heart is racing and I can’t think straight as I neurotically call Alanna’s phone again. There is still no answer and my temper is rising. I lunge the phone into the air and it lands onto the floor. I clutch my head in my hands as I try to breathe through my anger. I take slow, short breaths until my temper dies down and then I glide over and lift my phone from the floor. I scan my contacts again until I find Michael’s number. I push send and I wait as the phone rings. My heart nearly stops when he answers.
“Adrian,” he says in a deep, sarcastic voice. “I was just talking about you, mate.” Michael sounds calm and I am confused as I listen to his words. I was under the impression that he was badly hurt so why does he sound so … normal? I clear my throat as I begin to ask him about Alanna.
“Listen mate, Alanna was on her way to see you, is she there?” I try to sound as calm as I can as I don’t want to alert Michael that I haven’t heard from Alanna. I know how he feels about her and I am scared thathe has an obsession with her. If he knew that I hurt her tonight then he would use it against me and I would rather die than loose Alanna to him.
“That’s right she was coming to see me. I called her and I told her that I was shot and guess what Adrian, she is right here beside me.” I don’t like Michael’s tone and I am sensing that he is up to something. Ihave seen Michael at his lowest point and for the last few months I have spotted the signs of his depression. I just hope and pray that he hasn’t hurt Alanna.
“Okay, can you put her on for a second?”
“Sorry I can’t do that.” “Why?” I snap. Michael laughs down the phone at me and my blood is beginning to boil. I can’t listen to his smug, rude, ass-hole voice. I want to punch his face off for being so awkward with me and if he doesn’t give answers soon then god only knows what I will do.
“She is a little busy right now, call back later.”
“Michael, let me speak to my wife.”
“No, sorry, no can do.”
“Why are you acting like an idiot? Let me speak to her.” “How many times must I tell you, brother?” I am beginning to get very frustrated with him and I can’t play along with his stupidity any longer. I lunge into the hallway and I march up the stairs and into William’s room. I gently check that he is okay and then I march back out of the room and I glide down the stairs. I walk back into the living room and I sit down onto the sofa as Michael’s next words, paralyze me.
“Chad and I thought that it was time for you to be brought down from your pedestal so when I called your precious Alanna – I lied. I told her that I needed her and that I was alone and bleeding and she was stupid enough to believe me. She came barging into my house, screaming out my name as she paced the hallway looking for me. She was so easy to fool and now I have her, she is tied up and crying out for you as we speak.”
“You bastard,”
“Words of ice, am I hitting a nerve?” “It was you, wasn’t it?” Michael was the one who has been threating Alanna. He sent her those threatening messages and he has been following her. In the back of my head, I always knew it. The messages had the same tone and text as the ones that he sent to Becky. He harassed her until she killed herself and now that weirdo has my wife. I need to get her –I need to save her from his evil touch.
“Of course it was me. Now I need to get back to my … plaything. Oh and Adrian don’t bother trying to find her, she will be dead by the time you get here.” Michael hangs up on me and I can’t breathe as his words are still ringing in my ears. I need to get to her – I need to save my wife.
Nineteen
My neck is twisted as I sit, tied to a hard chair. The room is dark, cold and there is water leaking in through the steel roof. My head is pounding as I scan the area –again. From what I can make out I am in a large garage, type place. There is an old car lying dustily in the corner and I canhear mice shuffling in the distance. My eyes are blurry and I feel exhausted, I am so hungry that I feel physically sick. My heart rate is decreasing and the cold, mouldy air is making me cough. I can hear Michael and Chad talking as they stand outside of the building and I fear what they will do when they renter the room. During the car journey to this awful place, Michael and Chad were quite. They didn’t explain where I was going or what they were going to do me. They didn’t have to because I knew from the look in Michael’s eyes and by his last words to me, that he is going to kill me. I can’t believe that I am
actually thinking this; Michael my friend who I have deep, meaningful feelings for is threatening to kill me. He has me tied and gagged in a cold dark building, Michael was supposed to keep me safe and that’s why Adrian brought him into my life, but now he is the one who I need saving from.
“Hello my lovely,” Chad says as he and Michael rush in through the door. I can’t speak and I don’t give him the satisfaction of looking at him. I turn my head away and that’s when Michael, lunges towards me. He grabs me by my face and he rips the duct tape off my mouth. My skin is stinging from the sudden embrace and I can’t look at him. I look down at the floor, but Michael jerks my head back up to face him. He holds my cheeks together in one of his broad strong hands and he begins to squeeze –untilI scream out in pain.
“That will teach you not to look away from me.” Michael says in a dark, vulgar voice. I regain the feeling in my jaws when he finally loosens his grip. I swallow hard as my throat is as dry as a cork, I would love a sip of water, but I daren’t ask as I know that the answer would be –no. Michael stands up and then he slides over another old, hard chair and he places it front of me. He sits down – smugly and then he begins to tell me about why he is doing this to me.
“I do still care about you and I can’t stand the thought of you hating me, so I am going to explain my reasons for doing this.” I don’t respond with words, instead I stare at him –blankly.
“When I first saw you I was intrigued by your beauty. Your deep brown eyes spoke to me and I knew that I had to have you. But as I tried to approach you, Adrian stopped me. He said that you were out of my league and that an American girl like you would never settle for a British bloke like me. So I listened to his advice and I stayed away from you. But as the night drew to a close, I realised that he wanted you for himself. He expressed interest in you, but he knew that I saw you first. Adrian stabbed mein the back by making a move on you and he didn’t give me a chance.” My lips are frozen at Michael’s confession and as I look at him I am beginning to see flashes of the old Michael, seeping through. I clear my dry throat and I slightly cough as I pull myself together and reply to his words.
Three Thousand Miles - Forever, (book #3 of Three Thousand Miles, Series) Page 25