by Linz Lenay
Something tells me that it doesn't mean the same thing in this case. I am nowhere near safe and I don't see anyone else around to make me feel that way.
Vadik gets out and rounds the car, going straight to my door and opening it. He tugs me out of the seat and says something to Eva before closing the door and practically dragging my toward the cabin. I watch as the SUV backs up and turns around, the taillights the last bright thing in the woods.
“Come. We have lots to do before she comes back.” He grins the same smile as before, but somehow knowing the things he's referring to are right inside the cabin in front of me, it's worse than on the drive up here. He unlocks the door and pushes me inside in front of him, slamming the door after he follows. He locks it, two deadbolts as well, before stalking toward me. I back up until I hit the stairs that lead up to the second story. I fall to my butt and he laughs happily like we're having fun. Leaning down and picking me up and over his shoulder, he carries me up the steps. I make my body go limp, knowing that if I fight him he could drop me and I'll tumble straight down the stairs. When we get to the top of the stairs I realize that we're in an open loft bedroom that overlooks the bottom floor.
If I weren't being held hostage by psychos I might actually enjoy this place. But since I am, I'm slightly freaking out and trying to send mental messages to Gaige to come find me as soon as he can. I know it's not possible to communicate that way, but I'm not going to do something stupid that could get the baby or myself harmed at this point. Had it been just me, I would have fought him at the arena kicking and screaming. This baby changes everything and every way I think.
Lex puts me down on the bed gently, like we're lovers not hostage and kidnapper. It's confusing to me, because he's been an utter asshole since I met him.
“If it will help you can pretend I'm Gaige while we make love, but you better be saying my name when you come.” He says with a boyish smile. This is not the guy that kidnapped me, and although he's playing sweet right now, I want the other guy back because this one terrifies me even more.
I don't answer him, I just stare, and the scowl returns for a minute before the smile returns. He starts to undress from his suit and I scoot back further on the bed, putting as much distance between us as I can.
“Awe, Baby, don't be shy. I'll make you feel so good you won't even remember who Gaige is.”
I highly doubt that, but I don't respond out loud, just find the edge of the bed and almost fall off it.
“Careful, little Bloodfeather. Wouldn't want you hurt now would we?”
He's now fully naked, and though I can appreciate that he works for his body, his personality is so toxic that I find him disgusting. He notices that I'm looking at him, but not the look of nausea, he thinks I'm checking him out going off the smile and peacocking he's doing. I hate how he's trying to puff out his chest and make me enjoy his body. I look away, but try not to make it obvious that I may be sick.
“Oh don't play coy now, darling. I want to undress you, too.” He makes a move toward me, but before he reaches the bed there's a pounding on the door downstairs.
He growls and gives the door a dirty look before grabbing his dress pants, pulling them on and making his way downstairs muttering the whole time.
“For fuck sake, Eva! Stop pounding and let me get the locks undone. You were supposed to make yourself scarce for hours, not minutes.” He angrily says as I hear the locks click open on the downstairs door.
When he pulls it open though, I hear a grunt and a thud instead of Eva's nasally voice griping about keeping her out of the loop or festivities. I take the chance that it's someone here to help and make my way to the banister, though I'm still cautious in case Lex is tied up in some other bull crap that doesn't end in my favor. Looking over the banister I breathe a sigh of relief seeing police coming through the door. The grunt and thud was in fact Vadik, who's been tasered and is now twitching in front of the door as he gets handcuffed.
I hastily make my way down the stairs and to one of the officers hugging and thanking him for saving me. Realizing how inappropriate I'm being, I apologize and blame the situation with a nervous laugh.
From there I tell him everything that happened and about Eva as well. They've already put a BOLO out for the SUV, but they found the cabin by tracking my phone, thanks to Gaige's help. They wouldn't allow him to come since they couldn't gauge the situation, but said he is anxiously waiting at the station for me to return to him. The officer, Scotsman, laughs and tells me how Gaige threatened every one of them if I came back with a hair out of place. They explained that since I had been kidnapped, they couldn't guarantee that for him, but they appreciate his enthusiasm.
Honestly I'm surprised that he listened to them at all. If he wants something done, gets it himself. Gaige is not one to sit back and watch. He's active and productive, along with restless, so him being at the station is probably making him feel caged.
“Can we go down there now? I can only imagine that he's pacing and causing all kinds of havoc down there waiting. He's patient but he's going stir-crazy.”
Officer Scotsman nods and asks one of the other uniforms to take me down to where hopefully I'll find Gaige in a waiting room and not a cell because someone said the wrong thing to him about waiting for me.
Chapter Fifteen
Gaige...
I'm on cloud nine happy heading into the locker room, all through my shower and interviews. Ally praises how I handle the interviews as we walk to the visiting family lounge. When we arrive there and Dee was nowhere to be found, I don't panic, but I do find it odd. I check my phone, and seeing that there are no missed messages I text her and get one back a second later that barely makes sense.
Bloodfeather: SUV catnap Evaluation Dick
Gaige: Wtf does that mean?
As soon as I hit send, the phone rings in my hand. I answer but she doesn't speak, so I call out to her. It's then that I hear what sounds like a cat being drowned in acid and some shiz pop song that's popular in the background. The cat and song eventually quiet and I hear someone ask her what she wants for dinner and what they're craving. She sounds disgusted when she responds to them, and they say something back. A male's voice comes over muffled, but yelling at the other person that they aren't stopping until they get to where they're going.
I strain to hear the rest, but I know I recognize the voices with Dee, but can't place who it is. I hear something about playing and I stiffen, my mind conjuring unpleasant thoughts. I look to Ally and tell her to call the police. I don't know how they are here, whether they'll actually care when she hasn't been missing what they deem an appropriate time.
I hang up when I can't make anything else out except another pop song and dying cat noises. Ally is using her assertive voice, so hopefully she's getting somewhere with the police. Drew and Karter come up behind me then, asking where Dasia is and if we're ready to head to dinner. I give them a rundown of what I know and they offer their help. Karter goes to check the restrooms, Drew offers to go find Monica, since they were sitting together at the game. I start processing what I know and what I can do to find my future wife. I look down at my phone and notice Coach walk by with a scowl on his face.
“You alright, Coach?” I want to mention that he should be happy since we just won The Cup, but I remember my current situation and realize I don't know what's happened within the time frame for him.
“Yeah, Lex wasn't in the suite when security went up to find him and bring him down to the bus. No one has seen him since the end of the game. The other guys who were up there said he was there through the whole third period but must have snuck out sometime between then and when they came down to celebrate. I'm just pissed he's not listening to the rules, when we could have easily made it so he wasn't here at all.”
It's then that the male voice I heard over the phone clicks. Of course! Why didn't I see this earlier.
“I know where he is. He has Dasia.”
“Whoa now, Son. Let's not jump to conclu
sions. We don't have any proof.”
“Are you sure, Gaige? The officer said to come down to the station so they can get all the information in one spot.” Ally interjects, covering the mouth piece of her phone.
I nod at her before relaying what I think I overheard. She relays some of it into her phone while grabbing my wrist and making a beeline for the exit. Karter and Drew catch up with us and relay they didn't find anything. Monica and Kristof have already left for the restaurant according to one of the other guys on the team, and I know Dee wouldn't take off with them without telling me first, so I know for sure it wasn't Kris's voice I heard.
Ally lets go of me, trusting I'll follow her to the rental she has for this trip. She normally just rides the bus with us, but she has family out here so she wanted to be able to come and go when she could. I'm grateful for it at this moment because it means getting to the station and getting on the police faster than having to Uber or cab it downtown.
We get there in what seems like record time, Cat barely obeying traffic laws to arrive faster.
We find the female officer, Johansen, who Ally talked to on the phone, and we all relay what we know. Between Coach, the guys, Cat, and myself there's enough information for her to say they can look for Dasia without having to wait the 24 hours they normally suggest. Especially knowing that there's a restraining order involved and the two people involved are missing.
I suggest tracking her phone, and mentally smack myself for not checking it myself. Once I've told them the idea, I go into my phone and look up her location with the app. It looks like they're on the highway out of town.
Once they have a steady location, Officer Johansen sends out a unit. I get up to go with them and every single one stops me. I argue with them and insist on accompanying them to go find my woman, but they all deny me. In my rage I threaten them to bring her back whole and undamaged. Sadly, they can only offer to do their best since they don't know what they are walking into at this point.
“Mr. Rozen you need to sit down in the waiting room. I can't give you any information on an ongoing investigation and you're making me go crazy with your pacing. Now, sit. Down.” Officer Johansen says after an hour of restlessness. She would scare anyone else with her demeanor and dominating command, but I'm too on edge.
Karter and Drew come up and put their hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me because I'm pissed and want to kill Vadik along with anyone in my way of getting Dasia back safely. I will always create a storm to get to her and leave havoc in my wake. The only reason I haven't called my cousin yet is because I don't think he'll be able to help and it will take him hours to get here. I also haven't gone off to get her myself because that will more than likely end me up in a jail cell. I won't be able to hold myself back if Lex has harmed her in any way.
“Come on dude, lets go get a cup of coffee or something. You need a distraction.” Karter says softly. He doesn't want to be on the other end of my fist so he's trying to be gentle and sympathetic.
I go with them, just because there really is nothing else I can do but wear down the out-dated carpet in front of Officer Johansen's desk. Let's face it, if I don't listen to her, she'll probably tase me. I'm a massive dude, but I'm not invincible, a taser will have me on the floor at this close range for sure.
Another officer directs us to a small kitchen with a couple coffee pots, a Keurig, pods for it, and a tea pot with different flavored teas.
“There's donuts and other snacks in the fridge if you're hungry, or there's a diner across the street if you'd rather that. We have your contact info for when we hear something that we can relay.”
I glare at him and he raises his hands and backs out of the room, practically running once he's far enough away from my gaze. Karter starts grabbing mugs from the rack beside the sink and fills two with regular coffee already brewed and takes the third to the Keurig. He pops some flavored coffee in there that smells like the basic white girls that chase after him, before handing Drew and I the black normal coffee.
“You got something you want to tell us, Ryde?” Drew says, sitting on one of the tables in the kitchen.
“Uh, no. Why?”
“You know we'd support you if you want to come out, right man?”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Hillman?”
“You're a Basic Bish.”
“What?”
“Dude, he's talking about your coffee. We're both drinking black and you went with the fancy flavors.” I tell him, a smirk popping on my face.
“Duuuuuude. It's Pumpkin Chai, not spice. No basic bishes here because it's not spice nor is there whipped cream. So off you fuck.”
We all burst out laughing and he finishes brewing his fancy coffee.
“Gaige Rozen?” an officer that looks like he's about to piss his pants stands in the doorway.
“Yeah, that's me. Have they found Bloodfeather?”
“Uh, who?”
“Dasia.” I correct myself. No one outside of our circle really knows her by the nickname I gave her the night we met. I saw her swaying to the song across the room and Karter thought it would be the greatest idea in the world to go hit on her so I could rescue her from him. Boy did that work out a completely different way. He wasn't even drunk, neither of us were.
“Oh. Yeah, Officer Scotsman confirmed she's on her way back with one of our rookie officers. He said to let you know that she's anxious to see you. Thought it may help you feel better.”
“Knowing she's in one piece and on her way back to me is enough.”
He turns around and heads back to wherever he came, giving us nothing else.
“She's coming home, man. And she's thinking of you. Let's go see if we can't find out more information from Officer Johansen.” Drew says, downing his coffee.
I carry mine with me, needing something to do with my hands, Karter trails behind with his fall concoction invading all our nostrils as we make our way back toward where Officer Johansen and Coach are... flirting? They both look up smiling when we approach, not hiding anything, which I don't expect from him anyway. She blushes a little, but doesn't turn or hide.
“Someone just came to tell us that you've found her. Is there anything else?” I ask being as polite as I can be.
“Yes, they're on their way back now with her, should take about twenty more minutes give or take. Vadik had her outside of the city, but Scotsman said she seemed unharmed. He's riding in the ambulance with her as they check her out. She insisted on coming to you before going to the hospital to get checked out further.” She gives me a look that says she's unimpressed and that I better be worth it. It's the look every father gives their daughter's first boyfriend minus the threat to murder.
I thank her and move back to the waiting room, sipping the coffee left in my mug, while I wait for more news. She needs to be okay. I believe that Johansen would have said something had she not been fine, and they would have insisted she go to the hospital first. Hell I would meet her there if that were the case.
It seems like twenty minutes drags, but at the same time it whizzes by like nothing. I'm grateful that two of the guys I consider my closest friends are here, along with a man I respect like a father. Though I could do it alone, it has helped and kept me from doing something stupid that would land me where I wouldn't be able to see Dasia.
I stand to take care of my cup and as I come out of the kitchen a blur of purple hair and snow white skin is jumping on me. I latch on, feeling that instant connection without even seeing her face. Her legs and arms snake around me and latch on tightly. I squeeze her to me, running my nose along her neck and inhaling her sweet coconut scent. It's only been a few hours, but it feels like I've been without her for years, tortured with her ghost.
“Sir, I'm having a hard time breathing. As much as I'm enjoying this, I'd like to inhale some O2.” Dasia says breathlessly.
I loosen my hold, but don't let her down. I leave my nose in the crook of her neck, and back into the kitchen. I blindly find th
e counter and set her ass on it so I can check her over myself. And that's what I do. With my eyes, my hands, and when I know she's okay from what I can see, I hug her to me again. We stay there like that, no one bothering us for a long while, but eventually someone pops our bubble.
“Hey, Gaige. The officers want to speak with Dee once more before they take her uptown to the hospital to be checked over.” Coach Pittman says softly.
Dasia and I both nod, but don't move right away. A few minutes later we untangle, but I don't let go of her hand. I have to be touching her in some way as she talks to officers Johansen and Scotsman. She recounts her side of the story, telling us that Eva and Vadik were working together, but it seemed that she was conned into it because she's pregnant with his baby. Which Drew looked relieved to hear as he sat drinking another cup of coffee a few seats away; far enough to give the illusion of privacy but close enough to hear us. She tells them about trying to use her phone inconspicuously and the drive to the cabin.
When she mentions Vadik trying to “play” with her, I have to stand up. I don't want to hear this, but at the same time I have to. She holds on to my hand as she recaps what she went through and I'm relieved that he didn't get very far and that the cops showed up at a great time.
How did I not see how delusional he was? Why didn't I catch on to anything he was doing?
“Will you catch Officer Francis up on all of this? She was handling the case, along with a related one, back home. I can get you her information.” Dasia asks them.
“We'll loop her in, but unfortunately I think we need to hand everything over to federal because this is now a multi-state case.” Officer Johansen looks tired and put in a hard spot.
“Okay.” Dee says softly, accepting what it is.
“Let's get you to the hospital to get checked out, then you'll be free to go. I have all your information and you won't have to worry about Mr. Aleksandrov, since he'll be in a cell all night and probably the next few days. We still have a BOLO out on Ms. Sissons, but we're expecting her to start heading home when she realizes that the cabin has been found and Mr. Aleksandrov nowhere to be found.”