“And if I get them wrong?”
“Then you die, and so does Allie. But she will die first, and you can watch.” Fear shakes me to my core. How could she do this?
“Why would you kill us?” I’m not sure why I asked this, but the question comes out before I have a chance to stop it.
She stands up from her chair, bends down so she’s face to face with me once more. “Because I can.” Her answer chills me to the bone, even though it’s muggy and humid in this room.
I swallow, then ask the next question. “Why let us live?”
She ponders this for a minute, leaning against the table with her ankles crossed. “You know? That’s a good question. Let’s just say, it’s out of the kindness of my heart. Besides, my ultimate goal of this game is to make you see that I’m the one you need to be with.” She chuckles, then says, “You’ll see it, too. Allie is no good for you, but since you have such an interest in her, I’ll give her a chance. But remember, her safety is determined by you.”
I feel myself shaking, whether from fear or anger or a mix of both, I don’t know. “Okay, Claire. Let’s play this game of yours.” What choice do I have? None that I can see so far.
“Good. Now, for the first part of this game, you must answer this. Did I, or did I not, kill Frank?”
“What? Are you serious?” To say I’m puzzled by this question is an understatement. She slowly nods her head. “Then, yes, you did kill Frank.”
“And who else?”
Who else? My mind tries to figure out what the hell she’s talking about. Someone else was involved? I open my mouth, then shut it again. I don’t want to get this answer wrong, especially in this sick, twisted game of Guess Who. Then it dawns on me, and it’s the obvious choice.
“Frankie. Frankie helped you.”
“You are correct, my dear. Now, do you know who else helped me?” She smirks her bright red lips up at me as she stands straight up and starts to pace. “I think you might know the answer to this question.”
Oh my God. “Donna?”
“My, my, aren’t you the smart one?” She comes over to loosen my leg ties some, but not completely. “There now, see? That wasn’t so hard, now, was it?” She pats my knee and it makes my skin want to crawl right off my body. “The questions will get more difficult. But for now, I’ll get Frankie to bring your little slut some water.” It really makes me want to fly off the handle when she calls Allie names like that, but at least I know she’s going to get something to drink.
As she starts to walk out the door, she calls back, “Donna will bring yours.”
“Great,” I mumble under my breath. Other than Claire, she’s the last one I want to see right now. I’m still trying to get over the fact that she’s in on this with them and that she had a hand in killing Frank. I don’t get to be alone with my thoughts for long since the evil sidekick appears out of nowhere.
“Hello, stepson. I brought you some water.” She flashes a smile my way, but I scowl at her, hating her guts more and more by the second. But I hold my tongue and stay silent.
“So, I hate to tell you I told you so, but…” she trails off, laughing. “I told you that Claire would get out and want you back, and I told you to take her back. Now, if you would have listened to me then, you wouldn’t be here fighting for both of your lives now, would you?” At that exact moment, her phone chirps and she rolls her eyes at the screen. I have a pretty good idea who it is.
“Hello, dear.” She winks as she turns around so she’s not looking at me. “You’re kidding? Do you know what happened to them at all?” Long pause. “Do you think they may have run off to elope?”
Really? That’s what you come up with?
“Dahling, call me the minute you hear something. I’m about to go into the…bank.” She fumbles on the last part of the lie, and I hope my father is smart enough to see right through her bullshit. But now I know that people are missing us. It makes me feel better, but at the same time it breaks my heart because I have no idea when I might, or if, I’ll even see them again. I look towards the windows, trying to judge what floor of this building I may be on. I’m surprised they picked a place that has such large windows; someone may see us. Only it’s a little disheartening looking at the buildings around. They all look run down and one has an old sign that looks like it may be from the sixties. I don’t recall ever seeing these buildings before, so I don’t think we’re in Georgia. Well, at least Atlanta or Savannah. The sun in higher in the sky, and I’m guessing it’s around eleven in the morning. When I hear Donna groan, I turn my attention back to her.
“Your father wants to know what happened to you and Allie. So I told him that you two may have gotten married and not told anyone. Seems like he may have bought it.” She smiles like the fucking Cheshire cat, stretching her plastic face. “He knows how much you love the girl, and since he’s such a sap for love and all, I think he hopes it actually happened.”
“Why, Donna? Why are you cheating on my father?” Even I can hear the hurt in my voice.
“Aww, Donovan. Because there’s nothing left in the marriage except money, and it’s been like that for a long time. When I visited Claire in prison, she got me in touch with Frankie, and being that we’d never met before, we decided that we should get together and figure out a way to get her out.” She holds her hand out to look at her nails. “He came on to me, so I went with it. And the rest is history.”
“Look, Donna, I know we’ve had our…differences, but why are you telling me all this?” I ask as I wiggle my wrists a little more. I feel them getting looser, just a little more…
“Well, it’s like this, Donovan. You and your precious girlfriend won’t be making it out alive. So, I’m telling you this because you’ll take it to your grave.” Her eyes turn cold and even behind her green contacts, I see nothing but pure evil. I try not to show that it bothers me, but my heart is thudding against my chest and panic mode is starting to set in.
“Not getting out alive?” are the only words I can get out as fear of my reality sets in. Never will I be able to hold Allie again. Never will I be able to see her pretty face, kiss her lips or tell her I love her. I won’t ever see Jackson, or my family again. My future seems bleak at this point.
“Do you honestly think that you would?” she laughs. “Claire is so angry with you, and of course, she hates Allie, so why would she let you live? Unless you give in to her demands, you will not see the light of day again. At least, not on the outside. So look close, dear Donovan. This may be your last sunset.” With that, she walks back to the door.
I have to find some way out of here. I have to find Allie and get us out alive. But how? My mind reels as I try to come up with a solution to save our lives. I start to take survey of the ceiling. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of cameras or anything. I only see the speakers to the intercom. Okay, so they can’t see me unless they’re in here with me. I look up to the lone light bulb above my head and notice that it’s dimmer than before. God willing it will blow out and I can use the cover of darkness. I continue to work on my wrist ties, even though I feel the blood starting to trickle down.
“I can’t give up. I can’t give up. I won’t give up.” I repeat it over and over to myself as I grit my teeth through the pain of setting my arms free. My father always said I was a stubborn kid. Thank God that’s the case right now.
Finally, after a full hour of trying to free myself, I get my right hand out. I feel a huge amount of relief knowing I’m almost there. I reach over to untie my other hand when I hear the door open. Quickly, I slide my hand back in the ties so it looks like they haven’t been messed with. This time, it’s Frankie. As he walks towards me, I pray that this isn’t it, that he’s not here to slit my throat or choke me to death. He stops about a foot in front of me, wearing a cocky smirk on his face. Remaining silent, we stare each other down, neither of us wanting to say the first word. He finally cracks.
“So, here you are, sitting here, tied to a chair,” he says w
ith a sharp bite to his tone. “Do you think that fucking Claire was worth it now? You wouldn’t be here if you would have kept your dick in your pants. Your precious Allie wouldn’t be tied up in the other room, doing the same thing you are.”
She’s in the same building. She’s close by. I have to get her somehow.
I still sit with my mouth closed tight, hoping he’ll divulge some more information to me. A sinister laugh escapes his lips. “And look, now I’m the one fucking the stepmom. Isn’t that ironic? Not that I really wanna get with her. My eyes are on the prize, my old best friend. Oh yes, I’m speaking of Claire. I’ve wanted to tap that ass ever since my father met her.” His dark eyes seem like they pin me down. “And I might have, too, if you didn’t get in the picture. But no, you had to come in with your good looks and your money and sweep her off her feet.” His brown eyes grow darker, more threatening. He leans in closer to me, his brows furrowed. “Don’t think for a second I’m going to let you have her again.” His voice is a low toned whisper, the kind of whisper that makes you think of demons.
He laughs again. “Not that I have anything to worry about.”
I look at him quizzically, trying to see if this braggart will keep on with his little charade. He does.
“It’s not like you’re going to get out of here alive, anyway. But I’m pretty sure you knew that already.” The corner of his lips curl into an evil grin. “I’m just hoping I’m the one that gets to kill you.” The statement makes my blood run cold. I know that he’d do it if given the chance. I just have to find some way to get out of here with Allie first.
My silence seems to bore him. He’s obviously waiting for some sort of reaction, standing with his arms crossed over his chest. The look of death is in his eyes and I can only pray he doesn’t do it now. I don’t want to cause a scene, making Allie’s and my escape impossible. I have to wait for the right timing, or it could all go to shit. I notice that the sun is setting further into the horizon, and I can’t believe that it’s been two days since I’ve seen Allie. My heart breaks inside my chest, but I have to find the resolve to get us out.
Frankie decides he’s had enough of me, so he turns to leave. I watch him as he opens the door and disappears into darkness. Now my mind is reeling. I have one hand free, so all I would need to do is get myself out of this room. I wait a few minutes to make sure no one is coming. I’ve learned that I can hear the footsteps down the hall if I listen close enough. When I’m sure that nobody is there, I start to untie my other hand. It’s harder than I thought it would be, since my wrist is bloodied and bruised from the tightness of the restraints. I grit my teeth, dealing with the pain. Getting out of here, alive, is my motivation. Allie is my goal.
Chapter 16
Allie
I have no idea how long I have been in this room. There are no windows, no light, nothing. My mind is starting to go, and I feel like I’m on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Jackson, Donovan, my family are all I think about. Will I ever see them again? Is this where I’m going to die? Tears start burning my eyes, only I have no more tears left to cry. I have only seen Frankie one time since I’ve been here. The asshole tried to be nice, giving me water and food, and I spit at him. Of course, he didn’t like that, so he slapped my face. He left everything in the room when he left, and I don’t know whether it was on purpose or not. I haven’t touched anything, and it’s probably why I’m so dehydrated. You would think I would have to go to the bathroom, but I can’t. I’m so confused. When I met him, he seemed to be real and honest. Now look at me. I’m sitting in some dank, disgusting room. There could be bugs and mice everywhere, which terrifies me. Maybe it’s better if it’s dark, so I can’t see what’s around me. Shudders roll through me like a tsunami and the unshed tears continue burning my tear ducts. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.
The only things that keep me going are thoughts of the ones that mean the most to me. My heart aches for my son, wishing I could hold his tiny hands one more time and tell him how much I love him. Breaking my heart even more, I think of Donovan and what he must be going though. I refuse to believe that he’s dead. There’s no way Claire would do that; she’d rather kill me instead. I’m sure of it. My mom’s face pops into my head, and I can’t take it anymore. I bang my tied up hands against the cold, concrete floor as I scream in agony. Each passing minute that goes by, I lose it just a little more. Either they need to release me, or kill me. No more torture of being alone with my lonely thoughts.
After a few minutes, I calm down and notice that no one seems to care about my little outburst. I sniffle and try to wipe my eyes against my arm. My hands are bound so tightly that all I feel now are pins and needles, as are my feet. All I want to do right now is sleep. I close my eyes, or at least I think I do, and try to fall asleep. I want nothing more than to wake up from this hellish nightmare and get back to my normal life.
There’s no telling how long I’ve been sitting here like this. Then I hear footsteps coming closer, making my heart jump into my throat and making me want to vomit. Who is it this time? What do they want? I hear the clicking of heels, so I know it’s not Frankie. It’s only one of two then, but which bitch is it? As I hear the doorknob turn, I brace myself for whoever it is. The door opens and there stands…Claire.
I blink my eyes a few times, trying to get adjusted to the dim light that spills in from the hallway. Claire stands over me, wearing black spiked heels with tight black leggings and a white tank top. I cast my eyes downward, not wanting to even look at her for fear that I might do something I might regret. She stands there like a statue and I hear her foot tapping the ground impatiently. I continue to stare at the ground, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of having me pay attention to her. Even though that could be a big mistake, I refuse to give in to this woman. The evil things she has done to Donovan and now to me means she deserves no kind of respect.
“Do you love him?” she asks quietly as she stops her foot tapping.
“What?” My hoarse voice cracks from lack of water.
“You heard me. Do you love him?” Her tone grows angry and I can almost feel the heat coming from her glare. Why is she asking me this? Is this a trick question? Am I being set up for something that I don’t want any part of? My mind races as I try to think of the right thing to say. I decide to just go with the truth.
“Yes, I do.” I brace myself for the impact, but it doesn’t come.
“So do I.” Now her voice sounds lost and forlorn. No wonder Donovan has trouble keeping up with this crazy woman. Her emotions are so up and down, you don’t know what you’re going to get from one second to the next.
“Well, now that it’s established that we both love the same man,” she quips. “We’ll see who wins this battle in the end.” She turns to leave, but before she closes the door, she says, “He’s given up on you, dearie. He thinks you’re dead. But don’t worry. I’ll be there to comfort him…in my bed.” Her evil laugh makes the blood turn to ice in my veins. She slams the door with such force it rattles on it’s hinges.
As soon as she leaves, I start to wonder if she’s actually telling the truth. Does he actually think I’m dead? Has he given up already? Has Claire told him I’m gone? Fear turns to outright panic, and I stomp my feet and try to scream. Then, it occurs to me that she’s probably trying to manipulate me like she did Donovan. She’s an actress, albeit an awful performer, but still an actress. I want to believe that he hasn’t given up on me, that he’s still holding out hope that I’m still around. I wonder where he is right now. I wonder if he’s tired or hungry or thirsty. All the air in my lungs escapes and I feel like my chest is caving in. Why can’t I go back just a few days, or a week? Hell, I don’t even know how long it’s been. But I would have made Donovan stay at Mom’s house with us. I would have never let him leave.
Again, it occurs to me that either way, Claire would find us. She was on our trail like a bloodhound. What if Jackson was with me? What about Mom? What would have happened
to them? So I guess it’s best that if it were to happen, then at least it was just us two. I can feel a little better knowing my son wasn’t hurt. They have what they want now. Donovan and I were their target. It was never my son. They were using him as a pawn in their sick, twisted game. I rest my head on my knees and pray like I’ve never prayed before.
“God, I know it’s Your will that’s to be done, but all I ask is that Donovan makes it out alive. And when he does that he will keep an eye on Jackson and my family.” I start choking up, but keep on. The tears start forming in my eyes. “Please, please just let him be okay. Let him make it out of here even if I don’t. And if I don’t, please make sure that Jackson has a home to go to. I know Mary is sick and isn’t here on Earth for much longer, so I want to make sure my boy is well cared for. I know that he’s just the man to do it.” I let the tears fall down my face, onto my shirt. “I know I’m asking for a lot, but please let it be Your will that they will be all right.”
I pray over and over again, asking for the same thing. I have no idea how long, but I keep on going. He’s the only one I can talk to now. Well, God and my daddy. So I ask Dad the same thing. “Please, Daddy. I just want Jackson and Donovan to be okay. I know you would love them both if you were here. He’s the one I want for the rest of my life, no matter how short it may be.”
Once I finish, I sit there in complete and utter silence. I hear nothing and wonder if they’re even here. I wonder if I could possibly get out of here myself. Wiggling my wrists, I feel the burn of the rope leaving marks on my arms. I grit my teeth and keep on, bound and determined that I will make it to Donovan. If there is nothing else I got from my father, it’s my stubbornness.
After what seems like hours, I finally have my hands free. Bleeding and burning, but free. I get to work on the ropes that are tied at my ankles. The knots are extremely tight, but now that I have use of both hands, it doesn’t take nearly as long. Standing is a bit hard since I haven’t done it in awhile, but before long I’m on my feet. I feel my way around in the darkness until I reach the door. Fumbling for the knob, I find that it’s locked and my heart drops.
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