by J Marie
By the time I was done and ready, the Russians were being led into my room without so much as a knock. The ladies strolled in with smiling faces while Eric gave me a warning glare from outside before shutting the door.
Don’t worry, buddy, you’ll really be loving me by the end of the night.
As the women began to set up, Irina turned to me and began combing my wet hair, but as she did, she stopped and noticed the large make-up covered bruise on the side of my face. Her eyes immediately lit up with concern as her face began to soften. Her hand reached up for my cheek and her thumb grazed just along the outside, showing me her concern.
I put my hand on her wrist and looked at her with caution in my eyes. I slowly shook my head, telling her I was okay and not to make a spectacle out of it. She then removed her hand and gave me a quick little nod, understanding my body language. She went back to combing my hair and parting it for the cut.
When Anya was ready, I sat down at the table where Irina continued to trim away at my strands while Anya took care of my nails. I eyed the nail glue that was conveniently close to me and I hoped I could swipe it without either of them noticing.
Anya made quick work of my nails, but this time, she painted them a bright Barbie pink. My face immediately turned to disgust at the hideous color. I knew Darren chose that on purpose to piss me off. Whelp, I was really about to piss him off later tonight.
When Anya and Irina finished, my hair was perfectly styled and my nails were back to their old Barbie ways. As Anya and Irina packed up, I managed to slip my hand over the nail glue and quickly put it in my pocket. Neither one of them noticed a thing. Anya was always so quick to pack everything up, her nerves always getting the best of her, so I doubted she would even notice.
Before they left, Irina gave me one last look of concern, her worry for my well-being refreshing but uncomfortable for me. I didn’t want them to end up the same way the gardener had. I gave Irina a quick, sly wink, and she seemed to receive it well.
The rest of my day went without issue. I hid the glue in my bathroom cabinet and went down to the theater to finally watch the entire final season of Sons of Anarchy, but it just made me anxious to ride off on one of Darren’s motorcycles. I had to admit the ending did piss me off, but I could see it coming a mile away.
I had dinner alone in the dining room, a guard standing watch not far behind. It felt like I was rarely out of someone’s sights; the only place that didn’t contain a guard was my bedroom, but I was sure they were watching me through the cameras. I just hoped it wasn’t every second of every day.
Around ten o’clock, I headed back to my room, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and got ready for bed. I looked at the bottled vase on my dresser, noticing the flowers now looked somewhat old enough to throw out. I took the bottle into the bathroom, dumped out the water, threw the flowers in the trash, and left the bottle on my counter. I then returned to my room, turned on my fireplace, and sat down in front of the flames to meditate for a while. I felt the warmth of the fire as I listened to my breathing. My body relaxed, one muscle at a time, as I quieted my mind to perfect silence.
In and out, my chest slowly rose and fell with each deep breath I took, and within ten minutes, I was calm and ready. I went to bed at 11:00 p.m. on the dot without a fuss, but of course, I barely got a moment’s worth of sleep—too damn amped up.
I basically stared at the clock until 2:59 clicked to 3:00 a.m.
Game on.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Escape
Like a cat on a rooftop, I silently slipped from my sheets, grabbed the matches from my drawer, clutching them in my fist, and headed to the bathroom. I quickly used the toilet, making it seem like I was just going to the bathroom. I had no idea if someone was watching me 24/7. I really doubted it, but after tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone had to start following me around everywhere I went.
I kept the bathroom lights off as I took the two soles of my shoes and began to glue the ends together with the nail glue. They stuck together almost instantly. I allowed the glue to dry as I grabbed the glass-bottled vase and placed it in the cabinet. My heart began to pound away in my chest as I filled the bottle with a little bath oil and lots of rubbing alcohol. I then tucked a thin washcloth into the bottle, allowing it to soak in the solution and left the rest hanging out of the top. I then walked to the window of my bathroom and opened the screen.
My bedroom led out to the patio, and right below my bathroom window was the barbecue equipped with a full propane tank. I set the bottle down on the window ledge, took a deep breath … and struck the match. This was it. No going back now.
I lit the cloth and threw the match out the window. I watched the flame claim the makeshift wick, realizing that after this, everything was going to change. All it would take was one final push and everything would quite literally explode. Consequences be damned. I wanted Darren to know he wasn’t fucking with no ordinary bitch. He wanted a challenge? Well, good because I was about to turn up the heat. I took one final breath, releasing it slowly through my mouth, and finally smiled as I lightly pushed the bottle with my fingertip and watched it fall out of the window.
I listened as the glass shattered and the flames engulfed the patio as well as the side of the house. And then, not more than a few seconds later, a large boom echoed from outside sending my heart into a frenzy, as I could practically feel the flames from my bathroom window. As if a starter pistol had gone off, I immediately ran to the counter, pulling my hair up into a high-knotted bun and quickly slipping my rubber protector under my collar. It fit perfectly snug. I soon heard the shouting of the guards as they quickly collaborated to contain the fire below my window. I then quickly changed into my clothes, laced up my Nikes, and bolted from my bedroom.
I could hear shouting and orders being given as I stealthily made my way down the stairs, through the halls and to the garage, adrenaline pumping through my veins so loud I could hear it. My senses were hyper aware now as I heard two guards coming my way, and I immediately hid in the shadows of the house, watching them pass right by me as they headed for my bedroom.
When I finally reached the garage undetected, I pressed the button opening one of the many doors, grabbed the key to the Panigale that was hanging from the hooks on the wall, climbed on the bike, and roared that motherfucker to life. Feeling the throttle in my hand, I revved the engine, more excitement and adrenaline pumping through me as I put the bike in first and tore out of the garage like a bat out of Hell.
By the time I made it down the driveway, I was already in third, and as soon as I hit the sensor for the gate below the cement, it opened like the pearly white gates welcoming me to Heaven, except I was only just escaping from Hell.
I almost squinted as I waited for the shock to come and cause me to crash, probably killing me on impact, but all I felt was a low vibration that lasted about five seconds and that was it. Relief rushed through me as I realized my plan had worked. One shock was all the collar would administer, and I hoped once Darren found out I was gone and on a bike, he would deactivate it for fear it might actually be the cause of my death.
I peeled out of the gate, nearly squealing the tires as I did, and turned right, remembering from the first day I had been brought here where we had turned. Now that I was on an open, but most likely private road, I screamed out loud in victory. I had fucking done it! No shock! No struggle! No fuck ups! I was actually out of the estate! I couldn’t believe I had really pulled it off. But I wasn’t out of the woods yet. I had a mission to complete and once that mission was over, it didn’t matter if Darren found me again. At least, my family would know to disappear and Darren could no longer hold anything over my head as leverage again.
Kicking the bike into fourth and then fifth gear, I turned my headlights off and made my way through the winding road until I came over a hill and could see what looked like a small town up ahead with a perfect view of a lit-up San Diego beyond it. Perfect.
As I nea
red the town, fear rushed through me. What if one of the cops here recognized me? I’d surely be fucked. I slowed the bike down and turned off the road lights as I turned down an alley street, not far from a small quiet looking 7-11 before parking the bike behind a big green dumpster.
Darkness shrouded the little town, as there weren’t many streetlights around. Constantly scanning the area, I quietly ran my way across the street and headed into the convenience store, my heart pounding in my ears. I was greeted by a young cashier; a girl barely out of her teens and obviously having a ton of fun during her midnight shift. I walked up to her and smiled.
“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, but my car broke down, and of course, my cell phone is dead. Is there a phone I could use?” I smiled sweetly at her, acting as if I was really in a jam, and I really was as well as short for fucking time.
“Yeah, sure,” she said slowly, giving me an odd look as she tucked her long blond hair behind her ears. She turned to grab the phone off the counter behind her and hesitantly handed it to me. Yeah, I must look absolutely crazy with these fucking soles around my neck and a giant bruise on my cheek. I hadn’t even bothered to cover it up before I left. No time for that shit right now.
“Oh, thank you so much,” I said dramatically and then sauntered away down one of the aisles to hide and began to dial Jason’s number.
My body shivered with anxiety as I held the phone to my ear and prayed like hell he’d answer. It rang five times and I was beginning to grow nervous as I feared I wouldn’t even get to speak to him. But on the sixth ring, and to my relief, he answered.
“Hello?” came a sad low, sleepy voice. It was him. It was his voice and my heart stopped momentarily as I had almost forgotten how it sounded. “Hello? Who is this?” came the voice again, and I shook my head in an attempt to escape the ice that had suddenly consumed my body.
“Jason?” I practically gasped.
There was a pause. I almost panicked.
“Jaden? Jaden, is that you?” He sounded confused and scared.
“Yeah, Jason, it’s me, but listen, I don’t have a lot of time-”
“Holy fuck! I knew you were alive! Where are you? Are you all right? What happened? Where-”
I had to cut him off.
“Jason, stop, I don’t have a lot of time. I’m fine, but I won’t be unless you listen to me very carefully right now.”
“What’s going on? Where are you?”
“Jason, I was kidnapped and sold into human trafficking. I was purchased by a very dangerous man who is keeping me hostage.”
“Who has you, Jaden? Who? I will fucking kill them!”
“Jason, stop and listen to me! You need to disappear. He’s planning to kill my entire family to bring me to heel. You need to warn everyone and tell them to run.”
“I don’t understand, Jaden. What’s this guy’s name? Who is he?”
“I don’t want to tell you, Jason. If I tell you, you will get involved, and I can’t have that. You have to disappear, please, for my sake.”
“Jaden, goddamn it, tell me who the miserable fuck is who took you so I can kill him and bring you home!”
“Jason, you cannot come looking for me. If he finds you, he will make me watch him kill you just to spite me. And believe me, Jason, if you don’t disappear now, he will find you. He has connections everywhere, including the police. Please don’t make me go through that.”
I suddenly heard sirens in the background, and my panic began to rise all over again as I kept my eyes glued to the windows.
“Listen to me. Take all of our savings and leave the country. Do not go to the police or the FBI, I don’t trust them. He has informants everywhere. Take my mom and brothers and go to Stuttgart like you’ve always wanted to. I will find you there. It may take me a few years, but knowing you’re still alive will give me the motivation I need to keep going. I risked a lot to escape him so I can warn you, but there’s a GPS tracker on me so he’ll find me soon. Please don’t make this escape to have been in vain. Please, Jason.”
Jason was silent for a few seconds, his voice shaking when he finally spoke.
“I don’t know if I can do that. I can’t just abandon you.”
“You’re not abandoning me. You’re removing the leverage he has over me from the equation. If I have nothing left to lose, then I’m that much more dangerous. I will bring him down, Jason, I promise you, but I can’t do that if he can continue to hold you against me. Do you understand?”
He didn’t say anything, and I could tell he was debating with himself over this.
“Jason! I’m serious!” I yelled at him.
“Yes, all right, fine,” he finally said, and it broke my heart to fucking pieces.
I could hear the sirens getting closer and panic rose all over again.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. Warn everyone, pack up, and leave right this fucking second. Get my family out of the country now. Don’t wait. I will find you, I promise. Just don’t give up on me, okay?”
“I love you, Jaden Wilder. You kill this guy and come home to me, you understand?” he said, sounding stronger.
“I love you, too, and I swear I will. Now run.”
I took everything I had to hang up that phone, but I had no choice.
I placed the phone back on the counter and thanked the girl before heading out of the door and booking it back to the bike. But the moment I reached it, three cop cars with blaring sirens and flashing lights pulled into the alley.
Now that I had completed my mission, I had a new goal in mind. Time to have some fun and make myself famous.
~*~
At 6:35 in the morning, I had completed my morning 7k run and finished things off with some bench-pressing with Scott as my spotter. I was staying at my apartment in upstate New York, working the final agreements for a new contract with our arms dealer here. As Scott spotted, we discussed potential setbacks if this new contract didn’t pan out the way it needed to. I knew what I expected, but I never let my guard down when it came to business.
The door to my weight room opened with one of my guards rushing in with his cell phone clutched to his chest. His face was glossy with sweat, and his eyes were lit with obvious anxiety. What the fuck happened now?
“Sir, there’s been a situation,” he practically squeaked.
I completed my fifteenth rep of 525 pounds and set the weights back into place, sitting up to wipe the sweat from my brow with my arm. I held my hand out for the phone, and he quickly handed it to me.
“What,” I said sternly. It was too early for this shit.
“Sir, there’s been a bit of a situation, but I don’t-”
“I’m aware there’s a situation, asshole. Now, what it is?” I practically spat to Eric. I hated when people tried to beat around the bush with me.
“Jaden’s escaped, sir.”
My mind instantly went blank as I pondered what he had just said. She what?
As my comprehension of his words connected, rage began to simmer my blood to a boil.
“What,” I said dangerously, slowly rising from the bench.
“I’m not sure how she did, but she managed to start a fire outside of the house and took off on the Panigale. Her GPS signal shows she made it into town, so I don’t know how she made it past the perimeter with her collar activated.”
Son of a bitch …
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Is she, at least, wearing a helmet?” I asked beyond annoyed and pissed off.
“I don’t believe so, sir,” Eric replied. “But Hagen has already been informed. He and his men are searching for her right now, along with Colin and Tristan. Ken and I are already on the road, as well, and the fire has been contained. Though there was a significant amount of damage and several men were injured.”
I released a long irritated sigh and nearly crushed the phone in my hand. “Find her,” I ordered and hung up, tossing the phone back to Mike and dismissing him. I grabbed my personal phone and immediately deactivated the s
hocking mechanism to Jaden’s collar. I didn’t need it accidentally shocking her while she was on a motorcycle with over 200 horsepower and no goddamn helmet.
“What happened?” asked Scott.
I tilted my head back to stretch my neck and exhaled a heavy breath.
“My little hellcat has escaped her cage,” I replied.
“Ha!” Scott almost started laughing. “Damn, that girl is full of surprises.”
“No shit,” I said, placing my hands on my hips and beginning to pace my workout room. “Conniving little bitch,” I whispered under my breath. “How close are we to finding the rest of her family?”
We had most of the addresses already, but we were missing a few out of state, and I wanted every bit of information we could find before I decided to execute my plan.
“We’re only missing two addresses. She has an aunt and uncle in Louisiana and a cousin somewhere in northern Michigan,” Scott replied.
“I want those addresses tonight. No excuses,” I ordered. Scott nodded.
“And let’s send a couple of our guys out to pay her uncle in Muskegon a little visit, huh? I want to have something fresh for her to watch while I fuck the ever living shit out of her.”
“Will do,” Scott said, already prepared with his phone.
“And get Hagen on the phone,” I ordered.
“Already dialing him,” Scott replied as he held the phone up on speaker.