by J. S. Cooper
“Come on now.” I tried to laugh. “We were made for each other. And really my dad has no reason to hate your dad, and your dad has every reason.” I sighed. “I just wish that none of this had ever happened.”
“I am glad he has you.” He nodded weakly and gave me a quick hug. “I’m sorry for everything in the beginning.”
“It’s okay, I know why you hated me.” I smiled up at him, genuinely at that point. “My dad is and was an ass.”
“I just can’t believe he was in charge of the whole car theft business all this time.” Jared’s eyes were wide.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I guess my grandfather started the ‘family business.’ My dad had been trying to recruit your dad all through high school, but your dad just never showed interest.”
“I wonder why my dad never mentions that.” Jared looked confused. “All these years, he’s told us about everything, but it’s like he didn’t even know.”
“I don’t know.” I took a deep breath. “My mom didn’t really know everything that went on between them. Though she said there was a lot of competition between them. And it all blew up when your mom decided to date your dad. My dad was gutted. My mom knew, you know. She knew what happened. But she had been in love with my dad for years and so she never said anything. She was just so happy to be with him, even though he never loved her.” I felt sad as I thought about what my mom had let happen with her silence. “I almost feel like she is just as bad, she was so weak. But she said she used to think that the best thing that happened in her life was your dad stealing your mom away.”
“He never told us he stole her from your dad, either.”
“I guess he didn’t want to look like a bad guy?” I shrugged. “But really it’s my dad who is the bad guy. People steal girlfriends all the time. You don’t ruin someone’s life because of it. My mom thinks that he has just always been plain evil. And now she realizes that a lot of it was her fault for letting it happen without saying a word. That’s why she is helping with the plan now.”
“When did you realize your dad may be involved?”
“When I went with Logan to sell the Toyota. The guy who came to buy it was someone I’d seen my dad with. My dad had said he was a business associate. And when I heard Marty was involved, I knew he did a lot of work for my dad.” I bit my lip and turned away. “It all just seemed to click into place. When I was over at Lucy’s, I heard you and Joey talking about stealing the Bugatti one night, and I was confused as to why Joey was involved. That’s why I pulled you to the side and told you I thought something may be up.”
“I can’t believe I ever trusted that motherfucker.” Jared’s fist curled into a ball. “But thank you for reaching out to me.”
“Yeah, so when Joey invited me to go out on the night of the robbery, I was suspicious. Especially because when he picked me up, my dad said something like, ‘Make sure you stay out for a long amount of time.’ It just struck me as weird. And that he wouldn’t take me home until he spoke to you on the phone, and I realized he was trying to use me as an alibi.” I tried not to cry again. “I just can’t believe my dad had him use me as an alibi. I just don’t know who he is.”
“I’m glad you called me that night. I knew something was up when I called him and he said he was with you. I knew there was no way you would be out with him, unless something was wrong.” Jared spoke slowly. “Logan always said Joey was trouble, and I always kind of knew. But I didn’t want to believe it.”
“I called you because I just knew that somehow my dad had to be involved. And I was certain when Joey dropped me off and he told my dad that it was all done and winked at him.” I played with my fingers as I remembered the smug and satisfied expression on my father’s face. I could still remember how my heart had dropped as I realized that my father was not the man that I thought he was. “I wanted to accuse him right then and there,” I sighed. “But then I figured I should tell you first and we could figure out what to do.”
“Yeah, I’m so glad you called me. That wasn’t the right time. We really needed more info. I’m glad I convinced you to go out with Joey again.”
“It was awful, but I knew that I needed to find out what the plan was for the Bugatti. I had a bad feeling, and I was right.”
“I was calling you all night,” he sighed. “And then stupid Logan had to go and see you. I thought he was going to ruin everything.”
“He knows you called me.”
“Shit, what did you say?”
“I said you were most probably looking for him.”
“Ha.” Jared rolled his eyes. “He didn’t buy that, I’m sure.”
“I wanted to tell him.” I looked at Jared with a sad expression. “But I wanted to tell you first.”
“I’m glad I came over so we could decide what to do.” He laughed. “Only you could come up with such a perfect plan.”
“It’s the only solution I could think of.” I shivered. “After Joey told me that I should forget Logan because he was likely going to jail for a long time, I knew my dad had something shady planned. And so I went to talk to my mom. And she cried. She cried and cried and asked me to forgive her. She knows how much I love Logan, and she didn’t want me to suffer because of my dad and his hatred of the Martellis. So we came up with the plan together.”
“It was ingenious.”
“You can’t give me all the credit. I got the idea from a movie on Lifetime, and it still hasn’t worked yet.” My teeth chattered in the cold. “But I figured the only thing that would get my father to relent was if something were to happen to me or somehow threaten my life. This was the perfect scenario, me being kidnapped. And my mom called my dad to tell him, so now he thinks it is really legitimate. And Logan doesn’t know that we’re friends now, so he would be believable in his behavior.” I bit my lower lip. “I hope he’s okay. I’m sure he is pissed and worried.”
“I’m sure he wants to kill me right about now. I’m sure he is thinking about how he can take me and your dad down.” Jared joked but I could see the worry in his eyes. “I just hope he forgives me.”
“We had to do this. It was the only way to ensure that my dad didn’t get Logan sent to jail, and that you guys would get the money. Kidnapping me was the only solution. At least, it was the best solution my mom and I could think of.”
“I don’t even want the money from the Bugatti.” Jared shook his head. “It feels dirty. I know Logan won’t want it, either.”
“Don’t think of it as money from the Bugatti. Think of it as money for everything my father has done to your family. He owes you.” I froze as the phone rang. I watched it as Jared answered it on speakerphone.
“Hello.” His voice sounded a lot more confident than he looked.
“Where is my daughter?” I heard my father’s booming voice and swallowed hard. I still wasn’t sure how my father could be this person. He was the man who had loved me and protected me my whole life. But he was the worst person I had ever met.
“She’s here.”
“Let me talk to her.” Jared looked at me questioningly and I bit my lip, unsure of what to do. “Let me talk to her or the deal is off.”
“Hold on.” He passed me the phone, and I held it for a second before talking.
“Daddy,” I whimpered.
“Maddie, oh my God, Maddie, is that you?”
“Yes, Daddy,” I cried. “Please come and get me.”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know!” I cried out again. “Do whatever they ask, Daddy. He has a gun.”
“He has a gun.” My father’s voice was loud and I heard someone in the background saying something.
“Wait, what are you doing?” My dad’s voice sounded angry.
“Maddie, Maddie, are you there?” Logan’s voice sounded hoarse and worried.
“Logan,” I said his name softly. “What are you doing?”
“I know Jared kidnapped you, Maddie. I’m so sorry. I know he hates you, but I never thought he would
do this.”
“Logan, please—” I bit my lip and looked at Jared’s anguished expression. This was not going according to plan at all. “Please just give my father the phone.”
“Tell Jared I told him to release you now. Tell him I said if he loves me, he will let you go now.”
“He can’t do that, Logan,” I cried, hoping he would realize that there was something else going on.
“I love you, Maddie. Please, please tell him that. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“Logan, I—”
“Give me back the phone, you piece of scum.” I heard my father’s voice in the background. “Maddie, it’s me again. Where are you?”
“I don’t know, Daddy,” my voice was louder this time. “Please just do as he asks.”
“I’m going to get the cops,” he breathed into the phone. “Try and find out where you are.”
“No cops, Dad. He’ll kill me!” I screamed out. “No cops. Just get the money.”
“I can’t just let them—”
“Noooooo!” I screamed and hung up the phone. I turned to Jared with a panicked look. “He said he’s going to call the cops.”
“You said he wouldn’t do that. You said he would just pay so he could get you back.” Jared’s eyes looked wild.
“That’s what I thought.”
“What are we going to do?” He looked at me in fright and I grabbed the phone again.
“I have to call my mom.” I grimaced. “I have to call her and trust her to help me.”
“Fuck.” Jared sat back down on the ground with his head in his hands. “It’s over.”
I didn’t answer him, because I felt the same way as well. What had I done? What had seemed like a way out now seemed like it had only made the situation worse. The penalty for kidnapping was going to be a whole lot worse than it would be for stealing a car.
***
“My mom said not to call him or answer his calls again.” I looked at Jared. “She’s going to bring them to us.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s going to tell them the address here. She’ll say this is where the dropoff is supposed to happen. She’s going to call the police from a neighboring town and have them waiting outside while everything goes down. She knows the chief of police in Sawyerville and so she has told him what’s going on. She trusts him and knows he won’t interfere with anything. I sure hope it all goes well. All we need is for my dad to bring the money and give it to you and let you and Logan go.” I shivered again. “I’m cold.”
“Come here.” Jared called me over, and I picked up the gun and went and sat next to him. I put the gun down and then huddled next to him. He put his arms around me and I wrapped my arms around him so we could stay warm. I closed my eyes, and we must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew we were lying flat on the ground and I could hear his heartbeat against my ears. I cuddled into him to stay warm, and then I heard the footsteps. Everything seemed to happen so quickly, and I was even able to jump up before Logan and my father burst into the room with Vincent and Marty behind them.
“Logan!” I cried out as I saw his distraught face. Jared and I sprang apart and Logan looked back and forth at us furiously.
“What the fuck is going on?” My dad charged towards us and Jared grabbed me.
“Stay back!” he shouted and grabbed the gun on the ground. “Stay back or I’ll fucking shoot.”
“What are you doing, Jared?” Logan screamed furiously and I tried to make eye contact with him so that he could see that everything was okay.
“You fucking Martellis, I should have—” My dad ran forward and pushed Jared back into the wall, he stumbled back and dropped the gun, and my dad and Logan both jumped to the ground to get it. Everything seemed to happen in a blur but before I knew it, a shot had been fired and I was screaming. I looked to the ground to see who had been shot, and my screaming intensified as I saw Logan just lying there. My father stood up with a shocked look on his face, and I gave him the most venomous look. I ran to Logan and fell to the ground, kissing his cheek. “Please, Logan. Please be okay!” I screamed at him, but he didn’t answer me. And then I saw the blood seeping out of his body onto the ground and the next thing I knew, I had fainted. It all seemed like a bittersweet poetic justice. After all that I had done, I still hadn’t been able to save my darling Logan.
***
I woke up in a hospital room. There were white lights all around me, and I could see my mom whispering to a nurse in the corner. I tried to stretch but my limbs screamed out in pain, and I tried not to moan.
“Where’s Logan?” I cried out, and my mom looked over at me with a pained expression before walking over to me slowly.
“How are you feeling, Maddie?” Her eyes flashed in sympathy and my stomach dropped.
“Where is Logan?” I screamed out in fear.
“He’s in the ER.” She grabbed my hand. “I don’t know what—”
“I need to go and see him, he needs me,” I started crying. “How could Dad have shot him? You told me that everything would be okay.”
“I’m so sorry, Maddie.”
“It’s all my fault, if I would have just left him alone,” I mumbled. “This is all my fault. If he dies, oh my God, what am I going to do if he dies?”
“Maddie, none of this is your fault.” She sighed. “Your father is a bad man. I’m so sorry, Maddie. I never should have let things go this far. I knew when you told me that you were falling for Logan that something bad would happen. I had hoped that we could talk to your dad, that hopefully his love of you would change him. Make him a better person. He’s a very evil man, Maddie.”
“But you love him.” I looked at her in confusion.
“I was blinded by love, and it cost me everything. That is why Logan’s mom left him. She saw him for who he was, and she tried to warn me. But I was so jealous I didn’t want to hear it, so I pretended that she was the enemy.” She shook her head. “Look at what I did. I ruined so many lives. I’m not sure how I can ever make any of this right.”
“Oh, Mom.” I cried into her shoulder as she hugged me. “I don’t understand but I’m sorry. I still love you. Where is Dad?” I looked into her eyes, worried. I was scared that he was at this moment trying to think of a way to ensure he ruined the Martellis’ lives even more than he already had.
“He’s at the police station,” she paused. “In a cell.”
“What?” My eyes popped open. “How come?”
“We’ll discuss it later. For now we should go and see how Logan is. He should be coming out of surgery right about now.”
“Surgery?” I frowned. “How long have I been here?”
“Four hours.” She smiled at me gently. “You hit your head quite hard.”
“Where are Jared and Vincent? Are they okay or—” I couldn’t say the words out loud. Were they in jail as well?
“We’re here.” Jared smiled at me weakly from the door, and they both walked into the room, looking dazed and traumatized.
“Hey.” I sat up and stared at them both with love filling my heart. “How’s Logan?” I chewed my lower lip.
“They haven’t said yet.” Vincent kissed my cheek. “He’ll be okay.”
“He has to be okay.” Jared took the words right out of my mouth.
“I’m so sorry.” I started crying again and they both looked at me in dismay.
“It’s not your fault.” Jared stared at me with passionate eyes. “We know that. It’s not your fault. It’s your evil dad’s.” He looked over at my mom, and his face turned red. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” My mom’s voice was loud and clear. “It was his fault, and I’m sorry for everything. None of this should ever have happened. It has to stop here.” She pulled out her phone and walked towards the door. “I need to make some calls, please excuse me.” She left the room, and I stared at Logan’s brothers in silence. What could I say to them to make it better? It seemed to me t
hat I, or everything that I represented, had ruined their lives.
“Maddie,” Vincent began. “Jared and I want you to know that no matter what happens, you will always be our sister.”
“Oh.” I felt overwhelmed with emotions and looked down at my hands. How could they be so sweet and loving to me? After everything.
“You’re a part of the family now, Maddie.” Jared gave me a warm smile and took my hand. “It’s what Logan would want.”
“I want to go and see him.” I attempted to get out of bed but fell back slightly because I felt woozy. Both Vincent and Jared rushed to my side, and I smiled at them thankfully, my heart filled with warmth and love once again. I just didn’t understand how anyone in River Valley could have judged these boys so unfairly. To know each and every one of them was to love them. They were the most loving and courteous men I had ever met.
“Lean on me.” Vincent smiled at me as he offered his arm. “We can go and see if Logan is out of surgery.”
“Take my other arm.” Jared smiled down at me from the other side, and they both helped me as we walked to the ER.
“I’ll die if anything happens to him,” I whispered. “He has to be okay.”
“He’ll be okay.” Vincent’s voice was confident. “He’s Logan Martelli, he will always be okay.”
I looked over at him, and I saw the strain in his smile, even though his words were positive. He was as worried as I was, and he was trying to convince both of us that our worlds weren’t about to end. We stopped in the ER waiting room, and we all sat there in silence, waiting for someone to come and give us the word.
“Are you a relation of Logan Martelli?” A middle-aged man walked into the ER with a clipboard and we all jumped up.
“Yes, I’m his brother,” Vincent spoke up, and we waited for the doctor to speak. I felt myself going weak and I held onto Jared’s arm tightly. He looked at me with concern, and held onto me with a tighter grip.
“Logan just got out of surgery. I’m afraid that—”