by Terry Towers
Grabbing the phone, I clicked onto his recent messages. Before I had a chance to even look through them, a message came in, and I clicked on it, cursing myself for doing so. Clicking it meant it would come up as read already.
Damn, damn, and double damn. I’d have to think fast with an excuse.
But all thought left me as I looked down at the message from a guy name Flynn.
Flynn: If you can’t get that little cunt to tell you where her sister and Tanner are hiding by the end of the weekend, I’m ordering you to take her, and we’ll get the information from her by other means. Do I make myself clear?
The fairy tale I was beginning to allow myself to indulge in shattered, and the reality of what was going on began to piece like magic. These people – Kyle – were involved with Tanner. My sister and her boyfriend took off without a word to anyone, not me, and not our mother, shortly after my father’s funeral.
I had always suspected they had something to do with my father’s death, and here it was – proof positive that I had been right. Okay, maybe not proof positive, but a pretty close coincidence. Too close.
My hand holding the phone began to shake as the rage built up within me. I didn’t even register the fact there was more to the message, and they planned on abducting me.
“Son of a bitch!” I roared leaping to my feet, my back to the door. My hand pulled back, and I was about to throw the phone at the wall, when a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind.
“I’m sorry it had to come to this,” Kyle said from behind me. Despite his words, I didn’t hear remorse in his voice.
My entire body froze, and I yelped as I felt something pierce my skin at my neck.
“What the…”
I didn’t even get to finish my sentence as darkness began to evade my mind, and I fell into the black abyss.
Chapter 9
Kyle
There was no issue with my car. That was a complete lie. Having my phone out and unlocked for her snoopy little eyes to see was also not a mistake. I knew she’d look. If she was the person I suspected her to be, she wouldn’t have any issues checking into me. And as I stepped outside, sitting in my car, I watched on a small monitor connected to a tiny camera focused on the sofa as she picked up my phone and began going through it.
When she stood, clearly enraged, I knew. She knew a lot more than she was letting on. Any other woman who had seen a message like the one I had Flynn send would have either sat there shocked, or began crying, or immediately gotten the fuck out of my place. Getting pissed and throwing my phone wouldn’t be their first reaction.
So, now I had to readjust my strategy.
I was going to be simply honest with her, not something I do often with anyone. I was going to tell her straight out why we wanted her, solve the mystery of her father’s death for her, and let her make the decision to tell me where Emily and Tanner was.
If she didn’t see things my way after that, then I’d have no choice but to hand her over to my father and Cain. I truly hoped she’d see things my way.
Picking her limp body up, I carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Grabbing a massive hockey bag from my closet, I opened it up and laid it on the floor. Next, I grabbed a pair of handcuffs from my night stand drawer and cuffed her hands behind her back, then used one of my ties to blindfold her.
Picking her up again, I carefully placed her into the bag. She fit perfectly. Seeing her in the bag really drove home how small she was. She couldn’t have been any taller than 5’4, and while she wasn’t scrawny, she certainly wasn’t all that big. Looking down at her one last time, I picked up the bag with a soft grunt.
Now, I had to take her through my apartment building in the duffle bag and load her into my trunk. We had a little drive to make. Two hours out of the city to be exact.
Grabbing my phone, I shoved it into my back pocket, grabbed my keys, and left the apartment, locking it behind me. I made it all the way to the elevator before I ran into my first neighbor. As the elevator doors slid open, Sierra Lawson stepped out and smiled at me.
Oh fuck me silly! I groaned inwardly as I forced a friendly smile onto my lips.
I fucked her once, and it was supposed to have been a one night stand. I had thought she was clear on that. I’d been wrong.
“Kyle!” She gave me a quick hug, and I had to fight to keep from recoiling. “How have you been?”
Rebecca was getting heavy on my shoulder. Grabbing the handle of the bag, I gave it a quick adjustment. “Good. I’m - ”
“ - So when are we going to get together again?”
I sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ve been extremely busy. I don’t think I’ll have any free time for the next little while.”
I can guarantee it, I added silently.
Her smile turned to a frown. “Didn’t we have a good time - ”
The elevator doors began to close, and I stepped forward, the door attempting to close on Rebecca’s side and then reopening again. Ooops, that might leave a bruise. “Look, I gotta go.” I didn’t wait for her to reply, If I entertained her conversation any longer, Rebecca would be awake before we got to our destination. Pressing the button for the garage, I gave her a little wave and pressed the button to automatically close the elevator doors.
Letting out a loud sigh of relief, I watched the lights flick as we hit each floor. Thankfully, no one else got onto the elevator on my way down. The coast remained clear all the way to my car, which was parked in a dark corner of the garage.
Popping the trunk, I lifted the hundred plus pound bag up and into the trunk. Unzipping the bag, I quickly pulled her out of the bag and bunched the bag under her head, giving her a not so soft pillow. The idea was to keep her face from smashing against something and bruising her. I didn’t want an accident marring her beautiful features. I was going to be stuck looking at her pretty much all day every day for the next little while, so I didn’t want to have to look at some gaping wound or big bruise.
Not to mention the blood that might get into the interior of the car. Blood was a bitch to get out. With one last look at Rebecca, I was satisfied she was nice and secure, and I closed the trunk.
Walking around the car, I slipped in behind the steering wheel, reached across the seat, and unlocked the glove compartment. Inside was a pistol equipped with a sound suppresser. After placing the pistol on the passenger side seat, I started the car up. Turning on the satellite radio to my favorite R&B channel, I began my two hour drive. All I had to do was make sure I got there before she woke up – ideally. And not get pulled over. Cops didn’t take too kindly to people driving with unconscious women in their trunk, and I certainly didn’t relish the idea of killing a cop.
It was kind of an oxymoron, really. Even though just about everything in my life was against the law, I didn’t have any particular dislike for authorities. As long as they left me alone, I returned the favor. And they did help keep the riff-raff off of the streets.
The drive was nice and quiet, until about ten minutes before I arrived at our destination. That was when the screaming and banging on the trunk of my car started.
I cringed. If she kept it up, she was going to dent my trunk. I was tempted to stop the car and shut her up, but I kept going. We were too close to our destination for any unscheduled stops.
By the time we arrived at a little cabin I’d purchased not too long ago, the kicking and screaming had stopped. I’d bought the cabin for the very purpose of bringing her here, if needed. Or if I needed a little getaway from the hustle and bustle of L.A. The amount of time I was planning on staying in L.A. after the job was done was still undecided.
Shutting off the car, I grabbed the pistol and shoved it into the waistband at back of my jeans as I got out of the vehicle. Popping the trunk, I peered down at Rebecca. Her body was completely still, with the exception of her chest slowly moving up and down.
She’d still be foggy on what had happened to her. The drug I’d given her had an effect on short term m
emory. It would slowly come back, but normally took an hour or so after the person woke. “There’s no use in playing possum. I heard the screams and kicks. I know you’re awake.”
Her mouth dropped open, just slightly. Despite the blindfold, I could see the surprise in her expression. “Kyle?” she asked, her voice raspy.
I chuckled. “Good call, baby.” Switching the gun from the back of my pants to the front, I reached into the trunk and lifted her out. To my surprise, she allowed me to lift her out. I was expecting a struggle, kinda savouring the idea really. I would have liked to have seen a little fighting spirit within her, so this was a bit of a letdown.
Throwing her over my shoulder, I slammed the trunk shut and began walking towards the cabin.
* TT *
Rebecca
Why in the hell did Kyle have me in a trunk? I was focusing so hard on trying to figure out the who, what, and why’s of the situation I barely noticed being lifted from what I presumed to be a trunk.
It wasn’t until I was hoisted up and over his shoulder that the fight instinct set in with a vengeance. I let him walk several paces, giving him a false sense of security. It worked because I felt just a slight amount of slack being given to me, and that was all I needed.
With a sudden burst of energy, I began to pound on his back, kicking, squirming, and hoping to hit his groin with my feet. I wasn’t sure how this was going to go down if he dropped me, because if I landed on my head I might be out for another while, but I had to try. Once I was settled, wherever it was he was taking me it would be next to impossible to escape. I knew this without a doubt.
My sudden thrashing seemed to do the trick. Kyle wavered on his feet, and the grip he had on me released. I jerked myself to the side, and I was suddenly beginning to fall. Unlike the day at the library where he’d caught me, this time he didn’t. I landed solidly on the ground, on my back. The wind was knocked out of me, and for a moment, I found it next to impossible to breathe.
One thing the fall did do for me was shift the blindfold over my eyes. With a violent shake of my head, I managed to get it off completely as I stumbled to my feet. I managed to run several feet before what felt like the impact of a steam engine collided with the small of my back. I shrieked as I fell forward and landed on my stomach on the gravel driveway with Kyle on top of me. With my hands still secured behind my back, I had no way of bracing myself for the fall and screamed out in pain as the gravel dug into my face and arms.
“Nice fucking try, Rebecca.”
I was relieved when his crushing weight was finally removed, and I could breathe freely again. I attempted to get to my feet so I could try to run again, I knew it was a hopeless act, but I had to try.
My struggle managed to get a foot or so of distance between us when Kyle grabbed the chain linking my cuffed hands and pulled me back. “Enough! Fucking enough, Rebecca! Don’t make me have to hurt you.”
Bowing my head in defeat, I sighed. There was no way I would be able to get away. He was stronger, faster, and didn’t have his hands bound behind his back. This was an exercise in futility. I had to figure another way to escape.
Kyle gave my hands a jerk and spun me around. When I turned to face him, I inhaled sharply. He had a pistol aimed at me, right at my forehead. “Now, you’re going to do what you’re told and behave yourself. The easier you make this for me, the easier it’ll be all around.”
“What do you want?” I asked, as he led me to a little log cabin, already knowing the answer – more or less. I began to scan my surroundings and groaned inwardly. We were in the middle of nowhere. I had no idea how long I was out for, so we could be anywhere from a half hour from the city to several hours.
“Information.”
“Don’t you think you’re going about this the wrong way if you want information?” I looked up at him and smirked. “This is a tad excessive, don’t you think, asshole?”
“I tried. I wasn’t getting the answers I wanted the easy way so now we’re going to have to do this another way.”
“Let me guess, the hard way? How fucking cliché.”
“If that’s what it comes to, we’ll do things the hard way. But after we have a little chat about a few things, you might just be a little more cooperative.”
My eyes narrowed at him as I searched my brain for the events that led up to me being taken… They were so damned foggy. “Then why don’t we just talk now, and you can take me home and never talk to me again.”
“Oh, come on now Rebecca, don’t take me sweeping you away to a remote cabin badly.”
I cocked my eyebrow at him. “And of course sticking a gun in my face.”
“… and the little thing of me sticking a gun in your face…” he laughed, and I saw humour in his gaze. At least one of us found this amusing. His amusement only further fuelled my anger.
“And what the fuck is so funny, you limpless dick?”
His smile widened. “If I recall correctly, I remember you saying how impressed you were that I could come and still remain hard.”
“Yeah, it’s called stroking your ego.”
“Uh-huh, right.” We got to the door, and while keeping the gun focused on me, Kyle reached out and opened it. “Get in and turn on the light. The light is on the left, just inside the door.”
I did as told. I kinda expected to see a small dingy space, but that wasn’t the case at all. When I flicked on the light, I was surprised to see I was standing in a modern style living room, with log walls. As we proceeded further into the room, I looked to the right and saw a small kitchen with a four person wooden table.
“Keep going. Into the second bedroom.”
I looked into the first bedroom which I assumed to be the master. It contained a queen sized four poster bed. It would be a lovely cabin to have as a weekend getaway.
“Keep moving.” He gave me a little nudge in the back with the muzzle of the gun.
“Quit poking me.” I shot a dirty stare at him over my shoulder.
“Then get your ass moving.”
We reached the second room. Looking in, I shot another glare at him. There was nothing in the room aside from a radiator, a single mattress on the floor, and a bucket. I’m assuming the bucket was for me to piss in. There wasn’t even a window!
I stood in the doorway for second and stared in, shaking my head. “No way. No fucking way. I’m not staying in here.”
He gave me a shove on the shoulder, and I stumbled forward. “You’ll go where I tell you,” he growled.
Chapter 10
Rebecca
“Don’t you push me, you bastard!” Each step I took into the barren room got me more enraged. How dare he! Two weeks he’d spent setting me up for this. I was actually starting to feel something, I didn’t know what, but it was something new and foreign and exciting to me. And he just ruined it!
“Then do as told. I want you to stand by the radiator.”
I glared at him over my shoulder once more before doing what he said. I had to keep thinking and stay level-headed. I would find a way out of this. If he thought he could outwit me, then he had another thing coming. Once at the radiator, I spun to face him. He was still as handsome as ever, but there was something else about him… I couldn’t even begin to explain it, but he looked… different. I cocked my head to the side and really examined his face. He still had the strong jaw and piercing blue eyes, but there was a definite coldness in his eyes now. It was like the charm had been a façade, and I was finally seeing the real him.
A part of me felt relieved, as crazy as that sounds. From the day I’d first met him I’d felt something wasn’t quite right. Like he was hiding who he truly was, and now I finally got to see the real Kyle.
“What are you grinning about? You gone mad?” He frowned as he stared down at me. “Normally women don’t break this easily.”
I hadn’t realized I’d been smiling until he mentioned it. I didn’t bother to wipe the smile from my face. It seemed to irritate him, and I liked that. �
��Nope. But I just discovered something.”
He stared at me a minute. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he contemplated what I was saying. Finally, he asked, “And what’s that?”
“I discovered that I wasn’t crazy after all. I knew deep down there was something just not right about you.” My grin widened. “I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew. It’s nice to know I was right.”
“So, you’re happy you were right? You’re pleased to be here, at gun point?”
“No, no. Not that. But I’m pleased to know I was right after all. And I promise, I won’t be here for long.”
He took a step back from me and rubbed his jaw with his hand as if in contemplation. “If you really thought that, why in the hell did you ever agree to go out with me? What kind of crazy woman goes out with a man if they think something is off? I thought you were smart but…” He shook his head.
I was going to lie but decided against it. Not sure why, but despite having a gun pointed at me and the uncertainty of this situation, even though this type of situation usually didn’t turn out well, I still felt a sort of odd connection with him. “Because there was something about you that reminded me of me. In a weird way, I was compelled to find out more about you.”
“Compelled, like I was some sort of experiment?” His jaw clenched as he continued to stare at me.
I shrugged. That was all I planned on saying to him. I’d cracked his demeanor and he was agitated. I’d won. “Now, I think I’m done with the chit chat. If you’re planning on tying me to the radiator or whatever, be my guest.” We stared at each other for a minute, and I could see the indecision in his gaze.
“We’ll see how much attitude you have in a couple of days.”
Couple of days? My mouth dropped open as I watched him turn and exit the room, pulling the door behind him. A moment later, there was a click as he locked it from the outside.