Watching Her

by Harlem Dae

  I knew what I hoped he meant. I needed Sutton, the same way I needed to breathe.

  “So you and the girl have no one to save you,” Hooded Man said, jerking his head towards the school.

  “The girl has nothing to do with this.” I clenched my fists.

  “She has everything to do with it.”

  I shook my head. “No, she doesn’t. She’s not even mine, or my father’s grandchild. She was adopted, years ago. Nothing to do with our family. Don’t involve her in this.”

  “Too late.”

  “No. It’s not.” I stepped closer, my knees weak, my heart thudding. “She’s an innocent.”

  “It’s always the innocent who get hurt.” He glanced at his gun then turned it in his hand as though admiring its shiny barrel.

  “Don’t hurt her. I beg you.” And I would beg. I knew I would. I’d get down on my hands and knees and promise them my soul for all eternity. “Please. Not her.”

  The other man chuckled, a chilling sound that held no humour. “This one’s been giving us the slip for days,” he said. “And now here she is, begging.”

  “Yeah.” Hooded Man huffed. “Like taking sweets from a kid now Ghostman’s gone, huh?”

  “What do you want?” I asked. “Tell me.”

  “It’s not so much what we want, it’s what our boss wants, honey.”

  “Which is?”

  “A bargaining tool. Your father has put him in a sticky situation by not agreeing to meet his needs.”

  “And how the fuck do you…does your boss…come to the conclusion that a little girl should be drawn into this shit storm?”

  He raised his eyebrows and looked at me as though I was an imbecile. “It’s business, simple as.”

  “Not any bloody business that I’ve ever heard of.” I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk sense to them. Being rational wasn’t a common trait in men like this.

  “Dearest Daddy should have thought of that before he made arms his business.”

  “Arms?”

  “Yeah.” He stepped closer to me.

  I took a step back and eyed his gun, which was now pointing my way.

  He stopped and tilted his head. A slow smirk spread on his face.

  “Take me,” I said. “Not her. Take me. I’ll be the bargaining tool.”

  He nodded slowly, as though unsurprised at my sudden declaration.

  Even though I’d stunned the hell out of myself with it.

  But it was okay. Sutton would be here any second. He’d come careening around the corner, weapon at the ready, and take out these low-life scumbags.

  “And what’s to stop us taking you both?” Hooded Man asked, wafting the gun up and down.

  “Yeah, I reckon we’d get a bonus for that.” The other man chuckled again.

  I had a sudden urge to ram my fist into his mouth and shove his tongue down his throat until his face went blue and his eyes bulged.

  “Take me and not her. That’s the deal. You can’t have us both.” I held out my hands. “That’s the deal.”

  “Are you in any position to deal?”

  “Yes, I am.” Fuck, no I wasn’t. I was on the wrong side of the barrel of a gun. “Because…” I hesitated. “Ghostman wasn’t my only protection, and any minute now you’re going to be surrounded. It’s me and me alone if you want to get the hell out of St Wolfgang before all hell breaks loose.”

  I was sorry to have given up Sutton’s element of surprise, but that was the least he owed me after fucking off like this. Plus, the flash of uncertainty that went through the eyes of the man standing before me made it well worth it.

  His accomplice surveyed the area, checking out the large wheelie bin to the right and the few parked cars.

  “Minutes,” I said, “no, more like seconds. You want something for your boss. You take me now and the girl stays.” I took a retreating step. “Or it’s nothing at all and you’ll have your brains splattered in the snow the same way as your mates have, up there.” I jerked my head backwards. “Or I suspect your boss will take a gun to your head for not delivering, since that seems to be the way he operates.”

  Shit, Sutton. I need you.

  “Fuck.” Hooded Man lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. “Get the hell in.”

  I gasped as he tugged me hard. I stumbled, my feet tripping over themselves, but his firm grip kept me upright.

  The other man opened the back door of the Range Rover and climbed in. He then dragged me with him, the slamming door narrowly missing my feet.

  “Hey!”

  “Shut the fuck up,” he said, clamping his arms over my back so I was laying on my stomach, my face in his crotch.

  The engine started.

  I shut my eyes as nausea rolled through me.

  Guilia was safe in school…for now.

  But I was well and truly in for it.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The Range Rover accelerated, pressing me backwards on the seat and grinding my head against the belly of my hostage-taker. He smelt stale, a mixture of cigarette smoke and damp.

  “Keep fucking still,” he muttered, tightening his grip on me and forcing my face into the folds of his jeans.

  I grimaced and clutched at his leg as the car sped around a bend.

  “We being followed, Jan?”

  “No,” the driver in the hood said.

  So Hooded Man’s name is Jan.

  I stored that bit of information away. It might come in useful if I needed to appeal to his softer side to stop him blowing my brains out.

  Softer side. Yeah, right. About as soft as an iron bar coated in nails.

  The vehicle sped up. I longed for the sound of bullets hitting the bodywork, the glass on the back window splintering—a sign that Sutton was following. But, of course, I heard nothing.

  When I got hold of him I’d kick his arse to kingdom-bloody-come.

  Bastard.

  The pressure on my back increased. “Fancy sucking me off while you’re down there, honey?”

  I squirmed and tried to push upright but to no avail. He held me too tight. The thought of this evil man’s dick in my mouth churned my stomach.

  “Hey, you’ll make me think you don’t want some of Rick’s dick.” He chuckled.

  “She’s a posh chick, not like that last whore you had,” Jan said. “Not likely to be into your grimy cock.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. There was a definite bulge beneath my face now and it was too damn close for comfort.

  “Shut the fuck up. Lana was no whore—well, not unless I told her to be.” He laughed again and slid his hand up to my head, pressing my face to the thick wedge of flesh beneath the creases of his denims. “Come on, you know you want it. Rick’s dick is the best. It’ll go right down your throat and spurt till it’s coming out of your nose.”

  “Would you stop talking about your damn dick?” Jan said, hurtling the car to the left. “I ain’t interested. We gotta get the fuck out of here if what she says is right and there’s more of them.”

  “I dunno, I think she’s full of shit.” Rick pressed my head down even harder.

  “Mmph…” I twisted away from his groin. “Get the fuck off me.”

  “Ah, you’ll be begging for it later.” Suddenly he shoved me upright. “They all do.”

  “I very much doubt that,” I said, pushing my hair from my face. I scowled at him then turned to the window.

  We’d left the village already and were on a small uphill road lined with trees heavy with snow. It was dark, the sun barely penetrating the branches, and the road surface glimmered with a warning of ice.

  Glancing downwards, at the steep drop to my right, I hoped to hell the Range Rover had decent tyres. I didn’t fancy the hundred or so foot plummet through the skinny tree trunks to the rocky river in the valley.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Somewhere you won’t be found,” Jan said.

  “Or be heard screaming.” Rick winked at me and cupped his cock through his
clothes. “Which you will.”

  My palm tingled. I itched to slap his face. Ball my fist and break his nose. Yank his hair, bend him double, and knee him in the groin. I should be terrified. Hell, I was terrified. But I was also angry. Angry with everyone.

  I tugged my coat around myself and was reminded of the burner in my pocket. I’d have to keep that hidden. Make a call to Sutton and let him know where I was. Or the police. Was it time to involve them?

  But where the hell was I? This road could be any one of a million alpine lanes. I’d seen no signs, no landmarks, and we were still driving steeply upwards, the engine roaring.

  “Good idea to swap the Merc for this,” Jan said, revving harder and taking a sharp bend at speed.

  “Yeah, can’t go wrong with these beasts.” Rick glanced out of the window, eyeing the ground that fell away just a foot from the road’s edge.

  Slipping my hand into my pocket, I ran my fingertip over the keys, which were slightly flush. Could I call now? Without being able to see the numbers I was dialling? Make a guess at it and hope for the best?

  I pressed the bottom right one, praying it wouldn’t make a noise.

  It didn’t.

  Now all I had to do was…

  “What the hell have you got there?” Rick lunged for me, dragging my arm so my hand was hauled from my pocket.

  He delved into it and pulled out the phone. The one thing that Sutton had given me to keep me safe.

  “You bitch.” He slapped me, hard, across my face.

  “Ow!” Heat flared over my cheek and my neck jarred.

  “What?” Jan said, briefly taking his attention from the road and looking in the rear-view mirror.

  “She’s got a fucking phone.”

  “Didn’t you check?”

  “No, we just got the hell out of there.”

  “Sometimes you’re a fucking moron, Rick. You think I can do everything?” Jan tutted.

  “Just bloody drive,” Rick said, opening his window.

  Chilled air raced into the car with a whoosh.

  He hurled the burner out of the window, and it was snatched by the forest as the Range Rover sped onwards.

  “Shit, no.” I grimaced and closed my eyes. Anger was slipping away, and in its place fear—real, absolute, black, gut-clenching fear rising mountainous in its size and intensity.

  I would be raped and murdered up in these snowy peaks. No one to help me or find me if. My father would no doubt be shown my battered body, undignified and bloody, legs spread, skin torn, and be told the same would happen to him if he didn’t meet their demands.

  He’d hate that. Seeing me unclothed, abused, assaulted. He loved me deep down, I knew he did. I was his daughter, after all.

  That thought spun in the centre of my mind. Full of self-importance, it pressed out other smaller and insignificant thoughts.

  He loves me.

  I knew he did and right now the arguments, our history, his wrong-doings faded, and all I wanted was him. His voice, his face, his ability to make anything happen in my world that I needed or asked for.

  Spoilt? Yes, I was. But I was also just a girl who wanted her daddy.

  Or Sutton. He’d do. I risked a glance backwards. Yep, Sutton would definitely do.

  “No one is following,” Jan said. “Not a soul, so sit back and enjoy the ride.”

  “Enjoy the ride? What, with bloody Jack the Ripper back here?” I folded my arms and hoped they didn’t sense the fear in my voice. “Right now I could do with some castrating equipment.”

  “What, and spoil your fun?” Rick laughed loudly. A blob of spittle flew from his mouth.

  “Keep a rein on it,” Jan said. “We gotta talk to Boss.” He released the steering wheel with his left hand and shoved at his jacket to expose a garish yellow gold watch. “Time is ticking. He’ll be expecting us.”

  As he’d spoken he’d pulled onto an even narrower road, more of a track and deeper with snow. He slowed the car and drove around a few hairpin bends. I had a sense of becoming completely lost to the rest of the world. Invisible. Vanishing into the wilderness.

  The trees cleared dramatically, and I realized we were on a cliff edge. Set before us was a wooden cabin, the roof weighted down with virginal snow. The windows were in darkness, and a chimney rose dormant into the blue sky. Attached to the chimney’s brickwork was a black satellite dish.

  A glance at the ground told me no one had visited recently. There were no car tracks or footprints leading to the small veranda and front door.

  “Where are we?” I asked, knowing they wouldn’t tell me anything but thinking it was worth a try.

  “Nirvana, darling,” Rick said with a leer. His teeth were stained yellow with thin vertical brown lines and reminded me of an over-ripe banana.

  “Jesus, get a grip,” I muttered. My belly clenched. I didn’t want to imagine what was going through his head. And shit, I was miles from anywhere. Sutton, my father, or the police would never find me.

  It was time to start relying on myself.

  Jan turned off the engine, and I had a sudden pang of longing for Kolya. His sweet determination to protect me had been comforting once he’d stopped scaring the shit out of me. I’d taken his guardianship for granted, lounged in it, rejected it even, but right now it would have been worth its weight in gold.

  I hope he didn’t suffer.

  “Get out.” Rick leaned over me and shoved at the door, pushing away an image hovering before me—Kolya lying on red snow with the stillness of death over him.

  I did as Rick asked, pleased to be out of the confines of the car and away from his rank smell, but equally I knew what was coming my way.

  And it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

  “Hurry.” Jan gripped my arm and tugged me towards the cabin. He glanced about as though checking I didn’t have rescuers lurking in the trees.

  As if.

  Rick stomped off to the right, to what appeared to be a cliff edge. In the distance, the Alps rose majestically, their windswept peaks holding a trailing a cloud of snow. Once I would have lingered over their beauty, but now they were the bars on my prison cell.

  My breath puffed in front of me as I stomped through the deep snow, towed along by Jan.

  He unlocked the cabin door and shoved me inside.

  I stumbled and gripped the back of a wooden chair.

  “Sit,” he said. “Boss will want to see you.”

  “Is he here?”

  “He will be.” Jan gripped my shoulders and manoeuvred me onto the chair.

  I sat with a hard bump.

  “No point running,” he said, nodding at the door. “You won’t get very far.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Why would I go anywhere? I came willingly, to protect Guilia.”

  “Oh yeah…” He snorted and walked to the hearth. It was set with logs and kindling. With practiced efficiency, he lit it.

  “What I didn’t agree to,” I said, glancing at the door.

  Rick was heading back our way.

  My belly clenched. “Was that creep raping me.”

  “Rick’s got a high sex drive.” Jan stood and shucked off the hooded jacket he wore. He tossed it onto a dusty pine table. “And if he wants some… Well, if there’s me and you here, I’d rather he had you and not me.” He laughed.

  “Twat,” I said. “Have you no morals?”

  “Nah, requirement of the job. Chuck your fucking morals in the bin when you take it on.”

  “What you chucking in the bin?” Rick stepped into the cabin and shut the door. It had been dim before, but now it was more so.

  “Don’t matter.” Jan jabbed at the fire, and the first flames leapt to life, their orange shadows dancing on the grimy wooden floor.

  “So now what?” I asked, hoping that negotiations were next on the agenda rather than Rick’s foul needs.

  “A drink.” Jan set the poker down. “Get me one, Rick.”

  “What did your last fucking slave die of?” Rick huffed, d
ropping his beanie hat onto a ladder-back chair beside the door.

  “I gotta get the boss online,” Jan said with a shake of his head. “Or we’ll both be fucking dead.”

  Rick muttered something and wandered to a cabinet. He sloshed amber liquid into two metal mugs then handed one to Jan.

  Jan was fiddling with a tablet, the glare of the screen flooding his face with diamond-white light.

  “Where is your boss?” I asked.

  “Columbia.”

  “Columbia, that’s a long way.” Why the hell is he there? Are arms deals rife in Columbia?

  “Yeah well, he has a long reach.”

  “And what’s his name?”

  “Pack it in with the questions,” Rick said. He knocked back a mouthful of drink then wiped his hand over his mouth.

  “I’m entitled to know who is holding me hostage.”

  “Just think of me, baby,” Rick said, removing his jacket and sliding his attention down my body. “That’s all you need to know.”

  I shuddered and wondered how far I’d get if I did make a run for it.

  Not far. The snow would slow me down. Soon I’d be cold and lost. Then it would be dark and hypothermia would set in. It was hard to believe, but staying in this grim cabin with murdering rapists actually seemed like my best option.

  If only I still had that burner.

  If only…

  Damn it. The tracker. It was in my jeans pocket.

  Sutton.

  Would he? Could he?

  A glimmer of hope lit in me, sparking to life the same way the fire in the room had.

  How could I have forgotten about it? It could be my saviour, if only Sutton was okay. If they hadn’t got to him. If Kolya’s fate hadn’t become Sutton’s, too.

  “Hey, Boss, you seeing me okay?”

  My attention was drawn to Jan. He was talking at the screen.

  There was a slight delay and then, “Yeah, I see you.”

  A man’s voice. Heavily accented. Columbian?

  “Good.” Jan nodded and took a sip of his drink.

  “You have the girl?”

  “Yeah, sure thing, Boss.” Jan spun the screen my way.

  The image of a man, dark-skinned, sleek black hair seemingly pulled back into a ponytail, and with a moustache and goatee beard, stared at me. His mouth was way too wide for his face, his lips thick.