Whomever has her, probably thinks they’re in the clear, given her history.” I winced, but he continued, “We don’t want to spook them into making any rash decisions. People who do this type of crime tend to be all or nothing and extremely emotional. The last thing we want is anyone making an emotional decision right now.”
I nodded, “He’s right. I suggest we carry on as normal, as best as we can,” I added, seeing Vivian’s lower lip tremble, “and we use all of our resources to find her.”
Everyone nodded solemnly. The tension in the room was thick with emotion. Vivian was silently sobbing. Thomas had tears in his eyes,
but kept remaining strong for his wife. And her two brothers seemed lost on how to process everything we’d just gone over.
“We’re going to find her,” I repeated, mostly for myself this time.
TWENTY NINE | Alina
Tucking the sheet underneath my feet, I pulled the bundle of covers over my head and sealed it all around me. It was dark, hot, and the place I felt safest. In actuality, I was lying in a fetal position in the middle of the bed, but here in this self-made cocoon, I didn’t feel quite as exposed.
I thought about what I’d heard earlier in the day. Derrick was looking for me and there was a really good chance he would find me.
My heart was still surging with hope at the possibility of being found.
Joe had mentioned something about a tape and I wondered how that was possible when I’d seen Derrick remove all of his surveillance equipment from my house the last time I’d seen him.
A sigh involuntarily left my body. That last time was when I told him that I never wanted to see him again. Even then I knew it was a lie. I never wanted to go another day without him and my subsequent breakdown after he’d left was proof of that. I should’ve never told him that. Maybe that would’ve saved me from this hell.
I started shaking before I realized what was happening. My stomach hollowed and my heart rate quickened. My palms started to sweat when I thought about everything that had taken place over the last two weeks. I started breathing erratically when I remembered how Jason had invaded my body.
No, Alina. You can’t lose it, I told myself.
I was trying to stop myself from spiraling out of control, but I couldn’t. Tears flowed relentlessly and I stuffed a fist in my mouth to stop myself from screaming out loud. I had to keep Jason out of here. I couldn’t draw attention to myself. I laid in my safety bundle, shaking and crying uncontrollably, until sleep overwhelmed me again.
a
I woke up to harsh knocking on the bedroom door. Unfolding myself from my “safe space”, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. The knock sounded again. More impatiently this time. Jason normally didn’t knock before he came in. This was new.
“Yes?” My voice came out hoarse and groggy.
The knob turned and Joe stepped through the door, “I have your breakfast.”
I looked away from him and nodded, accepting the tray of food he was bringing me. It was hard to be around Joe. Although he had been my bodyguard and not an actual friend, I had grown fond of him over the years. The fact that he was willing to betray my family this way all for some allegiance to Jason really hurt me in a way I couldn’t quite explain.
He set the tray down on the bed in front of me, turning to leave before I stopped him, “Where’s Jason?”
It wasn’t that I wanted to see him. In fact, it was the opposite. I was only wondering why Joe was here instead.
“He had a meeting to go to. I’m supposed to take care of you until he comes back in from the city.”
“From the—“ I stopped myself before I could ask him to clarify. I didn’t think he meant to add that last part. If Jason was in the city, then this place he was keeping me couldn’t have been too far away.
“Oh, ok. Do you know when that will be?”
“No.”
His straightforward answer and tone told me that the conversation was over. Without another word, he turned and left the room.
While I ate, I tried to think of possible places Jason could’ve taken me. He had given me some kind of tranquilizer to keep me asleep while he brought me here, so I had no way of knowing how long I’d been in transit. I exhaled, feeling frustrated and stuck, but not wanting to let myself forget that there was still hope.
Derrick was looking for me.
He would find me.
I finished the last bite of my oatmeal when Joe came back in the room, not bothering to knock this time. Wordlessly, he grabbed the now empty tray from me and set it on the dresser.
“Time for your bath.”
My eyes widened, “Um, what?”
“It’s time for your bath.”
I paused, trying to figure out exactly what was going on, “Why are you in here then?”
“Mr. Brown wants me to make sure that your routine stays the same during his absence.”
“Okay, but why are you here?
“You need to take a bath, Alina, and I’m making sure that happens.”
My eyebrows shot up into my hairline as I processed his words,
“You’re not staying in here with me while I bathe.”
He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. The same way he used to when I would talk back and try to convince him to let me get away with something. It should have comforted me a little to see the familiar gesture, but it only infuriated me. It reminded me of where I was and why.
“You’re not staying in here with me while I bathe, “I repeated more firmly.
“The boss says—“
“I don’t give a damn what your boss says, Joe. I’m not getting naked with you in the room.”
“I’ve already seen you naked, Alina.”
I felt like the air had been sucked from the room. Unsure of what context he meant, I folded my arms across my chest uncomfortably and defiantly, “I don’t care.”
He shrugged his shoulders, pulling out a phone, “I’ll just give him a call and he can tell you.”
I shrugged back, “Fine.” I waited until he’d started dialing before adding, “and I’ll just tell him you tried to touch me.”
His fingers stopped moving on the screen and he raised his head to look at me. His gaze was hardened, as he tried to decide if I was telling the truth or not. I held my ground. Keeping my arms crossed tightly and chewing on the inside of my bottom lip. I wasn’t going to back down. Not from Joe.
I knew he couldn’t do anything to me without Jason’s approval first, and Jason was sick enough to want to torture me all on his own.
After an intense few minutes, he stuffed his phone back in his pocket.
As he flipped the phone over, I noticed the case surrounding it. Pink roses on a rose gold background. There was only one phone I’d known that looked like that.
Mine.
My eyes widened, seeing my phone so close. I felt a shift in my composure knowing I had to get it from him somehow. He turned toward the door to leave,“Fine. You have fifteen minutes and then I’m coming in.”
I exhaled when the door clicked shut behind him. I had to get that phone off of him, but I didn't even know where to start. He was one hundred percent aligned with Jason. There was no way he would let me get near it. But I knew the phone would be my ticket toward freedom. If people knew that Jason had kidnapped me, they’d at least have a place to start looking.
I ran my bath water. Hot. The same way I’d done the night before. It stung as I let it cover me, sinking down as far as I could. Half-submerged, I contemplated how I would be able to get the phone away from Joe.
I sat up abruptly, a lightbulb going off in my head. It wasn’t a pleasant idea, but it seemed like the only one that would work given the circumstances. He mentioned having seen me naked earlier, but I didn’t know exactly in what way he was talking about. And if I was completely off the mark, I just knew I’d be facing Jason’s wrath. Still, I had to try.
A few minutes later, I was crawling onto the bed, naked and shaking from the co
ol temperature of the room and nerves, reassuring myself that this was for a reason. Getting home meant that I had to survive and surviving meant I had to fight. So much had been taken from me thus far, and I was ready to fight like hell to get my life back. To get Derrick back. The fire of hope surged in my chest as I prayed to see him again. This had to work.
As promised, my door opened fifteen minutes after he left the first time. I took one last breath, focusing on getting home and Derrick, letting my fear fall behind me. The way Joe’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open told me that I hadn’t missed the mark. He was attracted to me and he was taking the bait.
“A-A-Alina? W-What are you doing?” he stammered, hurriedly closing the door behind him.
I rolled my neck to one side, letting my hair cover the side of my face. Sighing dramatically, I arched my back, pushing my bare breasts up into the air. My nipples hardened automatically.
“Joe..” I moaned his name.
My knees were pressed together firmly, but I raised them up just enough to rest my feet on the mattress. He made a slight whimpering sound as he rubbed his neck, stepping closer to the bed.
I sighed, running my hands up my stomach and pushing my breasts together.
“I-I don’t understand…”
I sat up, “Isn’t this what you wanted? Why you were so eager to bathe me today?”
The voice coming from my mouth didn’t sound like me. I was hungry and needy, but not for this. And certainly not for him. But I was willing to do anything to get home, even if that meant seducing him. For a brief moment, I flashed back to the night before. The way Jason had insisted I was begging for it. Bile rose up my throat, but I swallowed it back down.
Anything to get home.
Anything to love Derrick.
Joe had moved to the foot of the bed, so I crawled down to him, sitting up on my knees. I mustered up my biggest doe eyes and stuck my bottom lip out.
“Don’t you want me?”
He swallowed, lifting a hand and dragging a finger up my arm, across my collarbone and up my neck. He had a lustful look in his eye and I could tell he was wrestling with himself.
“I do,” he finally breathed.
“Then take me.”
I held my breath, waiting for him to cave. Praying that he would take the bait.
“But you belong to him, you said so yourself when you threatened to tell him I touched you.”
Shit. I had to try another angle, but I wasn’t going to give up. He was right here, so close to giving in. The phone was inches away from me.
I stuck my lip out again, “He hurt me, Joe. I need you to make me feel better.”
He scrubbed at his face, groaning like he was in pain. Taking a deep breath, I reached for his hand and turned it over before placing it on my breast. My body shuddered involuntarily at the touch that didn’t belong to the man I loved, but I steadied myself, remembering my objective.
Get home.
I arched into his palm, encouraging him to caress me there. He licked his bottom lip and let out a long breath, his fingers gingerly kneading my flesh. When his other hand came around and grabbed my other breast, I knew he was sold.
I pulled back, watching his mouth drop open and his eyes widen when I moved out of his reach. A tremor ran up my spine, seeing the man before me drunk with lust and knowing what was going to happen next, but I thought about Derrick. I said anything and I meant it.
Quelling the desire to run, I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes, mentally reconfiguring the room. When the bed dipped, I imagined it was Derrick’s large and powerful body. When two hands gripped my thighs and spread them apart, I thought about the way his touch soothed every ache I had. When he settled over me and moved inside of me, I forced myself to remember the way Derrick had filled me, lovingly and completely.
I stayed in my mind, letting Joe have my body for his pleasure, while I recalled every intimate moment Derrick and I had together. It didn't last long. I held onto him as he moved at a frenzied pace, chasing release. He thrusted hard, shuddering out a loud moan, before pulling out and emptying himself on my stomach.
Rolling to the side, he laid on the bed, one arm covering his face. He was breathing hard and stroking his cock languidly, milking the last few drops of his semen onto his fist. I took several deep breaths.
The weight of what had just happened threatened to send me into a panic attack, but I had to stay the course.
“Um, should I get a towel?” I asked, my voice small and timid.
He groaned again, “No, no. I’ll get one.”
He kissed the side of my face, near my temple, and then rolled off the bed. Covering up with one of his large hands, he disappeared into the bathroom. As soon as I heard the water turn on, I slid off the bed and reached for his jeans. Fumbling around with the heavy fabric, it took me a second to search the pockets, but I found the phone. The water clicked off in the bathroom, so I stuffed it underneath the mattress just as he stepped back into the room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his expression shifting.
“Huh? Oh, nothing. I was coming in to join you,” I recovered.
I must’ve looked distressed by the way he was eyeing me. He offered a damp towel, “Here, get cleaned up.”
My teeth clamped down on the corner of my mouth. I looked away, shame overwhelming me at the callous way he commanded me.
Just like Jason. I swiped the warm cloth over my belly. Making sure it was clean, but knowing I’d still need— and want— a shower. Silence stretched on between us as we both moved to get dressed. By the time he was fastening the buckle on his jeans, he paused to look up at me.
“Look Alina, I don’t like any of this. I don’t like what he’s doing to you. But he will kill you if you don’t follow his rules. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. I don’t even know what that is,” he added, a look of confusion crossing over his face.
“What just happened was…well, it was unexpected and I can’t say I haven’t been curious for a long time. But it can’t happen again. I don’t want him to hurt you, so I won’t say anything. We can keep this between me and you, okay?”
I leaned against the bed, pulling my robe tightly around me, nodding, “I think that’s probably for the best.”
He crossed the room and stood in front of me, eyes filled with concern, “I’ll try and protect you. I don’t want him to hurt you ever again.” His hand grazed my cheek, almost lovingly, and momentarily I felt guilty. He seemed to have genuine feelings for me, and I had just exploited them. A heavy weight settled low in my belly and I felt awful.
“I have to go, but let me know if you need anything. I’ll leave the room unlocked.”
Turning, he left me standing there, wrestling between what means I’d have to use, what more hell I’d have to endure just to get back home and if it was possible to create an ally out of Joe and save him too.
THIRTY | Derrick
The Prescott Manor Library had turned into Command Central after the meeting yesterday. All non-essential members of the security team had been called in to assist in finding any possible leads that could help locate Alina. All of the intel I’d gathered on her was sprawled out on tables and being sifted through by everyone who was on hand to help.
It was slightly mortifying seeing my work through someone else’s eyes. Wondering if they realized how obsessed I had become with her. Multiple shots of her just living her life. The recordings we’d made together. Everything was out on display. I’d taken some precautions and kept the more intimate tapes for myself. No one here needed to see or hear any of that.
I ventured through the crowded room, stepping over piles and sliding past people huddled over papers, to where Vivian stood near a window. She was transfixed, staring out of it with glassy eyes, clutching a bundled up piece of tissue. I marveled at her regal beauty. Even in the middle of a crisis, she was still meticulously put together and showed
no sign of distress. With the exception of her eyes. I stoo
d next to her, looking out onto the grounds.
“She’s still there,” she whispered.
“I know,” I replied quietly, even though a small part of my head had its doubts.
She turned to me, “Alina and I haven’t always had the best relationship.” A smile tugged on her lips, “I’d say I annoyed her more than anything. It’s amazing how something like this could happen and make every little thing I’ve ever harassed her about seem so unimportant.”
I nodded emphatically, not knowing what to say. I knew how my heart felt with an Alina-sized hole in it. I could only imagine how it would feel if this was my daughter.
Losing Her (Lost and Found Book 1) Page 29