by Lora Ann
Unable to stand the friction between Nik and me any longer, I stood and walked over to him. “I’m so sorry,” I affirmed with pure sincerity, clapping him on the shoulder.
His arms came around me fiercely as he squeezed so tight I lost my breath. His whole body trembled. “I know you are, Even.”
That broke what little control I had over my emotions. I stood in my brother’s embrace as tears flowed freely. I cried for not being there for Aimee. For not trusting Nik’s instincts. For not chasing after Lacey when she got on that blasted elevator. I let it all out. When I pulled back, Nik’s face was wet and his eyes swollen. Alex walked over and put his arms around us. It was then I noticed he, too, had tears in his eyes.
A knock at the door broke our bonding moment. Alex wiped his eyes on his sleeve before he answered. One of the employees at the hotel was standing there and passed an eight-by-ten manila envelope to Alex. After Alex thanked him, he closed the door and strode over to the writing desk in the corner of the room. He reached inside the desk to grab a letter opener. Instead of reaching inside to grab a hold of the contents, he turned the opened end upside down dumping them onto the desk. What stared up at us was not only alarming, but haunting. The image would never leave my memory, even if I lived to be a hundred. “Good, Lord,” Alex breathed.
I quickly grasped the wastebasket and puked my guts up. There was an eerie silence, like it gets before a tornado touches down. All of a sudden there was a deafening howl of anguish mixed with wrath. Then everything in the twister’s path (a.k.a. Nik) was utterly and completely destroyed. Alex and I stepped out of the way of flying debris and let him take it all out on the suite’s fixtures, pictures, and furniture. Damn good thing he owned the hotel, because the entire room would need remodeling once he finished damaging the place.
While Alex attempted to reason with him, I went back and studied the photograph for clues. I knew well enough not to touch it in case there were fingerprints on it. Though I highly doubted Reynolds would be that stupid. Still, we could hope he was. I had to cover my mouth once again, fighting back the urge to vomit. There wasn’t any way to mistake who the woman was in shackles. Aimee’s eyes were lack lustered and she seemed resigned with her fate. That was what was most devastating; as if she was fully aware we couldn’t get to her in time. God, what was that fucker going to do to her before he let her die? I shuddered to think of all the horrors he could perform before death claimed the beauty that was my sister-in-law. The love of my brother’s life was in the hands of a madman who wanted vengeance against her and Nik. This would not end well for anyone.
I heard Nik hit the floor heavily and went over to see if I could help. To say he was in bad shape would be a ginormous understatement. Squatting down, I held my brother’s face in my hands and vowed, “We’ll find her.”
Alex held Nik’s hand. “On my life, brother, we will get to her before he can do any harm.”
Because that was what baffled me most, Aimee hadn’t been hurt other than those shackles were too tight around her wrists and ankles. The blood behind her on the wall was old. Not to mention, she didn’t look like she’d been hit. I wasn’t sure what kind of game Caleb was playing. One thing was for sure, he’d just managed to fuck with Nik’s head. “Ah-ha,” I blurted out, “That’s it!”
“What the hell are you talking about, E?” Alex queried.
“Reynolds has successfully pulled the ultimate mind fuck.”
I watched as reality of what I said clicked into place for Alex. “He’s right, Nik.” He looked directly into Nik’s gaze. “He won’t kill her right away. He’s waiting, biding his time for the perfect moment.” Alex stood and began to pace. “He’ll continue to send things to paralyze your mental and emotional state before he takes his revenge.”
Nik sat up, and I could see when he came back online. “Motherfucker is demented.”
“More like, evil genius,” I pointed out. Nik shot me a terrifying glare, so I explained, “If you’re incapable of functioning enough to search for her, he wins. So why be quick about it? He probably figures he can torture both of you this way for an insurmountable amount of time. Once he grows bored with his little game, he’ll end it. His way. His time.” I passionately added, “He wants you to know he’s in control.”
Nik jumped to his feet and roared, “The. Fuck. He. Is.”
Alex declared, “No way will he win. We’ll beat him at his own game.”
I clapped Nik on the back. “Damn straight,” I added.
And with that, the unspoken motto lingered in the air: One for all, and all for one.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lacey
“Ouch!” I yelped, as I sat on a large rock to inspect my ankle. This little adventure had proven stupid in more ways than one. My twisted ankle really was the least of the pain I was experiencing. My chest was hollow with a deep ache over my heart. The reminiscence of E on his knees in that hallway brought on another round of sobs. Worst part, I had done this to both of us. Completely naïve to how bad it would be when I left him. Oh, I was fully aware it would hurt. However, it was actually worse than I’d suspected. As if I had disconnected from a part of myself, and now was filled with an agony that was soul deep. If I had ever wondered he were the man for me, there was no doubt any longer. Severing from my other half was the dumbest thing I had ever done in my life. All of that weighed heavily on me as I looked around my surroundings and came to grips with the fact I was lost. Somehow turned around and unable to get my bearings. To top it off, the sun was setting. Yeah, I’m a real winner here, I thought sardonically.
Shelter was top priority as I hobbled along an overgrown path. I stumbled over a fallen branch and found a CONDEMED sign hanging over a rusted gate. Apparently I’d found a mine entrance. There wasn’t time to investigate and see if I could find the tourist area for the mine. Albeit I wasn’t totally sure this was the same one I’d seen in the brochure back at the hotel. Again, I mentally railed at myself for being so irresponsible to venture off into an area I didn’t know. First, I attempted to pull on the gate to see if it would give, but the padlock held firm. I surveyed until my eyes lit on a good sized rock. Once I returned back to the gate, I beat the crap out of that lock until it finally gave way. Thank heavens, I hadn’t given up. I would rather take my chances in there than out in the elements with wild animals.
I couldn’t go far due to lack of light. Furthermore, I questioned where my head had been when I decided to hike out here. No provisions, no flashlight, no map, and no working phone. Idiot! I ran my hand along the sides and found there was water trickling down one area. I held my water bottle next to it and tried to get something to drink. It wasn’t much, but I was able to get enough for a few good mouthfuls. I sat down and drew my knees up under my chin. There really wasn’t much I could do at this point, but wait. Hopefully with the sunrise I could find my way back to civilization, or, at least, locate another person. As exhaustion settled in, the song “Follow Me Back Into The Sun” by The Rescues played in my head. Tears once again began to coat my cheeks. Were we out of time? Had this been the one mistake I couldn’t be forgiven for? Would I pay with my life? And what about Keeley, who would look for her once I was gone? Thankfully, sleep overtook my ruminations.
*****
Something woke me. I could’ve sworn I heard a distant scream. I stood too suddenly and lost my balance, falling back against the rough side of the mine and cutting my back. Great. I could feel the blood trickle down, but there was nothing I could do. In all likelihood, my imagination was playing tricks on me. I was dehydrated and hungry. Who knew what that would do to someone’s sanity? Just as I was about to sit back down, I definitely heard a shriek. Not one of terror, but of pain. Oh no! Someone was trapped in the mine. I hollered out, “Hello.” Yes, I was aware that I could cause a cave-in. Nevertheless, if there was a person that needed my help, I couldn’t very well leave them. Using the smoother side as my guide, I began to slowly hike deeper inside. With the pitch black en
veloping me it felt as if I had been moving forever. Going nowhere, and not finding anything or anyone in the process. I rounded a corner and had made the decision that I would turn back if I came up empty again. At this rate, I wasn’t positive I could find my way back. All of a sudden, there was a flicker of light up ahead. As I stared into the distance, it grew until I could make out a silhouette of a person. No, I blinked harder and really focused. It wasn’t just a person, but a woman. I moved forward, making my way to her as she fell into me. “Are you okay?” I asked as I swept her dirty, long hair from her face.
“Need help,” she whispered in a gravelly tone.
Poor woman was parched, and it seemed her throat was raw. Could it be from screaming? “Alright,” I confirmed. “Come on, I’ll take you to the entrance.”
She gripped my shirt tightly. “Not me. Her.”
My head shot up as I searched all around for someone else, but I couldn’t see hide nor hair of anyone other than her. “Who?”
“Other girl,” she panted, which made it obvious her throat hurt.
I had to wonder just how long she’d been lost in here. “Um…I don’t see anyone else.” Now she was hallucinating.
She pulled my hair until I howled, “Let go!”
“No!” She roared. “He’s going to kill her.”
I was on high alert with that little tidbit. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“We need to help her escape before he returns.” By that time, she had released my hair and was standing on her own.
I couldn’t help but notice she was petite like Keeley; although, she was curvy and voluptuous where my twin was fay-like. “Lead the way,” I suggested as I followed her.
It seemed we had been walking for days when finally we hit an actual corridor of sorts. I mean we were still in the mine shaft, but this part had been leveled and secured. Plus it had creature features, like overhead lights. Thank, God. I could now see clearly the woman in front of me. Her hair hit the small of her back, and though it was caked in dirt and sweat, I could see it was blonde. When she pivoted around to look at me, her big, beautiful green-gray eyes held mine captive. I couldn’t help but think she looked an awful lot like Marylyn Monroe. That was when recognition hit for both of us. On a squeal, I grabbed her and pulled her against me in a fierce hug. “Oh…oh…Aimee?”
Her reaction was the same as she reached up to hold my face. “My Lord, Lacey, is it really you?”
Tears of joy filled our eyes as we stood there in a moment of shock. How did I not recognize her earlier? Then again, she hadn’t identified me either. I guess I looked as bad as I felt. “Where are we?” I queried as she backed away. That was when I noticed she was injured. There was dried blood around her hairline, as well as a nasty gash across her upper arm and along her collar bone. I glanced down and saw where her slacks had been ripped and there was blood encrusted around her knee. The scream I had heard must’ve been her falling. On closer inspection, I saw raw and angry rings around her wrists. I gently clasped her hand to get a better look. Sure enough, she’d been restrained by something that had left its vicious mark on her smooth skin. “Are you all right, Aimee?”
“I will be once we’re out of this hellhole. C’mon,” she ordered as she turned and held my hand, dragging me behind her while walking with purpose.
“Do you know where you’re going?” I asked after we’d been walking for some time.
“Not completely,” she confessed, “When I broke free from the shackles, I searched for a way out immediately. I figured it’d be best to find help first. Besides, for whatever reason, they’re taking care of her. Oh,” she gasped and pivoted around to look me in the eyes. Her hand was over her mouth.
“What?” I questioned. “What in the world is wrong now?”
She swallowed, which caused her to wince. I had been correct: Her throat was causing her a great deal of discomfort. She reached forward and grabbed my hand. While holding it in hers, she expounded, “Your sister is safe. For now.”
All the air left my lungs in a whoosh. “M-m-my,” I stuttered, “S-sis…ter?”
Fresh tears filled her eyes. “Yes,” she nodded emphatically.
I fell against the wall and bit back a yelp. Damn it, the cut between my shoulder blades was downright painful. “She’s here?” I asked terrified that I had mistaken what she’d said.
“Somewhere in this place,” she confirmed.
I hopped up and tugged Aimee’s arm. “We have to find her.”
“Hold on,” she said, halting in place. “You’re injured.”
“So what? You are, too.”
She brushed the spot on my back where the rock had sliced it, and I couldn’t tamp down the howl. Gently, she lifted my shirt and then sucked in a deep breath on a hiss. That was all the confirmation I needed to know that I had done a fairly good job of hurting myself. “How bad is it?”
“You need stitches,” she stated matter-of-factly.
I pulled out of her grasp and looked over my shoulder, but was unable to see anything. When I glanced back at her, I indicated with a nod of my head towards her injuries. “So do you.”
Her fingers traced the wound along the side of her face. “Hmm…those rocks are sharper than they seem.” A slight grin lifted the corners of her mouth.
“Indeed they are,” I agreed. “Keeley?”
This time Aimee did smile. “Is holding her own,” she replied.
I wondered what cryptic message was hiding in that statement. Then, I recalled her saying earlier that “he would kill her.” I rounded on her and clasped her shoulders, mindful of the nasty laceration I’d seen on her bicep. “Who’s trying to kill Keeley?”
“Caleb,” she murmured, as if saying his name loudly would conjure the devil himself.
Somehow, on a subconscious level, I had known when Keeley went missing in Tahoe he had her. She resembled Aimee too much, and her disappearance had not followed her MO. Normally when she was aware I was on her trail, she moved on. Yet I could always locate her within forty-eight hours—like she wanted me close by, but didn’t want me directly interfering. Not this last time. No, she’d left without a trace. That was when I suspected she’d been abducted. Now I knew, beyond a shadow of doubt, who had taken her. Devil was an accurate description. The man was pure evil. Suddenly AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” came to mind. Yeah, that’d be his theme song. And here we are chatting in his lair. My eyes widened as fear melded into my bones. “We have to get her and get out of here. Now!”
“Calm down, Lacey.” Aimee’s voice and cool demeanor was my lighthouse through the fog of my emotions, guiding me in before I hit the sharp rocks. “He’s out. He won’t be back for at least another day.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “Do you know where she is?”
“Not exactly,” she admitted.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
She tugged on my arm. “Listen. We have to be careful. His partners in crime are lurking about.” She scanned the hallways with a tilt to her head, and that was when I heard voices.
We quickly slipped into a room and held our breath, hoping they hadn’t heard us.
A male voice with a New York accent said, “You’re hearing things, babe.”
“No, I’m not. Joe, I’m telling you someone’s down here.”
He chuckled. “The only person down in this part is Aimee, and she won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”
She sighed in relief. “I s’pose you’re right. I need to go check on the kid.”
“While you do that, I’ll go fix us something to eat.”
I could hear a loud smacking kiss—Ew!—before their footsteps echoed.
With a sidelong glance at Aimee, I knew she, too, had been a little disgusted hearing that smooch. Her face spoke volumes: a wrinkled up nose like she had just smelled something revolting. I covered my mouth to stifle the giggle. She whispered, “That was enough to make me barf.”
“Me, too. Gross. I have no desire to visualize the bad guys
making out.” A shiver went down my spine.
Aimee cracked the door slightly to make sure the coast was clear. Once she was satisfied we were good to go, she said, “Let’s go rescue your sister.”
I held up my fist for her to bump with hers and gave a “Hell yeah,” for good measure.
Her look of shock was bit comical. “I see E has rubbed off on you.”
At the sound of his name my emotions plummeted. I couldn’t answer her, so I bobbed my head once in agreement.
“Oh, shit.” She shook her head, like a mother did when she knew her child had done something wrong. “What’d he do?”
“He didn’t do anything wrong.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “I left him.”
“What?” she gasped, “Why?”
“To make a long story short, I thought it was for the best,” I confessed.
“But you don’t anymore.”
I felt the moisture hit my face as I shook my head.
“Ah, honey,” she crooned. “It’ll work out.”
“I sure hope so,” I declared.
A cough caught our attention. Silently I prayed it wasn’t one of Caleb’s henchmen, or worse, the man himself. As we turned to see who was standing in the corridor with us, my surprise took me to my knees. Standing before me was my sister Keeley. She immediately hobbled towards me. Hold on, why is she limping like that? I stood and walked towards her. Once I reached her, I enfolded her in my arms. She groaned in pain. So I took a step backwards, studying her closely. “What’d he do to you?”