by Crimson Syn
My father, arrogant as ever, stood up and reached his hand out to Lucian who blatantly ignored it.
“I’m not your son.”
My father looked rather discerned and he simply shrugged and nodded. “Yes, undoubtedly.”
“Father, I think Lucian just needs to know why you asked for him.” I looked over at Lucian and he gave me a small smile before fixing his dark eyes back on Joseph Montgomery.
The tension in the room elevated and I could already tell that this wasn’t going to go well. “Lucian why don’t you sit down,” I gestured at a chair and he nodded briefly before striding toward it. He looked at me and waited for me to sit down before unbuttoning his own jacket and taking his own seat.
“What is it you called me for, Montgomery. I have things to do today, much more important things,” he looked over at me for a second before continuing. “Things that don’t involve me sitting in an office twiddling my thumbs all day.”
My father glared at him for a second and I could tell he was holding back his tongue. He could be such a tyrant sometimes.
“I wanted to talk to you about Ravenhead and expanding.”
“Why do I feel there is something else underlying your intent for expanding?”
“Because there is. Last time Ravenhead closed we lost millions of dollars, are you willing to let that happen again.”
“Is there something I’m missing here?” He looked from me to my father. “I didn’t realize Ravenhead was in imminent danger.”
“Ravenhead is always in danger.”
Lucian looked down for a long moment, I could feel the wheels in his head turning.
“I thought my daughter explained things to you.”
“I told him you wanted to show him the plans. You said you had…”
“I said nothing!”
Shocked, I stared back at him. “You told me that’s what you wanted to speak to him about. You had plans you had a vision.”
He glared at me and his cold stare gave me chills. I stared over at Lucian and shook my head. “I’m so sorry.”
I turned and walked out, I couldn’t handle my father’s dismissive attitude. It hurt and I was furious at he treated me as I were a mere pawn in his plans. Here I was doing what he wanted, I had practically begged Lucian to give him a chance, and this is the gratitude that he had.
I was so wrapped up in my anger and pain that I didn’t notice the man standing in the shadows behind my car. It wasn’t until I was taking out my keys and he blocked my path that I noticed him. I froze, not really knowing what to do. Fear instinctively crawled up my spine and my gut feeling told me to run.
I whirled around, but before I could take off, he grabbed me and slammed me up against the side of the car. “Now, I thought we had a deal, Miss Montgomery?”
“Fuck you!” I seethed as I gripped my keys, prepared to jab at him.
“I told you there’d be consequences.”
“Fuck the consequences! I won’t give you what you’re asking for! Never!”
He hung his head and slowly pulled a sharp blade from his jacket pocket. The sharp steel glinted in the sunlight and I felt my whole body run cold. As soon as his eyes met mine, my instinct told me to run. Instead, I raised my hand to stab him and in the process, he punched me. And then he punched me again, in the gut, and it took the breath out of me.
At first, it felt like water was running down my stomach, but when I looked down I realized the knife was wedged between my side and his hand. I looked up at him in shock and his dark eyes narrowed on me.
“Forgive me for this one. I didn’t want it to get to this point. We told you to play nice with Catchfire, miss Montgomery, but it seems you don’t listen.” A sharp sting throbbed through me as he yanked the knife out, only to punch me with it again. I leaned forward, wide eyed and feeling like my soul was ever so slowly drifting away. He took a step away from me and I dropped to my knees, my purse’s contents spilling all over the cement floor. I watched as my cell phone slid out and I turned my head. More wetness, more resonance of death, I couldn’t breathe. Reaching out, my fingertips managed to reach for the phone. I kept telling my mind to tell my fingers to lift it. Slowly, oh so slowly, my hand trembling, I pressed the last contact on my phone. The only one I knew who cared.
His voice rang loud and clear halfway through that first ring, and it brought an odd sense of comfort. I could die happily hearing his voice, I thought.
“Are you alright? I’m sorry about that, you shouldn’t have had to deal with all that… Sabrina?”
“Lucian,” my voice was a mere whisper.
“Sabrina, are you alright?”
“Lucian, I don’t want to die.” I sobbed into the phone.
“What are you talking about, Beautiful? Where are you?”
The strength in his voice ran through me. “Help me.”
“Sabrina, where are you?” He sounded so far away, as if he were running.
“I don’t want to die, Lucian. Please God, help…” my voice wandered off.
“Sabrina. Sabrina!” his voice was so far away.
“Help me,” I whispered, just as the darkness took over.
12
Lucian
My footsteps pummeled on the pavement. I ran hard, just like I had every morning, only this time I was running towards something. Something important. She needed me. My mind ran through different scenarios, she just left, is she in the parking lot, was she in a car accident.
I swung the large metal door open to the garage and right there in front of me was my answer. I could see the soft curve of her leg lying on the concrete floor. My breath caught as I quickly approached, my lungs burning from the exertion. As I rounded the bumper of her car I nearly collapsed. Her lovely frame was sprawled on the concrete floor in a pool of blood, blood that coated her silky white blouse. I got down on one knee and shoved my feelings to the side. Pressing my fingers to the side of her neck, I checked for a pulse. It took a moment of holding my breath, but I felt it. Quickly, I picked up my phone and dialed out for an ambulance. I kept looking at her, there was so much blood.
“911 what is your emergency?”
“There is a woman on the floor of the Ravenhead Garage.” I looked down trying to see what had happened to her. “I ripped open her blouse and there they were. Three gashes along her lower abdomen. “She was…she was stabbed. She’s losing so much blood.”
I took off my jacket and rolling it up I pressed it against her stomach. “Please.”
“Stay put, Sir. I’m sending a unit over.”
“God, please!” I yelled out as the blood continued to soak through my jacket. Tears started to flood my eyes as for the first time, in a long time, I begged God for her life.
She was motionless, her flushed cheeks losing color. So pale. She was so pale. “God, please. Please don’t take her. Not her.” I sobbed as I prayed for that ambulance to show up. I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, seconds, maybe minutes, a half hour, but suddenly I was lifted to my feet and she was being taken away on a gurney.
“No! No! I’m coming with her!”
A cop suddenly appeared before me, his hand on my chest. “Sir, I think its best…”
“I could give a shit who you are. I am the CEO of Ravenhead Corporation and that, that is my employee. So, I will be going with her. I have a responsibility to her. She gave me her life, and I promised she’s be safe. I fucking promised!”
I yelled it in his face and he took a step back, his hands raised, and after a moment, he stepped aside. Running up I scrambled into the back of that ambulance. She was on a ventilator, blood still staining the sheet they had wrapped her in. I lifted her hand to my cheek.
“Please, baby. Fight. Fight for me.”
A phone suddenly rang taking me out of my stupor. Looking around I realized the ring was coming from her purse. Reaching over I took it out, an unmarked number on the screen. I was about to put the phone away when it rang again, the same number. I answered it, slowly pre
ssing it to my ear.
“Is she still alive?”
My blood ran cold as the distorted voice came on the line. “Who is this?”
“Now Lucian Steele, that surprises me. You know exactly who this is.” I stared at Sabrina’s sleeping form, the steady beeping from the heart monitor the only sign that she was alive.
“I am going to rip your heart out,” I seethed.
“Before you do that. There’s something I need you to hand over, unless you want your pretty redhead stabbed again. Only this time, I’ll make sure the consequences are permanent.”
“Motherfucker!”
I heard the phone crack as I held it tight. “I’m going to find you and when I do, I won’t hesitate to give a slow torturous death.
“That is if you find me.” The voice sounded droned out as if it were bored. After a deep sigh, it continued. “Now if you’re through with all your empty threats, I think there’s something you have that I want.”
“I’m not giving you a goddamn thing. I don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
“Oh, but I’m not a terrorist. Well…maybe the men waiting on this might be, but I could give a shit about terrorism. I just want the money.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m your worst nightmare. Didn’t you get that by now, Steele? See…you took something of mine and now I want it back. But in the interim, I’ve decided to take away something of yours.”
“I will destroy you. Just like I did your predecessors.” I seethed.
“You can try. I really do want to see you try. It will be great entertainment. Now, I think we’ve chatted long enough. I’ll be contacting you again with details on what I need and the drop off points.”
“Wait!” I yelled but the phone quickly went dead.
He knew I’d be alone, he knew there was no way I could track him. He also knew I wouldn’t involve the FBI in fear that something would happen to Sabrina. But he was dead wrong if he thought I was going to get down on my knees and give up what he wanted, whatever that was. This is what he had been searching for. To catch me alone, to get to me. My beautiful angel was just caught in the middle and I wasn’t able to protect her. There was absolutely no way I was letting them near her again. Even if they needed to tear her away from me, Sabrina was going to survive. She had to.
13
Joseph
My daughter was just a casualty of war. I needed a way to get close to Lucian and she had been the only way. She was alive, I made sure of it. Didn’t want them to hurt her too badly, I still needed those grandchildren.
The curtain was closed as I approached her bedside. Pulling it aside I found myself eye to eye with the man himself. I couldn’t hold back the look of disdain that crossed my features and matched his own.
Now that I had him here, it was my moment. It was showtime.
“This. This is your fault!” I screamed out at him, pointing my finger at him.
He held up his hands, looking smug and defiant. “You need to calm down, Montgomery. This is no one’s fault but Catchfire’s. They wanted information she wasn’t privy too. Your concern should be on catching them not blaming me.”
I hated the man with such passion I wanted to rip his head off right then and there. Instead, I held off. Stepping back, I made my way to my daughter. I needed his sympathy, I needed him to believe that I did everything for my family. He had a soft spot for her, she was his Achilles heel.
Stroking her cheek, I bent down and kissed her forehead. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” I faked the sniffle and rough croak emanating from my throat.
I turned to him, my eyes shining with unshed tears. Fuck, I was good. “Do you love her?”
He stayed silent and I yelled to get a reaction. “Do. You. Love her!”
He nodded. “I do. Very much so.”
“Then give them what they want.”
“What?” He stared back at me in shock.
“If this is what they could do to her, imagine what they’ll do next. Give them the fucking blueprints.”
Lucian looked shocked as he stared from me to Sabrina. “She wouldn’t want that.”
“Because she was a foolish idiot. That’s why she’s lying here nearly dead. Give them what they want, Lucian Steele. I won’t ask again.”
“It’s my decision to make, Montgomery.”
“What do you think the board will say when they find out you’d rather put their lives in danger rather than give up some schematics.”
“I will never give Catchfire what they want. God only knows who they’re selling that too. Do you even realize what you’re saying? Do you realize how much harm you can do only to save a few lives. Lives that aren’t even in danger.”
“We’ve already received threats.”
“What?”
I nodded. “There have been threats placed on each of our lives. We’re all in danger, even yourself, Lucian Steele. You are no better than us, although I know you like to think you are.”
“I’m no better than anyone, nor do I think that.”
“Could have fooled me, but I know the type of scum you are.”
“I don’t know what you’re hinting at, but I suggest you hold your tongue before it brings you some serious consequences.”
“You’ve always been handed the world on a silver platter, and you’ve always known how to shit on it.”
“You have no idea, the world I’ve been brought up in. I’m here because of my Father. If I can help it, trust me, I won’t be here for much longer. Now why the fuck wasn’t this told to me sooner!”
“I didn’t think you cared enough. It’s not as simple as you thought it would be, now did you?”
He seethed at me. “If that’s the case, and everyone is in danger, then I’m closing down Ravenhead.”
“What?” His response surprised me. Without Ravenhead we’d lose everything, including the blueprints, the armory. Everything. “There is absolutely no way Ravenhead is shutting down!”
“Then you come up with a better solution. As of right now, I’m shutting down the Corporation and I’m calling the FBI.”
My blood boiled as I stared back at him in shocked anger. “You can’t do that!”
“Watch me,” he seethed.
I could feel my body shaking with fury and I suddenly charged at him. The fucker was prepared as he lunged us off to the side of the room, slamming us against a metal tray and knocking down the heart monitor. The beeping became louder, more incessant, I wanted it to stop.
I gave him a hard-right hook, and satisfied, I watched him stumble back. But his anger had risen, and he came at me with a vengeance. I felt the first jab at my temple, followed by a second one along my jaw. The motherfucker had good aim. I stumbled back but regained my footing quickly. We struggled, fists flying, I caught him a few times, and tasted blood myself.
I finally got the upper hand and slammed him down onto the hard linoleum floor. Wrapping my hands around his throat, I squeezed. He struggled, his eyes going as he slammed down on my forearms, but I had him pinned down and at my mercy.
Just a little tighter.
Squeeze the life out of him.
One moment I had his life in my hands, the next I was being yanked away and dragged back. I screamed out trying to get them off me and back at him.
“You’re fucking dead, Steele!”
He grabbed his neck and slowly stood up. His eyes were wide, his face flushed. He was trying to make sense of it all.
“You were trying to kill me,” he whispered, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. But I heard him. And as realization hit his face, I simply smiled.
“How do you know they want the blueprints?”
I laughed sardonically as they began to take me out of the room. Lucian followed, his eyes full of confusion. “The devil’s always in the details, Steele. Always.”
I shook off the security officers who had me in a steady grip and raised my hands. “I’m going!” Pointing at Lucian I reminded him of one thin
g. “This isn’t over Steele.”
14
Lucian
I stood there in shock at the aftermath of our fight. I’m not sure what his motive was, but if they hadn’t come in that moment, I was sure he would have killed me. He hadn’t answered my question, and my gut told me he knew more than he let on. There was no way he’d know about the blueprints unless Sabrina had told him about the threat. But then again, she didn’t even know the whole story, so how come he was so sure of it.
A whimper caught me off guard and I rushed over to Sabrina’s bedside.
“Lucian,” she whispered my name as her eyes fluttered open.
“Hi there, Princess.”
“Hi,” she smiled sweetly up at me. With the sunlight streaming in, her hair a fiery mess, she was stunning to look at.
“How do you feel?” I whispered, caressing her cheek.
“Like death,” she gave a light laugh followed by a groan as she held her side. “Oh, I hurt.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I know baby. They got you bad. I thought I lost you there for a second.”
“I’m not that easy to get rid of.”
She smiled at me, making me chuckle in relief. “Thank God for that.” Leaning in I gave her a soft peck on the forehead.
“Was my father here? I thought I heard his voice.”
I looked down at my hands, wrapped in hers and kept quiet for a long moment. “He was here. Came to see how you were doing.”
Her soft smile brightened up her face, and I felt sad for the events that had occurred while she slept. “Princess, I need to know if you saw anyone. Can you describe them?”
Her eyelids seemed heavy as she nodded. “I can. I saw him, I saw his eyes.” Tears welled up in her pretty green eyes and her grip tightened on my hand. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to defend myself. So many self-defense classes and all I could do was stand there. The sting of the blade so sharp. Oh, Lucian,” she sobbed and I slid into the bed with her, holding her tight.
