Flawed (Imperfectly Perfect Book 1)

by Lym Cruz

  My eyes misted over with tears as I imagined all the repugnant things that could happen to me anytime. I was weak and at the mercy of my captures. I knew Brittany wasn’t alone. I wondered if they were a gang of bandits if so, how many of them were behind the door.

  Saving the scarps of the energy I had left, I remained motionless, barely breathing. The only thing that had me holding on were my memory and the certainty that Andrew and my father were looking for me. They wouldn’t give up until I was found. Dead or alive. But I didn’t want to die.

  Then from the other side of the door, I heard Brittany’s voice. She was upset and shouting. I tried to make out the words she was uttering but only managed a few. “This was not the plan!” she yelled ever so often.

  I couldn’t hear the voice of the person or people she was talking to. If there was a reply to her bellowing it was too low for me to pick it up. Whoever was with Brittany on this didn’t want to be heard or seen. Brittany had exposed herself but the man who carried me wanted to remain anonymous.

  The bedroom door burst open and Brittany flew in with a tray of food. The smell twisted my stomach and if I had the strength I’d have thrown up. Her eyes were flaming and wild, whatever was going on upset her.

  “You should eat and take your medication.” She thrust the tray in my direction. I didn’t move. “Go on take it.”

  Growling, she placed the tray on the floor next to the bed. “Have it your way.” She spun on her heels towards the door.

  “What wasn’t the plan?” I asked quietly, but she heard me because she froze and rotated to face me.

  “How much did you hear?”

  “What wasn’t the plan?” I repeated. “I’m not getting out of here any time soon you might as well tell me what is going on.” My voice dropped even further. “Am I going to die?”

  “No, Melissa.” She sighed. “Don’t think that. We are...” She wanted to say more, the words hung as she debated with herself whether or not to speak. She shifted on her weight and then sat on the bed.

  “This was supposed to be a four-hour thing. We were going to take you and an hour later we’d call your father for the pay-off. Once the money was wired and secured in our account, we’d give them your location but D—” She stopped herself, shaking her head. “He’s changed the plan.”

  “How did the plan change?” I swallowed. “What’s going to happen to me now?”

  “I don’t know what he wants.” She removed hair falling over my face. “But you won’t get hurt.”

  I wanted to believe her, however, I sensed that even she wasn’t secure of her words. I shivered, fearful of her uncertainties. Brittany unfolded a blanket by the end of the bed and covered me.

  “Try to sleep.”

  Chapter 33

  Andrew

  Dominic had been at the location where the cops pinged the call from. By the time the officers arrived, all they found was the cell phone he’d used to make the call. He was being careful and if he hadn’t made the call—his one mistake—we wouldn’t have imagined Dominic was behind all of this.

  Anthony took him for dead and so had Melissa.

  According to Anthony, after what he did to Mel, he’d kept a close eye on Dominic and when he found out about another one of his parties with underage girls, he’d tipped off the police. The police had invaded the club, rescued the girls and gunshots had been fired by Law Enforcement. Dominic was reported to have been one of the victims.

  “I should have gone to see the body,” Anthony mumbled, furious with himself. “I should have been more careful. I relaxed, I thought he was dead.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Yasmin said, her voice slightly above a whisper, and continued consoling him in Portuguese. He embraced his wife but her words weren’t sufficient for either of them. The only consolation possible was to see Melissa walk through the doors safe and sound, other than that, no words would make it better.

  I withdrew, and unless anyone had something to say about Melissa, I didn’t want to be bothered. I sat next to Ricky with a feeling of uselessness and guilt looming over me. I shouldn’t have left her alone at the hospital. Had I stayed she would still be here.

  David and my father stormed in. As soon as we found out who the abductor was, I informed them. It was easier getting information when they knew who exactly to look for and whatever they learned about Dominic wasn’t good. They didn’t even attempt to hide it. My father signaled, Anthony and I followed him to his office. Our exchange didn’t go unnoticed to detective Miller.

  Ronald closed the door to his study and said, “This Dominic who calls himself Dom is new in town. He’s connected to a human trafficking ring.” My father paused and so did my heart. The bastard was going to try and sell her again. “There will be an auction and a shipment will leave the country sometime soon. My source says Dom and his girl are going to be there.”

  “Prostitution?” I asked.

  “These ones are more targeted, higher class,” Ronald answered. “They are bought by wealthy men, usually, mafia and drug cartels; they are more like captured brides.”

  “My God,” Anthony breathed, slouching, barely able to maintain himself up. He placed his hands on a chair for support. “My God. This can’t be happening.”

  “Wait a minute,” I said, needing clarity. “He’s been trying to sell her for weeks? He only got her today.”

  David sighed. “He’s probably been planning this for weeks. Once he got an okay for the auction, he had to get her. Whether or not Melissa was in the hospital he was going to take her.”

  My blood froze to ice. I was numb. This man had been watching her, stalking her for God knows how long.

  “Do you know who these people are?” I asked my father.

  “All I know is that the police are after them—they have been for a while without success. They call themselves The Phantoms. They’re everywhere but only appear to those they want to.”

  I tightened my hands into a fist, hissing. “Fucking shit.”

  “People want money above all things,” my father continued. “If we’re able to reach out to them and make an irresistible offer for Melissa, there is no way they’ll turn us down. And between the two of you.” My father pointed at Anthony and me. “I’m sure we could come up with an offer no one in their right mind would refuse.”

  “I’ll give them all my money if I have to,” I affirmed. All that mattered was Melissa, whatever the cost. “But how do we contact them?”

  “All we have is a name, a link actually,” David said. “They have some sort of website where you have to register first and get an invitation to the parties. But the problem is that for you to get an invitation or even register, someone has to vouch for you. And this someone has to be a trusted member.”

  “Where are we going to find these members?” Anthony asked, panicking. I sensed he already knew the answer as I did.

  My father shrugged, seeming genuinely apologetic. “We don’t know.”

  “Basically, we have nothing?” Anthony’s voice quavered.

  “We have a link,” I said. “And a lot can be done with a link.” Glances were exchanged across the room. A glint of optimism bathed Anthony’s eyes. “I have an idea. Follow me.”

  We marched down the stairs towards the living room where the police crew was set up. I briefed them on the current situation and then focused my attention on Ricky. He had a mug of coffee, which he sniffed before taking a large gulp. The caffeine was keeping him pumping. He’d been more than a friend throughout all of this and I’d forever be grateful.

  “We have a link.” I handed him a piece of paper. He put the mug down and took the paper. “I need you to hack into this website and send the admin an offer of a hundred million for Melissa. Dom’s girl.” I swallowed thickly. It felt wrong calling her Dom’s girl. She wasn’t his girl. “Tell them we don’t want to participate in the auction, but we want her and we have money.”

  Ricky raised a brow, accessing the note. “Doesn’t sound that
difficult.”

  One of the police techs peeked at the paper and her eyes broadened. “The Phantoms?” She shook her head with a stern expression. “I’ve worked with the Detective who’s investigating this crew and we’ve tried that. They are impenetrable, we get shut down every time we try to hack them. They always notice the slightest of intrusion. Whoever runs their system is a genius. If it were that easy to get in, we would have gotten in.”

  “Firstly,” Ricky said, raising the corner of his lips into a challenging smile. “I’m not you and secondly, I’m also a genius. It takes a genius to understand the works of another.” He then turned to me. “Let’s give it a try.”

  “Wait up,” Detective Miller interrupted before anyone could make a move. “You are not thinking rationally. Let’s say that Genius Boy, does establish contact and makes an offer for Melissa; that will only arouse their curiosity. They might not know that the girl Dom is trying to sell is the same girl whose face is on the news and all over town.

  “No one offers a hundred million just like that. They’re going to look into Melissa and find out who she is and who she’s related to and how much more money she’s worth. They’ll extort you till you’re both bone dry.”

  “I don’t care,” Anthony growled. “I want my daughter back.”

  “That’s the thing, these people don’t play fair and you might not get your daughter back. And say that they do abide and deliver Melissa, it will only be a matter of time before another girl is taken and we might not even get a look at who’s behind all of this.”

  Sensing where the Detective was going next, I stopped him. “No. This is about Melissa.”

  “No,” Miller disputed. “This is about a ring of human traffickers. If we are able to save Melissa it will be great but what about all the other girls who will be auctioned or sold? Do you know what the men who buy them do to those girls? They are beaten, raped, chained and locked up like animals. Deprived the ability to ever make a choice in their lives.

  “Some of the girls were brought into the country under false pretense, they have no idea what awaits them. Others were kidnapped like Melissa and some are children. If there is a chance to save these girls or stop this organization then we should use it wisely.”

  The depth of his words hung worryingly on my chest. Yes, there were other girls involved and I wanted them to be saved, but what he was asking was risky and if it went wrong then we were done. Melissa would disappear for good.

  “Why don’t we try to get an invitation to the party?” The detective pushed.

  I gazed at Anthony from the corner of my eye and he was looking back at me. The same doubts were troubling him. If we refused, then we’d sound egoistic and uncaring, but if we agreed, Melissa would be at risk. Either way, she’d be at risk but what the detective was suggesting was extremely dangerous.

  “Ricky,” Yasmin called in a small voice. “Can you do what the policeman said?”

  “Hmm,” Ricky vacillated. “If I get into their system, I could check their database and impersonate one of the members. Get ourselves vouched and invited to the party.”

  “We should do it that way.”

  “No, Yasmin,” Anthony pleaded, moving across the room to where she was sitting and placed his arms on her shoulder. “No, we can’t. Think about what you are suggesting.”

  “I am a mother and I know how all the other mothers who are looking for their child feel right now. I would not be able to live with myself knowing we could have done something and didn’t.”

  “Could you live with yourself knowing that you threw away the only chance we had of finding our daughter?”

  Yasmin blinked and tears fell down her face. “We should do it as the policeman said.” Her tone was decisive.

  Chapter 34

  Melissa

  I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  I blinked, thinking that my weary mind was playing tricks on me. Dominic was standing right in front of me. He looked older, but it was him. Frightened, I bolted upright, moving backward on the bed till my back was pressed against the hard, cold wall.

  He smiled but his other features remained impassive. “It’s been a while, Melissa.”

  Shifting further, I pressed my back against the bricks. I whipped my head to the right and to the left but there was no escape; except past him. Dominic parted his legs, blocking the door with his tall features, holding an evil glint in his baby-blues.

  I thought he was dead.

  He should be dead.

  “What do you want?”

  “What do I want?” he echoed. There was delight at the surface of his voice. “I have what I want right here. God, you remind me so much of her. I saw her with your son of a bitch father at the hospital, and she is still stunning. But when she was younger—your age—she was wow and you, my dear, are no exception. Too beautiful for your own good.”

  It took me a minute to click who he was referring to and it made the situation worse since he seemed familiar with my parents. My head ached and I stopped reasoning and dumbly stared at him. I wasn’t afraid of Dominic although I knew I should have been. There was only a thick layer of indifference flowing between us.

  “If she had stayed with me,” he added. His tone alike Brittany was too calm, too refined. “And not with that useless Anthony, who can’t even keep you safe, then none of this would have happened. We would be one big happy family. You would’ve been my daughter.”

  “What does my mother have to do with this?”

  “Everything. She made a wrong choice years ago and every choice has consequences. You remind me so much of her.”

  “It’s her you want to punish.”

  His expression grew somber. “Since she’s untouchable, I settled for the next best thing.”

  My stomach tightened with his declaration. I was a surrogate for my mother. Wasn’t it bad enough what he did to me before? Wasn’t it punishment enough? Wasn’t the pain he put me through; the embarrassment my family and I endured thrilling enough for him?

  “I thought you were dead.”

  He walked over, stood in front of the bed looking down on me. “Yes, it’s what I needed. You see, after that stunt you pulled by disappearing on me, I had to teach you a lesson. I leaked the photos and videos. But what I underestimated was your father’s influence and power. The scandal went away very fast. People stopped talking about the Alfords too soon and it wasn’t enough revenge—it needed to hurt more.

  “I followed you for days but it was impossible to get near you. You were surrounded by security all the time and then you disappeared. Vanished. I thought maybe I should vanish as well and they’d let their guards down.

  “I faked my death and spent my days looking for you. I knew you were out of the country, but there was no record of you ever leaving, and I had no idea where you were. But I kept searching. And then you went back home—big mistake. I waited till you returned here, where you’d be comfortable and unalert. I had a plan but once again you had to ruin it by getting yourself hit. So, I had to come up with an emergency backup plan.”

  He climbed on the bed and brushed his thumb across my cheeks. Everything inside of me recoiled, declining his touch.

  “Don’t touch me,” I said, pulling away from him.

  He cupped my jaw, forcefully turning my head to face him. “Look at what you did to your face.”

  It nauseated me knowing that I once trusted this sordid man. Summoning the last of my strength, I spat on his face. “You’re disgusting and you will never be half the man that my father is.”

  Laughing, he cleaned the saliva off his face with the back of his hand. Dominic stood with a smug smile across his lips. He raised his arm, aware of his intentions, I lifted my own in defense. I was too slow, his open palm struck me across the face. I shut my eyes whimpering with the additional ache.

  “I’m the better man,” he yelled. “I’m the one Yasmin should have chosen and they will know exactly how it feels to lose someone they love. They will feel on
their skin how much I hurt. Yasmin will regret not staying with me.”

  “You won’t get away with this,” I sobbed, tears pouring. “My father won’t let you.”

  “I already have,” he scoffed, squaring his shoulders to emphasize his confidence. “The entire country is searching for Brittany and they think I’m dead.”

  “Why don’t you just kill me?” Whatever Dominic had prepared for me was terrible. In my gut, I knew it would be. Death seemed like the best option. “End all of this.”

  He smirked. “Death is too easy. They’ll cry, miss you, mourn, then eventually find closure and move on with their lives. I want them to know that you’re alive and suffering. Every day of their lives will be hell. It will be torture not knowing where you are. The helplessness will deteriorate them. The uncertainty of your whereabouts will drive them to insanity. That my dear ... is worse than death.”

  Without another word he left.

  I was right and it gave a hint of his intentions, he wanted to finish what he didn’t accomplish six years ago. Dominic was going to sell me.

  I rested back on the bed crying. It was all starting to make sense. From the beginning, he wanted to hurt my parents and what better way to do that than through me. Taking away from them someone they loved who so happens to resemble exactly the woman who broke his heart.

  My parents would be broken.

  Spending their lives searching for me.

  Never giving up. Dying, never knowing where I was.

  Chapter 35

  Andrew

  We had one shot. One shot to get this right.

  Twenty hours had passed and Ricky was typing without taking a breath but the computer forensic was right: The Phantoms were impenetrable and Ricky hadn’t caught a break. They were secured by the best technology could offer. Which made sense, in the line of their business they had to be extra cautious.

  Thirty-three hours.

  Anthony was drowsy and dozed off from time to time. I couldn’t even blink. Hacking was an art that required patience but we didn’t know how much time we had left.