by J. L. Beck
Just as I did, he shovels a tiny morsel of food onto the spoon, then holds it to her lips. She doesn’t move an inch. Doesn’t even blink.
“Look at me,” he demands, his voice deep and commanding. To my utter shock, Julie does. Her eyes go from the ceiling to where Felix is sitting. “Good girl, now, open your mouth. You need to eat, doll.”
My jaw drops to the floor when her lips part slowly, her eyes never leaving Felix as he gently slides the spoon into her mouth.
“See, Felix is going to take good care of her,” Markus says. “She’ll be safe with him.”
“No, this means nothing. It’s just a bite, she was probably scared. You can’t just give her to him,” I argue, but my pleas don’t reach anyone.
“Fallon, Julie is leaving today, whether you like it or not. You can either help me get her ready and enjoy the last few moments you have with her, or you can wait in the bedroom.”
“I won’t let this happen! You can’t—” I gently place Julie’s hand on the bed and shove up from my chair.
“Bedroom it is,” Markus declares. “You can either go there yourself, or I can drag you there by your hair. Your choice.”
My gaze zips between an upset Markus, an unreadable Felix, and an incoherent Julie. Fuck, Markus is not going to budge on this. My heart is breaking for Julie, but what can I do? Fighting Markus won’t change anything. She’s still leaving here, regardless.
“Can I at least say goodbye?”
Markus nods, but I can tell he is annoyed, and his patience is running low. I’m on thin ice right now. Cradling Julie’s hand between both of mine, I lean in and carefully kiss her cheek.
“I promise I’ll see you again soon,” I whisper. “Goodbye, for now.”
I stand quickly, not wanting to cry in front of either of these men. I briskly escape the room and head toward Markus’s bedroom. I’m almost inside the bedroom when I realize this is the first, and most likely, last time, Markus has let me out of his sight without me being tied to the bed. Could this be my only chance? I know Markus said he would help me, but how much can I count on that? Am I willing to gamble on my sister’s safety? No.
Darting a look over my shoulder, I make sure Markus didn’t follow me before I bypass the bedroom and venture further down the hall. I open the first door I find and peek inside. It’s a gym. I don’t think I’ll find what I’m looking for here, so I close the door and keep going.
I open the next door and pop my head inside. The first thing I see is a wall of books. A bookshelf that stretches from the bottom all the way to the ceiling. I scan the rest of the room and find a large desk sitting in front of a vast window that overlooks the city. Bingo.
Sneaking inside, I close the door behind me and start my scavenger hunt. I pull open every drawer, look in every small space, nook, and cranny only to come up empty time and time again. With every passing moment, my heart beats faster, knowing that Markus is going to find me soon. It’s inevitable. He is going to find me and punish me.
I know it, but I also know that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try.
I have to at least try. I have to…
“Looking for something?”
I freeze. My whole body just stops as if my operating system just got fried by lightning. Fear holds me prisoner, tossing away the key. The only movement my body will allow is my eyes lifting to where Markus is standing.
To my utter shock, he seems… calm. Which is extremely alarming. With his arms folded across his chest, he leans against the wall casually, almost identical to the stance he took earlier when he asked me about food. But this isn’t takeout. This is life or death for someone I love, and as much as I don’t want to hurt Markus, my sister means more to me.
Still unable to speak, move, or even breathe, I do nothing. Silence stretches between us as I wait for the moment Markus will snap.
He’ll drag me out of the room by my hair, tie me up, and lock me away for weeks. The images running through my head already look like the preview of a movie, a promise of what’s to come. I feel like a mouse that’s seconds away from falling into the trap.
Instead of all the things I’m conjuring up in my mind happening, he leisurely unfolds his arms and strolls across the room. He stops in front of a modern-looking painting hanging on the far side of the wall. Using both hands, he pulls it from the wall and deposits the picture on the floor next to him.
A safe was behind the picture. Of course.
Markus types in a combination, and the safe door clicks before swinging open. My entire mouth goes dry, and I wonder what is inside. What’s he going to do? The suspense is killing me.
Markus reaches inside, and I’m almost positive he is reaching for a gun. When he turns around, I nearly flinch but discover that there is something small in his hand. Stretching his arm out to me, he shows me the small item lying in the palm of his hand.
“Take it. That’s what he wants, isn’t it? The footage from that night.”
My lungs burn, and I realize I’m still holding my breath. I suck in a tiny bit of air, still unable to get my body to move or act normal.
“Take. It,” Markus repeats, his tone more insistent this time.
It’s a trick. It has to be. After everything, he’s willingly giving me the one thing I need to set my sister free?
He sighs deeply and closes the distance between us in two large strides. Before I can spiral into a full-blown panic, he grabs my hand and shoves the thumb drive inside. Then steps back again.
He reaches into his back pocket. “Here is some cash for a cab or whatever you need.” He takes out a wad of bills, that must be at least a few hundred dollars from his wallet and hands them to me. I can’t seem to comprehend what is happening. Why is he doing this? Why is he offering to help me? He asked me to trust him, and now he’s giving me what I need and letting me go.
On autopilot, I lift my hand and take the cash.
“You’re letting me go?” I ask in disbelief. “You said you would never let me go.”
Markus shrugs, a cold mask sliding over his face. “Changed my mind. Getting rid of Julie is such a relief. Made me realize how much work you are. I’ve got better shit to do. Plus, I’ve grown tired of your pussy. I’m going to buy something better next auction, someone prettier and less mouthy.”
His words slice through the thumping organ in my chest. I feel myself bleeding out. Fading.
“You don’t mean that.” I don’t know why I say it. I should be glad he changed his mind. I should be running out of this apartment as fast as I can.
Trick or not, I need to take the chance to get away. Instead, I’m hurt by his words, hurt by the thought of him replacing me as if I were nothing to him.
“Let’s go. I have better things to do. Get out.” He points toward the door.
“Are you serious?” I swallow around the ball of emotion in my throat, around all the words I want to say but can’t.
“Out!” Markus roars, and my limbs spring into action.
He doesn’t move as I head toward the door, and I don’t hear him following me to the elevator. Even when I step inside, I am convinced he is about to jump around the corner and pin me to the ground, but nothing happens when the door closes, and nothing happens when it reopens into a large foyer downstairs.
The front of the building is all glass, and I can see the busy street ahead of me. Still unable to trust this whole situation, I take a hesitant step out of the elevator. I’m prepared for something bad to happen but again, nothing.
Clutching onto the thumb drive, I speed walk toward the exit. I push the front door open, and the sounds of the city wash over me. People talking, laughing, cars speeding by, and honking somewhere down the street. The onslaught of sounds is almost overwhelming. The only thought keeping me sane is the one where my sister needs me.
I take one more glance back and into the foyer. It’s empty… Markus didn’t follow me.
A mixture of relief and disappointment floods my veins. Maybe he
was telling the truth? Before I allow myself to dwell on the thought, I shove both feelings down into a deep corner of my mind, spin around and hail a cab.
Someone stops in a matter of seconds, which isn’t surprising seeing that every other vehicle seems to be a taxi. I get into the back, stuffing the cash into my pocket but keeping the thumb drive in my hand.
“The library, please.”
“To the library,” the driver confirms and takes off. Thankfully, he doesn’t try to make any small talk with me since I don’t have the nerve for that right now.
He drops me off in front of a large gray building, and I pay him with one of the twenty-dollar bills Markus gave me. “Keep the rest,” I call on my way out and slam the door shut behind me.
Walking up the stairs to the front door, I wonder if this is the right move. Maybe I should just find a phone and call the number myself? No, I need to see what’s on this drive.
Inside, I bypass every single bookshelf and find a public computer instead. Luckily, they have one available all the way in the corner, away from prying eyes.
I shove myself down into a seat and plug the thumb drive into the USB port.
A few seconds later, a folder appears on the screen. It reads Victoria.
Sucking in a shaky breath, I move the mouse over the folder and click on it. Two sub-folders open, neither one is labeled, so I just click on the first one. My heart clenches so tightly in my chest, I wonder if I’m having a heart attack.
What I see has my blood turning ice cold. Bile rises in my throat as I take in the image before me. It’s a picture of Markus holding a woman in his arms, cradling her, a woman who seems to be dead, killed by a gunshot wound to her head.
A woman who looks very much like me.
32
Markus
I watch Fallon as she rushes into the library. Her heart-shaped face is etched with sadness, and her plump lips are turned down in a permanent frown.
Telling her to leave when all I wanted to do was take her into my arms was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do but necessary since this is what would’ve happened anyway. She was always going to run, always going to try and help her sister. Admitting I wanted her in any way wouldn’t have changed the outcome. We were headed here from the beginning.
Brave, and so beautifully selfless. She was willing to endure my wrath again and again to save her sister. Pushing her away was the only way for me to get the full picture. It hurt like hell. Her walking away was like a bullet being embedded into my skin.
She wasn’t ever going to trust me enough to help her any other way. Maybe she would after this, or maybe she wouldn’t.
What I do know is that now Fallon will lead me right to Timothy. It’s not the most ideal situation, and definitely more dangerous than I’d like it to be, but it is what it is. I’ll make sure Fallon gets out of this unscathed.
I’m across the street from the library. The busy city surrounds me, and no one seems to notice me sitting here in my car. I kept my distance, stayed far enough back that any time Fallon looked over her shoulder, there was no way she would’ve seen me or the car.
A few minutes pass, and she appears again at the entrance of the library. I’m guessing she watched the video on that drive.
I wonder what she thinks of me now. If it changes how she sees me.
Looking out into the street, she descends the steps. She pauses when she reaches the bottom step and glances over her shoulder like she’s expecting to find me there.
No, baby… I’m right in front of you.
Rushing across the street, she heads straight for Beans, the coffee shop.
From the spot I’m sitting in, I can see the door to the coffee shop perfectly and inside through the immense glass windows that overlook the street.
Fallon goes up to order a coffee and drops into the first seat she can find—in front of the window. She looks so incredibly sad. I wish I could take all the pain I’ve caused her away. I want to be better for her, but is it even possible?
When all of this is over, is she even going to want me? I’ve broken her and held her captive. She could never want me…never want to stay by choice.
As I stew in my own misery as I watch Fallon. She occasionally sips on the liquid in her to-go cup while staring out the window like she is waiting for someone.
Of course, she called Timothy to let him know she had the thumb drive. All that hassle he went through for a video. So stupid, so fucking stupid, but his stupidly is what’s going to get him killed. I’m doing this for Fallon, for her sister.
My blood pressure spikes, and I have to force myself to remain in the car when a white van pulls up. The moment she sees the van, she hurries from her seat, leaving her cup behind. The front windows of the van are tinted, so I can’t make out the faces of the men inside.
She walks up to the passenger side door. Whoever is in that van exchanges words with her because the frown on Fallon’s face deepens. She nods apprehensively, and the side door on the van opens. She’s devoted to finding her sister, and I’m devoted to protecting her.
I might have said she could leave, but I never meant it. In every physical way, she is mine. She will always be mine.
Fallon climbs inside the van, and the door closes behind her. My heart sinks into my stomach. I hate not being inside that van, hate not being able to see her. I swear to god if they touch her, I will rip every appendage off their bodies and feed them to them.
The van pulls away from the curb, and I start my car, the soft purr of the engine fills the cabin. I keep a safe distance behind them. I don’t need to blow my cover, not yet. The drive isn’t a long one, but it feels like it is. Turning into the business district, we drive a little further. The van turns into an old parking lot with an abandoned warehouse on it.
I stall and pull to the side of the road, waiting for them to head inside. Two men climb out of the front seats and together walk over to the passenger side door.
A second later, Fallon is being pulled out of the van. One man holds her by the arm while the other points his gun at her. I can only imagine what line of bullshit he is telling her. And even though it’s obvious she is afraid, she still holds her head high.
They disappear through a side door on the building, and as soon as they’re gone, I get out of my car. I’m not sure what they plan to do with Fallon, but protecting her is the most important thing to me. I move with grace and precision, pressing my back against the brick exterior of the building.
I spot the door they went through and consider going in that way, but choose not to at the last second. The element of surprise is what’s going to get me further. I can’t let these idiots or even Fallon know that I’m here.
Walking around the building, I find another door. It takes me all of ten seconds to pick the flimsy lock and slip into the building unnoticed. As soon as I’m inside, I hear voices. They carry through the air, a beacon of guidance. The building itself isn’t that large and looks like the type of property used for the overstock of equipment.
“Where is my sister? I did everything you wanted. I showed up alone, brought the drive. Please, just let my sister and me go. We won’t tell anyone,” Fallon pleads.
Sadly, there is no point in begging with these men. They don’t care.
One man laughs. “Your sister isn’t here, bitch, and we’re not letting you go. The plan was to kill you, but we changed our minds when we saw you at the coffee shop. You’re much too pretty to waste a bullet on.”
Radio static fills my head. I slip into the darkness. The place I feel most at home. These bastards will pay for touching her, for even thinking of putting their slimy fingers on her.
“No, no. This wasn’t the deal. I just want to save my sister!” Fallon starts to cry, and the last of my resolve snaps.
I descend into my mind and pull the gun from its holster at my side. Slipping between the racks, I wait until I’m closer before showing myself. Both men are standing right in front of Fallon while she sit
s on what looks like a chair with her hands tied behind her back.
“There’s no saving your sister. There isn’t even any saving yourself…” One guy leans in and touches Fallon’s face. She turns her face and tries to move away from his touch, but he crowds her. “I can’t wait to taste you… see if you’re as sweet as…” I don’t allow him to finish his thought. Lifting the gun, I point the barrel at him. He tilts his head to the side a smidge, and I take the shot.
Pulling the trigger, the deafening sound of the bullet leaving the chamber ricochets all around me. A soft gasp leaves Fallon’s lips as the bullet embeds in his forehead, and he falls backward, landing haphazardly against the concrete.
One fucker down, one to go.
The other man is so shocked, he hasn’t even reached for his gun yet. He’s still staring at the space his friend was just standing. I waste zero time and move a little to the left. I pull the trigger again. The bullet goes straight into his head, and much like his friend, he crumbles to the floor a second later. I rush forward and undo the rope binding her hands at her back. Fallon twists in the seat and audibly sighs when she sees me.
“I’m sorry, Markus. I just wanted to save her.”
Big fat tears tumble down her cheeks. She’s utterly defeated. I want to make it better, but the only thing that will make her happy is saving her sister, and that’s going to take a little more time.
“I know. It’s okay. I promised you I would do whatever I could, and I will,” I say as I pat down the two bodies.
“Why did you tell me to go? Why did you let me go if you were just going to follow me anyway?” Her voice cracks with unspoken emotion.
“I had to. They wouldn’t have come for you if I was there with you, and you didn’t trust me enough to let me help you. Now I’ve proven myself. Proven that I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I want to take her into my arms, but we need to finish this. We need to give Timothy what he wants, so we can save Fallon’s sister.
In my search of the bodies, I find a phone. Again, it’s a burner phone, and I navigate through the recent call history. Timothy’s number is the last number called, and I hit the green call button and put the phone on speaker.
