by Sienna Grant
“I need you to come to my office.” I click off and walk away from Angelo. I need to get Laura back, if I don’t, I may not survive losing her. Not someone else, especially when I have the chance to save her.
A single knock comes at the door as it opens.
“Yes boss?”
“Come in. I want you to take a look at this picture and I need a favour.” He nods waiting. “Do you still see your SAS guys?”
“Yeah, I’m still in contact with them.
“Okay. I need to know exactly whose phone that number has come from. I need professionals to study the picture and figure out where they’re holding her. I’m sending you the picture now.” Logan’s phone dings with a message and he looks at the screen.
“Got it.” He turns to leave.
“Oh, and Logan? I need it done yesterday, there’s no time to waste.”
“You got it.” He leaves the room and I turn back to Angelo, now I’ve calmed down.
“Angelo. You know if it was Chrissie, no fucker would get rid of me. Laura’s a fighter, even you know that. I care about you both. I don’t want you getting caught up in the crossfire of all this. I’ve already lost a sister because of the O’Connor’s; I won’t lose a brother too.
“I’m fine.”
My phone rings in my hand with that same unknown number….
Lifting it to my ear I take a breath and speak.
“Di Marco....”
Chapter Twenty-One
Laura
While I’ve been sitting here, I’ve thought about a lot. Me, my family, Stefano. He’s the one that keeps me going. I’m not sure how long I’ve been here. I don’t think it’s been a whole night yet, but who knows - there’s no windows. There’s nothing to indicate the time of day either. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I pull them into my chest, resting my chin on top.
I have come to one decision. When or if I get out of here, I’m telling my family about Stefano. I don’t care what they say anymore, that includes Angelo. Life is way too short to mess around and keep secrets - if it’s what you want, then go for it. He may be older than me, but who cares. When Chrissie died, I swore I wouldn’t play by the rules anymore. She didn’t get the choice in what she wanted; she was torn from us... I still remember that day so clearly in my head.
We’d been to the school to get our results; the plan was to get home and open them together, at the same time…
“I say, we have a look in my father's cabinet for some alcohol and when we’ve opened our results, we can celebrate.”
“Awe man, what if I don’t pass. I need my Maths and definitely need my English for my business course.” I muse.
“I suppose at least I still have my Art pass, so I can still do my fashion design, but I still need the other subjects for college. Or I won’t get in.”
“We’re going to smash this; I just know it.” I tell Chrissie trying to fill us with some encouragement and confidence.
Chrissie glimpses down the road before she begins to cross over. My phone rings in my pocket.
“Oh, hang on.”
I take my phone from my back pocket and look at the number, I don’t recognise it though. I hear a car coming from the right and glance down the road at the barrelling car, as it gains on us. It’s getting closer and closer in no time at all. In what feels like slow motion, I turn my head to shout to Chrissie, her head is down. Springing her head up and with her eyes wide, she sees the car, but is rooted to the spot, seemingly too scared to move. She doesn’t get the chance to decide after that - it hits her full on, lifting her up onto the bonnet. It doesn’t stop then though; it flings her from it, making her fall to the ground with a thud - her head bouncing off the tarmac. The culprit drives away, not even stopping.
I hear screaming as I stare at her. It’s my scream I can hear. There’s no-one else around. My eyes spring open suddenly, I realise I’m still standing on the side of the road. I drop everything and run to her. Dropping to my knees at her side, I attempt to touch her, but I’m too scared too. Her face is bloody and she’s not moving.
“Chrissie. Oh my god, Chrissie, no.” I scream at the top of my lungs.
Patting my pockets, I realise I dropped my phone on the pavement. I look back over my shoulder and sure enough there it is. Scrambling over to the path, I grab it and with shaky hands, I find Angelo’s number and click the green button.
“Please answer…. Angelo, I need you to help me. It’s Chrissie there’s been an accident. A car pulls up beside us and two people jump from it to help. I’m dragged off to the side, as the stranger starts working on her…
I wipe away the tears I didn’t realise were falling, as they run into my hair. I’ll never forget the look on Stefano’s face that day when he and Angelo got there.
After that, I was determined I was going to live my life the way I wanted and no-one could tell me otherwise. I lost my sister that day, maybe not my sister by blood, but she definitely was by heart.
Those exam results sat on the mantelpiece unopened for two weeks, like a huge elephant sitting in the middle of the room. After the funeral her mum took me aside, sitting us down in her room and asked me to open them.
My hands shook as I tore the envelope open. While I was gathering the courage to pull out the letter, Stefano appeared in the doorway giving me a silent nod. Tucking my fingers inside, I gripped the letter and pulled it gently, closing my eyes as it slowly immersed from the envelope. My heartbeat was rapid…
“Laura?” Stefano’s rich voice connected with me on another level, it gave me the encouragement to carry on. Their mum’s heart-breaking sniffles from the side of me, tore through me, but I carried on.
“Oh my god.” My hand covers my mouth, as I scan the list of subjects and grades.
“She got all A’s, A*’s and one B. She passed her exams just like I said she would.
A drop of water lands on the white paper and I wipe it away, smearing the black ink, as I quietly let my tears fall. Stefano takes two steps into the room kisses both me and his mum on the head, then leaves us. I curl into her mum seeking comfort from one of the people that were closest to her, and stay there for a while. Letting my heart break for Chrissie, my sister that would never get to live her life.
After that, I went after what I wanted. What I really wanted was Stefano. Which is why when he asked me to keep it between us for a while longer, I did.
I didn’t like it, but I did it...
For him…
Always for him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Stefano
“Di Marco?” I snap.
“Well, Mr Di Marco, I was just wondering if you got my message?”
My eyes take on a narrowed gaze, as fury takes over me when I hear that Irish bastards voice. The image is deep set into my mind.
“I know it’s you O’Connor and I warn you, if anything happens to her. I will put a hole so big in you, they won’t even be able to do a post mortem on your body.”
“So violent.” O’Connor chuckles, grating on my last nerve.
“What do you want in exchange?”
I’ll do anything to get Laura back safe and sound. I need to hold her again. I need to have her in my arms.
“What makes you think you can pay me off?”
“Because everything comes down to money Shea, you know that.”
“How much are you willing to pay for the little slut?”
My fist tightens into a ball, when I hear him disrespect her like that.
Biting down on my teeth, I push back my anger.
“Don’t fucking call her that. You had better deliver her to me within the next hour, or I’m coming to get her.”
“Oh, that will be good, see you soon.” His smug sounding voice irritates the fuck out of me, driving my anger even higher. He clicks off, leaving me seething and wanting to throw my phone at the wall.
“Fuck. Where the fuck is Logan with that information?”
My head drops between my taut arms,
as I lean on the desk and try to compose myself. A comforting hand rests in the middle of my back, making me feel guilty. I know it’s Angelo, he’s the only one that can get this close to me. Other than Roberto of course, but he’s like a father figure. Glancing back over my shoulder, sure enough there’s Angelo.
“What did he say...?”
“We have to talk. I have something I need to tell you.”
His face drops and I know he thinks this is going to be bad news, but I have to do this now. I can’t live with myself any longer.
“Leave us.”
The room empties until it’s just me and Angelo, my best friend. My brother.
“Is she dead? Is that what you need to clear the room for? You need to just tell me if it is.” His toe makes a rhythmic tapping on the ground, as his nerves wear thin.
“Sit down.”
“I don’t want to fucking sit-down Stef, just tell me - is my little sister dead?”
“No.” I snap, but I didn’t mean to. This isn’t going to be easy, no matter how softly I try to tell him.
I take a deep breath and prepare myself.
“I’m in love with her.”
His dark eyes don’t even flicker, as I tell him my deepest secret. Before I know it, his swinging punch cracks me across my nose, busting it open. Cupping my face in my hands, I try to stem the bleeding by holding my head down.
“I’ll give you that one.” I mumble through my cupped hands, that are around my nose and mouth.
“Tell me this is some kind of sick fucking joke?”
“It’s not. I’m in love with your sister.” He tightens his fist again, but I warn him off with one look.
“So, you’re telling me now because…?”
“Because I should have fucking manned up before all this. I should have had the fucking guts to say it, before she started getting friendly with Rhys - she only did it because I wouldn’t give her what she wanted.”
My nose is aching like fucking hell. Wiping my nose on the back of my hand, I see the blood smeared across my knuckles. As I look at Angelo, a self-satisfied grin pulls at the corners of his mouth.
“So, it’s your fault she got dragged into all this shit. You motherfucking, bastard.”
He swings again, but I duck. He misses me, but swings with his other hand, catching me in the side of my head. I punch him back, before grabbing him in a headlock and pulling him down to the floor. I punch him again, then straighten up.
“I don’t want to hurt you Angelo, you’re my best friend.”
“You’ve already done that.” He says in a low, but hateful tone.
I offer him a hand to pull him from the floor, but he bats it away, drags himself up and grabs a tissue from the box on my desk. Dabbing at the blood leaking from the corner of his eye.
“I’ve loved her for years Ang, and when I get her back, I’ll prove to you that she loves me too.”
He studies me closely narrowing his eyes.
“I don’t get it. She’s my sister, man.” He glances around the room, until he settles on the picture of Chrissie and Laura.
“You could have anyone you want, why her?”
He walks to the cabinet picking up the silver frame. The picture was from their Prom night. That image stays so vivid in my mind, I remember every conversation. Every look, every single emotion I felt at seeing them both with a date. I was jealous like you wouldn’t believe. I couldn’t say anything, because I didn’t want to show my hand too soon. When I kissed her, I knew, so after that I tried to keep away until we lost Chrissie.
He puts the picture down and turns back to me.
“If she doesn’t get out of there alive, I’m holding you responsible Stefano.”
“I will get her out of there Ang, if it’s the last thing I ever do.” I promise him.
Nodding with a frown, he sighs, “Good, because me and you are having this out when this shit is over. I’ll be talking to Laura as well. Now let’s go save my fucking sister.”
He yanks on the handle, tugging the door open until it smashes off the wall and storms out. Blowing out a sigh of relief, I scrub my hands over my face. I touch my nose where he hit me, knowing that it’ll bruise. I enter the bathroom connected to my office and look at myself in the mirror. My nose is red and there’s a small cut on the bridge. Pulling off some tissue, I turn on the cold tap, wetting the tissue beneath it. Squeezing out the excess, then place it on my nose, flinching at the soreness. The dark circles are already beginning to form beneath my eyes… great.
“That went well then?” Roberto leans against the doorway with his shoulder.
“Yeah, it went just fucking dandy.” Giving him a snarky answer, he raises an eyebrow.
“It had to be done, son.”
“I know it did. I’m not sure how I thought he’d take it though...?”
“Well Stef, he wasn’t going to shake your hand and buy you a drink, was he?”
“I know that…” I dab my nose a few more times until the bleeding stops, then turn to face Roberto. “I need to get her back and I’ll do whatever it takes to get her. I promised Angelo and now I’m vowing that even if I have to shoot every fucker that stands in my way; I will find her.”
“I know, son.”
“You know the only reason why we kept it secret is because of Angelo, but I didn’t want her in this shit. If anything happens to her Roberto, I’ll never forgive myself. I may as well let them kill me, because my life is nothing without her.”
Roberto steps forward patting my shoulder, comforting me.
“We’ll get her back.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Laura
I force my eyes open again; they feel gritty from being asleep. It’s probably the dust in this shithole, getting into my eyes. I still can’t focus properly, but I can make out a shadow in the corner of the room. I have no clue whatsoever where I could be, there’s not even a bed. My hands are cuffed together and so are my ankles - every time I try to move the steel cuts in that little bit more, making them burn. In my subconscious it feels like I’m on a boat and I’m going from side to side…
“Oi, cock tease, wake up.” My eyes open properly this time, as I raise my gaze up to see who it is.
“Welcome back.”
I only see the crutch and I know who it is right away.
“Screw you Rhys.” I sneer.
“We can play that game if you want to?”
I so want to wipe that smug grin from his face.
“Wait until Stefano gets hold of you. You won’t have to worry about walking with a stick, that’s for sure. So, are you going to tell me why I was kidnapped?”
“You ask way too many fucking questions. Maybe I’ll cut your fucking nose off, then let’s see you poke it into places where it doesn’t belong.”
“Is this because Stefano retaliated when you beat me up? Was that not enough, didn’t you get your pound of flesh?” I taunt.
“Keep antagonising me bitch and I’ll show you a pound of flesh, when I take it take from you.”
“Such a big man…” I’m pissed off with being kept like a prisoner now, I want out of here. If I don’t show him how stubborn and tough, I can be, I’ll never get through this.
Rolling on to my side, I manage to pull myself up to a sitting position. Then shuffle backwards until my back is against the wall. I hold Rhys’s glare wondering what happened to that sweet man I first met, or was it really all just an act from that first meeting?
He raises one of his crutches and before I know it, he hits me with it, making me shout out. I fall back to the ground, curling myself into a ball and holding on to my head. I don’t look up, but I hear the click of his phone.
“That’ll do nicely.”
The metallic smell of blood fills my senses, as the door bangs shut again. I move my hand to where Rhys hit me, the sticky feeling on my palm causes me to panic. I bring it down into my eyeline and see blood on my hand. Tears begin to leak from the corners of my eyes, making me
doubt if I’m ever going to get out of here. I played it up to Rhys, I didn’t want to seem weak, but right now weak, is all I have.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Stefano
Another message comes through my phone, making the screen light up. I open the photo that’s been sent and see that Laura is on the floor. Curled up in a ball, with her hands guarding her head.
“I’m going to fucking kill them.”
“Logan.” I roar.
The door opens, “Boss.”
“I’m sending you this picture, have it analysed for me.”
I press send and put it back in my pocket. Angelo is pacing quietly on the other side of the room, not saying anything. Ten minutes later, Logan comes back with a number.
“That was quick.”
“Yep, let’s just say they slipped up or someone fucked up, because he couldn’t wait to rub your face in it.”
I study the smug look on his face closely and realise we must have a breakthrough.
“Not only do we have a name, but we have a location.”
“The image was sent by Rhys Duffy and they’re holding her in a run-down pub. On the other side of town, about half an hour from here.”
“Send me that location, I’m on my way.”
Angelo stops his pacing to listen.
“I’m coming with you.”
I study the glint in his eye, but I don’t have time to argue with him. I know that look and if there’s anyone I want by my side then it’s him. I nod and turn to Logan.
“Armour up, you and Ethan I want with me, get the rest together and let’s get going.”
I head into my office and grab my nine-millimetre Glock seventeen and shove it into the back of my trousers. I load up my pockets with ammunition and put another gun in my holster around my waist. There’s a military knife strapped to my ankle just in case. Angelo does the same, as does Ethan and Logan, then we leave.
