Wake Me Up (Love Knows No Boundaries)

by Michelle Horst

  I wheeze out a breath.

  ~*~

  I’m trying to remember what those prehistoric birds are called. Those big-arsed ones. Because I have zillions of those buzzing around in my stomach.

  I’m touching up my make-up when Aiden’s phone rings and there’s a knock at the door, all at once. I run for the door.

  “Hey, Captain,” I hear Aiden answer the phone.

  I open the door to a man with black hair and sky-blue eyes. He’s as tall as Aiden, but older. There is an intense look in his eyes, and I move instinctively away. I can only guess that he’s Zac.

  “He’s here now,” I hear as I turn to Aiden. I try to smile, but it’s hard. Everything inside me feels knotted up again. It’s easy to deal with what Aiden is and does when it’s just him, but now there’s another policeman and he’s on the line with his captain, and … it’s … just.

  “You must be Emma,” Zac greets me suddenly, and guilt washes over me. “I’m Zac Hutches.”

  “I’m so rude,” I gasp. “Yes, it’s nice to finally put a name to…” I swallow, “I mean a face to your name.”

  He reaches his hand out and I stare at it. For a few heart-beating seconds I stare, then I reach out and take it.

  “Zac.” I hear Aiden behind me, and pull my hand free. I make a fist, and turn away so Zac can’t see the look on my face. It’s not his fault I can’t stand touching people. “Thanks for comin’.”

  Aiden’s hand takes my fisted one, and I unclench it. I grab his with both of mine and leech onto him.

  “Sure,” Zac says. We walk in to the lounge.

  “Can I make you coffee?” I offer, so I can get away.

  “I’m good. Zac, you want somethin’?” Aiden asks as they sit, and I have to let go of his hand. I take a few steps back so I don’t come across as too needy.

  “Just had some, thanks.”

  “I’ll leave you then,” I say, and start towards my room, actually relieved.

  “If you can stay, please,” Aiden stops me, and I glance at them. “I asked Zac over so you could meet.” I turn back to them. “If something happens to me, you should know what he looks like. I need you to know you can trust to go with him.”

  Aiden has this way of just ripping my world from under me. But I’ve also grown stronger because of him, and I’m counting on that strength right now. I’ve tried really hard not to think about the possibility of Aiden getting hurt, but it’s here, staring me in the face. He could get hurt tonight.

  “I wish we could’ve met under different circumstances. You should come over for lunch.” I hear the words leaving my mouth. What the hell am I on about? Huh?

  I spin around and run to my room. I need their numbers. I can’t help Aiden if I don’t have Zac’s number. I need to start thinking straight. I won’t be of any use to him if I’m panicking!

  I grab my phone, and when I turn around, Aiden is standing there watching me.

  “We’ll be okay,” he says.

  “No, you’ll be okay. As long as you’re okay, I’m okay. I need your number, and Zac’s. I need his number so I can call him if you get hurt.”

  He takes a step closer. “We will be okay,” he says again, determination in every word.

  Why can’t we just have a normal relationship? Why couldn’t we just have fallen in love coughing on some bus’s exhaust fumes, like other students do? We could’ve worried about our studies, graduated, maybe got married and had two point five kids. I could’ve done something I really wanted to do, and he could’ve eaten doughnuts the whole day.

  But no. I don’t know what I’ll do for a career. Unless I do end up becoming a nurse like my mother wants me to. The lower life form of Barry, the doctor. I’ll always live in his shadow then. I’ll always be under her control.

  But what’s worse – Aiden’s a detective going on undercover operations that might get him killed one day.

  There will be no maybe marriage, because no one is insane enough to marry into my family. There will be no two point five kids.

  At least I’ve had this, this moment with him. He was worth it all to me.

  ~*~

  Katia’s eyes zoom in on me.

  “I’m off to work,” I whisper to Aiden. He tightens his hand on mine.

  “Emma!” he growls in my ear, and he leans into me.

  “No, you do your thing and trust me to do mine. Just this one time, trust me,” I say, pulling back with the sweetest smile I can manage plastered on my face. I know it’s not reaching my eyes. “I won’t let you down.”

  I press a kiss to his firm lips, and turn to Katia as she squeals. “Emma, you look beautiful!”

  “Thanks, love.” I move away from Aiden and push through with it – I throw my arms around her neck, and try my best to ignore the repulsive wave building up in me. “Sorry about last Saturday, I was knackered. But I’m up and about again.”

  “I’m so glad. I was worried,” she beams. Oh yeah, I’m in. “Let me see your dress, honey,” she exclaims, with a little too much excitement.

  I twirl for her, and my eye catches Aiden’s. He looks gobsmacked. He’s not helping.

  I do it spontaneously. I lean up against his chest and kiss him hard. “You need to focus, please,” I beg, and before I can pull away, his arm slips around my waist.

  He lifts an eyebrow. “Love? You call her love?”

  “Too much?” I ask.

  He nods. “She has a name, use it.”

  He lets me go, and I wink at him before turning back to Katia, she-who-has-a-name, the one whom I shall not call love again.

  I roll my eyes. Who would’ve thought Aiden would be jealous of a woman?

  ~*~

  Chapter Fourteen

  Aiden~

  Watching my girlfriend flirt with Satan’s spawn is a hard pill to swallow. Hearing her call her love? I almost chucked her over my shoulder and abandoned the whole damn fight.

  I have to go get ready, but I can’t take my eyes off Emma.

  “Let’s go get a drink, honey,” Katia drools over my girl.

  I take a step forward, because there is no way Emma is drinking anything that woman gives her.

  “No, thanks, lassie.” She still figured out a way to call her something else, and I can’t be upset, because she’s listening to me. Katia scowls at her. “Later, maybe.”

  I smile, step forward and place a kiss on her neck. “I’m off to warm up.” She turns her face up to mine and smiles warmly.

  “I’ll be cheering for you, love. Make it a fast one, because you promised me something, and I’m in a hurry to get home.” She lowers her eyes to my mouth, and I don’t know how she expects me to step away now.

  I grin. Like a dumbass. She called me love, and it ranks up there in my top five.

  ~*~

  The fight is about to start, and Emma is sitting next to Katia. I’m too tense. It feels like I’m forgetting something. The harder I try to concentrate on what it is I forgot to do, the more it feels like it’s floating to the back of my mind.

  I roll my shoulders and glance at Emma. She’s listening to something Katia’s saying.

  Dammit, she looks breathtaking tonight. I need to focus.

  “Aiden, Colton, it’s time, guys,” Harper gives the sign and I step into the ring.

  I stretch the sparring gloves wrapped tightly around my hands, exposing only the tips of my fingers. I breathe in deeply, expanding my lungs fully, and let it out slowly.

  Dammit! All kinds of dammits. Stay calm, Aiden. Stay focused.

  Colton starts to bounce lightly, and I turn my right side to him. The left is still tender. We touch gloves, and it’s on.

  He bounces back, and I focus my eyes on his chest, from there I can see his feet and arms, whichever he’ll move first. He keeps bouncing, slowly moving left. I wait, every muscle pulled tight. The beat of the music fades out until there’s nothing but Colton and the background song. I know the song. Demons. It’s one from Emma’s collection. The one from Imagine Dr
agons.

  ‘Your eyes, they shine so bright. I want to save that light. I can't escape this now, unless you show me how.’

  Colton sneers and pounces. He crashes into me, and the shock shudders through me. The second I hit the floor I look for Emma, and she’s gone. Katia’s gone. Seconds - that was all it took them.

  I go cold. I twist under Colton as rage bubbles up from my gut, and bring my arms up. They say there is nothing as dangerous as a caged animal. They haven’t met me.

  Colton’s legs grip tight around my waist, and he squeezes. It takes me seconds, precious seconds, to twist around under him. I don’t feel his fists and I get up with him, only to slam him into the ground. He grunts with the force I use. I take advantage of the one split second I have, and I grab him in an arm triangle choke.

  “Wait!” he screams, panicked. I tighten my hold, cutting off his air supply. “Katia has her,” he grates.

  “Where and why?” I hiss. I will snap his neck. Today I will kill a man.

  “You’ll get her back with the next fight,” he grates. “She’s just insurance.”

  I shove him hard into the floor and get up. With my hands in my hair I stand, screwed.

  “Shit!” I spit the word out. I glare at Colton as he struggles up. “When?”

  “Next Saturday.” He rubs at his neck and I step up to him.

  “A whole damn week,” I hiss. “You expect me to do nothing for a whole week?”

  “Yes, she’ll be-” I grab his throat, my fingers dig in deep, and slam him hard into the fence.

  “No, she won’t,” I hiss. “Now! You give her back now or there is no fight. I won’t fight if she’s not next to me. I don’t work that way. You don’t threaten me, Colton. I’m not your friend. I will tear you and your house down.”

  “Chill, man!” he yells. “You’ll win the fight and have her back in no time. This is how it works. I have a shitload of money riding on this. Just show next Saturday at the address they text you, win and everything will be fine.”

  The other guys step into the ring and I have to let go of Colton, because I’m out-numbered.

  And now I know what I forgot. I forgot to give Emma our numbers. I forgot to check if she took her phone.

  They have Emma.

  They have my Emma.

  ~*~

  “Calm down,” Zac says again. But he’s the one pacing a damn hole in the living room floor. “She’s clever. She’ll be fine. We’ll find her.” He keeps saying the same words over and over.

  “Zac!” I snap. “Stop it. You’re gonna drive me insane walkin’ up and down like that. Sit your ass down. I can’t think worth shit if you’re going on like that.”

  I drop my head in my hands and go over a year’s worth of work again. I keep coming up with the same damn thing. I have to wait for Saturday. I have to wait and pray. Six more days.

  Zac stays the night, and I let him take my room. I stay in Emma’s. I can smell her on her pillows, and it’s driving me insane, being so close but still so far away.

  At three a.m. my heart breaks. She’s having a nightmare without me to ease it away. She’s alone - and they’re doing God-only-knows-what to her! I open her laptop, and the words on her background screen tear through me.

  Hate creates an act of violence be it against another or yourself, because somehow, somewhere, something dies.

  Love creates an act of kindness be it against another or yourself, because somehow, somewhere, something’s gotta give.

  I turn on her media player and listen to her music fill her room while I’m in her bed, and for the first time since my sister’s funeral, I want to cry.

  But I don’t. I just hold her pillow and wait for the countdown to day five.

  Day four is a killer. I can’t eat. Eventually I fall asleep.

  Her phone wakes me. I stare at the name Chloe flashing, and I only answer because it’s my damn duty.

  “Sunshine! Where the bloody hell have you been? I’ve been going nutters on this side. You don’t answer your mails? You don’t text-”

  “Chloe,” I say her name so she’ll stop.

  “Who’s this?”

  “It’s Aiden,” I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to explain what has happened to Emma to her. Zac is better at handling this type of situation. “Chloe,” I end up saying her name again.

  “Where is Emma?” she asks, and I can hear the panic building in her voice.

  I can’t bring myself to say the words. I can’t tell Chloe that Emma’s been taken, that I failed her.

  “Aiden, is Emma all right?” Her voice quivers.

  “She will be. Can I ask you to hold on until Saturday? I know I’m askin’ a lot, but everything will be fine on Saturday. I’ll get her to phone you then.”

  I close my eyes and wait for her response. I pray it’s not a hysterical one.

  “All right. Saturday. Not a day later or I’m coming to get her myself,” she warns.

  “Not a day later. You have my word.”

  ~*~

  Day three. Zac phones my folks. I can’t believe he called my folks. But I needed to hear Mom’s voice.

  “You look like crap,” Zac says on day two.

  I just glare at him from the couch. Crap does not begin to describe all I feel inside. My mind’s turned into a goddammed nightmare. I can’t stop thinking of all the previous cases I’ve worked. I can’t stop thinking about the things they could’ve, and can still do to Emma.

  “You need to get up and at it. She needs you at your best, Aiden. Go run it out of your system and start getting ready for the briefing with the team.” He’s right. Zac’s right.

  I drag on a sweater, because it’s cold out, and I glance at Zac.

  “Do you think they’re keeping her warm?” I ask. I just need to hear him say it.

  He nods, but it’s not enough. I can see the fear in his eyes, and it makes my gut twist even more.

  What gets me is that she was the one most worried about my safety. She didn’t once worry about herself. She put me so at ease going into the damn thing that I got too confident. I should’ve left her with Zac.

  ~*~

  Chapter Fifteen

  Emma~

  That stuff I wrote in my paper about fear, yeah, I got some new material to add to it.

  I’m getting to know fear real well. It’s not a feeling. It’s a living, breathing entity. It comes in and robs you of your breath and will to live. It robs you of your hope. I taste fear to the point where my lips and skin stretch thin across my face; I can feel every inch of my skin slowly go numb before it feels like death itself is scraping its skeletal fingers down my spine. I have heard Death whisper in my ear that there is no tomorrow waiting for me.

  The second I find something to live for, life wants to give up on me.

  I can’t remember what happened. I can’t remember how I ended up here. One minute I was still listening to Katia and the next I’m here. I don’t know where here is.

  There is something very frightening about knowing you’re in a foreign country AND you don’t know where in that country you are.

  My nightmares are changing. It’s no longer my mother reaching for me, but Katia. She grabs hold of me, while Colton smashes into Aiden, and I just see blood. I don’t know whose blood it is. I pray to God it’s only a nightmare.

  I think the next fight is in two weeks, so I’ll be here for at least two weeks. I know if Aiden is okay, he’ll do his best to get me back. He’ll do his work. And there’s Zac.

  The lock on the door rattles, and I look up from where my head is resting against the wall. I never lie down. I don’t want to be caught lying down, so I sit with my back to the wall, and wait. I have the blanket wrapped around me. At least I have that to cover me. I’ll never wear a dress again.

  “I thought I’d come and visit,” Katia says, sauntering in.

  “I don’t feel like company.” I keep my voice neutral.

  I do,” she says, and I look down at my hands.
“I like you, honey. Don’t take this personal.”

  “Fancy that,” I murmur, and then regret saying anything.

  “Aiden is good. He’ll win. He better win,” she says, and I hear the warning in her voice.

  “What happens if he doesn’t?” I ask. I need to know, so he’ll know what happened to the others. Instead of being a whimpering mess, I’m asking questions – that is how much faith I have in him. I know he will come for me.

  “You go to the highest bidder. Sorry, honey. We have to make the money back. My mama always said if you could bottle sex you’d be a millionaire.” She keeps talking.

  I see her lips move but I can’t hear anything. Those poor girls!

  “Highest bidder?” I interrupt her.

  “Yeah, the one who pays most for you takes you. How do you think we make our money? Bets don’t come cheap.”

  She stays a little longer before she finally leaves me alone.

  ~*~

  I think it’s Saturday. I’m not sure. I hope it is. One more week then. The days are becoming so long, and the nights even longer. It’s weird how your days start to blend together when you’re stuck in a room and your only entertainment is when you get to go to the bathroom.

  The lock rattles, and Katia pushes the door open.

  “I brought you a present. You can change into this.” She throws a shimmery piece of fabric at me. I wait for the door to close before I reach for it.

  No bloody way! It’s worse than the one I have on. It can’t be called a dress. I stare at the door, and back to the dress.

  Does this mean the fight is tonight? Will I see Aiden tonight?

  A sob bursts out of my mouth for the first time. I’ve been trying to be strong, but just the thought that I might see him in a matter of hours makes this suddenly unbearable.

  I get up and shimmy out of the dress. I drag the other one over my head, and feel more naked than I have ever felt before in my life. I pull at the thing, but it stops right under my bottom.