“It’s okay. I’ve got this.” I threw off my hardass look — the one that said I didn’t let anyone push me around. For seconds, he looked between all of us. Surprisingly, he stepped out. Gaige wheeled around, leaning close to Slade.
“This isn’t a real investigation, Mr. Roberts. Do you know the trouble I can get into if he reports this to my superiors?”
Slade kept his focus on me. “If it comes down to it, I’ll say I came to you to file a real report. Right now,” he said, walking toward me, “I want to know what’s going to happen.”
It was the perfect question. One I already had the answer to. “I go home,” I said, looking into his eyes. “If they have Lily, I get her and we escape. It’ll knock out my biggest suspicion of them taking her. But, if she isn’t there and I can’t find proof…”
Blake came closer to the bed. “That’s where I’ll come into play. I’ll start searching here. You’ll look there. In one week, I will show up at your residence. Let’s say…at two in the morning. You’re going to be outside waiting for me. From there, we will discuss what we know.”
My head shook. “You don’t even know where I live.”
His eyes grew cold while he crossed his arms over his chest. The long-sleeve black shirt hugged his wide shoulders tightly as he tried to stare me down. “Well, you can spit it out real quick, or you can waste an hour of my time while I search for it. Regardless, I will find it.”
“No, you wouldn’t. Pen,” I breathed out. Fuck, my eyes were so damn heavy. Why the hell was I sleeping so much? I needed to get out of here fast. I needed to get back home so I could see if my family had Lily. Or maybe, I’d luck out and learn the truth before…
“I’m ready when you are.” I read out the address from memory, keeping my voice low in case my father was somehow listening. If he knew I was working with these men, he’d kill me on the spot. Maybe that was his plan anyway. Did he know I was the one responsible for two of my uncle’s deaths?
Blake pushed the notepad into his pocket, stepping back deeper into the room. Gaige followed and I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Slade, coming even closer, wiped away any care I may have had toward the tracker.
“You say you protected my sister while she was there. How so? By fucking her? By using her as your own personal sex slave?”
Slowly, I rose to sit up straighter, ready to crush his throat in my good hand. Pain flared, making my jaw clench, but I refused to back down. “If you ever say anything like that about her again, brother or not, I’ll fucking kill you.”
“Answer the question, Zain.”
Why should I give him the satisfaction of knowing? I hated it, but I knew why. Because you love her and she loves him. “Lily was a gift from my father. A gift I couldn’t refuse. One I’m glad I didn’t. If I hadn’t taken her, she would have gone to someone else in my household. Have you seen the scars she carries from the girls there? That,” I emphasized, “could have been her if she hadn’t been mine. Girls died in her arms. So beat up and broken, there was nothing either she or I could do. I never once hurt your sister, but I sure as hell have killed a lot of men who’ve tried. Lily is my life and I love her, whether you accept that or not.”
“Slade, let’s go.”
Gaige and Blake were already by the door. Slade stepped back, not turning away from me. “If they have my sister, you better find a way to get ahold of me.”
“You have my word.”
His attention stayed on my face for a few more seconds before he nodded and turned his back. And like that, they were gone. My eyes closed and heaviness settled in my bones as I rested back against the pillow. Lily engulfed my mind and I let her take me over.
“What the hell is going on here?”
I never heard my father come in, but he was good at that. There was no one I feared more than the soulless man only feet away. I knew it was because of the impact he’d made when I was a boy. Lily had been right in one aspect—in my mind, I’d made him into something he really wasn’t.
My eyes opened. “Hello to you, too, Father.”
“Don’t hello, me. I just flew halfway around the world. What have you gotten yourself into, Zain?”
A groan left me as I turned more toward him. Fuck, how was I going to explain this without it sounding completely fabricated?
“I got mixed up with the wrong girl. I think she had a boyfriend. Let’s just say he wasn’t too happy when he showed up at my place and found us leaving.”
“A girl? That doesn’t sound like you.”
I twisted my mouth. “What, am I not supposed to date?”
Still, he stared, reading me. “It just wasn’t what I suspected.”
“What did you think I did to get shot?”
My father’s hand rose, his signal for he didn’t want to talk about it. He trusted nowhere but his home to speak openly. He was smart. Too smart.
“How did you know I was here?”
He exhaled deeply while reaching into his suit’s pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. “I called and you never answered. There was something I needed to discuss with you and when you dropped off of the radar, I had my people search. It didn’t take long for them to find you here.” He thrust the paper in my direction and I took it, reading the Arabic words before me. Amir is taking your place. You’re coming home.
A deep breath left me as I fought to think. The medication they had me on was fucking with my head. I couldn’t focus enough to decipher what I should do. If Amir was staying, more girls were going to be sold. If I went back, it very well might be because my father knew what I’d done to my uncles; possibly knew I’d been here for Lily the whole time.
“I’m okay, really. I can still continue.”
“No. It’s decided.” He kept it short and from his tone, I knew pushing the issue was pointless.
“Alright.” My eyes closed and I let them stay shut. It was time to come up with a plan. I couldn’t let my brother continue in my place. And my father wasn’t taking me anywhere. This was my chance to finally end things with him, once and for all. Away from his home full of guards. The three men ready to bring me to the ground were my only answer, but could I get to them before it was too late?
Chapter 14
Lily
Silence. The cocoon of safety my mind had slipped into left me in a weird state of being. I didn’t speak. Didn’t cry. My only solitude and peace of mind was seeing my Master play out as I slipped into a dream state. Awake or asleep, I stayed there, blinding myself to what surrounded me.
My crate was long gone, now replaced by four wooden walls and a white ceiling with peeling paint. The windows were boarded up. The smell of my new home, thick with mold. A mattress sat on the floor in the far corner and although it wasn’t an exact replica, there was something about this place that reminded me of where Zain and I had spent the majority of our time.
I’d been sleeping when footsteps woke me from my Master’s arms. I hadn’t wanted to return to the pitch black of my coffin, but the reality of what I was hearing had my hands flying up, ready to beat against my prison. Desperation begged me to scream for help. Instinct told me to keep quiet and wait. If I was dealing with traffickers or Zain’s family, again, I knew better than to react frantically. They’d feed from my fear—bask in it and beat me to shut me up. A task they loved to do.
At the splinting of wood, I kept my eyes closed, pretending I was asleep. My heart rate had my whole body trembling and I knew there was no point in pretending I was either asleep or dead. I couldn’t stop the jerks that left my limbs twitching.
Light filtered through and I squinted at the brightness, praying my eyes would adjust so I could defend myself against an attack if need be. It was pointless. Tears streamed down my face from the sensitivity and I was ripped out before I could see where I was being taken. My feet stumbled and I fell three times, but I never hit the ground. The hand held tight and didn’t leave until one of my abductors opened a door and threw me inside.
&n
bsp; That was days ago.
My eyes traveled over the small space to take in the stash of food and water that rested on the floor by the door. No bowls or dishes. Two large milk gallons had been filled with water and a store bought loaf of bread sat beside it. Now, they were practically gone. How long had I been here? Been missing?
Days blurred together and I couldn’t get a good frame of time. Surely my brother knew something was wrong when I hadn’t come home. He had to be looking for me. And if Zain was alive, maybe he told the police and they were looking for me, too.
My legs drew up closer to my chest while I pressed my back deeper into the corner I was huddle in. A spring pushed through the mattress and I shifted to get it further away from my bare thigh. The black dress I wore was torn and broken in more places than I cared to think about, but I couldn’t stomach removing it. Not only because it would leave me exposed, but it held the memories of the passion my Master had before our lives changed forever. Fuck, I missed him. Guilt ate away at me and I pushed the side of my face harder into the wall. The need to scream almost made it uncontrollable to sit still. I wanted to explode. To destroy everything in my path for the predicament I was now in. For what I’d done to him. What if I hadn’t hurt his arm? What if I had stayed in his home instead of leaving? He would have killed them. I knew he would have. And we would have been together—safe.
Knots met my fingers as I buried them in the front of my hair, lowering my head to rest on my knees. What was I doing just sitting here? I may have checked this place repeatedly, but I shouldn’t be giving up now. What if I had missed something?
The moment I stood, the door flew open, making me jerk back defensively. I hated showing fear. Hated even more that I was back to the point of being afraid. I’d spent years living with my nightmares. Now, here I was, living another one.
A finger pointed back to the corner where I’d been sitting, as if to say, “Sit back down”. Slowly, I rounded to the far side, further away. There was no way I was obeying their order. The wall stayed at my shoulder and I crept lightly toward the corner straight ahead. The figure took a step forward, but didn’t come after me. I could see their hesitation, almost as if fear shone in their eyes. The dark depths made jerky movements between me and the bed, but seemed to give up on making me obey. They grabbed the nearly empty jugs of water and disappeared. I listened, waiting to hear the bolt slip into place.
Still, the man wore a dark ski mask, only revealing his eyes. And he’d be back soon. I knew there was someone with him. He’d been the one to knock me out. It was just like last time. Just like…
My eyes narrowed and a snarl left my lips.
“Bethany!” I rushed toward the door, slamming my closed fists against the wood. “Bethany! Charles! Open this fucking door, you psycho motherfuckers.”
Harder, I hit, until my hand went numb. I was determined not to stop until they opened. It didn’t take long. The door swung, slamming into the wall. I scattered back at the gun pointed directly at my chest.
“Do we have a problem?”
Different man. And this one didn’t seem afraid of me. Had it been the other one, I’d have snapped that gun right out of his hand and shot him with it. I’d learned enough self-defense to kick any normal person’s ass. With these men, I wasn’t going to risk it until I learned more about them.
“I know Bethany and Charles are behind this. They took me, didn’t they? You’re just, what? Watching me so they’re not exposed?”
I could see the guy’s eyes squint and suddenly, I wasn’t so sure.
Green eyes. I’d have to remember that.
I kept the questions quick, to buy me some time.
“What are you planning to do with me? Are you going to kill me? Hurt me? Sell me? Is this connected to me? My brother? Zain? Speak!” I yelled.
The man stalked forward, moving the gun to my head as he forced me back against the wall. Metal from the barrel pushed into my forehead and I could feel myself shaking. But not from fear—pure adrenaline.
At this point, I had nothing to lose.
“Shut…the fuck up,” he said through clenched teeth.
My left hand shot out, grabbing his wrist, while at the same time, my right hand grasped the gun, bringing it down out and turning it back on him. The action was so fast and natural, I was still holding my breath. It was a move I never thought I’d have to use, but I’d never been more thankful to have learned the one thing that helped with my fears. Martial arts had become my life and although I hadn’t had my instructor come over for the last few months, it was like riding a bike. Natural, like the air I breathed.
The shock had him frozen and I knew I wasn’t dealing with professionals. Had I done that to Zain, he would have taken that gun from me just as fast, if not faster. Maybe I wouldn’t have even got it away from him.
“Move.” My thumb slipped down to check the safety. It was off. Another blessing I’d made sure I’d learned after my return. I was one hell of a shot. Once a victim, always a survivor. And I’d live through this. No one took my control away anymore. No one but my Master.
“Move!”
The guy scrambled back toward the door just as another man came rushing through. I didn’t think. Didn’t want to after seeing the gun resting by the man’s thigh. He was carrying and I wasn’t going to chance it. My finger pulled back the trigger, once, twice, three times…four. Two in each man. One in the chest for my master, one in the head for me.
I didn’t wait. I rushed past the door and was met with an empty, rustic looking living room. I didn’t lower the gun until I spotted my saving grace. A cell phone rested on the coffee table and I grabbed it, gripping it like a lifeline.
Boarded windows also covered these walls. I went to the front door, easing it open as I peeked outside. Trees. Lots of them. As if I were in a forest.
A gust of went sent a shiver down my spine. I glanced down at the black dress and cursed. Would anyone else come back? Regardless, I couldn’t go out there dressed as I was. I’d freeze to death. It felt like it was about to snow.
My fingers dialed Slade’s number as I quietly moved through the house to a bedroom in the back.
“Slade Roberts.” There was a certain breathlessness that filled his tone and I nearly smiled and burst out crying at hearing his voice.
“I’m alive,” I rushed out, fighting back the tears. Burning scorched my throat as I held them at bay. I tried to see the closet before me, but I was starting to break down and I knew it wasn’t a good thing. I’d done so well.
“Oh shit. Lily! Lily? Brace! Get that shit tracking. Sweetie, talk to me. Where are you? What happened?”
I sniffled, grabbing a long-sleeved shirt. “Some men took me. They weren’t very good at being kidnappers, though. I killed them, but I’m not sure if more will show up. There’s lot of trees outside and it’s cold. I don’t know where I am.”
“I’m on it, honey. Hold on and keep talking.”
“There’s a man.” My throat nearly closed and I sobbed. “His name is Zain. He was shot. Do you know if he’s alive?”
Slade got quiet and I took the time to grab a pair of men’s jeans and slide them on.
“Do you know?” I asked, impatiently. “He was shot when I was taken. Surely, you’ve heard about it. It was across the street from the penthouse.”
“He lives.”
My legs grew weak and I fisted a jacket I’d reached for. “Thank God. You have to tell him I’m okay. Tell him I’m sorry for everything. You—”
The sound of the front door opened and I froze. “Slade, someone’s here. Oh my God, hurry.”
“Don’t hang up, Lily. Just…fuck,” he growled. “Brace, tell me you have something.”
The deep voice of my guard only sent my heart racing even more. “Not yet, boss.”
My voice lowered. “Tell him…tell Zain I love him, Slade. In case…” I wiped my nose, lowering to see if I could fit under the bed.
“Bullshit. In case, nothing. You’re
coming home. We’re going to find you Lily. Don’t doubt that. I have a man in the FBI and a tracker hunting you down now. You will come home. I promise.”
Voices got louder and I had to force myself to fit in the tight space under the frame.
“What the fuck?” A surprised tone had my eyes closing. I knew they’d found the bodies and it only made me tremble even more. The amount of fear I felt was indescribable. Either I was going to get caught and suffer greatly, or these men might very well kill me.
“Get the room, I’ll check outside.”
My eyes opened just in time to see black boots rush through the doorway. At their approach to the closet, I felt myself automatically lean away the slightest amount. Danger was all too real and it didn’t take seeing it before me to know how much trouble I was in.
Heavy breathing filled my ear from Slade and although it put me into a deeper panic that they’d hear him, having my brother by my side comforted me. Even if he wasn’t physically there.
“Fuck,” the guy whispered under his breath. Bangs filled the room and I tensed at the crash of something heavy.
Please don’t let him find me. Please.
The box spring above me squeaked and I tried not to make a sound as I waited.
“Brace, anything yet?” Slade’s whisper had my lips pressing together. I knew they probably couldn’t have heard with as silent as he’d been, but my senses felt heightened and everything was more intense.
“Oh…well, of course,” a man said. One minute, I was safe, the next, the mattress and box spring was pushed up and thrown clear off the frame. A scream left my mouth as I rolled to my back and raised the gun, just as he reached for it.
Bang!
The jerk to keep it within my grasp caused me to miss. His fingers pushed at the barrel, but not before I pulled the trigger again. And again.
“Bitch!”
What felt like a sledgehammer caught the side of my face. Bright lights filled my vision and I blinked hard to focus. Blood on the side of the man’s arm came into view just before I was slammed over to my stomach.
Lily: Captive to the Dark Page 11
