by Sam Crescent
Her family were excited about her engagement. Ruby was nervous about her marrying so young. She knew the moment her mother came to town she’d be instructed to take a pregnancy test. Ursula smiled at the thought. Stephen hadn’t known she was on birth control. When she’d told him she was, he’d asked her to stop taking it. She didn’t want to start a family straight away. Spending time with the man she loved meant more to her than anything else.
Lucas stopped near where she stood waiting for Stephen outside his office. He began talking, and soon she was hanging onto his every word as he told a joke. When it got to the punch line Ursula couldn’t help but chuckle. He always made her laugh, and she found him charming.
“I’d better go inside and see what the damage is.”
“He’s been in a good mood,” she said.
A picture fell out of his back pocket. She reached out for it.
“Lucas, wait.” She picked up the photo. He turned to her. “You dropped this.” She gave him the photo.
“Thanks,” he said, taking it from her. She noticed he hesitated a few moments while staring down at the picture. “It’s my sister. She’s, erm, she’s not with us anymore, but I like to keep a picture of her with me.” He showed her the woman in the photo. Ursula frowned. She recognised her.
“I know her.”
Sean walked into the hall before Lucas had a chance to talk. “What are you looking at?” He saw the photo. Lucas pushed him out of the way.
“What do you mean you’ve seen her?” He moved closer. She knew something was wrong.
“I thought I’d seen her, but if you said she’s gone then it can’t be her,” Ursula said. Lucas looked frightened.
“When did you see her?” Lucas asked.
“Wait, what’s going on?” Sean tried to move Lucas out of the way.
“She knows where Isabella is.”
Both men crowded her bombarding her with questions. She didn’t know what to do. They were both larger than she.
“Get the fuck away from her,” Stephen yelled pushing both men out of the way.
“She knows where Isabella is.” Lucas shoved the photo up into Stephen’s face. She gazed at the photo and saw the same woman from the park.
Stephen turned to her. “Do you know the woman in this photo?” he asked.
“I went walking in the park a few weeks ago and bumped into a woman who looked very similar. She was dirty like she spent most of her time on the streets. The resemblance is remarkable from what I remember.”
“What park?” Sean asked.
Ursula gave them directions, and both men headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Stephen called back.
“This is the first real lead we’ve had. I’m going to go find my sister,” Lucas said.
Cadeon and the others left with the two men. Ursula looked at Stephen. “I could be wrong.”
“But you could be right. It has been over five years since either of those men have seen this woman.” He gave her the photo. “I’m going to help them look.”
She gazed at the picture then followed him outside. “I’m coming with you.” Everything was moving so fast. Ursula didn’t know if she could keep up with everything. Stephen drove in the direction she told him.
“Stay here,” he said when he got out of the car.
“You can’t expect me to stay here while you’re all looking for her.”
“That’s exactly what I want you to do. This is dangerous. I want you to be safe.” He kissed her then walked off inside the park. She watched as they walked round the park where she’d bumped into Isabella. With a sigh of frustration she got back in the car. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the photo, flipping the card between her fingers. She glanced down at the photo in her hand, putting the light of the car on. When she’d seen her, she’d been upset, but she was sure it was the same woman she’d bumped into in the park.
Ursula saw the lights of their torches as all the men ran ‘round the park looking for the woman. She felt wrong sitting in the car while the others were out looking. There was a free torch, which she grabbed, and then began searching. The bushes were thick, and the darkness made them scarier.
Everything was moving fast, and she felt she was struggling to keep up. “Isabella?” She shouted the woman’s name to no avail. The cold was bothering her. She wrapped her jacket around her body trying to keep out the chill. Sean stopped beside her.
“Are you sure it was her?” he asked.
“She looks very similar. I can’t guarantee.”
There was a noise in the bushes. They froze as the sound came again. Sean pushed the leaves out of the way. He took the torch from her and shined it through the darkness. There on the ground lay a body curled up.
Sean went towards it. Ursula followed behind. The tension in him couldn’t be mistaken for anything else.
The body didn’t move when he approached. He handed her the flashlight. She pointed the light near the body’s head. Sean turned her over.
“Isabella.” He cried out her name holding her close. “She’s freezing.” He pulled her in close. His shouting alerted the others. They helped them out, Stephen shooting her a glare as they walked. Lucas took her from Sean. They pushed her matted hair off her head. She was pale, thin, and looked dead.
Stephen wrapped his arms around her as they checked her pulse. “She’s got a pulse, but it’s weak.” There was no movement from her.
The next few hours went by fast. Sean and Lucas drove Isabella to the hospital. Cadeon left to be with his woman while Tate and Kevin said they were going home.
“You’re not going to Rebecca’s tonight?” Stephen asked.
“She’s been on edge. We don’t want to scare her. After tonight I just want to go home.”
“We’re going home,” Stephen said.
Ursula didn’t argue as he drove back to his place. He was silent. The anger inside him could not be mistaken. She watched him lock the door then turn ‘round to her. Stephen pressed her up against the wall, his anger clear.
“Do you have any idea the kind of danger you were in? Anyone could have been there tonight. I asked you to stay in the car,” he said.
“I wasn’t going to leave you alone. I’m not built that way, Stephen.”
“You don’t understand anything I’ve told you. There is a man looking to bring me down. He’s not against using you to get to me. I’m talking about selling you, Ursula. He trades women as whores. This is what he does.”
“I’m right here. Nothing happened.”
He cupped her face, caressing her cheek with his knuckles. “If anything ever happened to you I wouldn’t forgive myself.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” She grabbed his face to kiss him. He let her. Their passion clawed at them until they were up in their room, making love on the bed.
They were too distracted to hear the phone, which rang until it cut out.
****
Stephen pulled out of Ursula quickly to answer the phone. She moaned in protest. Their lovemaking had gone deep into the night, and he hadn’t wanted to leave the snug fit of her pussy.
“Hello,” he said.
“Stephen? You need to come to the hospital.” Cadeon was on the line.
“What? Why? Is something wrong with Violet?” He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ursula turned on the light. He caught a glimpse of her red ass from his hand the night before. His cock stirred at the thought of taking her again. She’d become insatiable in the last few days. She wanted him constantly.
“Violet is fine. Rebecca Black was attacked in her home. She’s in the hospital. Tate and Kevin are ready to kill. We were all distracted, Stephen. Lucas and Sean finding Isabella that easily after all this time was a trick. Also, before you get here, turn on the news.” Cadeon hung up.
Stephen frowned at the cryptic message, his heart pounding.
“What’s going on?” Ursula asked.
“Rebecca has been
attacked.” He turned the television on and flicked to the news channel. Ursula gasped while he felt immeasurable anger. Someone had exposed his club. James came onto the camera trying to get past the press as he got into his car.
“Exposed, a club designed to lure women for men’s pleasure or simply a rich man’s control. This is Anna Stern reporting live outside the location of Ravage. A BDSM club, which is connected to Club Possession another local—”
He turned the television off, unable to deal with the rest of what the woman would say.
“Is this bad?” she asked.
“It’s bad enough. First, we need to get to the hospital. I don’t want you at home alone. If the media are determined to run this story then we need to stick together. They’ll be hitting here next.”
Stephen dressed and called for his security team to pick him up. Ursula ran to get dressed as he went to his office. He’d begun dressing while talking with Ursula. He buttoned his shirt up as his mobile phone went off.
“Hello,” he said without looking at the caller’s number.
“I never meant for that woman to get hurt.” It was the voice of a man on the line.
“Who is this?”
“He’s going to call you in an hour. It’s a trap. You need to be waiting. I signed on for money. I didn’t sign on for this,” the man said.
“Paul?”
The caller hung up.
Stephen was more confused. Another call came through as Ursula walked into the room. It was his security team letting him know they were ready. Getting out of his house became similar to a jigsaw puzzle. There were paparazzi everywhere. The driver had to dodge all the people who stood in the way.
When they arrived at the hospital there was more press. His lawyer had everything in place for Dane to be transported out of England. Ursula was shaking. He wrapped his arms around her as they got out.
“Is it true you abuse young women?”
“How can you be engaged to him?”
The badgering questions kept coming. Stephen rushed her inside. She covered her ears. The nurse was waiting to escort them upstairs. He recognised her from the last time Rebecca had been in the hospital.
James and Cadeon were in the waiting room. Violet lay curled on the chair next to her man fast asleep. Tate and Kevin came out of one room while Sean and Lucas came out of the other.
All four men looked like they’d seen death.
“What happened?” Stephen asked. Ursula helped him to focus.
“A couple of guys broke into Rebecca’s place. They trashed everything and then—” Tate couldn’t finish.
“Her neighbour alerted the police. The house was in Cadeon’s name, so they called him first,” Kevin said.
“Was she ... raped?”
“No. They slapped her around. Someone stopped it. There was an ambulance already on the way when the neighbour called the police.”
Stephen frowned. The person had to be Paul. The police came to ask them some questions. He called his lawyer to begin the deal to get Eugene.
“How is Isabella?” he asked Lucas.
“She’s not woken up. Whatever has happened to her, the doctors don’t know if she’ll wake up. There was the cold, and from the track marks she’d been taking plenty of drugs.” Lucas stopped talking. Stephen understood. The pain of everything was too much to deal with.
“Excuse me, Mr. Knox, Mr. Sanchez, there is a phone call for you. They want Mr. Castleden and Mr. Ashwood as well,” a nurse said to them. Stephen left Ursula with Tate and Kevin as all of them went into the doctor’s room. “He told me to escort you here.”
The nurse closed the door behind her. The speaker phone beeped on the phone. Stephen pressed the button waiting for the person on the other end.
“I see you got my message.” The unmistakable sound of Eugene Black sounded on the line.
“What the fuck have you done?” James asked.
“Patience, James, Patience. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me. Not only have I cured Rebecca’s problem about getting out of the house, I’ve also given you your freedom. Possession and Ravage will be no more,” Eugene said.
James looked angry.
“What do you want, Eugene?” Stephen said.
“I want to meet. I think the abandoned warehouse from where Dominic took Violet would be the best location.”
“Why? You got what you wanted. The clubs are in tatters. Your message has been received loud and clear,” Stephen said.
“Actually, it hasn’t. There is something else I want from you. I paid a pretty penny for Violet. I want my money back. She would have gotten me so much more where I would have put her.”
“You’re not having Violet,” Cadeon yelled.
“I don’t want used goods. Did you know there are a lot of men looking for virgin women? I mean millions of pounds or dollars for the use of one.”
“Why are you telling me all this?” Stephen asked.
“Because you have information that connects me to this crap. My father is in prison. I don’t want the same. Give me what I want, and Ursula won’t disappear along with all the women connected to the club. You don’t want to mess with me. I’ll be at the warehouse in one hour. Be there, or lose everything you’ve ever known.” The call rang off.
“Dane is not in the country yet. He can’t help us,” James said.
“Suddenly it’s a good idea?” Stephen asked.
“Sarcasm won’t get us anywhere.”
“We have copies of everything. I’m coming with you. I’ve got my contacts in the police force. They’re already smoothing over the impact of the exposure of the clubs. The exposure now is based on the media’s attention. They’re not going to bring us in for questioning. They want answers to the disappearance of women,” Lucas said.
“Then get in touch and tell them where we’ll be in an hour.”
“Stephen, without Dane we don’t have much to go on,” Lucas said.
“We’ll get him to talk. I’ll go in first. I want someone to stay at the hospital with Ursula and Violet.”
“Tate and Kevin won’t leave Rebecca. They’ll be safe with them,” Sean said.
Stephen nodded. “Don’t you two want to stay here with Isabella?”
“She’s out of it at the moment. In a coma. The doctors don’t know if she’s going to wake up. I want to get this dealt with before she does,” Lucas said.
They made arrangements. The men left the room to go and get the people they would need for a showdown. An hour’s notice wasn’t great, but if they could work it right, they would get everything they needed.
His mobile went off.
“It’s a trap,” Paul said the moment he turned the phone on. “He’s going to try and kill you, and he’s already trying to kill the man you’ve got travelling here.”
“Why are you helping me?”
“I don’t. I’m not like him. His plan is to get rid of all of you and force that woman to drop the charges against his father. He’s mad, and I want nothing to do with this. I thought I was supposed to do a couple of messages, and that was it.”
Stephen told Paul what was going to happen. By the time he rang off he was pleased to have been planning for something like this for the past few weeks. He hadn’t thought Eugene would attempt something this soon, but he had to live with it.
Ursula sat waiting for them. Sean and Lucas had already left. He didn’t know what they were doing exactly. He hoped they would get what they needed.
“What’s going on?” she asked. He stroked her hair then kissed her on the lips.
“I don’t want you to leave the hospital,” he said. “You’re going to be safe here.”
“No, something is happening. You can’t keep me in the dark, Stephen.”
“This is for your safety. I can’t do this if I don’t know you’re okay.” He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I love you.”
“I love you. Don’t go. There are others who can go. Don’t go.” She begged him. The tears
filling her eyes tightened his gut.
“Don’t do that, Ursula. I’ll make it back. I love you.”
She held onto him for as long as possible. James pulled him away from her. She watched him go.
“We’ve got a date to set,” he shouted to her.
“What?”
“For when we get married. I want to set a date.”
Chapter Eighteen
She watched him walk away. Tate and Kevin were sitting staring at the door to Rebecca’s room. They looked angry. Violet lay on the couch, her head in her hands. Ursula sat next to the other woman while her heart felt broken. The hours had passed in a blur. The sun was beginning to rise outside the window. She should be in bed with Stephen where none of these problems could reach them.
“How can you sit there?” Ursula asked the other woman.
“Cadeon asked me to.”
Rubbing her hands over her pants she stared at the window outside. The minutes passed, and all she thought about was the worst.
“I know where they are,” Violet said.
“What?”
“I can’t sit here waiting. They’ll go to see Rebecca in a second. When they do, we’ll leave out the front. Cadeon gave me his car keys.” Violet made the plans while staring at the clock. On cue, both men stood to go to Rebecca’s room. Both women removed their shoes and ran to the door of the hospital. They wanted to make as little sound as possible. Violet ran to Cadeon’s car without any footwear. Ursula stumbled putting her shoes back on. The car was fired up as they pulled out of the hospital.
“What made you change your mind?” Ursula asked.
“I’m tired of being left behind. Cadeon is the only person I have left. I don’t want to lose him.”
She buckled her seat belt as Violet floored it. The speed of the car made her grip the handle on her door to try to steady herself. She prayed Stephen was okay. He had to be.
****
Stephen stared at Eugene Black. The disgust he felt towards the other man couldn’t be disguised. Stephen hated any man who abused women. A raise was due to Lucas for finding the way to connect them with his contacts while inside the warehouse. He hoped Isabella and Rebecca would recover in the hospital. Tate and Kevin had promised to keep his woman safe. He saw Lucas and Sean at the back of the warehouse. They wanted to pummel the man who stood in front of him. He hoped everything was in place to take this bastard down. There was a lot of history with Lucas and Sean. Stephen didn’t know if he wanted to understand any of it. Right now, he needed to focus. This fucker could destroy his life and that of his club, the club he’d come to cherish in more ways than he could imagine.
