Lost Without You (The Lost Series Book 2)

by Tracie Douglas

  I reach down and quickly but quietly zip the pocket. I can’t chance him looking into the bag right now and notice that it’s missing. Once the pocket is secure, I bring my hand back to rest on his chest and make a move to begin the next part of my plan.

  “Jerry, love,” I speak against his wet lips. He pulls back breathlessly, looking down at me with lust-filled eyes and pure sexual hunger. “I had no idea you felt such passion.”

  “Angel,” he whispers hoarsely, making another dive for my lips, but I place a finger on his lips, stopping him.

  “Darling, I want this to be special. I want us to take our time exploring one another. Don’t you?”

  He shakes his head vigorously. He lifts a hand to cup my face while the other finds its way to my throat. A dark flicker flashes in his eyes, but he holds back. Jerry might want me sexually, but he also wants to hurt me. For him, pain is pleasure.

  “I want you, Angel,” he groans, thrusting his hips into me as if I could ignore his hard cock pressed against me.

  “Go, run your errands.” I nip playfully at his lips, grazing my teeth against them. “When you come back, we’ll have all night.”

  “Yes,” he agrees, reluctantly pulling away from me. He takes a step back and his eyes fall to my damaged shirt. Excitement flashes across his face as he reaches out to pinch my nipple. I inhale sharply, groaning loudly as he does it again. He likes my reaction to pain, so I don’t hold back. “So responsive.”

  “You wouldn’t have it any other way,” I tell him, closing my eyes as I arch my body into him. “Now, cuff me and get going.”

  He looks at me for a moment like he wants to tell his errands to fuck off and finish what we’ve started. I gently touch the handcuffs still tight in his hands, and he looks down at them.

  “Move over to the bed,” he tells me, indicating the pipe sticking out of the wall next to it. It’s an awkward position, but as long as he doesn’t cuff both hands, I’ll be able to get the phone out of my pants and call for help. I just hope I’ve hidden the phone well enough he doesn’t see it bulging out of my pants somehow. I do as he says, careful to hide the phone from him as well.

  Thankfully, he follows so close behind me that he doesn’t have a chance to see the awkward stance of my body. I sit down on the bed, and he takes my wrist, cuffing it tightly. I cringe from the bite, but it only makes him smirk.

  “Don’t act like this doesn’t excite you, Angel.” He leans in, placing his nose next to my neck, inhaling me. He then reaches across me, blindly attaching the other cuff to the pipe, and I can’t help shiver as relief pours through me. “I want you to think about all the things I’m going to do to you while I’m gone. Starting with these cuffs.”

  I nod, closing my eyes at the thought. I’m not going to be picturing anything but a way to get myself free and away from him. I feel his lips brush against my cheek, but they are gone just as quickly as they came. The sound of his boots crossing the room and leaving the cabin is music to my ears.

  It isn’t until I hear him get into the car, start the engine, and drive away that I allow myself to breathe again. I chance a peek at the spot his bag was in, confirming what I already know; he took it and my time is limited. I have no idea how long it will take him to realize the phone is missing.

  I stand up from my spot on the bed and fish the phone out of my pants. I have a call to make.

  Let’s hope there’s reception.

  Chapter Forty-One

  One Call

  Kingston

  The piercing ring of the phone interrupts my thoughts. I’ve been racking my brain trying to make sense of everything. Since there hasn’t been a single hit regarding Nolan’s black Nova, I’ve been in a dark mood. The more time that passes, the bleaker Missy’s return seems.

  The phone rings again, but no one around me moves. They can’t. They all have some phone or device connected to them, and they are thoroughly engrossed with finding some lead to help our search. My heart cracks a little. The men and women around me are just as desperate for some shred of new information.

  The ringing continues, unanswered, like so many of my questions. I reach across my desk and pick up the line.

  “Cole Securities, this is King—” I begin but am quickly cut off.

  “Kingston.” Her voice comes over the line and my heart skips a beat. “It’s Missy.”

  Her voice is a bit distorted from a bad connection, but I knew it was her before she said her name.

  “Queenie.” I sit forward, and the room around me suddenly goes quiet as all eyes find me. “Are you okay? Where are you?”

  “Baby, I’m okay,” she sobs across the line. “Tell me the kids are safe, that he didn’t hurt them.”

  “Yes, they’re safe. They’re at home with Alice and Annabelle. Where are you?” I snap my fingers to the men around me, and they jump into action. We need to get a lock on her location now.

  “It’s Nolan Andrews, he’s behind all of this,” she whispers over the line. “I don’t know where I am. I wasn’t conscious when we arrived. It’s a cabin, though, somewhere remote.”

  “Is he there now?”

  “No...supplies, but...to the bed.”

  “Queenie, you’re breaking up.” I look around the room, making sure the equipment we set up last night is running. One of the men holds up two fingers, indicating we’ll have a lock on her in so many minutes. “Can you hear me?”

  “Hear you...” is all I can make of her response.

  “We’re tracing the call, Queenie. Just try to stay on the line.”

  “I’ll try.” She comes in a little clearer. I hear her moving around looking for a better connection. “I don’t know how long I have...but just in case, I love you, Kingston. With all my heart. You and the kids, you mean everything to me.”

  “Don’t talk like that.” I hang my head. “I will find you.”

  “Baby,” she breathes. Her voice sounds desperate and scared. “I don’t know if there is enough time. When he finds out what I’ve done...he isn’t going to hold back.”

  I cringe, understanding what she means. Thoughts of the doctor in a dark hospital room come to mind.

  “I’ll make it, Queenie, do you hear me?” Movement pulls my attention to the men around me. They are gathering gear and guns, meaning one thing. We know where she is. “The guys are moving, babe, do you know what that means?”

  “Kingston...”

  “We know where you are and we’re coming. I need you to hold on just a little bit longer, can you do that for me?”

  “I’ll try. He’ll be back soon. I should go, just in case.”

  “Put the phone on silent and hide it. Call me if something changes.”

  “I will. Kingston, I love you. If you don’t make it—”

  “I will make it.”

  “But if you don’t—”

  “I will. I’m coming now.”

  “Say it to me, please. I need the words.”

  “I love you, Queenie,” I tell her. My heart aches in my chest and my stomach churns. Static comes over the line before it goes dead, making my heart stop.

  Hoping like hell it was the connection that ended the call, I jump into action. The guys are hot on my trail.

  “She’s up the mountain. Right under our noses this whole time,” Hudson tells me, and I curse. “We’re fifteen minutes out.”

  “Let’s hope he doesn’t realize she’s pulled a fast one on him and his phone is missing,” I respond, stopping in front of my truck.

  “King!” Bear yells as he runs toward me. “We got a call, the black Nova was seen just outside of town.”

  “Fuck!” I yell. “The locals on it?”

  “Yes, but it was last seen heading back up the mountain in a hurry.”

  “We don’t have fifteen minutes,” I bark, jumping into the car. “Get the locals on the line. Tell them what is going on and to stay the fuck out of my way.”

  I’m coming, Queenie. I will get to you before it’s too late.


  Tommy

  Fucking bitch.

  Fucking bitch.

  Fucking bitch.

  The bitch will pay now.

  Take what is ours.

  Play us for a fool.

  The bitch will pay now.

  And Tommy gets to do the punishing.

  “We should have known she was up to something. Too bad we didn’t recognize it until it was time to pay for everything at the store. If we hadn’t been so distracted by her sexual play, we would have made sure everything was the way it should have been before leaving her. We would have noticed the missing phone before pulling away from the cabin,” Tommy says to no one in particular, just the persona of Jerry staring back at him in the mirror. Tommy is done letting him believe he ever had control over him, so when Jerry discovered the missing phone, Tommy took control. “But no. The bitch had to press her full tits against us and let us dry hump her like a fucking dog.”

  FUCK!

  “Who knows what trouble she’s caused us now. She probably called her boyfriend for help,” he rambles on, the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He can’t wait to see her face when he throws open the door.

  The fucking bitch will pay.

  And Tommy gets to play.

  “You’re not going to lay a hand on her,” the voice of the real Nolan Andrews shouts internally.

  “Oh, yes, we will. The fucking bitch will pay.” Tommy grins to himself in the rearview mirror. He knows Nolan can see him. “I told you, Jerry, she was playing you, but you couldn’t see past your dick enough to recognize it.”

  “Shut up, Tommy,” Jerry snarls.

  “Now, the fucking bitch will pay and Tommy gets to play.”

  “Leave her alone!” Nolan screams, but they ignore him.

  “Thought she had a golden pussy or something, the way you panted after her.” Tommy dances gleefully behind the wheel of the black Nova. He speeds around curves and turns with no concern for safety; all he can think about is what he’s going to do to her pale, white skin. “Now, Tommy gets to play.”

  *****

  Nolan hangs his head; the strength of these two personas have smothered him for far too long, but it’s not for lack of trying. Ever since his brush with death and miraculous return, Tommy and Jerry have been the bane of his existence. They have managed to always overpower him, and it’s been a long time since he had any kind of control over his own body. He’s been their number one victim from day one.

  Tommy and Jerry made it their mission to destroy Nolan’s life. But not just his; any life that crossed their path and messed with what they wanted most. Missy.

  But enough is enough. Nolan is running out of time, and he has waited long enough to take them both on. If he has any chance at saving her from them, he needs to do it now. Before it is too late.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  The Escape

  Missy

  The sound of gravel crunching under tires sends chills down my spine. The vehicle moves in hot and fast. It’s much too soon for Kingston and the team to arrive. I don’t know how far they are from me, but I am sure not enough time has passed. That can only mean one thing.

  They’re back.

  Thankfully, I already erased any proof of my phone call, turned it to silent, and tossed it away from me. I want Jerry to believe he dropped it on his way out, but that is wishful thinking. He isn’t stupid, and while I tried to cover my tracks, he won’t be fooled.

  I struggle once again, testing the cuff around my wrist; its bite only tightens around me more. The cuff attached to the pipe also proves to be useless and secure. All I can do is prepare, but I know it’s pointless.

  The door to the cabin opens, slamming into the wall. I can’t help flinching in response. Nolan’s body fills the doorway, and I shrink away, ready for him to fly across the room in absolute rage. But he doesn’t. Instead, he hunches over, clutching his middle, groaning in pain. He stumbles into the room, holding a key out to me.

  “Missy,” he gasps; his voice sounds hoarse and unused. “Here, take the key. Get out.”

  I lift my head, afraid to move. Afraid this is some kind of test Jerry’s putting me through to find out how loyal I really am to him.

  “Jerry,” I say, trying to sound generally concerned for him. “Are you okay?”

  “Missy, take the key.” He stumbles closer, falling to his knees a second later. His face is contorted in pain. “Please, I don’t know if I can hold on for much longer.”

  His words pique my curiosity and I stare at him, seeking his dark eyes, but I only find deep milk chocolate. The same deep milk chocolate I’ve always known to be Nolan’s.

  “Nolan?” I whisper, moving across the bed toward him, but I don’t get far as my cuffed wrist stops me. “Is...is it really you?”

  He falls to his hands and crawls toward me, his body wrenching in distorted shapes. He holds his hand with the key out to me again. I grasp his hand and pull him toward me.

  “You have to go.”

  “Come with me. We can fight them together.” I move, trying to lift him up one-handedly off the floor and onto his feet, but he’s dead weight.

  “I’m not getting out of this alive.”

  “What do you mean? Yes, you are.”

  “I can’t control them, Missy. I know what they want, and they aren’t going to stop until either you’re dead or you submit. Neither is an option.”

  “Nolan...there has to be another way. You can’t die.”

  “There isn’t,” he manages, but he grows weaker with each passing second. His breath gurgles in his chest. “You can’t begin to understand what it’s like not being able to control your own body. I can see everything. I feel everything, but I can’t react to any of it. I can’t stop it. You have to let me go.”

  “I can’t.” I shake my head, trying to lift him again.

  “Hurry, they’re fighting for control.” He pushes the key out to me again, and I take the it, quickly releasing myself from the cuffs, and reach for him. He attempts to push me away, but his strength is waning. “No, you have to go. There isn’t much time. They’re angry. They know you took the phone, and they want to hurt you. Please, Missy, run.”

  “I can’t,” I sob, feeling more emotional in this moment than I have throughout my time with them.” I don’t want to leave you.”

  “You have to,” he sputters, coughing deep in his chest. “You have to go. They’ll kill you if you stay.”

  “Nolan, help is on the way. I can stay and we can fight them together.”

  “I’m not strong enough. I’ve been saving my strength, waiting for the right moment. It’s now or never, Missy.” He pushes me away; deep-red blood runs out of his mouth and dribbles down his chin.” Damn it, woman, I said run.”

  I stand in a daze, torn between running for safety and staying with him to fight for control. He groans, slumping to the floor; his eyes find mine, and for the first time, I see his internal fight. Flashes of dark and light pierce right through me.

  “Go!” he bellows, and my feet finally move from their spot beside him. I cross toward the area I know the phone rests and scoop it up before stepping out into the light of day. Throwing one last look over my shoulder, I take off, careless of my bare feet and lack of direction. It doesn’t matter what direction I head; it is the distance I place between myself and the threat behind me.

  I power on the phone, flipping it open to dial the only cell number I know by heart: Hudson’s.

  He answers after the first ring.

  “This is Hudson,” he clips over the line.

  “Hudson, listen to me.” I run into the woods, ignoring the way the ground tears into my feet. “I don’t have much time, but I need you to call this number back in exactly three minutes. Can you do that?”

  “Missy, what’s going on?”

  “No time to explain, baby brother, just do what I’m asking.” I hang up the line without a response and turn the volume level as high as it will go on the cheap phone. I stop, tu
rn to my left, chucking the phone as far as I can in that direction, hoping like hell it’s far enough away to be the distraction I need. I turn back to the direction I was running and continue. The area around me is a blur of green and brown, but I spot a place up ahead I might manage to hunker down in and hide for a spell.

  I reach the spot and drop low to the ground, struggling to control the sound of my heavy breathing. I’ve never been a runner, but somehow, I’ve managed to place a good distance between myself and the cabin. Keeping low, I snuggle into the spot, dirtying myself up in the process, needing to blend in. My feet throb, and when I glance down at them, I notice various cuts and scrapes bleeding.

  “Missy!” I hear a voice calling out to me coming from somewhere behind me. I stifle a sob at the overwhelming guilt I feel knowing Nolan lost his battle against Jerry and Tommy. “Where are you, Missy? Tommy wants to play.”

  I hear the crunch of dead leaves and branches with each step, but there is still a good distance between us. My heart pounds as I wait on bated breath for the phone to ring, hoping it gives me the chance I need to get further away from any danger I will meet at Tommy’s hand if he manages to catch me.

  Like planned, the cell phone pierces the air and Tommy quickly changes directions, heading straight for the sound. I hear him tearing through the brush. Without hesitation, I jump up from my spot and take off running, ignoring the pain coming from my feet. Listening still to the sound of the phone, I know he hasn’t found it yet and hasn’t figured out I’m nowhere near it.