by Drake, J. L.
Cole's jaw muscle twitches as the adrenalin rushes throughout his body.
“I can see that you’ve fallen under her spell too, which explains another reason why you won’t give up her location. Don’t waste your time.” He laughs. “She has a pistol personality, a gatekeeper guarding her heart, and she doesn’t open her legs for anyone.”
The wave of emotion that hits Cole is something unreal. He actually finds himself grinning on the inside and the corners of his mouth tugging on the outside. Yes, he had found his way to Savannah’s heart, now he just needed to get back there.
“Sounds like you’re interested too?” Cole murmurs, hoping to get more detail about the kidnapping.
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “I like my job too much to touch that, so I settled for the best friend.”
Cole rolls his eyes; what a prick. “Tell me something, Luka.” Cole shifts, resting his forearms on his bent knees. “How did you locate someone to kidnap Savannah?”
Luka laughs a little. “You’d be surprised how easy it is to find someone willing to remove my little problem, a word here, a word there and soon I had a few offers but when Los Servientes Del Diablos approached me, we soon had a deal. She was nabbed and taken to Tijuana and was supposed to be killed within a week, but then this guy,” he points over his shoulder and out the door indicating The American, “got in touch with them and made his own deal. He wanted Savannah for himself but agreed to wait until the ransom money came through.” He pauses, leaning forward. “There are rules, you know. You can’t just come in and take her. He had to wait until it was done deal.”
Fuck, this guy is a talker and a real asshole. Cole is going to enjoy fucking up his face.
“But then Los Servientes Del Diablos got greedy. They got in contact with the Mayor saying they have his daughter and that someone else was interested in her so whoever pays the most gets the girl.” Luka removes his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “The Mayor didn’t react the way I thought he would. I swear he was relieved she was gone. His own daughter! His votes were climbing. He started dating a woman.” His voice softens. “Don’t get me wrong, Colonel, he loves Savannah but she just wouldn’t climb aboard the campaign wagon and a man has his priorities.” He sighs loudly.
“Hey!” The American yells, suddenly bursting through the door. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Just chatting,” Luka says calmly.
“I didn’t bring you here for a fucking meet and greet. Get out so I can get this done.” The American slips a pair of brass knuckles over his fingers, making a fist.
“Is that really necessary?” Luka asks, making a disgusted face as he stands up. “May I have a word with you outside?” He touches The American’s shoulder jumping back when the man turns on him grabbing his arm, twisting it.
“Don’t fucking touch me, ever!” The American hisses. “Outside!”
Luka nods as he rubs his arm, following The American out the door. It slams behind them leaving one man with a machine gun alone with Cole.
Cole tilts his head staring at the man. He’s so young, maybe early twenties. His face is sweaty and his body is shaking, making his fingers flex on the gun.
The kid tosses the strap over his head. “You move,” he says in a thick accent. “I blow your head off.”
Cole smiles at him and whispers something under his breath, waiting for him to come just a little closer, sure enough the kid takes two steps toward him. Cole suddenly grabs the side of the pipe as he kicks the barrel of the gun so it shoots up slamming the kid in the eye. He falls backwards with a scream and scrambles to the other side of the wall away from Cole’s reach.
The door flies open and The American sees the kid on the floor, holding his head and groaning in pain. He looks at Cole, walks up to him and punches him in the side of the head once with the brass knuckles.
***
It’s dark again when Cole comes to, a tiny crack in the wall providing a cool breeze. His skull feels like he was hit by a Mack truck, probably fractured. It hurts like hell just to open his eyes and he’s thankful the light is off. The door opens as another wave of nausea hits hard. He leans over, vomiting. Fuck. A water bottle is dropped at his feet. He looks up to find Luka standing above him. Oh Christ, here comes good cop-bad cop again. He moves his hands down the pipe using his foot to slide the water bottle toward him. He opens it and takes a drink awkwardly, the cool water like liquid gold. His stomach feels immediately better—if only he could get some painkillers. He chuckles a bit at the thought.
“Something funny?” Luka asks, sitting on the floor across from him.
“Not really,” Cole huffs as he drops the empty bottle on the floor.
“She hated the press, you know.” He starts his story like they never got interrupted. “Savannah hated her father for choosing his job over her so she’d get drunk and parade around town disgracing herself.”
Cole bends down reaching for his throbbing head, feeling the blood trickle down his neck. Luka tosses his water bottle at him, hitting his leg.
“You paying attention? ‘Cause this is where it gets interesting.”
Cole glares over at him, dropping his hands and straightening up.
“One night I found the Mayor drinking in his office. He confessed that someone contacted him with proof of life for Savannah but since he didn’t pay right away now they were blackmailing him saying he'd set the whole thing up. I knew Los Servientes Del Diablos told him I was behind the whole thing. I could tell by his look. I thought it was all over but instead he asked for my help. I was shocked, after all she is his daughter, but I realized I just dodged a major bullet. After all, we both want to be at the top and we’ll do whatever is needed to get there.”
He claps his hands together making Cole’s head pound. “So a new plan is hatched! We start to use the media as much as possible. No one could accuse us of not caring about our missing Savannah. We ignore the ransom demands and hope they’ll dispose of her. Everything was running smoothly. There was no contact with them, everything was good. But then, a few months later, I’m at a bar, and boots here,” referring to The American, “approaches me, saying we better pay up, or they’re going to release a recording they have with the Mayor on the damn phone discussing the ransom deal. They were going to prove that he did know his daughter was alive and he didn’t give a shit. So we started low balling. We started with fifty grand just to buy us some time to think but before we got the chance she vanishes into thin air.”
Cole leans back, trying to get his aching head to absorb all the information Luka is throwing at him.
“Hang on.” Cole stops his babbling. “You thought ignoring a group with ties to the Cartels was going to make them go away? Had you even heard of the Cartels before you got involved with them?” This guy is seriously stupid.
“They got paid for taking the girl as far as I was concerned our deal was finished. They were the ones who didn’t fulfill their end of the bargain.”
“You’re playing stupid in the Devil’s backyard,” Cole says in disbelief, not caring if it pisses off Luka. “Hell, you made a deal with his goddamn self-proclaimed servants!”
Luka rubs the back of his neck. “Yes, I understand that now,” he agrees, nodding sadly. “They accused us of taking her and started sending reminders that we owe them two million or they’d release the tape.” He raises his voice. “They threatened my family, and Lynn, and they tried to set my car on fire. Boots or “The American” as you call him finally realized we had no idea where the hell she was or what was going on. So after a lot of money and time we found out the fucking US Army has her hidden away!” He leans forward again staring right into Cole’s eyes. “You see Colonel, I did make a deal with the Devil, and I have to see it through. So this brings us to you. I need you to give the girl to The American, I need to pay the two million, and the Mayor needs to win this election so we can all go and live our lives the way things were meant to be. It is a very easy fix.”
Cole's mind is blown. So many lies, so many deceitful people. He can’t believe that her own father could give her up so easily. God, this will kill her if nothing else does.
“How stupid do you think I am?” Cole asks. “You think with all that you told me that you’re going to let me go? Luka, I didn’t become a Colonel at thirty because of my fighting skills.”
“I really don’t like repeating myself, but considering all that I told you, I’m sure your mind is spinning, so where is she?” Luka sighs ignoring Cole’s comment.
Cole decides he needs some more information before he makes his move.
“Why would Lynn betray her?”
Luka seems to consider. “I’ll answer you and in return, you answer me.” He straightens his tie. “Lynn and I became involved a few years back. She didn’t seem to mind that I was eleven years older. We kept it quiet, no one knew, especially Savannah. Lynn despised her. She was jealous, she couldn’t understand why Savannah didn’t want to be a part of the campaign and involve herself in her father’s life. Why couldn’t she see that we would all benefit, we would all be taken to the top with him.” He shakes his head. “Lynn had a bad childhood and she resented that Savannah had a good one and now was throwing away Lynn’s chance at finally getting what she deserved.”
“Watching your mother disintegrate over four months hardly makes for a happy childhood.” Cole shoots back, feeling his anger cores through his veins.
“It really was for the best, though her mother was not a supporter of Doug going into politics.” Luka shrugs rolling his eyes. “Apparently Savannah takes after her.”
Cole starts to laugh, his patience with the man has run out and his vision is clouding. “You’re so fucked.”
“That may be so,” Luka says getting to his feet, “but I’m not the one handcuffed to a water pipe in a house full of men who want me dead. He opens the door and signals for someone to come in. He turns looking at Cole. “Last chance.” The American walks in looking pissed off and stressed.
“Well?” he asks Luka.
“Fuck you,” Cole says, making the two of them look at him.
“What?” The American’s face twists.
“I said, fuck you.”
The American studies him for a moment then takes out a handkerchief, dabbing his brow as he considers. “Okay, Colonel, we’re done here.” He nods at two men to come in while he points his gun at Cole’s head.
One of the guys is the kid from earlier, his eye painfully swollen shut. The kid removes one of the handcuffs freeing him from the pipe. He slaps it back on Cole's wrist, pulling him to his feet. Normally, he would make a move, but he is outnumbered and can hear more men in the other room. No, for now he’d wait for the perfect moment before he’d strike.
“We could still get it out of him.” Luka starts to protest, but The American shakes his head.
“He won’t talk. He has too much pride, don’t you Captain America?” He laughs. “I know you care for the girl in the same way I do. We both love her, I can see it in your face when I mention her name.”
Cole’s face hardens.
“I can’t wait to feel her under me, Colonel. I can’t wait to hear her whimper and beg when I—”
Cole shoots forward, head butting The American, sending him backwards. The guard with two working eyes knocks Cole in the head with the butt of his rifle, bringing him to his knees.
He cries out as his ears ring, pain exploding in all different directions throughout his head.
The American’s boots clink on the floor as he comes closer. “Take him to the tub. I think the Colonel needs a little reminder who’s in charge here.” He looks at Longhorn. “I need to make a trip into town. Give him ten, then cuff him back to the pipe.”
“Si, señor.”
Cole hears the American leave the room, hears the door shut behind him, and the roar of the engine.
“Change of plans,” Longhorn says to One Eye, “get the back room ready, esé.” He smirks down at Cole. “Time for some fun, Colonel.”
***
I’ve been a mess for the past three days. I just lie in bed and watch the time tick by wondering where Cole is. I catch myself slipping, thinking the worst, but then I feel guilty for giving up hope. I cry a lot and barely eat. June and Abigail take shifts watching me. Sue has been curled up on my bed most of the time. She needs comforting as much as I do. We both take turns being strong for each other while Daniel and Keith work frantically with Frank trying to use their contacts in México to track down Cole. Mark, John and Paul try to help, but they are all ordered to stand down since it’s now personal for them and two of them are still recovering from their wounds.
Derek is in charge of the new men that Daniel brought in. Everyone seems to be busy doing something but me. I feel stuck between moving forward and wanting to stay in the past when Cole was with me. I hum quietly to my stomach. I find it soothes me and hopefully it soothes the little one too.
I head downstairs, needing a change of scenery, when shouting from the entertainment room has me heading that way. I peek around the corner at what is happening. Everyone in the room seems to be waiting for a video to start.
“All it says is that it’s a message for Team Blackstone,” Daniel says, looking pale.
The video comes into focus and I reach for the wall for support. Cole is on his knees, beaten, shirtless and sweaty a nasty cut running along his torso. Blood drips in trails over his face from a gash on his head. His mouth is gagged and his wrists are cuffed in front of him. He looks up into the camera making my heart stand still. Everyone gasps and cries out. Mark stands, moving closer to the TV.
A man stands next to Cole, his hands are crossed in front. Then I see it he’s holding a large machete. I freeze not breathing. My brain begs me to look away but I can’t.
“All you had to do was return her,” the man says as the camera moves up to his face. “Blackstone killed twenty-eight of our men. Now I will kill one of yours and will continue killing until you give us what we want.” The camera zooms in on his face then slowly moves down his body to the knife held over Cole’s neck.
Cole is breathing hard, his sweat beads obvious in the close up zoom.
Suddenly the flash of the machete moves quickly. The force of the cut sends Cole’s body in a twist and it slumps to the ground. Blood sprays everywhere including onto the camera lens.
Everything goes silent. People are moving in slow motion around me. I lock eyes with Mark who has heard me gasp and discovers me watching them.
He looks horrified and frozen, staring at me, making everyone turn to see me standing there.
Daniel cups his mouth in horror while Paul and John gasp, rising to their feet. A sharp cramp in my lower stomach has me crying out and I fall forward as pain grips me in a vice.
Mike is standing nearest, and he leaps toward me cradling my head before I hit the floor.
The physical pain is overpowering. I gasp, trying to catch my breath. My fingers claw at my stomach, What the hell is happening?
“Call the doctor!” Keith shouts as he flies to my side.
I see the horror in his face when his eyes flicker to my stomach.
Daniel pushes Mike out of the way and bends down toward my ear.
“Shh, sweetheart,” he whispers through a sob, “Just breathe.” He strokes my hair murmuring something to Keith.
Everything goes black.
***
“Her HCG levels are low,” a nurse says as I stare at the wall, expressionless, everything numb. “Twenty-six forty. I’ll go check the results of her urine test.” She nods to the doctor as she leaves the room.
“Savannah, do you feel any discomfort?” I feel so much pain the idea of pinpointing a single one seems impossible.
Daniel touches my hand tears streaming down his face as he bent down to my eye level.
“Savannah?” he whispers.
I close my eyes and nod once.
I feel the unwanted pressure as the probe is in
serted, the odd noise like you’re standing too close to a speaker while holding a microphone fills the room. A tear rolls down my face as I see Cole standing in front of me. It’s only for a moment—then he’s gone. A sob hits me. I want to curl into a ball but I can’t. I have to wait till they find out if the only tiny piece of Cole I have left is still alive inside me. I close my eyes. This is all too much.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next night
I feel Sue slip off the bed. Her steps are quiet as she shuts the door behind her. She only leaves when she thinks I’m asleep. I open my eyes, seeing it’s still dark out. My head is pounding but I don’t care. I don’t want to be alone, but I don’t want anyone with me except Cole. Keith has permanently taken up residence on the couch in Cole’s room, saying he won’t leave until I do.
Rolling over, hugging Cole’s pillow, breathing in his scent, I sob, not just because I lost the one person I love more than anything, but because I will never hold our baby. My only comfort is that Cole will. I never believed in heaven or hell but right now I just want to picture them together, happy, and waiting for me to join them. I imagine Cole holding our little one. Telling him how much I love him, kissing his soft, deep-brown hair, and looking into his sweet dark eyes—so much like his father’s. I reach for the Army teddy bear bringing it to my chest. I feel so empty, so lost. I’ve felt pain before but that was nothing compared to this. How am I supposed to move forward when everything in my body is telling me I can’t? I’m over this life, I want a redo.
