by Ellie Aiden
Squeezing my hand and looking to my father first she answers, “We were arrested.”
I suck in a shocked breath at her words, but refrain from interrupting.
“They wanted to know if we helped you plan the attack on the compound, and where you were.”
With eyes wide and stomach churning, I can’t help but interrupt this time. “What? I didn’t have anything to do with the attack. That was a horrible coincidence.” I look to both of them, and see in their eyes they believe me.
“We know, sweetie,” my mother assures me. “We told them that, but it was clear none of that mattered, so your father lied. He told them we had a bad feeling you were planning on escaping, and that he planned to tell the Vater, but then the compound was attacked.”
She looks to my father once more, and passes off the story. “That’s right. And while David didn’t believe me, the Vater did. They released us, and the next night we snuck out the north wall.” He clears his throat, patting my mother’s hand before continuing. “We went to Bonham first, and a nice lady at the hotel said she figured you were in Greenville with someone named Luke.”
I feel my cheeks heating with the knowledge I’ll have to explain Luke to my parents, and the fact that while we aren’t sleeping together, we are sleeping together. You know what I mean. Sex. I mean sex.
As that thought leaves my mind, the next one is about Ash. “What about Ash?”
My father’s face falls, any color remaining draining away as he finally answers my question. “It’s really bad, sweetie. David kept her in his apartment for days before he was finally forced to move her to a cell. She had only been in the cell next to ours for a day when we were released, Anna, but it looked pretty bad. She wouldn’t really talk to me, but she did talk to your mother some.”
I look to my mother, but she just shakes her head. No. This is my fault. We should have gone back for her, even if it meant us not being able to get back out. I’m a horrible person. I’ve been here, in a castle, living the life, while my best friend…I can’t even think about it. This has to stop. I don’t give two shits what Mateo or Luke say, if they won’t go with me, I’m heading back to get my best friend without them. I have no doubt Cody and Chase will be right there with me. And I’m not gonna wait another minute.
Brushing off my mother’s hand and standing, I turn to the General. “I have to go. You said don’t be stupid and rush off by myself. Well, this is me not being stupid. I need your help.”
He doesn’t even think, he just nods.
My parents both stand, trying to stop me as I storm back toward The Castle.
“Anna! Stop! There’s something else you need to know.”
Holding my breath, I stop dead in my tracks, waiting. I don’t think I can take anything else.
“It hadn’t happened yet, but I overheard the Vater saying David would be promoted to elder. He’ll have free reign now,” my father finishes, placing his hand on my shoulder, but it doesn’t comfort me.
I don’t comment, I just nod, and continue my trek to The Castle.
My parents walk behind me, the General on my left as we make our way back, a thousand things running through my brain. In between thoughts, I check my surroundings and notice the General’s head keeps swiveling in every direction. It’s discreet, but I notice it. I gradually work my way closer to him, hoping I’m being paranoid, but knowing if somethings up he’ll tell me. I catch his eye, raising my brow, questioning if something’s wrong.
He eliminates the last bit of distance between us before leaning in to whisper, “Just keep walking. Don’t worry or act weird, but we’re being followed. So far I’ve counted twenty men.”
Great. I’m gonna die a virgin.
chapter 10 - Crossing My Fingers
DAVID
I had been camped out in the woods near Greenville for two days waiting on Tom and Melanie Cress to lead me to their daughter. They thought they’d escaped without notice, but my men are good at their jobs. They had followed them to Bonham, overhearing Anna Cress was most likely in Greenville, and then they had reported back. I sent a team of my best men to Greenville, and it had only taken them an hour to run into Tom in town asking around about his daughter. I showed up a day later, and have been here ever sense. I knew it was only a matter of time before they found her, and then I would swoop in and drag them all back. If I got Chase Hurst and Cody Booker in the process, all the better.
I didn’t tell the Vater I was leaving, but I figured when I showed back up in a few days with Anna Cress, all would be forgiven. And if it wasn’t well, oh well. I didn’t really care. All I cared about was taking this little bitch down.
Two hours ago, I had decided to sneak over to where Tom and Melanie were camped out and relieve the guard I had watching them. It wasn’t thirty minutes later their daughter appeared. Granted, she had a body guard with her, but I had twenty men camped not even a ten-minute walk away, and another thirty no more than two miles from here. I wasn’t worried about him, but I did find it strange. She’s lived in the compound for most of her life, how in such a short period of time has she become important enough to the Diablo gang to warrant a bodyguard. What’s so special about her?
After seeing her appear, I didn’t waste any time, rushing back to our camp and sending a messenger to our other camp quickly. Telling everyone to gear up, we made our way back to where I knew she would be.
A few hundred yards away, our group split in two, half going with me and the other half veering off to flank them. Spreading out, we approached the group in a crouch, waiting to see when the best time to reveal ourselves would be.
We couldn’t get too close, lest we lose our advantage, and that came with its own set of disadvantages. One being, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. It’s clear they were having some sort of bullshit heartfelt reunion, but further than that, I had no clue.
I watched as Anna suddenly turned and stormed away from the group, her mother and father both trying to stop her. Not the bodyguard though, no, he just watched, arms crossed.
I motioned for my men to follow, slightly right of the direction she was taking, when she stopped, her father saying something she apparently thought worth listening to. Waiting for her to continue on to wherever she came from, I made my way over to two of my men, directing them to swing wide and come in a couple hundred yards on the other side of their group.
Throwing a glance over my shoulder, I see Anna take off again, her parents just behind her, the bodyguard to her left. He reminds me of the old men at the compound who use to serve in the military, his head always on a swivel. No matter, there’s only one of him.
Fifteen minutes later, my men are all in position and it’s time to let Anna Cress know it’s over.
***
ANNA
This is not how I’d seen my night going. Both the part where I found my parents in the woods, and the part where I would most likely die a virgin. We were being followed, that much was clear. I could hear branches breaking and leaves being crushed every few minutes. Whoever it was, it was clear they were no better at sneaking than I was.
Half-way back to The Castle, I hear footsteps to my right loud enough it’s evident they’re no longer trying to maintain an element of surprise, and then I hear a voice that has haunted my nightmares for weeks.
“Hello, Anna.”
Stopping dead in my tracks, I turn and come face to face with the new Enforcer. “David.”
How the hell did he find me? We’re a day’s ride on horse away from the compound, no way he just got lucky and stumbled across me. Did my parents lead him right to me? Or…no. No way. There is no way my parents are working with David and led him to me on purpose.
Oh God.
“It’s over, little girl. It’s time to go back and pay for your sins.”
I hear a growl from my left and know it’s the General, but from the number of shadows that are now visible, not only are we significantly outnumbered, but we’re also surrounded and at le
ast a fifteen-minute walk back to The Castle. Even if I screamed right now, I doubt they would hear me, and if they did, they wouldn’t make it in time.
David chuckles, shaking his head before filling us in on what’s so funny. “I have to say thank you though. Thank you Tom, I knew you would lead me right to her.” Letting out another full belly laugh he continues, “We’ve been following you since you stepped one foot past the wall.”
Well at least that answers that question. My parents aren’t working with David, they just did something really stupid, but I don’t blame them. I probably would have done the same thing. And right now it doesn’t matter because we are one-hundred percent screwed.
I feel skin brush the top of my hand and turn to see the General nodding for me to move, and I do. I don’t know why the evil villain always feels the need to do an informative monologue first, but they do. Every. Single. Time. And I certainly plan to take advantage. As David talks, I’m casually making my way closer and closer to The Castle.
“Oddly, I don’t think you had anything to do with the attack on the church. No, I think you are just a stupid little girl, but unfortunately for you, you know too much. I’ll be taking you back to the Vater, and if I was to guess, you will be quietly put to death. And if not, I’m going to make sure you suffer just like your friend.” He pauses, shaking his head. His eyes shining in the light of the moon are filled with glee, and then he says something that stops me in my tracks. “Would you like to see her? Would you like to see what your punishment will look like?”
It’s then that he nods behind him and one of his men I hadn’t noticed before steps forward, a girl held in his grasp. But not just any girl, it’s Ash. The sight of her immediately has tears gushing down my face, but not because I’m relieved or happy to see her.
No, no, no.
Her face is covered in dried blood and barely recognizable. Even in the dim light I can tell she’s lost too much weight, as if she hasn’t eaten since I last saw her. A sob escapes my throat, but I can’t speak.
What has he done to her?
“This is what you have to look forward too, little girl. Come here, turn yourself in, and I’ll consider allowing you to eat every few days during your torture.” He thrusts his hand out toward me, but I’m pulled back by my shirt into a wide chest.
“When I say run, Anna, you run. You don’t think, you don’t talk, you just run. Go get help, and I promise I’ll protect your friend,” the General says in a barely audible whisper.
Not wanting to tip David off to our plan, I don’t respond. Hell, I don’t even flinch. I just wait.
The General steps away from me, nodding to my father who’s been oddly silent this whole time. The two exchange an understanding glance, and then it happens.
“Run!”
I don’t think, I don’t talk, I just run.
Oh, and I scream my ever loving head off. Please God let someone hear me. A guard, someone out for a five a.m. jog, anyone. I don’t care who it is, but we need help. I have a horrible feeling as I run faster than I have in my whole life, that even if I make it to The Castle, when I get back here with help, my mother, my father, Ash, and even the General, will all be dead.
I can hear quick footsteps chasing me, but I don’t look back. Out of the corner of my eye I can see men closing in on me from both sides, guess I was right. We were totally surrounded. I scream Luke’s name, Mateo’s, Daniels, Cody’s, and even Chase. I scream until my voice is raw, and that’s the moment it all ends. That’s the moment I’m tackled to the ground by a very large, very sweaty body.
My face is shoved into the dirt while something hard presses into my ass. God let that be his knee. Crossing my fingers its anything but…
Something slams into my ribs, and I hear a very loud crack, followed by a bang. I slap my hands over my ears because I know that sound. The church doesn’t have guns though, so what’s happening.
I’m roughly pulled from the ground and encased by two strong arms. Looking up I see the shock of platinum hair I’ve grown to love, glistening in the moonlight. I could cry right now, but I know I can’t. There’s no time for it.
“Ash. They have Ash.”
“Show me, Little Minx.”
Turning around, I head back in the direction I came from. There’s fighting going on all around me. It seems there were more than just two men chasing me. I count at least six, but Luke isn’t alone either. I see Daniel stab a man through with a hunting knife as I clutch my possibly broken ribs, rushing back to Ash.
Luke lets out a whistle, and I turn to see at least ten men following us. Good, that’s good. We will still be outnumbered, but they don’t have guns, we do.
When I pass a large oak tree not long later, I see one of the most amazing things of my life, the General. He fights like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I can see now why Luke wanted him to train us.
As we approach, the General throws a haymaker of a punch and the guy goes flying at least ten feet, blood spraying out of his nose and mouth as a tooth goes flying. I’m happy to see he isn’t dead. There were at least twenty men against him, and he’s still up, throwing punches like the lunatic he is.
Frantically, I search the area for Ash, for David, but nothing. They couldn’t have gone far, but it’s not good that I don’t see them. Does it mean he thought they were losing so he took her and ran?
“Ash!” I hear Chase scream her name as he goes flying past me like a bat out of hell.
He must see her, but where?
“There!” Luke yells, pointing his finger and taking off at a sprint.
Before I can get my legs to work, Cody passes me too, following Luke, and then I’m off. I can see her now, being drug along the ground by her hair. That son of a bitch is running. Realized he couldn’t win and ran like a coward.
David turns over his shoulder, seeing Chase barreling down on him, his eyes going wide. I can see it in his eyes the minute he makes the decision and lets her go, her head falling violently to the ground.
She was slowing him down, and he knew he couldn’t win this one.
Once he’s no longer having to drag her along, he’s fast. Faster than any of us, and we all know it. Luke hollers for two of his men to chase him down and bring him back, but I don’t think they’ll have any luck.
Knowing there is nothing I can do about it, I fall to my knees at Ash’s side, Chase clutching her tightly to his chest. She doesn’t even have the strength to hold on, and it breaks me.
My heart is broken.
chapter 11 - I Wanna Have A Double Wedding
ANNA
Last night absolutely destroyed me. After David took off, two of Luke’s men chased him, but about two hours later they returned to The Castle telling Luke they’d lost him. He was furious. In fact, I have never seen that side of him. He had screamed for someone more competent to go after David, and then complained he should have just done it himself. I get it, he’s just upset, we all are, but I really didn’t like seeing that side of him.
An hour later, he had come to apologize to me, even though I told him it wasn’t necessary, and then he left, saying he needed to go apologize to the men too. When he’d come back it was mid-day, his hair was a mess, his face was red, and he hadn’t even spoken. He just got in the shower, and then ten minutes later he went to bed for the day. I had already had a shower at that point, and there was no way I could sleep, so I’d left, shutting the door behind me and heading downstairs.
Mateo and Daniel were sat at the dining room table when I’d walked in, and both had immediately gone quite. It was clear I wasn’t wanted there, so without a word, I had turned and left. I then made my way to where Mateo had put my parents up temporarily, in a multi-family structure on the back of the property. When I’d walked in to find Easton, and he’d said they were both fed and finally sleeping, I had turned and left there too. Easton had tried to stop me, but I just wasn’t in the mood.
The only other option would have been to go see Ash, but I just coul
dn’t bring myself to do it. The General had temporarily given up his room, and that’s where Ash and Chase were now.
I felt solely responsible for what has happened to her, there’s no way I could look her in the eyes, not yet. I knew it was bad, and she would probably never be the same. And I also knew without a doubt we wouldn’t be friends after this. How could she be friends with me now? I left her. I didn’t go back. And weeks later, I had been no closer to rescuing her. While I’d been drinking, eating, and spending time with Luke and my new friends, she had been held captive, tortured, starved and beaten.
There is no way she would have done that to me. I knew her, and the minute she realized I wasn’t with her outside the compound walls, she would have marched right back to the church with a hand on either hip and demanded I be released.
She will never forgive me for this, and I don’t blame her. I’ll never be able to forgive myself either.
Now the sun is starting to set as I walk the perimeter of the beautiful castle. I have nowhere to be, no one to be with. No one has sought me out today, except Brea. She’d found me about an hour ago, and handed me a sandwich and some lemonade before telling me if I was gonna pout, I needed to do it on a full stomach.
As I round the northeast corner of the building for the nine-hundredth time, I hear someone yell my name. I search out the voice and that’s when I see her, standing near the back door to The Castle, dressed in a plum pair of joggers, a white t-shirt, and barefoot. I hadn’t even recognized her voice, that’s how bad he’d fucked her up.
“Ash.”
She turns hearing her name, and then placing both hands on her hips, she demands, “Get your ass over here, right now!”
Okay, I deserve this. I can take. I need to give this to her. It’s the least I can do.
But I’m definitely not in any hurry to get a tongue lashing, so I take my sweet ass time crossing the distance between us. I internally laugh as I see what is soon to be my ex-best friend, tap her foot impatiently.
