by Ford, Mia
“Well, you don’t have to worry about that now,” Andy replied. “June’s not going to be the apple of any man’s eye for a long time. Except mine, of course.”
My stomach twisted into a thousand knots at the sound of sick satisfaction in Andy’s voice.
“Please,” I whimpered. “What are you going to do with me? Why are you doing this?”
“You’re an ungrateful little slut,” Andy said. He stepped closer, until I could feel his hot breath on my face. “You know that? I wanted to date you, June. I really liked you – I thought you were cool.”
I whimpered. “Andy, please don’t do this,” I said softly. “It’s not my fault that we didn’t work out.” I blushed hotly. My sinuses were still filled with snot from my earlier crying jag and even though I couldn’t reach to touch my face, I somehow knew that my skin was red and sticky.
“Oh yeah?” Andy raised his eyebrow. “Then what was it, June?”
Andy and Hannah threw their heads back and laughed.
“It’s because you’re not rich, Andy,” Hannah said, pretending to pout. “June here only likes wealthy men. Isn’t that right, June?”
Andy frowned. “Yeah, god knows I probably don’t make much more than she does,” he said. Then he shrugged. “At least, I did.” Andy grinned at me and my stomach curdled. “Now I guess it doesn’t really matter who makes the bucks, does it, June?”
Andy looked wounded. For a moment, I thought he was going to cry. Then his lips curled up at the corners into a cruel smile and he threw his head back, laughing loudly.
“You’re an idiot,” Andy said. “And if you keep making so much noise…” He trailed off, grinning nastily. “We’re just gonna have to give you some more of that wine you like so much. In fact, Hannah?”
Hannah stepped forward. She was holding a plastic tumbler in her hands and she grinned as she pushed it towards my face. The smell of wine was enough to make me gag, but Hannah didn’t take it away.
“Please,” I moaned softly. “Please don’t make me drink any more. I feel like I’m gonna be sick.”
“That is a side effect of being a drunken slut,” Hannah said softly. Her eyes twinkled demonically as she pushed the cup towards my lip. I smelled the sickly sweet wine and gagged, pulling my head back and staring at the ceiling as the bile rose in my throat.
“Drink some, June,” Andy ordered. He grinned. “It’s gonna keep you quiet,” he added. “And god knows we need a little quiet around here. Hannah and I have to finish planning.”
“Shit,” Hannah mumbled. “This fucking sucks, Andy.” I thought she was going to put the cup down but in a flash, her free hand was pinching my nose. My lungs burned but I struggled and twisted against her grip. Hannah was stronger, and finally I opened my mouth, sucking in air. As quickly as lightning, Hannah tipped the cup down my throat, sending even more of the drugged wine into my stomach. Tears dripped down my cheeks as the wine burned in my throat.
“That should shut her up,” Andy muttered. “So, is he coming over here?”
“I haven’t called him yet,” Hannah said delicately. “But you fucked everything up! She was with Thomas tonight, and she stormed out!” Hannah laughed. “I bet he’s so upset now that we have his little pet.” Hannah rolled her eyes.
“He seems like an emotional little prick,” Andy said. “Is that true?”
Hannah licked her lips and walked closer. “Oh, yeah,” she said. She glared at me. “He cried every night when Marlene first left. He cried. On my shoulder,” she added. “And I don’t know why, but then he decided to fall for this stupid little cunt instead of me.”
My head was swimming. I felt myself fading in and out of consciousness, like someone was lowering a dark blanket over my face until I couldn’t see. Hannah’s voice buzzed in my ears like a gnat, and I moaned softly as Andy stepped closer.
“Hey, June, give me a kiss,” Andy said. He puckered his lips and leaned down, pressing them to my cheek. I groaned. As Andy moved closer to my mouth, I spat in his face. Outraged, he slapped my cheek hard.
“She’s feisty,” Hannah said. She smirked. “You sure you can handle her, boss?”
“Oh, yeah,” Andy said. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. “I can handle her,” he said. He turned away from Hannah and faced me, squatting down until we were at eye-level. “I know everything about your little boyfriend,” Andy said. “Hannah told me everything.”
My head was swimming and I was still reeling from the pain of Andy’s slap, but my confusion went deeper than that.
“I don’t understand,” I mumbled. “What’s going on?”
Andy grinned. “You don’t need to worry about that,” he said. “Hannah here did her job well. She handed you over to me with no questions asked. Unlike you,” Andy added, cocking his head to the side and looking down at me. “You can’t do anything well, June.” He grinned. “But I bet I can teach you.”
I let out a loud scream as Andy began to advance on me.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Andy paused, mere inches from where I sat tethered to the chair.
“What the fuck was that?” Andy cocked his head to the side and turned to Hannah. The satisfied, smug look had vanished from her face. Now she looked pale and frightened.
“I don’t know,” Hannah said. She bit her lip. “Just get it over with,” she added, gesturing to me.
My heart skipped a nervous beat and fresh tears welled up in my eyes. The combination of the drugs and the alcohol was making me feel like I wouldn’t be able to stay conscious for much longer, but sheer panic and terror were the only things keeping me away.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
“Someone’s coming,” Andy said nervously. His forehead glistened with a fine layer of sweat and he bit his lip until blood trickled down his chin.
“Well, I don’t give a shit,” Hannah snarled. “After all, this isn’t my apartment!”
A loud thudding on the door made Andy jump.
“Fuck,” Andy muttered under his breath. His glance darted nervously around the room. “Hide her,” he snapped, pointing to me.
Hannah rolled her eyes. “She’s too heavy,” she said. “I wouldn’t be able to carry her and the chair by myself!”
“Open the goddamned door!”
The sound of Thomas’s voice filled me with hope. Oh my god , I thought. Somehow, he found me. He’s coming here to save me! I’m going to be fine!
“No,” Andy said nervously. He leaned against the door, his thin frame straining to keep it closed as Thomas beat on the other side.
“Move,” Hannah snapped. She walked over to me and snapped my fingers.
“I can’t,” I whispered hoarsely. My throat was still burning from the wine.
Hannah glared at me, as if she’d somehow forgotten that I was trussed to the chair.
“Open the fucking door!” Thomas screamed.
Andy had his back to the door. His feet were sliding along the floor as he desperately attempted to keep it bolted and shut. But his weak muscles were no match for Thomas’s strong body, and the door popped open. Thomas burst inside. His silvery hair was a wild mess of tangles and his face was bright red with anger.
“Thomas!” I screamed. “Help me, they’ve got me tied!”
Thomas pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at Andy. “Untie her,” he said in a low voice.
Andy began to move and Thomas pushed the gun closer. “I wasn’t talking to you, fuckface,” Thomas growled to Andy. “I was talking to Hannah.”
Hannah sniffed. “I don’t know why you’re angry at me,” she said. “I didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“I’m not taking the gun away from this fuck,” Thomas growled. “But Hannah, I swear to god. If you don’t move and untie June right now, it’ll be the last thing you never do.”
Hannah’s face paled and finally she stepped towards me with a pair of scissors. Hannah twisted the chair around and squatted behind me, slicing the plastic ties from my
wrists. I yelped in pain as the scissors grazed my delicate wrists, but I knew deep down that it was nothing compared to the pain I would have endured if Thomas hadn’t shown up to save me.
“Fucking cunt,” Hannah snarled. She untied my ankles and I sagged, sliding off the pain and colliding painfully hard with the wooden floor.
“June, get behind me,” Thomas ordered.
Whimpering in pain, I crawled across the floor and flung myself in a corner of the room.
“You ruin everything ,” Andy hissed to Thomas. “It’s not fucking fair. I had her first!”
Thomas narrowed his eyes and laughed dryly. “No, you didn’t,” he said. “You don’t know the first thing about June.”
“I’ve had a crush on her for a year!” Andy roared. “And just as she was starting to show some interest, you had to show up and ruin everything, you fucking bastard!”
Thomas shook his head and snorted. “You really are pathetic,” he said. “It’s pretty fucking sad how you went apeshit because June here didn’t want anything to do with you.” He pushed the barrel of the gun against Andy’s chest.
Andy let out a yelp of fear. “Don’t hurt me,” he said. “I didn’t do anything to her, I swear!”
Without turning away from Andy, Thomas asked: “June, is that true?”
Hannah glared at me but I licked my lips and spoke anyway. “No,” I said in a soft, shaky voice. “Andy and Hannah paid two men to kidnap me off the street and drug me. When I woke up, I was here, tied to the chair.”
“Oh, you sorry bastard,” Thomas said. “You’re so pathetic you had to hire someone to kidnap June?”
Andy nodded and stammered. “I…I couldn’t do it myself,” he said.
Thomas shook his head and laughed dryly. “You’re a sick fuck, and you’re going away for a long time,” he said. He jerked his head to the side. “Go sit,” he told Andy. “I need to keep my eye on you while I deal with Hannah.”
Andy gulped. After a few moments and another prod from Thomas’s gun, he walked slowly across the room and sat down in the chair.
“Hannah,” Thomas said coldly.
“What?” Hannah batted her lashes. I felt sick to my stomach as she walked over to Thomas and stroked her hand down the center of his chest.
“Why the fuck would you do something like this,” Thomas growled.
“For you, baby,” Hannah said. She licked her lips. “I thought that as soon as June was out of the picture, I could have you once and for all.”
“So you could destroy my company?”
“What?” Hannah narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cut the innocent bullshit,” Thomas said. “I know what you’ve been doing.”
“Thomas, I’d never—“
“Shut up, Hannah,” Thomas said. “Or should I say, Megan ?”
Hannah looked startled. For once, she opened and closed her lips with nothing to say.
Just as Thomas was about to speak again, uniformed men darted into the room.
“New York City Police!” One of them shouted. “Everybody freeze!”
I couldn’t take it any longer. I passed out.
Chapter Eighteen
Thomas
After the cops showed up, it was all a blur. June was taken to a nearby hospital where she was checked for injuries…thankfully, it turned out to be nothing more serious than a few bruises and lacerations. Hannah had given her wine laced with a power sedative, but June was able to sleep it off.
Hannah and Andy were both apprehended by the police and taken downtown, where they were thrown in jail. Despite feeling exhausted, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to sleep. So I went to a bar downtown and drank most of the night, then slept it off. Now I was on my way to pick up June from the hospital and take her home.
I couldn’t believe it, but I was actually nervous at the thought of seeing June again. Obviously, I had some major explaining – and apologizing – to do. I swallowed a lump in my throat and pulled up to the hospital carport.
June was waiting outside with a nurse. She looked pale and tired, but otherwise just as beautiful as ever. She was still wearing her dress from the night before. As she climbed into the passenger seat of my car, I noticed she was avoiding my gaze.
After a few torturous moments of silence, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“June, please, talk to me.” I said as I pulled away from the hospital.
June’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“For what?” I narrowed my eyes and reached a hand into her lap. June stiffened at my touch.
“You hate me now,” June said flatly. “And I don’t know what I did, but I’m really sorry, Thomas.”
I sighed heavily. “I don’t hate you at all,” I said. “I…I love you, June.”
That got her attention. June’s head snapped up. She pushed her black hair over one shoulder.
“What?”
“I said, I love you,” I repeated. “I really do, June. I love you so much.”
A tear rolled down June’s cheek. “Then…why did you act like that last night?” She asked softly. “Why did you treat me like that, Thomas?”
I sighed. “There won’t be an excuse good enough to justify how horribly I treated you,” I said. “And I can assure you that it had absolutely nothing to do with you, June. You’re perfect, just the way you are.”
June sniffled.
“Please don’t cry,” I said. “I’ll explain everything. Do you want to come home with me, or your apartment?”
June let out a hiccupping sob. “My apartment,” she said softly.
“Okay. Then that’s where we’ll go.” And if my Porsche gets ruined again, fuck, I deserve it , I thought as I turned towards Brooklyn.
Thankfully, Angela wasn’t home. I waited patiently in the living room while June showered and changed into yoga pants and a loose-fitting shirt. She still looked adorable as ever. When she was through, I gestured for her to crawl into my arms.
“So, the other day, I did a background check on Hannah,” I said slowly. “After I fired her, I noticed that almost all of my longtime clients wouldn’t speak to me.”
June sat up and narrowed her eyes. “Why not?” She asked softly. “What happened?”
I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. “Because Hannah wasn’t who she said she was,” I said. “She was actually impersonating someone else. Her real name is Megan Callahan, and she’s been gunning for billionaires since she was a teenager.”
“I don’t understand,” June replied.
“I don’t either,” I said. “But Megan was linked with the deaths of Richard Moss and Archibald Kramer.”
“Those were…”
“Two of the richest men in New York,” I said grimly. “Hannah, or should I say, Megan, had been chasing after them and trying to get married rich. She lied about her age – I thought she was in her early twenties, but she’s actually been doing this for over ten years.”
June swallowed. “And she hated me because she thought I stole you?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’m so sorry, June. When I got to dinner last night, I’d just gotten the results back about Hannah’s true identity.”
“How did she know Andy?”
I sighed. “I’m guessing she stalked you,” I said. “And as soon as she realized that there was someone interested in you, she made him an offer. I’m guessing she probably paid him to try to take care of you. Andy, although what he did can’t be forgiven, was just a pawn in all of this.”
June’s green eyes went wide. “I can’t believe it,” she said softly. “I can’t believe someone would be crazy enough to do something like that.”
I sighed bitterly. “I can,” I said heavily. “Especially someone as demented as Hannah. She’d been working for me since the beginning, when my ex thought I should hire her.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “But I’m a total heel, and I have no excuse for tre
ating you that way. I didn’t want you to know until I’d taken care of everything, and I had no intention of scaring you off.”
June nodded.
“I just didn’t want to tell you over dinner,” I said, groping desperately for excuses. “Especially because you were so happy about your job.”
June nodded again.
“Please,” I said. “Please, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me and give me another chance, I’d be the happiest man in the world.”
