Passion

by Silver, Jordan

  Her attending physician was now explaining her condition to her and I since the Captain had to leave to get to the station.

  “She’s fine there’s no trauma, looks like he didn’t get any further than knocking her out there’re some scratches on her cheeks and hands most likely from being carried through the bushes but other than that she’s none the worse for wear. Now you said she was just released from hospital a few short weeks ago, maybe we should....”

  “She’s not staying here.” That much I was sure of, she’d be lucky if I let her out of my damn sight ever again.

  He seemed like he wanted to argue but my hard glare settled the matter. He just shrugged and left the room.

  “I’ll be back soon baby, I’m going to send mom in here in a minute, don’t leave here until I come back for you.”

  She grabbed my shirt and refused to let go.

  “Where........?”

  “Ssh, I’ll be back soon, I don’t want you to worry okay, everything’s going to be alright.” I kissed her, one hard, short kiss and left before I couldn’t.

  I went outside the door where my mom and sister were waiting.

  “Mom stay with her.”

  “Son where are you going?”

  “I’ll be back.”

  “Joshua.”

  I grabbed her and kissed the top of her head while hugging her.

  “I’ll be fine mom don’t worry, just watch over my girl ‘til I get back.”

  She called after me a couple times but I didn’t look back.

  I called James on the way to the Rover.

  “You find that bitch yet?”

  “I was just about to call you, she’s in Chelsea at a hotel, at least that’s what the last transaction on her Amex shows.

  “Which one?”

  He gave me the name of a high-end boutique hotel plus Patti’s room number.

  It would take me a little more than an hour to get there if I drove the speed limit; I made it in half the time.

  I didn’t stop at the front desk, just walked towards the bank of elevators like I belonged there, it’s amazing what designer wear and a nice appearance can achieve.

  On the fifth floor I walked to her room and being careful to stay out of view of the peephole I knocked.

  I could hear movement from inside, footsteps approaching the door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Room service.”

  “I didn’t order any fucking.......”

  She made the universal mistake that most people make, she took the safety off, and half opened the door.

  I pushed hard against it knocking it into her face and throwing her back into the room.

  Her precious face was bleeding, her lip split, her nose gushing blood.

  “You bastard.” Her hands went to her face.

  Her words were barely legible.

  “Did you think you would get away with this shit?”

  I advanced on her as she retreated towards the middle of the room.

  “How do you know Travis?”

  “I don’t know any Travis what are you talking about?” She ran to the standing mirror and checked the damage.

  “Look what you did to my face.......”

  The vain bitch was more worried about her appearance than the reason I was here.

  “Dyson already talked so you might as well come clean before I break your fucking neck, no one saw me come in here, it’ll be no skin off my nose to end you right here.”

  “Matthew.....” She backed up even farther as she held a shirt to her bleeding face.

  “Matthew? Do you really think my brother would go against me for you? See that’s where you fucked up, you never understood our family even after all this time.

  You thought you could talk shit about my girl in front of him and it’d be cool because we were on the outs, what you didn’t know and could never understand is, she’s in, she’s always been in, my family knew that even if you didn’t. You were never in, my mother hates your fucking guts, she’s always seen through you, and so have I. Funny thing, she took one look at Carrie and knew she was the one, she fits into our family like she was born there.”

  “You’re full of shit, you’re just saying that to piss me off, why would Margaret choose that little nobody over me, I’m beautiful, I’m smart and I come from a great family....”

  “You think any of that really matters, what the fuck do we need with your money, we’ve got more money than we can spend in ten lifetimes, as for beauty and smarts we both know Carrie has you beat in both. That’s part of your problem isn’t it, that she’s so effortlessly beautiful while you have to work so hard for it, who cares about this shit, what I want to know is how you know Travis and how you set it up for a rapist to kidnap my girl?”

  She looked away from me and refused to answer.

  “You know what, don’t answer, I’ll leave it to the federal agents who should be here any minute, have fun in jail for the next ten to twenty bitch.”

  “What agents, I didn’t do anything it was all stupid Rodney’s fault; he was supposed to be there ten minutes earlier.”

  She stopped talking when she realized she’d said too much.

  “Go on.”

  I folded my arms and leaned back against the wall.

  “I don’t believe you about the agents, why would they get involved in a stupid prank?”

  “You call being kidnapped and almost raped a prank?”

  At least there was a look of surprise on her face at that, but true to form it didn’t faze her for long.

  “Look, I just went to him because I knew she was going to go to prom with him, but he waited until I’d told him my plan before saying he wasn’t interested, how was I to know he would use it for his own sick purposes?”

  “So let me get this straight, you went to Travis to set up Carrie for what, I’m guessing so I could find them together and blow my top, kick her to the curb and leave her out in the cold, he said no so you went to Dyson.”

  “Stupid jerk, I had to pay him since he was scared shitless of you.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “He called and said she wasn’t there, her truck was there but she was gone and he freaked.”

  Josh

  “How’d you get her out of the house?”

  “That was easy, I used your phone while you and Matt were working on his car, remember when I came into the garage and started that fight with him, I used that as a distraction to take your phone.

  If that hadn’t worked I was going to take Vanessa’s and come up with something, anything, she’s so stupid she would’ve fallen for it.”

  She laughed until the pain in her lip cut it short, and almost lost her life in that moment.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Go where? I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “You can walk or be carried out your choice.”

  I held my phone up and hit play so she could hear herself.

  “That’s not admissible in court......”

  “Yes it is, I’m not law-enforcement this isn’t entrapment, just your brother-in-law or ex-brother-in-law I should say, having a conversation with you.”

  “My father will never let me go to jail are you stupid?”

  “Ha ha, my father can buy yours with his spare change, who do you think will have the most clout? I’m going to make sure you spend a very long time in jail for this and just as you’re about to be paroled I’ll have you terminated, or maybe sometime before then, who knows, we’ll see how I feel as time goes on. That’s something for you to think about everyday you’re in there, and don’t worry about Matthew, I’ll be sure and help him find a more suitable replacement for you, I’ll see to it that he doesn’t shed one tear over your unworthy pathetic ass.”

  I’m sure the people walking by on the street down below heard her screams of outrage.

  Fucking nut job, I’d only just begun to terrorize her ass, for every second that Carrie had known fear before the darkness
had overtaken her while she was in the clutches of a murdering rapist; I was going to see to it that she paid tenfold.

  Chapter 39

  Josh

  Getting her ass out of there wasn’t difficult, not when I’d already called in a tip that she was wanted for questioning in connection with the rapes that had been plaguing the area since Thanksgiving.

  By now word had spread that they might have found their man, the bit about Carrie was not news, not yet at least, but there was no way to keep it hidden for long, these days everything leaked.

  She’d had enough bullshit to last a lifetime so I’m going to have to take her away for a while; at least that’s what I was thinking as I sat outside the hotel waiting for the authorities to come down with Patti.

  She’d screamed bloody murder, used her family’s name as a threat, but to no avail, she seemed to forget that Carrie was the daughter of a cop, that blue line does not fuck around when it comes to one of their own.

  After I was sure that they had her and she wouldn’t be taking any surprise trips anytime soon, I headed back to Carrie.

  Mom was with her when I got back; she was asleep, curled into a ball while mom read a magazine.

  “You’re back, everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I found Patti, the cops have her, they’re gonna transport her here for questioning, how is she, was she okay?”

  “Not really son, I don’t think you should leave her, she spent the whole time worrying about you until she almost made herself sick. You kids today, so passionate about everything.”

  If you only knew.

  “It’s okay mom, thanks for watching over her, I’ll take over now, gotta see about getting her out of here.”

  “She’s already been discharged but you told her not to leave until you got back so she wouldn’t budge.”

  Good girl.

  I smiled; I thought it would be a long time before that happened again.

  “Mom, I think I’m going to take Carrie to the island for the holidays, she needs to get away from all this, I’m sure whatever case they build will take time right, she won’t be needed here, but before we go, I need you to do one thing for me.”

  “What’s that son?”

  I had to think of what to say, this was not an easy thing to ask but I had to.

  “You may not like it.”

  “Just tell me son, you’ll never know unless you ask.”

  “Josie was part of this, I’m not sure how much, but she and Patti were scheming, Matt heard them on the phone, I need to.......”

  “You want to get back at her for hurting your Carrie; shouldn’t you just leave it alone? It’s done now, they’ve been thwarted.....”

  I looked her in the eye, did she not know me? She’s such a mother, she looks at me and sees her almost eighteen year old son, the baby she raised with love.

  She doesn’t see the dominant control freak that would do anything to keep his girl safe, who would go to any lengths to fuck over anyone who hurt her in any way.

  “I warned her, she didn’t listen, she made herself a thorn in my side for the last time, if you can’t do it I’ll understand, her family are friends.....”

  “It’s not that Joshua, I just don’t want you caught up in all this negativity, you kids are too young for all this nonsense, I mean, I always knew Patricia was a spoilt little....you know what, but this, this is criminal, and now you’re asking me to do Lord knows what so you can have your revenge, where does it end?”

  “It ends when they all pay.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that everyone that hurt her will pay, this was no high school prank mom, kids aren’t like they were back when you were one, they have access to all kinds of things, you can Google murder and come up with a million scenarios, and these same kids grow into adults with the same mentality, what, you think I’m going to turn twenty one and automatically become a different person? I might grow yes, but my core will still be the same.”

  And that’s why I knew I had to stop Josie with her obsession or she’d never stop. She wasn’t going to just go away like I hoped.

  Note to players, watch who you fuck around with cause there’re some crazy fucks in the world.

  “She could’ve been raped and murdered, you’re lucky your son isn’t running around hacking these fucks to pieces.”

  “Oh Joshua, Carrie doesn’t need you to be getting into trouble.”

  “Carrie needs to be safe, they used my damn phone to lure her into this shit, now I don’t know how much a part of it Josie was but I’ll bet she knew and agreed, granted they might not have known Travis was a monster, but that’s no excuse, they want to play with peoples’ lives, then they should bear the consequences.”

  She studied me for a long time as if trying to make up her mind; she’d better make the right choice, because this way was the easy way. If she refused Josie was going to be in a world of hurt because option number two was even harsher.

  She’s lucky I hadn’t hunted her ass down and beaten the shit out of her already.

  “Think about it, I have to go talk the Captain into letting me take Carrie home with me for the next little while.”

  “I’m not sure he’ll let you.”

  “Why not, he knows we’re together.”

  “She’s his daughter; he might want to be there for her.”

  “He’s going to be knee deep in this mess for a while, she needs to be taken care of twenty four seven for a while, and I can do that.”

  “Okay son, you do what you think is best and I’ll be here to help you know that, I like your Carrie, poor little thing. By the way what is it you want me to do, you never said.”

  “Just throw a party, not at the house though, one of those halls you use for special events, I’ll get you the guest list.”

  “That’s all, a party?”

  “Yeah, but it’ll have to be soon, before Xmas.”

  “Joshua, that’s less than two weeks notice.....”

  “I know mom, can you do it?”

  “Sure I can but I don’t know if everyone will be able to attend, these things take time.”

  “No one’s ever declined a Margaret Steele invite, they wouldn’t dare, it’s like social suicide or something.”

  “Oh hush you....though you are right, my parties are fabulous, okay, I’ll do it.”

  “Thanks mom.”

  I went over and gave her a hug before sitting down next to Carrie.

  I studied her for a minute while brushing her hair with my fingers, so fucking gorgeous and perfect and mine.

  Something inside me unfurled and I felt my heart smile, just before my lips did.

  She was okay, I think for the first time the enormity of the situation settled in and I was just grateful that she was okay, it could’ve been so much worse.

  “I’m going to protect you little lamb, always.”

  I kissed her brow as my mom left the room, I hoped the Captain agreed to me taking her home otherwise I’d be camping out in his house for the next week or so and my bed was so much more comfortable than hers, either way I’m not leaving her, not ever again.

  Chapter 40

  Josh

  I had lamb tucked away in my bed; I’d convinced the Captain that since he was going to be busy for the foreseeable future that it made more sense for her to come home with me, there was always someone here.

  She wasn’t sick as much as she was shaken up, she’d eaten without argument this morning after a restless night where I’d kept watch over her while she tossed and turned.

  I knew she was going to be okay when she gave me shit about my breakfast choice of oats and fruit.

  Now she’s upstairs asleep while I’m down here going over the guest list with mom.

  “Joshua, are you sure about this?”

  “Yep.”

  “It just seems so...extreme.”

  “Mom, someone kidnapped dad, dragged him off somewhere to murder him, they’ve used his love for you to
trap him, telling him that you’re the one he’s going to meet, you have that person at your mercy, is there anything you wouldn’t do to that person short of killing them?”

  She’d drawn in her breath from my first sentence.

  “Son, sometimes your mind scares me, I get you, I get what you’re saying, I can’t even begin to imagine, it’s just you kids are so young to have to think this way, you should be going out for ice cream and to the movies, things like that, not dealing with rapes and murder.”

  “You play the hand you’re dealt mom, besides, Carrie and I have a more mature relationship I guess you can say, we know what we mean to each other, we know who we are together so we don’t have to do the dance, we’re young yes, but we’re far from stupid.

  She’s the girl I’m going to spend the rest of my life with we’re going to go to college but we’ll be going together, where I go she goes and vice versa, anyone who doesn’t understand our relationship doesn’t need to, it’s no one’s business but ours.

  As to what I’m planning here, it’s for Carrie, she’s been fucked with her whole life, no one’s going to fuck with her again, not while I’m in the picture and I plan to stay in the picture.”

  “I just feel so sad for you though, that you have to start your lives together like this, it’s such a dark place.”

  “Mom you’re looking at it wrong, she survived where others didn’t, she wasn’t touched, this is a good thing, because if they’d touched one hair on her head you’d be visiting me on death row, so count your blessings that things are as they are.”

  She brushed her fingers through my hair, something she hasn’t done in a while.

  “Don’t worry mom, we’ll be fine, I promise.”

  Carrie

  Fuck this shit; I’ve been listening to everything that’s been going on around me though I haven’t said anything.

  I know that that bitch Patricia used Joshua’s phone to send that text, that her and Rodney were planning to set me up to make it look like I was cheating on Joshua, they’d placed a strip of nails in the way to flatten my tires to trap me.