by Kent, Rina
However, I couldn’t stop her from running in the rain since she often does it behind everyone’s back.
I snatch my pullover, soak it with water again and then wrap it around her head.
My lips touch her forehead one last time before I stagger to my feet.
Adrenaline shoots through my veins and fills me with one purpose only. I’ll open that door even if I have to dislocate my shoulders in the process.
Elsa and I will get out of here.
We’re not losing our lives in this basement another time.
37
Jonathan
Unlike common belief, villains aren’t evil.
Villains are simply people who go after what they want even if it means walking all over the crowd.
I might be considered the villain of this story, and I’m fine with that. My beliefs are my own and none of anyone’s fucking business.
Like an Italian politician once said, it’s better to be feared than loved.
Fear brings efficiency and gets things done.
Love is for masochistic fools.
I was in love once. It’s irrational and out of control.
Perhaps that’s why I’m trapped in my own head, scheming one revenge plot after the other.
I know full well it won’t bring Alicia back, but I go on with it anyway.
Why?
Because it’s irrational and out of fucking control.
If I focus on revenge I won’t feel the emptiness. If I focus on revenge, I direct the pain outwards instead of inwards.
I was at the airport, ready to put Aiden back in his lane when Ethan’s number flashed across my screen. I thought we were back to playing our old games. However, everything changed when he told me Aiden and Elsa are missing.
It’s been fifty-five hours since they were last seen.
Aiden is a little fuck, but he’s my son and the only thing I have left of Alicia. I have to bring him back.
Ethan’s security team and mine have been going through all the places Aiden and Elsa could disappear to.
We interrogated their friends and came up with nothing.
Ethan and I sit in the back of a van speeding to where the signal of their phones was last detected, somewhere near Northampton.
“The bank?” Ethan asks. His composure is a mere mask just like mine.
“Negative. He hasn’t used his credit card.”
He sighs. “Neither did Elsa.”
Aiden is smart enough not to use credit cards if he wanted to escape. However, neither Ethan nor I are considering that option.
One. Elsa would never leave her father after their reunion, even for Aiden.
Two. If Aiden planned to escape, he would’ve made small withdrawals from his bank account over the past few months so they’d have cash handy.
Which means they were taken against their will.
“Aiden took her,” Ethan grits out. “If he didn’t, none of this would’ve happened.”
“She went with him.” I rub my temple. “Stop pretending as if your daughter is a saint. She was glued to his side all this time no matter what I did.”
He glares at me but says nothing.
I go back to reading the text from my security team. Aiden’s car hasn’t been located yet.
Fucking brilliant.
“Where’s your dog?” I poke Ethan. “Have you lost the leash?”
“Watch it, Jonathan. I won’t allow you to disrespect Agnus.”
“Touchy, aren’t we?”
“He saved Aiden that day,” he says with an edge of smugness. “If it weren’t for Agnus, you would’ve lost your only son.”
“Agnus the saviour,” I mock. “I should’ve known he’d bring you back to life. If there’s anyone capable of that black magic, it’s him.”
“Unfortunately for you.”
“It’s a waste you returned, Ethan.” My shoulders tense as black memories hit me. “I’ll make your existence hell for every second Alicia spent in that car slowly dying.”
“Are you blind?”
I pause, his reply taking me by surprise. I don’t do surprises.
Usually, Ethan would rise to the challenge and tell me my plot for the Birmingham factory is the reason everything is ruined. He’d tell me, like Aiden, that the car accident might’ve been Alicia’s cause of death, but she was dying for years.
“Blind to what?” I ask slowly.
“To Aiden and Elsa, fucker. You’ve been observing it longer than me, so how come you’re still blind to it? Those two have been sharing a connection for the past ten years. Neither you nor I will be able to break it.”
“Let me worry about that.”
“Have you seen them play chess?” He raises an eyebrow. “You should. It might change your mind.”
“My son won’t be with your daughter and that’s final.”
“Does your son know that piece of information?”
My jaw ticks.
“I thought so. You’re losing control of him, if you haven’t already. Do you know what that means, Jonathan?” he asks, but it’s clearly rhetorical since he continues, “It means if you continue to push him, he’ll leave you and your entire legacy behind.”
It takes all my self-control to remain calm and focused.
While I hate to admit it, Ethan is right. Aiden is slipping away. I can lock him out like I did in China, but that’s a one-time thing. If I want to keep him by my side, I need a change of tactics.
“Does that mean you’re okay with their nonsense?” I tap my chin.
“No, I’m not. Aiden is so similar to you and I would rather he stays the fuck away from my daughter. But do you know what’s the difference between you and me? I consider Elsa’s well-being before my own.”
“Something must’ve broken in your head while you were sleeping all those years.”
I look through the window at the trees passing us by.
“We fucked up, Jonathan. Both of us. I’m brave enough to admit it.”
I glance at him. “How about you leave me that deal with the Rhodes, then?”
“That’s a business deal; the best one will win.” He pauses. “The past is in the past. Our children shouldn’t pay for our mistakes.”
Sappy fuck.
His phone vibrates before I can say anything.
“Agnus, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you all day.” Ethan listens to the other end. “This isn’t the time for your phone to die. Elsa is missing.”
His brows scrunch. “You sent me a text? Fine. Let me check. And return to London immediately.”
He hangs up and checks his phone then his jaw tightens.
The emptiness I felt since Alicia’s death strikes me again. Only now, it’s sharper and harder.
Something is wrong with Aiden.
“What happened?” I ask in a voice I don’t recognise.
Ethan shows me his phone.
Agnus: There’s been activity at the basement’s lock in Birmingham’s mansion.
“Elsa went back to the basement,” Ethan murmurs. “It doesn’t make sense. If they went more than two days ago, why haven’t they returned?”
“Aiden is a survivor,” I say with finality.
“So is Elsa.”
I bark at the driver to change the direction to Birmingham.
It all ends where it started.
38
Aiden
I’ve been slamming my shoulder against the metal door for the past hour or so.
My dominant left shoulder is safely dislocated, so I switch to my right one.
I tried everything from pushing to pulling and even kicking. They’re all useless against a fucking metal door.
Logically, I recognised that, but I still didn’t stop. It’s the only way we’ll get out of here.
In between, I’ve been soaking my pullover with water and placing it around Elsa’s head.
She’s been slipping in and out of consciousness, mumbling feverish things about her brother, her
mother, and her dad. She was even having a conversation with Eli in a language that doesn’t sound like English.
The worse her state becomes, the harder I kick the damn door.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The bitter taste of desperation is reminiscent to how I felt when I hit the door ten years ago. Back then, I thought she died. Back then, I lost hope.
But not now.
She can’t fucking die.
“Aiden…” Her croaked voice is like a rush of adrenaline, tightening my muscles.
I leave the door and descend the stairs two at a time to reach her. She’s sprawled on her side, eyes closed and face pale. It’s even paler than earlier. I touch her cheek and it’s on fire — even worse than before.
Fuck.
I grab my pullover, pour cold water on it, then place it back on her head.
“Aiden…” she mumbles in her feverish haze.
Her pupils move rapidly behind her closed lids. She must be dreaming.
I sit on the floor and let my dislocated shoulder fall limp. It hurts like a bitch when I move it. My attempts to push it back were it belongs have failed miserably.
Pain doesn’t matter, though. The girl lying helpless in front of me does. I lean over and place a chaste kiss on her dry lips. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’ll always be here.”
“I love you, Aiden.” It’s barely a whisper, but it hits me straight to a sombre corner in my soul.
She loves me.
Elsa fucking loves me.
I’ll never get enough of hearing those words out of her mouth.
I take her hand in mine and place a kiss on the palm. “Stay with me, Elsa. You promised, remember?”
“Do you love me?” she whispers.
I capture her cracked mouth in a quick kiss, nibbling on her bottom lip longer than needed.
“Tell me, Aiden… T-tell me…”
“I will when you open your eyes.”
“I said it many times. You’re not fair.”
I chuckle at the lines forming on her forehead. She’s frowning and being stubborn even when feverish.
“What I feel for you isn’t only love, obsession, or addiction. It’s all of those and more. Do you know what that means, sweetheart? It means I can’t live without you, so don’t you fucking dare leave me.”
A small smile tugs on her lips before it falls flat. Her hand grows heavy in mine.
I check her pulse. It’s been jumping in and out of synch for the past hour. Her skin has turned alarmingly white for someone with a fever.
After one last kiss to her lips, I start to stand up. I’m getting her out of here if it’s the last thing I do.
Even if I have to lose a limb in the process.
The click of a door echoes in the air.
My head snaps upright as fast footsteps come down the stairs. I never thought I would be happy to see Jonathan’s face.
Ten years ago, when I woke up in the hospital and saw his face instead of Alicia’s, I became black. But now, it’s the complete opposite. He’s not bearing bad news this time, he’s come to help us.
He stops at the threshold of the basement with Ethan by his side.
I can almost imagine what they’re seeing.
I’m half-naked, my left shoulder drooping to one side. Elsa’s head lies on the floor as she mumbles gibberish.
“She needs a doctor,” I order. “Now.”
39
Elsa
Eli smiles down at me.
His face is as clear as glass. He has dark hair, a shade darker than Dad’s and his eyes are the same as our father’s, too.
He always said he’s Dad’s favourite and I went crying to Dad so he’d tell me that I’m his favourite, too.
Dust of freckles cover his cheek, adding a boyish charm to his face.
Eli is so pretty.
The only difference is he’s small. I am not.
I’m wearing my RES’s uniform as I stand with him in our back garden with all the tall trees and the wires.
“Why did you leave, Eli?” I whisper.
“Come on, crybaby.” He holds out his hand for me. “We’re going to have fun.”
“Fun?”
“We’ll go to a place where we’ll be free.”
Free.
Eli and I. Free.
“Hurry, crybaby.”
I’m about to place my hand in his when voices slam into my head. Firm lips press a kiss after a kiss against my dry ones.
“Stay with me, Elsa. Don’t you dare fucking leave me.”
That voice.
That touch.
“Crybaby?” Eli’s eyes water with tears. I hate it when my brother cries.
“Stay with me, Elsa.” The voice...
“Please, crybaby. Don’t leave me alone.”
“Elsa!”
“Eli and Elsa together forever, right?”
The onslaught of both voices hits me over and over again. Tentacles of pain wrap around my heart. I can’t breathe.
I can’t fucking breathe.
“Bring her back!” The voice shouts. “Bring her back before I smash this whole fucking place.”
There’s so much pain in that voice. So much passion. So much… care.
Hearing him fight for me is like being lifted into the clouds. It’s peaceful but scary.
“Crybaby?”
Eli’s hand is still stretched in front of me. His expression is drawn downwards as he pleads.
“I’m not a crybaby anymore.” But as I say that, a tear streams down my cheek. I recognise the finality as I pull my hand. “Goodbye, Eli.”
He turns to smoke, fading into the distance.
I’m tempted to try and catch him, to spend more time with him, but I recognise, deep down, this isn’t where I’m supposed to be.
Someone is waiting for me.
And I have a promise to keep.
The moment I open my eyes, a headache assaults my temples. I’m disoriented for a few seconds. It takes several blinks to focus on the walls surrounding me.
White walls. Antiseptic smell.
The hospital. I’m at the hospital.
“Elsa, you’re awake.”
Dad’s voice filters through my consciousness. He sits beside me, his five o’clock shadow appears a few days old.
“Oh, hon.” Aunt takes my hand, Uncle standing by her side with a relieved expression plastered all over his face.
“What happened?” My throat is all scratchy and dry, but the words come out clear.
“You had a fever,” Aunt speaks in rapid-fire. “Dr Albert said you had palpitations. Depending on the test results, changing your dose of pills can be enough for now, but if there are any further complications in the next few months, he might have to operate. I can’t believe you haven’t told us your heartbeat rate has been acting up.”
“Blair.” Uncle shakes his head at her.
“Fine.” She points between Dad and I. “But you bet I’m going to hound you about your appointments from now on.”
“How long have I been out?” I ask in a small voice.
“Two days,” Dad says.
Two days. Woah. That’s a lot.
Aunt goes on to tell me about the tests and the doctor’s recommendations. She has it all written in her planner and both Uncle and Dad’s schedule so no one forgets.
I’m listening to them, but something doesn’t seem right. I search my memories about what actually happened.
Aiden kidnapped me. Check.
We went to Birmingham. Check.
I remembered the past. Check.
Agnus showed up and locked us in. Check.
We had lots of sex. Double-check
But after that, it’s a blur of mismatching mosaic colours.
I search my surroundings, but there’s no sign of Aiden. A jolt of panic grips me like those tentacles from the dream.
“Where is Aiden?” I interrupt them in a choked voice.
“He stepped out with Agnus for coffee,” Dad
says.
“A-Agnus?” I all but shriek.
Why would Agnus have private time with Aiden? Is he planning something else?
Oh, God. What if he decides to hurt Aiden because Dad doesn’t like him? What if he thinks, like ten years ago, that’s the best solution for everyone?
After all, he has no moral compass stopping him from eliminating people who don’t fit into his bigger picture.
My brain goes into overdrive. It’s impossible to see clearly, let alone think.
“Yes, Agnus.” Dad smiles. “He’s the reason we found you. If I checked his text earlier, we could’ve avoided all of this.”
So Agnus did tell Dad.
I’m confused. Was what Aiden said true? The part about how Agnus wouldn’t hurt us.
“If we look at it from the other side.” Uncle squeezes my hand. “Maybe it’s for the best you got stuck in there. If you didn’t, we might’ve found out about your recent condition too late.”
“Oh my God, you’re right.” Aunt’s eyes widen. “The next appointment is months away. It could’ve been too late then.”
I can’t help thinking about what I told Aiden a long time ago.
Bad things happen for a reason.
The door opens. Aiden and Agnus walk into the room, appearing deep in conversation.
Deep in freaking conversation.
They stop when Aiden’s metal eyes meet mine. Those eyes that are never a void when he’s around me. His left arm is in a sling and he’s holding a coffee in his non-dominant hand.
Despite the fact that Agnus stands beside him, my heart flutters.
Aiden is here.
Everything is going to be okay.
He slams the coffee on a nearby table, not caring that it splashes on his hand and runs towards me.
I try to sit up.
Dad and Aunt start to protest. Aiden beats them to it and places a hand on my chest, gently forcing me to lie back down.
“What are you doing?” His voice is firm and non-negotiable. “You’re still weak and need to rest.”
I want to say I’m completely fine, but I doubt I’ll get the majority vote — if even just one — here.
