by Dee Bridle
I was on cold hard cement, in a familiar windowless room that I could now see was the cellar. I tried to sit up and realized my hands had been tied together, along with my feet. I slowly pulled myself up into a sitting position and looked around at all the wine bottles lined up on shelves, filling the room.
So, he was still doing his lucrative wine auctions. I focused on a bottle nearest me, knowing these were not just any wines. Some of them were worth a hundred grand a bottle. I was surprised he had locked me up with them. The first thing I wanted to do was start smashing them. He fucking deserved it.
After all these years of running, I was finally back in hell. I was in the house where I was born; the house that held all my haunting memories.
I yanked at the ties around my wrists, wondering just how he was going to torture me this time. There was no way for me to escape, because I knew the big heavy wooden door had a matching heavy lock.
I blinked back tears, willing myself to be strong. I couldn’t lose it here. I needed to show that he couldn’t break me, whatever he had in store for me. I had to go back to being shut off and cold. Numbness travelled over me as I breathed in and out, welcoming it with open arms. He had already done everything he could to me. This would be a walk in the park.
The lock on the wooden door clicked, and it was then slightly shoved open. I braced myself for whoever was coming through it.
“Emily,” said a familiar voice.
I locked eyes on my past savior, the only kind soul I knew when I was twelve.
“Mason,” I gasped.
“You were never meant to come back here,” he whispered. “How did he find you?” he asked, coming straight over to me in purposeful steps.
I looked at the bulky man above me, his muscles still prominent from a life of protecting my father. He had been the only one to try and take care of me. He was the one who had helped me fake my own death in the hospital after the car accident.
“Long story,” I whispered.
He touched my face and wiped a tear with his thumb.
“I can’t untie you yet. He’ll know something’s up,” he said with a deep frown.
“I know,” I said.
“How’s your mother?” he asked next.
I swallowed before I answered, and then said, “Damaged beyond repair.”
“He’s been looking for her now that he knows you’re alive.”
“He won’t find her,” I said quietly. “She lost herself a long time ago.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to save you this time,” he said with concern. “Things are different here now. More security. He doesn’t miss a thing.”
I nodded.
“I just hope he does it quickly,” I said with a gulp.
“Don’t say that,” he said, as his eyebrows furrowed together. “You can’t survive all this time and give up now.”
I looked away from his eyes, back to the floor. I was trying to conjure up the strength to overshadow my past hurts and fear.
“He’s got a big party upstairs. I’ll try to think of a way to get you out, without setting off the alarms down here.”
“So he’s having a party while his dead daughter sits locked in his basement,” I said shaking my head. “Nothing ever changes.”
Mason didn’t say anything to that. I didn’t know if he was remembering the times he had come down here to give me food. He was the only one who had given me some semblance of light in my prison of darkness.
I heard a voice in his ear from his communication piece, and he went rigid. He stood up straight and listened. He answered someone back and then looked at me.
“I need to go, but I’ll be back. Hopefully with a plan to get you out,” he whispered.
I nodded and then forced a smile.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
He gave me a grim smile and then headed back to the door.
“Mason,” I whispered.
He turned back to me.
“Why do you still work for him?” I asked.
He took a moment, as if pondering whether to be honest or not. He obviously decided to be when he answered.
“Because I fell in love with your mother all those years back.”
My mouth gaped open.
“And he keeps his enemies close…to control and to punish them. I have a family now, and I know they would be the first to suffer at his hands if I left.”
I was silent as he gave me one more grim smile before disappearing out the door. It shut and locked with finality.
Noah
I crouched down and leaned against the outside brick wall, watching Zac do the same thing.
“The party is underway,” said Zac, pulling his mini tablet out of his jacket and pressing buttons.
“This is either going to work in our favor or against it,” I whispered.
“There are more security guys, but more activity going on. They can’t control it all. This has to work,” he said.
He put the tablet in front of me, showing me the plans of the estate.
“We’re here right now. We need to go in through the staff entrance. If we’re stopped by anyone, we say that we’re delivery guys for the party.”
I nodded as our phones beeped in unison.
“Will and Janey are in,” I said reading the text. “The party password worked.”
“Of course it did. You aren’t doubting me now, are you?” asked Zac.
“No. I just hope he doesn’t recognize Will or Janey.”
“They’re going to bypass the party as soon as they are in. He won’t even get a look at them,” he said concentrating on his phone as he texted something. “Ava is ready when I say to run the code. We’re all in place. Let’s go.”
“Wait,” I said to him. “Thanks for doing this with me. This could all blow up and go very badly.”
“We’re brothers. We do this shit for each other, no questions asked,” said Zac. “But I also know how fucking serious this is. This guy is grade A douche, with a lot of gun power. Keep your head on straight. No shooting unless its life or death.”
I nodded and then got up and scaled the brick wall, hoisting myself over it. I landed softly into bushes and instantly scanned the area around me as Zac did the same thing beside me.
“You go upstairs. I’ll do downstairs. First sign of trouble, we’ll call each other.”
Zac nodded and said, “Let’s do this.”
We then made our way over to the service entrance of the house.
Will
I grabbed a champagne glass from a passing waiter and took a sip, scanning the room without looking obvious.
“Someone just bought that bottle for $92,000 dollars,” murmured Janey with a fake smile next to me. “This shit is crazy.”
“What’s crazy is that you and I still haven’t talked about why you’re here with me right now,” I murmured to her.
“I’m helping you,” she returned.
“Not here, Janey, but out of rehab, months too early by my estimates,” I returned smoothly.
“You want to get into this right now?” she asked with a forced smile.
“No, but we will. As soon as this is over. You and I…we’re going to talk,” I said sipping my champagne again.
I hated this sour bubbly shit, and I had no idea why everyone raved about it.
“We’ve never been any good at talking,” she whispered next. “We’re better at other things. Maybe we should just do that instead.”
I scanned the room, trying to ignore the feelings that the sexy nymph beside me seemed to rear up in me. She was my only weakness. I placed my half-empty glass down on a passing tray and turned into her.
“Make no mistake, Janey. I will have you bent over and screaming my name before tonight ends. But then, we’re going to get serious and fucking talk.”
She moistened her lips but said nothing. Her heavy lidded eyes were the only thing that gave her away.
I grabbed my phone as soon as I saw Richard leaving the ballroom, te
xting to the guys that he was on the move. I also told them to hurry the fuck up and find Ivy. We all needed to get the fuck out of here, I thought, as my eyes settled across the room on my mother. She was the last person I wanted to see right now.
Ivy
I had been working at the ties around my wrists for what felt like hours, and now my skin was raw from where they were cutting into me. Years ago, when I still lived under this roof, I carried a small pocketknife, just for these times.
I had lost my edge.
I should have fought harder with those men, and punched one of them before they had grabbed me. Running for years from this nightmare should have made me harder, not softer. Maybe Noah had made me soft.
Noah.
I closed my eyes, trying to get him out of my mind. If I thought about him, the pain of not being with him took my breath away. I wouldn’t survive down here while I thought of the best thing that had ever happened to me.
Hatred swelled up inside me for my father and the men he hid behind. I remembered Noah’s voice on the phone to me, moments before I was taken. I felt a tear start to make its way down my face, and I quickly swiped at it with my shoulder.
The wooden door unlocked and I jumped as it was pushed open. The bright light made me squint as I tried to see who it was this time.
“Here’s some food,” said my father, throwing something at my feet.
I looked at the tray and saw that it contained hors d’oeuvres, all broken up from the impact with the floor.
“Fuck you,” I whispered angrily.
“Watch your language, Emily,” he said stepping in further. “I will knock some sense into you if you need it.”
I swallowed down a retort and watched him stride across the basement. He went to a shelf and pulled a wine bottle out. He read the label, and used his finger to trail along the words. It was obviously one of his prized possessions that he was putting up for auction.
“What am I going to do with you, Emily?” he asked, still looking at the bottle.
“Get it over with,” I growled.
He threw his head back with laughter.
“You never were patient, my girl,” he said looking over at me. “I have guests at the moment, but I will be back down again soon. You and I have some things to discuss.”
“I’m not discussing anything with you,” I spat.
“Oh, you will,” he replied with an evil smirk. “You and I are definitely going to be getting reacquainted.”
“Fuck you,” I shouted with hatred.
“Who helped you fake your death, Emily?” he asked.
“No one.”
“I find that hard to believe. Your mother was never that bright, so who?.”
“No one,” I said again forcefully.
He strode over to me and smacked me hard against the cheek. I fell back onto the ground and curled into a tight ball, readying myself for more hits.
“I don’t believe you, Emily.”
“I don’t care,” I gasped.
I saw his leather shoe before it swiftly kicked me in the stomach. I let out a yelp and a cough as the pain exploded inside me. My stomach burned, and I gasped for air, not able to breathe.
Another voice entered the room.
“Sir, we have been alerted to a breach. Two subjects have been found.”
“Well, deal with them,” he said firmly.
“Sir, I believe they are acquaintances of…her.”
My eyes opened wide and I swallowed down a gasp in silence. Oh, my god. Noah was here for me. I only hoped he didn’t get himself hurt now that they had found him. I really wasn’t worth the trouble.
“Do not let them get away. I will deal with them myself.”
“Sir, one of them is a Harrison.”
“I’m fully aware of who he is,” said Richard.
“Don’t hurt them,” I said.
“I don’t think you are in any place to give me orders,” he said leaning over and grabbing me by the hair.
I squealed with the sharp pain.
“Sir?”
“Leave us!” he bellowed to the guard.
He pulled at me again, and I whimpered, knowing my hair was ripping from my scalp.
“Did the Harrison boy help you?” he asked next.
“No!” I shouted. “I don’t even know who the Harrison boy is!”
“Well, who did?”
“No one! I did it myself!” I shouted.
“Stop lying to me!” he wailed, shoving me to the side while he still held onto my hair.
I squealed in pain, feeling like my head was on fire. I felt pain and intense hatred for him. I somehow suddenly reared my tied ankles up and kicked the bottle of wine out of his other hand.
He shouted as it dropped to the concrete and smashed. Growling like a wild animal, he lunged at me. I tried to shuffle away, but he was too fast. He smacked the back of his hand across my face again.
I felt my teeth wobble and my nose explode as I shot back with the force. I felt my eyes roll back in my head, and I tried to keep focused. Blood started to pour out of my nose and I tried not to choke on it. His thousand dollar shoes were near my face, so I shuffled out of the way before he kicked me again.
My arm was suddenly yanked so hard, it felt as if it had been ripped from the socket. I screamed in sheer misery and pain.
The wooden door crashed open and he paused, looking up to the light now shining in.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” said a familiar voice.
I gasped in pain and shock, hearing my Noah’s voice. My father let me go and I fell to the ground again.
“How did you get down here?” he asked.
“I shot all your guards. Now fucking move away from her, you piece of shit,” snarled Noah, stepping in further with a gun pointed straight at Richard.
Richard gave an evil smirk and mockingly put his hands out.
“You going to shoot me too, boy?”
“Yes, you fucker, but I want you to suffer first, before you die,” snarled Noah.
“How do you expect to get out of here after you shoot me? The alarm has been triggered, police will be here any second. You’ll spend the rest of your life in jail,” said Richard with a smile.
“No,” I pleaded to Noah, trying to focus on him.
“As long as you’re dead, I don’t give a shit,” said Noah.
He took another step towards me. He glanced at me for just a second. I could see the pain in his eyes before he glared again at my father.
“How exactly are you going to make me suffer?” asked Richard calmly. “I’ve already dealt with the Harrison boy and his girl.”
It dawned on me that he meant Will and Janey. Oh, my god. They were all here? I whimpered with pain and regret. All of their lives would be ruined now, just because of me.
Noah kept the gun pointed at him.
He suddenly smiled and said, “You’ll suffer from the all-out war I’ve released on you. Right now, your accounts are being drained, and your companies are under attack.”
Richard pulled his phone out of his pocket with a deep frown, and stared intently at the screen.
“I don’t believe you.”
“And I don’t particularly give a damn what you believe,” returned Noah.
“Sir?” said Mason appearing at the door with a gun pointed at Noah’s head.
“No!” I gurgled out. “Don’t hurt him.”
“Shoot him, Mason!” shouted my father. “What the hell are you waiting for?”
“There are photos that have been leaked online…of you with…hookers and…underage girls.”
“Get someone to do something about it!” he screamed at him.
“They’re saying you don’t have the resources to stop it. It’s a full blown attack.”
“Fucking shoot him now, Mason!” screamed Richard, glaring at Noah. “You won’t end me.”
Calmly, Noah said, “The photos up in the ballroom of you with the underage girls will, though.”
“The crates of wine bottles worth a hundred grand each are also leaving with your guests, too.”
“You’ll pay for this,” he spat.
Noah suddenly smiled and said, “No, ‘you’ will pay for all of this. For all the pain you’ve caused. For fucking up your own daughter’s life, you filthy, fucking pig.”
“You think she’s worth all this?” screamed Richard. “You’re doing all of this for her? She’s a fucking disappointment! She’s a whore that couldn’t even die when she was meant to!”
There was a gun shot, and I screamed.
My father dropped to the basement floor beside me. His eyes were open as blood poured from a small but lethal hole in his forehead. That one shot had put an end to everything instantly.
I kept screaming. I screamed for Noah. I screamed for the perfect boy who would now suffer because of me. He had shot him for me. To save me.
Noah was suddenly in front of me on his knees, saying my name. He lifted me slightly and held me in his arms. I couldn’t look at him. I had truly ruined his life now. The police would be here any minute, and my life would be forever over.
“It’s over,” he said holding me tight. “You’re safe.”
“Noah!” I moaned into his chest. “You shot him.”
“Get her out of here,” said Mason leaning over and cutting the ties on my wrists and ankles.
I choked on my tears and focused on Mason.
He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped at my bloody nose.
“He’s gone now. It’s all finally over. Go live your life, Emily,” he said with a small smile.
I couldn’t find any words, but my whole body was shaking uncontrollably in shock.
Mason looked at Noah and said, “It’s a suicide. After all the incriminating photos, the sick bastard just couldn’t live through it.”
Noah nodded in agreement and then said, “Thanks for ending it.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Mason, his eyes settling on me again. “Take care of her.”
“I will,” confirmed Noah.
Mason had shot him. He had put an end to it all.
I moved from Noah and put my good arm around Mason and tried to squeeze.
