Give Me Love

by Kate McCarthy

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Mac

  I stood off to the side of the stage next to Coby and Travis and watched Evie strut and chatter to the mammoth crowd of Sydneysiders crammed into the stadium. You couldn’t tell the shit she’d been through with the way she grinned and bantered with the audience, dazzling them with her sexy smile and glorious hair.

  I grinned smugly to myself as I took in her outfit. Tim had come through, just like I knew he would. Her caramel hair hung down her back in her trademark glossy waves, and her skin glowed underneath the gold coloured strappy silk camisole. He’d teamed it with a thick gold arm band that encircled her bicep and a pair of vintage indigo Ksubi skinny jeans that I’d given her last winter when I realised, to my absolute devastation, they did her better justice.

  My gaze moved to Jake as they hit the intro into the next song of their set. The conceited, egotistical bastard was shirtless again, as usual, and the muscles in his arms and chest rippled powerfully as he hammered the drums. Whatever it was about him rubbed me up the wrong way, and I knew he felt the same because whenever I got anywhere near him, he turned into a complete asshole. I gave him a good glare, not that he was watching, but it did make me feel a little better.

  My gaze moved over to pretty boy Henry as he hunched over his guitar, his fingers moving along the strings like he was born doing it. He’d tried to teach me several times how to play, but I was a complete boob when it came to music, and after a while, he gave up, lacking the patience of trying to turn me into a musical genius. Maybe he thought I felt a bit left out of the whole music vibe, but I was glad I wasn’t in the middle of it. Standing out there while a bazillion people watched you? No thanks. I was confident and outspoken, but I’d rather sit around a dirty campfire in the middle of the Congo and converse with snakes while chewing on alligator steaks than walk out in front of that.

  My thoughts turned to next week. The band had two weeks off to recuperate before they had to get started on the songs they were planning for the first album. While they would all be busy sitting on their asses, I had meetings to arrange with all sorts of departments, bookings to sort out for studios, plan a music video, press events to respond to, and photo shoots. I also had five interviews lined up for potential assistants to help me deal with all the crap. One of them looked promising, the rest not so much. I had all my hopes on the promising one, so I’d set her interview up first.

  I pulled out my phone to check for messages. Nothing. Damn you, Jared. Where the fuck are you?

  As the band wrapped up the song, Evie turned to give me a questioning glance. I knew she was waiting for me to tell her the minute we’d got hold of Jared. I hid the worry from her because the moment I showed any concern would likely be the moment she fell apart. Evie depended on me to keep it together, so I shrugged, but I saw the anxiety and disappointment flitter across her face before she tucked the emotions away and forced a smile.

  That’s my girl. She knew how to pack it away and get the job done.

  She was perfect for Jared. Her demeanour, so radiant and cheery, brought out Jared’s playful side, and offset his tendency to be too serious, yet she was capable enough to pull it all together when she needed to. I loved both of them and could see the love they had for each other. When they were together, Jared couldn’t take his eyes off her, and Evie’s would shine. It was mushy, heart-warming stuff, not that I would admit it, but now, seeing them like this was painful. Deep down I was worried. I didn’t want to see Jared alone and Evie full of regret for not taking a chance. Unfortunately, between the two of them, they were about as useful as a fart in a thunderstorm when it came to sorting their shit out. I was tired of standing back and letting them bumble around like twats. It was about time I interfered, well, interfered more than I already had. Truth was, I couldn’t wait to be an aunty. Aunty Mac had quite the ring to it, and the pink frilly outfits I’d already been eyeing wouldn’t buy themselves.

  Whipping my phone back out, I dialled Jared’s number again. Straight to voice mail. I wanted to scream with frustration. I wasn’t worried about Jared physically; I knew he could take care of himself. My brother was smart, quick, and packed a shitload of muscle. I was more worried about what was going on in his head. When Evie arrived at the stadium earlier, I’d managed to pull her aside and got the lowdown on last night and this morning’s events, right down to the last word and expression on Jared’s face which just about broke my heart. Afterwards, she looked tired and worn out, and I regretted dragging her through all that again. Now my brother was out there thinking bad shit, and no one could freaking get hold of him to sort the whole sorry mess out.

  Travis was standing next to me on the side of the stage. “Heard from Jared?” I asked.

  Travis pressed his lips in a flat line as he checked his phone and then shook his head. “He’ll be okay, Mac.”

  “I know, Travis. If only he would just check in so we could sort this freaking mess out.”

  “He’ll show up,” Travis said patiently.

  I think my brothers sucked all the patience genes out of my mother before I was born because I didn’t have a single one in my body.

  “Yes, yes. I know he will eventually and love will prevail and I’ll finally get my little niece, but I’m not the most patient of people, Travis.”

  He snorted. “No shit.”

  “So any idea of what you think this Jimmy asshole might do tonight?”

  He shook his head in frustration. “Nope. Every single person who has walked into this stadium has gone through detectors, not to mention we’ve got sniffer dogs roving the area and bodyguards posted at every single entrance to the stadium. We’ve done everything humanly possible to ensure Evie’s safety. Trust me. He can’t get at her in here.”

  “Trust you, Travvie.”

  I gave him a quick pat on the back and turned to see Marcus walking up behind me. I raised a brow. “Marcus, what a surprise. What are you doing here?”

  He grinned and waved a ticket. “Wanted to see the show of course. Can I...uh...talk to you in private for a minute?”

  I glanced around at the stage to make sure everything was running smoothly and saw Jake frowning at me. Typical, the wanker. I frowned back before I turned to Marcus. “Sure,” I clicked off my headset. “Just for a minute though, right?”

  He nodded.

  “Okay, follow me.” I led him down the stairs and around the back into the makeshift dressing room.

  As I pulled the door shut behind him he grabbed my arm and shoved me up against the wall. “Why haven’t you called me?” He growled and planted his lips on mine for a kiss that sucked all the breath from my body. I kissed him back for a moment before I shoved him away, panting hard.

  “Christ, Marcus.” I walked over to the mirrors and freshened my lipstick, more so to gain some equilibrium than concern over my appearance. I looked at him through the mirror. “I’ve been busy, you know, with the tour.”

  He looked a bit sheepish. “Right, sorry. I just thought…”

  “You thought what? We’re only dating casually, Marcus. I did tell you that was all I wanted when we first went out, right?”

  He sat down. “Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Uh oh. He looked nervous. This did not bode good things.

  I walked over and sat down next to him. “Marcus, I don’t want to be rude, but I really need to get back. Do you want to talk now or some other time?”

  He hesitated. “Might be better some other time.” He gave me a hopeful smile. “Dinner next week?”

  I sighed internally as I mentally reviewed my crammed schedule for next week. “Sure, that sounds good. Can I call you to set up a time and place?”

  He nodded and I leaned over and placed a gentle reassuring kiss on his lips.

  “Good then. I’ll look forward to it,” I said and stood up. “Right, I better get back. Come on, I’ll walk you back out.”

  He followed me out and as we reached the st
airs to the side of the stage I gave his arm a quick rub, telling him I'd see him soon, and walked up the stairs.

  I really liked Marcus and I had nothing against relationships, which should have been obvious with the way I kept trying to shove Jared and Evie together, and one day I even looked forward to having one all of my own. One day. I liked dating. I liked meeting and getting to know different people and not having to answer to anybody. I wanted to keep it that way. Not forever, just for now. Hell, I was still only twenty-four, just a spring chicken by current standards. Besides, finding a man who could put up with a ball busting bitch like me and then go through the gauntlet that was my three older brothers was not the most simplest of tasks.

  I reached the side of the stage and took my place next to Travis, clicking my headset back on. Jake caught me with another frown, and I had to put my one free hand in my pocket to refrain from giving him the finger. Dumbass. I couldn’t believe he actually accused me of being a maneater. Of all the freaking nerve. I’d never been anything but honest, maybe more than I needed be. Evie had mentioned more than once that I needed a prescription for tact pills. I tried, really, but I was who I was, and if some people couldn’t accept that then they could stick it up their hooha. You couldn’t like or please everyone right?

  A voice crackled in my ear. “Mac? George. I’m at Gate E. There’s a delivery for Jamieson.”

  “Another one? Roger that, George. Let me check the schedule.” I flipped through the paperwork on my clipboard. “I can’t see anything. Do you know what it is?”

  “Just looks like a case of booze. Do you want it scanned?”

  “Hang on, I’ll check.” I turned to Travis. “Another unscheduled delivery for Jamieson,” I said with a sigh. “Do you want it scanned? George thinks it’s likely just alcohol.”

  Travis nodded. “Scan it first. Tell George to trust nothing.”

  I spoke into the headset. “Scan it please, George. Travis said to trust nothing. Then let me know.”

  “Roger that, Mac.”

  I plopped my clipboard on top of a standby amp and sat on an empty stool, rubbing at my shoulder with fatigue.

  Travis came up behind me and gave my shoulders a quick massage. “You doing okay, little sis?”

  “Yeah, God yeah, don’t worry about me. I’m just tired and busy. Hopefully, we’ll have an assistant by the end of next week, and I can stop chewing off all my lovely manicures from the stress.”

  The headset crackled in my ear again. “Mac, George, Gate E. We’ve got an all clear on the delivery.”

  “Cool, can you have it sent up?”

  “No can do, Mac, sorry. We’re stretched thin tonight to cover every damn entryway in this joint. Can you come down?”

  I sighed. It wouldn’t do to not bother with it, even if it was only alcohol, in case it had come from some industry bigwig that we needed to play kissy face with. “Okay, I’ll see you in a minute.”

  The band wrapped up what was their second to last song for the night according to the schedule on my clipboard, and Frog raced over to the side of the stage. “Mac, quick, I need to change a guitar string. Can you run to the supply bag backstage and grab me one?”

  “Sure, be right back.”

  I moved quickly, grabbing the string and heading back to the side of the stage.

  “Thanks,” Frog muttered as he worked quickly. I checked the stage to see Evie busily joking with the crowd while she gave us the occasional glance to check Frog’s progress.

  I put my hand on Travis’s arm to get his attention. “George gave the all clear on the delivery but they’re swamped. I’m just going to quickly whiz down and grab it, okay? Be right back.”

  He nodded at me once and turned back to watching Evie and the crowd with serious intensity.

  I trotted down the stairs at a fast pace, eager to get back and catch at least most of their last song for the night. Evie had changed the line up at the last minute and added a cover song that she’d wanted to sing for Jared. I thought it was a beautiful gesture; it was just a shame that we couldn’t get in touch with him before now to see it.

  The sound of Evie’s voice reverberated throughout the stadium, clear and strong, betraying no hint of her current emotional turmoil. I could still her banter as I made my way to Gate E. Frog must have finished fixing his string because I heard her introducing the final song. Dammit, I was going to miss it. I picked up my pace as I heard her voice echo around the damp concrete walls of the stadium exterior, introducing the song For You by Angus and Julia Stone, simply saying the song was for someone who was her world. My eyes began to water as she started to sing, and I was thankful she wasn’t able to see that.

  Arriving at Gate E, there was a man standing out by a black SUV wearing jeans, a black shirt, and a red baseball cap. He was leaning casually against the back of the car, but I couldn’t see George.

  As I walked through the gate, the man came over. “Yo,” he muttered. “You Mac?”

  “Yeah that’s me. You got a delivery?” I looked around. “Where’s George?”

  The man shrugged as he opened up the back of the car. “Dunno, mentioned something about a situation at Gate C?”

  Crap. I hoped it wasn’t something to do with Jimmy. We were all on edge tonight, and with Jamieson playing their final song, were on the home stretch.

  I followed the man over to the back of the car, and he took off his cap and turned to grin at me.

  My stomach pitched as I looked into the pair of sinister dark brown eyes I’d seen numerous times in mug shots. I opened my mouth, but before I could let out a shout, I felt a sharp, cold, excruciating pain and everything went black.

  I mustn’t have been out long because when I came to, I was lying in the back of the SUV as it pulled out of the stadium’s exit. If I could have screamed I would, but my mouth was stuffed with something that tasted like I’d licked a goddamn dog. I gagged, the urge to vomit was intense, but I worried I’d choke, so I kept swallowing and taking deep breaths through my nose.

  Bloody bastard had been so focused and intent on getting his hands on Evie, that no one, not even me, had thought I would be in any danger. What a colossal mistake that was. My heart ached for Evie and my brothers when they realised I was gone. Last night without Evie had been a nightmare.

  I tugged at my arms but they were bound together behind my back, and I couldn’t move. This asshole was not going to live to see another day if I had my bloody way. I mentally slipped on my big girl panties and sucked it up. I wasn’t some defenceless little twat. I was a goddamn Valentine, and this wanker had picked the wrong bitch to mess with.

  We eventually pulled into a driveway, Jimmy reversing in so the neighbours wouldn't see. I managed to take in my surroundings: a clapped out little white weatherboard house that looked like it was built before the war and had never been cleaned since.

  My eyes followed Jimmy as he slammed the car door and came around to the back of the SUV, looking left to right, before he opened the back door.

  “Right,” he said with a grin most evildoers somehow seemed to master. I wondered if there was some kind of Dummies Guide to being an Evil Murdering Asshole being sold on the black market where he learned his craft. I could see it now: 1. Kidnap victim. 2. Grin evilly, etc.

  “Make sure you take in the sunshine and the smell of fresh air, Miss Valentine, because when I get you inside that house, you ain’t gonna be walking out alive. I’ll be delivering you home in pieces.”

  I glowered at him fiercely, wishing that my eyes were able to shoot laser death rays at his head. For one moment, the bastard had actually managed to leave me feeling scared, and I hated to be scared. It made me feel weak and useless. One time in primary school, when I was eight years old, some fat little punk had locked me in the supply closest because I’d deliberately tripped him for bullying a friend. It was a sneak attack, so no one knew I was there. After being locked in there for hours, I hadn’t been scared at all because I knew Jared would eventually find me, a
nd he did.

  This time I was scared because I knew that Jared wouldn’t find me, at least not before it was too late. They’d been out, along with a huge Sydney task force, working on finding Jimmy for months. The likelihood of it suddenly happening in the next few hours was really fucking unlikely.

  Jimmy reached in, a knife in his fisted hand, and I flinched. He chuckled as he leaned down and sliced neatly through the ties that bound my ankles together.

  Not wasting any time, I rolled onto my back and kicked out with both legs. He grunted as I caught him in the gut, and I struggled as he pinned my legs down and rolled me over on to my stomach. He grabbed my bound hands and yanked me out of the car so hard I felt my shoulder wrench and my stomach roll as tears burned my eyes.

  I stumbled as he took hold of my arm and jerked me up the three steps onto the patio and through the front door, shoving me so I fell to the floor. He reached behind and whipped out a gun, pointing it at my head. I whimpered as I lay panting on the floor, trying fiercely to breathe through my nose because of the gag.

  He flicked off the safety and loaded a round into the chamber. “Ready to die?”

  My vision blurred with tears, and I shook my head frantically. No, I wasn’t ready to die, fucktard. As I fought to get to my feet, he backhanded me with the butt of the gun, and I went sprawling face first on to the floor. Black spots swam in my eyes, and I could already feel red oozy blood dripping down my brow.

  Jimmy yanked me back up by the arm and dragged me to the left and through a large archway, into what I deduced was the lounge slash dining room of the humble abode. There was no furniture to speak of except for a solitary chair that sat in the middle of the room. Mould riddled the ceiling, paint was peeling off the walls, and the wooden floorboards looked filthy and half rotted.

  The chair teetered as he threw me down in it and proceeded to tie my ankles to each leg while I struggled. He then re-tied my arms so they were bound around the back of the chair.