by Dee Bridle
We stopped at the edge, where the bay turned into the great big ocean and took a moment to breathe. There were a few big ships out in the distance, their lights twinkling being their only signs of life. Will held me tightly against him, saying nothing but his silence saying so much.
“We’ll get through this, I promise,” he whispered into my ear.
I held on to each of his words, believing in them.
Will
Getting a call at six am is not the best way to wake up from a deep sleep. We had only been back from our ride for two hours and one of those, I had proceeded to show Janey just how much I loved her. Seeing her fall asleep in my arms with a smile on her face was one of those defining moments in life. I felt ten feet tall.
I answered my phone without checking the screen, my eyes still trying to fully open.
“Will, its Ryan.”
I frowned, my brain not fully working, wondering who the hell Ryan was.
“Dad…I mean - Dean - is in hospital.”
I sat up in bed, rubbing my hand over my face.
“What happened?”
“He’s had a heart attack. He just got here in the ambulance and I’m waiting for them to tell me something more. I thought you would want to know.”
I climbed out of bed and felt around for my jeans.
“Which hospital?”
“Eastern.”
“I’m on my way,” I said grabbing a t-shirt and jacket.
“Okay,” he said.
“Ryan?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for calling me,” I said.
He was silent for a moment before saying, “He’d want you to know.”
I ended the call and leaned over the bed to Janey, gently shaking her shoulder.
“Janey, I have to go out. Dean, my father, has had a heart attack and is in hospital.”
“I’ll go with you,” she said taking hold of my hand and waking up properly.
“Stay here and get some sleep. I’ll call you from there later.”
“But I want to be there for you.”
“You already are. You’re safer here anyway.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“I have no idea. I gotta go,” I said kissing her. “Love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I left the room and headed to the main room to see that Noah had come back and had moved the girls from the couch. I checked the bedrooms to see he had gone in one with Ivy and was fast asleep, while Ava was in the one next door. I thought of waking him but knew Janey would tell him what was going on when they all woke up later.
I left the penthouse in the elevator, rubbing the back of my neck in despair for Dean. I hoped he would be strong and come out the other end of all this. I had only just discovered my father and I knew I wanted more time to spend with him. Before I arrived in the car park below, I stopped at the foyer, heading over to our doorman at the desk.
“Good morning sir,” he greeted me.
My eyes narrowed on to him, “You’re new.”
“I am,” he said with a beaming smile.
“No-one enters the penthouse without my consent, understood?”
“Yes, sir,” he nodded. “I have been briefed on those instructions.”
“Good,” I said going back to the lift and pressing for the basement car park.
“Enjoy your morning, sir.”
I gave a nod and stepped back into the lift.
It didn’t take long for me to reach the hospital at that time in the morning. I found Ryan in Emergency, looking anxious.
“Hey,” I said, briefly hugging him without even realising it. “What have they said?”
“Nothing; they won’t tell me anything.”
“Who’s his doctor? Has this happened before?”
Ryan shook his head, looking a little green. “He didn’t keep up with his health insurance. The bills with mum and everything have been hard and – ”
“Fuck,” I said under my breath, my mind working fast. “Take a seat and I’ll make some calls.”
“You’re not meant to know about him, remember? This can change everything.”
“I don’t care anymore; he needs the best medical attention he can get,” I said pressing a contact on my phone.
“Will..,” answered my mother, like she had already been up for hours.
“You need to do something for me. No questions asked, no consequences.”
“It’s a bit early in the morning for you to be making demands isn’t it, Will?”
“Dean has had a heart attack. He’s in the Eastern hospital right now and I want you to organise the best doctor available. I want the best private care possible and I want all his medical bills paid.”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“Yes, I’m aware of Dean, yes, I’m aware you’ve lied to me all of these years, and no, he didn’t break your stupid contract. He doesn’t know that I know he’s my father; I found out through other ways. Does that cover everything?”
“Is he okay?”
If I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I had heard a note of care in her voice. Or I was hallucinating from the lack of sleep.
“I don’t know, I need you to do what I asked and quickly”.
“What will I get in return from you?”
I hid my annoyed, sharp intake of breath. Even in emergencies, she was still the same cold, hard bitch, always trying to get a better option for herself.
“If you do this, I might just fucking give you the time of the day when you see me next.”
The line went silent and I looked at the screen to see she had ended the call. Ryan looked up at me expectantly as I went back over to him.
“What did you find out?” he asked, looking even more worried.
“Nothing, yet. Now we just wait.”
“For what?”
“For my mother to come through for me for the first time in her life.”
Janey
I couldn’t get back to sleep once Will had left, my mind whirring with the unknown. I only hoped Will’s father pulled through so he could grow old and have Will in his life. I listened to the silence inside the apartment, knowing the others were still sleeping at this early hour. I thought I heard the soft ding of the elevator and wondered if Zac had come over to be with Ava. I knew he was working on getting information on my stalker problem and hadn’t stopped searching. I wanted him to find something, so we could all put an end to it. I didn’t want this over our heads anymore. I wanted us to all move on to the next chapter of our lives.
There would be a time in the future where I would no longer be the problem; I would be a girlfriend or wife, spending my days wrapped in happiness and Will. We would all move on with our lives and just be happy.
The bedroom door opened and my eyes snapped open, excited that Will was back already.
Two guys entered the room in a flash, one jumping over the bed and covering my mouth before I could scream.
I struggled with all the strength I had, twisting and turning and growling through the hand that was suffocating me.
Familiar eyes looked into mine, before there was a sharp pain in my arm. I felt the panic and the scream within me start before it suddenly subsided. I went numb and my eyes started to close.
He had come back for me.
The villain from my past.
The cause of all my nightmares.
The one who had taken everything from me, without my consent all those years ago. The one who had made me the fucked up girl I was today.
I was gone.
The darkness had finally come for me, shading everything in until I couldn’t see anymore.
Chapter Sixteen
Present
Will
I followed the nurse down the hallway, looking at Ryan over my shoulder, who was following me. Things had changed over the last twenty minutes. A doctor had come to see us; he told us that Dean was breathing again. We were now allowed to see him in the intensive care
area. My mother had finally come through for me. The nurse opened a door and I stood to the side, letting Ryan in first.
“Go in and see him,” I said, standing at the door.
“You’re not coming in?” he asked.
“I’ll be out here, I’ll let you go first,” I said with a brief smile.
Ryan stepped in then stopped and turned back to me. “Thanks, Will. For everything.”
I nodded in acknowledgement and then turned back into the hallway, hearing the door click behind me. The doctor had sounded positive about Dean’s recovery and I felt a huge sigh of relief escape from me. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and pulled it out to see it was Zac.
“Hey man,” I answered.
“ Her step-brother, Oliver , is the stalker,” he rushed out. “Where’s Janey?” he asked in a panic.
“In bed. Fuck, so it is him. Where do we find him and finish this?” I said angrily, noting a nurse frown at me as she walked past.
“He has covered up in such a way that I still can’t figure much out, but I found coincidences - like how he went to school with Sebastian and Tilly.”
“Fuck,” I said as the blood drained from my face.
“They’re obviously a part of his game.”
“This is going to freak the fuck out of Janey.”
“She won’t cope, Will. Not when it’s him. She’s still so scarred from him even after all these years,” said Zac. “Wait. She’s on the move. I’ve got her phone signal.”
“Now?” I asked. “Wait, it’s too early for her to be up. Let me call her.”
“Don’t tell her anything yet until I get there. I need to be there for her too.”
“Sure,” I said. “But after we tell her, we disappear. I’ll take her overseas if I have to. I don’t want him anywhere near her.”
“Done,” said Zac ending the call.
I pressed Janey’s number and waited for her to pick up. It connected but I didn’t hear her voice.
“I’m sorry, Janey’s not available right now,” said a male voice instead.
“Who the fuck is this?” I asked, my heart rate speeding up again.
“A close family friend,” he said next.
I started running for my life, down the hallway of the hospital, trying my hardest not to knock anyone over.
“You hurt her, and I will kill you,” I growled, stabbing the elevator button impatiently, before deciding to run for the stairs.
“Too late for that, Will.”
“Where is she?” I demanded, jumping down the stairs three at a time.
“Now if I told you that, it would all make it too easy wouldn’t it.”
“Oliver, you touch a hair on her head and I swear – ”
“Oh Will, you failed to keep her safe. Deal with it. She’s mine now, just like she was before you came along.”
“She was never yours,” I said running out to the car park.
“Wrong, Will.”
“Let me speak to her,” I demanded, getting into my car and starting the engine.
“Stay at the hospital, Will. You’ll never find her.”
I went to speed off and then braked. He knew I was at the hospital. I was obviously being watched. My eyes narrowed as I looked around the car park.
“You’re dead,” I spat. “I’m going to take great joy in killing you with my bare hands.”
“Such emotion,” he said with a laugh. “But it’s all for nothing, because she’s gone. Tell her brother that he also failed to keep her safe. After all these years. You. Both. Failed.”
“What do you want Oliver?”
“Nothing. I’ve got her. You can’t buy your way out of this. I want nothing from you,” he said with another laugh. “It must drive you crazy that this is something your family’s money can’t fix.”
Anger tried to rip its way out of me. “What do you know about my family?”
“Everything, Will. While you’ve all been living your pathetic lives, I’ve been around, biding my time, waiting for the right moment. That moment is now. You finally got her back and now she’s gone again. My heart is bleeding for you, actually.”
I was at a loss for words, anger making the words fail.
“Gotta go now, Will.”
“We’ll find you,” I shouted. “And when I do – ”
“You see, that’s where you’re wrong; there is nothing Zac can do to find me. I’m untraceable. You can’t fix it with money; he can’t fix it with his skills. You’re both at a loss.”
“We can track Sebastian and Tilly,” I said desperately.
“Ah, they are just pawns in my game. Go ahead and track them. It would be my pleasure.”
“Wait,” I said desperately. “Just don’t hurt her. Please.”
“I can see she cleaned off my message on her back. Such supple skin. I’m going to enjoy my time with her.”
“You fucking piece of shit, I’m going to kill you. Do not fucking touch her!” I shouted, over and over until I realised that the call had ended.
“Fuck!” I screamed, punching the steering wheel.
Breathing heavy, I pressed Zac’s number. “I’m just parking now,” he answered.
“Get the trace on her phone NOW! He’s got her. We’re too fucking late.”
“What?! She’s still in your building. Top floor.”
“What the fuck do you mean? I live on the top floor!” I shouted, driving one handed towards home. I ran a red light and then skidded around the corner.
“She’s on the roof. Her signal is coming from the roof,” shouted Zac.
I raced back to my building and didn’t wait for the lifts as I shoved open the fire escape. I ran up the steps, racing to get to her. It made no sense that Oliver had called me from the roof but I hoped he was still there so I could beat him to death and then throw him over the edge. I kicked open the door to the roof and ran out, at the same time the lift doors opened and Zac ran out. I searched for her, for him, anything but we were alone.
“Where the fuck is she?!” screamed Zac, looking at his phone again. “The signal is still here!”
I ran over to the edge of the building and turned around at a loss. He had tricked us and had somehow got the better of us again. I leaned over the ledge and thought for a moment, trying to gather the information running around maniacally in my head. I turned to see her new phone further down on the edge, sitting there, waiting to be found.
“There it is,” said Zac finding it at the same time and picking it up. “Tell me everything,” he demanded.
“She’s fucking gone,” I said hoarsely, feeling the grip I had on reality start to sway. I was going to lose everything.
Janey
I heard voices first. They were muffled, like I was under water and I tried to gasp for air. I was relieved that air freely came into my lungs in the darkness. I then tried to open my eyes but they were too heavy to lift open, like my eyelids were made of concrete.
I tried to move my body, arms first and then legs. Nothing. I was completely unable to move. Panic swirled up into my chest and up my neck, already starting to choke me. I felt hands on me, moving with a purpose, like they were undressing me.
“She’s waking up.”
“That’s okay. I’d like her to watch. She can’t fight me.”
I felt something on my mouth, maybe a fingertip that made its way slowly over my bottom lip. I wanted to scream, bite and fight but I was trapped inside my own body, not able to move an inch. I concentrated on my eyelids; using all of the strength I had left to lift them slowly. I tried to focus and through the blurriness I saw a face leaning over me with a familiar evil smile.
“Hi Janey, so good of you to wake up. You’re just in time,” said Oliver.
I tried to form words, or a scream but only air came out from a mouth that was slack and unable to properly work. He had drugged me well and good this time. I was locked inside my own vessel of a body and I was utterly screwed.
“Hope you like your new lingerie,
” he said, running his hand slowly over my collarbone. “One must look her best for tonight’s proceedings.”
I tried to unsuccessfully move my fingers and then my arm, wanting to grab his hand and break it. I thought of snapping each of his fingers back until he screamed. I thought of punching him in the throat just like Harry and Will had taught me.
Will.
A sob escaped my mouth. I heard it and so did Oliver.
“You like that?” he asked with a grin, his hand now running over my breasts. “Even after all these years, you still want my touch.”
I screamed hard, but only a pathetic sound actually came out of my mouth.
“Shh, save your strength,” he said, putting his finger to my lips. “You’re going to need it.”
I tried to bite his finger but it was like in slow motion and he moved before I could.
“Still as feisty as ever,” he said taking hold of my face and squeezing hard. “It’s one thing you never lost, even after all these years.”
His eyes filled me with fear, but also anger. I wanted to go wild and rise up and head butt him. I’d do anything to get the smirk off his face.
“I’ve watched you crash and burn so many times over the years, while I bided my time, waiting for the right moment. My eyes have been on you, Janey all of this time and to see you so oblivious to the fact makes me feel extremely elated,” he said letting my face go.
“Fuck you,” I gasped out slowly.
He continued on, his smirk still in place. “Those moments where you lost yourself and made very bad decisions, I was there. The times you allowed men to use you, to take any semblance of self respect you had for yourself, I was there. All this time and now I have finally got you. Rehab was an annoying waste of time if you ask me; I like it best when you’re completely undone and ready to give your life the finger. Your eyes come alight, ready for the impending destruction and nothing makes me happier. I made you,” he said with a small chuckle. “You are who you are because of me.”
I felt my fingers move and concentrated on making a fist. I was slowly getting feeling back in my body.
“And now you’re spoiling it all by being with him; acting out his fantasy of a normal life with you. He’s no good for you Janey, never has been.”
