by Chase, Nikki
“I called her about this guy, a loan shark, who came here looking for her. She could’ve gone to find him,” she says, horror in her eyes as she realizes the danger Daisy could be facing .
“Where can I find this guy ?”
“I have no idea. I don’t… I’ve never even talked to him .”
Fuck.
Daisy
M y ass is getting sore from having sat on this stupid folding chair for so long. Chad has a point; he needs to redecorate .
That’s the least of my problems right now, though .
“You know, Caine is not the real deal,” Todd says as he finishes tying the rope around my right ankle .
“What do you mean?” I don’t know what he wants, but it’s probably a good idea to engage him in conversation and show some sympathy to whatever his cause may be .
I try to move, but both my ankles are tied to the legs of the chair, while another length of rope is wrapped around my body and the back of the chair. My wrists are tied together behind me, bending my shoulders awkwardly .
“I mean it should be me in his position. It should be my dad who heads the family.” Todd stands up and sits on the desk, right in front of me .
“Why is that ?”
It’s just the two of us now in this small back office crammed full of shit .
When Todd came into the room, he told Chad to leave right away. Apparently, working together doesn’t mean they like each other. I don’t blame Todd; Chad is just an unpleasant character all around .
“Why? Because the family business should be ours, by right. We have more claim to it than they do .”
“I see. So Caine stole everything from you,” I say. I hope that doesn’t come out sounding fake. It totally is, but I need him to think I’m on his side. Maybe then he’ll let me go .
“That’s right,” he says with a big grin on his face. “The Fosters aren’t handling the business very well either. They’ve cut out the most profitable parts of it, which is just stupid .”
“Why would they do that ?”
“Because they’re self-righteous people who think cleaning up is the way to go. Well, we disagree. And now we’re taking the business back. All of it. There will be changes .”
“How did he take it from you ?”
“It wasn’t him as much as it was his father. He’s just collateral, really. These things, they go back generations, you know? We have a long history together .”
“Okay, how did his father take it from you ?”
“I have to hand it to him, really. It was genius.” Todd looks down right at me and shakes his head. “My dad didn’t see it coming and it hit him by surprise .”
“Sounds pretty devious .”
“You don’t know the half of it. Robert Foster would do anything for power, including destroying an innocent woman’s life.” He pauses to watch me for a reaction and smiles with satisfaction when I pretend to be shocked. He continues, “My dad and Robert Foster were working for the same man, then Robert married his daughter just to gain his wealth and power .”
“How did you find out ?”
“He obviously didn’t love his wife. He cheated on her and even had a baby with another woman,” he says. “You know who that baby is ?”
I shake my head. I’m almost sure he’s talking about Bertha and Caine, but I don’t want to ruin Todd’s moment. He seems to really enjoy telling me all about what horrible people the Fosters are .
“Caine Foster,” he says, just as I expected .
“No.”
“Oh, yes. He’s not even supposed to be part of the family. But look at him now; he’s taking over now that Robert is old, and he’s slowly pushing my dad and me out of the business .
“We were going to wait to make our move, but the timing is just perfect now. Robert is sick, the cops are closing in. We have to be quick. We’re not going to let the Fosters fool us this time .
“And then there’s you. The wild card. You’re a big help to us, do you know that ?”
“I think you’re mistaken about me. Caine doesn’t care about me,” I say. If Todd expects Caine to come running and save me, he’ll be disappointed. Caine told me himself that he wanted me to leave and never see him again .
“Ah, well, the evidence says different. You’re living in his apartment, visiting his father… Anyone can see he’s fond of you, at least .”
I can see how he’d come to that conclusion. I was starting to think Caine really liked me, too .
But I was wrong. It was never anything more than a temporary arrangement to him. It was just money for sex, like we’d agreed. I admit I was starting to want more from him, but it was never going to happen with him .
“I’m just a passing fancy to him. He’s engaged. You know that, don’t you ?”
“Sure, he’s engaged, but he never sees his fiancée. Poor girl. She’s just another stepping stone for another Foster man. Caine is just going to use her for her family’s wealth and connections. He doesn’t care about her. You, though…” Todd stares at me and gives me a creepy smile. “You’re different .”
I can tell I’m not going to change his mind about the relationship between Caine and me. There’s no use arguing with him about that .
It’s probably better for me to maintain my curiosity, keep asking questions, and hopefully get him to release me somehow .
“Has Chad always worked for you, from the beginning ?”
“Well, yeah. You think that guy, with his shitty office and his shitty bar, has money to lend out ?”
“You’ve been providing him with the cash .”
“Yes. Not me, really. My dad is the one who works closely with this lot. Sometimes he even goes with Chad on his rounds,” Todd says .
All of a sudden, I remember where I’ve seen Todd’s father before. That night in front of my apartment, when I caught a glimpse of an older man inside Todd’s car. That must’ve been him .
“Did you plan the whole thing? My debt to Chad, my relationship with Caine …”
“Oh, no.” Todd laughs. “We’re good, but we’re not that good. I’m glad you think that highly of us, though. I’m flattered .
“To tell you the truth, we couldn’t have planned it better ourselves. That’s why I said this is perfect timing,” Todd says .
“Perfect timing for what ?”
“For our big takeover plan. We’re going to take back the business that has always rightfully belonged to us .”
“How?”
“Easy. That’s another reason why this is great timing. Now that Robert’s ill, Caine’s signature carries more authority. He will sign away everything to us .”
“How are you going to make him do that ?”
“We’ll tell him we’ll kill you if he doesn’t .”
A chill runs down my spine. Todd doesn’t look like he’s joking. He really means to kill me .
And Caine’s not going to stop him. He wouldn’t sign away everything he has just for me .
I may not ever leave this cramped office. The cops will come and find my body limp and lifeless on the dirty floor, my blood pooling around me .
Or he’ll get rid of my body somehow—throw me into the bay, maybe—and they’ll never even find me. I’ll just never come home again. I’ll never see Jack again, or Katie. They won’t even know I’m dead, or how I died .
“You’re not going to get away with this.” I try to be brave, but my whole body is shaking with fear. My voice comes out squeaky and unconvincing .
“We will. And you know it, too. That’s why you’re so scared now,” Todd says. “You think I’d tell you everything if I was going to let you out of here alive ?
“I’m not as dumb as you think. You think I don’t know you’ve just been trying to buy time, keeping me talking? I just happen to have some time to kill, too.” Todd chuckles smugly at his own joke .
“People are going to look for me .”
“Who? Your little brother? Your roommate? What are they going to do?” Todd laug
hs cruelly .
He’s right. Katie and Jack are nobodies. People aren’t going to care what they say. I’ll just be another missing person. Maybe my face will end up on milk cartons, but that will be the end of it .
“Caine might look for me.” I don’t think he will, considering he won’t be expecting to hear from me or see me at all after he yelled at me in his apartment, but Todd doesn’t know that .
Todd leans forward until his face is only inches from me. Shadows cover his features, making him look sinister .
“A dead man can’t do anything,” he says .
“Both Caine and Robert will go missing, if you know what I mean. Cole, the other brother, will come here looking for them, and we’ll get him, too. Then there will be no one else left to ask questions .
“We’ll say they took some illegal earnings and ran away, left the country before the cops could get to them. It’s a believable story, don’t you think ?”
I swallow, hard .
He’s right. People would have no problem believing that the Fosters would deliberately disappear with their ill-earned money .
Caine
“H ello.”
“Uncle Nathan. This is Caine. How are you ?”
“I’m doing well, Caine. Thanks for asking. How about yourself ?”
“Oh, you know me. I’m good.” I pause .
I think my gut feeling is right, but it’s still difficult for me to believe that Uncle Nathan could be planning anything sinister against us .
Against our enemies? Sure, but not against us. Never against us .
Maybe this is just what happens when you have a cold-blooded killing machine in your employ. Maybe this is karma .
“Can I see you tonight?” I ask .
“Of course. I always have time for you. Come any time you want. I’m still at the office,” he says calmly .
Could he really be the one behind Daisy’s disappearance? He seems way too composed for someone with a nasty plot in the works .
But then again, how much do I really know about Uncle Nathan’s darker side ?
I know he used to be my ruthless grandfather’s right-hand man, which means he’s probably a cruel, hardened motherfucker. He’s probably killed a few people .
There’s never any evidence, though. The man has always been good at his job .
I, on the other hand, have never been a part of the family’s more shady dealings. My father has made it his mission in life to distance us from anything illegal .
With the amount of dirty money my grandfather had amassed, my father had enough to invest in legit businesses. These investments grew bigger and bigger until they were producing enough income to maintain our lifestyle .
My inexperience versus Uncle Nathan’s sharp street smarts. Daisy’s safety is on the line, and probably the family business, as well .
I have no idea what’s waiting for me at the office, but this much is clear: I have to go there and see him to find out, to see how this plays out .
“Okay, see you in half an hour, Uncle Nathan .”
Daisy
“M ove,” Todd says as we walk out of the elevator and into a big, open, empty office space .
It’s dark here, most of the people having gone home for the day. The only light comes from the big window of an enclosed office, presumably belonging to one of the higher-ups .
Cold, unyielding metal pokes me in the back, prodding me forward. I stumble on the carpet, but manage to keep myself upright .
Before this moment in my life, I never stopped to appreciate how much my arms and hands help to stabilize my entire body when I’m walking. Now, with my wrists tied together behind my back, I realize just how big of a role they play .
I wonder if I’ll ever walk freely again, without any restraints on my body. Maybe I’ll die just like this, with a length of rope around my torso. Maybe that gun Todd’s jabbing into me now will be the last thing that touches me—or, more accurately, not that gun itself but one of the bullets in its chamber .
“You know, you have a nice ass,” Todd says from behind me .
I stay quiet and focus on my steps. What am I supposed to say anyway? Thanks ?
Tears prick my eyes. I try to be strong, but soon they roll down my cheeks .
My life has never been ideal, but I’ve never thought much about death .
Even though my mom’s live-in boyfriends were assholes, they never laid a hand on me and I was never in any grave danger .
I was always looking forward to a better future—a better job, better pay, better living conditions. That’s the way it should be. I’m twenty-one; my whole life is supposed to be ahead of me .
I think about never seeing Jack again, and it feels like I’m being stabbed right in the heart. Maybe I’ll die and lose all conscious thought within a matter of hours, so I’ll only feel this pain for a short while .
Poor Jack, though. He’s counting on me to give him a safe, stable place to live, and I’ve failed him. Who’s going to take care of him now ?
Katie has her own life to live and I can’t expect her to take on that kind of responsibility for me. Jack’s probably going back to Mom’s, which makes me sad because it means he’ll have to deal with her drama, her selfishness, her verbal abuse .
I have to give her credit where credit is due, though. For all the shit she’s put us through, we’ve never had loan sharks or cold-blooded killers pounding on the door, demanding to come inside .
If it’s any consolation, maybe living with me is not much of an improvement for Jack after all .
Todd opens the door leading to the only bright room in the office. He notices the tears on my face and sticks out his lower lip, mocking me. “Aww… Don’t cry. Caine will join you very soon, then you can die together. That’s romantic, right? Like Romeo and Juliet. Girls are always into that kind of dumb shit .”
Caine’s coming here? But why ?
I glower at Todd as best as I can through the veil of tears in my eyes, even as I stagger forward into the enclosed office .
I’ve stopped asking questions, now that I know Todd’s not just going to let me walk away out of pity. He wouldn’t know anyway why Caine would come, and it’s possible he’s just lying through his teeth .
This looks a lot like Caine’s office. It’s not surprising, considering it’s in the same building. It’s just on a different floor .
Inside, Todd’s father, Nathan, sits behind a big, modern desk made of steel and glass. He doesn't even acknowledge my presence. He’s focusing on the white mug in his hands, from which white steam rises. He looks zen, like he's in a cafe, or a park, just relaxing and enjoying a hot beverage .
Two big, brawny men in all-black outfits sit on the couch, playing with phones that look tiny in their hands. Each man has a gun holster around his waist, with the gun handle sticking out, ready for quick action .
“Sit there.” Todd waves his gun in the direction of the couch, so I join the two men, squeezing myself between the arm of the couch and one of them .
They turn their attention away from their gadgets and leer at me. The man sitting right next to me scoots closer and angles his body toward me. I wriggle away when he starts to touch my hair, but I only bump my head against the hard belly of the other man, who has stood up and walked around the couch. When he puts his hand on my chin, I notice his pinky finger is missing, leaving a stub in its place .
They both grin, knowing I can’t escape. One hand squeezes my breast. My thighs are wrenched apart. My crotch is grabbed over my jeans. I kick my legs, but they just flail helplessly in the air .
“No! Leave me alone!” I scream .
Todd laughs .
“Shut her up, will you?” Nathan says .
“You heard the man, boys,” Todd says. “Do whatever you want with her. Just keep her mouth shut .”
I wail at the top of my lungs, hoping the noise will annoy Nathan enough to order them to stop. They're not going to kill me now; they're waiting for Caine to sh
ow up. And if I’m about to die anyway, who cares if they beat me up? That would be better than having them rape me .
The other man bends down to grip my feet. I twist and wriggle, but he's much stronger than I am and he manages to pull my legs straight on the couch in no time .
The man settles between my legs. He undoes my fly, then tugs the waist of my jeans down. I put all my weight on my ass to make it harder for him to pull them down, but I’m fighting a losing battle .
“Let me go!” I cry out .
A big hand with one missing finger clamps over my nose and mouth, cutting off my air supply. I chomp down on the invasive palm and taste rust .
“Fucking whore!” He curses in pain and withdraws, leaving my mouth free to scream again, until a different metallic taste hits my tongue. I still, every part of my body buzzing with fear .
“That's right, bitch. You better shut up and cooperate,” the man says, shaking the gun he has just shoved into my mouth. He grins, his eyes glinting with pleasure. “I can think of one other thing that I can shove into that loud mouth. It will shut you up just the same .”
He climbs on top of the sofa and straddles my chest. With his free hand, he fumbles, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants .
“I’ll punch you in the gut if I feel any teeth,” he says as he pulls his cock out. I retch from the smell, which only makes him smile. “Oh, what’s that? You don’t like the smell? No problem. You don’t have to smell it. You just have to suck it.” He pinches my nose, blocking my nostrils and forcing me to open my mouth. “Yeah, open up for me like a whore .”
Just when I think I’m about to get violated by the two men, the door flies open .
Everything stops. Everyone turns toward the doorway, where Caine is standing. He’s panting, like he’s been running. I wonder if he heard my screaming .
Immediately, his eyes focus on me, lying on the couch with one man between my legs and another one over my chest with his cock out .
“Get the fuck off her.” Caine sounds almost normal, except for the slight undercurrent of anger underneath his outer calm .
