by Amore
Rhonda’s gaze was hateful. She spoke slowly when she answered, as if Jada couldn’t possibly understand the words. “I’m glad you recognize me. Alex does not want you, he wants me. You are a mere distraction. With you gone, Alex and I can focus on rebuilding our relationship. Hawk, let’s stop fooling around and get this show on the road. My man will be waiting for me, and I need to get back before anyone notices us missing.”
This chick is really crazy, Jada thought as she looked at her. She was in shock. “Alex doesn’t love you anymore, Rhonda. You ruined that when you left him. And, who the hell is Hawk!”
“Ha! Ha! Ha! You would think that! He just needs some alone time with me so I can work my magic.” Rhonda gave a twist to her hips as she spoke. Jada thought she would be sick. “Soon, you and your lover boy here will disappear and Alex will run straight into my arms, no questions asked.”
Jada thought that the bad movie scene playing out before her could not get any worse. “I’m warning you now, Rhonda. When I get out of here, and I will get out, I’m going to kick your ass,” She hissed.
“Try all you want, but you’ll have to find Alex and me first. Maybe we’ll be on a beach somewhere making passionate love, just like we used to.” Rhonda twirled around.
Jada’s eyes grew black and the fire behind them was dangerous. She could think of a million ways to change the way Rhonda looked and couldn’t wait for the opportunity.
James cut in. “Enough between you ladies.” He bent to Jada again. “Jada, honey, forget about Alex. He doesn’t mean anything to you anymore. It’s going to be about us now, from this day forward.” He reached out and touched her cheek gently. Jada didn’t flinch and her eyes were cold as she stared at him. “You’ll love me one day. You’ll see. Then, we can come back home and start our lives over.”
“Wait a minute,” Jada said, looking back and forth at both of them. “Where are you taking me? And, James, why is she calling you Hawk?!”
“I just needed an alter ego to move around a bit unnoticed, sweetheart. It’s no big deal. We just need to go away, honey, for a little while. Somewhere we can share our love with no interruptions,” He said tenderly. “I’ll send monthly letters to your grandparents, letting them know you are all right and happy. We’ll leave at dawn, baby.” James stood to leave, replacing the tape on Jada’s mouth.
“Bye, sweetie. It was nice, not knowing you,” Rhonda said as she swayed out of the room.
Jada squeezed her eyes shut. She hoped and prayed with everything she had that Alex, somebody, was looking for her. She willed panic away, but a tear still fell from her eye. She had to stay calm to think of a way out of the foolishness. She had to make it out before they left that place.
Alex continued to pace the sitting area in the hotel suite. “Alex, please! You are making everyone nervous,” Ami finally said. Alex just looked at Ami and continued his pattern of walking.
It had been close to ninety minutes since they all left the party and everyone’s nerves were on edge. Anything could have happened to Jada by now and Alex was furious. The men knew it was not the moment to even breathe in his direction. In that state, he could really hurt someone. Sean’s cell phone rang and the room stilled.
“Love,” Sean answered. “Yeah, Greg, what do you have?” There was a pause. “Yeah...yeah...ok. Let me write that down... How many?... Ok...Get Owens and his team. Meet me there in thirty minutes.” Sean disconnected the one sided call and sighed. Everyone waited for him to speak.
“You’d better say something, Sean Love, or I’ll strangle you myself!” Ami shouted.
“Well...” Sean started, “they found Rhonda’s car parked outside an abandoned house just up by the Wynnfield section of the city. They traced Jada’s cell phone signal to the address where the car is parked. Greg says there was a dim light on inside the house. We think that may be where they are holding her, but we are not sure. They went to Rhonda’s current address. Her mother said she had gone to a party and hasn’t come home yet. The tactical team is meeting me there to assess the situation.”
Alex had his keys in his hand and was headed toward the door. “Wait!” Sean shouted. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get my girl. Are you coming or not?” Alex asked, way too calm to make anyone comfortable.
Everyone seemed to be moving at once. Alex exited the room, and all of his family was on his heels.
“Wait a minute,” David said. “Ami and Maddy are staying here, right?” Everyone looked toward the two women who looked ready to fight.
“David...” Ami started in a cool voice, “I know you have to play the role of big brother and I love you for that. There is no way on God’s green earth that I am going to sit in a hotel room and wait while my best friend may be being held by a crazed maniac. So, unless you want to fight it out right here and now, I’m coming.” Maddy was standing next to Ami with the same defiant look. David turned to Sean for help. Sean shrugged his shoulders.
“Ok, everybody, listen...” Sean started addressing the entire group, “this could be a very serious situation. When we get there, everyone stays in the car. Reed, you stay with Ami and Maddy. No one moves until I say it’s alright or I swear I’ll arrest you myself and deal with our parents later. Does everyone understand?”
“Cousin...” Alex began, feeling his chest tighten, “I might not be able to promise that, but I’ll do my best.” Sean touched Alex’s shoulder.
“Let’s go,” Sean said.
Chapter 16
The ride out to the address they had was stressful. Everyone was extremely quiet. There were three cars riding swiftly through the city toward their destination. When they arrived, Sean saw three unmarked cars parked away from the address. They also parked away from the house, and Sean exited the car. Alex, Ty, Chris, and David were on his heels. Sean rolled his eyes but continued moving. He’d deal with his family later.
Justin Owens exited one of the cars already at the scene and approached Sean. Justin and Sean were long time friends. He knew Sean’s family and was unbothered by their presence.
“Owens,” Sean greeted, extending his hand. “Love,” Justin replied, shaking the offered hand in greeting. “What’s the situation?” Justin went on to explain to the group that they had staked out the house. It seemed Rhonda Jenkins was indeed in the house, along with an unidentified man and a female hostage that he assumed was Jada Whitman. Alex felt his jaw tighten. There were two officers around back. Contact had not been made with anyone inside the dwelling. It was unknown if there were any weapons in the house.
Sean pulled his cousins aside. “Listen, guys. You have to let us handle this. We are going to get her out safe, but you have to trust me.” Sean was looking at Alex as he spoke. His face was unreadable.
“Sean, do what you have to do, but when you go in the house, take them down quickly because I’m coming in with you,” Alex said slowly and seriously. Sean knew there was no arguing.
“I’ll let Ami and Maddy know what’s going on,” Chris volunteered. “Reed and I will keep them in the car.”
Sean walked over to the rest of the officers to devise a plan. Alex stood in the circle of officers as they discussed the best possible way to enter the house and free Jada.
Jada could hear James and Rhonda in the next room. As they continued to speak to each other, she began twisting her hands in an attempt to free them. She had to get out of there. Both of them had lost their minds. She had produced enough crime stories based on real life events to know that if James moved her from that location, her chances of being found dropped.
“Rhonda, I hope you know what you are doing,” James stated as he started throwing his supplies into a duffle bag. “Alex doesn’t look like the type to mess with.”
“Please, Hawk. I know Alex. He and I were together a long time. He will soon remember once Little Ms. Thang is out of the way,” She countered. She picked at her nails while she spoke to him as if she hadn’t a care in the world.
“Sh
e is beautiful, isn’t she?” James whispered as he looked toward the room where Jada was being held. “We sometimes worked together. She’s brilliant, you know. She has a great eye for film and great vision. She should really be a director. I have loved her since the moment I laid eyes on her. I know she loves me, too. You’ll see. We’ll be happy. She’ll have my babies and be my wife. It will be great.”
Jada's stomach turned as she listened to James. She couldn’t imagine what he would try to do to her if he got the opportunity to move her from that place. She wasn’t going to let it be easy for him. She was going to fight for her life, no matter what.
“Well, Hawk, I hope your plan works out for you. I plan to give Alex a little time. No doubt he will look for her because he is that kind of man. He’ll give up soon enough and when he does, I’ll be right there to pick up the pieces.” Rhonda walked around the small table where they were standing. “I expected to come back, reclaim Alex, and move on. That slut just had to come into the picture.” She shot a hateful glance toward Jada’s temporary prison. “She’ll be sorry.” She reached into a bag and pulled out a liquid sedative in a small medical bottle and a needle. “I don’t think your little sweetheart will take any more drinks from you right now, so you’d better use this.” Rhonda handed the small bottle and needle to James. “Just a little won’t hurt her, but it will knock her out long enough to have your way with her.”
James smiled. “I’d like that.”
Jada heard the longing in James’ voice and said a prayer that God would send someone to save her and soon. She couldn’t seem to loosen the bindings around her hands and hope was fading to black very quickly.
Outside the house, a S.W.A.T. officer approached Sean and Justin to report. He had been sent to case the house to get a feel for what was happening inside. Jada was tied to a chair in what would have been the dining room toward the back of the house. The two suspects appeared to be in the kitchen, also near the rear of the house. He did not see any firearms. There also appeared to be bags and maps on the kitchen table as if someone was planning to do long distance traveling. He reported no other persons in the house. Sean and Justin made a plan to storm the house. They’d do it quickly and by surprise.
James re-entered the room where Jada was tied to the chair. Her eyes carefully watched his every move. Rhonda was standing in the doorway, smiling. Her eyes fell to the way he held his hand behind his back as if he were trying to conceal something scary from a small child.
“Jada, honey, I know you are angry with me right now, but I promise, everything will be perfect for us. I have something for you,” James said gently as he pulled the needle out filled with a clear liquid. Jada’s eyes grew wide, but she could not scream at him because of her taped mouth. “It will just pinch a little, but you’ll feel so much better.”
Jada again tried to scream as she was thrashing about in the chair. Panic was settling in. She knew if James gave her was in that needle, she could end up anywhere, and that even included dead some where.
“Get a hold of her!” Rhonda shouted as she fully came into the room. “You have been a pain in the behind since I’ve laid eyes on you! I hope you get just what you deserve!” Rhonda wrapped her arms around Jada from behind the chair in an attempt to still her. “Give her the damn needle!”
James leaned in to Jada and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m sorry, baby, but this is necessary.”
As he held the needle up to inject it into her arm, both the back and front doors of the house crashed open.
“Police! Get down! Get down!” Sean shouted. Within seconds, the entire house was filled with police officers. James dropped the needle as the S.W.A.T. officer who originally cased the house tackled him to the floor. Rhonda stood at the sight of Sean, screamed, and turned to run. She hit a solid wall of man that was completely unmovable. “Alex!” She screamed.
The eyes that looked back at her were cold, calculating, and anger burned deep within them. Alex’s jaw tightened and flexed. His hands were balled tight and his breathing was abnormally deep, as if he was trying to steady himself. She took a step back to attempt to get her story together.
“Alex. I’m so sorry. When I saw Hawk, I mean James, take her, I followed. It’s a good thing, too, because he was going to kidnap her. I know I should have called you and the police first, but there was no time. I came here to stop him.” Rhonda rattled off. Alex took a step toward her as she took another step back, still not speaking a word. Ty took several steps toward him, knowing it could not possibly be a positive situation.
He had never seen that particular look on his older brother’s face. It was dangerous and at that moment, scaring even him.
“Alex...” Ty said in the calmest voice he could muster. “Don’t.”
Ami and Maddy rushed into the room and immediately to Jada’s side. They started to untie her. Her wrists and ankles were red and deeply bruised from the ropes and tape. They removed the tape from her mouth and she shot up from the chair.
“She’s lying,” Jada yelled. “She and James are in this together. James drugged me at the party because Rhonda promised he could have me and she would help. They were planning to drug me again and take me somewhere else. He wants me to be his wife,” She spat with disgust. “And, she is after Alex!”
Justin entered the room carrying a bunch of the maps from the kitchen. “Looks like they were headed to Canada. There are fake IDs and passports in James’ bags. Even one already made up for Jada.”
“Shut up, you lying whore,” Rhonda shouted to Jada. “You don’t love Alex, anyway. You were just using him to get his money. I’ve always loved him.”
Before any one else could react and Rhonda knew what happened, she was lying on the floor and Jada was standing over her. She had punched her dead in the mouth. She leaned over Rhonda and said, “You know, you are never above a good smack in the mouth!”
Ami, Maddy, Ty, and Chris were all standing there with their mouths open. Rhonda went to move like she was going to stand up and fight Jada back. Jada kicked her with her satin heels before she completely blacked out. She was furious, scared, and relieved all at the same time. She was stomping her into the floor and punching her in the face in a succession of blows that would have made Muhammad Ali proud.
Seeing that Jada wasn’t looking like she was going to stop and no one else seemed to want to intervene, Reed came around the crowd and picked her up. Her arms and legs were still flailing about and she was yelling at the top of lungs, “I told you I was going to kick your ass! Get up! Get up!”
Alex quickly crossed the room to where Reed was holding a still screaming Jada. He came to stand right in front of her, forcing her to look at him. “Jada...Jada,” He said. “You are alright. It’s ok. I’m here.”
Jada blinked as if she was coming out of a trance. She looked around the room to fully take in all the people who were there. Reed gently placed her feet on the floor, making sure to steady her as the tears were streaming down her face.
“Jada, are you alright?” Alex asked.
“Yes, um, I’m fine,” She said, finally finding her voice although it was weak. “My hands hurt.”
Sean materialized from somewhere in the room, “The EMT is here, Jada, you should let them check you out.”
“Yes, of course,” She responded, still a little stunned by all that was happening. She felt a massive headache coming on and wobbled a little. Alex’s strong arms were holding her up, but she needed to get out of there.
As Alex and Sean led Jada from the room, Ty leaned over to Chris and Reed and said, “Damn. Jada punched the crap out of her.” They all chuckled, then quickly sobered when Rhonda moaned. It didn’t last long though, and they finally got a good look at her face. Jada had meant business.
Ami and Maddy gave Rhonda and James hateful looks as the police placed them in handcuffs. Ami stopped to address them. “James...” She started, “you were her friend. How could you do something like this?”
“I love her, A
mi. She belongs with me,” James simply responded.
“You are sick, James. You need help. She made it very clear that there could never be anything between you and still worked with you.” She then turned to Rhonda. “Rhonda, you knew Alex was done with you.”
“Whatever, Ami. Alex would have never looked at her twice if I had come home sooner,” Rhonda shot back.
“See. There is where you are wrong. I knew from the day I brought Jada to that party she and Alex would be perfect together. That’s why I am so glad I brought her home with me. You were never any good for him. You weren’t all those years ago and you are even worse now. I realize now that you only pretended to be my friend to get to him. Leaving him was the best thing you ever did. So, for that, I say, thank you, Rhonda. I hope they put you under the jail.” Ami snapped her head around and left the room.
Maddy stepped up to the place Ami had just vacated. “Come near my brother again and I will do everything in my power to destroy you. Have a nice life.” Maddy walked out to join the others attending to Jada.
Jada got a clean bill of heath physically, although she still seemed to be suffering from shock. She still managed to give her statement to the police with what she could remember before leaving the party. James and Rhonda had been arrested and would be facing serious charges for drugging and kidnapping her. Alex had come for her and it made her heart leap. He had asked her several times if she was alright or needed anything. The entire ordeal forced Jada to recognize the one thing she did need. Love. She knew in her heart that she loved Alex, but she had no idea if he loved her back. He could have been there because of Ami. Thoughts of doubt were swirling around her aching head. Her jumbled thoughts were all running into each other and it was making her head hurt even worse. She was tired and didn’t want to think anymore. Having been led to a car, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She was exhausted.
