Redemption (Book 3) The Fixer Series

by Alyson Raynes

  There was nothing pretty about the place I'd been captured and taken to. It must've been wintertime, because it was gray and the trees looked like sticks. It seemed like a cold and dark place.

  There was a knock at my door that pulled me out of my trance. It was Tristan and he had a familiar-looking woman with him. It took me a moment before finally recognizing her. It was my sister, Stephanie. She covered her mouth with her hands as she sauntered over to my bed, tears spilling from her eyes. "Brooke, oh my...," she said, grabbing my hand and leaning down to hug me.

  "Hey, Steph," I muttered in a weak rasp, hugging her back.

  "You remember me?"

  I nodded, "Of course, I remember you. How could I forget my favorite cousin?"

  Stephanie's eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

  "I'm only kidding, Steph. I know you're my sister, I was just messin' with ya."

  "You're a real shit, Brooke. You know that? That's not even funny to joke about."

  "You're right. I'm sorry," I said, trying not to burst out laughing. I don't know what had come over me, but I had a terrible urge to be a smartass.

  I could hear Tristan in the corner, trying to rein in his laughter as well. It wasn't funny, but everyone was being so serious and it was making me crazy.

  "Getting back to your old self, I see," she commented in a sarcastic tone.

  "I'm trying, Steph. Things come and go. I remember more and more each day. How's Mom?"

  "She's much better, now knowing you're alive. Though, she's concerned that you might not remember her."

  "I remember her. If you talk to her, tell her I love her and that I'll be home soon." I was glad that my sister was there to sit and visit with me. It helped to keep my mind off of the memories that were flooding my mind and causing me to be emotional. "Hey, Steph, can I ask you a question?"

  "Sure."

  "Where are we?"

  "Brooke, you're in the hospital."

  "I know that. I meant, are we close to home?"

  She gave Tristan her "I can't believe you didn't tell her" look.

  He shrugged his shoulders, "She's been out cold for three days. How could I possibly tell her?"

  "Men," she huffed. "We're in Prague, Brooke."

  "What?" I asked, sitting up faster than I should have.

  "Honey, this is where they brought you after you were kidnapped. Do you remember that?"

  "I remember the town where I had my hair cut. I don't remember anything else about it, other than when Alexi and Tristan drove me to Dylan's hotel room. We waited for him, but...," I began to cry. "I'm so confused."

  "Shh...it's okay, Brooke. Everything is going to be okay," she said, running her fingers through my hair. It was just like she use to do when we were little. "You need to get some rest now. I'm gonna go sit over there by Tristan, I'll be right here when you wake up and we can talk some more."

  I nodded in agreement, but I wanted to know why no one would tell me how Dylan was. Maybe he was gone, and the thought of never seeing him again ate at me as I silently cried myself to sleep, slowly dying inside.

  I heard low, whispering voices in the room and began to stir. The last thing I'd remembered was thinking that I'd never see Dylan again. I was wrong. I could sense that he was near. My heart knew, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I saw his sweet smile. There was so much that I needed to tell him. I needed him to understand that what had happened wasn't my fault. But when I tried to speak, he told me that we could discuss things later.

  He looked terrible. I could tell that he wasn't as well as he wanted me to believe, and maybe he wasn't ready to hear what I had to say. He kept reassuring me that he was going to be fine, and although I had doubts, I had no other choice than to trust him. I was too weak to argue, and vowed to just enjoy having him near. He was mine, he really was. I hadn't imagined him after all, when I was in that dark, concrete cell. He was the man in my dreams, just as if he were an angel that had been sent to me in my darkest time of need. I couldn't stop staring at him. I wanted to rub the back of my hand against the stubble on his face, trace my fingers over his lips and love him like I did on our wedding night.

  I could see he was in pain, his heart broken. I wasn't convinced that the pain he was feeling was entirely physical. I knew there was something else causing his affliction. I just didn't know what , and when I was able to be alone with him, I would make him tell me.

  Dylan leaned in and kissed me goodbye, before returning to his room. His nurse was adamant about him needing to get some rest. I didn't disagree with her, but I didn't want him to leave either. I'd lost him once, and I didn't want to lose him again.

  As Dylan was wheeled out of my room, I turned on my side, away from Stephanie and Tristan. I was happy that they were there with me, but I needed time. Time to myself, to gain insight into who I was and fully absorb what had happened to me. I rubbed my belly, remembering the loss I had suffered while being held captive against my will. I needed to grieve my loss, our loss, but we needed to do it together. It was the one thing I dreaded the most, telling Dylan that I'd lost our baby.

  The room was silent, so I took the opportunity to shut the world out and close my eyes. I was soon fast asleep and that's when the nightmares began.

  I dreamt about the young woman in the cell next to me. Every night I could hear her screams as she was beaten and tortured by men who had no regard for her pain. When they were finished with her, they would throw her on the cold, concrete floor and then lock the cell behind them. The dream repeated over and over while I slept, always replaying the same scene, as if I could ever forget those screams. They would haunt me for the rest of my life.

  CHAPTER 4

  Dylan

  I'd just left Brooke's room against my will due to the urging of Nurse Ratchet. That would forever be my new nickname for the bitch that came between me and my wife. I knew she meant well, and truly had my best interest in mind, but it pissed me off. I had also sensed at times that she may be like the other women, completely enamored by my physical appearance. It wasn't happening. There was only one woman for me, the only one that had ever accepted me for me. The whole me.

  I was just getting settled in my bed from hell, when Tristan came strolling in. The look on his face told me that he meant business, and that the news wasn't good. I could only assume that whatever he had to say, involved me spending time in a Russian jail. "Hey, man," I said, as he pulled a chair next to my bed.

  "We need to talk."

  "About what?" I asked.

  "About Kristof, your dad...about you."

  "What about it, Tristan?"

  "It isn't good, man. Where do I even begin?"

  "Why don't you just spill the shit and get it over with."

  "How about you stop being an asshole and listen for once, eh, Dylan?"

  "Touché, buddy. Quit playing guessing games and just say what you need to say," I fired back.

  "Alright. Who did you tell that we were coming here?"

  I sat straight up in bed, clutching my stomach. "What the fuck are you talking about, T? I didn't tell anyone we were coming here. How could I? We left so fast and you were with me the whole time. You tell me. Maybe you told someone, or maybe...it was someone you shouldn't have trusted who sold you out."

  "No, Dylan. Alexi would never do that. Besides, he was with me and Brooke the whole time. There is no way that he could have done this."

  "Again. What the fuck are you talking about?"

  "I'm talking about when I went back to Kristof's place to get you. I'm assuming that you figured out who the mystery man was, who Kristof was talking to. It was your dad, wasn't it, Dylan?"

  I sat quietly for a long moment, knowing that I couldn't lie to my friend because he had seen everything, and he knew how pissed I was seeing Brooke treated as a whore. I took a deep breath before I answered.

  "Yes," I said in a defeated tone. "He was the one sitting and smoking cigars with Kristof, while were up in the
room waiting with Brooke. I didn't know it at the time, but after I had slit that fucker's throat, I was on my way out and ran into my dad. All the pieces slowly came together. You should've heard the sick shit they were saying, while I was standing there, listening. And you know what, T? Do you know what he said to me when I asked him why? He said he did it for money. He didn't need any more fucking money, Tristan!"

  "I know," he said, quietly. "I'm sorry about your dad, D. I'm sure having to do what you did wasn't easy."

  "He backed me in a fucking corner, Tristan. I had no choice. It was either him, or me. I chose me. FUCK!" I yelled, feeling my anger rise.

  "Look, I know you're pissed and I'm sure you're sad too, but I have to tell you something about when I returned to get you."

  "What the hell, now?"

  "When I came in and found you lying on the floor, I was scoping the place out. I knew I needed to move fast before Kristof's goons came in and alerted the Russian authorities to the crime scene. My original plan was to get you out of there as fast as I could and get you to the hospital without drawing any attention to us, and then get back to Kristof's and clean up the scene."

  "But...?"

  "Well...here's where it gets weird, Dylan. There was nothing for me to clean up, nothing for me to stage."

  "How in the hell is that even possible, Tristan?" I asked.

  "I don't know. Think about it. Someone had to know that we were there and saw what happened between you and your dad."

  "No one knew we were there. You and I were the only ones that knew we coming here, besides Alexi, and you swear that he is loyal."

  "Dylan. He is. I trust him with my life as much as I trust you."

  "Well, then who in the hell could have known about our mission?"

  "I don't know. It's part of the reason I brought Stephanie over here. If someone knows, then they might be after her again, and I didn't want to take any chances. Especially, with Thomas being connected to all of this shit."

  "Oh...so you didn't just bring her over to see her Brooke?"

  "No, man. You know I don't work like that. She would have been fine staying back at home with her mom, but I knew that she was in possible danger and Brooke was a good excuse to get her over here."

  "You sure you don't ulterior motives for that, T?" I teased.

  "Dude," he said, shaking his head. "Is pussy really all you ever think about?"

  "You know me too well, my friend. I can't wait to get out of here and get some."

  Tristan laughed hard, "Yeah, good luck with that. I think that'll be a while for you."

  "Tell me about it," I said, feeling frustrated.

  "All kidding aside, we have some bigger fish to fry with this situation. I don't even know where to begin looking on this one, Dylan. We both know Thomas isn't smart enough to pull this off."

  I nodded my head in agreement. Thomas wasn't the brains of the operation, that would've been my dad and the Governor. Which reminded me, when I returned home, to take over as CEO of Prescott Oil and Gas International. I would have full access into all of my father's business dealings, and I hoped to hell I didn't find what I suspected.

  "I don't disagree, T. But whoever was there, knows our secret and I hope they don't go to the authorities, because spending the rest of my life in this country would be worse than death."

  "Sometimes you're so dramatic, Dylan. I think I might have to revoke your man-card."

  "Screw you, Tristan."

  "We have another issue, D."

  "There's more? Isn't this enough?"

  "No. How do you want to handle Thomas?"

  "Oh yes. Thomas. Well, for starters, I'd like to take him for a drive out to Eastern Colorado where there is nothing but barren land; dig a deep hole and drop him in it, while watching him die a slow and painful death. That fucker deserves to suffer."

  "He's missing. He took off once he heard the news about the Governor and Amber being found in a field outside of Prague. I spoke to Stefan a couple of days ago and he said the F.B.I. has been trying to track him down, but they haven't had any luck. The good thing is that Thomas still trusts Stefan, and he's hopeful that he will contact him."

  "And then, what? He'll give him more money, so he can keep running?"

  "Dylan, I know you hate the guy, but he really is on our side."

  "Yeah, I know. But I will never forgive him for what he did to Brooke. I will never forget how terrified and awful she looked that day I had to go and save her from that prick."

  "I don't blame you, but look at it this way. If that had never happened, you might not have married her."

  "True. I still hate the prick, though."

  Tristan laughed, "Agreed. I don't really like the fucker much myself. I tolerate him, because I have to."

  "Can you imagine the secrets that bastard must keep?" I asked, leaning my bed back.

  "Yeah. I'm sure it makes ours look like kid stuff."

  "Hey, not to change the subject or anything, but has the doc said anything about when we might get to leave this shit-hole?"

  "When he last came in, he mentioned that both you and Brooke were doing well. He said that you are very lucky that none of your organs were damaged, especially being shot at such close range. According to him, most people either die on the spot or from complications. He wants to keep you here at least another week, just for observation. Brooke can leave at any time, but she'll need to see a dietician and need extensive therapy to help her deal with her issues."

  "That's great, but no. I'm not staying here another week."

  "Really, jackass? How do you plan on escaping and getting yourself home? You can't even walk."

  "I'm rich. Very rich. I can pay people to get me out of here. And, since you work for me...get me out of here!"

  "I love you, man. You're my brother from another mother, but sometimes you're too fucking much. I'm gonna let you get some rest and I'm gonna go hang with my girl for a while."

  "I knew it. You sly son of a bitch! I knew you had another reason for bringing her here."

  "Ha! I already told you why I brought Steph here Dylan, but having her here is an extra added perk. Peace out, man. I'll talk to you in the morning."

  He walked over and fist-bumped me before walking out.

  "Catch you later, buddy. Try not to have too much fun," I added, before turning on the TV and searching for something decent to watch.

  Nothing. There was absolutely nothing on TV. I settled on watching old reruns of Friends where the voices were dubbed in Russian. It was actually quite comical watching Rachel speaking in something other than English. She was always my favorite friend. I always did have a thing for older women. They were more confident than girls my own age and what I liked most about them, is that they seemed more comfortable and adventurous in the bedroom. And Rachel was definitely older than me. I laughed, I really needed to get the hell out of here.

  Weeks had passed, and Brooke and I were finally being released to travel home to the States. I was looking forward to some alone time with her, since it'd been almost a year since I'd been with her. We had been robbed of beginning our life together, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I fully intended on making up for all of the time we had missed with each other.

  Tristan had been a great friend through the whole process. He put up with my shit, listened when I needed an ear and proved that he was truly my best friend. Hell, he even took care of my wife when I couldn't. Something that he had promised before all hell had broken loose. He came through with flying colors. And, Alexi? Well, he wasn't such a bad guy after all. Tristan was right about him. He was a trustworthy fellow, and though I still didn't understand him very well, he remained loyal to helping us. Alexi had even arranged to have my father's body released and sent home, so that my family could give him a proper burial.

  As the weeks passed, I realized how truly blessed I was. My stay in the hospital had been extended, because the good doctor insisted that I needed to be able to walk on my own before I could
be released. I worked my ass off and it was painful as hell, but I had Brooke by my side the entire time. Anytime I felt down or like giving up, I just looked into her beautiful eyes and knew I had to do it for her. She had been released two weeks before me, and she was with me every day. We talked about things that she remembered about our wedding and her past. I knew we had a long way to go, but being back at home would allow us time to finally work through the things that needed attention.

  Brooke came in as I finished buttoning my shirt. She took my hand as I walked slowly out of the room I had spent nearly a month in. I still wasn't a hundred percent, but I was getting stronger by the day. As we exited the hospital, Tristan, Stephanie and Alexi were waiting at the car for us. We got into the black SUV and headed to the airport, where a private jet awaited us on the tarmac. I finally exhaled a sigh of relief as we boarded the plane-destined for the United States.

  The pilot came over the intercom and instructed us all to fasten our seat belts in preparation for takeoff. I took Brooke's hand in mine, remembering how she hated flying, and gently pulled her hand to my lips, giving the back of her hand a soft kiss. She flashed her beautiful smile and let her head rest against my shoulder as the plane taxied down the runway.

  CHAPTER 5

  Brooke

  It felt good to be next to Dylan. I had missed him so much, and spending the last couple of weeks with him had helped me to remember more about my past. I still hadn't told him about what I'd remembered about being under Kristof's control and I was afraid that it would destroy us. I had to focus on making sure that he would heal, and that I could help him through his pain, as I knew he was still hiding something from me.

  Once we were in the air, I felt a little more relieved about flying. It was always taking off and landing that scared the shit out of me. Once the captain announced that it was safe to move about the in cabin, I unbuckled my seat belt and headed to the back of the plane to the bathroom. I took my time as I sat and pondered about how life would be when I returned home. I had been missing for almost a year and I wasn't sure that I knew what normal life was, anymore. I hoped that I would adjust quickly, but I just didn't know. I had been introduced into a completely different world while being held captive. Most of it I didn't like, but some of it, I did. I didn't know how to tell Dylan, and I knew that sooner rather than later, I would have to come clean with it.