What’s happened Dylan, where are you?
I text back, as I am still concerned for his well-being after my conversation with Cassie.
I’m at the park near your work. Do you remember the beautiful picnic we had Roxy? You cared for me back then, I know you did.
He confesses his thoughts to me, obviously feeling alone.
I just want to end it all Roxy, I have some pills maybe I’ll just take them and go to sleep.
No Dylan, don’t. I will come, give me thirty minutes.
I message back desperate to save him from doing something silly like overdosing, like Cassie mentioned he had done before.
Promise me you won’t do anything silly.
Okay I promise. Thank you. I just need a friend right now.
I race to get dressed and jump in my shiny beast and zoom down the freeway. I’m not sure what I can do to help, but I won’t let him swallow pills and try to end it.
I pull up my car next to his, looking over to the tree where we had the picnic, but he’s not there. I climb out and hear him behind me.
“Hey I’m so glad you came Roxy. I really hoped you would.”
“Oh Dylan, I still care about you as a friend. I want you to be happy. I’m sorry I couldn’t be that for you, but you have your family and friends too. I am not the only one who cares,” I state to him trying to make him see sense.
“Is that what you think? My mother couldn’t give a shit about me. She has her other two golden children, and as for friends, do they ever call me Roxy? You are all I have in the world,” he tells me and my heart breaks a little for this poor man who now looks gaunt and desperate.
I can’t help but take a step into Dylan and embrace him feeling sorry for him and knowing now what Cassie told me about her accident, the pills, and overdoes. Maybe he is just a guy needing love and at the moment he is feeling confused and alone.
“I love you Roxy,” he says to me as he kisses me cheek and embraces me back.
I feel his grip tighten and now I feel like an idiot. What is that?
I see a blue handkerchief appear in his hand. What is that strong smell?
It all happens so fast. The handkerchief is now tightly pushed against my face. He’s holding me so hard that I can’t get away. I wriggle and try to move my face away from his hand, trying to catch my breath.
“Argh,” I moan but he’s blocking the sound with his hand.
Shaking my head, panic sits in. What is he doing? Why is he doing this?
The smell and toxic fumes burn my nose and mouth. Why do I suddenly feel sleepy? Oh Dylan what the fuck have you done?
The world goes black.
I feebly wake to my head throbbing, my eyes are heavy and I feel nauseas. I’m on a red coloured lounge in a darkened room, I have never seen before. What is happening?
I try to move my arms, ouch. Why the fuck are my hands tied together? I wriggle feeling claustrophobic and stressed. Where am I?
I adjust my eyes, there is an open fire roaring in front of me. I don’t recognise the room I am in; it’s all timber, a cabin of some sort.
My eyes frantically search the room for clues of where I am, but it’s all just furniture, the curtains are closed and I can’t move. My surroundings are giving nothing away.
Right on cue the timber door opens and Dylan enters carrying more wood. What the hell is he thinking; it’s hot as a sauna in here already.
And to think I felt sorry for this fucking lunatic.
“Dylan what have you done? Drugging me, kidnapping me, why would you do this?” I plead with him but nothing he could say will set my mind at ease.
“What have I done Roxy? I fucking did everything for you and you deserted me,” he confesses to me as he throws more wood on the fire, then he makes a trail of wood leading out of the safety of the fireplace. What on earth.
He has a thin piece of kindling that he lights and places outside the fireplace, then to my amazement he puts newspaper on top, it goes into flames.
“No, Dylan don’t do it. We can work something out,” I plead desperately to the crazy stranger in front of me. Who would have known just how ruthless he could become?
He drags me roughly into the other room, but leaves the doors open. He gets to work combining more timber and paper making another trail. We are going to be burnt alive!
The fire is raging; the lounge is now in flames, burnt embers flying in the air, smoky haze surrounding us. I think we are in a cabin in the mountains judging by the bush I can now see outside.
“Dylan this is crazy. We are both going to die in this fire!” I cry desperately to him.
“If I can’t have you Roxy than no one can, especially not that fucking weasel of a surfer,” Dylan tells me seriously.
Who is he calling a weasel?
“We are destined to be together Roxy, if not in life then in death,” he growls and that is the cherry on top. I am now shaking, fearful for my life. This is the end, I am going to slowly burn and never see Kade’s face again. This is a living hell.
I pull myself together and take many deep breaths. I can’t give up, come on Roxy!
“Are you crazy Dylan? You are going to let us burn? Do you know how painful burning to death would be? Let’s go quickly while we still can,” I plead and beg him trying to make him see sense.
Petrified for my life I try to figure out a game plan, I need to get out of this building and away from him. I can see the flames through the window now to the right in the tall gum trees. Shit, he must have started one outside too. It is starting to spread further. I will need to escape to the left, away from the raging flames and fire. Think Roxy, think.
“Dylan I’m so scared. Oh please Dylan, I need you. Can you hold me? I need your arms around me,” I ask him trying to sound sincere and crying through my fake words.
“Well I guess we should say our goodbyes Roxy, anything for you baby,” he admits while walking to me with his arms open. I feel his arms wrap around me tightly, he pulls me in hard and places his cheek against mine.
He is so repulsive to me now, so unstable and psychotic it makes my stomach turn. I nuzzle into his neck to distract him further.
“See Roxy it is so perfect between us. I love you, always,” Dylan tells me as he pulls me closer and I feel his arousal hard against me. Perfect.
I pull back to get eye contact with him and as planned he kisses my lips. I need to refrain the bile forming in my throat. I kiss him back then three, two, one.
My knee goes straight into his erection harder than I ever thought I could. He falls hard to the floor, gripping his groin.
“You fucking bitch!” Dylan screams at me. I run while I can, straight to the door but it’s locked. Fuck.
I need to keep away from the flames. I try the first window, locked, as are the next two.
Screw it. I run to the dining table grab a wooden chair and I throw it hard through the window. Glass flies everywhere, I feel it cut my skin but I don’t care, I need to get out and fast.
Kade
I pick up my mobile phone, not recognising the number.
“Kade its Jemma. I haven’t heard from Roxy today, we were meeting up at the shops and it’s not like her not to answer her phone. Have you spoken to her?” she asks me concerned.
“No I was planning on calling her soon. Let me try her number and I’ll call you back,” I state to her hanging up I dial Roxy’s number. It ring but she doesn’t pick up. I try it over and over a total of five times but still no answer. I leave her two voice messages to call me or Jemma.
I redial Jemma’s number. “She is not answering my calls either Jemma, what do you think has happened? Maybe we shouldn’t overreact, she might be with Jeremy or her parents somewhere,” I point out to her trying to stay calm but inside my stomach is in knots.
“Jeremy is in New York with Seline and I didn’t want to try her mum and start a panic,” Jemma confesses to me and I totally agree.
“I’ll jump in my car and drive past Denis
e’s house and see if Roxy’s car is there. Then let you know,” I remark to her trying keep her calm, and doing my best not to panic.
“Good idea, I’m going to jump on the computer. I’m sure Roxy has the Find my iPhone app so if she recently synced with iTunes we may just be able to find her, if she is missing that is,” Jemma informs me as I run to my car and speed off.
Fucking technology, I will be a believer if it finds her for us
I insanely drive past her mums. There are no cars there at all, so that’s dead end. “She’s not with her mum, any luck on your end Jemma?” I ask her with hope that she has something we can use.
“Drive past here and pick me up Kade, we are going up to the fucking mountains, that’s where her iPhone is tracked too. I bet that nut job Dylan has something to do with this,” she reports to me and I feel my heartbeat increase, my palms sweat and I may pass out. Not my Roxy!
Shit I knew he was a few cans short of a case and my gut was right. That fucking bastard, if he has so much as put a scratch on Roxy’s perfect skin he will pay for it.
Roxy
I climb through the window frame and jagged glass. I make a run for it through the dense forest, as far away from the cabin, the fire, and Dylan that I can.
I frantically keep checking behind me and clumsily I trip on a large log that sends me toppling to the ground straight onto a jagged rock. It slices through my scar opening the flesh with blood pouring out, it stings and makes me feel nauseas.
Now lying down to stop the dizziness, I take a few deep breaths and compose myself. I slowly stand, through the pain I keep going now limping and flinching from the stinging and burning.
I hear Dylan’s voice. “Roxy! I will find you. You can’t run from me any longer, you little slut. I will not let him have you!” he calls out to me and I start to shake. I’ve never been so frightened in my life.
He is violent and mentally unstable.
What kind of person kidnaps someone, ties them up, then tries to set them on fire?
If only my prince charming Kade knew I was up here, he would save me.
I vaguely hear the bushes moving so I know Dylan is gaining on me. I veer off down a different path hoping to detour him and I collapse. I’m tired, aching and my leg is still bleeding, not to mention the headache from being drugged and smoke inhalation.
I don’t care how mentally depressed this guy is, I will testify to getting him locked up. First he prayed on Cassie and now me.
Kade
Zooming down the freeway, the v8 engine purrs like a kitten; it was made to speed like a demon. I am doing twenty over the limit following the directions on the find my phone app.
Jemma and I also grabbed Dan along the way. The more people the better for back up, in case the psycho is armed.
When its confirmed that Dylan has her I will be calling the cops, no more mucking around they can haul his crazy arse to a padded cell.
“Ten more kilometres’ Kade and we should be to Irone Stone road and that is where her phone is. Let’s hope she is there too. I swear to god I will fucking kill Dylan if he took her,” Jemma says angrily, and then she starts sobbing. They are more like sisters than friends and anyone can unmistakably see just how tight their bond is.
I angrily slam my foot down on the pedal and increase my speed further. I will get to Roxy, if it’s the last thing I do…
We propel forwards skidding around the corner onto Irone Stone road and there are towering flames, heavy smoke and embers flying around. Full-blown panic is hitting me.
“Jesus Christ, there is a fire!” I scream now furious that Roxy is amongst the fire; I drive in as close to the raging flames as possible, not caring about my god damn car right now when my exquisite girl is in grave danger.
I pull on the hand break and frantically jump out, Jemma and Dan follow close behind and I can hear Jemma on the phone to the Fire Brigade reporting the fire.
“Roxy!” I call out desperately hoping she can hear me, praying to the heavens above that she is okay.
“Roxy, its Kade are you out there?” I call into the woods, as the house is now up in flames and even if I wanted to I couldn’t get inside. Please don’t be inside…
A suspicious looking shadow hurries through the dense forest, and then it’s gone out of sight.
“Roxy!” I call out again louder than the first time. “Roxy can you hear me?”
“We will head down the side of the cabin Kade and have a look,” Dan shouts me and he and Jemma take off to investigate.
The smoke is getting thicker, starting to burn my eyes a little. I can feel the temperature increase from the flames as they increase in width and height.
There is a shadow nearing me then I feel a weight on top of me and I’m tackled to the ground hard. A punch is thrown to my face, then again.
I push with all my strength and send him flying. As I jump to my feet, I see his face and I know it’s that fucking scumbag Dylan.
“Where the hell is Roxy you psychopath, what have you done?” I scream at him for answers, and then I can’t control my temper any longer as I fly at him in a rage and now tackle him into the hard concrete.
“It’s too late for Roxy,” Dylan says to me with craziness in his eyes. What does he mean it’s too late? He’s lying, he has to be lying. I am so angry I slam his head into the concrete.
“Where is she?” I scream again and punch him in the nose, spraying blood sideways. He laughs, spitting blood at me. The motherfucker actually laughs.
“Kade I’m safe. I’m here!” I hear her angelic voice call out to me as I turn and look into the pine trees. I see her limping with blood running down her leg. But she is alive.
Quickly jumping off Dylan, who is not worth another second of my time I eagerly run to her.
“You are bleeding, what the hell did he do to you?” I question her so concerned for her wellbeing.
“I fell onto a rock while trying to escape, it cut open my scar again” she tells me as I embrace her, never wanting to let her out of my sight ever again.
Dylan stands and tries to make a run for it, as Dan tackles him.
“Where do you think you’re going arsehole?” Dan says to him holding his arms behind his back and now sitting on him so he can’t move.
“Oh Roxy, thank god you are okay. I was so worried about you,” Jemma says running to her side then hugging her.
“The fire brigade and police should be here any minute. Dylan will be going away for a long time,” she says as she looks over to where Dan is holding him down.
“You are my hero Dan,” she says to him blowing him a kiss.
We hear the sirens, and breathe out a sigh of relief. My angel is safe, no thanks to him. He will be locked up and he will pay for taking her captive. I hope they throw away the key.
I embrace Roxy and caress her soot covered face; I gaze into her perfect blue irises, leaning in to kiss her lips.
“Oh Roxy, the thought of being without you literally killed me. I swear on my life I won’t be going anywhere ever again, this has shown me just how deep my love runs for you. You give me courage and strength that I never knew I had and I cannot bear to live another single day without your love. I love you Roxy. I always have and I always will,” I say to her feeling exhilarated and thrilled to admit my true feelings.
“Oh Kade, I never stopped loving you and I know I never will. I love you too baby, with all my heart and soul,” Roxy confesses to me and it makes me grin so wide from happiness, that my cheeks hurt.
“Let’s get your wound checked out baby. Then I’m taking you home where I can keep you safe,” I say to her sweetly.
“Yes baby please take me home. Let’s hop into bed and stay there forever,” she says smirking.
“Roxy the sound of your voice is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard, but you telling me to take you to bed, is like music to my ears,” I can’t help but say to her after her last request.
Chapter 28
Hawaiian Pro Tour Kade
My amazing life with Roxy has moved forward in leaps and bounds. We are inseparable and spend every waking moment together.
After the kidnapping and fire, we took some much needed time away at the lake house. Now we are looking to the future and what lies ahead.
I’m ecstatic that the love of my life has agreed to come to Hawaii with me for two weeks, for the Pro tour. Life is fantastic.
Pete graciously drops Roxy, dad and I at the airport. “Sorry I can’t come and watch bro, just with work and the new baby coming money is tight,” my best mate admits warmly to me and I just know he is going to make a great dad.
“I totally get it Pete, don’t worry about it,” I state to him not wanting him to feel bad.
“I am totally stoked for you and Roxy Kado. You two are just meant for each other,” he adds just before I close the car door. I give him as smile and lean into shake his hand, and nod to him in appreciation of his words.
We have scheduled plans to meet my coach and a few others from the squad at the domestic terminal to board the plane to Hawaii. I have Roxy’s hand entwined tightly in mine and I’m literally on top of the world. Dad insisted on coming to watch his son win the world title and isn’t that a change of tune, to back when he told me surfing was a waste of time.
I sure showed him.
“Kade, Roxy hey,” I hear my sister calling our names. I turn to see her dressed in a bright summer dress, which obviously is emphasising her excitement about coming to Hawaii.
“Hey Eb, hey John,” I say to them both as my bubbly and slightly embarrassing sister embraces me first, then Roxy and last but not least dad.
“Oh my god we are going to Hawaii!” she screams and jumps up and down.
“Calm down for god’s sake Ebony,” dad says to her in his serious tone. I can’t help but have a good chuckle to myself.
“Don’t be a spoilt sport father. Hawaii is going to be amazing and my little brother is going to smash this comp out of the water, pun intended!” Ebony tells dad pointing and now giggling at her own joke.
“Qantas Flight to Honolulu boarding in forty five minutes,” we hear the speaker announce.
Healing my Heart: Book 2 - My Heart Series Page 18
