Broken In Pieces: Billionaire Stepbrother Romance (Wounded Hearts Book 1) (17 page)

She pulls back onto the street and continues on this diabolical journey. We’ve taken so many turns, down so many different streets, that I have no idea where we are now. We slow as we pull up in front of a large abandon building where Caroline parks. She gets out of the car, comes around the front, with her eyes trained on me. My door is yanked open then she reaches in and drags me from the car by my hair. It’s painful and I can’t help but cry out. “One more sound and you’re fucking dead,” she says through a clenched jaw.

She still has me by the hair as she’s pushing me through a large metal door leading inside the building. It’s dark but the moon is coming through some small windows, lining the top of the tall walls, and I can see a chair sitting in the middle of the floor. We’re half way to it and she shoves me, knocking me to the ground. “Sit in the chair,” she growls.

My knees are stinging from sliding across the concrete and I’m exhausted from all the chaos of the night, but I gather myself and do as she says. She brings over a bag, takes out some more rope and begins tying each of my legs to the legs of the chair. Then, she unties my hands and ties each of them to an arm of the chair. “Why are you doing this, Caroline? I thought we were friends,” I ask cautiously.

“We’re not friends, you stupid little cunt,” she says through gritted teeth.

The thought of the red lipstick on my bedroom wall crosses my mind again, “Is this about Blade?” Before I know it, she brings up the hand with the gun and swings. I feel the hard metal as it connects at my temple and just below my eye. Its hurts so fucking bad and I can feel the blood running down my face from where the skin has split.

“Don’t say his name!” she shouts, shaking madly. “I never should’ve hired you. You came into my office looking homely as hell and knowing nothing. I thought for sure Blade would never be interested in a sloppy ass idiot. When I told you to dress better, it was so he wouldn’t want to fire you as soon as he saw you. Then you show up on Monday completely different, perfect hair, perfect clothes. Why the hell did you have to do that?” she says just before she raises her hand and slaps me across the other cheek.

“He doesn’t want me, he said so,” I shout.

“Bullshit, it’s written all over him. He’s in love with you but he can’t have you, I’ll see to that.” She takes duct tape out of the bag and tapes my mouth.

“He’s supposed to be mine. We have history and history trumps everything. I just have to figure out what to do with you now. I know you have to die, I just have to decide how. Blade will be grieving because of your death and I will be there to comfort him,” she says calmly as though she is walking through a dream. “Then he’ll realize he loves me,
baby girl
,” she says mockingly as she runs the gun along my jaw line. My breath catches because I know she’s serious, she is going to kill me.

She returns to the bag and brings out a syringe, “As much as I hate leaving shitty company, I have to get a little sleep before work and I can’t have you making too much noise while I’m gone.” She comes over, sticks the needle in my neck and I feel the fluid flow into me. “Sleep well,
baby girl
,” she laughs as she heads for the door.
History, what history? He doesn’t want m…..
and I’m out cold.

Blade

I wish that
damn phone would stop ringing, my head’s killing me. Whe
re
the
hell am I…
my thoughts are interrupted by Bridgette’s voice answering my phone. “Hello, yes he is. One moment please.” I glance at the clock on the bedside table, six a.m. Bridgette hands me my cell and I’m trying to wrap my mind around why the hell I’m in her bed.

“Speak,” I command as I sit up on the edge.

“Mr. Hawthorne, we’ve been trying to reach you all night,” Stanley’s voice is full of concern and worry.

“What? Spit it out Stanley,” I bark.

“It’s Miss Stollings, we think she’s been kidnapped.” With his words, there is an unbearable tightness that grips my heart. “At about one am, during our rounds of the property, we spotted a black sports car speeding away from the back of the garden. The license plate was covered so we couldn’t get the number. We immediately started trying to contact Miss Stollings but there was no answer so we entered the house. The other men searched the house while Sheldon and I searched the garden area. We found Miss Stollings cell phone on the ground by one of the marble benches. On the bench, someone had written
‘BACK TO THE BEGINNING’
in, what seems to be, red lipstick,” he continues.

“You didn’t find anything else?” I question him, feeling as though I’m in a daze.

“No sir, not another sign of anything but she’s gone. All her things are still here, her car’s still in the driveway but she’s gone,” he answers.

By this time, I’m already up and jerking on my clothes, “Gather all the men in. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” I hang up the phone and begin the hunt for my shoes, “Bridgette, I don’t know how the fuck I ended up here but I’m damn sure nothing happened.”

She tries flirtation, “You weren’t acting put off by it last night, darling.”

“No fucking games, Bridgette. I don’t have time for your shit. Sheridan’s missing and we think she’s been kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped,” she gasps and fear instantly floods her face.

“Yes. Now, where are my fucking shoes?” I shout.

She scrambles around the bedroom, collecting my shoes and socks. “I…I have to confess something. Maybe Sheridan wasn’t kidnapped. Maybe she just left,” Bridgette says and she is visibly nervous.

“What the hell do you mean, Bridgette? What the fuck have you done?”

“I just…I wanted her to stay away from you so I…” She stops, hanging her head in her hands.

I grab her by the wrist and yank her hands away, “What the fuck did you do? Tell me, now!”

“I made sure you got pretty looped last night by adding a sleeping pill to your drink at the bar. By the time I got you back here, you were basically out of it. Once you were out cold, I undressed you and put on lingerie. I posed us in a couple of positions and took pictures that I texted to Sheridan,” she explains as tears begin to well in her eyes.

“Damn you! Don’t you dare cry! You don’t have the right to cry,” I scream as I shake her by the wrists. “You’re pathetic! Stay the hell away from me and Sheridan!” I release her and storm out the door.

I’m racing down the road with the most horrible thoughts running through my head. In that moment, it’s like being hit over the head with a brick, I do love her. I think I’ve loved her since the first day she was in my office. I can’t image my life without her and now I may have lost her in every way. Oh God, she has to be okay and I have to find her
. Why did I say all those hurtful things last night? Why did I leave her?
This is all my fault and now, the woman I love, is paying for my actions.

My tires are squealing as I come around the driveway, park and race into the house. “Stanley, show me everything you have,” I order. Stanley takes me to the marble bench in the garden, it’s the same fucking red lipstick from the apartment wall.
‘BACK TO THE BEGINNING’
?
The beginning of what?
I don’t have a clue what this could mean. “What about her cell phone?” I question and Stanley hands it to me. The only calls are the ones she made trying to reach me. The only texts are her trying to reach me and the incoming ones from Bridgette.
Holy shit
, they’re bad and I can only imagine how hurt she must have been.

I’m clueless and I’m weak with worry, and the massive hang-over isn’t helping. I go to sit down on another bench, to try and steady my thoughts. The woman I love has vanished and my last words to here are words that I’m now ashamed of. The last thing she saw was probably the pictures that Bridgette sent. The fact that she went through that kind of hurt because of me, my words and my actions, is unbearable and I loathe my fucking self.

“Sir,” Stanley’s voice brings me back, “should I call the police?

“No, they won’t want to do a report until she’s gone for forty-eight hours and we’re not wasting that kind of time. Call Detective Torres and ask him to come to the house immediately. Have all the men arrived?” I ask.

“Yes sir, they’re all waiting in the front of the house.” Stanley goes to make his call and I join the others. I give clear and direct orders to check every street, building and alley. They are to leave no stone unturned.

The doorbell rings and Sarah escorts Detective Torres in. “Head out men and stay in constant contact with me,” I order and the men disperse to carry out their duties. I fill in Torres with all the details, “I need your help. I know the officers have to wait forty-eight hours but I know you can do more.”

“You really care for this one, don’t you?” he asks.

“More than I have ever cared about anybody. Hell, Torres, I love this woman. Will you please help me?” I plead. He gives a confirming nod and steps into the next room to make some calls.

My cell rings, “Speak.”

“Mr. Hawthorne, I was getting worried. Neither you nor Sheridan showed up for work and I never heard from you. Is everything okay,” Caroline questions sweetly.

“Uhh, no Caroline, everything isn’t okay. Sheridan is missing, we think kidnapped,” I answer.

“Kidnapped? What can I do to help?” She sounds as worried as the rest of us.

“Just stay there and keep the office in line, please. My full attention will be on finding Sheridan so I need you there,” I reply.

“Yes sir, anything you need. Please let me know if you find her.”

Torres comes back to the front of the house, “Blade, we’ve issued a Missing Persons Alert. I’ve got every officer scanning their beats looking for her or for anything that might lead us to her. I’ve also called in a favor, we’ve put helicopters in the air. Only a couple for the time being but it’s better than nothing.”

“Thank you, Torres. You don’t know how much this means to me,” I grab his hand and shake it hard, with tears welling in my eyes.

“Blade, I always told you that you were a good kid, you just had to leave the lifestyle you had fallen into and expect more of yourself and for yourself. You did that and I’m proud of the man you’ve become. I’d help you with anything that I possibly could,” he answers.

Tragedy

O
uch! My head
and face are aching! I’ve gotta open my eyes, focus and try to figure a way out of here.
The shot that Caroline gave me is still making me groggy but at least I can pry my eyes open now, well at least one of them. The other one is swollen shut from the hit I took to the face. It is daylight, the sun is coming through the little windows. Not a lot because they’re so dirty but it’s still better than the darkness. I have no idea what time of day it is but the sun’s heat has turned the building into an oven and I feel like I’m melting.

I couldn’t tell much about my surrounding last night so I begin scanning the place for anything that might help me escape. It’s dirty and smells of mold. There are rats playing along the walls and there’s no sign of what might have occupied the building before. I need to keep looking but the heat and whatever’s still coursing through me from the syringe are taking me under once more.

I awake again, this time there’s not as much light. The sun has changed position so it must be evening. I’m hot and thirsty, my mouth feels like sandpaper.
Is anyone looking for me? Does anyone even know I’m gone?
All my family and friends are in Kentucky, so they’ll have no idea I’m missing. The band isn’t having practice until Styx returns, so they won’t wonder where I am. Blade is probably with Bridgette and has no idea. The thought of them together brings the hurt washing over me again. I feel like crying but I can’t, no tears will come. The only hope I have of someone knowing I am gone is the office personnel but I’m sure Caroline has that covered as well. I’m doomed.

As all hope is fading, the metal door is jerked open. It’s Caroline, she must have just come from work because she’s still in her dress suit. This gives me some indication of the time but I still don’t know if I was out for a day or several. “Well,
baby girl
, how have you enjoyed your day?” she shows her sarcasm as she waves her gun through the air. She comes over and unties my hands from the chair and ties them together. She opens a large bottle of water and rips the duct tape from my mouth, taking skin with it. She puts the bottle in my tied hands and I finish half of it before I remove it from my lips. “Let me tell you about my day. There’s lots of chaos and hoopla going on because
baby girl
is missing. Blade’s beside himself with worry so I’m headed there now to console him,” she cackles.

She then holds up a McDonald’s bag, takes my water away and replaces it with a cheeseburger. “I’m not hungry. I’d rather just have the water,” I plead as she’s sitting the bottle on the floor. She comes up fast and hard and I get a fist to the mouth. I instantly taste the blood gushing into my mouth and I try to wipe it from my chin.

“You fucking ingrate. You will eat if you want one more drop of water. I have to keep you alive until I’m sure I don’t need you. Now eat!” I do as I’m told but I have to practically choke down the last half of the burger. “Good,
baby girl
. Now you can have your water,” she puts the bottle back in my hands.

“I have to hurry to Blade, he needs me now more than ever, so you must hurry with that water.” She’s like two different people, a Jekyll and Hyde freak of nature. I finish before she gets her last word out and she takes the bottle throwing it to the corner. She unties my hands and ties them back to the chair arms. “There we are, all nice and snug. Now I must attend to Blade’s needs,
baby girl
, but I’ll be sure to come back later and give you every detail,” she chuckles as she puts the same piece of tape over my mouth and leaves.

He knows and he’s worried. The thought warms my soul a bit but then my mind goes back to the pictures of him and Bridgette. He would be worried about anyone he knew that had gone missing. It has nothing to do with that fact that it’s me. She didn’t say if he was looking for me, hell I still don’t know if anyone is looking for me. There was a time in my life when I thought I would welcome death but now that I’m faced with it, I don’t want to die. I want to live the craziness that is my life. I want to fight with Mother and laugh with Donna. I want to fly to Paris for breakfast. I have to figure out how to get out of here.