Ignite Me (A Burning Desire Novel) (32 page)

It was the last thing I
remembered before I lost all my awareness.

It was the worst thing that
could happen to me. I used to fear all those training sessions my father
dragged me and Brandon into. Sometimes I questioned his persistence to expose
us to such a life, where his kids could end up kidnapped for political or
financial purposes.

Audrey did this to me? Why was
she doing this?

My thoughts were scattered, my
tears unstoppable, and my heart racing out of my skin. What was the purpose of
all this? Landon. Oh my god Landon, and Jude, and Jenna. Where was she taking
me? What did she want with me?

I was overwhelmed by the tears.
Images of my mom and Brandon flashed in front of me. I had to be strong, I had
to escape. But how could I?

The car came to a halt, but this
time the engine stopped too.

I heard some chatter over the
sound of my suffocation. I had to calm myself to hear. A male’s voice, a
disturbingly familiar voice spoke first:

“You’re late. I said midnight.”

“They had a slight change of
plan and we had to work with that.”

It was two males. Who are they?

“Chill out Professor, we have her.”

That was Audrey’s voice. Professor?

Terror crept all over me and gripped me; I was unable to
move, hardly breathing. That voice – it was his voice.
 
It was Caden. I was in distress,
incapable of any rational thought; only questions raising more questions,
dragging me deeper in confusion.

Hearing clear steps coming closer, I froze, completely
stricken into my silence. The chatter continued between the three of them.

“Here’s what we agreed upon. You can leave us.” Caden said.

The other man’s voice was raspy and somewhat old, “Pleasure
doing business with you, Professor, hottie.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get lost creep.” Audrey bit out.

I remained unmoving, apprehending the moment they will
open the trunk. I wasn’t strong enough to attempt anything. That was the first
rule: gather energy.

I had to do it. I had to be strong, for my family, for
Landon. Will I ever see them again?

“Shall we?” Audrey said with a strikingly excited tone.

My first instinct was to crawl out in the darkness and scream
my lungs out. The cold air hit me in every bone, I was barely covered. There
was no point in running barefoot on the ice, just a waste of energy. I clenched
my jaw at the sound of his voice, “Happy New Year, kitten.”

My second instinct was to spit on his face. He was close,
I could feel his breath on my face, and it took all my courage not to give on
to the impulse. I chose to remain silent. I had to focus; I had to remain calm no
matter what.

“Let’s get you inside before you catch a cold.”

I stiffened at the touch of his hands, “Get away from me.”
I yelled over my tears, “Don’t touch me.” I kept screaming every time his hands
came on me, until he gripped my hair forcefully and dragged me out of the trunk
and on the ground.

“Fine. Have it your way.” Caden bit out.

I still couldn’t tell where we were, the snow cut through
my skin like a knife. It went from extremely cold, to excruciatingly hot. My
ribs hit against a wooden and I cried out.

Caden kept dragging me in silence, followed by the
screeching sound of high heels. My head hit against a wooden object and I lost
consciousness all over again.

“Speed up damn it.” I snap at Alec, trying to reach Jude
on the phone again.

No luck.

Alec didn’t comment, just changed gear in silence, pushing
his car to its limit. I’m a mess. Forget about me, Jude was devastated on the
phone. Clea disappeared from the club and no one knew where she was.

I got the call just about ten minutes ago. I can’t believe
I was about to ignore their calls. Where is she?

Alec and I are heading back to the club. Jude said that
the police was there. He was yelling at them while talking to me.

What the hell was happening?

“For fuck sake, will somebody answer their fucking phone?”

I look at Alec. His face is unreadable, but he is clearly
brooding, trying to make sense of what was going down back in front of the
club.

We’d just gotten to his hotel room when our phones started
ringing. I didn’t think much of it, thinking my friends were probably drunk and
messing with me. It’s been a long time since I felt this way about a man, any
man.

Alec Avery is playful, witty, and extremely handsome. I’ve
never met a man like him before, and I probably never will. It’s dangerous
territory for me. Relationships were never my forte. I consider them to be a
distraction, doomed to fail, and if history is any indication, they always do.

“What the fuck is going on?” I yell at Ryan.

“Where are you?”

“I’m almost there. Where is she? What happened?”

Ryan remained silent for a second, “We don’t know. The
police found her phone and her shoes stashed outside the club.”

My heart leaps into my throat, “That’s not good.” I
breathe, because my mouth is suddenly dry.

Alec turns off the car engine, “We’re here.”

I jump out of the vehicle and round the corner to find a
frenzy of policemen in their uniform. I browse the crowd looking for a familiar
face, when I find one, I blink rapidly. Landon was standing next to a police
car, handcuffed and fuming. Nothing like I’ve seen him before, because even
angry, Landon is always composed and in control. He couldn’t be further from
his usual self at that moment.

I run to him hastily but Eve stops me, “Don’t. I have to
deal with this. Go see Jude and Ryan.”

I frown at her, “What the hell is going on?” I ask.

“Clea was taken.” She breathes out, “It’s Audrey. She was
caught on the security camera inside.”

Feeling the blood rush, I try to calm myself, and process
the news. Suddenly seeing black, I push Eve and go to Landon, angry and
disconcerted, “How did this happen?” I shout, “You’re a fucking liar, you said
you’d protect her from the crazy bitches in your life. You dragged her into
this, if that psycho hurts her, it’s on you.”

Blinded by my anger, I aim all my fury at him, it was his
fault, “You’re poisonous, and your life is a fucking mess. I know everything
about the power-plays, if it wasn’t Audrey it would’ve been the mob.”

His eyes widen.

“Yes, I know what you’re really doing in New York Mr.
Davis. You’re so fucking obvious. Better hope Clea comes out of this unharmed,
or I swear to god, I’ll expose you and your fucking plan to the world.”

“Jenna.” Ryan snaps me out of my rage and wraps his arms
around me.

Unable to feel my legs, I drag him down with me, “Where is
she Ryan?”

He shushes me, wiping my face with a gentle touch, “We’ll
find her, calm down Jen. We’re all worried.”

I can tell by his tone that he disapproves of my reaction,
but still understands it.

Once the police finished questioning us about the events
that preceded Clea’s disappearance, Landon and Jude went to the police station
while the rest of us drove to the penthouse. My thoughts are scattered all over
the place, thinking about Clea.

When my boss asked me to write an article about Landon
Davis, I had no idea I was going to find so many secrets. Not that I have
everything figured out, there’s still so many missing pieces of the puzzle. All
I know for sure is that Landon is in New York for the sole purpose of
destroying the man responsible for the death of his mother. Since he got to the
city, he’s been working on exposing and imprisoning every person related to the
Novgorod family.

I couldn’t tell Clea, and I didn’t think much of it before
now. Landon Davis is surrounded by problems, from raging psychos, to mob bosses
and criminals, not to mention some of his clients. Clea was going to be dragged
into this no matter what, all drama and fiction put aside.

The drive to the apartment was silent and heavy. Alec,
Simon, and Eve kept exchanging weird looks, studying me from the rearview
mirror. I wrap my arms around Ryan, ignoring them and seeking comfort until we
stop in front of the building.

“You guys get upstairs; I need to talk with Jenna.” Eve
orders and pushes me inside the car.

She’s silent for a moment, which amplifies my stress.

“I have no idea what you know, or what you think you know,
and frankly, right now, I don’t fucking care.”

I eyeball her.

“You can’t talk to me like this…” I snap at her.

“Like hell I can.” She countered viciously, “Don’t think
you, Jude, and Ryan are the only ones worried here. She’s my friend, and she’s
the love of his life. That might mean nothing to you, but it means the world
and beyond to see the way she makes him happy.”

“I don’t…” Eve shut me up again.

“Let’s focus on getting her back, and believe it or not,
he’s your only chance, our only chance. There’s no need for you to threaten
him, whatever you think you know, you’re not even close. So from now on, and
until Clea is back and safe, you are not allowed to make any vicious attacks
against him or you’ll have me to answer to.”

Her tone is a mix of threat and compassion, but I’m not
coming down, “You don’t scare me, he is responsible for this, and he is
dangerous for her.”

A frown draws on her face, “That’s what you really think?”
she sounds surprised, “You’re so not what I thought you were.”

Eve turns around to walk out of the car, leaving me
speechless.

“Sweetie, wake up.” Ryan nudges me lightly but I jolt up
from the couch.

“What happened, how long have I been out?” I ask panicked.

He pushes the strands away from my face gently, “No more
than fifteen minutes, they’re here.”

“Who?”

“Jude and Landon.”

“Did they find Audrey?”

Ryan offers a shrug, worry clear on his face, “No, but
Landon needs to talk with us.”

I nod silently and push to my feet.

“Here, drink this.” He hands me a cup of tea and I push it
away. My stomach is in knot.

He didn’t insist and we both walk to Landon’s home office.
Jude and Landon have been in the police station since five am. It’s been at
least ten hours since Audrey took Clea.

We step in to find Jude, Calvin, Zee, Eve, and Simon
scattered around inside the room. Clea is on the news: Billionaire Landon
Davises’ girlfriend kidnapped. Audrey’s picture was next to Clea’s on the
screen. It’s nauseating, almost surreal.

“What’s going on?” I ask curiously.

I walk to Jude and breathe him in, trying to comfort him.
I wish I can do something to help him. He looks restless, worried, and
helpless. He hugs me silently, his heartbeat racing despite his calm state.

“Helen and Keith will land shortly. My father is on his
way with Brandon; make sure they get inside the building from the backdoor.”
Landon looks at me as he walks inside the room, speaking to someone on the
phone.

Guilt creeps all over me as I study him. His posture, even
though composed, looks defeated and sad. He was still wearing last night’s
clothes, his eyes completely lost and confused. I never saw him this way.
Landon Davis is the very definition of a successful alpha male. He reeks of
confidence and power. He has the looks, the brains, and the money. It’s only
normal for women to fall at his feet, even my Clea.

“What’s going on Landon?” Simon’s tone is calm and
soothing. His arm is rounding Eve’s shoulders, as if to comfort her, trying to
get her to rest.

Landon stands behind his desk, takes in a harsh breath,
and turns to the rest of the room, “I’ve reached a decision concerning the
situation and I’ll ask you not to interrupt me until I’m finished explaining.”
He says, his gaze lingering on me.

“What is it?” Ryan asks.

Landon nods and starts explaining, “I’ve given the police
twelve hours to find Clea and they came up with nothing. They can’t tell where
Audrey is, they failed to locate her phone, her car, she’s not in her house,
and her sister has no idea where she is.”

The rage is obvious in his tone, as much as in his
clenched jaw and fists.

“I won’t rely on them anymore.” He announces.

I can’t take it anymore, “What the fuck are you talking
a…”

Jude squeezes me silently.

I jump up as Landon’s fists hit his desk, “I said no fucking
interruption Miss Seiter otherwise you’re welcome to go to the precinct and
wait around for a bunch of incapables to get Clea back.”

Wow… The wrath of Landon.

His eyes are scorching and burning with rage.

“I hired an agency I trust, and they’re on their way to
update all of us with what they found out.” The blood drains from his face as
he sits on his chair.

“What did they find?” My voice is small.

“They found a second phone number in Sylvia’s name.” He’s
silent for a moment, “Sylvia is Audrey’s sister. Jared hacked into the records
and e-mails.” He says, “Turns out Audrey has an accomplice.”

“What?” Ryan gasps

“Who?” Eve inquires.

“It’s that asshole. He kidnapped her. He took my Clea.”
Landon stands up and starts walking around the room like a crazy person.

“Who are you talking about?” I insist.

“Caden.” Jude breathes out.

The blood drains from my body. Caden!? Oh my god.

Caden is working with Audrey? But how? Why?

“Who’s Caden?” Alec queries.

Ryan walks to the nearest sofa and buries his head in his
hands. I walk to him, seeking comfort for both of us.

“Can someone answer us?” Simon insists, “Who is Caden?”

“He’s Clea’s ex.” Eve explains, “He was her professor, it
ended badly.”

“Badly how?” Alec asks again.

“It doesn’t matter.” Landon snaps, “What matters is Jared
and his team are effective, Jude and I are going to work with them on finding
Clea. They have a solid lead. You can’t escape this city’s security system that
easily.”