Page 42 of Bound By Secrets

My fists clench by my sides and Johnny places a firm hand on my shoulder, holding me in place, keeping me from storming over to the sick bastard who is still lying on the floor with his hands and feet bound to the metal chair.

Although it’s almost killing me to listen to his twisted words, I know that we need him to tell us as much as possible. I’m going to have to force myself to listen to every sordid tale that comes out of his mouth.

“You said you paid for exclusivity, right?” Johnny asks through gritted teeth. Fraser rests his head against the cold ground and nods. “How much were you paying him?”

Fraser stays quiet, his head leaning against the ground, eyes closed. A smirk still playing along his lips. Johnny walks forward and kicks him in the stomach. “How much?” he growls. Fraser coughs and attempts to curl into himself to protect his midsection when Johnny kicks him again, but it’s no use. He can’t move much due to his bindings.

He groans and then shouts, “Alright! Stop!” Johnny offers one more firm kick and then backs away. Fraser’s eyes are now open and fearful, his smirk long gone. “Sit me up, and I’ll talk.”

Johnny and I exchange a look. I shrug to show that I’m unbothered either way, so we walk over and haul him upright again. He hangs his head low and groans in discomfort and pain.

“Derek allowed me access to her three times a month for ten thousand. If I wanted an extra day, it would cost me another grand. I paid him six months in advance. I wanted to wait until she was of age so that it wasn’t illegal. He said if he didn’t need the money, then he wouldn’t have charged me at all.”

“What did he need the money for?”

Thank God Johnny was here because I wouldn’t have been able to think straight and ask him questions.

If I was here alone with Fraser, I know I would’ve been beating him black and blue by now, and I don’t think I would’ve stopped until he was dead. I’ve never seen myself as much of a violent person before, but since I’d found out about everything Callie had been through in the years I’d been gone, I’ve thought about murdering every single one of these motherfuckers.

Fraser lifts his head now, his eyes moving back and forth between us. “He was in trouble with the cartel. Cameron had been withholding some of the cash and also been stealing the goods. So, he made a deal to gradually pay them back.” A slimy smile slowly forms on his face, and his gaze rakes over to mine. “He was going to sell her to the highest bidder at first. He was planning an auction and everything. Do you want to know why that didn’t happen?” He asks.

A crease forms between my brows as he stares at me with a malicious glint in his eyes and a twisted smile etched onto his face.

“He found out from Cameron that she wasn’t a virgin anymore. Not only was she not a virgin, but the little slut was pregnant.”

Johnny's head whips around in my direction so quickly that I’m surprised he didn’t snap his neck. Fraser chuckles in his chair when he realises that Johnny has no idea about that fact. His laughing fades into a coughing fit soon after. Johnnycontinues to glare at me even though I’m not focused on him. I’m still staring at Fraser and processing what he’s told us.

“Outside, now!” Johnny shouts. I close my eyes and sigh, wondering how this is going to go.

When I first spoke to Johnny after I’d left town, I thought he’d know about everything, but when a few weeks had gone by, and the subject was never brought up, I soon realised that he had no idea about Callie’s miscarriage. I hadn’t thought about telling him either because it was devastating. I don’t want to relive that experience ever again.

We were young and in no way prepared to have a baby together, but when I learned that Callie was pregnant, I was overjoyed. The thought of having something that connected us for life, something that we’d made together out of love, was indescribable. Then, to find Callie on the floor in her bathroom a week later, crying her eyes out in pain with blood trickling down her legs, it was heartbreaking. I’d spent a week thinking about how gorgeous our baby would be, I’d thought about names, and I’d even started searching for places where we could live, far away from this town.

All of those thoughts crashed and burned as I spent an hour wrapped around Callie on the floor of that bathroom, whispering in her ear that everything was going to be okay, telling her I was going to be there for her no matter what, and I was going to help her through it. Then, shortly after that, I’d broken those promises because of what I’d overheard Derek saying in that bar… I ran away and left her.

I will forever remember our little angel. The little life that I’d created with my girl was magical. I couldn't forget that; hence, the tattoo on my back. Every moment after that though, I wish it never happened at all. Even more so now with everything I’ve learnt since being back.

When I walk outside the shed, Johnny shoves me up against the wooden slats, his arm across my throat.

“You got her pregnant!” He spits, his face centimetres away from mine. “You got her fucking pregnant, Ryker!” He shouts again, seething with anger as he lifts his clenched fist and smashes it into the wooden beam beside my head.

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but it’s not something I exactly like to talk about, Johnny.”

He studies my face for a moment, realisation dawning on him as he says, “She lost the baby.”

I close my eyes and drop my head backwards against the exterior of the shed. “Yeah, we lost the baby.”

We stand in silence, watching one another as my words settle around us.

“Well, I’m surprised that he’s talking to us so easily already. It concerns me a little if I’m honest,” he says. The quick change in conversation shocks me, but I’m grateful for it. “I thought he’d be somewhat loyal towards Derek but it seems like he really is just a selfish coward..”

I nod in agreement because I’m equally confused by how easy it has been to get Fraser to confess.

“You think anyone knows that you took him?”

“No, no one,” I tell him, “I saw him at Callie’s when I dropped her home, so I waited outside the house for him to leave. Then I followed him home, knocked him out before he managed to get in his front door and brought him here straight after. No one saw me.”

“Okay, that’s one thing we ain’t got to worry ‘bout then… you know we can’t just let him go, right?” I nod and run a shaky hand through my hair.

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