Page 33 of Coming Home

“There up. We are back,” Simon yells as everyone in the room holds their breath and stares at the monitors.

“Where is she?” I ask, my eyes feverishly looking at all the screens, trying to see the car and get my eyes on my girl.

“I can’t see the car,” Marco murmurs as the entire room is quiet, each person looking intently at the screens like we are all searching for a sign of life in a rough sea.

“We lost her,” a voice calls out as my heart breaks into a million pieces.

40

Scarlett

It is not a cold night, but my body tremors with chills, and my shaking hands have returned. Ever since I got into this car, I feel the loathing that is coming from Ray. The moment he caught sight of my necklace, he knew what it really was, so it didn’t last long before he ripped it from my neck and threw it out the car window.

After driving around in what feels like circles, the car suddenly jolts quickly down a small side street and continues to take alleyways and more side streets until we reach a dark part of the docks. The car drives straight into a warehouse, the roller door closing swiftly behind us. It all takes less than five minutes, and I can feel the air change around me. Ray is now in full criminal mode in what appears to be his lair.

“Where are we?” I demand of Ray, noticing the sly grin on his face.

“Nowhere you will be found. Even though we are not far away from him, he will not find you here. Unless he pays me for you, of course,” he says slyly as he gets out of the car. My door opens and large hands grab my arms and pull me violently from the car, pushing me toward a door.

“What are you talking about?” I scream at Ray.

“You know, Scarlett, Shaun is no better than his father. I offered his father the deal of a lifetime years ago, and he disregarded me without a second glance. He looked at me like I was the scum on his shoe. He was a prick, and Shaun is exactly like him. I may not have gotten his business then, but with you as my little pawn I should be able to get the millions I deserve now.”

“You’re holding me for ransom?!”

“You know for someone so bright, it takes you a while to catch on. I sometimes wish you had been home with your family the night I organized their deaths. But then I wouldn’t get this second chance at getting my millions,” he snickers.

“I encouraged you to come to Boston so I could set a trap for Shaun. I knew that he would want you. You have beauty and brains. All I had to do is set up a few chance meetings, like the same flight from LAX to Boston, the Business Summit, and of course, our family charity gala. You were the perfect carrot that I dangled in front of him. Now that I have you, the only way he can get you back is to hand over his money. This deal with Shaun and Stephen is monopoly money compared to what I would have now if the deal I had offered his father went through all those years ago. I will ruin his family by taking what he values the most, his business or his girl. Perhaps I will be a total bastard and take both.” I stare at him in shock. I can’t comprehend the words that are coming from a man who only a day ago hugged me like a daughter. Ray nods to his men who grab me and start pushing me forward again, away from him.

As we walk, I look around to see if I can get my bearings before we start walking through rooms and corridors, leaving Ray behind us in his lair. It is like a maze, and I have no doubt they have taken me this way so I cannot get out on my own accord. The rough hands haven’t let go of me, and they dig into my arms painfully. I am sure big purple bruises will decorate my arms in a matter of hours. We stop at a door before another man opens it, and I am thrust inside, the door is slammed shut behind me. I stand there trying to digest everything I was just told. The room is small. There is no window, and it is made from a concrete floor and walls. The lighting is dim; however, I know I am not alone.

“Who’s there, who are you?” I ask, trying to sound confident and not at all scared which couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Scarlett,” a voice whispers, my head turning to the back corner where I see a huddled figure.

“Stephen!” I run over to him and see he is black and blue. His clothes are ripped, and his face is nearly unrecognizable due to the swelling and bruising. Blood seeps from his nose and cuts above his eyes.

“Oh my god, what happened?” I take his hand to offer comfort, not sure which part of his body is broken and not wanting to cause him more pain.

“Dad, he… his men…, he has lost his mind, Scarlett. He knows we know about his money laundering, and he knows we know he had your family killed. He is desperate now, and a desperate man does desperate things.”

“I know,” I respond, careful not to upset Stephen further.

“I didn’t know, Scarlett, I didn’t know about any of it. I am so sorry. He used me to get you and now is using you to get to Shaun. He wants money and lots of it and plans to get it from Shaun so he can use it to run. He is holding us ransom.”

“I know,” I say again, defeat evident in my tone. “Oh my god, I played right into his hands–coming as soon as he requested.” Guilt and remorse rack my body as I think back to Shaun asking me not to meet Ray. Why didn’t I listen?

It’s always been about the money for Ray; he never cared about family. I have never despised a man more than I do Ray right now. And poor Shaun; I should never have been close to him. Now my family are going to ruin him, and it is all my fault. My eyes sting with tears. I have to be strong, but guilt is eating away at me more and more every second I am here.

“I overheard the men talking. Their plan now that he has us both is to contact Shaun and arrange a meeting. He hands over the money, and Ray will hand us back over to Shaun.”

I slide to the floor, my legs no longer able to keep me upright. The thoughts in my head are running wild, and I feel the start of a migraine coming on.

“I did this. I should never have come to Boston. Shaun will lose everything if he agrees to the ransom. Surely, he won’t do it, his family business means too much to him. Plus, Ray is evil. I don’t think he will hand us over; I think he will kill us tonight.”

“You mean too much to him, Scarlett. I don’t know what Shaun will do, but I know he loves you.”

“Loves me?” I squeak out, looking at Stephen who just nods in reply. “We have to do something; we need to get out of here.”

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