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That gruesome face was the last thing I saw before it all went dark.
Charlotte
All I could do was cry. The man I thought I’d left to die inside the burning bakery in Florida was very much alive—and he had come back for revenge. Part of me always knew my past would catch up to me. After what I’d done? People didn’t get to start a new life somewhere else and actually be happy. How foolish I was.
The worst part was that Tanner had gotten caught in the crossfire. The last thing I saw was Tommy running behind Tanner, a metal bat in his hands. Then, John slammed a sack over my head and carried me away. I heard a hollow cracking sound that pierced through me like a bullet. I prayed that it was the sound of Tommy’s skull being struck with the bat, and not Tanner’s.
My hands were now zip-tied behind my back as I lay across the back seat of the moving vehicle. My guess was that it was the same black SUV that had been following me. I should’ve known. I should’ve left when I had the chance.
Amidst the panic of being kidnapped, and the terror of not knowing if Tanner was okay, an odd sense of relief consumed me: I am not a murderer. Although, it might not matter anymore. I wasn’t sure if I’d be alive for much longer.
I felt the vehicle stop. John and Tommy were silent as they opened their doors and pulled me out. I was yanked out by my ankles and hoisted over someone’s shoulders again.
“What should I do with him?” I heard Tommy ask.
My heart thumped hard against my chest. Tanner was with us.
“Bring him in. We can’t chance him waking up and escaping.”
“I don’t think he’ll be waking up,” Tommy said with an amused tone.
“Please,” I pleaded. “Leave him out of this. He has nothing to do with any of this.”
“Shut up, blondie,” John snapped. “You did this to him. This is on you now.”
I said nothing because I knew he was right. If I wasn’t a murderer before, I would be now. Tanner’s blood would be on my hands. His family would be torn apart all over again. My heart shattered in my chest as the tears spilled over.
A door creaked open. It was not much warmer inside wherever we were. We’d only been driving a short while, so we had to still be on Staten Island. I shook with fear, wondering what was going to happen next.
John sat me in a cold metal chair and zip-tied my ankles tightly to the legs. He then ripped the sack off my head. I frantically searched the darkened room for Tanner while my eyes strained to see where we’d been taken. The familiar sweet smell confirmed where we were.
Dad’s bakery.
When I spotted the red gasoline jug by the door, John’s plan unfolded in my mind without needing further explanation.
John sat another chair directly in front of me, and Tommy sank Tanner’s lifeless body down onto it, tying his wrists and ankles like mine. His head hung forward, and I let out a loud sob when I saw the stream of blood down the side of his face and neck.
Tommy slapped Tanner’s cheek several times in an attempt to wake him. Tanner’s eyelids fluttered, and he slowly lifted his head. I was filled with mixed emotions, thankful he was alive, but panic-stricken for what he was about to endure. Guilt filled every inch of my body. I’d gotten him into this, and I wasn’t going to be able to get him out.
Tanner
“Aww, look. Blondie is crying. Let me wipe those tears for you.” The man with the scarred face swiftly backhanded Charlotte, sending lava shooting through my veins. I tried to stand, but my arms and legs wouldn’t budge. I looked down in confusion and saw that I was bound to the chair. What the fuck was going on?
“Easy, tiger,” the second man said. He was undoubtedly the fucker who’d knocked me out from behind. The immense throbbing in my head paled in comparison to the seething rage inside me.
“You’re going to wish I was a tiger when I get my hands on you,” I growled.
Both of the men burst into laughter, only spiking my anger. I yanked my limbs as hard as I could, trying to break free from the zip ties.
“Please,” Charlotte whimpered. Her cheek was bright red where the man had struck her. “Please let him go. He’s innocent in all of this. You have me. You can let him go.”
That was the moment I realized that Charlotte knew exactly who these men were. Looking around the room, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit into their respective places. These men were from Charlotte’s past; they were the men she and her father had run from; they were the reason she carried a gun; and, judging by the gas can, they definitely had something to do with the fire in her old bakery.
The man with the yellow teeth and mangled face lowered himself until he was nose to nose with Charlotte. His voice was low. “Look at what you did to my face, you little bitch. Do you really think I’m going to show mercy and let your boyfriend go?”
Charlotte didn’t respond. Her eyes returned to mine, and my gut wrenched. “I’m so sorry, Tanner.”
“Don’t be. We’re going to get out of here. Don’t you worry, my sweet girl.” I didn’t know how, just yet, but I needed to make her feel better somehow. She was shaking, tear-stained, and terrified. I had to get her out of here, away from these men.
