AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Now, I’m not one who likes to normally lie to him, but until I know for certain what’s going on, I decide to not frighten him. “I don’t know anything yet, brother. Let’s just stay here and cuddle like we used to until we find out. Okay?”
“Yes. I’d like that,” he confesses as he snuggles into my relaxing touch as I continue to play with his hair until his eyes close.
Just as I’m about to succumb to the darkness, my phone dings. Across the screen I see the notification for my email stating I have a new one waiting and ready to be read in my inbox. Even though I'm drowsy, curiosity gets the best of me and I press the button to play the video attachment.
“Hello, daughter,”a distorted and transmitted voice says through the airway. I’m not sure why he’s trying to camouflage himself with a voice alternator considering he all but announced who he is.
I know who it is even with the perplexing deception.
For one, he said daughter.
For two, nobody can come across as condescending and snooty as my dad does.
I press pause, and crawl from the bed so I don’t take the chance of Berk overhearing our dad. I’m sure he’s going to be demanding something, and whatever that is, I don’t want it to hurt my brother.
Sneaking into the hallway, I slide down the wall until I’m sitting on my rear end. With trembling hands, I bite my bottom lip and put my big girl panties on. With a skittish breath, I press the play button and the video picks up where it left off.
“It's time for me to play my hand, and soon, you'll see that the cards that I've dealt are not ones you're going to be happy with. You will not come out a winner in this. I will be the victor here.”
He stops long enough to let out a maniacal laugh. It gives me enough time to gather my courage to continue listening to the rest of the bullshit he’s about to spew.
“You only have so many weaknesses and only one was easily contained and I have her at my disposal. Wanna take a gander at who that could be?”
“Oh, God,” I wheeze out. “No! No, no, no, no, no.”
Tears are streaming down my cheeks and I don’t wipe them away. If he has who I suspect he does, the least I can do is cry for her.
“Daddy, no. How could you?” I berate a man who can’t even hear me doing it.
“No guesses? Hmm, let me show you.”He walks around a dark corner, and suddenly, I spot a woman tied to a chair with her head dangling. Chin on her chest. I don't need to see her face to know who she is.
That’s my best friend.
My Addy.
My ride or die.
The Thelma to my Louise.
She doesn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of any of this.
I sob when he reaches out and grabs her by the roots of her hair and flings her head back. I hear her neck snap which has me nauseous.
“Don’t hurt her!” I scream to the taped video.
Logically, I get that he can’t hear me, but that doesn’t stop me from rocking and begging him anyway.
“Please. Please. Please. Stop, Daddy! Just stop!”
But he doesn’t hear me and continues on with his tirade.“You have two hours to escape your guards, leave the grounds, and meet me in the parking garage at the library. If you don’t show up at that designated time and place, Addison will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. See you soon, my daughter.”
My head begins to pound and my eyes start pulsating with the beat of my heart.
How am I supposed to accomplish what he's asked of me?
These men are trained.
There'll be no sneaking around them.
