Page 8 of Double

Apparently, the cocky one got tired of listening to her. “I told yo’ ass to shut up,” he reminded her, before cracking her over the head with the butt of his gun.

She went down like a rock. I would’ve felt so sorry for her, but after the way she’d done me, I had less than no compassion.

“Check the house,” Chad told the two armed men. Then he gestured at Faylise. “Who is this?”

“Faylise,” she said.

At the same time, I said, “My best friend.”

He nodded. “You trust her?”

It was my turn to nod. “Yeah.” I sighed. “I trust her.”

He turned back to Faylise. “I’m sure you just came to celebrate your friend before her wedding. Unfortunately for you, you’ve gotten yourself caught up in some shit.”

“Are you gonna kill me?”

“Nah, but the politician might if he thinks you’re involved. We’re gonna have to leave you here⁠—”

“Please don’t leave me here!”

“It’s better for you. Trust us,” the gorgeous one spoke up. “You staying here will show them that you weren’t part of this setup. But if you’re determined to leave, you can go home once we leave. Give us an hour or so, then call the police and tell them that the bride was kidnapped.”

“But the security cameras,” Faylise cried. “Gretchen has security cameras.”

“They’ve all been scrambled, darling,” Chad assured her.

“Do you have everything you need?” Lynne asked me.

“One second.” I ran into the bedroom Gretchen had essentially been holding me hostage in. I grabbed the small duffle bag with my belongings. I looked at the wedding gown that she and his mom had chosen for me to wear. It hung on the door of the bedroom. I spat on it before returning to the great room. “I’m ready.”

I had no idea what was in store for me. All I knew was that Lianna and Moses had called in help from America. Whether whatever plan they’d hatched worked or not, at least somebody was giving me a chance. Somebody was trying to help me. My prayers had been answered.

I hugged Faylise as she cried on my shoulder. I didn’t cry with her, mainly because I was all cried out. To be honest, I was probably in a bit of shock.

“I love you,” I told her.

“This is good. Even though you never confirmed it, I knew your aunt was holding something over you and forcing you to marry this man. I’m so glad you don’t have to go through with it. I’ll miss you like crazy, but I’m so happy for you. Take care of you.”

“You, too. Please be safe.”

“I will.”

The second we broke the embrace, the cocky one walked behind her and cracked Faylise on the head with the butt of his gun. He caught her as she went down and placed her gingerly on the sofa.

I rounded on him. “Why would you do that?” I cried loudly in disbelief. “Why would you do that?”

Next thing I knew, I was thrown over a shoulder and carried out of the house.

We were put in and taken out of two different black trucks with blacked-out windows before the SUV carrying Lynne, Lianna, and me pulled into a long driveway. Between the switching of vehicles, we’d driven for well over an hour, and I figured that, at this point, we had to be on the other side of Iredia.

No sooner than the three of us were whisked from the truck by four armed gunmen did I hear car doors slamming behind us. Soon, Chad and the three younger men joined us in the foyer of an oceanfront estate. We were all ushered into a dining room by a uniformed butler. The table was huge, and almost every inch was covered in food. I noticed the food, but what really caught my attention was the fact that my Uncle Moses was already seated.

Lianna hurried over to him. He stood and embraced her in a tight hug. A man I didn’t recognize exchanged handshakes with Chad and the three younger men.

When he got to me, he offered a sympathetic smile. “It will all make sense soon, young one,” he told me.

I nodded because his words seemed sincere.