His Slave

59. Takedown

T/W: brief mention of suicide

James

I pull up to the Dalton's estate, letting out a heavy sigh. I don't want to do this, but Erin's brother deserves to know what has happened to her. She'd be furious with me if she found out I waited even this long to tell him.

I go up to the door, knocking only once before one of the Dalton's debtors answer the door. I think Erin told me his name was Thomas. He visibly pales when he realizes who I am.

"Uh... how can I help you, sir?" He asks, opening the door wider so I can enter.

I step inside, glancing around the foyer, trying not to show my disgust. I forgot how tasteless the Dalton's big, fancy farm house is.

I'm about to ask if I can speak to Erin's brother, but then I realize that these people are practically her family. They probably all would want to know what's happened. "Are Adrian and Leora here?" I ask him.

He shakes his head.

"Good. Then can you gather everyone together please?" I ask next.

Thomas gives me a quizzical look before nodding and going to fetch the rest of the Dalton's staff.

Once they've all gathered in the foyer, I clear my throat trying to figure out how to word this. I've never been good with speeches or meetings, but explaining that someone was kidnapped? This is an entirely new front.

"Where's Erin?" Tobias asks, concern lacing his words.

Might as well just come out with it. No point in prolonging the inevitable. "She's been kidnapped. I thought you should know."

The young girl that was at Erin's birthday party bursts into tears.

"What?!" Tobias spits, lunging for me. Thomas grabs him, pulling him back. "You're not assaulting James Fucking Harrington," he says.

I almost smirk.

Tobias struggles to free himself. "He let Erin get kidnapped!" He protests, forcing himself out of Thomas' grasp.

"How could you let this happen?" He demands, stepping towards me.

I frown, giving him a disapproving look. "I apologize if there wasn't much I could do to save her while I was lying under a caved in ceiling, incapacitated," I retort bitterly.

"And don't worry, I feel more than enough guilt and self-loathing for the both of us."

"You miss her, don't you?" The young woman, who's name might be Adelaide asks me.

I nod. "Very much," I reply softly. "Erin is my everything," I tell them honestly.

It's strange to be here, talking to her family and friends without her. I should have asked one of my family's debtors to tell them, but all of them were busy.

And Anna's been busy hacking, trying to locate Erin, not that she could leave anyways.

It took some serious convincing to get the police to agree to let her help them. I just hope something will actually come of it.

And besides, I needed to get out of the Manor today. I hadn't left since I got back from the hospital five days ago.

Tobias lowers his gaze to the floor. "How did this happen?" He asks quietly.

"The rebel group known as the A.E.D.P. kept contacting her, but she wouldn't agree to join their cause, so they kidnapped her, instead," I say, my heart aching from my words.

One of the older debtors lets out a violent string of curse words that makes even me cringe. Well, now I know where Erin gets it from.

"See. I fucking told you they were goddamn fucking trouble," he replies in a gruff voice, glancing around at all the others.