【Josh】
Where the hell was she?
My mind was spinning, and my vision was a blur. Each heartbeat thudded against my ribcage, and I could barely breathe. My chest constricted, and I wanted to scream out loud.
Where was she?
I could’ve said I was panicking because it was the money. I would’ve said that. But…I wasn’t. I seriously, honestly just wanted her.
London.
***
(London)
I checked the road sign. Strell End. I’d found it. The two warehouses Dad had chosen for the ransom spot. They were depressing enough – two twin buildings, as empty and cold as each other. It was the kind of thing you’d see in a horror movie. They were both big – very big. The brown bricks were crumbling, and moss had climbed up the walls, making it look like a mouldy Cadbury’s finger.
I collapsed, onto the grassy ground, behind a bush. My stomach hurt like hell. What was this? My heart pounded, and I couldn’t think straight. All I knew was that I was mad at Josh. I closed my eyes against the pain, gritting my teeth, curling into a little ball. It hurt, it really hurt – like burning in a white-hot flame, like freezing in solid ice – but a hundred times worse. A hundred million times worse.
There was a rustling, and suddenly I stopped moving. What was that? Was it Josh?
I peeked through the leaves. It was men…three of them, all well-built, dressed in all black. The way they moved was fluent and silence, and just the way they held themselves told me they were professionals.
This is what my Dad sent to kill Josh.
I almost laughed.
I knew this was coming, and I’d made up my mind to stop it – I had no idea how, but I promised myself I would stop it. Now, after what he said…should I really stop it? Because really, this was Josh’s fault. He’d kidnapped me, for God’s sake. He threatened to kill me. He deserved this. He should die. He had to die.
A tear rolled down my cheek.
I couldn’t let him die. I couldn’t go through that feeling again, like the one I’d had that time, when he was shot.
Even though he was a lying, cheating, kidnapping bastard, I couldn’t let him die. The words came to my mind before I could stop them.
I love Josh.
A little gasp left my lips, and I covered my mouth quickly – but not quickly enough. The one of three guys – assassins, I should call them – spun around. His eyes searched the surroundings, and I tried to keep as silent and as still as possible.
He made eye-contact with me.
No! I can’t let myself get caught like this! I can’t…not now…
One of his friends put a hand on his arm, and pulled the guy away, saying something I couldn’t hear.
My breathing slowed.
They’d gone into the warehouse – Josh’s warehouse. That was it. That was their plan. I was meant to go to the second warehouse.
They would kill him. Of course they would.
My Dad isn’t the type of guy who shoved mercy.
I laughed, and a sudden spasm in my stomach turned it into a choke. Damn it, what the hell was wrong with me?
There was a movement in the corner of my eye.
Josh. He’d finally found me.
I should tell him to run, right? I’ll get him to run! He could run away, he would be able to escape, and I could come with him, right? We could be together – even if he didn’t want me. Even if he hated me, I’ll never let him go.
