I Chose You

Chapter 26

Leonard's POV

Thoughts. Thoughts cloud my head as I lay in bed, today all I want to do is rest but I can't stop thinking about her.
A part of me feels that she's trying to mess with me. I mean I have been avoiding her like the plague. But she has no right to do this. It's not like I left the house for a few days without telling her.
Maybe she wants more freedom and this is her way of proving that she can take care of herself. She's at a restaurant for crying out loud, but that doesn't explain why I am feeling so restless. I feel like something is wrong.
I close my eyes trying to stop my mind from thinking.

I get a text from an unknown number.

I didn't think you would lose her so soon. Honestly, though you were watching her like a hawk.

Who is this?

It better not be Zack or Emilia fooling around because I'm not in the mood. 

Why so boring? Where's the fun in that?

I don't have time for this.

Am about to block the number, when I receive the video. With a text that reads

Emilia is really beautiful but she won't be once I'm done with her.

My heart stops as soon as I read it. I watched the video they sent of Emilia. She tells me that she will be safe as long as I follow all the instructions given to me.
The problem is that I don't trust any of it. And I hate being told what to do.

Do I have your attention now?

I dial the number and it rings and rings and rings nobody answers it.
I go downstairs feeling frustrated with Emilia. Zack. And myself.

"You see this is what I mean when I say to keep an eye on her," I say throwing my phone at Zack who surprisingly catches it with ease. He looks confused but his expression changes when he sees the video. "If you did that we would not be in this mess."

"I do keep an eye on her!  But she's not my responsibility, she's your wife!"

Not his responsibility! Is he serious right now? I would punch him right in the mouth if I had the time.

"Oh piss off with that. I pay you to take care of us and that includes HER?! And if you can't do that Zack then I have no use for you."

"Let's just do what they say. For now, anyway, until we have her back." He says. 

No.

Am not on board with that plan. All I want is to know where they keep her. I won't sit around and wait for someone to tell me when and how to save her.

"Do you think it's them?" Zack asks in a low tone.

Of course, it's them. Those bloody Torricelli's. "A hundred percent. No one else would do this."

"I will try to trace the location of where the video was sent from. Maybe that's where they are keeping Em." He says pressing a bunch of keys on the keyboard.

Em? He has a nickname for her now. I shake my head, that's not important right now. Finding her is.

I call the number again and it rings once and they answer it.

"What was the meaning of that text message? And where the hell are you?"

"So many questions, Caputo? Are you this curious about me, huh? I must say I'm surprised you haven't asked about her. Is there a little trouble in paradise?" He chuckles happily. "She did mention that you don't care about her. I guess you won't care if I draw a little blood."

"You are going to pay for all of this. And don't you dare lay a finger on her!" I feel myself getting more frustrated. "I ask all the right questions. So where the fuck are you? This is between us. Leave her out of it."

"Firstly, I am not going to tell you where I currently am. Why? Because I don't trust you never have never will. You prove yourself to be one of those idiots who don't give a fuck about me or my family. And secondly, the text message is exactly what I feel right now. And stop pretending like she's innocent."

"Fine, don't tell me. I will find you anyway. You will be sorry you ever looked in her direction."

"Don't you dare. I call the shots. If you do anything stupid, I will kill her. And you won't even get to say goodbye. So listen to her for once." he says disconnecting the call.

"Arrrgh!" I toss my phone across the room.

"Hey! We still need that." Zack stands up and gets the phone. "while your screen is messed up, the good news is the phone still works. And the bad news is that I can't find anything on the video. His words are like a kick to the gut. 

"They plan to get me to wherever she is. He said if I do anything, I won't get to say goodbye to her." The thought of that makes me sick.

I pass up and down trying to think of a plan.
"I guess the hunting game has started," Zack says. "They sent this."  He hands me my phone.

Step 1:
Order a cab and send me a picture of the cab including the license plate. I will send you the location once you are inside the cab. No funny business.

"Let's go, the cab is on the way," Zack says standing up. "Here." He hands me a gun.
And I must admit it's been a while since I have held one of these. I never liked the idea of guns believe it or not. One of the reasons why I keep Zack at a close distance. Guess saving my wife's life is a good reason to get customed to the feeling. As we leave the house Zack reminds me to stick to the plan, which made me mad because we didn't have one. The big plan he was referring to was to follow the instructions those two brothers had been barking at us all day.

I have one thing on my mind and that is Emilia. I will do whatever it takes to bring her back home. Zack handles all the formalities and we have an address to where  Emilia is. And I wish I was driving. Don't get me wrong the car is moving just not fast enough.
My phone rings and Zack answers it putting it on speaker.

"Well done! See how easy it is." A mocking voice says. "I would give you a reward but something tells me seeing Emilia in one piece will mean more than any reward I can give."

I growl, "You must be enjoying yourself." My blood is boiling to a hundred degrees. If it were possible, you would see the heat coming out of my head, ears, and nostrils from the resentment I was feeling for this jerk. "No, not yet. But I will soon enough." He chuckles. "Now hurry and get here before I lose my patience. Poor Emilia will have to pay for that." He says.

"Touch her and you're dead! You...-" He hangs up.

Damn it!