Bound to You

Chapter 51: Here For You

23:30

Torres Manor

Right when she was slowly drifting to sleep, Sierra heard her smartphone's loud ringtone. Why was it so annoying? In the dark, she peered at the screen of her phone turning on and off far away on the bed. 

She reached for it, grabbed it excruciatingly slow and slid it to her ear, "...mmm?" 

"Sierra!" 

She jerked awake, sitting upright as she heard Mason's unmistaken voice. "Where are you right now? Where is Ileana?!" 

She exclaimed, "We're both here...at Ja—Mr. Torres' house. Why?" She was embarrassed that she had to tell him that but she was even more worried. 

He ordered, "Hand the phone to Torres. Right now." 

It sounded urgent. She stumbled in the dark, "What's going on?! Why...do you want to talk to him?" She was getting nervous. Something wasn't right. 

"Right now, Sierra." 

She managed to get out of the room. She ran to James' room, pushed open his door and he wasn't there. She was confused for one second. He was probably still in his study! She bit her lips, going red as she pressed the phone to her ear, "I swear I haven't done anything... inappropriate. He doesn't even know who I am!" 

She heard him sighing heavily, "Just put him on the phone."

When she barged in his study, shouting his name, James reacted instantly by pulling out one of the drawers to toss the damn report in there. She paused for a moment, walking inside, wondering what he just hid from her. 

She shuddered when his eyes angrily met hers, judging her. He stood, not hiding his displeasure, "What, now?" 

She handed him the phone, ignoring the rigid coldness in his voice, "Mason's asking for you." 

He brutally snatched the device from her, turned his back to her and walked to the large windows to look outside, "Torres speaking." 

She exhaled slowly. Was he still mad at her? She noticed their two engagement rings on his desk right next to a bottle of whiskey and she moved closer, feeling heavy. He had never taken his off before. It was as if he just erased everything they shared together. 

She reached for his ring, recalling how she had unwillingly slid it on his finger at that time. And now, she looked at him as he was facing away. His shoulders tensed. He was speaking so quietly she could barely hear a thing.

She couldn't stand the thought that he might hate her right now. What was Mason telling him for God's sake? The moment she took a step towards him, he instantly glanced over his shoulder to look at her with nothing but an impassive anger. She coyly averted her eyes, staying right where she was.

James returned his gaze to the window as Mason Danvers explained the situation to him. "Listen carefully, Torres. I'll be brief. Sierra's being tracked by a madman named Burrell. He's in—"

 "Why?" He already knew. He just wanted to believe that the report's contents were fake. 

"Damn it. Just listen. Her presence puts you and your family at risk. She's not any random woman. Send her away. Right now if possible. Burrell is in town and he won't take long to find her and you along."

"What kind of woman is she then?"

"That's none of your concern. I'm being followed right now. Keep my daughter, Ileana safe. I'll come and fetch her when the coast is clear." 

His gaze settled on the several black cars which drove by his wall, parking messily in front of his gate and he frowned, recalling the men who had followed Ileana before. Talk about the devils.