My Beloved

Chapter 29

Ava tried to force herself to sleep, but she couldn't. She stayed up all night tossing and turning and crying. Lots of crying, but she did so silently as she didn't want to disturb the girls or talk about it. It was finally 6 o'clock in the morning and Rachelle and Cara Mia were still asleep. She had showered and changed into jeans and her grey Hillman hoodie. She toyed with the idea of texting Luca, but she stopped herself.

She placed her phone in the hidden pocket inside the hoodie and began her chores of feeding pets and cleaning cages. She hadn't given herself the time necessary to figure out what could've gone wrong and wasn't going to just yet. She needed a clear head before having to go to the hospital in a couple of hours.

"So, you two fucked last night. Pietro and I could hear your hollering ass all the way in my room." Rachelle smiled walking into Cara Mia's room. Cara Mia blushed and stretched in her robe after coming out of the shower. "You guys didn't just fuck. You ffffuuuuucckkkeeedddd!" Rachelle said holding up the torn dress. "Shut it, Rach!" Cara Mia laughed as she grabbed the shredded material from her hands. "I'm happy for you, boo. You deserve it." Rachelle was dressed in a casual jumpsuit, while Cara Mia threw on a maxi dress. They were going to enjoy their lazy Saturday.

"So, was I dreaming or did I hear Ava crying?" Rachelle asked. "You heard that too? I thought I was making it up." Rachelle shook her head. "She said something was off about Gianni and Luca. Did he say anything?" Cara Mia shook her head. "There was something different. He was relentless sex wise. Rougher. Frantic even." Rachelle shrugged as they headed out of her room. "We won't push her if she doesn't want to talk, but if she does we'll be there for her."

They came downstairs to see their best friend cleaning and looked at one another. "Ava, you okay?" She looked up at them revealing bloodshot red eyes. "Oh honey," Cara Mia cooed. Ava didn't want to break down, but she could never keep things from them. "Luca broke up with me." The tears started falling and they just held her. "I'm going to kick his ass," Rachelle said as she squeezed tighter.

Just then the doorbell rang. Cara Mia went to open the door and almost shrieked when she was shoved backwards. "What the hell?" Rachelle questioned until she saw the gun. She pulled Cara Mia back to her and Ava and watched on as six men circled them. "What the hell do you want?" Cara Mia barked.

"You're coming with us," one of the men ordered. "The hell we are!" A gun was immediately pointed at Rachelle's face. "Go head! Shoot me! You wouldn't go through all this fuss if you didn't need me alive!" She growled. "Actually, we just need these two alive, so..." he cocked the gun.

"No wait! Please don't hurt her or us. We'll go with you." Ava spoke up. "You're the one he actually cares about anyway. But keep your friends in line." The men taped their hands and mouths and loaded them into the black van in front of their house. There was no one out to witness them being kidnapped. "You'll get answers shortly," the man told Ava as he watched her look around.

They drove for what seemed like forever and as time went on the girls became more and more frightened. Ava hoped that the text she sent Luca during Rachelle's outburst would help them. She was thankful her phone was still in the secret pocket of the hoodie and on silent.

If her hands ever became free again, she would call for help next. They stopped at a warehouse off the water. The girls had no idea where they were, but if Ava had to guess she figured Staten or Long Island. The warehouse looked abandoned, which did nothing to quell the fear that was building.

"Move," a man said knocking Ava back to reality as he shoved her. They walked into the darkly lit warehouse that smelt damp and musty. They were lead passed an open area with tables and chairs and into a hallway that had rooms to the left and right. They were pushed into a room that filled them with fear and anxiety. They noticed the bed in the middle of the room and looked at the men behind them. They were grateful that they were ushered over to three chairs in front of a television and left alone.

Rachelle stood up and walked to Cara Mia and turned around. Cara Mia was confused until Rachelle started wiggling her fingers. She leaned forward until Rachelle had a good grasp on the tape and ripped it off. "Fuck me!" Cara Mia loudly whispered. Ava followed suit, before returning the favor. "What the heck is going on?" Rachelle whispered. "Who are these men? What do they want with us?" Ava whispered tears gathering. "I have no idea, but we have to get out of here." Cara Mia stated with fear laced in her voice.

Cara Mia began looking around the room. There was nothing around to help cut their hands free and the door seemed to lock from the outside. Just then the door opened. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, ladies," Rachelle and Cara Mia's faces were lit up with anger, but Ava was shocked. "Nik? What are you doing here?"

Rachelle looked between the blonde-haired man and her best friend. "You know this man?" Cara Mia asked confused. "He's the Chief at the hospital! We've been working on my project for months." The three looked at him confused. "What is going on, Nik? Why are you doing this?" Ava asked more confused than afraid.

He smiled at her lovingly. "There's so much information to digest," Nikolai drawled out as he made his way over to them. "My name is Nikolai Volkov and I am the only son of Dimitri Volkov, the leader of the Russian mafia." The girls were thoroughly confused. "Nik, what are you talking about? The Russian mafia? You're a doctor!" She was beyond confused. "None of this makes sense. Why did you kidnap us?" He walked up to her and traced Ava's jawline with a smile. Ava wanted to move, but the look in his eyes dared her to. She didn't want to make matters worse, so she would oblige.

"You were always so beautiful to me. When I first planted myself at Bellevue it was to watch them. I wanted to mess with their pharmaceutical movements, but then I saw you with him and my plans changed. I wanted to get closer to his pet, needed to after a while. Now I find that I have truly fallen in love with you, Ava. I can make you so happy."

Ava looked at him as if he were crazy. "What the hell are you talking about creep?" Rachelle barked out. Nikolai scowled at her and headed to the laptop on top of the television. He pressed a button and their image showed up on the television screen. "I don't want you two." He pointed at Cara Mia and Rachelle. "I want your men."

Cara Mia's eyes grew wide as the truth dawned on her. This was all a ploy to get to Gianni, Luca and Pietro. "What do you want with them?" Cara Mia called out looking at the scary expression on Nikolai's face. "Everything." He typed away at the laptop before looking back at them. "We're going to send them a quick little video to show them you're all safe and in my possession." Ava looked at Cara Mia and Rachelle the moment Nikolai turned his back to them. "What are we going to do?" Ava mouthed as her two best friends shook their heads.

"You three will be my bait so to speak. I need them here and you're going to bring them to me." Cara Mia was in defense mode. She wanted to protect her man at all costs. "What do you want to do with them? Why do you need them?" Nikolai looked Cara Mia over and smiled. "I can see why he likes you. You're intelligent, beautiful and have curves in all the right places." He said before grabbing a handful of her ass. Cara Mia waned to head butt him but Ava shook her head. Nikolai laughed at them as he reveled in their submission.

"I want Gianni, Pietro and Luca for one reason and one reason alone. Payback. They will come to save their women and when they do, I will kill them." Ava's eyes bugged out as her anxiety and fear piqued. The room seemed smaller to her as she began hyperventilating. "Don't worry, моя любовь (my love). I will make sure nothing happens to you in the process. You are mine now."

Nikolai cooed to Ava as he brushed her hair back causing her to further freak out. "Why are you doing this?" Rachelle asked fearing for Pietro's life. Nikolai rolled his eyes at her. "You are definitely Pietro's type. All legs and ass, but no brains." Rachelle glared at him. "I told you payback is my motive. I've been trying to break those fools down for years and now I can."

He gave Ava a kiss on the cheek and smiled as she tried to pull herself out of his vise like grip. Nikolai quickly pulled out three syringes from his pocket and injected her arm with one. "What is that?" Cara Mia asked taking a step back. "Do not run from me." Nikolai stated sternly, but Cara Mia still took a step back.

He shook his head as he walked in front of her and slapped her. "Nik!" Ava screamed as Cara Mia's cheek turned bright red. Nikolai chuckled as he quickly injected her arm. He looked at Rachelle and dared her to defy him. He injected Rachelle a bit roughly and she knew there would be a bruise.