Nadine's POV
RUE'S HANDS TREMBLE as they sit in her lap.
She bounces her knee up and down, I catch her chewing on her nail every few minutes, but when she catches me staring, she immediately stops and looks away from me.
I pull up to the drive way and put the car in park. I take the keys out of the engine, and sit. Rue doesn't move. She stares out of window, waiting.
Waiting for what?
I look at her.
She's shaking.
"Rue." I say softly.
No answer.
"Rue, please"
She seems to zone out after something happens to her. First when I found her on the roof, and now, now.
"Rue, let's go inside, come on," I say quietly, slightly nudging her shoulder.
No answer.
"Please answer me."
No.
"Jesus- Fuck, how many times do I have to say please for you to listen." I groan. I'm tired of this bullshit. At this point, I don't care if my parents are dead, alive, submerged in wet concrete, waiting to be dried to death.
I don't care. I want to go back to New York and never return here.
"FUCK." I yell in frustration. She flinches, and turns to look at me. Her eyes are filled with tears and fear.
I didn't mean to scare her.
"Rue-" Before I can finish, she opens the car door and gets out.
If I've already blown this-
"Shi- fuck" I get out of the car and slam it shut, "Rue, wait!"
She stops just as she's about to go inside.
"Rue-" As I walk up to her, I see why she stopped.
Blood is covering the door step and is leaking onto the snow. She backs up a little, I see that she stepped in the blood, causing her high heels to make prints on the sidewalk.
Without questioning, I grab Rue, and pull her against my chest. She doesn't fight it, she's too scared.
I take my gun from the holster that was on my pants, and hold it up, pointing it in every direction.
"Nadine." Rue whispers.
"Shh."
If someone is still here, it's best not go inside, but worse to stay outside. The house we're currently staying in, is in a sort of isolated area. Meaning we don't have many neighbors, and if we do, they're a few yards away to hear us.
Rue hesitantly wraps her arms around my torso, and nuzzles her head in my chest,"I'm scared," She whispers.
"I know." I look around. Nothing. No one is here.
"I think it's safe to go inside," I pull away from her, but she immediately pulls me back.
"Please, I don't want to stay here tonight," she says softly.
I look down at her, "we don't have anywhere else to go." She looks miserable, her eyes are puffy and red from the cold, and from crying her heart out. Her dress is dirty from running through the woods, and I don't think she took her medicine today.
"Where's your medicine?" I ask.
"Shit," she looks down at her phone.
"I was supposed to take it 5 hours ago"
"Let's go get it," I say, trying to lead her to the door.
She tugs in my hand and pulls me back to her. Again.
"I'm not going in there, it's fine, I don't need my medicine, let's just leave and come back tomorrow." She pleads.
"Rue," I demand, "We are going inside."
She gives up, she lets go of my hand and doesn't spare me a second glance.
I go to the door and place a hand on the door nob. As soon as I feel the warm liquid, I release it and pull away.
Blood. Just like everywhere else.
Who's blood is this.
I have maids, but they're usually off at this hour.
I'm gonna be brutally honest, this is probably the maids blood.
"Nadine." I hear Rue whisper from behind.
I groan to myself and turn around, a gun points at my head.
Three guys fully dressed in black stand there. They're all bald, and have the same tattoo printed on there neck. A cross with an F circling around it.
Fuck.
"la famille française." I whisper, acknowledging their presence.
(Translation: The French family)
The first bald guy, has pale skin and crooked teeth. He's wearing sunglasses, at night? So I can't see his eyes. He's the one pointing the gun at me.
The second, has dark brown skin, and a gold tooth among his other pearly whites. He makes sure to send a few evil smiles, making sure to show off all his teeth. He's one of the guys holding Rue by the arms.
And finally the last guy. He's tan, covered in tattoos, and is basically like the other guys. Except he has a scar over his right eye. It looks like a claw mark, he catches me staring and stares back. I don't break eye contact, I glare at him, not backing down. Eventually we both look away after hearing the guy with glasses on, voice.
"Tu as l'air confus, mon prince."
(Translation: you look confused my prince)
"Roi." I correct.
(Translation: King) "Et oui, je ne comprends pas pourquoi tu es là et tu pointes une arme sur ma putain de tête !" I snap.
(Translation: And yes, I am confused as to why the hell you are here and pointing a gun to my fucking head!)
"You'll find out soon, my King. Very soon." He says in English.
"Wha-" Suddenly, I feel something hit the back of my head, and I fall to the ground. My vision gets blurry, and right before my eyes close, I see Rue, running towards me, but before she could get to me, the guy with the gold tooth, grabs her waist and holds her to him, back to front.
I hear her call my name before closing my eyes.
Everything was not in fact fine.
-
I wake up to myself being tied to a chair. I'm in an unknown room, alone.
There's a single lightbulb lighting the dull room, and a string connected to it.
How long was I out for?
It doesn't matter
Am I still in Russia?
Of course I am. I couldn't have been out long enough for them to move me.
Where's Rue?
Oh my god. Where's Rue...
I jolt my head up at the sound of a door opening.
A man dressed in a suit, walks in. The sound of his shoes hitting the floor, fill my ears. He's bald and has the same tattoo, just like the others. Except this man. This man is the leader. I can tell-
Wait.
I know this man, or at least I think I do.
He looks familiar.
"Bonjour, Nadine." The man says, his French accent is soft, but the words he uses makes it aggressive, "You understand me, yes?" He asks in English.
" Ouais, je te comprends tête de merde" I spit.
(Translation: yea, I understand you shithead.)
He chuckles at my response, I see him walk over to a wood table that's only a few feet away from me. He grabs a pair of gloves out of his pocket and puts them on. I see him reach under the table, he grabs a toolbox. It looks rusted and old, he sets it on the table as he runs his hand along the lock. He reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a gold key. The key is shiny, unlike the box.
The man twists the key, unlocking the box, his eyes light up in amusement.
I find myself quietly yanking at the rope that keeps my hands tied. I try to rub then together, attempting to make some kind of friction.
The man looks back at me and smiles,"Now Nadine, you're probably confused as to why you're here, huh?" He asks, raising his eyebrows a bit, "And don't worry, we're gonna clear that up in a bit, but before we start, I don't want you to worry about- uh, what's her name" He taps his foot, looking for an answer, "Th-the right redhead girl," He motions to his bald head, "The girl my men said you were so desperately trying to protect. Rue, is it?" He asks with amusement.
I clench my jaw and start yanking at the ropes, "Where is she!" I tell, I feel my face get hot, and at this point, I think steam is about to start coming out of my ears.
"Like I said, my men are taking great care of her." He slips me an evil smirk. I'm helpless. I can't do anything to help her, and I hate myself for it.
Don't worry, I'll get us out of here.
-Brooke ♥️