Colt
I WOKE UP TO an empty bed. The penthouse was silent. I sat up and listened for any signs of Darcy. When I couldn't hear anything I sprung from the bed and immediately started searching the house.
I had checked every single room and there was not a single trace of her. I walked back into the bedroom and paced back and forth. I looked up and noticed her bag was missing. I froze. My eyes flashed over to the nightstand where I had set my gun down before going back to sleep. It was missing as well. I ran to the living area and my keys were gone as well. I pulled out my phone and called Luca immediately.
"Bishop?"
"Darcy is missing. I want everyone on this."
"Where are you?"
"Waco, Texas."
"We're on it, I'll call you with any updates."
I ended the call and dialed Tony's number.
"'Sup boss?"
"Darcy is gone."
"What?"
"She's missing. I don't know if she was taken or if she left. Her bag is gone, my gun is gone, and my keys are gone."
I heard Tony sigh on the other line.
"Fuck Colt, any idea where she was headed?"
"Well, I was hoping she was with you and her mother in Montana but I'm assuming she's not."
"No boss, I'm sorry. I haven't heard from her. Let me get in contact with a few people and I'll call you back."
I hung up the phone and ran my hands through my hair. Fuck, Darcy. Where the hell are you? I quickly got dressed, throwing on a t-shirt and jeans. I grabbed my bags and headed for the front door. I stopped by the key rack hanging in the entryway. My buddy who owned the penthouse left his car keys here. I snagged them off of the holder and made a mental note that I definitely owed him a favor now.
I took the elevator down to the car. I threw my bag in the trunk and climbed into the driver's seat of the BMW. I started the car and sped through the lot. I decided to head north hoping this was the same route Darcy took. I got about fifteen minutes down the road when I got a call from Luca.
"Luca, what have you got?"
"Your car was found wrecked in Alvarado. Lots of blood, but Darcy wasn't found."
"Motherfucker!" I smacked both hands on the steering wheel.
"Colt, I'm still waiting to hear back from a few more of my guys. I'll call you once I know more."
I hung up and floored it all the way to Alvarado.
I drove into the small town and noticed a small crowd of people and a shit ton of yellow crime scene tape. I slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car. I ducked under the crime scene tape and felt my mouth go dry when I saw my overturned car in the road. I walked over to the driver's side and saw a large dent.
She was ambushed.
I clenched my jaw so hard I'm surprised I didn't break my teeth. I jumped back into the car and took off, the tires squealing as I accelerated. I dialed Luca once again.
"Luca, she was taken. It looked like an ambush. The car rolled and had a large dent on the driver's side. The Irish must've spotted her, wrecked the car on purpose and took Darcy with them."
"Okay Bishop, let me call a few people and I'll see if I can find out exactly who has her and where." Luca ended the call immediately and I dialed Tony's number to give an update.
"Boss?"
"She was ambushed. The Irish have her. Luca is looking into it."
"I'll do some digging too and see what I can come up with."
"Thanks."
I pressed the end call button and continued to drive north, lost in my own thoughts. If she wasn't taken from the penthouse, then why did she leave?
*****
Darcy
When I opened my eyes, I was in what looked like a cellar. I was surrounded by cement walls with no windows. There was a cement staircase that led up to a metal door. A single light bulb hung down from a cord in the middle of the ceiling.
I was laying on the floor with my wrists and ankles bound. My entire body ached. I looked down and noticed I was covered in blood; my blonde hair looked a shade of red and my shirt was torn to shreds.
I slowly pushed myself up off the floor with my shoulder and groaned in excruciating pain. My head throbbed and lungs burned with every breath I took. Once I was sitting up completely, I inspected my wrists and ankles. I was bound with zip ties. I leaned my head back against the rough cement, catching my breath. I heard the metal door open and slam shut. Declan and 2 other men who I didn't know entered.
"Good morning, beautiful," Declan said as he laughed maniacally.
I sat perfectly still waiting on his next move. Declan walked up to me and grabbed me by my elbow. I hissed in pain as he pulled me up by my arm that was probably broken. Declan dragged his thumb across my lower lip and smiled.
"You've just made me rich."
I spit in his face and he responded with a blow that landed to my right temple and knocked me to the ground.
"Fuck you," I hissed.
I spat blood onto the ground and wiped my mouth on my shoulder.
"What a filthy mouth on such a pretty girl. I'd stay on my good side, Darcy. I promise you'd rather deal with me than these guys behind me," He said, gesturing over his shoulder. "They show less mercy than I do. Now, tell me what you know about Bishop and Capano. Where are they hiding out? They've got even bigger price tags on their heads than you."
"I don't know shit," I replied.
"Wrong answer, princess." Declan stated before striking me on the head with the butt of his gun. I stumbled backwards and smacked the back of my head against the concrete. I tumbled to the ground and stood myself back up.
"I. Don't. Fucking. Know."
"Don't lie to me. I've heard rumors about you and Bishop being all cozy."
"We aren't."
"I think I may give him a call. You can help us lead him right into our trap."
I shrugged and turned my face away from the men as they left the room. Once I heard the door shut behind them, I collapsed to the ground and clutched my head and face in pain.
I decided then that they wouldn't get a single answer from me, I didn't care if I got myself killed or not.
*****
Colt
My phone rang. I checked the ID which stated, "Unknown Caller". I answered the phone and put it up to my ear.
"Speak."
"Colton Bishop, I believe I may have something you want."
"Who is this?"
"Declan Murphy."
"What do you want?"
"I've got a pretty little blonde sitting half naked in a cell. Claims she doesn't know you, but I beg to differ."
"If you fucking touch her-"
"Oh, it's too late for that, the bitch is stubborn. But I'll make a deal with you. Turn yourself in to me, and I'll let her go."
I rolled my eyes; I knew how shit with Declan worked. Darcy and I would both end up dead if that really happened. I decided to play dumb and go along with his plan.
"Where are you?"
"You ever heard of Marietta? Eh, probably not. It's a tiny little hick town just over the border in Oklahoma. You can meet my guys at the diner downtown and they'll bring you to me."
"I'm on my way."
"Great. Looking forward to it." Declan said as he chuckled on the other end of the line.
I dialed Luca's number as quickly as I could. He picked up after the first ring.
"Declan Murphy has Darcy." I blurted out before Luca even had the chance to say anything.
"Where?"
"Marietta, Oklahoma. I'm about an hour and a half away. How fast can you and your men get here?"
"We're in Dallas right now following up on a lead. We can be there in an hour."
"Declan wants to trade me for Darcy. I'll be meeting his guys at a restaurant in Marietta. I'll have a tracking chip on, somewhere discreet because I know they'll search me. Once I leave with them, I want you and your men hot on my trail. We'll take them by surprise and get Darcy out alive."
"You've got it, Colt. We'll see you soon."
The line went dead and I continued speeding towards Oklahoma.
*****
Darcy
I must have fallen asleep because I jerked awake to the sound of the metal door slamming shut. I looked up and saw Declan and the same two men entering my cell.
"Your boyfriend is on the way to rescue you. He wants to trade himself for you. Bishop will surrender to us, and we'll set you free. Sounds too good to be true, huh?"
I didn't say a word. I heard a commotion upstairs and looked up towards the ceiling.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Declan said while laughing. The metal door flung open, and Colton stood at the top of the stairs. Declan's men drew their guns and aimed them at him. Declan approached me and put a knife to my neck.
"You need to train your men better, Murphy. I just took out two of them while my wrists were bound," Colton said while holding up his arms and revealing the rope tied tightly around his wrists.
"You make a move on us and I kill the girl." Colt's eyes landed on me and he didn't look away. "Put your hands in the air and come down the steps."
Colton obliged. Once he stepped off the staircase, Declan's men zip tied his wrists behind his back and put their guns to his head.
"I just don't understand how one woman can be worth so much trouble," Declan said as he traced my jaw and neck with the back of his knife. He sliced the remainder of my shirt off of my body and the shreds fell to the ground.
"I mean, she's got great tits but a shitty personality."
Colt's eyes didn't leave mine. His nostrils flared and he was visibly shaking with anger. I silently begged him not to try anything as tears slipped down my cheeks.
Declan traced his knife from the hollow of my neck down in between my breasts, leaving a shallow cut. As soon as blood began flowing from the cut Colton spoke up.
"Let her go, that was the deal."
Suddenly, I heard a banging from upstairs. Declan drew his gun and aimed it at the metal door. It flung open and I saw Tony with his gun drawn. He fired at Declan, shooting him right between the eyes. Declan's men took their guns from Colt's head and aimed them at Tony.
Colt knocked one of the guys to the ground with a hit from his shoulder. Luca appeared from behind Tony and flew down the stairs. He grabbed the only one of Declan's men that survived and aimed his gun to the side of his head.
"Where are the others?" Luca demanded.
He stayed silent.
Luca smacked the man across his face with the barrel of his gun. "I said where are the rest of your men?"
"In Seattle. Looking for you." The guy said, smiling.
Luca shot him in the head and let his body drop to the floor. He glanced over at me and a look of pity washed over his face. He cut the ties on my wrists and ankles then took his jacket off and placed it over my shoulders.
Tony cut the binds from Colt's wrists and he came sprinting across the room, wrapping his arms tightly around me. I sobbed violently, clutching to his t-shirt for support. My legs gave out from under me and he caught me before I fell to the ground. He lifted me up and carried me up the stairs out of the cellar.
We walked out of the building and I saw at least fifteen of Luca's men patrolling in the yard. Colton carried me to Tony's SUV and placed me into the back seat before he slid in beside me. He wrapped me back up in his arms as he kissed the top of my head.
Tony jumped into the driver's seat and turned around to look at me.
"Damn girl, you look like shit." Colton glared at him and Tony threw his hands up in surrender. "Okay. Got it. Now is not the time for humor."
I snuggled back into Colt's chest and closed my eyes. I can deal with whatever happened between our parents at another time. For now, I just wanted to sleep safely in Colton's arms.