No One’s Point of View:
A groan emitted from the lips of Carly Risi as she found herself slowly waking up. Gasping at the pain throbbing at the side of her head, she seeped in a sharp breath as her teeth tug into her bottom lip. Blinking once, twice then a third time, she took a look around the room, trying to figure out where the hell she was.
Feeling her throat close up at the tight space, nothing but emptiness around her, Carly felt as if she was suffocating and the walls were closing in around her.
Moving to push the hair that fell in front away, her eyes widened when she realized there was something keeping her from doing so. Closing her eyes in fright, praying that she was wrong, Carly looked down to see that not only her hands but her feet were tied to a chair.
Tears immediately sprung to her eyes as she desperately tried to pull her hands free. Crying silently to herself, her mind flashed to the moment in the car when she had gone off with Connie, a horrid feeling clawing at her insides as she came to realize the girl she thought was a friend of hers was indeed the exact opposite.
Kelsey had been right all along and she was stupid enough not to believe her. She wanted to be able to trust someone other than Kelsey, to know that there was someone else who cared about her.
Furrowing her eyebrows at the sound of a ticking clock, Carly hastily tried to find the source of the sound. Bending her body to the right as far as she could and then to the left, she was just about to give up, thinking it must be her mind playing games on her when a red glow in the middle of her feet caught her attention.
Leaning over, Carly felt her heart leap out of her chest at the sight of a bomb attached underneath her chair. Screaming at the top of her lungs, Carly began thrusting her body in all different ways, fear igniting within her. “Somebody, please, help me!” She cried over and over again, hoping that wherever she was, an innocent bystander would hear and come save her.
Justin’s Point of View:
“Thirty minutes…” John murmured, hand still clutching the phone so hard his knuckles were white, “or she’s dead.”
A ghastly silence fell over us, the inevitable thought crossing each of our minds as to what he was talking about but neither one of us had the guts to say anything or even question what he meant for fear that we might be true.
John’s eyes glassed over as he slammed his fist against his thigh so hard that his phone could’ve crumbled into pieces from all the strength he mustered; the anger built up inside of him thriving on his growing anxiety.
“Who was it?” Bruce was the first to break through the silence as he took a hesitant step towards John, not sure on how to approach him at his point.
“I’m not sure,” He muttered, “But I have a pretty damn good idea on who it could’ve been.” Meeting Bruce’s eyes, it was then that I saw the darkness brewing inside them. John was out for blood and he was ready to kill anybody who stood in his way.
Instinctively, I looked down at Kelsey beside me to see the tears in her eyes with her hand pressed over her mouth to control the sobs I knew were desperate to escape. Wrapping my arm around her tiny frame, I pulled her into me, her head instantly digging into my chest as she let the tears slip down her cheeks and soak the front of my shirt.
Kissing the top of her head, I smoothed her hair over before turning to John. “It was Lyndon, wasn’t it?”
Closing his eyes, Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, his shoulders falling in realization to what had happened. “Fuck’s sake,” He mumbled dryly to himself.
“Of course it’s him,” John growled angrily, referring to what I had said. “I can tell that bastard’s voice apart from anyone. It’s like talking to the devil himself.”
“The hell does he want that he had to go through Carly to get it?”
“I don’t know what it is but if we don’t give it to him, he’s going to kill her.” Running his hand through his hair, he vigorously rubbed the back of it while pacing the floors. “That son of a bitch… he took her—” John sunk to his knees on the floor as he held his head in his hands, not being able to believe what was going on around him.
In all the years I’ve worked alongside him, I’d never seen him so wrecked in my entire life.
“The shipment,” Marco said. “That’s what he wants. His boys told him we came and he knows we’ve got it. What else could we possibly have that’s his and that he wants so badly?”
Laughing bitterly to himself, John stood to his feet, his face set in stone. “Lyndon’s as fucked up as they come. We could’ve pissed on his fucking property and the bastard would’ve gone through hoops to make sure we paid for it.” Shaking his head bitterly, John wiped his face down of exhaustion. “When I get my hands on that ruthless piece of shit, I’m going to kill him and God so help me if any of you try to stop me.” Shoving past us, John disappeared out the door.
“I’ll go after him,” Marcus sighed, “You guys get ready and meet us by the car. Looks like tonight’s gonna be a long one.” Jogging after John, Bruce let out a sigh of incredulity.
“This shit has gotten to be ridiculous,” He spat before leaving both Kelsey and I alone, Marco following behind.
Putting her in arm’s distance, I brushed her hair back. “Ay, look at me.” I murmured. When she shook her head, I sighed, grasping her chin and forcing her to do so. “It’s going to be fine—we’re going to find her. You have nothing to worry about, I promise.”
“Wh-what if he hurts her? What if he…” Sobbing, Kelsey shook her head, hiding her face in her hands, her body convulsing into a hysteric state. “This is my entire fault.” Her voice mumbled.
“None of this is your fault, do you hear me?” Pulling her hands down, I held them in mine, squeezing them reassuringly. “Carly left on her own, you didn’t force her to go. You tried warning her, correct?” When she nodded, I shrugged. “There you go. Stop blaming yourself for her mistake.”
“But I could’ve tried harder, maybe then—”
“Do you honestly believe she would have listened?” When Kelsey didn’t say anything, I took that as my answer. Cupping her face in my hands, I pressed my lips to her forehead. “I don’t want to leave you like this… you have to promise me that you won’t keep blaming yourself.”
“I can’t promise you that…” Kelsey whispered as she looked away, her eyes watering once more as she sniffled, wiping her face clear with the palms of her hands.
“Kelsey,” I began when Bruce came walking out, putting on his jacket.
“You ready to go?” Stopping short, he looked between the both of us, his eyebrows rising. “Is everything okay here?”
“Yeah,” Kelsey nodded, smiling slightly though it didn’t quite meet her eyes. “Everything’s fine. You guys should go.” Refusing to meet my eyes, she took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself. “You have to find her…” She whispered, her eyes locking on Bruce’s. “Please.”
“We will,” Patting her back gently, Bruce gave her a small smile before nudging me with his arm. “Let’s go.”
Giving Kelsey one last glance, I pulled her in for a kiss again before walking away, grabbing my jacket off the hook and putting it on, the door slamming shut behind us.
Kelsey’s Point of View:
Watching from the window as they got into the car and left, I felt a sudden aching in the midst of my chest. Cupping my mouth, I turned, laying my back against the wall as I slid down to the bottom. Bringing my knees up, I wrapped my arms around them, praying to God that this wasn’t going to be the last time I saw my bestfriend.
She was there for me when no one else was. When I thought I had no one, she proved to me that I wasn’t alone—I had her. When I was twelve and broke my bike, she let me use hers while she walked beside me. When I was fourteen and tried my first drink, she held my hair when I threw up in the toilet of her bathroom the next morning. When I was sixteen, she accepted the fact that I had a criminal as a boyfriend and when he went to jail; she was with me every step of the way, reassuring me that everything was going to be alright.
She wasn’t just my bestfriend—she was my sister and the thought of losing her tonight… was unbearable.
Sobbing into the palms of my hands, I repeatedly shook my head, trying to block the thoughts that were eating me up inside.
If I just would’ve pushed her a bit more, tried to show her what leaving would endure… maybe she would’ve stayed… maybe—
“Stop that.”
Wiping at my face, I looked up beyond my blurry vision to see Spencer standing in front of me, arms crossed against his chest.
“What?” I questioned, baffled at his presence.
“Stop thinking so much, you’re going to make your head hurt.” Dropping his arms to his side, Spencer shook his head, taking a seat beside me. “You can beat yourself up over this all you want but it won’t change the fact that your bestfriend is gone.”
Sniffling, I scowled. “Is this supposed to make me feel better or something? Because you’re doing a horrible job,” I grumbled, playing with the lint on my sweatpants.
“No because I’m not going to baby you like your boyfriend—excuse me—fiancé and fill your head with nonsense about how it isn’t your fault.”
“Gee, thanks?”
He shrugged. “I’m not trying to be a dick; I’m just telling you the truth. I can’t tell you what you want to hear until you start believing it yourself. Me sitting here trying to convince you otherwise is just going to make you doubt yourself even more.”
Sighing, I brought my head back to lean against the wall. “What am I supposed to do Spencer?” I murmured, feeling the tears build up once more.
“Pray.” He stated as though it were the simplest answer. “That’s all anyone can do anymore at this point.”
Justin’s Point of View:
“We loaded the shipment.” Marcus said as he patted the hood of the car once we approached him.
“Good. One of you is going to be in charge of it while the rest of us take the other. There’s no way in hell I’m just going to hand them what they want without a fight.”
“We have Carly’s life on the line for this damn shipment Bruce,” John sneered, “If this is what they want, we’re giving it to them.”
“If worst some to worst, we will but for right now, we’re holding onto it. We didn’t go through all of this just to lose it all in one night.”
“I’ll take it,” Marco shrugged as he took the keys from Marcus. “I’ll follow behind you guys.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Once we were all seated in the car, I made sure Marco was behind before focusing on the road ahead me. “Where do you think they are?” I asked while looking over at John, pulling out the tracker we had coordinated inside the SUV and plugging in the password that opened all its abilities to us.
Darkness brewed in his eyes as he struck me with a cold-stoned look. “They could be anywhere in Stratford or for all we know that son of a bitch could be in fucking New York!” He growled angrily, his hands slamming against the headrest of the seat in front of him in which Bruce occupied.
“Give me your phone.” Taking it from his hand, I grabbed the wire, connecting it before breaking the code needed to hack into the system and track down where the call was made from.
Seconds later, a pop up came on the screen, illuminating the car. Accepting it, I put in a few other codes before the location was revealed.
“35 Rodale Place,” Raking my brain from where I had last heard of this address, my mind reeled with all sorts of addresses and places I had gone to when things slowly pieced together. “That’s near Riverton, down on Bay Street.” I snapped in realization, “He’s out by the alley.” Kicking back, I zoomed down the street, mindful of the places in which cops hid before swerving in all the lanes I knew of in which to get there faster.
“Are you sure?” John asked, nerves getting the best of him. “We have twenty three minutes left Justin, don’t fuck this up—” Furrowing his brow the moment his phone began ringing, I tore it from the wire, handing it back to John.
“Hello?” He asked.
“Put it on speaker,” I whispered in which John nodded, doing as he was told.
“Ah, Johnny boy, the time’s ticking. Do you have my things or not? I’d hate to see anything happen to that girl of yours… she’s a screamer that one.” There was a pause. “Is she like that in bed too?” The teasing tone in which he spoke sent John over the edge as he groveled in his seat, looking ready to kill.
“I’m going to say this once so you better listen to me real good Lyndon,” John hissed venomously. “I know where you are and when I get my hands on you, I’ll have you bended over backwards, begging for mercy because you made one hell of a mistake ever thinking you could go after my girl.”
A chuckle came from the other line. “Took you long enough to figure it out.” Lyndon laughed menacingly, “As for the threats—save them. They do nothing but weaken your ability to stay true to your words and to be honest; you’re just wasting your breath.”
“You fucking—”
“You have twenty minutes.”
The dial tone rang endlessly in our ears, the air around us thickening.
Punching the headrest with all his might to the point where he nearly knocked it over, John fought to control his inner demons as he closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the hell he was about to endure.
“Don’t let him get to you.” I vouched from the driver’s seat, glancing back at him from the rearview mirror. “That’s what he wants. He’s trying to get inside your head.”
“And it’s working.” John grumbled curling and uncurling his hands as he stared at nothing in particular.
Sighing, I shook my head, knowing I was slowly losing him. “We’re here.” I informed while veering the car into park, taking the keys out. Cocking the glove compartment open, I took out the spare gun, checking for bullets before handing it to John. “Take this as backup, just in case.”
Stuffing it behind the waistband of his jeans, John got out of the car, the muscles in his arms tense.
Exchanging looks with Bruce, I shook my head, blowing out a much needed breath as we prepared ourselves for the worst.
Slamming the doors shut behind us, we all began walking in unison towards the entrance of the warehouse, our arms brushing against one another’s from the close proximity. With our faces set in stone cleared of any emotions, we entered the building.
Stopping short a few feet inside, we took a step back in perplexity. The entire place was deserted, not a soul in sight. It looked as though nobody, but us just now, had come inside.
Furrowing my eyebrows, each of us stood looking all around the room, waiting for somebody—anybody to come out. But nobody did.
“The hell is this shit about?” Marcus muttered from behind, confusion evident in his voice as he rubbed his forehead in exhaustion.
“I have no idea…” I mumbled, taking a few cautious steps ahead of where we stopped so that it was easier to spot things when I felt myself being tugged back.
“What if this is a trap?” Marco muttered dangerously low as if he were sharing a secret.
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out then won’t we?” Arching a brow, I watched as Marco slowly let my arm go.
Searching for any hint they had probably left behind, I began observing everything from the ceiling to the walls and then the floors when I had noticed a cellphone set in the middle of the room with a note attached.
Leaning forwards, I grasped it into my hand before standing up straight and turning to the boys. “I found something.”
“What is it?” John rushed over to me.
“It’s a phone.”
Grabbing it from my hand, John looked down at it after he had taken off the note. Parting his lips in dismay, his eyes dilated. “This is Carly’s phone.” Scanning over the letter, John’s chest moved up and down faster than before. Crumpling it in his hand, John cursed under his breath.
“What is it? What does it say?” Taking it from his hand, I began reading it.
“You’re almost as pathetic as your girlfriend. It’s quite hilarious how you’d think I’d make it this easy on you Johnny boy. Nothing I do is ever easy.”
“I could’ve figured that out on my own without a damn note.” Marcus huffed in prevention, pulling at the ends of his hair.
“So we’re basically backed to square one is what you’re telling me…” John exhaled deeply.
“There’s got to be more to it. He wouldn’t just send us to a dead end and not have anything for us.” Taking the phone, I unlocked it before dialing a number I unfortunately had the detriment of remembering.
He picked up after the fourth ring, “Ah, Johnny didn’t think you’d call so quickly.”
“It’s not John.” I spat, fuming inside. “It’s Justin.”
“Ah, Bieber, what a surprise! I should’ve known it was you since the other’s got a mouth on him,” Lyndon stated as though we were having any other normal conversation. “The hell you want?”
“How about you tell me where the hell you took Carly and we could end this thing once and for all? Hm?”
“Now where would the fun be in that?” Lyndon chuckled, “I’m guessing you got my note.”
“Stop fucking stalling, grow some balls and tell us where the hell you are.” I growled impatiently. “If you’re so fucking rough all of a sudden, you shouldn’t have a problem now would you?”
“Maybe if you would’ve stayed on your part of Stratford, we wouldn’t be having this problem Bieber.” Lyndon hissed annoyed.
“I own all of Stratford dipshit,” I seethed, “You have nothing in this town but your pathetic little ego and desperate attempts to take us down. Going after a girl? Now that’s just low even for you.”
“Taking my shipment? That’s even worse. Like I wouldn’t notice you’d come after me? I was just waiting for the opportunity and you gave me the perfect opening. Carly just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Don’t try to pin this all on me, Bieber. This is all on you. If she dies tonight, that’s on your conscious. I don’t give a rat’s ass as to what happens to her. She’s giving me a migraine with all the screaming for help. You’d think she’d quit after the tenth time.”
Clutching the phone in my hand tightly, I gritted my teeth together angrily. “Listen to me you good for nothing piece of shit, I’m so sick and tired of you running your mouth around here. Just tell us where the hell you are. These little games you’re playing are pitiful even for you. I did this shit back when I was fifteen. If you’re as tough as you say you are, you wouldn’t have a problem taking us on right now, face to face instead of over the phone like the coward I know you are.”
When silence fell, I knew I had him right where I wanted him.
“East Riverside,” Lyndon said, “That’s where I am. Bring it on Bieber, I’ll be waiting but I can’t guarantee Rivera’s girl is with me.” The smirk was evident on his face, “You have seventeen minutes.” He taunted.
When I heard the dial tone for the second time tonight, I nearly threw the phone across the room right then and there. “Let’s go, he’s out on Riverside.” Rushing out with the guys following close behind, I unlocked the car, turning it on the moment I seated myself inside.
Waiting until Marco started his, I pulled out and onto the road, swerving onto the main before driving down.
“How do you know he’s not lying?” John asked in which I shrugged.
“He’s not stupid enough. He’s angry and he wants a fight. I’m not going to take the risk and I don’t think you should either.” Switching lanes, I swerved onto exit fifteen, driving down until I landed on the streets that led to different parts.
Turning on the first right, I drove all the way down until I saw the familiar series of houses all of different sizes before taking a left and then another right until the warehouse was seen.
Getting out, I gave John the keys, the both of us heading in first. Kicking the door down, John ran in, desperately looking around for anyone he could see.
“Right on time and not a second late,” Looking up I saw Lyndon making his way towards us, a permanent smirk on his face. “Do you have our stuff?”
“Tell me where Carly is and we’ll hand it over.” John negotiated, trying to remain calm.
“That’s not how I work. Give me all of what you stole and maybe I’ll tell you where I happen to have your little girlfriend.”
“Stop with the fucking games Lyndon and just tell us where the fuck she is.” Bruce spat, “You’re a grown ass man; I didn’t pick you out to be such a fucking pussy.”
“See? Now that, that pisses me off,” Lyndon hissed and with that, he snapped his fingers.
Once I heard a grunt, I turned to see somebody had wrapped their arm around Bruce’s neck, holding him in a firm lock to their chest.
“You’re the one who came trespassing on my turf tonight, Bruce.” Lyndon snarled, “Not the other way around.”
“What can I say?” Bruce groveled as he tried to tear the arm from him off, “Karma’s a bitch.”
Clenching his jaw, Lyndon nodded in gesture towards the man holding Bruce in which he acknowledged quickly. Taking out a gun, he held it to Bruce’s temple.
Lyndon cocked his head to the side, his smirk growing. “Tell me where my shipment is or a bullet goes through your brain.”
A bullet clicking into place was heard as the tip of the gun dug into Bruce’s skin.
Grunting, Bruce winced at the advantaged Lyndon had at the moment. “I need something in return.” Bruce reasoned, “We need Carly and I’ll give you everything.”
Lyndon cocked a brow up, interest sparking on his face. “Everything?”
“Everything” Bruce nodded, “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Looking at John, Lyndon dug into the pocket of his jeans before throwing him a folded piece of paper. “246 Bristol Street. You’ve got ten minutes or that bomb she’s sitting on blows her to pieces.”
John’s eyes widened a fraction. “Son of a bitch, I swear to God if she’s not where you say she is when I get there—”
“If,” Lyndon corrected with heavy emphasis. “That’s if you get there.” He grinned mockingly.
John’s eyes darkened, “I’ll fucking kill you.”
John’s Point of View:
Wanting to stay just so I could wipe that god forsaken smirk off his fucking face, I knew Carly’s life was depending on me and I couldn’t waste any more time than I already had.
Turning on the heels of my shoes, I ran out the doors Justin and I had busted through and down to the car where I immediately got in. Stepping on the gas, I was almost certain I had left skid marks on the ground as I flashed down the street.
Clutching the piece of paper Lyndon had given me, I looked down at it, curious as to what it said. Unfolding it when I had come to a red light, I glanced down to see that it wasn’t anything written but instead it was a picture.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked down at it closely noticing it was a picture of a girl.
Parting my lips in horror as to who it was, I felt the blood in my veins render cold. “Shit,” I spat, fumbling inside the pocket of my jeans for my phone. Dialing Justin’s number, I began driving again, faster than I had before, the adrenaline coursing through my body. “Come on, come on pick up! Pick up!” I spat.
When it went straight to voicemail, I slammed my hands against the steering wheel. “Dammit!” Pulling around the corner as I began driving towards the address Lyndon had told me, I tried calling Justin’s number again.
When he didn’t pick up, I knew there was no use in trying again. “Fucking hell,” I rasped, trying to keep my head from reeling off my shoulders when Carly’s face flashed in my head and I knew I had to save her before thinking or worrying about anyone else.
Getting out of the car after I pulled over, I looked up to see a beaten down warehouse of ours. One we had used back in the day before we switched over to the one we use today.
Rushing over towards the door leading inside, I wiggled the knob around but it was locked. A gasp was heard from inside and I knew I had found her. She was there, my girl was still alive.
“Help me, please!” Carly whimpered desperately, “Can you hear me? Somebody?”
“Carly!” I shouted, “It’s me baby, hold on, I’m coming!” Taking a few steps back, I slammed my shoulder into the door over and over again, ignoring the pain that shot up, knowing I had to get to her.
Kicking it vigorously before throwing myself at it once more, I felt the jiggle of the knob faltering knowing it was only a matter of time before it fell.
Taking a deep breath, I switched over to use my other shoulder before banging into the door once more.
“John!” Carly cried, “Hurry!”
At the sound of her crying, I mustered all the strength I could into the final blow I had given to the door before bursting in, stumbling over the rubble on the floor.
Looking up to see Carly tied to a chair with flashing numbers counting down from three under it, I gaped at the sight of her. “Carly,” I whispered, the weight on my shoulders slowly evaporating knowing I had gotten to her on time.
“John…” Squeezing her eyes tight, she shook her head, not being able to believe I was here.
Running over to her, I began taking the tape off her hands and feet, the numbers taunting me as they now reached a total of less than two minutes.
Catching her body as it fell into mine, I brushed the hair out of her face, kissing the top of her head repeatedly while she curled into me, clutching onto my shirt as she sobbed endlessly. “It’s okay,” I reassured, “You’re okay…”
“She… I…” Shaking her head, Carly buried her head in my chest, “I’m so sorry.”
Catching the numbers now reaching under forty seconds, I stood to my feet, pulling Carly up with me. “We have to get out of here” I beckoned out the door, pulling her out just as the bomb exploded.
Justin’s Point of View:
“Now how about we discuss all that you’re handing over to me tonight?”
“Or,” I piped in, sharing a knowing look with Bruce, “We can just finish what we started a few days ago.” Smirking, I threw the first punch landing it square in Lyndon’s nose having his head falling back from the sudden blow.
Slamming his elbow into the guy’s side to reduce his hold on him, Bruce whirled around, taking his arm and tucking it behind him, bending his fingers in a spiral so that the gun he held fell to the floor while Marcus and Marco watched to make sure nobody intervened.
Coming back from the attack, Lyndon punched me in my stomach causing me to double over where he kneed in the face, a crack sounding throughout the warehouse sending me flying backwards.
Falling to the floor with a thump, I groaned in response.
Grabbing me by my shirt, Lyndon held me up, ready to hit me once more when I head butted him instead, his hands releasing their hold.
Ignoring the pain that numbed my body, flashes of all he’s caused in this town flooded my mind and I went blank. With several blows to the face, I knocked Lyndon down before towering over him, not resting for a second as my fists collided with every inch I could get of him time and time again, exhaling roughly with each.
When he laid there nearly unconscious, I stood up, wiping the blood that dripped down my nose before taking out my gun and holding it out in front of me.
“I am so done with this bullshit.” Fully loaded with enough bullets to put through his chest, I put my finger on the trigger.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” He spit blood to the side of him while looking up at me. “If you know what’s good for you.”
“What’s good for me?” I humorlessly laughed, “What’s good for me is getting rid of your ass like I should’ve done a long ass time ago.” I hissed venomously.
Despite the gash on his lip, Lyndon smirked. “Where’s Kelsey, Justin?”
My body froze for a split second before I recovered. “Shut the fuck up.” I seethed, “You leave her out of this.”
“Too late,” His grin never faltered causing my stomach to churn painfully. “You see, me and you are a lot alike.”
“I’m nothing like you.” I hissed, trying to keep my main focus on killing him.
“You kill and so do I.” Lyndon cocked his head to the side. “Only difference is that you’ve got something in the way of doing your job. It must fucking suck not being able to be at two places at once.”
I shook my head, my jaw tightening. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Lyndon shrugged, “Let’s just say Kelsey’s not exactly where you think she is.”
“What do you mean she’s not where I think she is? She’s at h—” I cut myself off in realization that this could be a trap.
“Home?” Lyndon finished for me in question and when I didn’t say anything in return, he chuckled. “I know that and I also happen to know she’s with Matthew Payne and Spencer Anderson, right?”
All use of oxygen had been cut from my system but I kept my composure, not once faltering.
“You left your girlfriend behind just to find John’s, only to leave yours defenseless…” Lyndon laughed, shaking his head. “You’re probably thinking how could she be unprotected when she’s got those bodyguards you hired with her right?” He took my silence into consideration, “I’m going to let you in on a little secret…” Propping himself on his elbows, he looked up at me, not once breaking eye contact. “I hired them.” He whispered menacingly.
“Bullshit.” Bruce seethed from afar, wiping the remainder of blood off his face with the back of his hand as he held the battered guy underneath him by the shirt. “Don’t listen to him, he’s bluffing.”
“You really want to take that chance?” Lyndon raised his eyebrows.
“Spencer and Matt have worked with us for nearly a month now. If they were working for Lyndon, they would’ve done something by now.” Bruce reasoned.
“Ah but that’s where you’re wrong Bruce.” Lyndon piped in, “Because they’re on my payroll. I’m the one who calls the shots. They don’t do anything until I tell them too and I’m the one who told them exactly what to do when you needed help watching those poor pathetic, useless girls of yours” He caught my hazed gaze, “Spencer had your girl wrapped around his pretty little finger. It’s quite pathetic actually; I’m surprised she hadn’t sucked his dick yet.” Lyndon’s eyes burnt roguishly against mine, knowing he had gotten under my skin. “You kill me and you’ll never find her.”
Thinking back to how Matt suddenly disappeared when Carly had left, it was almost as though they had planned it. “Where is she?” I frothed crossly.
“Why don’t you go and find out?”
Lowering my gun down, I took one last glance at Lyndon before looking around and turning on the heels of my shoes, running out of the warehouse with Bruce calling out behind me.
“Where are you going?” He yelled.
Looking around for where I had parked the car with my head spinning, I found it. “I have to make sure she’s okay.” I rushed out the words all at once, the sound of my beating heart thumping inside my eardrums.
With the engine still running, I bolted out and into the house, an immediate chill running down my spine as the aura of the place just didn’t feel right to me. “Kelsey?” I screamed loudly but to my panic, there was no response.
“Kelsey?” Running up the stairs, I burst through all of the rooms to find nothing but emptiness in each of them. No sign of Kelsey anywhere—not even Matt or Spencer, confirming my biggest fear.
In full panic mode now, I ran back downstairs before hurrying into the kitchen and onto the deck before screaming out her name again.
When nothing but silence was met in return, I walked back into the kitchen, doing a double take when I heard the crunching of something underneath my shoes. Looking down, I felt my chest tighten at the sight of broken glass.
Suddenly, my phone began ringing loudly in my ears seeming as though it came from a distance. Pulling it out in hopes that it was Kelsey, I answered it.
“Don’t think I was bluffing now, do you?”
I blinked my eyes extensive in desperation. “What do you want?” I asked breathlessly, knowing there was nothing I could do at this point now that he had her.
Lyndon chuckled, “It’s funny how the tables have turned, huh Bieber? You thought you could get rid of me that quick? Not even have to fight for what you so well don’t deserve… I always have something up my sleeve; it was just a matter of time before it all settled into place.” Sucking his teeth, I could almost envision that sick sneer of his pulling at his lips. “Thanks to you, it now has. Now listen to me carefully and all is well but make no mistake. One wrong move and your girl will pay.”