"This is his hide out?" Kean asked as we climbed down into the cellar between Geno's and the music shop. I gave him a shrug not really understanding what he meant.
"I mean," He continued after realizing that I was confused by the comment. "He lived in the most expensive flat in Ireland, this is quite the downgrade."
"He was rich," It was more of a statement than a question. "That's so weird."
"Maybe he went broke when he came back here," Kean suggested but I only mumbled a "Maybe" not quite believing it.
We searched the entire cellar but no one was there, not even his men. It was weird that they'd leave their hide out completely guardless, like they all decided one day to pack up and leave.
I met back up with Kean after we decided to split up to search the place. "Find anything?" He asked.
"No." I told him anxiously.
The thought of Jai having Ella made me want to hurl, the only thing keeping me from doing so was the 50 ways that I could kill him.
My fingers automatically ran through my hair in frustration until a thought popped into my mind. "He lived in the most expensive flat back in Ireland?"
Kean watched me trying to see where I was going with this, "You think that he still has all that money?"
I nodded my head before making my way back over to the stairs that lead us out of the cellar. "Come on, I know where he is."
-
I parked my car a block away from the towering building placed in Sydney's center. Kean and I walked right into the complex and made our way to the front desk.
"Is Jai Price here?" I asked the middle aged man who stood behind the desk before he could look up.
The man studied both of us from head to toe, "And who would you two be?"
I pulled back my leather jacket to reveal the handgun I had hidden in the waist band of my jeans. "People who need to have a little chat with Jai."
The man held a straight face though it was obvious there was fear in his eyes as he eyed the gun before resting his stare on my face.
"Top floor, flat A2."
Without another word both Kean and I made our way over to the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor.
"Was the gun really necessary?" He asked once we were halfway to the top.
I gave him a shrug, "Do you really think he would have let us in otherwise?"
"Touche." Kean nodded before letting a silence fill the space.
We stepped out of the elevator to be welcomed by 2 doors, one labeled A1 while the other labeled A2.
It was odd not seeing a long hallway of doors instead of just a small foyer with only a table and mirror but I knew that the two flats on this level would take up most of the floor space if both were the most expensive flats in Sydney.
I turned the door nob slowly surprised to find it unlocked. "Stay back," I whispered to Kean.
"Somethings not right, he wouldn't just leave the door unlock like this."
As Kean stayed behind to be look out, I inched my way into the flat that made me feel like I walked into the 1800s. The ceilings had to be at least 20 feet tall with crown molding placed around every edge.
The marble floors mirrored the white walls that had large pieces of art work hung up on them. Though the structure was traditional the furniture was modern with the slick, black leather sofa's and the thin flat screen TV.
My eyes moved to the dinning room where I saw Ella staring at me with a gag in her mouth. Her small arms and legs were tied to the chair making it look impossible to escape.
Without a second thought, I rushed over to her and pulled the gag out of her mouth. I held her damp face in my hands, stroking her cheeks lightly with my thumbs. "You're going to be fine," I whispered to her. "I'm right here."
I searched her eyes looking for comfort and relief but the anxiety the I saw when I first saw her remand. "Luke you need to get out of here," She told me in a rush as I began snapping the restraints around her arms and legs apart with a new found strength.
"This is all part of his plan."
My eyes shot up to hers at the last comment but I pushed the thought aside focusing all my attention on Ella's safety.
"I need you to get out of here," I ordered her as I tore apart the last restraint around her leg. "There's an Irish guy with dark hair outside the door who's helping us. His name's Kean and He'll take you back to my car where it's safe and-"
"Luke," I felt here hands rest on my cheeks bringing my eyes to look at her. "You need to get out of here."
Before I could argue with her a cold, familiar voice filled the room.
"I was starting to wonder if you'd ever find me," Jai snickered from behind me. Slowly, I turned to face him putting my body between him and Ella.
"I think it's time to finish what I started 6 months ago when I tried to over rule you." I told him calmly with a smirk.
"Oh?" He smiled like what I told him was a joke. "So you finally grew the balls to kill me." His mock clapping sent rage boiling inside me but I tried my best to keep my cool not wanting to fight while Ella wasn't in the arms of safety.
"I was going to offer my life for hers," I began. "But we both know how that went last time and that you won't make that mistake again."
His smile turned colder as he looked pass me to where Ella was still seeated even with her restraints untied. "Ella," He smiled at her. "You may leave."
I turned so the I could see both Jai and Ella but she never moved, only slightly shaking her head rejecting his offer for freedom. I gave her a look of confusion but she never met my eyes.
"I guess she doesn't want to leave." Jai shrugged.
My jaw clenched when I looked back at him. "What the hell did you do to her?" I yelled but Jai only smirked at my rage.
I looked back towards Ella who was trying her best to keep it together but looked as if she'd break at any moment.
"Ella look at me," Hesitantly she rose her head. "You need to run, get out of here. He's giving you a free card."
She only shook her head. "I can't Luke," She finally broke chocking out a sob. I stared at her still confused as to why she couldn't go. "He'll kill you if I leave."
I looked back at Jai and smiled. "He couldn't kill me even if I had no arms," I told her though I continued to stare at him.
"You continue to think that," Jai told me. "But I have snipers hidden all around the room and when Ella steps one foot out that door you'll have bullets entering your body from every which way possible."
I glanced around the room finding at least six snipers hidden that I must have missed when I walked into the room knowing Jai planted more that I couldn't see.
"So here's the deal," He began. "Either have Ella live and let her watch as you get killed or I can kill her in front of your eyes." He paused for a moment letting the options sink in.
"Or," He began again making my head snap up in surprise that he was giving us another option. "She can be part of my gang while you walk out of here right now and forget about her. You'll never talk or see her again."
I watched Ella as he told me the options. I didn't know what to do next, knowing that lunging at him and punching my fist into his face would only be a death wish for myself and I couldn't let Ella watch that, couldn't let her suffer with that image for the rest of her life.
As if she felt my stare she looked up just in time to see a tear escape from my eye.
"It's okay," She whispered. "Everything will be okay."
I shook my head not believing her words, not believing this whole situation.
"So Hemmings," Jai spoke up again. "What's it going to be?"
-
A/N: daaaaayyyuum so intense yo! AHA but ya hopefully you're still enjoying it and if you are then definitely give it a vote.