Page 66 of Caffeine & Chaos
Armand. For the briefest of moments in the darkness both men held their pistols raised at the other until recognition set in. Armand dropped his arm and approached Ryan, crouching low past the thick circle of glass in the rear door.
Her.
“Look at you, my darling. So beautiful, so perfect. I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long, the moment when you would finally be mine, completely and utterly mine,” Travis paced back and forth, his eyes never leaving Nadia’s face.
“I’m sorry that I had to hit you, but you have been playing so hard to get! Your little games, making me jealous with that… Ryan,” He said his name through clenched teeth, his face contorting into a mirthless smile, “but I know you, my love. I know every inch of you, every thought that crosses your mind. And I won’t let you slip away from me, not now, not ever.” He was so close to her when he said those last words she could feel his breath, hot against her cheek. She had to get away somehow.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you? How many nights I’ve spent recounting the moments we spent making love? holding you, of having you all to myself? But you, you held yourself just out of reach, always slipping through my fingers like smoke.”
His eyes glazed over, looking into an unclear distance as he reached out to caress her cheek.
“Don’t touch me!” Nadia screamed, her eyes welling up with tears. He was insane. She struggled against her bindings, continuing to wiggle even when she felt the plastic bite into her skin.
“Don’t be afraid, my darling. I’m not going to hurt you. I could never hurt you. You’re everything to me, the light in my darkness, the only thing that makes life worth living.”
Travis took a step back, his expression softening slightly. His head shifted sideways as he looked at her, processing her emotions.
“But you have to understand, my love. You can’t keep fighting me like this. We’re meant to be together, you and I. And I know that deep down, you know that too. That’s why we have to get away, don’t you see? Go somewhere, just you and me, so you can clear your head and love me in the way we both know you want to.” His eyes gleamed with a manic intensity as he leaned in closer, kissing her on the forehead.
He pulled a large hunting knife from his pocket and slid his thumb menacingly across the six-inch blade. He crossed behind her, dragging the flat edge of the blade along her collar bone, whispering, “so please, stop struggling. Embrace me. I’m what’s best for you and I’ll never let you go. Never.”
Nadia’s heart pounded in her chest like a trapped bird, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to tolerate Travis’ touch. The blade was cold against her skin, and she dared not move lest it slit her open. He licked her neck and suckled her skin as he tightened the ties on her wrist, causing the plastic to bruise and break her skin. He continued to whisper promises of devotion and desire—promises that turned her stomach with fear.
A sudden crash shattered the sickening moment, the sound of breaking glass echoing from the back of the restaurant like a gunshot in the distance.
Travis stiffened, his gaze darting towards the source of the disturbance, his grip on Nadia tightening with a savage intensity. “Who’s there?” he demanded, his voice a low, menacing growl.
Nadia’s heart leaped with hope as she strained against the restraints, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of salvation.
“Help me!” she cried out, struggling so fervently in the chair that she managed to lift herself from the floor, the chair clattering loudly against the tile as she landed. And then, through the darkness, she saw him; a figure emerging from the shadows, his silhouette illuminated by the warm light coming from behind the counter.
It was Armand!
Her heart soared at the sight of him, especially at the sight of the gun he held in his outstretched arm. Her eyes met his, pleading for rescue.
Travis cursed under his breath, his grip on Nadia tightening with a vice-like ferocity. He crouched low behind her, using her as a shield. “Don’t come any closer,” he snarled, his voice laced with venom. “You think you can take her from me?” he brandished the knife he held against her neck.
Armand’s jaw clenched with determination as he stepped forward, his gaze unwavering as he faced him down. “Let her go, Travis,” he commanded, his voice steady, resolute. “You don’t want to do this.”
But Travis only laughed—a hollow, deranged sound that sent a chill coursing through Nadia’s veins.
“She’s mine,” he spat, his eyes ablaze with a fervent madness. “And I’ll be damned if I let anyone take her from me.”
With a sudden surge of violence, Travis lunged towards Armand, toppling Nadia and the chair to the floor. Just as soon as he sprang from the floor a gunshot rang out, fired not from Armand’s hand, but from some point behind Nadia, hitting Travis between the shoulder blades.
Travis crumpled to the floor, his lifeless body hitting the tile with a thud. Blood rapidly pooled around his body, but Nadia dared not take her eyes off him. Suddenly she felt strong hands pull the chair from the floor to set it upright, and immediately knew who had come for her, and who had shot Travis.
Ryan.
Nadia’s sobs echoed through the dimly lit room, her body trembling with a mixture of relief and fear, her hands shaking uncontrollably as Ryan worked to free her from the restraints that bound her to the chair. Travis, lay motionless on the floor a few feet in front of her, his eyes empty and lifeless.
“It’s okay, Nadia,” Ryan murmured, his voice a soothing whisper against the tumultuous storm of emotions that raged within her. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
But Nadia could only nod weakly, her throat constricted with tears as she buried her face in Ryan’s chest, seeking solace in the warmth of his embrace. He was back, he was here, to save her. Where had he been? Nadia struggled to make sense of the chaos that had engulfed her.
“He was going to...” Nadia’s voice trailed off, her words choked with emotion as she tried to articulate the horrors that had threatened to consume her. “He was going to kill me, I’m sure of it.”
Ryan’s arms tightened around her, his touch a lifeline in the darkness as he held her close. “But he didn’t,” he murmured, his voice a gentle reassurance. “You’re here, Nadia. You’re alive.”