Page 41 of Saving Scarlett
A ragged breath escaped me as my chest constricted. Bile burned its way up my throat, forcing me to double over as it made its way onto the floor. Bane, my protector, the man I loved, was gone. The grief hit me like a physical blow, the punch to my gut forcing me to retch more as sobs wracked my body.
Through the haze of tears, I heard their laughter and saw their blurry outlines leaving the room. They’d accomplished what they came there to do. Physical torture would have been a kindness compared to what they were putting me through, and they knew that.
As I curled up on the concrete floor, begging for the oblivion of death, the door slammed shut behind them, enveloping me in darkness once more. Once I was alone again, I pulled myself up to sit, wrapping my arms around my knees and pressing my back into the cold, damp wall. The chill seeped through my thin shirt, raising goosebumps on my skin, but I barely felt a thing. Instead, I wept until I had no tears left. I didn’t know how to go on without Bane, but I knew I had to find a way even if I didn’t want to. For him.
Hours passed as I sat there, the room so quiet I could hear my own ragged breathing. Outside, rain pattered against the small warehouse window, the only reminder that a world existed beyond my prison cell.
Inhaling deeply, I took in the musty scent of mold and mildew that permeated the air. My thoughts drifted to Bane—to Ethan, conjuring his face in my mind’s eye. His piercing blue eyes that saw straight through to my soul, his rough but gentle hands that made me feel so safe—that pleasured me like none ever had before, and the warmth of his smile that he reserved only for me.
My heart shattered all over again at the realization I would never see his smile again, never feel the comfort of his embrace. A choked sob escaped my throat as the despair set in, but I swiped angrily at the tears staining my cheeks. If I was going to survive this, I had to be strong. I had to fight. For myself and for Bane’s memory.
Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head, refusing to let them break me. I slowly uncurled from my huddled position, wincing as my bruised body protested. Moving hurt but staying still hurt more. If I kept lying there and drowning in my sorrow, I would lose the last thread of my sanity. Once I was no longer in Victor’s clutches, then I could lose my mind. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of taking that too.
With the little strength I had left, I forced myself to stand on shaky legs, stumbling to the door. As expected, it was locked tight. I banged my palm against it in frustration, the dull thud echoing through the small room.
“Let me out!” I screamed, not surprised there was no response. I was alone.
Exhausted, I slid down the door and sat on the cold concrete floor. I thought of Ethan again, imagining his deep voice telling me I was stronger than I knew. A sad smile touched my lips as a few more tears escaped. No matter what those men had said, I had to believe I would find a way back to him. He couldn’t truly be gone. My heart refused to accept it.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders, gathering my resolve. Slowly, methodically, I examined every inch of the room, looking for any weakness, anything I could use when my eyes finally landed on the metal bed frame in the corner.
Wasting no time, I rose to my feet, crossing the room and ripping off a bar with all my strength, grunting from the effort. The end was jagged where it had broken off, reminding me of a piece of rebar. It wasn’t a gun or a knife, but I could still do damage with it.
A wicked smile crawled across my lips, the weapon in my hands giving me strength I didn’t have before. My captors thought they’d broken me, but they were wrong. I was stronger than they realized, and I would do whatever it took to get back to Bane.
Gripping the metal bar like a sword, I pressed my back to the wall by the door. If I was going to survive, it was time to fight.
Footsteps approached the door from outside, a man with a thick Cajun accent greeting whoever was guarding my door. My fingers wrapped around the bar until my fingers went numb as I listened to their conversation.
“You really think this’ll work?” the first man asked, his voice getting louder as he leaned against the wall near the door. “Using her as leverage against her father?”
“Of course,” the second man scoffed. “He’s got no choice but to cooperate if he wants to save his precious daughter. Victor knows what he’s doing.”
“Her father has made some powerful enemies,” the first man continued. “Once word gets out that we’ve got her, they’ll all be clamoring for a piece, and we’ll be sitting pretty at the top whether Ivy pays up or not.”
“Exactly,” the second one responded. “And with her in our possession, there’s no way he can touch us. It’s a win-win situation.”
As I listened to their exchange, my mind raced with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I was furious at my father for putting me in this dangerous position. I couldn’t imagine what Victor wanted from him that was worth what they were doing to me. On the other hand, I wanted to protect my father. He may have been shady, but he was the only father I would ever have.
Pushing my thoughts aside, I continued to eavesdrop on their conversation, praying that they would reveal some crucial detail or weakness that could help me escape.
“Delacroix is bringing some of his top guys with him when he comes back tonight,” the first man said, sounding almost impressed. “He said we should be ready to move her in a couple of days.”
“Good. The sooner we get this over with, the better,” replied his companion, the impatience evident in his tone. “We can’t afford any more screw-ups.”
With each passing moment, my resolve grew stronger, fueled by the knowledge that my survival—and that of my father—depended on my ability to outsmart these dangerous men. Despite the odds stacked against me, I refused to back down, but as the hours dragged on and my captors’ conversation grew increasingly mundane, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of desperation creeping in. Time was running out, and I still had no clear path to freedom and no idea what they were trying to get out of my father.
Chapter 36
The Savior
As night fell, I positioned myself on a rooftop overlooking the meeting spot. The young gang member, Vinnie, was supposed to make the drop off any minute. My pulse thrummed with anticipation, but I remained patient and focused. Despite my growing feelings for Scarlett, I couldn’t let emotion cloud my judgment, not when so much was at stake.
The sound of an approaching car broke through my thoughts, only heightening my senses. Peering over the edge of the rooftop, I watched as Vinnie stepped out of his vehicle and glanced around nervously, his frame tall and lanky. It was clear he wasn’t used to operating alone. Perfect. The person he was there to meet was already inside, having parked on the other side of the building, but I wasn’t concerned about him. He would never even know I was there. I, on the other hand, had already cased the area and prepped the dilapidated structure to go up in flames when I was finished with it. If I wanted to create a distraction, setting fire to a building where their guy was doing a drop would certainly work.
As Vinnie walked away from his car, I climbed down the fire escape, trailing him from enough of a distance to ensure I remained undetected. Since I knew where he was headed, I remained outside for a moment, allowing him to get a head start inside.
In the darkened night, the abandoned building loomed ominously before me, its once-elegant façade now marred by graffiti and decay. Broken windows stared back at me like empty eye sockets, and the wind moaned through the cracks in the walls, making eerie sounds across the parking lot. Rain fell in gentle sheets, adding to the haunting atmosphere. The place reeked of danger, sending a shiver of unease down my spine, but there was nothing that could keep me from going in after him. He was my way to Scarlett.