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ANOTHER FUCKING POLE. I’m tied to another fucking pole, but this time it’s not Patrick that put me here. It’s the crazy as fuck Erick. I knew I didn’t like him from the first time I met him. There was just something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, but I ignored my gut. By now you’d think I’d learned by now.
Evidently not.
He was nice enough when we went down the elevator to the parking garage making small talk and asking how I’m feeling. Then, when the same driver that drove Owen and I to the office tried to drive Erick and I to the condo, Erick insisted he stay behind in case Owen or one of his brothers needed him and that Erick would drive us. I’d be safe with him.
The driver, I think his name is John, agreed. It’s not his fault. He was following orders from one of the bigwigs at the office, but right now, John is not my favorite person.
Erick started driving and told me he had to stop to get gas. He offered to buy me something to drink, and I asked for a bottle of water. It was already opened when he gave it to me, as I watched him take a drink of it when he was pumping gas.
I was so thirsty; I didn’t care about the germs. I should have cared because after taking that first sip, I remember nothing until waking up a few minutes ago.
Now I’m sitting on the floor of a boat, zip tied with my hands behind my back around a fucking pole. My head is killing me, but other than that, I’m okay. For now.
“Oh, look who’s awake.” Erick says coming out of a room down the hall. The morning sun is shining through the windows and giving him an ethereal look. It’s freaky.
Okay, so this may be a yacht and not a boat. It floats, so whatever. I don’t answer Erick, but I do my best to stand up using the pole as leverage.
“Don’t get up for me, sweetheart.”
I ignore him and get up, anyway. I feel stronger standing up and can use my legs to defend myself if I have to.
“Do you like the place?” Erick waves around the luxurious living room of the boat. “It’s not mine. I’m just borrowing it for a little bit.” He drops onto the sofa and puts his feet up on the coffee table.
I notice he’s changed clothes and looks like he’s showered. “Once I get my company back, I’ll be rich as fuck. I’ll have more money than your boy toy and his brothers combined. Then I’ll get one of these myself.”
I ignore his statement as I twist my hands around, trying to loosen the zip ties. But it’s not working. They are on too tight.
“Want a drink? You did so well with the last one.” Erick laughs as he drinks from a water bottle.
“What do you want, Erick?” I demand with the strongest voice I can muster. I need to keep him talking until Owen figures out we’re missing and where we ended up; wherever here is.
Erick waves me off. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’re just collateral until I get my company back. Then I’ll turn you over to Fusco for the bounty.” He jumps when his cell phone starts ringing. “Oh, there he is now.”
He stuffs a rag in my mouth, “Can’t have you screaming.” I try to spit it out, but Erick holds his hand over my mouth from behind me. With the rag in my mouth and my lungs still healing from the smoke inhalation, I’m having trouble breathing, so I have to stop fighting him. “Shh, sweetheart. I have to take this call.”
Erick holds his phone out in front of us and pushes the video chat button. I see Patrick’s face on the screen and all the blood drains from my face. “Fusco.” Erick answers.
“Coleman.”
“I’ve got what you want, as you can see. I want the hundred grand you offered, but I need to borrow her for just a few more hours, and then you can have her. Deal?”
Patrick ignores Erick. “Princess, are you okay? Has he hurt you?”
I shake my head the best I can as Erick holds me against the pole.
“She’s fine, but she’s tied up right now. But I can arrange anything. For a price.” Erick tells Patrick.
“I want her now or no deal.” Patrick answers and for some reason the fact that Patrick said ‘no deal’ scares me more than if Patrick made the deal. At least with Patrick, I know what I’m getting. Erick is crazy. God only knows what he’s up to.
“Okay, fine. Seventy-five thousand and I get to keep her for six hours.” Erick is negotiating.
I watch Patrick look at me and then back to Erick, “Fifty thousand and you get an hour. Take it or leave it.”
Erick hits the mute button and whispers in my ear, “Do you think lover boy can save you in an hour? I think not. He doesn’t even know you’re missing.” He hits the mute button again. “Fine. Deal.” Erick licks the side of my face from my chin to my forehead. She sure is tasty.” He laughs. “She’ll be on your yacht and I’ll be long gone as soon as the wire goes through.”
Patrick nods. “Send me the wire instructions.”
“Pleasure doing....” Erick starts to say, but Patrick disconnects the call and the screen goes black. Erick lets go of my mouth and I spit the rag out and inhale deeply. I watch Erick type a text and send it. It must be the wire instructions.
“Just let me go, Erick. I won’t tell Patrick or Owen. I swear.” I beg, knowing this isn’t going to work.
“Why? You’re the reason Owen’s been so distracted lately. I tried to get him back on track with the gem thing, but no. He’s more focused on you. You’re the problem.” Erick yells as his face gets red, and he spits the words to me. “You! Everything was going according to plan until you came along!”
“You took the gems and brought them back? They were worth millions. Why didn’t you just walk away with them?” I’m trying to make sense of what he’s saying and still keep him talking.
Erick gets in my face and I have to look down to avoid him. “You’re not listening! You are the problem. I just want my company! My lunatic uncle sold it out from under me! I was getting the financing. But nooooo,” he drags out, “Hughes had to swoop in to save the day! Well, not this time. The gems were to show the world that Hughes International sucks at what they do. When I have ST Securities back, I’ll ruin them.”
Erick walks away from me and to the kitchen. That’s when I notice he didn’t turn off his cell phone. I’m hoping Owen can do some magic and find us before Patrick gets here. If he even realizes we’re gone. I’ve got less than an hour.
Erick goes down the hall, and I watch him disappear into another room. When he doesn’t come right back, I try to reach the cell phone that’s on the coffee table with one of my feet, but it’s too far away. Even if I point my toes, it’s not even close. What the hell am I going to do?
I can’t go back to Patrick. He’s going to kill me for sure, after he beats me until I’m black and blue. How did I get caught up in all of this? Who gets kidnapped twice? Who? No one, but here I am zip tied to another pole.
I think back to the day I met Patrick and want to tell myself to run away, to not get involved with him, but then I would never had met Owen. Of course, then I wouldn’t be in this situation now, about to be traded like an ox at a market in a third world country.
Please find me, Owen. I feel a tear fall down my face, but I wipe it away with my shoulder. I don’t want to give Erick the satisfaction of knowing he got to me. I can be strong a little while longer.
Erick’s phone rings, and he comes back down the hall. “Wonder who that could be?” He picks up the phone and shows me the screen. The relief washes over me. Owen’s name appears, but I watch as Erick’s thumb taps the ‘decline’ button. He laughs at me as he watches the hope drain from my body. “Not yet. It’s not time yet.” I watch as he slips the phone into his shirt pocket.
“When will it be time?” I ask hesitantly as I keep working my hands behind me. I can feel the blood drip down my hands, making them sticky. These zip ties are very thick, almost like police grade handcuffs.
“It will be time when I get my money and my company back. Haven’t you been paying attention?” He pulls out another bottle of water. It looks delicious. I’m so thirsty, but I won’t take anything from him again.
“So, you plan to trade me for money and Hughes International?” I ask, trying to keep him talking.
He sighs heavily and looks up at the ceiling. “Haven’t you been paying attention? God, you’re a stupid bitch, too. What does he see in you?” He takes his water and sits on the couch across from where I’m tied. “I’m getting the money for finding you from Fusco and then I’m getting my company back, ST Securities. Not Hughes International. ST Securities. That’s my company. It’s rightfully mine. Not these spoiled rich kids’ play toy.” Erick waves his hands around and makes a sound of disgust.
“Why did your uncle sell the company instead of give it to you?”
“Because he was an asshole. Plain and simple. I almost had the financing, but he couldn’t wait one more month. The old bastard. It was a good day when he died.” He’s looking off to the side like he’s watching an old memory, but shakes it off. “Doesn’t matter now. It will be mine by the end of the day.”
“So, you set it up so that you hired someone to steal the gems and then had them returned them to make a point?”
“Exactly. Now you’re getting it! Hughes cannot handle the types of work that they claim and doing that showed the world the truth about them. They’re just playboys with toys. They’re not a serious company.”
I’m becoming defensive for Owen and his brothers. “I don’t know. They seem pretty good at what they do. A few years ago, they found a serial killer, and they do a lot for the government. They seem pretty serious to me.”
Erick laughs. “They’ve got everyone fooled, but I’ll expose them for who they really are. All in due time.” Erick’s phone rings again. He looks at his watch and his eyes light up. “It’s almost time. Let’s find out what lover boy wants.” He pulls the phone out of his pocket and taps the ‘accept’ button and puts it on speakerphone. “So, you figured it out, did you? Faster than I gave you credit for.”
“Where are you?” Owen’s voice comes over the speaker.
“Owen, we’re on a boat in a marina. I’m tied to a pole. Erick’s crazy.” I yell as Erick approaches me and backhands me across the face.
“Do it again and I’ll throw you overboard with your hands and feet zip tied.” Erick stands within an inch of my face. I nod as I feel blood and tears fall down my face. My eye feels like it’s going to pop out of my head. There’s so much pressure from where he hit me.
“You touch her again, and you’ll never see me coming, Coleman. You got that?” Owen growls through the phone’s speaker.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you love her and want her back. Whatever.” Erick looks at his watch again. “You have less than fifteen minutes to come get her before Fusco’s here to take her away. And I’ll bet you’ll never see her again once he has her.” He laughs.
“Tell me what you want.” Owen demands.
“I want my company. Didn’t you read the message I left you? Did everyone take stupid pills today? I want my company. ST is mine and I want it back. Now! Make it happen in the next ten minutes and you’ll win your girl. If not, you don’t. Simple as that.”
That’s when I see, through the back sliding glass door, Owen standing on the dock across from where this boat is moored. The relief I feel is immediate, and I can’t keep myself from gasping. Erick turns to look at what I see and sees Owen standing there on the dock with his phone to his ear.
“Ah, so you may be better than I thought, but time is ticking away, lover boy. The bitch for the company. Even trade.” Erick stands on the back patio deck of the boat facing Owen, who’s still on the dock. It looks like they are in a duel in the old west. Why is Owen just standing there? Why isn’t he coming to get me?
“I’m going to give you one chance to do what’s right here, Coleman. Walk away from this right now. Just get off the boat and walk away.” Owen’s voice is steady, strong.
I watch Erick’s posture stiffen. “Or what, Hughes? You’re standing there all alone, giving me the evil eye. You don’t even have your weapon drawn.” Erick pulls his gun out from the small of his back. “You’re so much of an amateur that you’re threatening me and not even prepared.” Erick raises his arm with the gun and aims it at me. “By the time you pull your weapon, she would be dead.”
“What makes you think I’m alone?” Owen asks. “Coleman, you have one chance. Put the gun down and walk away.” Owen repeats.
Erick looks around. He must see no one because he starts to laugh. “Unless you have a mouse in your pocket, I don’t see anyone here to help you or her.” He comes back inside the cabin and over to me. He licks me again on my cheek. “She sure is tasty.” He grabs me by my crotch. “Maybe if I fuck her, I’ll finally get a rise out of you, Hughes.” Erick starts roughly rubbing my crotch through my clothes. In my ear, but still on speakerphone, he whispers, “You like that, baby?”
I’m struggling to get him off of me, but I can’t. The zip ties are too tight. I’ve got nowhere to go to get away from him.
Suddenly, over the speakers in the ceiling on the boat, comes a familiar voice. “Coleman, walk away. This is your last chance.” It’s Patrick’s voice. Both Erick and I look around, but neither of us can see him.
“I told you, Erick. You need to walk away.” Owen says over the phone.
Erick’s face turns red. “What! Now you’re working with Fusco? You stabbing me in the back?”
“Walk. Away.” Patrick’s voice comes over the speakers again.
“No! I want my money and my company.” He holds the gun up to my temple and I stiffen. “I want both and I want them now!”
“Princess, turn away.” Patrick’s voice tells me and I look away from Erick. “Good girl.”
There’s an explosion and suddenly I’m covered in sticky fluid and Erick’s headless body is lying at my feet.