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I arrived at work and came through the back entrance of the bakery at two o’clock on the nose. I immediately got started working on the first items I had to bake. I set out the dough that needed to rise, so it could warm up while I was baking other things. I got lost in the rhythm of it all and time flew by. I was so lost in what I was doing, that I gave a tiny scream when there was a loud pounding on the door out front. Who in the world could that be? Checking the clock, I saw that it was four in the morning. If I ignored it, whoever it was would go away. It was probably a drunk walking home late.
Only the pounding didn’t stop. On top of that, I started to hear a voice calling out my name. I was shocked to realize that I recognized the voice. Thinking I had to be crazy, I peeked around the corner of the wall that separated the kitchen from the main part of the bakery.
It was dark outside and there were no lights on up front, but I could make out the form of a man standing at the door. Light from one of the streetlamps shone enough on him for me to recognize it was Blade. I hadn’t hallucinated his voice. I debated going back to the kitchen, only he chose that moment to yell again. “Cassia, I know you’re in there. Your car is parked in the back. Open this damn door. If you don’t, I’m calling the cops and Ian.”
The threat of that was enough to prod me into action. I snapped on one of the lights over the counter and rushed to the door. I unlocked the door then cracked open the door.
“Blade, what in the world are you doing here? Are you drunk? Why are you yelling for me and threatening to call Ian and the cops?”
He grabbed the edge of the door and opened it wide, pushing against me, which backed me up and allowed him inside. His aggressive move caused me to jump back and put a table between us. He had an expression on his face I didn’t recognize. It looked like a cross between anger and worry.
“Cassia, don’t do that. I’m not here to hurt you. I was banging down the door because I was worried about you. What the hell happened? You usually don’t get here until four. What time did you leave your apartment and why so early?”
Fear grew in me. How did he know when I usually came into the store and where I lived? There was only one reason I could think of and it was a terrifying one. I backed up and held up my hands, not that it would do me any good. He was bigger and way stronger than me. I began to try and convince him to leave me alone, even though I knew it was futile. If I could only get away from him and to my car, I’d be gone.
“Please, you don't need to do this. Forget you saw me. Tell him I left and you have no idea where I went.”
He gave me a confused look, like he didn’t have a clue what I was talking about. I had to give him credit for being a good actor.
“Baby, I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about. Tell who? Who are you afraid of and hiding from? I would never hurt you or let anyone else hurt you either. Cassia, tell me what’s going on here?”
He’d taken a couple of steps back, which put a little more distance between us. I took my chance and ran for the back. If I could get in there and out the back door where my car was parked, I could get away. Maybe. My keys were in my pocket. I had my purse locked in the trunk. I didn’t make it more than a half-dozen steps before arms like steel bands closed around my chest, trapping my arms at my side. I screamed and kicked. He lifted me off the ground.
“Cassia! Stop. I’m not going to hurt you. Please, listen to me. I just don’t want you to run. I know if you do, you’ll be gone. I know that look. Let’s have a seat and you can explain what’s going on. If it makes you feel better, we can call Ian to come sit with us or even a police officer.”
His offer to call someone, especially a cop, made me start to wonder if I was wrong. Surely, if he was out to kidnap me and force me to go back, he wouldn’t want a witness knowing he’d found me, especially a cop. It would make it hard for him to explain when I disappeared. Although, this could be a trick to get me to stop fighting and make it easier to subdue me and force me into a car or something. All those crime shows I watched at night flashed through my mind.
Thinking quickly, I let myself relax. As soon as I felt his arms begin to ease up, I scraped my heel down his shin and stomped down hard on his foot. It was a move I’d seen on a show about self-defense. It should’ve made him let me go from the pain, but I hadn’t factored in the fact he was wearing tall boots. By how much it hurt my foot, I would guess they were steel-toed.
As I cried out in pain and anguish at failing to get out of his arms, he carried me to the back. I thought he’d take me out the back door. He didn’t. Instead, he opened the door to the walk-in pantry and pushed me inside. Before I could get turned around, he slammed the door shut. I heard the bolt lock on the outside slide shut. I started to shake.
“Cassia, I know this doesn’t look good, but I swear, I mean you no harm. I just can’t let you run. I’m going to get someone here who I hope you’ll trust. All I want to do is talk to you and find out the truth. Please, don’t be scared, Boo. I promise everything will be alright.”
“Liar. Go ahead, do whatever you plan to do. I’ll find a way to get away, even if it takes me the rest of my life. I’ll never go back there. Death is better than that.”
I heard him swear before his voice sounded farther away. He was talking but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Probably calling the man who hired him to find me, to say he had me and to make arrangements to hand me over to him. I frantically looked around for a weapon. There was no way out the door and no windows, so my only recourse was to find something to hit him with when he opened the door again.
My search led me to an extra marble rolling pin. It was a backup in case the others cracked. Unfortunately, there were no knives in here. Although, the thought of stabbing someone made me a little queasy. I gripped it tightly and crouched to one side of the door. I readied myself to spring on him and swing as hard as I could once he opened the door. I prayed he wasn’t calling in reinforcements to help him get me out of here. If that was the case, I was in deeper trouble. I don’t know how long I waited until I heard footsteps coming toward me. I tightened my grip.
“Cassia, I’m opening the door. I have someone here who I know can help you to trust me. Okay, do you hear me? No one is going to hurt you, babe.”
I didn’t reply. Let him wonder. The lock slid back, and the door came slowly swinging open. As soon as I saw a big enough gap, I launched myself toward it and swung the rolling pin. I didn’t make contact like I thought I would. Instead, he caught it in one of his huge hands and tugged it out of mine. I cried out in frustration and tried to get past him anyway. I scratched, kicked, and tried to bite him as he grabbed me. Nothing worked. He had me wrapped up in his steely arms in no time. His hot breath washed over my neck and ear as he rasped into it.
“I’m not going to tell you again. Calm the fuck down. I’m not going to hurt you, woman. I’d cut off my own fucking arm first. We’re going to sit and talk.”
I turned my head to look at him over my shoulder and tell him to go to hell when I caught sight of the person he’d called to help. I was stunned to see a man standing there in a policeman’s uniform. And it wasn’t just any man. It was someone I recognized and knew was really an actual police officer in town. He came into the bakery on and off. I recalled his name was Jake. Jake was studying me intently. He was frowning.
“Blade, I think you’d better let her go before she passes the hell out. She looks like she’s about to lose her mind. Jesus, what the hell were you thinking, locking her in there?”
“I was thinking it was the only way to keep her here until I could get you here to vouch for me. I had to keep her from running the fuck off, to God knows where. You didn’t see her face. She was going to run and not look back. I couldn’t let her do that. I might not find her again.”
“God, you too? Shit. Okay, let’s get this started. I don’t have all day.”
Blade half carried half walked me to the tiny table and chairs we had in the kitchen. We had staff meetings there. He eased his hold when we got to it. As he did, I heard a buzzer go off. It was the oven telling me my croissants were done and the next item was due to go into the ovens.
“I need to get those out before they burn and put those trays on the worktable in there. The store will be opening in an hour.”
He seemed to consider what I said for a couple of moments then nodded his head. “Do whatever you need, but don’t try to run. You can’t get past both of us.”
