AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Eleanor,” I hear him answer.
“I’m afraid not, Mr Maxwell.”
A pause. “Who is this?”
“My name is Sydney Preston and I have your daughter with me.”
My father’s end of the conversation fades and I am no longer able to hear all of his words, but I think he’s just asked if I’m okay.
“For now. But there are some things I think we should discuss before I can ensure her safety. Now, here’s what we’re going to do. One of my men is going to pick you up from the club that your daughter whores herself out from and bring you to me. Oh, and Mr Maxwell, do not bring anyone with you; security, police, anyone. If my guy thinks you’re not entirely alone or feels like he’s being followed, he’ll kill you before you ever get to see sweet Eleanor again, understand me?”
I briefly wonder if my dad is worried for me or just finds this an inconvenience in his day. But Sydney’s smug grin as he hangs up seems to say that he at least believes his plan is working.
It’s over an hour we wait, Gray is pale and shaking and I’m terrified that he is bleeding out. “Please, you have me, my father’s coming, just let Gray go, let him get to a hospital. He’s losing too much blood.”
Sydney doesn’t look up from his phone that he’s been tapping away on for the last forty minutes. I’m pretty sure he’s playing Candy Crush, leaning against the column in the centre of the room like he hasn’t a care in the world. “It’s a flesh wound, he won’t bleed out, he’ll more likely die from infection.”
“Please,” I beg. I’m losing any confidence I had that this was going to end well, wanting to just curl into a ball of defeat.
“No.” The dick still doesn’t look at me.
“Boss,” the other man says, jerking his head at the window where the night sky is the only thing I can see beyond the reflection of our situation. “They’re here.”
Sydney stands straight and adjusts his jacket, giving me his back, he faces the door into the room and waits until my father walks in. It strikes me as odd that he’s wearing jeans and a jumper, I think I’ve only seen him out of a suit a handful of times in my life. Probably not the thing to be focussing on right now.
My thoughts scatter when the man behind him comes into view, shoving Dad by the shoulder further into the room. My eyes burn with rage and I want to scream. His face tattoo seems to taunt me, his dark eyes so full of ice and menace, not at all like the last time I saw him. Almost unrecognisable from the crying broken man hanging from his wrists in the dirty warehouse the guys had taken me, the man who watched his two friends die for their involvement in the last time I was hurt.
I am just about to shout at him, curse him, scream, tell him that my men will gut him for this, but he catches my eye. As though sensing my intent, he gives me a slight shake of his head. I just glare daggers, hoping one will make its way to him and pierce his heart.
“Eleanor!” I finally look my dad in the eye and am shocked to see them red-rimmed and watering. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He starts striding over to me but the chauffeur steps in his way and warns him off with a hard stare.
“I’m okay, I promise. But my friend has been shot, he needs to get to a hospital,” I say.
Dad looks over to Gray and worry clouds his features. Looking back to me he gives me a small, sad smile. “It’s going to be okay, darling.”Darling?God, a little trauma and he’s suddenly going for Dad-of-the-year.
“Jason,” Sydney addresses tattoo face. “You can wait outside now. We’ll talk about your little absence later.”
Jason puts his hands in the front pocket of his baggy hoodie and nods at his boss. “Sure thing.” He leaves the room but not before throwing a smirk and a wink at me. If I weren’t tied up, I’d launch myself at him.
“Now, Mr Maxwell,” Sydney’s polite friendliness grates on my nerves like a ticking clock out of time. “You own a shipping company, and I have product to ship, let’s discuss.”
54
BRENT
Parking a good way outside the old business park, we journey on foot toward the abandoned office block. All in black, my AK-47 slung against my back and a Glock at each hip. My Kevlar is uncomfortable and tight across my chest but necessary. Lance is behind me, kitted out the same and Hayden is behind him. I didn’t want Hayden coming because he isn’t trained for this. He stays out of the violent side of this life as much as possible, but I wasn’t stupid enough to waste time arguing with him. He’s as worried about Elle as the rest of us.
We move toward the building we’re here for, Peter and his men approach from the opposite side. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I take it out to see the message from Jason.
IDIOT 2: Your girl is alive. I’d say she’s taken a blow or two to the face, but she seems okay.
IDIOT 2: There’s a guy in there too. A second hostage. He has a bad wound to his leg.
That must be Gray. We had tried to reach him when we first heard Elle was missing, hoping he may have heard from her, but we couldn’t get hold of him.
IDIOT 2: Maxwell is in place.
IDIOT 2: Third floor.
