AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This was not from Papa. Nor was it from Bax. No, this had to be from the kidnapper. Or someone who knew the kidnapper.
Hope fluttered in my chest like tiny butterflies. Could I find my father on my own?
Finding Papa meant putting an end to all of this. No Bax, no ruined reputation. My life could return to normal. Daniel Kelly would save the city again, and I would go back to rambling about in this big house by myself. We would occasionally see one another. Perhaps he might even be grateful and praise my bravery and intelligence.
Still, I wasn’t a fool. This was dangerous. I had no idea who wrote the note. It could be from someone with information . . . or it could be someone looking to hurt me.
I had to try. Relying on Bax to help me was problematic for many reasons. My eyes drifted to the bed, still rumpled from where he slept.
“I’m so hard for you, Belle.”
Watching him perform the act of self-pleasure had aroused me, far more than I ever dreamed. But I couldn’t let this go further.
Resisting him was growing more and more difficult. I had no protection against his particular brand of danger, one that came with slick smiles and racing heartbeats. One that had me contemplating my own ruin.
“Anything I want, whenever I want it.”
I needed to get that man out of my life.
Indeed, decision made. I’d take my gun and go to that address on Thirty-Seventh Street today. And I’d leave a note here at the house in case I didn’t return. If disaster struck, the police could use it to look for me.
And if all went to plan, then I would never see Billy Baxter again.
CHAPTER7
Isabelle
The building looked deserted.
I tried to remain calm. The pistol sat heavy in my coat pocket, my nerves stretched tight as I approached the door. Whoever wrote the note wasn’t expecting me for another forty-five minutes. Arriving early would give me the element of surprise.
My mouth was dry, but I forced my feet to move forward. I slipped through the unlocked front door and entered what turned out to be an empty room. As quietly as possible I started across the worn wooden floor. I retrieved the pistol from my pocket and held it in front of me. Was someone here?
Dust tickled my nose, the musty air uncomfortable in my lungs. The place clearly hadn’t been used in some time. I went up a set of stairs in the back, my shoes nearly silent on the treads.
A door stood open at the top. No one was in there, just a desk, a few chairs and cabinets. Excellent. I could hide under that desk.
Moving into the room, I heard a squeak behind me. I started to spin, but I wasn’t fast enough. Thick arms grabbed me from behind and pinned my hands to my sides. My pistol clattered uselessly to the floor.Dash it!I couldn’t pull free, so I began to struggle.
“Caught you,” a deep voice said before strong fingers wrapped around my throat, squeezing.
I tried to suck in air but couldn’t. Chest burning, I began to panic. Was this stranger intending to kill me? I couldn’t die, not without finding my father first.
Not without seeing Bax again.
“I wonder how much he’ll pay to get you back,” the man sneered and started dragging me across the floor. “No guarantee on what condition you’ll be in by that time, of course. We’re all eager for a turn.”
Oh, God. Icy terror slid down my spine. I had to get to my gun.
I went boneless. His grip slipped and I fell to the floor at his feet. I didn’t waste a second. As quickly as I could, I scrambled for my pistol. My fingers clenched on the cool metal, but he pounced on me, an angry snarl filling the air. His fist tightened in my hair, pulling hard until tears sprang to my eyes. I screamed as loudly as I could manage.
“You bitch!” The side of my head slammed into the floor. Pain exploded in my skull and I grew dizzy. No, no, no! I had to keep fighting.
He was on top of me, his heavy bulk preventing me from drawing in a full breath. I gripped the gun, but couldn’t maneuver my arm to shoot him. He lifted my head again, probably to slam it onto the floor once more, so I acted on pure instinct.
I tilted my hand and aimed toward us both, then pulled the trigger.
His body jerked, then he slammed my head onto the ground once more.
