But when I’d gotten my phone out at the bottom of the stairwell to let Ronan know we were there, I’d felt the cold metal of a gun pressed against my side. Stan had taken the phone from me and tossed it on the ground and then he’d ordered me to open the door. As soon as I had, a man waiting on the other side had hit me with something.
The pain in my body began to ease somewhat as I lay perfectly still and tried to quell my rising panic. I knew Ronan would come for me. I just needed to stay alive long enough for him to find me.
I could hear muffled voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. But as heavy footsteps drew closer to me, the voices became clear and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that one was Stan’s.
“I told you, I am not doing your fucking dirty work again,” the stranger snapped.
“I’ll double what I paid you last time,” Stan said.
“No! The only thing that keeps me from going down for your shit is if your hands are as dirty as mine.”
I felt a brutal grip wrap around my arm and then I was yanked to my knees. The covering over my head was ripped away and it took my eyes a second to adjust. But when I did, I froze. Because standing in front of me was Stan, the gun in his shaky hand pointed directly at me.
“I’m sorry,” Stan suddenly whispered as his eyes connected with mine.
“What the fuck are you apologizing to him for?” the other man snapped. “Just fucking do it already.” The stranger was in his early thirties and was wearing a pair of black jeans, a black shirt and heavy work boots. His hair hung well past his shoulders in greasy hanks and I could see several teeth missing as he railed at Stan. I didn’t recognize him, but I let out a strangled cry when I saw the suddenly very familiar snake tattoo that went from his elbow to his wrist.
“You happy?” the guy snapped. “He’s recognized me.”
Tears began to streak down my face as it all came together for me. The man in front of me had been the same man who’d tortured me and slit my father’s throat. And since Stan was in the middle of it all, it meant he’d had a hand in it.
“I’m sorry, Seth. I didn’t mean for it to happen like that. You and your mom weren’t even supposed to be there!” Stan was waving the gun around as he spoke. “I needed the money and your father…I knew he’d figure out that I’d taken it from the company. I loved him like a brother, Seth. But I was going to lose everything I had!”
“What the fuck are you explaining it all to him for?” the man yelled impatiently.
But Stan rattled on as if he hadn’t heard the other man speaking. “I took care of you, Seth. I kept the company going for you. But…but you were supposed to sell it, not run it. My share of the profits wasn’t enough…I needed the buyout to square away all my debts, to start over.”
I wanted to scream at Stan, to yank free of my bindings and wrap my hands around his throat. He was talking to me like the more he said, I’d somehow understand and accept what he’d done to me…to my family.
“Then that bitch showed up at the office railing about me trying to steal her clients and I knew we could help each other. I told her I would convince you to keep her on as your lawyer if she helped scare you enough so that you wouldn’t want to come back to the city…I knew if I could just get you out of the picture long enough, I could convince you to sell.”
I knew Stan was talking about Tabitha Brighton and my heart broke for her father. Harry would be devastated to learn of his daughter’s involvement.
“Jesus, fuck!” my father’s murderer shouted. “Just pull the fucking trigger!”
Stan glanced at the man and his eyes went wide and his mouth began opening and closing as if he were trying to draw in more air. His gaze shifted back to me and he shook his head.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered again. “I don’t have any other choice.”
I shouted a ragged “No” against my gag as I realized I wouldn’t have the chance to see Ronan one last time, to tell him again how much I loved him.
I closed my eyes and prayed to anyone who was listening to watch over Ronan so he wouldn’t lose himself again and then I brought forth my last image of him. He’d pressed a sweet kiss against my lips right before I’d gone into my meeting this morning and then he’d whispered, “I’ll see you soon” before he’d finally released me.