Chapter 25
Dallas
“Where is Jeff?” Crazy asked, his hands in the air as a result of Luke’s gun, which was pointed at his head.
“Right where I left him, but don’t worry, you’ll be seeing him soon enough,” Luke said, motioning with his gun for Crazy and Dennis to move to the other side of the room. Jeff, my ex-lover that Luke later found out was working for Frankie, was the flaw in Charlie’s plan that had given us the opportunity we needed to intercede. With a little bit of persuasion, Luke had convinced Jeff whose side he needed to be on. Jeff apparently felt terrible about what had happened to me and was willing to do whatever he needed to help. A gun shoved down his throat was also a factor in his decision, but regardless of the reason, Jeff accepted Crazy’s offer to assist in capturing me, and kept us informed of their every move. As they had walked from their vehicles to the outside of my room, Luke had simply walked in behind Dennis, rather than Jeff. The darkness and location of the hotel made the exchange work in our favor. Once I heard Jeff’s name, it was all the confirmation I needed to know that the switch had been made. Had it not, plan B would have taken effect, and it was much more risky than plan A.
“So, what happens now?” Crazy asked, his hands behind his head as he glared at Luke.
“You have two options. With the first, you might have a chance to live. With the second, I kill you,” Luke said with a shrug, feigning disinterest either way.
“Well it looks as if I don’t have a choice,” Crazy answered, his voice laced with malice, as he looked into Luke’s eyes. This was the part we feared most; whether Crazy would actually follow through or if he would kill me just because he could. Because of that, Luke sweetened the deal.
“When Charlie Lott walks through that door, kill him,” Luke said, spitting Charlie’s name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. “Don’t ask questions, don’t wait for introductions. Just shoot him dead. He will possibly have three men with him. You have to take them out as well.” Crazy laughed at Luke’s offer.
“Why the fuck would I do that? I’d be signing my own death warrant. Nobody can just kill Charlie Lott,” Crazy said, looking at Luke as if he had lost his mind.
“You’ve already signed your death warrant, which brings me to the second part of my first offer. If you succeed in killing Charlie and actually walk out of here alive, and Dallas is unharmed, I’ll help you disappear. With a lot of money.”
“How much money?” Crazy asked, the offer on the table sounding more appealing now that he knew he didn’t have a choice.
“Ten million dollars,” I said, with a smile, watching as his face held recognition of our earlier conversation when I had offered him that to not torture me. It didn’t take long for him to answer, which was great considering time was not of the essence.
I was still tied to the chair, still covered in vomit and still sitting in piss when another episode of “Golden Girls” came on. This time, I was gagged. After Luke left, Crazy made it his mission to make me as uncomfortable as possible. At least he used a bandana and not duct tape. I was lost in my own thoughts, remembering the promise Luke had made to me as we had said our goodbyes the day I left for Atlanta. We were going through everything once again and when we discussed him leaving me here after making Crazy an offer, I knew it would be difficult for him to endure.
“When you come into that room, no matter the state I’m in, you have to play it cool. Whatever he says to me, whatever he does, you can’t lose it. If you kill Crazy, all of this will be for nothing. We need him. If everything goes according to plan, you walk out of that room and don’t look back. This is what you have trained me for. It’s what we have spent days preparing for and I’m ready. I’m going to need you to trust I can handle it. I know it will be hard. I know you will want to take me with you, but you can’t. Don’t say goodbye, don’t kiss me, don’t look at me, and don’t you dare fucking change your mind. Luke, promise me that you will leave, and promise me that you will be waiting for me when this is all over”
“I promise.”
Luke had fulfilled his promise, and had left without a single glance in my direction. I knew when he had walked out of this room and left my fate in the hands of Crazy, a little piece of him had died. I almost wished he could have traded places with me, not because I wanted him subjected to harm, but because I knew the turmoil he endured in walking out was worse than any physical punishment. We had already lived through that once before when he had chosen Maddie to go with him, and had left me in the hands of Charlie. To do it twice was almost too much for one man to take…Almost. Good thing Luke was not your average man. The flash of headlights bouncing off the walls in the room notified us that Charlie had arrived. He was right on time, according to Crazy, and I hadn’t expected any less of him. Crazy stood next to Dennis across the room, both of their hands behind their backs, as they held tightly to their guns and prepared for battle. I had been moved as far back as possible, leaving me pressed up against the night stand between the two beds, out of the line of gunfire. Hopefully. I was breathing hard, my eyes dry from them being open so wide, watching the door and waiting for it to burst open and the firing to begin. I started to hyperventilate. My body got that feeling you have when you are at the top of a rollercoaster, the slow climb causing the nerves inside you to build until you reach the top, where there is no turning back. The descent is slow at first, but then it free-falls, and your heart drops to your stomach, making bile rise in your throat, as your mind diligently attempts to prepare you for the worst, and you come face-to-face with what you are convinced is death. When the door swung open, two men entered and without question, opened fire on Crazy and Dennis before they had time to react. The sound of the bullets exiting the silencers on their pistols was louder to me than if they had been shooting without them. As I watched Crazy and Dennis’ lifeless bodies fall to the floor, I knew that sound was one I would never forget. My body heaved, trying to rush air into my lungs, which at this point was like breathing through a straw. I took loud, quick breaths in through my nose, my tongue pushing against the bandana in the hope of removing it, so that I could breathe. Charlie walked in behind the men, straightening the cufflinks on his customary black suit as his eyes surveyed the room. When they landed on me, he frowned, and I knew he was very displeased with my appearance. He quickly walked over to me, untying the bandana from around my mouth. As soon as it was removed, I began sucking large amounts of air into my mouth, trying to accommodate my aching lungs, as I continued to hyperventilate. The tape around my waist was cut and Charlie grabbed my head, gently pushing it me between my legs while he gathered my hair in his hands. Once I was somewhat calm, I sat back in the chair, eyeing the three men in the room. I recognized the tall, dark-skinned man who was always with Charlie and one of the goons that had assisted in my previous abduction.