Business: Phoenix #1 (21 page)

~~~~~

Casey

He pulls me to the only lit room and throws me to the
floor.

I look around and see Julie staring at me at me. Her face
is still bruised like the photo I was sent of her. Her hair is a mess, like it
hasn't been washed or brushed in days.  Her eyes dart back and forth from Jason
to me.

Jason shuts the door and sits beside her on the unmade
single bed.   Julie’s foot is tied to the bed.  She has marks on her wrists.

“Oh Casey." Julie says quietly. I glance around the
room and the walls are covered in pictures of me, not the type I have posed for
either - the majority are of me walking in and out of work, pictures of me
driving my car, pictures of me and Hannah at the spa.   Some pictures are just
of my face, so I can’t tell when or where they were taken.

There are pictures of Matt and Hannah too, Matt running,
making his way to and from work, a picture of him with a man and woman in a jewellers.
I focus on this, where was he and who was he with?

Julie laughs nervously and shakes her head. "You
shouldn’t be here”

I give Julie a small smile to let her know it’s going to
be alright.  Then I continue to look around the walls at all the photos of me
and the people I love. Some of these photos go back months. How long has this
been going on? Why me?

Jason sees me eyeing up the covered walls. "This is
what I call 'Casey's Bedroom’." He smirks. "I hope you like it; this
is where you will be staying now.  It will be so fun, just the three of
us."

"I'm not fucking staying anywhere!" I shout.  I
want him to know I’m not afraid of him, even if I really am.

"Don't upset me Casey; do you know what happens when
I get angry?" His eyes are dark and are staring right at me, his creepy
smile making me shudder.

I refuse to make eye contact with him; I don't want to
give him what he wants so I stare at Julie again.

He notices me looking at Julie and begins to smile in an
evil way.  He leans close to Julie and wraps his arm around her shoulder and
pulls her close.  He grabs her face roughly and forces a kiss. 

“Leave her alone!” I shout. 

"Shall we make her more comfortable?" Jason says
and Julie glances to him and nods. They both stand and make their way to me;
Julie’s restraint allows her to come to me. I shuffle back but I am stopped
when I hit the wall behind me.

Julie starts to peel my hoodie from me and I wriggle
about, thrashing my arms as much as I can to stop her but Jason holds me down.
"Now let's not be silly Casey." His tone is demanding.

What‘s wrong with Julie?  Why is she helping him?  Is it
because she’s afraid of more abuse from this man?

"Fuck off!" I spit and he kicks me in the ribs.
I try to curl up in a ball to stop the pain but Julie starts to pull my vest
over my head, she struggles due to the position I am in.

"Don't swear at me Casey. I don't like being sworn
at..." His voice is condescending, like he is speaking to a child.

Julie manages to take my vest off so I am lying in my bra
and sweat pants. I pull my legs to my chest and tuck my head down and sob.

"That's enough for now." Jason tells Julie and
they both return to sit on the bed, staring at me. "Let me see how
beautiful you are Casey."

I don't answer; I stay in my tight ball.

If I stay like this, then I will be safe, he can't hurt
me.

Why did I even bother coming here today?

I zone their voices out with my own thoughts; I think
happy thoughts - Matt, Hannah, my parents and Andrew. Benji, my time with Matt
in America.

And I wonder if I will ever see them again.

~~~~~

Matt

When I was told Casey was at a psychopath’s house I
couldn't contain myself.

I was worried and scared for her.

I wanted to be there to protect her.

I watched everyone around me break down like she was dead
or something.

But I couldn't bring myself to think that about her.

Instead I was filled with rage and anger. I wanted to get
hold of that bastard.

The security team told me that I couldn't go to where she is
that it would be too dangerous. But I didn't fucking listen. I don't care if it
is dangerous; I need to know Casey is okay.

I argued with them until they agreed that James and I
could go with them to where she was.

The car doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast and I want
to scream at the bloke driving to put his fucking foot down.

James senses my anger and looks at me with concern in his
eyes.

"Don't do anything stupid when we get there,
Matt."

I don't answer, instead I stare at him.

Stare
through him.

~~~~~

Casey

"You are such a beautiful girl Casey. Do you know how
much I love you?" Jason is sat on the floor beside me now. Running his
hand up and down the side of my body which is still curled tightly. "Why
can't you realize that you belong with me? Me and you together, forever."

“What about me?” Julie whispers from the bed.  I’m
thankful she is distracting him from touching my skin.

What have I done to deserve this? Why can't this man just
leave me alone?

Every inch of my body aches, my face, my ribs and when he
runs his dirty hand along me it feels like he is rubbing acid on me, his touch
burning and scarring me.  He leans close and runs his tongue across my bare
shoulder.  I shudder.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I say
through my cries.

"I can't leave you alone Casey. I am in love with you
and we are meant to be together. After you stay with me you will realize.  You
will be mine and you will be happy." Jason says.

When Jason stands to go and get a cigarette from the side
I sit up against the wall and pull my legs to me. I watch both of them.
Watching their every movement.

"If its money you want, I'll give you it. As much as
you want."

"Oh Casey, Casey, Casey." Jason shakes his head
and blows a puff of smoke down at me. "When will you realize that I do not
want your money? I want you, I love you."

"You don't know a thing about love." I spit.

"And what? Your fucking yank of a boyfriend
does." He screams. "I know what love is Casey. Look around you!"
He throws his arms out. "This is fucking love... and I’m going to love
fucking you over and over and over.  You’ll be screaming!" he sneered.

"This is stalking!" I shout back. “It is wrong
and I will never love you!”

Fury across his face he throws the still burning cigarette
down at me which misses by an inch. "Do not fucking call me a
stalker." He screams as he stomps down on the cigarette, for a moment I
thought he was aiming for me so I duck out of the way.

Julie shakes her head. "Oh you shouldn't have Casey –
you’ve made him mad and when Jason is mad, bad things happen." She giggles
like a crazy person.  She’s lost her mind being with this lunatic.

Before I know it he is down on his knees beside me,
punching me everywhere – my face, my ribs, my stomach.

And then I see black.

~~~~~

Matt

"How much fucking longer will this take?!" I
shout at the driver.

"The sat nav says another ten minutes, sir." He explains
his voice calm and collected. Doesn't he understand what the fuck is going on?
Is he really that stupid? I want to throttle him and tell him to put his
fucking foot down so we get there before it is too late.

Like
the entire car journey, James is watching me intently. Wondering what is going
through my mind. Trying to read me like some sort of book.

~~~~~

Casey

All I feel is pain.

With every kick and blow he sends me I want to scream out,
but I can't.

I open my mouth but nothing comes out.

I
feel the next blow to my head; it comes with such force I guess it is from his
foot.

My
body starts to feel numb.

~~~~~

Matt

We eventually arrive at the address and I see Casey's car
down the road.

The security team is circling somebody near her car and
instantly I think it is Casey.

I open the car door whilst it is still moving and run over
to them, pushing my way through and I realize it isn't Casey, its Michelle and
she is crying like a baby.

"What's happened?" I demand and her eyes meet
mine. Terror in them.

"H-H-He’s got Casey." She explains through
cries.

"Who has?" I shout at her.

"Jason.”

I turn to make my way to the house, to stop them but I am
grabbed by security from all angles.

"Let me fucking go!" I scream at them, I try to
fight them off but there is three of them and one of me. I have no chance.

"Don't
do anything stupid sir, we have members of our team making their way into the
house now, they will sort it and get her out of there safe. We can't risk them
being caught and putting her in a more dangerous situation. We will appreciate
it if you stay here and remain calm." His voice is stern and his eyes are
narrowed as he stares at me.

Casey

When I regain consciousness I scan the room and realize I
am alone.

I need to get out of here now.

I try to push myself up from the ground but I am in too
much pain to move, every inch of me hurts.

I take a few moments to tell myself I need to move before
they come back, regardless of how much pain I am in. If I want to survive this
I need to get out of this house now.

“Come on, Case. You can do this.” I tell myself quietly.

I pull my vest over my head and wince at the pain.

I push myself up against the wall and hold myself there
for a second to get my balance, I am so dizzy and I feel so sick.

I feel my way against the wall, walking slowly when all I
want to do is run, but my body won't let me.

I get to the bottom of the hall way, at the top of the
steep staircase when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around.

"Think you're going somewhere, Casey?" Jason is
behind me. A creepy smile plastered across his face. His eyes narrowed on me.

"I'm...going home." I tell him, still holding on
to the wall.

"Oh, but you are home." His smile widens, eyes
still narrowed.

"No. I'm. Not." I tell him.

He raises his eye brow at me. "You are feisty. I
don't like it when a woman argues with what I am saying." His tone is low
and authoritative. “I am the boss in this relationship, Casey. You do as I
say.”

"Like your mum tried to tell you?" I spit.

"You know nothing about my mother!" He shouts,
face raging.

"I know what you did to her you sick fuck. I know
what you did to your father." I focus my eyes at him, stare straight
through him. Showing him that I am not scared.

He spits in my face. "Do not go there Casey. I am
warning you."

"What did they ever do to you? What have I ever done
to you? All your parents did was love you. You should still be in prison or a
mental institute. Locked up and the key thrown away!" I scream and he
laughs and shakes his head.

"You. Stupid. Girl." He says through gritted
teeth and it scares me.

The maniac in front of me really terrifies me.

But I refuse to let him know I am scared.

"When they find out what you have done to me - that I
am here they will come for you and you will be locked away for good then."
I force a laugh.

"Goodbye Casey." He grins and I’m confused.

"Wh-"

"Miss Phoenix! Are you there?" I hear a deep
voice call out from the ground floor and I turn to see who it is.

Before I know it I am falling head first down the steep
staircase.

My body hitting every step down.

I crash to the bottom.

I land with a loud bang.

And
I see black again.

~~~~~

Matt

“Call the police and paramedics now!” I hear someone shout
and the security officer beside me is instantly on his cell.

“What’s happening?” I demand.

James puts a strong hand on my shoulder to let me know he’s
there, beside me every step of the way.

It doesn’t take long for the sirens and blue lights to
arrive.

The police and paramedics listen to what the security team
tell them and rush inside. I can’t really process what they are saying. I’m not
thinking straight.  All I know is that she is hurt and the bastards won’t let
me see her.

I try to listen to the conversation but I can’t string the
words together.

Unconscious... Hurt...Staircase... Injuries...
Dead...Fall.

I hear the gun shots and instantly think the worst.

“Casey!”
I shout as I push out of the grips of the security guard who has been holding
on to me the whole time and James stands in front of me. His eyes looking directly
into in mine.

“Wait,
Matt. The right people are in there with her. Stay out here.”

~~~~~

Matt

Everything happens so quickly.

Flashing lights and sirens.

I watch as a paramedic carries Casey out of the house and
into the ambulance.

She isn't moving…

She’s lifeless....

The End

Casey and Matt’s journey continues in Book
#2 of the Phoenix series – this is now available for Pre-order on Amazon!

Pleasure