Embrace Me (34 page)

“
Mac,” Charlie spat. I was shocked he even spoke, but the tone of his voice made everything clear. Charlie wasn’t ready yet.

“
I saw the pair of you with the Fields earlier. Does that mean this truce is true?” Mac questioned, turning back towards me.

“
We are trying to mend bridges,” I beamed, feeling Charlie’s arms tighten around me. I knew this must be difficult for him. “I hope you don’t mind, Mac, but Charlie and I need to do some more mingling.”

“
No, I understand,” he muttered, his eyes darting between me and his brother. I had never seen Mac so anxious before. He had always been so confident. “Have a good night.”

“
We will,” I smiled, leading Charlie away.

“
I hate him,” Charlie muttered as we began to walk off. I knew Mac heard, because as I turned to look at him, his face dropped. Why couldn’t Charlie see what I could?

“
He’s still your brother,” I whispered softly.

“
You’re taking his side again.”

“
I’m not taking sides.” This had to stop. How could I make him understand?

“
Yes you are!” Charlie snapped, letting go of me.

“
Charlie!” I rolled my eyes as Mac called out to him. I didn’t need this…not tonight. “Shannon is right. She isn’t taking sides, and if she did, I can promise you she’d be on yours.”

“
I didn’t ask for your opinion!” Charlie snarled.

“
Well, you’re getting it. I can understand why you are angry, but you’re directing it at the wrong person. We are brothers. We are the innocent ones in all of this.”

“
Don’t think you know me, Mac. We may share the same blood, but that’s it. You are
nothing
to me.” It was difficult to listen to the words falling out of Charlie’s mouth. How could he be so hurtful? “I know what you’re trying to do, and I’m telling you to back off.”

“
I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“
You don’t scare me. I won against William Field, and I will win against you, too.” God, this really was about me. Was Charlie still that scared about losing me?

“
Charlie,” I tried to butt in, but Mac beat me to it.

“
You think this is about
Shannon
?” Mac laughed, shaking his head.

“
Don’t pretend it isn’t.”

“
Charlie, I’m not interested in your girlfriend. She is beautiful and wonderful, but the pair of you are made for each other.”

“
You really expect me to believe that?”

“
It’s the truth. I just want my brother in my life.”

“
I’M NOT YOUR BROTHER!” Charlie was enraged, and I had to hold him back before he lunged at Mac.

“
Charlie,” I soothed, touching his waist. “Relax, please? People are watching.” His eyes turned sorrowful as he gazed at me.

“
I’m sorry, Shan,” he whispered. “I just need a minute alone.” I nodded, watching him disappear into the crowd.

“
Is he for real?” Mac asked.

“
This isn’t easy for him. We’ve been through a lot to get here, and it’s had quite an effect on him.”

“
Will he ever listen to me?”

“
You need to give him time. Tonight wasn’t really the night for all of this. He already has a lot on his mind.”

“
If he’s still so affected by what happened, why have you called a truce with the Field family?”

“
It’s a long story, Mac,” I sighed, looking around at all the eyes on me. Suddenly I felt very vulnerable.

“
Shannon! Shannon…is that you?” I squinted, trying to work out where I knew that face from. “It’s me, Patrick.”

“
Oh. My. God!” I beamed, hugging him tightly. It seemed like years since those days in London when I had sat next to Patrick in almost every lesson in college. “Patrick, how are you? It’s been years!” I had lost contact with him once I moved to New York. Last I heard, he was making quite the name for himself in Europe.

“
Good thanks, but what about you, Miss
Downing
?” Mac was stood between us, looking a little lost.

“
Oh! This is Harry Mac,” I gestured, watching Patrick shake his hand. “Patrick and I went to University together in London.”

“
Lovely to meet an old friend of Shannon’s,” Mac smiled. “I’ll leave you guys to catch up.”

“
I did email you,” Patrick muttered as I watched Mac walk off into the crowd. I prayed he wasn’t going to look for Charlie. “About a hundred times, but you must have changed your email address.”

“
Things got a little heavy in New York.”

“
No kidding. I was friends with Jennet Downing’s long-lost daughter. You have no idea how tempted I was to sell my story.”

“
You should have,” I teased.

“
I couldn’t do that to you. I was your
normal
friend, remember?”

“
You really were,” I laughed, looking around. Where was everyone? I couldn’t even see Frank or any of his men now. Was something going on that I didn’t know about? Maybe they had already caught my potential abductors.

“
Is everything okay, Shannon?” Patrick asked in concern.

“
Yes, of course,” I breathed.

“
My fiancée is here tonight. I’d love it if you could meet her.”

“
You’re getting married?” I beamed. “Pat, that’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”

“
She’s on the other side of the room. I know you must be busy, but…”

“
I’d love to meet her,” I interrupted, taking his hand. It would give me a chance to find Charlie and Mac. They had both headed in that direction, so it was a good place to start.

“
Are you sure?” Patrick asked.

“
Yes,” I replied, following him through the crowd. I saw Megan and Will in the distance as I glided across the dance floor with Patrick.

“
Who would have thought you would be richer than them,” Patrick laughed, looking in their direction, as well. “I can’t believe I
ever
had the hots for her.”

“
I take it your fiancée isn’t blonde?” I teased.

“
God, no,” he shuddered.

By the time we reached the other side of the dance floor, I still hadn’t seen Charlie or Mac, which wasn’t a good sign. I could just imagine them fighting outside somewhere.

“
She must have gone outside,” Patrick mused, scanning the crowd.

“
I could do with some fresh air,” I blurted out. As long I was with someone, I knew I’d be safe. I needed to find Charlie, and it was clear he wasn’t in here; he
had
to be outside.

“
Okay,” Patrick said as he led me out into the night.

There was a slight chill in the air, causing goose bumps to rise on my skin. “Are you cold?”

“
I’ll be okay.”

“
Here, have my jacket.” Patrick pulled his jacket off, putting it around my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Shannon,” he whispered, looking over my shoulder at something behind me.

I began to shudder as his grip on me got stronger.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“
Pat, let me go.” My voice was already beginning to tremble.

“
I can’t do that, Shannon.” No; please, God, don’t tell me I fell right into my abductors hands. “Three years I tried to contact you. Did I mean that little to you?”

“
I…I…”

“
It was always about your rich friends. You never saw me. What we could have been. I loved you, Shannon, and as soon as you left for New York, you forgot me.”

“
Patrick, I…”

“
What does Charlie Collins have that I don’t? He was Megan’s boyfriend. I never thought you would stoop that low.” He was pushing me further into the darkness as my eyes searched for someone…anyone who might help.

“
You don’t know the whole story, Patrick. Please don’t do this.”

“
I have to. I have no choice, Shannon. I’m in too deep.” I bumped into someone as their arms encircled my waist. Patrick slipped his jacket off, placing it over my shoulders as I began to struggle.

“
Don’t make this difficult on yourself. You’re coming with us even if you’re kicking and screaming.”

I felt myself being pulled by the person behind me, but was too scared to turn and look at my abductors. How could Patrick do this to me—betray me in the worst possible way?

I pulled harder against the arms holding me as I searched for my saviour. Charlie had to be close, didn’t he? And where were Frank and his men? Why was I all alone? Had this been Patrick’s plan all along? Was there a decoy somewhere at the party? Had we all fallen into their trap?  

“
Do you know where Maisy is?” I asked, trying to waste time. It wouldn’t take too long until someone realised I was missing. When they did, they would come looking for me.

“
I do,” Patrick smirked. “That dumb girl got in the way. I was after Megan, of course.”

“
Is…is she okay?”

“
Are you worried about your fate? I’ll look after you—don’t worry,” he smirked darkly.

“
Please, Patrick,” I pleaded. “If you ever cared about me…”

“
Is that what you told William Field when you broke his heart, leaving him for Charlie Collins?” I recoiled as tears began to stream down my face. “Enough talking. Let’s move.” I was quickly dragged towards a side alley and away from the party. I searched for Charlie, praying the entire time that he would find me. Miracles could still happen; I had witnessed them before.

“
You’re my meal ticket, Shannon. I’ll have you
and
Maisy Field. Quite the collection, I think. The Russians will finally accept me and I’ll be someone important. You have no idea what it’s like to be a normal person! I hate it. I want
power
. I want people to bow down at my feet.”

“
I do know how that feels,” I whimpered, still trying to fight against the hold on me. “I was normal all my life until I found out who I really was.”

“
That’s not the same!” Patrick yelled. “You left me behind, Shannon, and I won’t
ever
forgive you for that. This is my payback. The fame has changed you. You’re not the same woman I fell in love with all those years ago.”

“
Patrick, please,” I begged, frantically looking around for a familiar face before I was dragged completely out of sight.

“
It’s too late, Shannon. You’re worth too much to me now.” He smiled evilly as he pushed me farther back into the alley way. I tried to scream and shout, but I was gagged before I could get a single word out. The harsh friction of the rope burned against my mouth as the tears began to fall down my face. This was it. I was about to be kidnapped, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Charlie and my mother were all I could think about. Would I ever see them again? I knew Charlie would drown in his guilt, thinking he never should have left me. No! I couldn’t have him living that way. And my mother…we’d only just found each other. I closed my eyes, trying to fight back the tears as I pulled against my abductor; I wasn’t going anywhere without a fight! I had too much to live for.

“
Pick her up if she won’t move. We need to leave
now
. We only have minutes until someone notices she’s gone,” Patrick stressed irately.

Suddenly, I could hear my name being called. It was Charlie. I screamed through my gag, trying to call to him as I struggled with all my strength to break free from my abductor’s hold. I have no idea how I managed it, but as I elbowed my captor and dug my stiletto shoe hard into his foot, I slipped free and raced down the alley, knowing they were close behind me and could catch me again at any moment.

Charlie’s worried eyes met with mine instantly as I rushed around the corner, still gagged. Mac was close behind, followed by Frank and his men, but before I could run to them, I was grabbed from behind and pulled back into the alley. I tried screaming through my gag with everything I had.

Patrick spat something at the guy holding me, pushing me further into his arms. I squirmed, making it as difficult as possible to be taken away, but the hold was too tight this time.