Missing Link (The Finders Book 1) (4 page)

"He's staying at Ethan's. They were going out or something. What the hell is wrong with you?"

I moved past him, walking briskly down the hallway. I could hear his footsteps following behind me. I found the door I was looking for and threw it open, reaching around in the dark for the light switch.

"Man, he's gonna flip if he finds out you've been in here." Roman said, leaning causally against the doorframe with a smug look on his face. I glared at him before looking around the room. Clothes strewn everywhere, the bed, the chair in the corner, the floor. Then I found it. The only thing propped up on his tall dresser.

"I knew it." I muttered to myself. I walked over, picking up the frame and holding it in both hands. "Umm, dude, I dunno if that's a good idea." Rome said awkwardly.

I turned and held up the picture, facing him.

"Her." Was the only word I could get out.

"Uhh... Yeah... That was like one of the only things he bought with him. That, some clothes and a ragged backpack." He said, looking at me like this was something I should already know. And I did, because I'd seen the picture a few times.

"I saw her." Rome’s brow crinkled in between his eyes. I turned the picture back towards me. It was her.

She was a little older, a little more matured but those golden eyes, and that auburn hair. Unmistakable.

"Now this I gotta hear."

Chapter Four

Sam

I couldn't sit still in the car on the way to work out. It was sad that this was the most exciting part of my week. As soon as I left the gym, all I could think about was counting down the days until I would be back there again. Jet, the newest addition to Charlie's list of body guards drove. He never spoke, I was actually starting to wonder if he even could. I occasionally got a head nod, or a slight shake but not even a smiled had crossed his lips. Just for the fun of it, I was making it my mission to do whatever I could to make him smile. My corny jokes had not worked as of yet, but I'm sure I was wearing him down with my charming personality.

"What did Batman say to Robin before they got in the bat mobile?" Teddy rolled his eyes. I eyed Jet in the mirror, not even a waiver.

"Robin, get in the bat mobile!" I giggled uncontrollably at my own joke, Teddy’s mouth twitched up at the corner. Even I had to admit I could be a little immature sometimes, but if I can’t have fun, what else do I really have? I sat forward and stretched in between the seats so I could study Jets face as he drove.

"Not even a little smile Jet? That was one of my best ones!" His eyes continued to be fixed on the road, his face like stone. I proceeded to attack him with every joke in my memory to no avail. I sat back and crossed my arms with a huff. "I'll break you one day."

I looked over at Teddy, his shoulders shook quietly.

"You might as well quit now, Sam. The guy has no emotions, probably why Charlie hired him."

"You just wait!" I exclaimed determinedly.

We pulled up at KC's gym. Jet climbed out and pulled the door open for me.

"Are you ticklish?" It was only brief but his brow creased in a slight scowl “Yes! Emotion!" I pumped my fist in the air. "I saw that. I'm totally breaking you down."

I jumped out the door and skipped towards the large building.

It was strange that I felt a lot more comfortable around Charlie's men than I did around him alone. I felt like I could joke and play and be myself. The self that was usually hidden behind my facade of politeness and acceptance that my life was more like a prison sentence than anything else. I pushed the doors wide and strolled through like I owned the place. The smell of sweat, the sound of bodies hitting bags and mats and skin was like heaven, my home away from home, my escape.

My eyes scanned the gym for KC, he was usually here to greet me. But the person I saw walking towards me almost made me drop to the floor. My knees were weak and my heart I could hear in my ears, it was beating so loud.

Shirtless, I could see the tattoos that had covered his arms wound up and over his shoulder and then back down and covered his chest. His muscles were tense and glistened with sweat which dripped down over every bump in his abs and over the crease of the sexy v that poked out just above his shorts. My hands ached to reach out and feel if they were real, they were too perfect.

"Well fancy seeing you here, my saviour." I shook my head and quickly covered my shock by folding my arms across my chest and narrowing my eyes at an amazing looking Lincoln.

"Stalking is a criminal offence you know." He threw his head back and laughed.

"KC wasn't feeling the best today, so when he said he needed someone to work with a beautiful young spitfire, how could I pass up the opportunity." My eyes widened in surprise.

"No." I turned sharply and head for the door again. I'd saved this man once, if Charlie knew he was here I would not be able to save him again.

"Wait!" He ran up beside me and I stopped, staring at the door. My head was telling my feet to move but my heart had them concreted to the ground. "Sorry, just come and work out. I’ll keep my mouth in check."

I wanted to be here, this was my only time I had to be happy, to do what I wanted. If I left it would be another week until I was allowed to come again. I needed this. I sighed and glared up at that beautiful smirk that was now covering his face.

"Fine," I walked quickly towards the punching bags that hung from the ceiling, hearing his feet moving quickly to catch up. "Hold the bag."

His smile grew broader and he grabbed a hold of a bag while I threw blow after blow towards it. After 20 minutes I was breathing heavily.

"So I've been going over and over in my head trying to figure out how someone like you ended up with a man like Charlie."

"By 'someone like me' it implies you know me," I kicked the bag forcefully with my right leg causing him to wobble slightly "which you don't." I kicked again.

I tried to keep my eyes focused on the bag, avoiding looking at him.

"You, my dear, have a heart. That man does not." I scoffed and walked to the wall of boxing gloves. I sat down and started wrapping my hands. He moved over behind me and slipped a pair of flat punching pads on his hands, clapping them together. I needed to push him away, before he got too deep into things he couldn't handle. Charlie would chop him into small pieces and throw him to the sharks. I wouldn't have that on my conscience.

"Let me guess." He continued casually. "Daddy wouldn't let you do what you wanted, so you ran off with an older, richer man to piss him off."

I laughed openly, trying to cover the fact that he had almost hit the nail on its head.

"That's all you've got? Daddy issues?" I slipped on the gloves and climbed up towards the ring. I slipped sleekly through the rubbery ropes and started to stretch. He followed behind me.

"Okay, so you just like the idea of having lots of money?" I drove my right hand into his torso, missing the flat gloves he had raised. He grunted and held his stomach.

"Oops, sorry." I said innocently holding my gloves up. His frown slowly changed as the corner of his mouth turned up.

"I guess that's not it then." He muttered gruffly. I punched away at the pads, ducking occasionally when he swung one over the top of my head. Our movements were fluid and timed perfectly, like he knew where I would hit and when. KC was the only one who knew me that well to anticipate my movements and I had been working with him for over a year.

"I know you really don't want to be there. So there's gotta be something else." He looked thoughtful so I used the moment of lack of concentration to sweep my foot under him, watching him fall like a sack of potatoes onto the mat with a loud thud. He cringed and I stood over him with my arms crossed proudly.

"You talk too much." I pulled off my glove and held my hand out to him, he did the same and grabbed a hold of me with a firm grip. As I went to move backward to pull him to his feet he pulled hard on my arm.

I fell on top of him and he swiftly rolled, pinning me under his hot, slick body and pinning my arms beside my head.

"And you are too trusting." He threw back at me, his breathing hard and hot on my sweat covered skin. I growled in my throat and pushed against his body. He released my wrists and pushed himself up, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. He held out his hand like I had just done and I rolled my eyes, taking a hold of it. He pulled me from the ground and as soon as had my footing I twisted his arm around behind his back and forced him up against the ropes. He groaned in pain as I pulled it up tighter behind him.

I tiptoed up and pushed my body against his. We were both breathing heavily and it only increased as I pushed my breasts against his tight muscular back, my nipples aching beneath my sports bra as I dragged them up his body to move my mouth closer to his ear. I could feel him shudder as I breathed across his hot skin.

"I don't trust anyone." I whispered close to his ear and then quickly shoved him against the ropes and walked back across the ring to grab my drink bottle that was sitting in the opposite corner.

"What about this then, feisty pants." I rolled my eyes, boy never gives up.

"You’re father got addicted to gambling." I froze, drink bottle in hand. I didn't turn around. I couldn't move.

"He ended up messing around with the wrong people, people he couldn't compete with. And he was running out of things to gamble once his money and house were all gone." The bottle fell from my hands, water splashing out the top and covering my running shoes. I gripped tightly to the ropes of the ring, trying to hold myself up because my legs were starting to fail. My heart thundered, threatening to burst from my chest. He continued, his voice serious, maybe I could even hear a hint of anger.

"So he gambled the only thing he had left, his beautiful, amazing, strong, passionate daughter." I hadn't even realised that he had moved right up behind me. The heat was radiating from his body. He swept his hand through my hair and moved it over my right shoulder. A pair of soft lips ran lightly over my bare neck causing bumps to rise like a Mexican wave from that point across my whole body. I felt like his mouth was burning a trail along my skin, but I wanted that burn, I craved it. My knuckles were starting to turn white from gripping the ropes so hard. When I felt tears threatening to escape, that was my wake up call. Tears were unacceptable. Tears were pointless. I ducked around him and eyed him carefully. Hunger and passion were once again evident in those beautiful eyes.

"Who are you?" I demanded, but my voice shook. He held up his now bare hands in a sign of peace.

"I'm gonna get you out of there, Sam." He spoke softly, like someone speaking to a scared animal trapped in a cage. I coughed out a laugh.

"Was that what you were trying to do when you almost got yourself killed the other night?" He smiled with confidence I wasn't expecting.

"Oh it was under control." I raised an eyebrow and looked at him like he was insane. I reached down and picked up my water bottle.

"Do yourself a favour, and stay away. Charlie doesn't play nice." I held my head high and walked with confidence to the edge of the ring despite the fact that my body felt the complete opposite.

"Neither do I." I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run to him and kiss him, or vomit; possibly a combination of both. I stopped briefly before slipping back through the ropes and heading for the front door. I had to push him away before he got hurt. Link didn't know who he was dealing with and I wouldn't see him get killed trying to save me, the unsaveable.

Link

I watched as she scurried towards the door, not even sparing a glance over her shoulder. She had warned me off but I could see the apprehension in her eyes. I felt like crap, throwing those low comments at her but I had to be sure. I had to know she whether she really wanted to be there. Devon had told us that she had left willingly, gone with Charlie and never looked back. But I was sure there was more to it than that.

"Girl is a fighter alright." I didn't even turn as I heard my friends enter the ring behind me. My eyes followed her as she flew out the swinging doors and they banged loudly behind her. Rome’s hearty laugh filled the space.

"Dude, she kicked your ass!" He exclaimed. "You're a damned fighter and little girl kicked your ass! I like her already."

I sighed and pushed off the ropes. Spinning quickly. My friends were scattered around the ring, Dominic leaning back against the corner of the ropes, expression as serious as always. Ethan stood legs apart, and arms folded with a wide grin on his face. Rome was throwing punches in the air, somewhat re enacting mine and Sam’s sparring match whilst narrating. Just as he went to demonstrate a kick I walked past, giving him a hard shove to the shoulder causing him to lose his balance and fall with a loud thump on his ass. I chuckled and he pointed a sharp finger at me,

"That was uncalled for, asshole." My laughter only increased, matched by Ethan's and I even caught Dom’s shoulders shaking silently.

"It's your turn next time." I grabbed my bottle of water from my bag I'd placed at the side of the ring, chugging half before stopping to take a breather. "She's scared of him. She doesn't want to be there. That's a definite. But she won't leave. He has to have something over her."

"Money?" Ethan questioned seriously, but I shook my head.

"She doesn't care about that."

"I looked into her records. Not even a speeding ticket. She's a model citizen so I doubt there's anything there he could hold against her." Dom said scratching his jaw.

"She's got a good heart." I grabbed the towel out of my bag and wiped away the sweat that was now cooling on my skin.

"And Charlie is smart. We don't have a lot to go by." Ethan pointed out. I ran my fingers over my hair, frustrated. I wish I had been able to think clearer when I'd had the time with her, but watching her body glisten and having her body pushed up against mine was a major distraction. She was passionate and strong but it was like the darkness that was ingrained in Charlie had somehow seeped into her veins, dragging her down. She didn’t see any way out, she’d been beaten and bullied for so long that it was like her brain was unable to see through the fog. She was determined to push anyone who offered their help away instead of risking them too. I wanted I help her find the light through the dark, help her fight. BUT to do that, she needed to let me in.