Stolen (5 page)

“Probably but you can’t sit here all day. Come on you know what he will do to me if you don’t come out.” He pouts and I try terribly hard to smother a smile.

“So?”

“So? It’s not nice of you to inflict that sort of pain on me.”

I grin, and he winks at me. “Come on darlin, don’t be nasty.”

“What if I don’t move?” I challenge.

“Don’t make me come under this door and get you”

“Alright, because I am that kinda girl.”

I open the door and walk out; he smirks and grips my arm.

“Come on forest.”

“What?”

“Run forest run!” He laughs, and I frown.

“That was lame. You lord.”

Blade chuckles and leads me out of the bathroom. Jock is standing outside, stamping his foot anxiously.

“Don’t speak, I know what you’re going to say.” I say, putting my hand up.

“Don’t you try a stunt like that again and…”

“And what, you will shoot me?”

“Don’t tempt me.” He fumes

“I wouldn’t dare.” I snap and catch Blade’s lazy grin.

We walk towards the car
quickly
; they are towering me a little bit. Then I spot something that stops me in my tracks. Blade tries to pull me, but my feet are stuck. It is my family, at a cafe about fifty
meters
down the road. They are all there, including Caleb and Summer, who are holding hands. My mouth drops open.

Blade spots what I have seen and winces, he tugs my arm again, but I don’t move. I just stare, not only are my family out enjoying themselves, but my boyfriend is with Summer, my best friend. My heart breaks into two then and there. Finally, Blade manages to move me. I follow quietly, when I get in the car I simply stare out the window, not moving an inch.

The two men glance at me a few times on the journey home; neither speaking. Tears fall silently down my cheeks as the car takes us father away from the pain. Of all the people in the world, my family had betrayed me. How could they? Is that all I mean? I thought they loved me more than that.

When we get back to the shack, I just get out of the car and walk inside. I don’t speak to the men, nor do I stop, I head back into my room and slam the door. I am in shock; numb even. How is this possible? I know my family are
self-centered
and care only about money, but I honestly believed that when it came down to it, I would have mattered more than any of that.

I kick my leg out, and it causes the nearby chair to topple over. That starts my rage; my hurt filled rage. I fling lamps and furniture, anything I can get my hands on. I scream; I cry and I hit the wall furiously. How could they? My family. Blade comes tearing down the stairs and reefs me into his arms, holding me to his chest. I am panting and sobbing.

“Hey, that’s enough.”

“That was my family, MY FAMILY. The ones who are meant to love me. That was my boyfriend and my best friend, holding hands. That’s all I mean to them, they don’t even care I am here. They have forgotten me completely.”

“I don’t think that’s true. Maybe it’s their way of coping.”

“Having coff
ee? Laughing and talking? Y
eah I can see how that is helping.” I snap.

“Sorry.”

“You’re not going to get your stinking money. They don’t care, tell you brother that.”

I yank myself out of his arms and glare at him. They might as well let me go, or kill me. Either way I did not care.

“He knows.” He says gently.

“Then why am I still bloody here?”

“I don’t know… because if you go back we are busted.”

“What does it matter, they wouldn’t call the cops. They couldn’t care less if I was dead, their money is worth more than me.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is bloody true. You should have damn well killed me when you had the chance, I am worth nothing.” I spit out.

“You are worth something, I would never kill you.” His voice is gentle, even though mine is like ice.

“Why not? What do I mean to you?”

“I told you, I like you.”

“Well you’re the only one.”

“No I’m not, Jock likes you too.”

“He does?”

Now that shocked me. I was sure Jock would be desperate to kill me and get it over with.

“Yep, believe me he would kill you if he wanted to but he doesn’t want to.”

“Why do you like me?”

“Because you are brave. Most people would be a blubbering, screaming mess by now, but you, you are tough, and you gave it to us as hard as we gave it to you. We have become quite fond of you little lady.”

I feel my cheeks heat. They like me? My kidnappers like me? Now there is a story.

“Thanks, who would have thought hey? You kidnapped me, and now you like me.”

“Yeah well, things change don’t they?”

“I guess they do. I can get you money, not as much but if it’s money you want I have it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” He frowns.

I watch his brown eyes search my face and realize just how gorgeous he is. He could melt any woman with one smile.

“I didn’t like you before.” I grin and his smile broadens.

“Hey listen, we have been thinking about it, and we have this family thing tonight; if we don’t go mum will get suss. We don’t want to leave you alone, so do you want to come? Of course you can’t tell them what we have done.”

I think about it for a moment, and decide that right now I need to get away from this pain for just a moment, meeting Blade’s family might give me some answers. Might help me understand why they did this.

“Yeah why not and don’t worry your secret is safe with me.”

“Alright, we will get you soon. I will bring down your dress.”

“Thanks.”

He leaves, and I smile to myself; he likes me? They like me? They had set out to hurt me and get their money, but now they like me? Even though they aren’t willing to let me go, they like me! That is amazing. Now I am going to be with their family, I feel a little rush of warmth.

I wonder what their family will be like. Are they hard, is that how they ended up in this mess? I wait for Blade to bring down my dress, when he does I quickly change. He looks stunning in his black jeans and tight black shirt. He is broad and masculine. I follow him up the stairs and out to the car. I can’t shake the little butterflies in my stomach; they insist on making me feel like a giddy child around him.

We get in the car and drive for what seems like hours. I peer out the window, listening to the two men chat back and forth between themselves. When we arrive at a small shack, I am shocked. His mother and father live in a shack too? Are they that poor? Did they even have enough money for food?
God
, no wonder they are so desperate.

“Behave.” Jock says, turning to look at me, and for the first time I see him smile.

“Promise.” I smile back, then climb from the car.

Much to my surprise Blade takes hold of my hand; I presume that it is an act for his mum, so I play along. It feels warm, and I feel those flutters again. We don’t knock; we just walk in. The shack we step into is nicer then the two
men’s
, but small all the same. It is two bedroom, and the furniture is nicer. It has a massive kitchen, and a gorgeous fire place.

“My boys, my boys are here!” I hear a woman cry.

I turn to see a small woman bounding out. I can see where Blade gets his dark looks. His mother has the same dark eyes and brown hair. She is small and pretty, with a warm face. His father, I assume, is following her. He is taller, with black hair like Jock’s. He has a bushy beard and kind eyes.

“Hey mamma.” Blade grins.

His mother has stopped her joy and is staring at me, with rosy cheeks and a sly smile.

“Oh, look at her son. She is an
angel
!” She breathes.

I blush furiously, and Blade squeezes my hand.

“Mamma this is Emerson.”

Blade’s mother takes my hand and squeezes it tightly.

“Oh Emerson, you are like an
angel
sent from above. Look at you, you are so beautiful! Your eyes…Bill look at her eyes, true beauty.”

“Thank you. It’s wonderful to meet you…?”

“Nessie.”

“Nessie.” I smile.

“Oh son, wow.”

“Thanks mamma but she is just a friend.” He murmurs, glancing at me.

Much to my surprise I feel a pang of disappointment.

“Oh she shouldn’t be.”

She turns her attention to Jock and holds him tight. There is so much love in the room; it makes it hard for me to believe these boys are evil.

“My boys, what have you been doing? You haven’t visited your mamma for a while.”

“Sorry mamma, we have just been working to get some money for you.”

“Oh son, let’s not talk about that.” She says quickly.

I wonder what they are talking about? It is something momentous; I can tell
by the way their eyes flicker
about towards each other. Like they are sending a silent message.

“Hi love, I am Bill. The person responsible for these two.” Smiles the tall man as he puts his hand out to me, I shake it.

“It’s nice to meet you, I promise they have been nice to me.”

He laughs, and the two boys shoot me a grateful look.

“They better be.”

“Blayden, do you mind if I take your lovely friend?” Nessie pipes up.

“Blayden?” I snort, holding back a giggle.

“Oh let me guess, he told you his name is Blade. Well actually it’s Blayden – meaning Joyful, and my other son, who you probably know as Jock is actually Jethrow.”

“Blayden.” I repeat with a giggle.

“Shut up!” He laughs.

I am still giggling when his mum drags me into the kitchen. I genuinely like her, she has a certain warmth that makes one feel right at home.

“So do you like lamb?”

“Yes mam.”

“Oh call me Nessie.”

“Okay, Nessie.”

“You’re so beautiful, I haven’t seen my boys face so happy in a long time.” She sighs a little.

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s unbelievable.”

“I am glad, but we really are just friends.”

Nessie pats my hand with a knowing stare; she doesn’t believe that for a minute.

“You wouldn’t mind helping me out would you love? Could you take this food to the table?”

“
Sure.” I smile,
taking the dishes and walking them to the table. I notice Blade smile at me when I walk out. There goes that heart flutter again.

When the table is set, we all sit down to a beautiful roast lamb. I smile at the family around me; they radiate love. Is this how a real family is meant to interact? Is this how it is meant to feel?

“So Emerson, I bet your mum cooks well.” Nessie asks between mouthfuls.

“My mum doesn’t cook.” I frown.

“Oh. Well I am sure she is missing you while you are on holidays with my boys?”

“I don’t speak to my parents.”

“Oh. Sorry I didn’t realize.”

“Sorry, it’s not your fault, but they are as good as dead to me.” I whisper, my hand trembles a little.

“I am sorry you don’t get along.” Nessie smiles gently.

“Well, I thought they were something they weren’t. We have never done anything like this before.”

“Never sat down to a meal?”

“Yeah we have had a meal together, but we didn’t speak, we just ate.”

“Oh dear!”

“No Christmas meals, no sitting by the fire and opening presents. Everything was just given to us, big fancy affairs, nothing family like.”

“You mean no family dinners? Turkey? Laughing? Wine?”

“Never.”

“Oh Blayden, you must bring her for Christmas. Poor girl has never experienced it.”

Nessie looks truly hurt by this. Her face scrunches up in shock.

“Yes mamma.”

“So what did you do at these fancy affairs?”

“Fancy people came; they drank, ate, then they left. Mark and I would just sit around waiting for it to end, occasionally I would sing and play the piano but only when mum felt like showing me off.”

“Mark?”

“My brother.”

“Oh, wonderful. So you sing?”

“Oh no,” I say quickly. “Not really.”

“But you just said you did.” She smiles wryly. Damn woman is sharp.

“I did, didn’t I?”

“Yes, we have a piano. Would you sing for us?”

“I don’t know…” I hesitate.

“Come on love.” Bill encourages.

“Only one song?”

“One, just one? Oh alright.” Nessie agrees.