Stolen (7 page)

“Since I smiled? Just now.”

“I mean really smiled.”

“A long time.” He says, looking outside.

“You guys have had a hard life huh?”

“You could say that yeah.”

“I guess I never stopped and thought about what it would be like to live this way, I had everything handed to me on a silver platter. At the time it seemed great, but now it just seems, well worthless. Having your family around, I would trade it all for that.”

“Yeah, I guess when you put it like that it isn’t so bad.”

“I don’t know, I have never lived it.”

“Thanks for what you are doing.”

“Anytime and please if there is anything you need, write it down. I will get it for you; it’s the least I can do.”

“You don’t have to do anything for me, not after how I treated you.”

“Don’t worry about it, you had a good reason.”

“No, I didn’t. I shouldn’t have been so harsh; I try to be tough, but I am not. I was hoping to scare you so you would never see what was going on.”

“Well it worked, but I am glad to see what is going on, I really like you guys.”

“Yeah well we are pretty fond of you.” He smiles, patting my leg.

“Thanks.”

“I am sorry I shot you and hit you.” He frowns.

“Don’t worry about it, honestly. Believe it or not, I understand.”

“You’re amazing, truly you are.”

“I hope I can help your mum, that’s all that matters.”

“Sorry about what your family did to you..”

“It’s their loss, if you don’t mind I would like to stay here with you guys? After I go back and get you off the hook and get your money, then I want to be here. I don’t have a family back there.”

“Sure, you can always come here.”

“Thanks so much.”

“No worries, good night.”

“Night.”

He walks off, and I head downstairs to get a blanket and pillow, then I put on Blade’s shirt and brush my hair. When I come up Blade is sitting on the couch, he has no shirt on; man he is beautiful.

“Oh hey, you don’t mind if I sleep there do you?”

“You can have my bed if you want?” He murmurs, tilting his head slightly.

“Will you be in it?” I stir.

“Nice try.”

I laugh. “I am happy to sleep here.”

“Alright if
you’re
sure, goodnight.” He smiles standing up and gently kissing my cheek.

“Night.”

I watch him go into the room and close the door. I sit on the couch in the darkness and tuck my legs up to my chest. I couldn’t sleep for the life of me. So much is happening in my life, and all of it changing who I am. I thought I was a rich little girl who was happy, but I’m not. I want a loving family; I want a man who cares for me. I want love. I glance up to see Blade standing in the door way. I flinch.

“Can’t you sleep?”

“Not really. Don’t worry, you go to sleep.”

“Do you need a hug?” He grins.

“Very funny!”

“Seriously, I am warm.”

“I’ll bet.”

“Shift over.” He orders and gets on the couch beside me.

“Are you cold?”

“Nah, I am used to it.”

I smile and move closer.

“But you can share that blanket if you like.”

“Sure, come on in.” I grin, and he shuffles closer. I throw the blanket over him. His skin is touching mine, and he is warm.

“That hug is still up for grabs.” He whispers, his breath is on my hair.

“I thought you were joking.”

“Nope.”

“Okay then.”

“So that is a yes?”

“Sure, why not.”

He pulls me close to him; my head rests on his shoulder. He is right; it is nice.

“You are warm.” I whisper.

“I told you I was.”

Eventually we fall asleep; he lays down and pulls me down with him. I am lying by his side with my head rested on his chest. It is the perfect moment, so I don’t know why the dream comes on when it does. I wake screaming and feel Blade shaking me. I am panting, and clawing at him. Jock rushes out and flicks on the light. I leap off the couch; bleary eyed and confused.

“Hey hey, it’s ok.”

I blink rapidly, and when my vision clears I see two very concerned men staring at me. How would I explain that one away? They would never understand; Blade would never want to touch me again if he knew about my past. He would want to run, like they all do. I wouldn’t be pretty anymore; I would be damaged goods.

“It was a dream, sorry.” I whisper.

Blade narrows his eyes. “It was more than a dream, you were screaming and begging for him to stop. Emerson, what was that dream about?”

“Nothing.” I snap.

“Em…”

“It was a
God
damned dream.” I hiss.

I grip my blankets and pillow, then storm downstairs and slam the door. If he ever found out…he would hate me and I couldn’t bear to lose anyone else. For now, and possibly forever, my secret would be just that. Mine.

CHAPTER 6

I wake in the morning to my door being bust open and two police officers tearing down the stairs. Suddenly I am upstairs and against a wall, blinking the sleep from my eyes. What the hell? I see Blade and Jock in hand cuffs and finally realize what is happening. We have been caught. They have been busted.

“What is going on?” I cry.

“We are arresting these two men for the kidnapping of Miss Emerson Lacey.”

“I am Emerson.”

“Good you are coming with us and these men are going away for a long time.” The officer says grabbing my arm.

“No stop, they didn’t kidnap me.” I cry, and everyone stares at me. Blade is shaking his head at me to stop.

“What? We heard the phone calls, the threats, we heard you speak to your mother. You said they shot you.”

“I made it up! I made this whole thing up,” I babble quickly “I was angry at mum and dad, I wanted money, and they wouldn’t give it to me, so I did this so I could get it. These guys were only playing along; it was all me. I paid them to do it!”

“You did this? Do you have any idea what you have just done?”

“No sir.”

“You stupid little girl. Not only have you wasted our time over some teenage dispute, but you have nearly risked two innocent men.”

“I know but please
;
they didn’t do anything.”

“We will need to question them still but they can go.”

When the two men are uncuffed, Blade meets my gaze, and I can see him pleading silently with me to stop.

“Well you know you have committed a crime, making a false statement and wasting our time. You will be lucky not to get locked up for this.”

“No!” Blade yells loudly.

“You are under arrest miss Lacey.” The officer growls, cuffing my hands behind my back.

“Can I talk to them, for just a second please?”

“Hurry it up.”

I walk over to the two men. Blade grips my shoulders and shakes my slightly but says nothing.

“Trust me, I have money and power. I can get out of this a lot lighter; I can’t bear you to be locked away. Think of your mum, please play along. I will get your money.” I whisper before the officer drags me off.

I don’t look back. I can’t bear to. The officer jams me into a police car and we begin the slow drive back to L.A. When we get to the station, the officers pull me into the holding cells and throw me in. I have to wait there until my parents are called. I wait for over
an
hour and finally I hear them come in.

“You can go see her, but she is sure this is how it happened.”

“Just let us in.”

I watch my mother and father enter the room. My mother is sobbing wildly, as though she actually cares about me and what is happening. I fold my arms and glare at her, which she doesn’t even notice.

“Emerson, my sweet Em. Get those cuffs off her, I don’t think that is necessary.”

“Sorry mam but it is.”

“Em, why is the officer saying you don’t want those men charged?” She asks, finally looking at me.

“I don’t.”

“Why?” My father snaps, he hasn’t even hugged me.

“Because I made it up, I wanted them to do that so you would notice me, and it turns out you don’t care, just as I thought.”

“What makes you say that honey?” My mother gives a wobbly smile and glances at the officers.

“You don’t care, I saw you all at the cafe with Caleb and Summer. You didn’t even care I was gone, not to mention you weren’t willing to give a cent up for me. You can all go to hell.”

“That’s a bit harsh, it wasn’t like that Em.” My father snaps.

“Just get me out of here.”

“We have paid them, you can come home until your court hearing in two days. You may get put away for this Em.”

“I don’t care.”

“And I don’t believe those men were a
set-up
from you.”

“Well believe it because they were.”

“What about getting shot?”

“I paid him to shoot me.”

“You what?” She gasps.

“I had to make it real, I wanted money. I want to leave.”

“We will talk about this later, let’s just get you home.”

“I am not going home.”

“Sorry mam but you must stay around your home until your case.” The officer informs me.

“For
God
’s sake.”

I let the officer un-cuff me and then I follow my parents out of the station.

“I want a phone.” I demand.

“No sorry, you are not calling those creeps who agreed to this.”

“You can’t bloody stop me.”

“Try me.” My mother glares.

None of us speak the entire way home, when we pull up I storm from the car and into the house. I run into Mark, who hugs me desperately. A small amount of relief rushes through me.

“Hey, I am so glad your home.”

“Thanks Mark but I am not happy to be here.”

“We were so worried about you, it wasn’t fair to put us thought that.”

“Right, and it was fair for them to be more interested in their money than me?”

He stares at me; he has no come back for that one. I storm past him and into the kitchen to Josie; she smiles hugging me. She doesn’t speak a lot of English.

“If anyone
rings please
send it up to my room.”

“Yes mam.”

I walk upstairs; I don’t want to talk to any of them. After about half an hour my father comes and knocks on my door.

“Can I come in?”

“If you must.”

“Don’t be like that Em. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to give up the money; we just weren’t going to give it to anyone. We have worked hard for that.”

“I am your daughter, there should have been no hesitation.”

“Understandable but it was just as well we didn’t give it up after that stunt you pulled, that could have gone wrong in so many ways.”

“Well it didn’t.”

“Didn’t it? You could get locked up for that.”

“Such is life!”

“Don’t be so negative Em. You don’t want to go to jail, we are going to have to cough up enough money to try and avoid that anyway.”

“I want my money.”

“What?”

“The money in my inheritance, I want it. Don’t tell me to wait, because I am leaving once all this has been sorted. I refuse to live here, the least you could do is give that to me and let me start a half decent life for myself.”

“I will have to speak to your mother about it.” He sighs rubbing his temples.

“Then do it, I want to get some rest.”

“Well Caleb will be here soon.”

“I don’t want him here.”

“He is your boyfriend.”

“Not anymore, I refuse to see him.”

“Whatever Em.” He mutters and walks out.

My mother comes in moments later, geez I couldn’t catch a break.

“Your father told me what you asked for.”

“And?”

“Well we decided you can have it; to save any more of these pathetic little stunts. Besides, I am not sending you out there with nothing, it’s not fair, and you continue to
accuse
me of not being a good mother. So I will give it to you.”

“Great!”

“I am going to the bank, and I will put it into your personal account, what you do with it then is up to you.”

“Thanks.”

“I don’t know why you felt the need to do all of this, but I wish you well and I do love you Em.”

“I did it because I knew your money was more valuable than me, if that was my child I would go broke trying to save her.”