TRUTH (2 page)

My father lowered himself to the floor and began inching toward me. I repeated my safeword over and over again. He continued to ignore it.

The walls began to close in on me as the panic started to take over once more. I was shaking, and I couldn’t get enough air in my lungs. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t.

Stephan

I picked up my cell again, punching the speed dial for what felt like the hundredth time, hoping she’d answer, as I weaved through traffic toward our home. Instead, the sound of my voice on the answering machine greeted me. I tried both the home number and her cell again. She wasn’t answering either.

With more force than necessary, I threw the phone against the passenger seat. She wasn’t answering, and I knew why.
 

Tom’s haunting words echoed in my ears.
“Mr. Coleman, we have a problem.”
 

My stomach churned as the conversation replayed in my mind. He’d only been gone for five minutes, leaving one of the security guards to watch over the lobby. When he returned, the guard was out cold on the floor behind the desk with two Taser wires still attached to his chest, the Taser lying discarded on the floor several feet away. After checking the other man was still breathing, Tom had immediately checked the security monitors. He’d been just in time to see a strange man step off the elevator at the top floor and walk toward the door to my condo. Given the current situation, I knew it had to have been Jonathan Reeves, Brianna’s father.

Just thinking about it sent a shot of fear through my chest and caused me to press my foot harder on the gas pedal. There were too many unanswered questions when it came to Brianna’s father. The one thing that was certain, however, was that she was terrified of him. If he got inside, got to her, I had no idea how she’d react. I’d promised to protect her. To keep her safe. She needed me. I had to get to her.
 

All other thoughts were pushed to the back of my mind as I weaved through downtown traffic. I’d always been a fairly patient driver until Brianna came into my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way, though. Just thinking about her not being there every day when I came home from work brought that pain back to my chest.
 

I felt a sense of déjà vu when I pulled up in front of my building, jumped out of the car, and ran inside. Jesse, one of the security guards, was sitting behind the desk looking a little paler than normal. He must have been the one Reeves used the Taser on.
 

As soon as he saw me, he stood. “Tom’s upstairs waiting on you, Mr. Coleman.”
 

I nodded, increasing my pace as I hurried across the lobby.
 

The elevator ride seemed to take forever, but I knew it was quicker than taking the stairs. I was in good shape, but racing to the top floor would be pushing it, even for me.
 

When the doors opened and I saw Tom standing there, I breathed a small sigh of relief. If he was there, Brianna was still inside.
 

As soon as he saw me, he was moving. “The door’s locked, sir. I checked. As far as I can tell, he’s inside, but I haven’t been able to hear much from out here.”
 

Tom had been ready to call the police when I’d talked to him on the phone earlier, but I’d stopped him. I understood his thinking, but it was the last thing I wanted. The police would only complicate things at this point. They would barrage Brianna with questions, demanding answers. Her father was in law enforcement. Even if he wasn’t local, I had little doubt the police would believe whatever lies he spun. I wouldn’t let him take her.
 

That was the only thing I knew for sure, and the point I drove home to Tom. He was to make sure Jonathan Reeves didn’t leave the building with Brianna. I would take care of the rest.
 

Barely acknowledging Tom’s words, I moved to the door to listen. He was right—I couldn’t hear anything from out here. Then again, if they were far enough away from the door, I wouldn’t. Given my lifestyle, and what I liked, I’d invested in extra insulation to cut down on noise. At the moment, I was cursing that decision.
 

Using my keys, I opened the door slowly. I had no idea what I’d find once I stepped into the condo. Everything inside me screamed to barge inside, but the last thing I wanted to do was give him the advantage. So even though it nearly killed me, I quietly slipped inside.
 

To my surprise, the main room was empty. I stepped farther inside, aware that Tom was right behind me. Something had definitely happened. The table beside the couch was turned over, and several things that had been lying on various surfaces were on the floor. The pattern of debris guided my steps.
 

Halfway to her bedroom, I heard what sounded like muffled sobs and whispering. I picked up my pace. Tom followed me step for step.
 

The sounds took me to her bathroom, where I got my first glimpse of Brianna huddled against the far wall, knees to her chest, trying desperately to get away from her father. He hovered over her, even though he was on his hands and knees, hand outstretched and attempting to coax her into coming with him. Brianna’s only response was to push herself harder against the wall.

Seeing so much fear in her eyes reminded me again of those first few days, and I reacted without thought or care for myself. She was the only thing that was important. I gripped his shoulders and pulled with enough force to throw us both off balance. Concentrating too much on Brianna, he hadn’t seen me coming, which worked in my favor. He wasn’t passive for long, however. I was barely up on my feet before his arm collided with the back of my knees, sending me sprawling again. The side of my head knocked into the cabinet, but it didn’t seem to cause much damage.
 

As I shook my head to clear it, I saw Tom reach around Reeves’s torso, trying to subdue him. Reeves’s response was to elbow Tom in the gut before twisting around and landing a solid punch to Tom’s jaw. Tom released his hold on Reeves, and the man took full advantage, kicking Tom in the stomach and sending him flying backward into Brianna’s room.

Confident he was safe from Tom for the time being, Reeves turned his attention back to me. Noticing I was once again on my feet, he pulled his arm back, ready to strike. I’d take a million hits for Brianna if it meant she was safe, but giving Reeves a free shot wasn’t on my to-do list. Shifting my weight, I lunged at his lower body, landing us both on the floor again.
 

He must have hit his head against the wall, because he was slow getting up. It gave me just enough time to land a solid punch to the side of his face. And then another. Finally, his body sagged, and I released him. He fell back, his head bouncing off the side of the bathtub before he landed limp on the floor. My knuckles were sore, my hands bloody, but none of that mattered.
 

Tom stood, massaging his jaw. He followed my gaze down to where Reeves lay unconscious on the bathroom floor. Tom walked over in front of Reeves. I’d known Tom for two years. He wasn’t a small man, and he was in great shape for his age. By Tom’s response, Reeves must have put quite a lot behind that punch.

Twisting around, I crawled across the floor to Brianna. She was wide-eyed and staring at her father. The moment I tried to touch her, she jerked.
 

“Brianna. Look at me,” I demanded. Her eyes snapped to mine. “Good girl.” This time when I reached out to caress her face, she didn’t flinch. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head.
 

“You and I are going to go into my bedroom and get something while Tom stays here and watches your father. Can you walk?”

She nodded. Without another word, I helped her stand.
 

Once on our feet, Brianna clung to me as if her life depended on it, her fingers digging into my skin. There would probably be marks there later, but it was the least of my worries. I needed to get to my room quickly, but there was no way I was leaving her here in the same room with her father, Tom or no Tom.
 

Inch by inch, we walked to the door leading to her bedroom. I was careful to keep my body between Brianna and her father. She stayed with me step for step until we reached his head, which was lying about a foot from the opening. She stopped moving, and a shiver ran through her body. A sob ripped from her throat, and she buried her face in my chest. With a firm, hopefully comforting squeeze, I placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head before bending and lifting her into my arms.

It was a little tight getting out of the bathroom carrying her, but I could tell by her immediate response that it was the right decision. I was here for her. I’d promised to protect her, and I would.
 

When we made it to my bedroom, I carried her over to the bed and set her down. Her arms locked around my shoulders, not wanting to let go. Wrapping my fingers around her wrists, I urged her to release me.
 

“I need you to let go, Brianna, just for a minute, so I can get something. I need to tie your father up, so he can’t hurt you or anyone else, okay?” I said, holding her gaze.
 

I saw the battle taking place inside her—it was written all over her face. She didn’t want to loosen her hold on me.
 

Reluctantly, her grip slackened, and I brought her hands up to my lips and kissed the backs of them. “Good girl. Thank you.”
 

Turning to my left side, I opened the bottom drawer of my nightstand. The cotton ropes I always kept there lay in the back, just as I’d left them more than six months ago. Grabbing two of them, I faced Brianna again. “I need to go back in there. Do you want to stay here or come with me?”

“I want . . . I want to stay with you,” she whispered.

One thing I knew for sure—he was not leaving here without giving me some answers. I wanted to know how he could turn his daughter over to a monster like Ian Pierce. Once I found that out, I’d make a decision on what to do with him.
 

Chapter 2

Brianna

I was scared. More scared than I’d been in weeks. The only thing that made it better was that Stephan was there. He would take care of me. He would keep me safe. I trusted him.

Stephan held tight to my hand as we walked back into my room. I had to consciously put one foot in front of the other, forcing myself to take the next step, and then the next, because all I wanted to do was run the other way.
 

The closer we came, the heavier my legs felt and the more effort it took to continue moving. I stepped closer to Stephan, wrapping my hand around his upper arm. He glanced down at me, and I held tighter.
 

“I’m right here, Brianna. You’re fine now.” His fingers brushed against my cheek, dragging the rope with it. It felt soft yet strange, and the thought of what he was going to do with it sent a shiver up my spine.
 

We took the final steps through my bedroom and into the bathroom. John was still unconscious but was now propped up against the wall, his head hanging to one side. I stopped, and tugged on Stephan’s arm. I didn’t want to go any closer. I didn’t want him going any closer.
 

Instead of remaining by my side, as I wanted him to, Stephan placed a soft kiss on my forehead before releasing my hand. “Stand right here, Brianna. Don’t move until I tell you.”

I tried to do what he said. The desire to run was still there, and I had to force myself to do as he’d instructed. I’d already made one mistake.

Tom stood over John with a menacing look on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked scary. I’d never been frightened of Tom until that moment. I took a step back.

“Brianna.”

Stephan’s voice brought my attention back to him. He wasn’t looking at me, but I knew he must have heard me move. Disappointment mixed with my fear as I realized I’d messed up yet again. I vowed to do better.
 

He knelt down in front of John, dropping one of the ropes to the floor. With the remaining rope still in his grasp, he looped it around itself until there were two distinct holes. Then, with Tom’s help, Stephan brought John’s hands behind his body and slipped the two holes he’d made with the rope over John’s hands and up to his wrists. With a quick pull, the ropes tightened, effectively creating handcuffs.