Joan
He starved me-true to his words. I didn’t know how long I’d been here, tied and aching.
It must be the early hours of the morning by now. Aaron had to know I was missing. He’d be searching, but how would he ever find me? I didn’t even know where I was.
My wrists burned from the rope chafing my skin, my head throbbed, and my eyes felt too heavy to keep open.
God, I wanted to sleep. I longed to be safe in Aaron’s arms, but closing my eyes here felt like asking for death.
The room was quiet, for now. But if I dared to fall asleep, who knew what could happen?
I shifted slightly and glanced at the man hanging upside down across from me. There was barely any life left in him. How long had he been like this, tortured and tied up?
I didn’t care-but part of me was curious. After all, this was the first time I’d met my father.
“How long have you been here?” I asked, my voice quiet.
He didn’t answer. For a moment, I thought he was already dead. My stomach twisted at the thought of sitting across from a corpse, trapped, with no clue how long before anyone came.
Then, finally, his voice broke through the silence.
“I don’t know. I lost track of time,” he whispered, and I let out a shaky breath. At least he was still alive-for now.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry and empty. I had a question that only him could answer and there was no better opportunity than now. Who knew if he would make it out alive?
“Why did you do it?” I asked quietly. I knew he knew exactly what I meant.
“Why did you murder his parents?” I pressed, my voice a little hard.
“I wanted to give you a better life,” his voice cracked, almost too quiet to hear.
“I put everything I had into the company his father and I built. But I didn’t expect Luna to get pregnant,” he said. I clenched my jaw.
“I wanted a family. I wanted to settle down. But then, he refused to give me my shares,” he sighed, exhausted. “I never knew Diane would be in the car that day.”
Diane? That must be Aaron’s mother. Aaron never spoke much about his parents, and neither did Rhoda. She was just a five month old baby then.
She must have been with Diane then. Was she also in the accident and the only survivor?
“There was a baby with them, right?” I asked. He hummed weakly.
“No. Their kids stayed with the nanny.”
“You took away their parents,” I said coldly.
“For you,” he groaned.
My fists clenched as anger surged inside me. “That doesn’t justify it! They were just seven and five months old,” I snapped.
He raised his head slightly, looking at me with hollow eyes.
My chest tightened. Aaron and Rhoda had gone through the same kind of loneliness I had-but worse. Their parents were stolen from them.
Aaron was just a child. How did he survive it all? How did he protect his baby sister?
“You love him, don’t you?” he asked. I stayed silent, refusing to give him an answer.
He let out a broken chuckle. “I hope he comes for you. I can’t do much anymore,” he muttered.
I stared down at my lap. Being tied up like this was unbearable. My muscles screamed from staying cramped up too long, my heart was racing in fear.
We fell into silence. I had nothing more to say to him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice thin as paper. “I’m sorry-not for what I did-but for never giving you the life I dreamed for you.”
My mouth fell open. I was clearly caught off guard.
Before I could say anything, the door burst open, and several men stormed inside, Sparrow leading them. They were all armed.
Sparrow grinned at me, eyes glinting with malice.
Without a word, he raised his gun and pointed it at Ace.
“Any last words, Knight?” His smirk widened.
Ace stared at me, resignation written all over his battered face. Then he shut his eye, surrendering to his fate.
Sparrow shrugged. “No? Alright then.”
The shot echoed like a crack of thunder. A scream tore from my throat as blood sprayed across the room.
I froze, eyes wide, as my father’s head slumped, lifeless.
My breath came in sharp gasps. The floor swam beneath me. Blood. Too much blood.
I squeezed my eyes shut trying to rid the image, but it was burned into my mind.
I doubled over and vomited, the acid burning my throat. I couldn’t even wipe my mouth.
“Take care of her,” Sparrow ordered one of the men. He turned toward the door, but then whirled back and stormed towards me.
I barely had time to react before the butt of his gun was aimed at my face. I braced for the blow, but instead, he rammed it into my stomach.
White-hot pain exploded through me. I gasped, eyes flooding with tears. My baby.
No. No, no, no.
He lifted the gun again, but a gunshot cracked through the air.
Sparrow cursed and spun toward the sound.
“Forget it. Untie her. We need to move-now! They’re closing in,” he barked.
Rough hands yanked at my binds, freeing my sore wrists.
I curled them around my stomach instinctively, trying to shield it.
More shots rang out in the distance.
“Back door! Now!” Sparrow shouted.
One of the men threw me over his shoulder, and we rushed toward the back exit.
My heart pounded. Was Aaron here? Was there another crew closing in?
I couldn’t survive this. My baby couldn’t survive this.
Tears blurred my vision. This couldn’t be the end. Aaron would be broken if we didn’t make it.
“Shit!” Sparrow swore, and the man carrying me skidded to a halt.
“Going somewhere?” A deep masculine voice came through. Oops, they’ve been apprehended.
I had no idea if I should be happy or scared. Who knows if they were dangerous?
Over the shoulder of the guy, I could see the front door.
Figures entered the room-blurry shapes, but their presence seem to freeze Sparrow and his men.
I knew their exit had been blocked. Front and back.
Guns clicked, tension thick enough to choke on.
I fought to stay conscious, but my vision blurred zoning in and out.
Then, through the haze, a familiar face stepped into view.
Cold, dark eyes locked on mine. His expression was hard, unreadable. His eyes roamed my face, before meeting my eyes- there was a plea hidden there.
Stay awake.
He had a gun. I had never seen him with one.
A sound-gunfire-ripped through the air.
And then, darkness swallowed me whole.