Fade to Black (The Black Trilogy Book 1) (26 page)

chapter thirty-five

We celebrated our union the remainder of the week. Putting off a honeymoon until something gave with Jean-Paul, we opted for great food and late night Monopoly tournaments, with Roger owned the entire board by the third night. We feasted and when that was exhausted we opted for pizza. We were all happy and whole—for the moment. When we were alone in our room, Piper and I talked about what we wanted to do next. For my next project, I wanted very much to produce.

“You’re very gifted, Ryan. There’s nothing you can’t do,” Piper told me many times.

“What about you, Piper? I know there are things you want to do. I can take time off, and concentrate on you, I want you to have things you want.”

Piper reached for the papers she had been reading earlier.

“Now that you mention it, there is something. Years ago, when Matthew and I were young, we talked about spending time helping victims of rape.”

She made a face.

“I hate that word, victim. Anyway, I feel my trials, the crosses I’ve borne, could maybe help others in some way. Young girls—and boys for that matter—are sold into sex slavery every day. I want to do something, shine a light on a very dark thing. All this stuff we’ve found out about Jean-Paul and his family, it’s shocking. Maybe I could do something.”

I was a little amazed.

“That’s some ambition, Piper. You’ve been thinking about this for a while?” I asked. Piper nodded. “Now that you’re a star yourself, you could pick some of the most prestigious photojournalists to document such noble works. Piper, I’ve got to admit, I’m impressed. You can have what you want, shop all you want, live a very fluffy lifestyle, but this is most impressive. Then again, I’m not that shocked. Your giving heart and unbreakable spirit are but two of the reasons I love you so.” I bent to kiss her. “And those gorgeous pink lips.”

Scripts and movie ideas all over the bed didn’t stop our lovemaking. As it was every time I was alone with Piper, I was home, and as long as I was with her, I was whole and complete. No matter what came our way we would face it together.

…

The little nagging at my heart, telling me that something was amiss with Piper, stayed quiet while we enjoyed our new status as husband and wife. It returned a couple of days after everyone had returned home.

Nathan was taking care of everything in Tennessee, the investigation of Jean-Paul and his family continued but had nothing to report. Ellie settled for schooling with Sheldon’s girls for now, but brought up her New York school at least once a day. I got a call to let me know there would be some reshooting needed of the Tampa Bay scenes.

Leaving Rhodes and Bryce with Ellie, who would stay with Sheldon’s family in London, Piper and I flew back to Florida for at least a week. Titan was joined by Josh at the airport, and they both accompanied us on our trip.

“I don’t like you being this close to Louisiana, Piper,” Josh was saying as we walked to our car.

“I don’t either, but we agreed this is what we would do,” I said.

“It’s just a week, Josh, and then Ryan and I will go back to London,” she assured him.

Josh glanced at me, wishing I would make her go back now. I shook my head at him.

“She won’t listen to me, if that’s what you’re getting at,” I told him.

On this trip, we decided to stay on a luxury boat, instead of the house we had occupied before. Being in the water, a couple of miles from shore, gave us privacy and the feeling of a small Honeymoon.

Titan and Josh would stay on shore, but we had to have walkie-talkies at hand at all times. When I was due on set, Titan and Josh would accompany Piper wherever—if anywhere—she wanted to go. It sounded simple enough.

None of us knew we were being followed. Not by the madman trying to hurt my family, but by various fans, simple everyday people who snapped cell phone photos, giving away our location.

Our arrival was captured by a luggage handler, who tweeted the photo, along with our location, instantly. Unknown to us all, Piper had been exposed as soon as we stepped off the plane in Florida.

A teenager at the dock videoed our boarding the boat, the name and location plainly included on her Facebook page. Josh and Titan could be seen, staying behind on their own vessel, waving us off.

Before we had anchored, our location was compromised. The tweet was retweeted to the public via fan sites and to tabloid newspapers, hundreds of times in just a few minutes. The Facebook video went viral in less than an hour.

While Piper and I lay sleeping Jean-Paul and a beast of a man quietly came aboard our boat not long after. I woke to monstrous hands choking the life from me. The smell of gasoline burned my eyes and nose. While I fought I could see Jean-Paul had Piper by the hair, holding her head back, a knife to her throat. There was chewing tobacco wadded in his cheek. I fought the brute holding me, making no impression at all.

“Set him up. I want him to see this,” Jean-Paul told the man.

Picking up the belt I had tossed on the floor when we arrived, the man held me down with his knee in my back, locking the belt around my arms. I fought and cursed, but it was useless. Standing me up like a child would a doll, Jean-Paul spat on the floor where I stood with my elbows locked behind me.

“So Mister Big Shot, you’ve enjoyed my wife for some time now. What do you think of the whore?”

“Fuck you,” I spat at him. “You have to bring one of your goons to do your bidding. Can’t fight me like a man. Oh, but I forgot. From what I understand, you only like beating on your women, you pussy.”

Jean-Paul snarled back at me. I got the effect I was going for. He removed the knife from Piper’s throat and handed her to my captor.

“Hold this,” he ordered.

Piper’s face was red, and blood leaked from her month. The sight of it made me insane. I head-butted Jean-Paul, his teeth cutting into my forehead. He was momentarily stunned and stumbled backward. Touching his lips, he spat out the wad of tobacco, along with, to my pleasure, a tooth. Smiling like the devil himself, he walked back to me, knife raised to my side.

“I will let you suffer. I was going to let you watch, but you have changed my mind. I’ll let you live long enough for the sharks to eat you bit by bit,”

And before I could fight back, or take a breath, Jean-Paul plunged the steel hunting knife into my side, tearing me open like a deer being gutted. I crumpled, swearing, knowing I was screwed.

“Toss him overboard,” Jean-Paul told his accomplice.

Lifting me by the belt, holding my arms behind me, blood poured from the open wound. I was dragged up the steps, and outside, fighting like a wild animal.

Piper was screaming, and I heard fists on flesh. The man tossed me over the side of the boat with little effort. The salt water burned me like acid. All was black as the night. Only a small beacon, to alert passing boats to our presence, lit the water’s surface.

I squirmed and fought against the belt holding me. I managed to get out of it, and stealthily swam to the back of the boat. There was a platform at water level, used for diving, or to easily board the boat from the water.

Watching for the goon, I climbed up bleeding and willing myself not to pass out from the blood loss. I had to get to Piper. I silently prayed as I wrapped the belt as tight as I could around my middle, literally holding my body closed. The pain was there, but I was so hell bent on getting to Piper, I didn’t take time to notice it. A tool box sat, buckled to the deck. I blessed the man who stocked it.

I silently began sifting through the contents. A filet knife, used to part the delicate skin of fish, was all I came up with. Praying to God I was not too late, I made my way back down the stairs. I no longer heard Piper. This scared me worse than her screams had.

The huge man stood in the doorway, and from the side of his face, I could see he was mightily entertained at what he was watching. Just past him I could see Jean-Paul kicking Piper, who was obviously unconscious, and simultaneously unbuttoning his pants.

Before the man could register my presence, I plunged the knife as hard as I could down, into his neck. He screamed, and lunged at me. I felt my wound part further, as I hit at the man. It took several seconds, but he finally fell over, coughing and spitting blood. His eyes still open, I heard the death rattle from his throat. I didn’t stop. Instead, I turned to Jean-Paul in time to see him running toward me, knife held up, to do the same to me as I’d done his partner. I wrestled the knife from his hand, cutting mine in the process. I slammed him as hard as I could, breaking a dresser mirror.

He grabbed at the belt holding me together. I screamed, as he shoved fingers deep into my open side. He gained a footing, and began to punch my face. I heard the unmistakable crunch of my nose shattering. I grabbed his balls, and squeezed. That got him off of me, at least. I staggered up to begin a new round of fighting when my knees gave way. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Jean-Paul started my way, cussing and spitting.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you,” he muttered, breathless now.

Blank spots were in my vision. I looked for the knife, but saw it nowhere. I turned to the dead man, reaching for the fillet knife still in his neck. From the corner of my eye, I saw Piper move like a snake. Jean-Paul, his attention on me, did not see her. I had just enough time to think, “Thank you, God. She’s not dead,” before Piper tried stabbing at him, the knife landing in his upper arm.

He grabbed hold of his arm, looking around at her, wild-eyed. I tried to will my legs to move, but swayed like the boat itself. Jean-Paul fell on top of Piper, trying to strangle her. Piper struggled to get free, clutching at his hands.

“You took everything from me!” He was nose to nose with her, screaming into her face. I grabbed hold of his shirt, but I was nearly gone now.

“Then this piece of shit!” He kicked at me. “I tried with you. I loved you. You never loved me back! And now they’re saying Ellie isn’t mine?” he screamed like a crazy person.

I pulled with all the strength I had left, but he shrugged me off with little effort. A deafening blast kept me in the here and now long enough to see Jean-Paul fly off of Piper from its force.

I watched as Josh pumped the shotgun, ready to fire again. Jean-Paul lay still, not breathing, a monstrous hole in his shoulder. Josh darted to Piper, yelling her name. Titan had me then, pushing on the wound at my side.

“Come on, Ryan, let’s get you out of here. Stay with me now.” He placed something under my nose, and my senses perked.

“Piper?” I knew I said it, but heard nothing come out of my mouth. “Piper!” I screamed it this time.

I felt my ears, throat, and eyes burning from blood and seawater.

“Piper!” I screamed at her.

Josh was pushing on her chest, breathing into her mouth. Titan pulled me up, and I watched Josh carry Piper out of the room, taking two steps at a time.

Titan half carried me out behind them, dropping a lit flare as we took the steps. I could see Josh as we exited the stairs now, still working with Piper. I could feel the warmth was at my back. I did the best I could, stepping onto the boat Josh and Titan had used to reach us.

Titan sat me down on the floor next to them. I put my head down beside Piper’s ear. She was not moving. She was not breathing.

“Damn it, Piper, breathe!” Josh was screaming.

I felt the boat jerk into gear, and we sped away, the night sky ablaze now.

Josh continued pumping her chest, tears streaming from his eyes now. He bent to her mouth, then back to pumping her chest. Blood spilled on the boat’s surface. I drifted in and out of consciousness. All was dark for a long moment, and I opened my eyes to see Josh climbing into the boat holding his now bleeding leg. There was a deep cut on his s/shoulder.

I tried to speak, but no sound came. I was numb and freezing. Josh crawled to me and pressed on my side. I screamed in agony, but I was seeing clearer. I sucked in the salty air.

“It hurts like hell, but it will keep you alive. Try to stay awake,” Josh was saying.

“Is she alive?” I asked.

Josh didn’t answer. He just kept messing with my wound. I felt the boat shift into gear, and Josh was yelling something, but I couldn’t understand it. I closed my eyes again.

chapter thirty-six

I was aware, at some point that I was going to pass out and not wake up again. My hands had already turned cold from blood loss. The reality of what had transpired in the past half hour left my brain numb. I tried fighting off the dark haze that threatened to close over me, as doctors began to undress the poorly wrapped wound. Gloved hands loosened the belt that held the ripped tissue together, and lifted it slowly. I snapped my eyes shut at the sight of the gore.

It was bad, far worse than I had imagined. For the second time that night, I realized that this situation might actually end my life. If Piper didn’t make it, I hoped I would die. Blood dripped from the bed. The wound pulsed and gushed, like an open spout. I swayed and could feel cold hands pushing me down, forcing me to lie still on the bed. I could not think of the pain.

I began to do as I’d always done when I was scared or nervous. I sifted through the countless songs stored in my head and began to sing. The room was chaos, but I kept my eyes closed, and my mind on the song as warm blood spilled. I fought the words that came. It was not the time for that song, but too late, I thought, as I realized which song my mind had reached for. Behind closed eyes, I began to sing, “Let me fly.” All resistance gone now, I could no longer feel my fingers, and something that felt like acid burned through my ribs.

I thought, sardonically,
damn, there goes months of sobriety.
I caught words from time to time like “deep tissue,” “possible damage,” “bowel and spleen,” and “immediate surgery.”

Someone, a nurse I presumed, placed a needle in my arm as I began to softly pray my deathbed prayer. Words from the sad song began to grow louder as the room became darker. I sang and prayed, just above a whisper. No one noticed as I mouthed the haunting words that were now my lament, “And like an eagle, I took to the sky.”