FOREVER BELOVED (Billionaire Love Series) (25 page)

I nodded. “You’re right. She’s been so strong
through this whole ordeal. She didn’t grow bitter like I did or let
her love turn to hate. She just stayed the course, raised our son,
and protected him from my crap father. How could I have been so
stupid?” I asked, almost to myself. I knew what I needed to do. “I
gotta go, man.”

He smiled. “Go find Marla. Make it right with
her.”

“I will. Thanks, for all the advice.”

“No problem. Happy to help.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Marla:

Feeling pretty depressed, I went into the
salon Friday afternoon after being ignored by Beau all week. I only
had one appointment, but I decided to stay and catch up on some
paperwork. At this point, staring at invoices and receipts was
better than moping around about Beau at home.

Just as I was about to call it a day, Sunny,
our bubbly assistant, knocked lightly on my office door. “You’ve
got a package here.”

“Really?” I asked, perking up.

She brought it in to me and then left as I
stared at the small box sitting on my desk. It was addressed to me
personally, not the salon. I tried to control my excitement as I
tore open the package. Inside I found a long, blue Tiffany box.

Oh, this was going to be good.

I carefully unwrapped the white ribbon and
pulled off the lid. I inhaled in delighted awe as a beautiful
diamond necklace encrusted with emeralds glittered up at me.

It was quite impressive and over the top. I
quickly searched for a note and found one taped to inside the
lid.

It’s time, my lady.

I’m ready to be together forever.

Meet me behind the salon.

B

It was Beau.

It had to be. Only he would send me something
so expensive.

I grabbed the necklace out of the box and
hurried to the door, which led out to the alley. “Beau?” I asked as
I slammed open the back security door and stepped out into the
parking lot behind the shop.

I glanced around, not seeing anything but a
couple of cars and big trash bins.

“I’m here, my lady!” A well-dressed man
announced as he revealed himself from behind a dark sedan.

He immediately spooked me. “Okay,” I said
slowly, glancing around for Beau.

“Don’t you recognize me?” he asked with a
hopeful note in his voice.

He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him.
“No, should I?”

“I’m the one you’ve been waiting for.”

I laughed uneasily. “You are?”

“I am, my lady. Didn’t you get my gift?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”

“The diamond necklace that was just
delivered.”

My eyes grew wide as I realized this was B.
“That was you?”

“Yes, my lady. Bryant at your service. You’ve
captured my heart, ever since I saw you for the first time.” He
bowed gallantly where he stood by the trunk of the sedan.

The back of my head tingled in warning. “I
appreciate the gift. It was very thoughtful. But my heart belongs
to another.” I showed him the necklace still in my hand. “I’m happy
to return this, so you can give it to someone else,” I said, in a
sign of good will.

He sniffed loudly, clearly not pleased with
my offer. “No matter. My chariot awaits.” He pointed to an older
make car that probably got three miles to the gallon.

There was no way I was going anywhere with
him. “I can’t go anywhere right now. I have to run my shop.”

“I must insist, my lady.”

I didn’t like the way he said that. “Well, I
must insist I stay,” I said more firmly, looking him in the
eye.

I slowly backed up, trying to escape the
isolated parking lot as he stared at me.

His feigned chivalry turned to madness in a
heartbeat and he took out a long handgun from his pocket. “I hate
to use this, but you’re forcing me to,” he claimed as he pointed
the pistol at me.

Oh god. He was definitely crazy.

My heart raced in my chest as I realized I
wouldn’t be around to see my family again, if I made one wrong
move. Real panic threatened to take hold of me, but thankfully, I
was used to being calm in a crisis.

I remembered my cell phone was stuck in my
bra strap as I waited for a call or text from Beau. I could use it
to call for help if I could distract him long enough.

Meanwhile, I put my hands up as I tried to
reason with him. “There’s no need for that. Put the gun away. Let’s
just talk about this.”

“The time for talking is over, my lady.”

My panic got the best of me. “Someone help
me, please! Help!” I called loudly, backing up toward the salon’s
door.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He cocked
the gun, telling me a bullet was in the chamber.

I froze, my heart thundering against my chest
as a cold sweat trickled down my spine. I bit my lip, stifling the
scream desperate to erupt out of my terrified throat. Moving
quickly in my direction with the gun pointed at my heart, he made
sure I stayed where I was.

Shaking, I swallowed hard. “Come on, we can
talk about this. It doesn’t need to be like this, Bryant.”

His head snapped up when I used his name. I
studied his face, wanting to memorize every detail to describe to
the police. The man’s hair was a non-descriptive brown, thinning at
the top. His closed-set brown eyes spoke of desperation and madness
as a long jagged scar on the left side of his mouth told me he’d
experienced some kind of violence in his life.

This wasn’t going to end well.

He pressed the gun into my right side as I
reluctantly walked in front of him. Steering me to the old dark
sedan, he put the key in the trunk and it clicked open.

I looked back at him. “Where are you taking
me?” I demanded frantically.

“Somewhere we can be alone.”

Okay, that freaked me out even more than the
gun.

“Why do we need to be alone? I don’t know
you.”

The sick twisted way his eyes glazed over
wasn’t helping. “Of course you know me. We’re soul mates.”

This wasn’t happening. Not to me. Not
now.

I tried to appeal to his humanity as tears
filled my eyes. “I have a son, Charlie. He’ll be very upset to know
I’m missing. Please, Bryant, let me go.”

He ignored my request, caught up in his
delusions. “You’re not missing. You’re out with your lover,” he
proclaimed with a twisted zeal in his glance.

“You’re not my lover. I don’t know you. For
god sakes, put that gun away!” I practically shouted, fighting down
my terror.

“I’m sorry, my lady. That won’t be happening.
Now, get in the trunk before you really upset me. I would hate to
use this gun, but I will.”

I swallowed hard again, pondering my limited
options. He dug the gun into my side, reminding me he held all the
cards. I hated to do it, but I climbed into the cavernous trunk,
dreading wherever we were going.

“It won’t be a long journey, my lady, until
we can be together.” He shut the lid over me, leaving me in
complete darkness.

My eyes adjusted to the pitch darkness as the
old muffler roared to life. Not wasting any time, I reached into my
bra and dug out my cell phone.

I dialed Beau first. He didn’t answer.

I got his voicemail for the fourth time this
week. I almost laughed in complete hysteria at the situation. He
still wasn’t answering my calls.

How fucked up was that?

I might die and he was too proud to talk to
me.

I kept the mad laughter at bay, listening to
his voice and wondering if it would be the last time I heard his
deep baritone. “This is Beau Shepard. Leave a message and I might
get back to you,” he rattled off, right before the tone beeped in
my ear.

“I’m in trouble, Shepard. Real trouble. If
you get this, trace my phone. I know you have the resources to do
that. I hope you get this message in time. If you don’t, take care
of our boy. Make sure he’s safe.” I paused for a second, realizing
I might never see him again. “I love you with all my heart and
nothing will change that. Ever.”

I hated how final that sounded, but I
couldn’t think about it right now. I hung up and tried to keep it
together as I called Charlie.

“Hey, Mom. What’s up?” he asked, answering
right away.

“Listen to me, Charlie. I’m in trouble, like
crazy madman trouble.”

“What’s going on?” he asked with serious
concern.

“This lunatic took me from the salon,
claiming we’re soul mates.” I started to cry. “I’m locked in his
trunk and I don’t know where he’s taking me.”

“Oh, shit, Mom! Okay…okay...I want you to
call the police. I’m gonna call Beau. He’ll know what to do.”

“I love you, Charlie Brown. Know that. You
mean the world to me and you’re the best thing I ever did. Take
care of Beau if I don’t make it out of this alive.”

“I love you, too, Mom, but don’t say that.
We’re going to find you.”

Tears poured down my face. “I hope so,
Charlie. I hope so. I love you, baby...I love you. I hope to see
you real soon.”

“You will, Mom. I promise.” His voice was
optimistic.

It was good to hear my boy be so strong in a
crisis.

We hung up and I prayed this wasn’t the last
time I talked to my son.

But I couldn’t lose it now.

I immediately called emergency services.
“911. What’s your emergency?” the female operator asked calmly.

“Some guy named Bryant kidnapped me.” I tried
to state in a clear voice, even as it shook.

“Can you tell me where you are?”

“I’m in the trunk of old dark Sedan,
somewhere on the streets of Baltimore.”

“Okay, we’ll try and locate your phone. Just
keep talking to me. What do you notice?”

I peered through the darkness. “I don’t
really see anything. Oh wait.” I caught a glimpse of something in
the far corner by my feet.

The trunk was mostly empty, except for a dark
duffel bag. It was in the back corner, but I kicked it forward with
my feet until I could reach it with my hands.

I opened it up, hoping I could find something
useful to use against my abductor. From the feel of each item,
there was duct tape, rope, and some kind of camera.

This was his kit to hurt someone.

I suddenly knew where I had seen him. The day
I went to the pier after Charlie and I got into that fight. He was
the man who had offered me his hanky. I got a creepy vibe from him
then and now I remembered the abducted girl on the news, who looked
a lot like me.

Everything made sense now.

He was the Renaissance Rapist.

I was in the trunk of a rapist.

Who had been watching me for god knows how
long.

Oh, my fucking god.

“I think I’m in the trunk of the Renaissance
rapist. He has a bag of stuff,” I told the operator.

There was no reply.

“Hello?” I asked when I didn’t hear
anything.

Shit, we got disconnected.

I tried not to panic as I focused on seeing
Beau and Charlie again. I wanted to see them again, whole and
happy.

They kept me grounded as I redialed emergency
services. “911, what’s your emergency?”

“Hi, I just called. I’ve been kidnapped and
you were trying to locate me because I’m in the trunk of the
Renaissance Rapist. I need your help, right now. I don’t know how
much longer I have,” I pleaded as the car dipped low and came to a
squeaky halt.

“We’re trying to locate you. Hang on tight.
Don’t hang up.”

I realized we weren’t moving anymore. “Oh,
dear God. We’re stopped. I can’t talk anymore,” I whispered before
I shoved my phone back into my bra strap.

Ten seconds later, the trunk opened and I
flinched from the sunlight streaming in as the madman loomed over
me. Grabbing my arm, he hauled me up, not caring if I was hurt.

“I thought you were a gentleman, Bryant,” I
challenged as he clutched my arm and drug me across a beat up
driveway.

His grip was fierce, digging into my arm. “I
am always a gentleman, my lady.”

“Then do you want to be a little more
gentle?”

“I will strive to be all things to you, my
lady.”

Even though I was scared, I resisted the urge
to roll my eyes. This my lady crap was getting on my nerves. There
was nothing chivalrous about holding a woman hostage with a gun. My
fighting spirit started to overtake my fear.

I glanced around, looking for anyone to help
me, but all I saw were some boarded up, abandoned houses. No one
was around.

Shit.

He pushed me forward, leading me into one of
the run down houses as he thrust the gun into my back. Through the
ragged front door was a house of horrors.

A junkie’s paradise.

Pop cans, old food and clothing, beer
bottles, and used needles littered the orange shag carpet. Each
room we passed was full of garbage and graffiti, stinking to high
heaven as a foul, rotting smell filled the air.

I half-expected a drug addict to jump out at
us as we walked the hall, but no one popped up as we came to the
master bedroom in the back of the house.

I glanced around and spotted a bathroom. I
needed to get in there. Alone.

Trying one more time to appeal to his
humanity, I begged to use the bathroom as I turned toward him.
“Please, let me use the restroom and then I’ll do whatever you
want. Don’t you want to be together, lover?” I persuaded sweetly,
hoping he would believe me.

He liked that. “Okay,” he relented. “Take all
the time you want,” he said calmly, before he whipped out a syringe
and stuck it in the side of my neck.

Oh, shit. He was drugging me.

I knew there was a reason he didn’t tie me
up.

Holding my neck, I booked it to the bathroom
and locked the door, hoping he wouldn’t try anything with the
gun.

My neck throbbed as the drug spread through
my bloodstream. But it didn’t matter. I didn’t have time to wait
for the cavalry to arrive and save me.