Sacrifice (19 page)

I ran from the room and straight to my room. I pulled clothes from my drawers, searching for something, anything suitable that I could wear. I would go after him. And I would stop him from self-destructing. I had seen the look in his eyes today and I knew what it meant. I would save him and then we’d see where it led.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sam

Pulling the car up outside the warehouse, Sam killed the engine and looked around at his surroundings. It didn’t look like much. But it was where Marcus had agreed to meet him. Sam wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Marcus would come alone. No doubt he had plenty of men waiting for Sam’s final move. A move that would hopefully prove once and for all to Natasha that he did indeed love her. That although he had messed up, he wasn’t lying when he kissed her, held her in his arms… He had done everything with the best intentions…

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

It was something Sam hadn’t been able to shake from his mind. The moment he had left Natasha it was all he could really think. The look on her face… If she knew the truth it might be different… Maybe she could forgive him if she knew the truth?

Sam climbed from the car and slammed the door behind him. The sound rang out around the empty lot like a gunshot. This was probably one of the most stupid things he had ever decided to do… But it was something he had to do. For too long he had allowed life to jerk him around. He was done with that. He would take matters into his own hands, take back his own destiny. In the end, there is no life without love. No life without her.

He made his way to the small door that led into the main warehouse. Pushing the door open he couldn’t hear anything inside. It was almost as though there was no one there. But Sam knew better than to think that.

Cautiously he made his way inside. He heard the footstep crunch behind him a moment too late. The first blow was designed to drop him to his knees. But Sam spun and the baseball bat grazed across his shoulder. It hurt like hell but he kept moving in an attempt to avoid being nailed with it. The guy who wielded it gritted his teeth and swung again, narrowly missing Sam’s face.

He didn’t have time to dodge the other guy. The blow tumbled Sam to the floor, the cement dust covering his jeans and making him cough. He gasped as they laid into him, baseball bat guy landing some nice shots to Sam’s back. The other guy chose to kick him, each blow landing squarely in Sam’s gut.

He tried to climb to his feet but the guy with the baseball bat, jabbed it in towards Sam’s face. It connected with the edge of his jaw and the taste of copper exploded inside Sam’s mouth.

“Enough.”

Marcus’ voice cut through the quiet silence of the beating. The warehouse was suddenly flooded with light and Sam could see Marcus standing in the centre of the room. He tried to pull himself to his feet but Marcus waved a hand in his direction and one of the men who had beaten him pushed him back down.

“Please, don’t get up on my account. You’ve done enough. You always were a disappointment, Sam. I thought you had learned your lesson… But obviously not.”

“Drop dead.” Sam scrubbed his hand across the back of his mouth and it came away bloody.

“Me? No, Sam. I’m afraid that’ll be your job. I asked you to do one thing. Bring her to me… And what do you do? I get some stupid message from you yesterday about loving her and that you’ll never help me. I see that as a betrayal. I tried to help your mother. God rest her poor soul.” Marcus blessed himself and lifted his hands towards heaven but it was all done as a mockery. He had Sam right where he needed him to be. He didn’t care about anyone else. And he certainly didn’t care that Sam’s mother had died.

“You let her die.” Sam spat the words in Marcus’ direction. “You promised me that she would get the best care possible. You broke your promise, Marcus.”

Marcus smiled at him, a cruel twist of his lips. “Oops. But remember Sam, I wasn’t the one who let mommy dearest down. I didn’t swan off and fall in love. I wasn’t the one who claimed to love her and then left her alone.”

Sam bit down on his tongue. The last thing he wanted to do was give Marcus the satisfaction of knowing that he had hit a nerve. But the emotions must have registered on his face anyway. Marcus started to laugh.

“Sam, you had so much potential. I’m just sorry you ruined it.” Marcus nodded to the two men who stood behind Sam. He knew what was coming and he closed his eyes, waiting for the fatal blow.

“Wait!” 

That voice. Her voice. It sounded like the voice of an angel and Sam found himself wondering if he had perhaps already died. Opening his eyes he spun around and saw her. She stood in the doorway, her silhouette framed by sunlight. She was an angel… His angel.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Natasha

The moment I burst through the door I spotted him. He was on the ground, his face covered in dust and blood. I wanted to run to him, wrap my arms around him and tell him everything would be alright. But I couldn’t do that. He had hurt me. Hurt me in a way I didn’t think he would. But it didn’t change the fact that I loved him… I loved him and I would forgive most anything, just not yet.

“Wait!” I cried out, my voice hoarse with emotion. My eyes darted from Sam to the man who stood in the centre of the room. The man I knew had to be Marcus. After what my father had told me of him I knew he would be the one in charge and he definitely seemed to be.

“And you must be, Natasha?” Marcus crooked one eyebrow at me. He hid his surprise remarkably well. But that didn’t surprise me. He was a cold blooded murderer. 

“Have you come to rescue the man you love?” He smiled at me, a look of glee crossing his face.

“I’ve come to stop you from making a mistake. You have no interest in him. You wanted me, I’m here.”

Marcus watched me for a moment before slowly beginning to walk in my direction. “And why do you think I need you, Natasha?”

“Because you need my father to finish the plans… Without them your little deal goes down the toilet.”

Marcus paced in a circle for a second, circling me like a shark. He moved in until he could wrap his finger around a lock of my hair. His finger winding tighter and tighter until he could jerk my head backwards. Pain lanced through my scalp and I bit back the sob. He didn’t deserve my tears. And he certainly didn’t deserve to know that he was really hurting me. He reminded me of Daniel, a man who enjoyed inflicting pain on others.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret, Natasha. Your father finished the plans last night. I already have everything I need…”

Panic flared through me. My father hadn’t told me he had completed the work Marcus wanted him to do. He hadn’t told me that I had no bargaining chip. That I was here like a lamb to the slaughter… I was a fool. A complete and utter fool. How could I have honestly believed that I would save anyone? That I could save Sam?

One lone tear trickled down my cheek as I stared at Sam. He saw the terror in my eyes, the defeat I felt. My father had let me down again. He had lied when he said that he cared about me, that he had only pushed me away to keep me safe… I should have known better the second I walked out of my bedroom only to find him gone and a note with directions to the warehouse on the table. But I had misguidedly believed he was helping me. That he had understood my feelings for Sam.

The sound of screeching metal made me clamp my hands over my ears. Sunlight streamed in through the tall door that had been tugged open. Police officers streamed inside, ordering everyone onto their knees.

Marcus let me go and I dropped to the floor, my hands above my head. Confusion swamped me as I stared around. What the hell was happening? It didn’t make any sense. But it didn’t stop me from feeling relieved.

A female officer helped me to my feet and started to lead me from the building. Sam was being tended to by two medics. I wanted to go to him. I wanted him to hold me. Well a part of me wanted him to hold me, but I didn’t know if I was ready for that yet.

I stepped outside. My father stood beside one of the police cars, his hands behind his back. I could feel tears swelling in my eyes as I walked over to him.

“You didn’t just desert me then?” I asked, my voice cracking.

He stared down at me, the look in his eyes one of sorrow and guilt.

“Nattie, I’m sorry, I should never have cut you out. I never wanted you to get hurt, I thought I was keeping you safe. But I know now and your mother would be ashamed of me…”

“She’d understand.”

He shook his head and stared down at the ground. “No, she wouldn’t. She wanted me to look after you. Instead I left you alone. I’m your father, I should have protected you. Given you the love you deserve.”

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight. When he didn’t hug me back I stared up at him in confusion. He smiled ruefully and turned to the side giving me a good view of the handcuffs he wore.

“I wanted you to know that I love you, once and for all. That I would do anything for you. Even if that meant handing myself over to the cops… With my testimony Marcus doesn’t stand a chance. None of them do…”

My face was frozen, my heart had skipped in my chest as he explained what he had done. Finally I shook my head and found my voice.

“No, Dad. Not like this, you don’t have to do this…”

“It’s done. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat to have you call me dad. I’d do anything for you, Nattie. I just needed you to know that. I love you, kiddo.” One of the many police officers milling around arrived and opened the car door, before he helped him inside.

“Dad, no. Don’t do this. We’ll find another way.”

He shook his head, before jerking his chin in Sam’s direction. “No we won’t. I’ve done this to keep you safe. Now you just make sure that he looks after you.”

The police officer shut the door and made his way around to the front of the car. I pressed my hand to the window as tears drifted down my cheeks. It had all happened far too fast. To get my father back and lose him again all in one day… It should have been impossible.

He smiled at me as the car started and rolled away over the uneven ground. I watched the car pull away. People milled around me and yet I had never felt more alone in my life. Turning I caught sight of Sam. He was watching me. The intensity in his gaze scorching along my skin. I ached for him. Ached in a way that made me want to crumble to the ground and scream.

Loving him was a beautiful sort of agony. Filled with sacrifice, pain and anguish. But through it all there was something beautiful about it. I couldn’t imagine a life without him now. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to imagine a life without him. After all love tastes sweeter with a little sacrifice.

Natasha

I watched him sitting on the beach for a few minutes before I started walking over to him. I liked observing him when he didn’t think I was. It was like having a secret. I could see the look of concentration on his face as he stared out at the waves.

I thought this place was fitting. That morning had meant so much to me… I had been so happy as we played along the beach. Until he had tried to leave and my world crumbled around me. But I knew the truth now. I knew why he had done the things he had. And I understood. I understood desperation. His need to help his mother. And feeling that working for Marcus was the only way he could do it. I understood all of that. I would do anything for the people I loved… It made sense that he would to.

As though he heard me he turned and watched as I made my way clumsily through the sand. It hurt to see the look of pain in his eyes. He clearly expected the worst of me. And could I blame him for thinking that? Since that day in the warehouse I hadn’t been able to return his calls. I wanted to. I wanted to hear his voice, see his smiling face and feel his lips on mine. But I couldn’t do it… Until now. Now I knew the truth and understood I could begin anew.

I tripped, almost falling but his arms shot out and caught me. He tugged me against his chest and I let him, my eyes fluttering shut as I revelled in the feel of his touch on me. He released me as quickly as he had caught me.

Opening my eyes I stared up at him. I could see the hardness of his jaw, the way it was set as though by doing that he could keep all of his emotions inside. Keep them bottled up, hidden from the rest of the world.

“Why did you ask me to meet you here?” His voice sounded rough, choked with an emotion I couldn’t put my finger on.

“I wanted to see you… I needed to see you…” I reached out to him and he caught my hand in his. He shook his head before trying to push my hand away.

“I hurt you. I know you can’t ever forgive me.” 

I cut him off, “I already have.”

It stopped him in his tracks. He stared down at the sand for what seemed like an age before he finally looked back up at me.

“Is this a joke? Some way of trying to get your own back?”

It was my turn to shake my head. I had agonised over the decision. Going over and over it in my mind. But in the end I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t want a life without him in it. We belonged together. 

Hope reflected in his gaze, he took a hesitant step towards me, his hands shaking as he reached out to me and pushed a stray strand of blonde hair back over my shoulder.

“You hurt me, in ways I didn’t think you would. But I know why you did it and I can’t blame you for that. I know you tried to set things right. Tried to explain and I didn’t want to hear you. But I’ve forgiven you… I love you, Sam. I tried to be without you. Tried to be normal and let you go but I couldn’t… Didn’t want to.”

He pulled me into his arms, one lone tear trailing down his cheek. I reached up and brushed it away, catching it on the tips of my fingers. It trembled there for a minute before it slipped down over my finger.