Page 52 of Love Under Siege

“ANYA!”

I freeze, my heart stopping for a second as I recognize the voice. I spin around and scan the crowd, and that’s when I see him. Jacob. Standing by the fence inside the club, waving his arms, trying to get my attention.

“Jacob?” I whisper, disbelief flooding through me.How is he here?

Lana turns to look too, a smile spreading across her face. “Holy shit, it’s Jacob!”

I take a step toward him, my heart pounding in my chest. It feels like the world slows down for a moment, like everything else fades away, and it’s just him. Just Jacob.

But then, out of nowhere, something shifts in the corner of my vision. A figure, dark and fast, moving toward us. I hear Jacob shout again, his voice urgent.

“Look out!”

Before I can react, everything happens at once. A pair of hands clamp down on my shoulders, dragging me back. I scream, thrashing against the strong grip, but it’s no use. I catch a glimpse of Lana beside me, being pulled by another man in all black, his face obscured by a ski mask.

“LANA!” I scream, my voice drowned out by the pounding music from the club.

I try to fight, kick and claw, but the hands holding me are too strong. I catch one last glimpse of Jacob, his eyes wide with horror as he tries to jump the fence, only to be held back by security.

I scream his name again, but the sound is lost in the chaos. The men drag us into the darkness, pulling us toward a black van parked at the edge of the lot.

My heart races, my mind reeling with terror as the van’s doors swing open.

This can’t be happening!

But it is.

We’re being taken. And there’s no one here to stop it. Then all of a sudden I’m hit with something and everything goes black.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Jacob

“STOP! STOP! What are you two doing?!” A male voice shouts, cutting through the chaos. The officers pinning me down suddenly pulled back.

“Hey! I asked you two a question! What are your badge numbers? I wanna speak to your supervisors!” The voice grows louder, filled with authority. As the weight lifts from my body, I scramble to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest. I look around frantically, but Anya and Lana are nowhere in sight.

Where did they go?

The crowd is still thick around the club, people oblivious to the fact that two women have just been kidnapped. My breathing becomes erratic as panic sets in.

“Mr. Sullivan, are you okay?” The man who shouted at the officers steps closer to me, concern in his voice. But I’m not paying attention. My eyes are scanning every face, every corner of the parking lot, hoping to catch a glimpse of Anya’s dark hair or Lana’s familiar silhouette.

I can't see them. They're gone.

“Jacob!” a familiar voice calls out, and I finally snap out of my daze. I turn and see Detective Morrison standing a few feet away, his expression grim.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice hoarse with frustration and confusion.

“I was following Anya,” he says, stepping closer. “But then I saw you, and those two officers holding you down. Are you okay?”

“Following Anya? What the hell do you mean, you were following Anya?” My words come out sharp, more of an accusation than a question.

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck like he's been caught in a lie. “Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I’ve had a bad feeling about this. Caleb… he’s not stable, but I don’t think he’s crazy enough to kill anyone. Still, something’s been off, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Anya might be in danger. So, I’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

I can feel my blood boiling beneath my skin. “You’ve been following her this whole time? Why the hell didn’t you tell me this at my mother’s funeral?” I snap, my voice filled with venom. My fists clench at my sides, the anger bubbling over.

He exhales deeply, looking me square in the eyes. “Jacob, you were burying your mother. I didn’t want to pile more onto your shoulders. Plus, I didn’t have anything concrete. I wasn’t going to worry you for no reason, especially when I wasn’t sure what I was dealing with.”

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