Page 38 of Unbreakable
20
Grace
Constantly checking my rearview mirror, I push my car as fast as it will go. I know as soon as someone realizes I'm missing Jake will lose his shit, but I couldn't stand by and witness another person I've come to care about be hurt by that monster. Make no mistake, Ronan will kill Lisa. He won't let her go no matter what conditions he wants to be met. My guess is Ronan is going to try and use Lisa to get to me. He'll say he'll want to swap sooner or later, so I am taking matters into my own hands. I won't put Jake in the position to make that decision. Bennett shouldn’t have to be without the love of his life because of me. I hope Jake knows how deep my love for him is and no matter what the outcome he takes care of my daughter.
My only hope is to get as far away from the compound as I can before Jake or any of the other men catch up with me. When Bennett stumbled in the door with the assistance of Blake all beaten and bloody with the horrified look on his face as the words that someone took Lisa left his lips, it knocked every ounce of air from my lungs.
Not having a clue as to where they may have taken Lisa I keep driving. I left everything behind, except for my cell phone. Still having two numbers memorized, I wait another hour before turning off onto a dirt road and drive until I see a farmhouse in the distance before slowing to a stop. Pulling my phone from the back pocket of my jeans, I tap out the first number. After the first attempt goes straight to voicemail, I try the last number I can think of. Ronan's right-hand man, Connor was the one who was always asked to keep a tight rein on my leash when Ronan wasn’t around.
On the third ring, the dead tone of his thick Irish accent fills my ear causing my breath to catch in my throat. "Yeah."
"Connor, put Ronan on the phone," I attempt to tell him, but he cuts me short before I can tell him who I am.
"Who the fuck is this?" Connor barks in a harsh, threatening manner.
Not in the mood to be pushed, I demand through gritted teeth, "Put my husband on the damn phone."
The other end of the line goes silent. I don’t even hear his heavy breathing. For what feels like forever but in reality is about two minutes I hang on the phone in silence.
"Hello, wife." The emotionless baritone of Ronan's voice sends a sharps tingle down my spine. Only in my dreams have I heard that voice for the past two years.
"Cat got your tongue?" Ronan speaks again. This time I can hear the condescending and smirk in his tone.
"You took someone. I want you to let her go, Ronan," I demand.
A sharp bark of laughter pierces through the speaker causing me to pull the phone from my ear. "What makes you think you are in any position to demand a thing from me, Anna."
Straightening my back, I keep my voice even and strong. "Because I'm willing to trade myself for her. You get me in return if you let her go. You win. You get what you've always wanted, and that's me." Ronan's breath skating across the phone becomes the only noise I hear as I wait for him to reply.
"Where are you? I'll send Connor to get you. Anna, if you are setting me up…she dies, and so do you," he warns.
Before I respond Connor has been given the phone and starts talking. "Location." He orders.
"Umm," I look around me. "I'm about forty-five minutes east of Polson in a town named Oakdale. Currently I'm parked on a dirt road just off of Highway 54 called Cooper Lane. I doubt that you will find me, so tell me where to go and I'll…"
"Stay put," are his final words before the line goes dead.
"Stay put? How the hell do they expect to find me? What am I saying," I shake my head. "this is Ronan I'm talking about." I talk to myself. With nothing more to do but wait, I turn my phone over a few times in my hand contemplating on calling Remi. I'm walking into this knowing I will probably never see her again, and my heart is ripping from my chest thinking about it. Telling myself this is to protect her and to try and save Lisa is doing absolutely nothing to convince myself it will work. Knowing Jake and the Club will die protecting her ends up being the knowledge I need to find peace with the choice I have made.
Turning, I glance in the back seat noticing Remi's bookbag. Grabbing the strap, I pull on it and bring it onto my lap and unzip it looking for paper and something to write with. Finding what I need I set out to write my daughter a small note. Using the glow of the moon as my light, I put pen to paper.
My beautiful daughter,
I know I don’t have to tell you how much I love you because you already know, but I'll say it anyway. I love you, Remi. I'm proud to be your momma and proud to have watched you begin to grow into the young lady you are becoming.
I love you, Peanut.
Tears streamdown my cheeks and a couple of them land on the notebook paper causing two small water stains to soak the edges of the ink. Lifting my hands, I rub them away with the backs of my hands. Sniffling, I look down at the words I wrote to my daughter. On the same piece of paper, I also decided to include a note to Jake.
Jake,
What can I say? You saw me and showed me what a man's love is supposed to feel like, and I will never let that go. I didn’t just survive all those years to protect my daughter. I survived because my forever was waiting for me and I had to find it—I had to find you. You are my safe place. You are my home. You are my forever.
Keep her safe.
Love you always.
Rippingthe page from the notebook, I hold onto it while tossing the bag and the notebook onto the passenger seat. As I'm folding the letter, a bright beam of lights fill the car and temporarily blinds me as the reflection bounces off the rearview and side mirrors. Shielding the light from my eyes, I turn to try and see the vehicle behind me when knuckles wrapping on my window steals my attention.
