Page 72 of Like Fathers, Like Son
“Find the other receptionist and find out who the fuck they gave that key to! Do you have cameras outside?”
“I… I don’t know!”
“Fucking find out!” I roared, slamming the phone down, then I dialled home from my own phone.
“Hey, kiddo.” Thank fuck!
“Dad, I need help. Someone’s taken Anneka.”
Anneka
MY HEAD WAS THROBBING when I woke, and even though I hadn’t opened my eyes yet, I could sense a few things. I was cold, like the room I was in had no heating. I was laying on something hard and uncomfortable, and my arms and legs were tethered. My arms above my head and my legs about two feet apart. I was also naked.
Why had Blaze done this to me? We’d been working on finding common ground. We’d been working on being a couple, and raising a baby together. Why would he betray me like this now? I felt like someone was literally piling bricks on top of my heart, and it was about to be crushed beneath that weight.
I couldn’t open my eyes, because when I saw him standing there, with that smug little grin of his, I knew I’d never be able to not hate him. That’s crazy, right? If he could do this to me, then I already hated him more than I’d ever hated anyone or anything.
Oh god, what if whatever he’d dosed me with hurts the baby?
“I know you’re awake, little slut. You might as well open your eyes.” My breath caught in my throat, and my heart raced faster, thudding painfully in my chest as a new wave of horror chilled me even further.That’s. Not. Blaze.
“Open your fucking eyes, or I’ll cut those out first.” My eyes popped open, fixing on a dark, dirty ceiling, before I risked looking around me.
The guy was big, looming over me like a giant, with this maniacal grin on his face. His hair was dark, I think, but shaved so short, it was hard to be sure. His eyes seemed to burn into me with their intensity, and that grin grew wider as my panic escalated.
“You… who are you?”
“Doesn’t matter, cunt. I’m the last person you’ll ever see, and I’ll be the only one to hear your screams as you beg for death.” Oh god! I thought Blaze was the height of insanity, and depravity, but this guy… he had me somewhere nobody would find me, and he was clearly intent on killing me.
“Please, please don’t.” I wanted to mention my baby, but I was also terrified of mentioning it, in case he deliberately harmed him or her first.
“Begging is nice, so keep it up, but it won’t change anything. They all scream, they all cry, and they all beg. It’s part of the fun for me.” He trailed a finger down my arm, and I shuddered with horror and revulsion.
At least with Blaze, there was some recognition between us, but this monster was a stranger, and that meant he had no interest in my welfare, and every interest in my pain.
43
Blaze
Thereceptionistcouldn’treachthe other fucker who’d obviously given out a room key, but they apparentlydidhave a camera outside on the street.
Unfortunately it didn’t reach where Anneka’s car had been though, so I couldn’t prove that someone had taken her, but I knew she wouldn’t just leave like that. Would she? After what we’d experienced together, would she really just leave?
“Hey kiddo, sit down. We need to talk.” My dads were in the room with me, and we’d all come to the same conclusion, that nothing in this fucking room was of use right now.
“I need to follow that tracking, dammit.”
Dad Dory glanced worriedly at dad Gray, and I practically growled with frustration.
“What if she really did leave you, kid?”
“What if she didn’t? Look, we can sit and chat about this all you like, but the only way we’ll know for sure is if we fucking get after her car. What if they ditch the car while you’re jabbering away at me?”
Dad Gray nodded, running his strong hand through his hair.
“Look, we heard some local news on the radio as we were arriving. Several women have gone missing around here, and they… they haven’t been found.”
“FUCK! So why the hell are we wasting time here?”
