Barred (18 page)

“What the fuck are we going to do now?” Emerson says aloud, putting his head on the steering wheel. 

Kimberly wakes up slowly, her eyes heavy as she lifts her head off the pillow.  She puts her hand on her temple, wincing at the pain it causes.  She moves forward to step off the bed but halts as her left arm catches something. She looks back, seeing her hand cuffed to the wall.  She lets out a horrifying shriek as she realizes her worst nightmare has happened.  Then, through the pain in her head all the events of last night come back to her.  She remembers waking up to a noise.  She got out of bed, walked into the kitchen to see a man in black with a mask over his head stalking toward her. She reached for the biggest knife she could, prepared to fight him. 

“Now lady, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he growled out, stalking toward her.  She never answered him but struck him with the knife, slicing his palm open.  “You’ll pay for that you fucking bitch!”

He grabbed her then, slamming her into the wall and that was the last thing she remembered before now.  She hears a door turn and looks in the direction of the door.  A woman walks into the room, dressed immaculately. 

“Hello Kimberly, I believe we met Saturday. I’m Natasha Masterson.” The blonde woman states.

“So why have you kidnapped me?”

“Simple, you mean something to Jonathon and because you mean something to him, I know Emerson cares too,” she smiles, an evil grin that doesn’t show an ounce of sincerity.  “They denied me my money in court, so if they want you back, they will give me my money.”

Kimberly decides after that statement, she won’t give the woman the satisfaction of her breath, and she prays that Emerson and Jonathon will let her die before they give the woman the money. 

“Cat got your tongue honey?”

When Kimberly says nothing, the woman just laughs.  “You see, that’s the thing… You think I am some idiot, you can try to intimidate me, but I know those men.  They will pay for you, I just hope for you it’s sooner rather than later.”  She stands and starts to walk out of the door.  “I would sure hate to mess up any part of your body before they got you back.”  She laughs an evil laugh, almost like Cruella Deville, as she walks out. 

Kimberly growls out in frustration, trying to get her hand out of the cuff, but comes up empty handed.  She screams out, realizing there is nothing she can do but wait until the two men come to find her.  Hopefully, by now they know she’s missing.  She looks up at the sky and prays to God that the woman is not as sadistic as she makes herself out to be.  Seeing as there is nothing else for her to do, she makes herself as comfortable as she can on the four poster bed with plush covers.  She looks around the room, noticing that there is a bay window that leads out to a balcony, which looks like it overlooks the country club that Jonathon stays in.  Does this woman not realize that Jonathon has a home in this neighborhood?  At least she isn’t chained to a wall in a basement or something like that.  If she ever thought about being kidnapped, this is how she would imagine it.  She looks over at the nightstand, seeing a remote to a television on the bed in front of her and a Kindle.  When had the woman had time to get her Kindle?  Kimberly can’t help but laugh at how stupid this woman really is.  She reaches for the Kindle, only to find out that she can’t connect it to the Wi-Fi.  Okay, so maybe she isn’t really that stupid.

Kimberly opens her Kindle to the latest book she was reading last night before all this shit took place.  She looks over at the clock to see that it’s now two in the afternoon.  She looks back at the book on her screen, reading about some typical romance.  She reads a few more pages before she decides this book isn’t what she really wants to read. She sits her Kindle down on the bedside table as the door opens.

“Would you like some food?” Natasha asks as she walks in with a tray of fruit and finger sandwiches.

“Yes, thank you.”

“I’m sorry that I had to do this Kimberly. I feel we could have been great friends, but your boyfriend has cost me a great deal of money.”

“I think you’re wrong. Jonathon would never let the wrong person win a case.”

“Well, he made me lose two million dollars. So therefore he let the wrong person win.”

“Cheaters never win,” Kimberly growls before a hand slams into her mouth.

“Watch what you say in my home,” Natasha slithers before leaving the food and walking out the door.

Kimberly eats a piece of the fresh strawberry and cantaloupe.  She looks out the window as she wonders when Jonathon and Emerson will find her, or if they even care. 

Jonathon walks into his office a little after ten that morning, looking more than worse for wear.  His khaki pants are wrinkled, his black shirt not even tucked into them, and no tie on.  He gives a sad smile to Nicole as he passes the reception area to head to the elevator.  He sits down at his desk, taking a deep breath.  Kimberly is gone, and it is all his fault.  Had he made sure to keep that fucking picture out of the paper this wouldn’t have happened.  Had he not taken her to that damn gala that Saturday night, he wouldn’t have made such a big claim with her.  He was never seen with the same woman twice.  It was a rule he had.  Now he broke the rules, decided to go out on a limb and fall in love with someone and now she is the one reeling from it.  He puts his hands on his desk after running his fingers through the mess of hair upon his head.  That’s when he notices it.  The letter on his desk. 

To Mr. Phillips and Mr. Stanley,

You took something I wanted, and now I have something you want. I know Ms. Weston means something to you Jonathon, and I know you want her unharmed. I also know that if she means something to you,
that she means something to Emerson as well because you mean something to him.  If you’d like Ms. Weston back
,
it’s rather simple.  Give me the two million you kept from me and she will be yours again.  For every day I don’t have my money
, I will make sure something happens to your beloved Kimberly.

Kind Regards.

Jonathon slams his hands down on the desk, immediately reaching for the phone.  He dials Tyler’s number as he re-reads the letter, trying to think of what could have happened to make this happen to them. 

“Hello?” Comes the man’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Got a letter.”

“On my way.” 

The line disconnects as Tyler hangs up. Jonathon stands on shaky legs, gripping the letter like it’s his sole reason for living.  He walks out of his office and knocks on Emerson’s door.  He opens the door to see a man he isn’t used to seeing.  A man he hasn’t seen since the day he sent Mallory away.  Emerson is standing with his back to him, his shirt just as rumpled as the one on his own back.  His hand pressed against the glass as he looks over the city.

“I got a letter,” Jonathon says, his voice cracking with emotion.

“Let’s see it,” Emerson says, reaching back to inspect the letter.  Jonathon walks over, placing the letter into his hands as he places his hand onto Emerson’s shoulder.  “Fuck!”

“I know, I have no clue who could have taken her.” Jonathon whispers as Emerson re-reads the letter again.

“I do. I know, let’s go.” Emerson growls, while grabbing the keys to his car, storming out of the room like a man on a mission. 

“Emerson…” Jonathon runs after him, trying to get him to see reason. “How do you know who it is?”

“Think about it. Who the fuck did we not give two million to, Jonathon?”

“I don’t know.” Jonathon answers truthfully as he racks his brain.

“Masterson, it’s the fucking Masterson case!”

“Fuck!” Jonathon lets out in one big breath. He knows Emerson is right. “But, we still can’t go running out there to Natasha. We need to call the cops.”

“Fuck that! I’ll kill the bitch.”  Emerson roars again. 

“No you will not.” Tyler says as he steps out of the elevator. “Where does this woman live? You’re sure she’s the one who has her?”

“Yes!” Emerson yells at him.  “That bitch has had a vendetta since I found out she was screwing the fucking pool boy.”

“Well, where does she live?”

“Three houses down from me,” Jonathon says, shaking from the anger coursing through his veins.

“I’m going to get her back,” Tyler calls over his shoulder.  “You two stay where you are.  Don’t do something stupid.” 

“Okay!” They both say in unison as they go back to their offices to work. 

Kimberly wakes up to hear a bunch of noise coming from downstairs. 

“How the hell do you think you are storming in someone’s house like that?” Natasha yells from downstairs.

“Where is she?” A male voice sounds from the bottom floor.

“I have no clue who you’re talking about!”

“You tell me where Kimberly is and you get off scot-free.  You don’t and I find her, your ass is going to jail for kidnapping.” 

“She isn’t here!”  Natasha yells as the footsteps get closer and closer.  Kimberly can hear the heavy footfalls on the stairs. 

“Help! I’m in here!” She yells out as Natasha squeals.  The door busts open and Kimberly stares at the man who has come to help her.  She looks at his green eyes, his buzzed hair and ripped body. 

“Unchain her now,” he sneers at Natasha who is shaking. “Now!” He roars when she doesn’t move. Her feet finally move toward Kimberly, fumbling with the chain on her neck.  She undoes the handcuff and grabs a handful of Kimberly’s hair.

“I want my fucking money.” Natasha sneers, pulling a knife out of her pocket.

“The cops are on their way. I wouldn’t do anything stupid. You’re already going to jail. Women like you don’t do well there.” The man says.

“I’ll kill her.”

“Try it.” He calmly states, looking into Kimberly’s eyes, telling her it’s going to be okay.  Things will be okay in the end.  When he sees Natasha raise the knife, he runs toward them, but Kimberly beats him.  She slams her head into Natasha’s nose, making her drop the knife instantly. 

“You bitch!” She squeals as she reaches for her nose which is now dripping blood all over the white rug in the room.

“I’m a bitch?  Really?” Kimberly utters astonished.  “I’m not the one who just held a fucking knife to your throat!  Reality check, bitch.”  

“Oh, your sister must get her personality from you.”  Tyler speaks up.  “I’m Tyler by the way.”  He smiles a crooked smile and cuffs the woman standing in front of him.

“Sarah?  How do you know anything about Sarah?” 

“I’ve been keeping an eye on her in case they knew about her.” 

“Oh, well thank you.” 

“Oh, she hates me.”

“No, that’s her defense.  You got under her skin if she’s being a bitch.”  Kimberly smiles as she hears the sirens in the background. 

After an hour of going over everything that happened the last two days, Kimberly and Tyler finally walk out of Natasha Masterson’s home.  She shivers as she thinks of what she will be going home to after all that mess this woman created.  Tyler walks her to his huge truck, helping her in as he closes the door behind her.