Rising Up: Finding Me book 1 (19 page)

Right here's what I want to do next, I want to have your cell and your laptop, and you can use one of mine for now.  I will intercept any calls or messages and have them scrambled so that any phone or computer that they come from is disabled rendering it useless.  Jake, your mother or anybody else trying to hurt you is going to find it fucking hard to get to you."

"How can you do all this?"  I'm astounded at the skill and knowledge he has.

"I'm not just a pretty face girl!"  This makes me laugh.  But when he takes my phone from me and turns it on it immediately starts to ring, I can feel the blood drain from my face as I start to panic.

"It's okay Ginny, its Mason."  Handing the phone over to me he walks away towards his door leaving me to talk privately.

"Ginny, please talk to me.  I haven't been able to get hold of you.  Your cell has been off and April didn't know where you were.  What's going on babe?  I'm worried about you."  He sounds panicked.

"I'm with Lucas, it was my mother that had me upset this morning.  Jake is supposed to be getting in touch with me today..."  I can't finish what I'm saying because Mason is shouting down the line.

"WHAT THE FUCK!!!! Shit Imogen, why didn't you tell me about this this morning?"  He is shouting so much that I start crying.

"I'm sorry Mason, you were in such a rush and I hadn't really had time to process any of it.  I haven't wanted to turn my phone on this morning so please don't be cross with me.  I'm so sorry."  Hardly able to get the words out now Lucas walks back in and takes the phone off me.  I can still hear him shouting down the line.

"Mason calm the fuck down!  You're scaring her.  I'm getting it under control and sorted.  Look I promise you I'll keep her safe today and get her home tonight.  Finish up in court and then get back to her, she'll be using my cell from now on, it's the third one. Okay, I'll pass you back to her now." 

He hands me the phone and I can hear Mason breathing hard as he gets himself under control again.  My voice is just a whisper.  "Mason sweetie, talk to me please. I'm sorry I made you cross."

"Imogen, my darling girl.  I'm not angry with you I promise.  I'm angry because I wasn't awake when your awful mother called.  Look babe, I've got to get back inside.  Go home with Lucas and make sure you are never alone.  Don't go to your place, I'll send Lake or Luc to get your stuff and you will stay with me until this is sorted.  Okay?  I love you Ginny, please stay safe."

I love you too Mason, bye."  I hand my phone back to Lucas and he envelops me in his arms and hugs me tight.

"We've got this sweetheart, trust me please," he kisses my hair and lets me go, "I'll meet you at your office tonight and we'll go home together."

"Okay, thanks Luc."  I walk away from him and back downstairs feeling drained but more hopeful than I did this morning.  A feeling of ease washes over me as I take the elevator back to my floor and back to work. 

I should feel guilty for handing my problems to Lucas but he was obviously so much more capable than me I just felt relief.  Jake could call or email me and Lucas has made sure that all outside calls for me are directed to him first, and more importantly he knows where he is, and if it was anywhere near me he would probably have me under lock and key at home.  Getting back to my desk I call Maddie and tell her I'm on for our lunch date after all.

We do in fact manage a very high calorie lunch thanks to a deli on the corner.  As we are walking back to the office Maddie stops.  "Shit I've left my phone on the table, go on ahead Ginny I'll run back and get it, I'll see you later."  Turning on her heel she rushes back to the deli.

Just as I'm turning the last corner an arm grabs my elbow.  "Keep walking Heidi!  Don't turn round and keep your fucking mouth shut. I've got some unfinished business with you."

I feel something sharp poking in to my ribs.  Oh my god, He's found me.  Why the hell didn't Lucas tell me he was here?  I suddenly find my voice.  "No!  Get off me!  Help! Someone help please?"  I'm suddenly surrounded by men all of them trying to pull me free.  I look back at the man on the ground I know it's not Jake its Peter Jenkins, what the hell is he doing here?

Lucas is next to me holding me tightly. "It's okay Imogen, you're okay now."

"That's not Jake."  I can hear how shaky my voice is.  "But I know him."  The sobs build up in my chest and erupt from my body like a deluge.

"Ginny, don't worry the cops are on their way."

"Mason?  I need Mason.  Oh God! He's in court, I need him so much."  My knees start to buckle and I feel faint.

Maddie turns up and stares down at the guy on the ground.  "What the fuck is Peter Jenkins doing on the ground?  Shit Imogen, what did he do?"  Her face suddenly registers what she's seeing.  "He was after you Ginny, wasn't he?  Shit, he was one of the guys.  He's here with Jake."  I watch her scanning the streets looking for any more faces she recognizes.  "He's there!  Lucas he's there on the corner!"  We both turn to see where Maddie is pointing and just capture a glimpse of Jake before he disappears down another street with an angry grimace on his face.

Lucas takes charge when the police reach us and Peter is handcuffed and shoved in the back of the car.  They needed to talk to me too, but Lucas arranged for them to meet me back at the apartment. 

He tucks me under his arm and leads me back to his office.  "I need to call Mason, so Ginny can you just sit tight here.  Maddie, grab her a drink of juice she's about to go into shock."

My body started to shake again as the realization of what had just happened hit me.  "Oh God, Maddie he was here, he's got the whole gang here to take care of me.  He knows he can't touch me but the others can!  Shit!  Do you think my mother is here too?  God!  I really need Mason."  I knew I was rambling on and it wasn't making much sense.  "Why I am I such a threat to him?  What is he going to do to me when he gets hold of me, I mean, look how easy it was today.  When it happens again it could be quiet or dark and there will be no-one around to help."

Lucas appears again and kneels down in front of me clasping my hands tight in his.  "Imogen, look at me."  My eyes rise up to look at his face.  "Mason is about finished and he wants me to take you home."

"I don't want to be on my own!"  My voice rises in panic.

"You won't be alone, I will be with you until he gets there, so grab your bag and let's get going.  Maddie, I've spoken to Lake and he says you're to go home too and get Ginny's clothes and stuff together so she can stay at Mason's.  He'll meet you there to help.  I don't think you should be left alone either, Jake saw you today too, and you could easily become a target or a way of getting to Imogen."

Maddie's face blanches as she realizes the danger.  "Shit, what shall I do?  Where can I go?"

"Oh Maddie, I'm so sorry you've been dragged into this."  My tears start again and drip down my face.

"It's not your fault Ginny, he's a complete psycho."  But I know she’s scared now too.

Mason

Lucas has just called and I can't get out of court fast enough, thank God the judge decided to stop for the day.  What the fuck is going on?  Luc said he had it under control and suddenly Ginny is nearly abducted in the middle of the street.  How the hell did he get close to her without Lucas knowing? 

My poor girl must be going out of her mind.  All of a sudden the traffic comes to a halt, what the hell is going on.  Drumming my hands against the steering wheel trying to stay calm my cell rings again, it's an unknown number but I press the answer button on my steering wheel "Hello."  The line is quiet.  "Hello, who is this?"  I'm getting pissed now.

"We'll get her next time.  You can't hide her from us.  See you soon."  The line goes dead.  Shit!  This is just getting worse and worse. 

I punch Lucas's number.

"I've just had a fucking call from some unknown bastard telling me that they'll get Ginny next time.  I thought you had this under control?"  Trying but failing to control my temper I'm shouting at Lucas.

"I know, I've just had one too, we need to get the police involved more.  Imogen has got to make a statement anyway.  It wasn't Jake that grabbed her it was a guy called Peter Jenkins and he was one of the guys on the video but Maddie saw Jake across the street.

"Have you got her home yet? I'm stuck in some heavy traffic right now and don't seem to be moving any time soon."

"We're back in the apartment, would you like to speak to Ginny?  She's right here."

"Babe, are you okay?  I'll be back with you soon.  Don't worry sweetheart, I won't be long.  I love you sweetheart."  My voice breaks at the end I just want her in my arms.

"I'm okay, still a bit shaken but Lucas has been great, and Maddie and Lake are getting all my stuff to bring up here.  I hope they don't kill each other though."  She gives a small chuckle making my heart hurt just a bit more than it already is.

"Look the cars have just started moving again I'll be home in twenty minutes tops.  Bye darling."  I press the button again to hang up and start weaving in and out of the traffic trying to get through the backlog. I manage to make it back to the parking lot in fifteen minutes and I race to the elevator, luckily it was at ground level.

As I walk in the front door I can see Ginny huddled up under a fleece blanket holding onto a cup of hot tea as if her life depends on it.  I rush up to her and taking the mug away I pull her into my arms and hold on tight to her, I can feel her trembling as she gives in to tears and clings on to me.

"Mason, I'm so scared."

"I know darling, but I'm here now and I'm not letting you out of my sight again.  I've got you babe, I've got you.  Let me go and talk with Lucas I won't be long."  I kiss her swollen lips and hug her one more time.

"What the fuck are we going to do now Luc?  He's not bothered about being seen is he?"  I'm pacing the kitchen floor.

"I'm waiting for the cops to get back to me, I want to hear what the guy who grabbed Ginny says.  Maddie recognized him and it was her who spotted Jake.  I want Ginny to call her father and find out if he knows where her mother is, since she was the one that called this morning.  But you, Mason, you need to calm down and look after your girlfriend, maybe you could take her to your parents for a couple of days?"

"That won't work unless I'm there, and I'm completely snowed under this week with work.  I'm back in court again tomorrow and it still might not be over then the judge is fussing around like nobody's business.  The jury seems pretty switched on so hopefully it will be quick.  The best thing for her to do is carry on at work, not change her routine, but she just can't be left alone or leave the building without one of us with her."

"I can hear you, you know.  Don't talk about me like I'm an idiot or a child.  I can be included in these discussions you know!"  Imogen shouts at me from the sofa.

"Shit babe, I'm sorry.  We'll come in and talk to you as well.  I just didn't want to worry or scare you."  Walking back to her I pick her up and sit pack down on the sofa with her on my knee still wrapped in her fleece cocoon.   Lucas follows me in and sits opposite us.

"Imogen, you need to realize how important you are to us, we are a close knit family, you have only met a few of us so far, but we close ranks when any one of us is in danger, and you sweet girl are most definitely in danger.  You need to listen to me and to the cops when they get here.  Mason is going to make sure you are surrounded by people who love you and he’s big enough to carry this burden for you.  Let him look after you."

I watch as Imogen takes in what Luc has just said and can feel the shivers and trembles race through her body as she understands the severity of our situation.  "But why?  What could I have possibly done to send him on this crazy mission?  He sent one of his friends to capture me!  I just don't understand why."

"Neither do we yet.  Have you spoken to your father?"  I kiss her head again, I can't keep my hands off her, the idea that someone tried to take her away from me, I don't know what to do or think so I just keep my hands on her reaffirming that she is still here with me.   

"He may have more of an insight to what your mother has to do with this.  Jake has already been dropped from the show here because of our restraining order so it could be a simple...” he laughs dryly at this, "vendetta for his lost job or something far more sinister.  Does he know you have a copy of the rape?  Personally I think he is so unstable that he doesn't even know what his plans for you are if he catches you, which he won't Imogen."  Lucas reaches over and pats Ginny's knees.

There's a knock at the door making Ginny jump and clutch my arms.  Luc gets up and looks through the spyhole.  "It's the cops Imogen, are you ready to talk to them?"