Rock Star: The Deal (Book 3 of a Bad Boy Romance) (11 page)

“You don’t want him to know that you are trying to escape. I can hear you.”

“You heard?”

He looked up. “These floors are thin.”

He went to leave.

“Hey kid. You want to give me a hand?”

He shook his head and disappeared back upstairs.

“Fuck!”

I just needed a break. Another chance to get out of here. If I could get my hands on the gun that would have helped too. The thought of killing him had gone through my mind. But I was no killer. I had enough shit on my conscience. I didn’t need that. Then my mind started thinking of ways to get out. I hopped back over to the workbench, and continued working away on the rope.

I
had reached
my breaking point. My agents had lost them. There was no trace. How on earth does someone get away from the FBI? This was not going to look good on my record. I’d established myself as a figurehead in the bureau, the guy who always got his man. Here I was six months away from retiring and this shit happens. Bloody celebrities. I was sick of dealing with them. They got themselves into so much trouble.

I’d seen many of them walking around without bodyguards. I’d read about them complaining how they wanted an ordinary life. But they should have thought about that before they chased their dream. What did they think would happen? That everyone would love, respect and keep their distance? Even the good folks were prone to snap. Jealousy was rampant in this world and it had led many a person to kill, never mind kidnap.

At the FBI command center they were still trying to focus their attention on the whereabouts of Chase. They had managed to collect some surveillance material from a convenience store.

“He switched vehicles. That’s how we didn’t know which way they went.”

“You think?” I said sarcastically. My patience was wearing thin. Most people assumed that the FBI had it together. In many ways they did. They were usually on top of their game. But they were like any organization. Prone to make mistakes, let the bad guy go or overlook the smallest details.

However, this was a big one.

“Run the plates. See if you can pinpoint who owns it.”

An agent kept tapping on the screen. He brought up the DMV, and did a search.

“Seems it was stolen two days prior.”

“Great.”

I walked off before I blew a gasket. I dropped a few coins into the coffee machine and watched as the thick black sludge dripped into a paper cup. It tasted nasty and acidic but it was all that we had available. I took a swig and then tossed it into the garbage.

“That shit gets worse each day.”

Another FBI agent laughed. “Sir, I can go on a coffee run if you want?”

“Right. Because that’s all we do around here. Why don’t you go get some donuts while you are at it? We can really look like a group of idiots then.”

The agent walked away without a saying a word.

* * *

F
inally
, when the rope was torn enough that I could break them free, I untied my legs and began looking for anything that I could use as a weapon. They obviously hadn’t thought this one through. I picked up a metal crowbar, tapped it against my hand. It would do. One good hit with this and it would be lights out.

I placed the chair back in place and picked up the rope. I would need to keep that on hand to give the illusion that I was still tied up. I scanned the room and saw the window behind me. I scurried over to it and took a look out. It was still dark outside. Unfortunately the window was small. There was no way I would have been able to squeeze through it. Not even if I was a kid.

I wasn’t going to risk going upstairs. I wanted to catch them off guard. I had the element of surprise. I went over what I was going to do as if I needed to make sure it would work. I sat in the chair, took a few pieces of the rope, wrapped them around my legs and held them in place by squeezing the ends against the chair. For my wrists, I would just place them behind my back. I could see it playing out in my mind. He would come down the stairs, and approach me. I would ask him a question. Something related to the money. Something that would entice him to know more. I would answer softly. Just quiet enough that he couldn’t hear. Then as he leaned in to hear, I would bring the crowbar down on his skull with as much force as possible. He could die. There was a good chance of that. But so could we. All that mattered now was getting as far away from here as possible. Getting Meghan out and putting this place behind us.

If I didn’t hit him hard enough, I would be in an all-out war with him. If he had his gun on him, things could get deadly fast.

As I was readying myself. I saw a flash of blue and red light. Police? In the middle of the night? Sure enough, here they were. I ran to the window, and saw the car coming up the driveway.

Upstairs I heard movement. I ran back to the chair and got into position. I let my head drop as if I was asleep. I could hear Duke come down to check on me. He didn’t come close. He disappeared back upstairs, though this time he turned off the light and locked the door. I heard footsteps coming to the door, then the doorbell rang.

“Good evening, sorry to wake you, but we are checking in on all homes. Have you seen either of these two people?”

I ran to the window. I couldn’t see them. Was there one officer? Two? I needed to do something and fast. I still had the crowbar in my hand. I jammed it against the window and it smashed.

“What was that?”

“Oh, let me see.” I heard Duke’s voice. Then I saw the officer.

“Help, we’re in here!”

The officer reached for his gun but before he could grab it, a loud bang rang out. The officer dropped like a bag of potatoes. Duke leaned over the officer, removed his gun and turned off his radio. His eyes then fell on me. He dashed back inside the house. Oh shit, this was about to get bad. The bolt of the door unlocked and he came rushing down with his shotgun aimed at me.

“Put it down.”

I had just blown our one chance of getting out of here.

“Put the bar down or I will shoot you where you stand.”

I crouched down and dropped it on the floor.

“Now get over there.”

He had his gun on me all the time. “Turn around. Get on your knees, place your hands behind your head.”

I heard him moving around behind me.

“I bet you thought that was real smart? Now you have got blood your hands. That’s what comes from trying to escape. The next time it will be your blood.”

“Just let us go. I’ll pay you whatever you want. At least let Meghan go. She doesn’t deserve this crap.”

He laughed. “Ah, you all hard for your girlfriend? Maybe I should go teach her some manners. Punishment for what you just did.”

“Just get it over with. If you are going to shoot me.”

“I’m not going to shoot you. I’m going to make money off you.”

“Then let her go.”

“She’s our insurance. One more bargaining chip that we have. We’re not letting her go. Not yet. And anyway, I haven’t had the chance to taste her sweet body.”

“You lay a hand on her…”

“And what?”

He shoved me forward. I heard the click of the gun.

This was it. He was going to shoot me. Then I felt a hard hit on the back of my head.

Everything went black.

* * *

I
’d heard him
, then the gunshot. But there was nothing I could do. I was strapped to this chair and out of my mind with worry. Had they shot Chase? Had they decided they would kill us? Time seemed to pass agonizingly slow. I tugged at my restraints. I needed to get loose from them. I twisted and turned and tried to pry myself loose. It was no good.

The barrels were being removed, then the wood.

I heard footsteps. His footsteps. He stopped at the foot of the ladder, looked up as if he was checking to see if anyone was coming. Satisfied he came over and begun untying my restraints. His nose was a mess from where I had kicked him. I got pleasure out of the fact that I had hurt him.

“There. How’s that feel?”

I rubbed my wrists.

“Why are you untying me?”

“A little hard to get on top of you while you’re in that seat.”

“Please. Don’t.”

“Shut up. Get over on the couch. That little stunt your boyfriend pulled is going to cost him. You are going to feel the cost.”

I pushed at him, trying to keep him back but he grabbed me by the hair and tossed me onto the couch.

“Now strip.”

“Fuck you.”

He backhanded me. “That will teach you, you little bitch.”

I nearly lost consciousness as he hit me again. Then again. The next thing I knew I was on my front and he was tugging at my jeans. He had pulled them down to my knees and had got a hold of my underwear to yank them down. Then there was a loud clang, and he collapsed on me.

I rolled over to push him off. He slumped to the floor.

Standing above us was the kid, Edwin. He had a large metal pipe in his hand. I quickly pulled up my jeans.

“You bastard,” he said to Duke.

He smacked Duke again, then again, but he was already out cold. I lifted my arm to tell him to stop.

“Listen, get your mother and sick brother. Let’s get you all out of here.”

Edwin just stood there, motionless, looking down at Duke. He dropped the metal bar. I think if I hadn’t stepped in he would have continued beating him until he was dead. I motioned for him to get out. We moved back until we were at the ladder. He went up first, I followed after. When we reached the surface, I ran towards the house. Edwin ran in and I came in a little after him.

“No, Mom,” I heard him say.

“Get back, Edwin.”

She had a handgun and it was pointing at me.

“What have you done to Duke?”

“Duke? Duke was about to rape me.”

“Bullshit. He wouldn’t have touched you. He’s not into you.”

“Oh wake up, lady. The guy is a fucking lunatic. Now put the gun down and let’s call the police.”

I stepped forward and she gestured with the gun that she would shoot. I held up my hands.

“Look. This doesn’t have to end badly for you or Edwin. I will tell them that you were forced into doing as he said. That you were the victims.”

She tapped the gun against the side of her own head like an insane person.

“I keep telling you. We’re not victims.”

“Show her your back.”

“What?” Edwin asked.

“Show her.”

Hesitating, Edwin turned and lifted up his shirt. His mother frowned.

“Who did this?”

“Duke.”

Her head shook. “No. No, you are trying to break us up.”

“Mom. He’s been doing this since he moved in.”

“No.” She tapped the gun against her head a few more times before pointing it back at me. I stepped back with my hands raised.

“Listen. You can turn this around. It doesn’t have to get bloody.”

“It already has. We have a dead police officer out front.”

Though it was awful, I felt a sense of relief that it wasn’t Chase who had been murdered.

“We can sort this out. Blame it on him.”

“Get back. Go on. Back into your hole.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going back down there.”

“Lady, I will shoot you where you stand. Now move it, bitch.”

“You are going to have to kill me.”

“That can be arranged.”

She cocked the gun. Before she had a chance to let off a round, Edwin collided with his mother and she fell to the floor. The gun went off. I didn’t feel it initially. Then I felt the pain. The bullet had hit me in the leg. I collapsed to the floor, hugging the top of my thigh. Blood was coming out. I screamed in pain.

“I told you. I told you I would shoot you. You dumb bitch.”

“Mom.”

“Get upstairs. You do that again and I will lock you in your room.”

In all the commotion Duke had woken up. He had stumbled out of the hole in the ground and made his way back to the house. I was gripping my leg tightly, blood going all over the wooden floor. He came in.

“What have you done?”

“She came at me, Duke. I had no choice.”

He came over and hit her. She released the gun and he took it from her. He tucked it in the back of his jeans.

“Bring her in the kitchen.”

The woman came over. I tried hitting her but I was exhausted and in too much pain. I swear I was about to pass out. It was that painful.

In the kitchen Duke swiped all the plates off the table. They clattered on the floor and a couple shattered. He laid me back on the table. He tore at my jeans and started giving the woman instructions of what to get him. He was going to take the bullet out.

“You need to take me to a hospital.”

“Don’t need no hospital. I will do it.”

“No. Please.”

“Shut it.”

“Please.” I was yelling in pain.