Bound by Revenge (Guardian Series) (21 page)

The apartment seemed undisturbed. There were no broken locks and nothing appeared to be out of place. It was very unlikely that the abduction took place here. Still, Vance wanted to look around the apartment. He took the time to learn anything about Tom that could prove useful. Anything that could provide a clue to who the boy knew or how he’d be abducted.

The living room was sterile. It housed nothing personal at all. It probably did double duty as a place to entertain clients.

“Where’s Tom’s room?” Vance asked Alex.

Alex led him down the long hallway, past a guest room, a bathroom and an office. They stopped at the room at the far end.

A sign on the door read: Enter at your own risk!

“Well, I think I’ll take the chance.” Vance turned the knob and walked into Tom’s world.

It could have been the bedroom of any well-to-do teenager in the world. The king sized bed was against the back wall. The comforter was still pulled down from the night before. Tom had every electronic that a boy could dream of, a big screen TV, sound system, x box. In place of art, his walls were adorned with posters of beautiful women in varying degrees of undress.

“The only thing to learn here is that your brother really likes girls.” Vance turned away and walked back out of the bedroom. “You know where your brother likes to hang out?”

“Sure. Some places at least.” Alex shrugged.

“Good. You should go and check out the places you can think of, just in case someone’s heard from him.” Vance directed. “I’m going to go through a few things here. I’ll meet you back in the office in an hour.” He ushered Alex to the front door before he closed it and turned the bolt so no one would walk in.

Vance pulled out his cell phone and selected the recent calls list. He highlighted Morgan’s number at the top of the list.

“I knew you’d call. You could never stay mad at me.” Morgan’s voice chirped in delight on the other end of the line.

“I’m not doing this on the phone Morgan. You need to meet me somewhere downtown. Now. I don’t have a lot of time.”

“Fine, grump. Your wish is my command.” Her words were childlike in their pleasure.

“Coffee shop on the corner of Main and First.” Vance growled and snapped his phone shut.

He needed to move fast and get there undetected. If anyone spotted him, he wouldn’t be able to do anyone any good and he was their last chance.

Vance left the apartment and took the stairs down to the side exit, the one employees used to go outside for a mid-afternoon smoke and within three minutes he was sitting at a small square table inside the coffee shop with a small latte in his hand.

“Hi, honey.” Morgan screeched waving at him from the entrance with her whole arm.

“Get over here.” Vance clenched his jaw tightly, in a failed attempt to subdue the yell.

“Where’s mine?” Morgan asked, as she reached out to grab Vance’s cup and then tilted it up to her lips. “Delicious.” She smiled, blinking her eyes rapidly at Vance.

“Keep it. That’s not why we’re here.” He pushed his chair back from the table a few inches. “I need to make a deal with you.”

“Sounds like fun. What do you have in mind, sweetie.” Morgan peeked up at him through her eyelashes as she fingered the coffee’s cover.

“First you need to explain something to me. What are you doing with the leanthans?” His jaw ticked repeatedly during the tense wait for Morgan’s explanation.

“Just having a little fun. They’re easy enough to persuade. And they’re rather dispensable.” She pushed the coffee away, abject over the realization that the meeting was meant to be business rather than pleasure.

“And you killed them because?” Vance put his hand out palms up in front of him.

“Don’t you listen? I swear Vancey, sometimes I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you. I killed them because they’re dispensable.” She grabbed his cheeks and squeezed them together gently as she sentence came out as baby talk.

“Damn it Morgan. Be serious.” Vance shook his head free of her grasp. “I know you have some kind of crazy scheme happening here. And I also know you’re probably not gonna share your intentions with me.”

“If you join me again, I’ll share everything with you, baby.” Morgan purred, rubbing her foot up Vance’s thigh.

“That ain’t happening, babe.” He grabbed her ankle and held his fingers tightly around Morgan’s skin. “But what is gonna happen is this. You’re gonna tell me what I can do to ensure Sam’s safety in all of this.”

“Sam, you’re fucking worried about Sam.” She screamed and pounded the table so hard the cup fell over, spilling the contents all over the table and onto the floor.

“Stop with the theatrics. You’re gonna have us thrown out.” Vance looked over at the man behind the counter and mouthed
I’m sorry, we’ll clean it up
.

“Hmph.” She pouted, leaning back in her chair in a huff. “Why do you suppose Sam’s in danger?” Morgan’s eyes glimmered in the dull light.

“Because I know you, Morgan.” Vance reached his hand out and placed it on top of Morgan’s. “I know you’ll go out of your way to hurt her just to punish me.”

“No, honey. I wouldn’t do anything to punish you.” Morgan held onto Vance’s fingers. She cherished the first touch in so long. “I just want to get her out of the picture. So you’re not distracted. I don’t want anything to stand in the way of our happiness.”

“I’m never going to be with you, Morgan.” He shook his head violently. “You have to get that through your head. Never. It has nothing to do with Sam.”

“I’m not a child, Vancey. It has everything to do with her. It always has. Whenever we’re near her, you become distant. When we’re alone, you’re all mine. That’s all I ask really. For you to be mine again.” She cooed, making her fingers walk up Vance’s arm slowly.

“No.” Vance roared. “I won’t.”

“Well, then in order to protect your new little princess you’re going to have to do the next best thing.” Morgan’s voice lost all the innocence she usually imbued in her words.

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Vance sighed. “What do you have in mind?”

“Funny thing, really. The thing you want most is what you’ll have to give up.” She glared at Vance and challenged him to object.

“You’re gonna have to spell it out for me, Morgan. You know I won’t play guessing games with you.”

“You’re girl, of course.” She patted Vance’s head lightly with her palm. “You’re gonna have to break up with your girl. Like I said, Vancey, she’s a distraction, and I’d hate for something bad to happen to you because you have to worry about Sam.”

It was a very thinly veiled threat and Vance recognized it as nothing less. If he wanted to go into this fight without worrying about Morgan maliciously killing Sam, just to get her out of the way, he was going to have to do what Morgan asked of him. He’d have to give up Sam to save her.

After so long, he’d finally been given the chance at love, a shot with the girl who was meant for him, and Morgan was taking that away.

Morgan’s ultimatum killed any lingering friendship that Vance had held for her. She was truly his enemy. Not just in this battle, but in all things. Somehow, once all of this was taken care of and Sam was no longer in danger, he’d make Morgan pay for what she’d done.

“So do we have a deal, honey?” She jumped back into her overly friendly persona.

“Do I have any other options?” Vance asked, voice gravelly with emotion.

“There are always options, either we have a deal or we don’t. You just have to decide whether it’s worth the risk to deny me. Would you really be able to live with yourself if something happened to your sweet Samantha because you weren’t ready to negotiate with your old friend?” Morgan asked as she finally reached for a clump of napkins out of the steel dispenser against the wall and wiped up the coffee that pooled in front of her.

Vance ground his teeth together. He frantically tried to come up with any other option, but failed to do so. “Fine. We have a deal.”

“Good to hear, baby. I was hoping you’d be back on the market soon. I expect you’ll be breaking the news to your lover when you go back.” Morgan said, the happiness glowed through her skin. “And, of course, I’ll know if you don’t. I’m extremely perceptive.” She smirked.

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t try to pull one over on you. I wouldn’t risk Sam’s life just to trick you. She’s too important to me for that.” Vance pushed the chair out with the back of his knees and stood up.

“Rubbing it in just a little more, my sweet? It can’t hurt me now. I’ve got you cornered, with nowhere to go but where I lead.” She stood up next to him, facing off as though they were equals. It was a strange sight considering their dramatic height difference.

“I know, Morgan. Trust me. I just wanna get this over with. It’s gonna hurt me as much as it’s gonna hurt her.” Vance pushed Morgan aside to walk towards the front door.

“Who said we were done?” Morgan stomped, bringing Vance to a halt.

“What else could you possibly have to say to me?” Vance asked, not even turning to face her.

“I only agreed not to touch her myself. I’m not about to blow my relationship with the leanthans by telling them she’s off limits. She’s gonna have to defend herself against them.”

Vance cursed under his breath. “She can handle herself against them. Just don’t go back on your word, or I’ll kill you.” He said and left Morgan alone in the shop.

Vance walked slowly back to the office, each step was measured and deliberate to waste as much time as he could before being forced to face Sam. The road was fairly quiet for mid-day but the sidewalks were teaming with people who pushed past Vance without scruples. But he didn’t care. All he could think about was the look he was sure to see on Sam’s face when he told her he was done. That there was nothing left between them.

Across town, Abby and Sam pulled up to the dilapidated one story box of a house and parked next to the sidewalk in front. Abby pushed through the gate on the chain link fence that surrounded the yard and walked quickly up to the door.

“It’s about time you showed up.” Trevor whined as he answered the door. “Oh, sorry Abby. I thought you were gonna be Tom.” He opened the door wider and looked suspiciously at Abby.

“So, what’s up?” Trevor asked. “I didn’t even know you knew where I lived, never mind that you were coming over to hang out.”

“Trevor, do you have any idea where Tom is?” Abby sounded more like Tom’s mother than his sister.

“Not exactly…” He trailed off. “Tom is eighteen after all. He’s plenty old enough to be off on his own without checking in with his sister or his friend.”

Abby glanced back at the car, towards Sam. They had agreed beforehand that if Trevor appeared to be hiding something, Sam would come out and coax it out of him. With that fleeting look, Sam knew she was being called out to help.

“Who’s your friend?” Trevor stammered as soon as he saw Sam’s long legs stretching out of the car.

“Sam, I want you to meet Trevor.” Sam sauntered up and stretched out her hand.

“Hi, Trevor. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She purred as Trevor grabbed onto her hand, his palm so sweaty they slipped off hers as they shook.

“You wanna come in?” He asked, suddenly all suspicion fading.

“I’d love to.” Sam brushed her lips against his cheek, giving him a small peck before she pulled Abby inside behind her.

Sam sat down on the coach and let Abby take the seat across from her.

“Come sit down with me, Trevor.” Sam patted the seat right next to her on the couch. He sat down as close to Sam as he could without sitting on her lap. “Tell me where Tom is.” Sam commanded as she gently rubbed Trevor’s leg just above the knee. It couldn’t have been easier for her to get him talking. Not even if she had the power to hypnotize the boy.