Intuition (9 page)

Sebastian doesn’t want me to go anywhere alone, or be alone at home for that matter. I make him the promise to not use my own car and that I will ask to borrow Marci’s from work to throw anybody off who might be following me. Our night started with the romantic picnic and movie under the stars then ends with a beer and secret promises. When we are together, time always flies by as if no time has passed at all. Maybe it’s my nerves and beer talking but I definitely feel the need for more alcohol. Next time I have a night to drink it’ll either be another call of celebration or a cry out to find a way to forget misery and loss.

My cell unexpectedly chimes in interrupting my deep thought of revenge that is still on my mind from the last incident that I had with the asshole who forced a gun against my back.

It's Dennis, and what is more surprising, is that he is in need of his big sis. He sounds desperate, “I need your help, sis!”

“What’s going on?” I wonder.

“Is Sebastian with you?” Dennis demands.

My cell switches to my other hand as my gaze looks toward Sebastian’s turned back. “Yes, why?”

“Go home and stay away from him! Stay far away from him. I can’t explain now, but I will. Please! Destiny, go home and call me once you get there. I love you, sis. I have to go.” Dennis hangs up the phone before letting me get another word in.

I love you, sis
? What the fuck was that all about? So much is tearing me in all different directions. My brother sounded far from joking and pissed me off, but I’m curious to know what he’s talking about.

“Who the hell is he to try and tear us apart!” I rant to myself.

Sebastian walks slowly towards me. “What’s wrong, Destiny? You don’t look so good, who was that?” His hand explores my hair. “Talk to me.”

“I - I have to go.”

His head shakes in confusion. “What?” He steps in to close the gap between us and starts for a kiss before stopping to realize that I’m not returning the smooch. “You didn’t have a good time? If I scared you off I’m sorry!”

My feet regrettably step me back away from him and interrupt his plead. My hand slides down his hand that’s placed on the side of my face and embraces the feel of him down his arms. “I’m sorry, Dennis called. There is an emergency. Can you take me home?”

He huffs, “Sure.” Sebastian agrees quietly.

He doesn’t beg or try to push me to stay, which is also what’s very likable about him. Sebastian understands when I say
no
and respects it. My body feels tired anyway but whatever Dennis wants at this time of the night can wait since he’s ruining
my
night by cutting it shorter than I want it to be. What a fucking cock block!

The stars fade away into the depths of light pollution the closer we drive towards the city. Sebastian pulls into a nearby gas station and parks at the pump. As he walks inside to pay, a dark car drives up behind us and almost hits the back of me!

“Asshole!” I yell out hoping that it isn’t some psychopath going to chainsaw my head off. Okay, maybe I watch too many movies!

“Sorry Miss, didn’t think that I was that close.”

“Don’t ride my ass unless you’re pulling my hair,” I sarcastically remark. “Oh, Jesus Christ it’s you,” I exclaim realizing that the asshole is Drew as he stands next to his black Mercedes.

Honestly, could he get any creepier? Probably!

“Not quite him, but maybe close. Miss me?” Drew teases.

“Still following me?” Although a stalker as cute as him can’t be too much of a bad thing. “Can barely recognize you when you’re not wearing black,” referring to his white dress shirt. A man always looks good in a suit.

“Oh, this old thing? Naw, just my late night scrubs,” he laughs avoiding my question.

Wearing white won’t stop someone from killing their victim, it will just make it harder to wash the blood out! When Sebastian comes out of the station, Drew introduces himself. Sebastian greets back with a nod and scratches the back of his neck to avoid the initial handshake.

“Do you know each other?” I ask looking at both of them.

Drew clears his throat, “We are familiar but I never formally introduced myself. Nice to see you again, Sebastian. It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah… likewise.”

A pin could drop, and we would hear it.

Sebastian breaks the silence, “He’s my friend’s brother, an old friend.”

Drew strikes in, “I’m his girlfriend’s brother.” He then notices our hands locked together, “Or ex-girlfriend rather.”

“It’s getting late; we’ve gotta go before Dennis starts to worry if you don’t show up soon.” Sebastian revs up his bike. 

“What's your dog’s name?” I ask Drew.

“Bruno. His name is Bruno.” Drew’s perfectly curved lips smile. “I’ll tell him you say hi.”

“Sure. See ya.”

“Let me know when I can take you up on that coffee date, Destiny.” Drew’s farewell is enough to make Sebastian feel the little bit of jealousy that I was looking for.

Okay, maybe I'm  a bit jealous too. He couldn’t have been that devastated without me for ten years. I don’t expect him to tell me that he was alone all of that time, but that small information may have been useful to know, or just the simple fact that he knows Drew, the guy who has been following me. Did Dennis plan all of this? Fucking Asshole! Is Sebastian hiding more of his past from me, things that I
should
know?

“Sebastian, just stop at the variety store a couple of blocks from my house. I will walk home from there.”

“You’re not walking out this time of night by yourself. I won’t let you. I’m driving you home! Don't be stupid.”

“I said stop!”

“No! I'm sorry but we are almost there, and I will let you off closer to home, for your safety.”

Sebastian finally pulls into the variety store parking lot just like I demanded. I pull off my helmet and hand it to him. “Look Destiny, if this is about what Drew said, I’m…”

“No, not really. Kind of. You played me off like you were this lonely lost soul without me. Well, you couldn’t have been too lost, you found your way to someone else.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Then what was it like, Sebastian? You were just thinking about your dick?”

“No. You don’t expect me to be single all that time, do you? I was lost without you, with no one by my side,” Sebastian groans. “I needed
somebody
.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” I shout.

“No, it was mine. I found love where I thought that I could to try and fill the hole in my heart that I had created myself. We met at some party, and it took off from there. She w
as
a nice girl.”

My brows rise at Sebastian’s keyword, “
Was
?”

“The need to have someone, to be inside of a woman again, any woman, was enough at times to try and fill my selfish need. I’m a guy, Destiny, and I wasn’t looking for commitment, just someone to be there to satisfy my urges. So yeah, she was just a lay, at first. Money was my main interest at these parties. I did sell drugs, but not what I was set up for.”

“I think I’ve heard enough. I don’t want to know anymore unless it’s a need to know basis.”

“Well, you need to know this… just as my luck would have it, she was there as a set up too. My heart eventually opened up to her as time went on, I got to know her better, or so I thought. Her brother, Drew, busted one of the parties that we were at but only arrested me. He pulled out a bottle of narcotics from my jacket that had someone’s name on it. The bitch put that bottle in my pocket on purpose. Soon after  I got out, that was when I found Carla… dead.”

Sigh
“Look, I’m sorry for yelling.”

“It’s fine. “ Something tells me that he's telling the truth.

“No, it’s not okay. Communication is key to any relationship. It leads to trust. Without these, our relationship will be nothing.” He wraps his arms around me to hug me back. “We will figure this out, okay? Just give me time to think, please! I am fine to walk from here to meet Dennis, I promise. My cell is in my pocket, and I’ll text you so that you know I’m safe, and I’ll get Dennis to meet me now,” I assure him

Sebastian holds me tighter then kisses my lips before agreeing to let me go. I know that he doesn’t want to, but he doesn’t have much of a choice. There are many reasons to give up, many reasons to leave. Maybe our second chance is really just the chance to say goodbye.

Usually when the past comes knocking on the door, it has nothing new to say so if I don’t return then there is no looking back. Every day is harder to breathe. It’s hard to hold relationships together when everyone is pulling from each and every direction that limbs can possibly go, testing limits. My limit is almost pushed to the max and their time is almost up.

The crunching of leaves under my boots remind me that better and warmer days are ahead as spring turns into summer. Some sunrays are just what my body needs to beat the winter blues that aren't far behind. Perhaps a vacation away from here is way overdue, maybe to Cuba, where Sebastian’s family is from.

“Need a ride?” A voice calls out.

I turn to see Drew’s emerald eyes peering out of his car window. Who could forget them! “No, I’m fine.”

“I know what it means when a woman says
fine.
You are not fine, let me walk with you.” He isn’t letting it go even after assuring him that I’m meeting up with Dennis in a few.

“You are a very persistent man, aren’t you?”

He chuckles the whitest smile, “And a very stubborn woman you are!”

“So I’ve been told.” I continue walking on the road in misery.

The frigid air warms, leaving goosebumps on my skin.

“Let me give you a ride, it’s cold. You’ll get to Dennis much faster, and you shouldn’t be out here alone.” His affectionate smile takes over my perception. But he’s right, you never know what can happen out here or who is hiding around corners.

“Alright, but don’t get any ideas and keep your hands to yourself.”

“I won’t do anything that you don’t want me to,” Drew says as the car door slams shut.

That pretty face of his won’t get him too far if he tries. Earn it or lose
it
, and by
it
I mean what’s in his pants, and no not his wallet.

“So where am I taking you?” My teeth bite my cold chapped lip, “Just take me to my work. I’ll text him when I’m there.”

“C’mon, I can take you home and stay until he gets there.”

“No. I already told him I would meet him…”

Drew interrupts, “At the restaurant after hours?”

My eyes widen and look at him, “How did you know? Oh right, you’re my stalker.”

He laughs. “You say that like I’m a creep.”

My brows rise at him.

“I’m an admirer. I admire you, Destiny.”

I slightly move closer to the door and fiddle around with my necklace, “Oh?”

“I admire that you’re stubborn, play hard to get, and you’re very smart. Not to mention, beautiful.” His hand rests on my thigh making my guts sink. “How is law school? I bet your only male professor keeps your class entertaining for you. I see how he looks at you and know what he sees.”

Sliding Drew’s hand off of me I exclaim, “That’s enough, Drew! This isn’t funny.”

“You know what
is
funny? I bet you fifty bucks that he’s wearing a toupee,” he chuckles.

“Let me out of here, Dennis is waiting for me.”

Trees zoom by, and the road lines don’t stop flashing past. Drew doesn’t stop the car. “Dennis is waiting for me, let me out, now!” I order.

His hand grips my leg really hard. “I’m not letting you go, Destiny.”

His foot pushes harder on the gas pedal to accelerate speed. I quickly unlock the door and roll out of the Porsche, keeping my head and arms close to my body. Everything is a blur before landing into a nearby grassy ditch. My thigh aches where force was released from Drew’s hold. My spine cracks and muscles pull as my aching body unravels and I lay on my back, waiting. Footsteps crunch towards me as my eyes struggle to open. I gather all of my strength to stand up. The adrenaline that starts pumping through my body is enough to pull me to up onto my knees and gain back some consciousness.

My hair pulls back like it's ripping from my scalp. “You whore! You couldn’t just stay in the fucking car!” Drew’s voice rages into my ear.

A gun clicks. “Stand the fuck up and get your ass back in there and don’t try to fucking run away again because I
will
kill you,” he threatens dragging me back to the car, then throws me into the front seat and slams the door.

“Where are you taking me?” I demand.

No response.

“I said, where are you fucking taking me, dammit?”

My head aches from a severe migraine. The car continues to drive north. “You were never sent by Dennis to watch me, were you? My brother would never do this to me!”

“Your brother is a fucking pansy. He gave his manhood away for pussy. He turned down a million dollar deal for a fucking chick. A stupid slut. He could have had it all in the porn industry, he was good. He didn’t want any part of it when he discovered that we were also the biggest sex trade in America.”

“Dennis would never be a part of that!”

“We will get our money back, starting with selling you. But first, I want some of this...”

“You fucking Bastard!” I let out a scream before his gun smacks me on the back of my head. 

My eyes open only to find that we have come to a complete stop in front of an abandoned building. The kink in my neck makes it hard to move my head around. A migraine palpitates so hard it’s hard to see much of anything but a blur. Something wet and cold drips from my forehead. It’s blood. My head must have smashed against the dashboard when Drew hit me. I let out a groan as my trembling hand wipes my aching flesh.

What the fuck happened? Where the fuck are we? Drew isn’t going to answer that.

My instinct is to look for an exit, a chance to run. The problem is, Drew has a gun, and there is no way that I can outrun a bullet, just try to hide from it.

Don’t talk to them, don’t tell them anything! Just go along with as much as I can, and maybe they won’t hurt me because I won’t seem like a threat. Freaking out is the worst thing to do from what I’ve seen in horror movies and in my nightmares.

My body is too weak, and I’m afraid. I’m afraid of him taking advantage of me knowing that it will be harder to fight him off in this condition.

“Get out!” Drew threatens with his gun.

I wipe the blood off of my hand onto the seat. “Where are we?”

“Just get out of the fucking car or these guys will do worse to you,” he refers to the two men standing at the big wooden door at the back of an abandoned warehouse.

A short, husky man is dressed as a mobster while the other one looks more like a hillbilly, tall and slender with tattered jeans. Drew grabs my arms and slaps handcuffs around my wrists. They squeeze so tightly it feels like there isn’t much room for my blood circulation to flow. Drew stands with the men for a chat. I do as he says and walk towards the bizarre trio.

Wherever we are, we must be in the middle of nowhere. On the other side of that forest, I can hear vast traffic. We’ve gotta be close to a highway! If only I can make it over there.

Hillbilly zips the duct tape and rips a big piece off then stretches it across my mouth. “Don’t fucking touch me!” I yell.

Drew grabs my hair and pushes me forward, “Stay still, dammit!”

Hillbilly’s hand gets too close to my mouth, so I bite him hard. My teeth pierce through his skin and draws blood. I spit the torn skin into my palm and quickly stick it in to my pocket without anyone seeing so it can be tested for DNA later.

So much for obeying their orders.

His horrifying screams startle the birds and force them to fly away scared from the screeching curse words.   

“What in the fuckin’ tarnation did you do that for? I’ll shoot you, whore, and leave ye down by the crick!”

Hearing his voice is enough to make my ears bleed. Drew stopped him before he hit me.

Hillbilly turns to the mob boss and shrieks, “Manny! Did you see what he did? I reckon he has a thing for this new whore.” He sniffles then wipes his freckled face.

Drew rushes in, “She won’t be a problem, will you?”

“Bring her inside!” Manny shouts. He must be in charge of this kidnapping. “Throw her in the room there and wait for the big guy. Not a finger on her until he gets here, hear me, Flick?”

“Ye,” Hillbilly replies.

Drew ties my hands and feet with rope around a wooden beam in the middle of the giant cellar. “See that door there?” He asks pointing to a  door sealed up by thick chains. “Behind that door are women. That’s a whole new porn industry behind those doors run by the boss.”

“Who’s your boss?” I ask curiously.

“Paul. He runs this whole city. Getting fucked and videotaped… you like to be watched don’t you?”

“You sick son of a Bitch! You lay a fucking hand on me and I will…”

“Like I said, I won’t do anything you won’t like. I see how you look at me, Destiny.”

“When my brother…”

Drew interrupts again, “Your brother is a part of this! If anything, he should be the boss man. Ladies drop to their knees like God damned flies for him.”

“My brother would never!”

“Oh yeah? I will show you-” Drew's fist stops in mid hair before instead of hitting me then he walks away clamming the door behind him. .

My head folds down between my knees. What the fuck has Dennis gotten himself into? This is fucking insane! He’s irritating and obnoxious but humble;
that
is the Dennis that I know! This explains why he’s always gone but it still just doesn’t make any sense
why!
My earring falls out of my ear. The back must have slid off when my head got hit and knocked me out in the car. Sitting on the earring my bottom drags it forward as close to the beam as possible within my reach. My fingers grip the earring and chisel away with it at the rope. It’s a sad attempt, but worth the try. Sebastian and my dad are probably going nuts looking all over for me right now, they better hurry! Who knows what these idiots are planning to do with me. If I can hear Dennis then maybe he can hear me too. Whatever Dennis is doing with this place, I know that he won’t let me rot here. He would never have let these fuckers lay a hand on me, no matter what Drew said.

Drew returns calmly and kneels behind me, “I can see the pain hidden in your pride. The sadness shows in your eyes; you aren’t kidding anyone. Not me anyway. I won’t let these stooges sell or treat you like an object. You are not those other women.”

“You hit me! When Sebastian gets a hold of you…”

“I don’t see anybody by your side but me.” He whispers in my ear, “You are mine.”

I will never be his!

Drew cuts the constricting ropes from my bruised flesh. “... to play with.”

Drew is protective but wants to hurt me. He can’t protect me from the others or from himself. Maybe he can be used to my advantage.

A blindfold covers my eyes and I’m lead to a hollow room.
The floor sends chills up my spine as chilling as the screams coming from above. Drew must have brought me into the basement because the sound of traffic sounds further away.

A gust of wind swooshes through my hair from something falling on the ground beside me, “Here’s a blanket. It’ll keep you warm.”

“Will you at least take this damn thing off of my eyes?”

“No! Not yet.” The door slams shut then another one opens.

“Drew?”

Nobody answers but feet rustle hard against the floor. Something large drops then slides against a wall. “Hello? Who’s there?”

Musky old man cologne and booze whisks into my nostrils, “Why hello, beautiful, you must be Destiny, Sebastian’s Destiny. Well, it’s about time we meet!” The familiar voice makes my stomach clench to try to hold back vomit. It’s the exact guy who held a gun to my back.

“You Bastard!”

He cackles enthused that he’s got me right where he wanted in the first place. “That’s what they call me, but no. My name’s Johnny, he says proudly.

Johnny claims he knows all about me but that dirty scumbag doesn’t know shit! As soon as I get the hell out of here he is first on my hit list, then anyone else who wants to interfere. I call it like I see it and tell the truth, but I guess that’s a foreign language to guys like them. These scumbags are the reason I became interested in law in the first place. I’ll put their asses where they belong – in jail or six feet under.

A woman's awakening groans come from the wall. She must have been brought down here and shoved into the corner. Her voice sounds hoarse and beat. “Where the hell am I? Hello?” Transition of her awakening and gaining consciousness turns her curiosity into begging and curling screams.

“What the fuck did you do to her?” I scream.

“Shut the fuck up!” Johnny barks back. His voice is recognizable; I know that I've heard it before.

A shoe with a hole peers in my sight from the bottom of the blindfold that I manage to push up a little by squinting my nose. There is no doubt in my mind now of who is behind all of this, I know my shots anywhere. “Exactly what we’re going to do to you!”

I should have known that Paul is behind all of this like Sebastian, and I had suspected, but
this!
When he removes the blindfold and cuffs from my hands there is no hesitation to warn me not to make any stupid moves and I’m not about to, not until Sebastian or my father come and I know that they will take care of them They’ve got to…