Catching Cole

Chapter Twenty

It happened so damn fast that even now, as I mentally worked through it I can’t be sure. Did I see the man before or after my window shattered? 

The sound of the taxi’s glass shattering was ringing in my ears as two men wearing full black masks dragged me out of the back seat. The driver was screaming, “No!” repeatedly as I kicked and fought and arched my body to simply try and get away. In the haze of it all, I saw Travis the prospect standing on the sidewalk grinning. Why was Travis grinning? 

“Get off me!” I raged, as a hand clamped down across my mouth and nose, making breathing difficult, let alone talking or screaming. I kicked out catching the other guy in the shin as I tried to squirm out of his grip. 

“f**k!” the masked man yelled, and without pausing he backhanded me across my face and spat, “You’re going to pay for that you little bitch.” 

My head didn’t even move with the impact. Not because it wasn’t forceful, but because the other guy still had his hand clamped over my mouth, effectively holding my head straight. 

In retaliation, I straightened up, lifted up my boot clad foot and stomped down on his toes. He grunted in pain, but only tightened his arms around me further. I tried to take in my surroundings and noticed that a small truck was parked in the side alley, it’s backdoors open with a third masked man ushering them towards the open doors, urging them faster. I knew that as soon as they bundled me into the back of the truck, my chances of survival were slim. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. Remembering all the lessons my dad and Uncle Harry had instilled in me, I gripped down on his arm, placing pressure until they waivered slightly, I spun around with all my force and found myself face to face with his mask. I clenched my fist and punched, feeling the tell-tale cracking of bone as his nose gave way to the blood gushing through the black material. 

I pushed back from him as he swore and floundered and I ran. 

I made it two, maybe three steps, before the second masked man grabbed me, throwing me into the back of the truck. My head hit the doorframe as I went into the back, as he yelled, “Serves you right you little bitch.” 

As the door slammed shut, darkness engulfed me. It was in that darkness that I felt warmth drip onto my face. I felt around, my head was tender, and warm blood seemed to be pooling from where I hit it on the doorframe. Mother Fucker. I heard them slide the deadbolt in on the door, to ensure that I wouldn’t be able to escape. I felt around for my phone and realised that all my electronics - phone included - was still in my handbag, presumably in the taxi. 

The drive was bumpy and long, and I tried to hold on to anything to keep from being jostled around. I felt nauseous and so damn tired, which told me I had a concussion. I hoped it was mild. As I waded through my thoughts, I kept finding myself asking: who were they?

Had my dad done something to piss someone off and this was their retaliation? Uncle Harry? Or was this linked to Cole? 

I didn’t know.I didn’t know what I was walking into, and I didn’t know if I would come out of this. And no one knew where I was. 

As gravel crunched beneath the tyres, the van started to slow down. When the doors opened, I blinked a few times trying to adjust to the stream of sunlight as I found myself staring into the eyes of a blonde haired, blue eyed guy. His nose looked puffy and red, but it was no longer bleeding. Hello masked man one. I stared at him, waiting for him to talk. 

“You’re a f*****g delight, you know that?” he spoke harshly. “It’s a good thing for you that I like my woman non-compliant. You and I are going to have a lot of fun.” He spoke with sensual promise, but it felt oily, and full of malice. r**e. I gulped down. He was talking about r**e. 

“Got nothing to say Sadie?” He sneered my name. I looked up at him. There was something familiar about this guy. And I couldn’t put my finger on it. 

He grunted. “Even covered in blood you’re beautiful. Too bad you’re an unfaithful b***h,” the venom in his voice evident 

I scrunched my face up in confusion, but remained silent. 

“Don’t f*****g act coy now Sadie, not when you’ve been spreading your legs for the MC,” he sneered. 

Addressing one of the men behind him, he spoke, “Rusty, clean this s**t up and get her inside, I have other s**t to handle because someone,” his eyes narrowed back towards me, “put up an oscar worthy f*****g performance in the alley, and now I have to make sure that no one saw that shit.” He leaned in, his breath stale, and spat, “You could have just gotten into the van Sadie.” Revulsion rolled through me, and I had to fight the urge to shift backwards. He turned away marching towards what looked like a farmhouse. 

A man with a mop of bright orange hair stepped forward, urging me out the van. I understood why his name was rusty. As my feet hit the gravel, my legs gave way and I wobbled slightly. Rusty gripped me and muttered, “It’s from the cut on your head.” Well thank you Sherlock. He shifted his weight and held me in a way that was supportive, but simultaneously confining. He probably thought I was going to try and run away, but with the state my head was in, I wouldn’t get very far. 

We stepped through the old farmhouse, veering right down an old passage with some rooms branching off from it. As Rusty pushed me along, we passed an open door. A large desk took up the room, and behind it sat the blonde guy, with his legs propped up on his desk, cell phone in hand. 

“You tell that fucker Cole, that we have Sadie. Make sure everything goes to plan, okay?” he spoke harshly down the line. 

The guy on the other end whined something back and Blondie barked into the receiver, “I don’t give a f**k Travis. Tell Kerri that if she isn’t with us fully then I’ll have you dealt with as well.” 

As if suddenly realising he had an audience, Blodnie glanced up and grinned. It was nothing short of feral.

 Rusty continued pushing me forward until we reached a room that was pretty much empty except for a chair. He grunted as he seated me in it, my boots flush against the legs of the chair. Without much fuss he produced some rope and proceeded to tie me to the chair. I looked up to gauge my surroundings and to see if there was a chance at escape, only to find another man stationed at the doorway, with a gun stationed on me. He had dark beady eyes, and long dark oily hair. I stiffened at the sight of him. He smirked at my response and drawled, “If you weren’t distinctly Viper’s property I would have my way with you.” 

Viper. You’ve got to be shitting me. My facial expression must have given it away.

“Took you long enough,” he sneered.

Rusty tightened the ropes around my legs, and grabbed my hands to start the same process, effectively tying them together. As he wound my arms behind my back, threading the rope around my wrists, the man with the gun’s gaze darkened as my chest was thrust forward. 

“Those are some nice f*****g t**s,” he grinned. Everything about these people repulsed me. But him? I was petrified about being stuck in a room with him, 

COLE 

I heard Travis before he burst through my office door. 

“Pres!” he called in a panic. “Switch! Where the f**k is Switch?” 

The man sounded hysterical. f*****g pansy. At least that’s what I thought until I remembered that he was supposed to be tailing Sadie. I bolted up from behind my desk at the same time he burst  through the door. There was a sheen of sweat plastering his face as he tried to compose himself. 

“Where the f**k is she?” I growled out. 

“Men, some men in masks took her,” he looked at me pleading with me to understand. 

Spyro appeared behind him, having heard the whole thing, “And why the f**k didn’t you go with them. Trail them. And call us from the road?” 

Travis fidgeted, his voice shaking with nerves, “I thought it would be better if I came to get you guys. To inform you.” 

“Inform us of what exactly?” I ground out. It was taking every ounce of self restraint I possessed to not jump over the desk and throttle him. He was a lousy prospect. Pathetic if I was being honest. I was angry with him. f*****g angry. But I was angrier with myself for placing him in charge of Sadie. 

“What do you need to inform us of?” Spyro urged harshly. 

“The men t..tha..that took her, they said that they’re from V..V...Viper’s charter,” he stuttered. 

I saw red and leapt over the desk.