Cherry

Love is Pain

Ramon

"Dammit, where did he take her!" I yell as I knock over a large standing vase.
"Calm down, we'll find her. We have a picture of him, the police are searching, and everyone is helping," says Rose as she tries to calm me down.
"I know, but I can't leave her with that fucker for another second. You know that." I grit through my teeth, trying not to break anything else.
"We're going to find her Ramon, I know you won't leave any stone untouched in order to find her."
          Hell, she is right. I won't be able to rest until my princess is back in my arms safe and sound. I take a deep breath in and rub at my restless eyes. Thinking of where he could've taken her. If this man wanted money, he could have it all. Suddenly my phone rings on the table, interrupting my thoughts. I answer it in one quick move.
"Ramon."
"Ah, great! She wasn't lying." says the voice on the other side.
"Dammit, where is she?"
"Somewhere safe, with me, her husband. She should've been with me all along. But instead, she met you and became corrupted. Now, I'm gonna get my Celestia back, my old, sweet, innocent, Celestia."
"Is it him? Keep him talking." mouths Rose as she uses her phone to record the conversation after I put it on speaker, and begins to rapidly type on her computer, just far away enough for him not to hear the keys.
"Mike, we can work this out. There's no need to forcefully take her to get your way-"
"It was the only way! She's been so hypnotized by you and your perverted ways, she isn't the same Celestia anymore! I'm gonna fix her, you'll see!"
          I couldn't get another word in before he hung up the phone.
"Piece of shit!" I yell slamming the palm of my hand against the desk.
"I'm sending the recording to the police right now," says Rose.
"I need to find her. Like now. That sicko is most likely going to torture or even worse rape her."
          I struggled to get those last words out of my mouth. It left a bad taste in my mouth and a very bad feeling in me that I did not want to surface.
"I'm leaving. Please tell me if you find anything new." I told Rose as I stood up.
"Of course! Go home, get some rest. You haven't slept."
"I can't every time I close my eyes all I can see is her and when I open them she isn't fucking there."
"I know," she replies and pulls me in for a hug. She kisses my cheek and pats the same area with her hand and smiles. "I promise you, they will find her. The ones who are in love will always find each other. No matter how far."
"S-she said sh-"
"I'm not talking about her Ramon. I'm talking about you."
"I'm not-"
"Shh, don't worry about it, go home." she smiles.

          I sigh, take my phone off the desk, and leave out the door. I drive home, speeding through lights and stop signs, not being able to care any less. Once I get home I scowl as I enter the kitchen. I drop my keys on the counter and head into the bedroom. I frown even more. Everything here reminds me of her. I go and take a cold shower and don't leave out of it until I'm near damn freezing. I get into my bed and lay there facing the ceiling. There is no way I can go to sleep now.

__________

          My phone rings from my nightstand and I quickly snatch it.
"R-Ramon."
"Shit! Baby are you okay? Where are you?"
"I don't have much t-time. H-he might be here any minute but he ha-has me in his old home. S-somewhere far, F-find L-Lucy and ask her about Mike she can-"
"Oh, you're a very naughty wife, Celestia. I didn't give you phone privileges hon, put the phone down and come here. Daddy wants to play now."
"Don't touch me! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

          The phone cuts off and I can hear my heavy breathing. I scramble out of bed and grab the nearest pants and shirt I can find, throwing them on while slipping on boots. I grab my pistol in the safe in my closet and check the number of bullets it had. As I place it against my back, under my shirt, I dial Kevin's number and thankfully he answers on the first ring.
"Ramon? Are you okay? Did you find her?"
"Not yet, do me a favor. I need to talk to Lucinda. Is she at the club?"
"No she's at home right now, I closed the club for a couple of days."
"Okay, send me her address, please. She might know something of Celestia's whereabouts."
"Got it. Sending as we speak."
"Thank you, Kevin."
          I hang up, grab my keys that I dropped on the kitchen counter, and leave. Once I get the address I speed over to her apartment which was close by. I climb up the stairs to the fourth floor, skipping steps. When I get to her door I bang against it hard. She opens the door and stares at me in shock.
"Oh my god! Did you find her?"
"No, but she found a phone and called me but that bastard found her with it. She said to talk to you. Something about Mike's old home."
          When I said that, her eyes grew wide, and gestured for me to come inside. I couldn't sit down, I was too shaky so I paced around as she talked.
"We need to get you on a plane fast. She's all the way in Tennessee."
"Tennessee? How the fuck?"
"Yeah, he owns a home there but doesn't use it much. I have the address but the sooner you get on a plane, the better. Take James with you just knock on the next door to the right, Mike is a dangerous man. He has counts of abuse under his belt."
"Gotcha, I'll take my jet then, I might get there faster. Anything else I need to know?"
"I'll tell you more when you're on your way there. I know how to get in and out of his house without being seen. That man needs help Ramon, he's a two-faced lying bastard who takes advantage of women. Celestia fell for his charm and that's what made them date in the first place. He broke up with her and they were always on and off. When he broke up with her for good, she was a mess. That's when I met her at the club when James brought her in. Please, Ramon, find her and bring her back. I can't lose my best friend over him."
"Don't worry, I will. Thank you." I say and leave. I then knock at the door next to hers and it immediately opens.
"The walls are thin. I heard everything. Let's go." says James.

          We run down the stairs and leave the building, running to my car. Once we're inside, I speed again through the nearly empty streets. When we get to the airport, we find my jet ready and waiting for us.

"Are we just gonna barge in there?"
"No, Lucinda said she knew how to get in and out without him knowing."
"Ah, gotcha. I hope to God she's safe, that's my best friend right there."
"Lucinda also mentioned something about you meeting her and bringing her to the club, is that how she ended up working there?"
"Yeah, I was on my way there one night and I saw her with a practically finished bottle of alcohol, walking in the empty streets. That was the day Mike broke up with her as well. I asked her to come with me so she could sober up and be safe for the night, so I took her to the club, Lucy took care of her and convinced her not to give a fucking crap about him anymore. Celestia changed that night, she never talked to men, she saw them simply as toys in a chess game that she could bend to her will, and she used stripping as a method of luring them in. Although it gave the club a great boost, I could tell that she wasn't herself behind the whole confidence charade. She wanted more money to go to school so I also gave her the application to be your secretary when you needed one."
"I see. Thank you for that. Otherwise, I would've never met her. She's an amazing woman."
"That she is."

"How much do you like her?" says James through the thick silence.
"A lot."
"I can tell, I've seen you with many women, and none of them have managed to last as long as her. What's so special about her to you?"
"She just makes me feel, me, I know it sounds cheesy or whatever but it's true."
"No, I get it. You like her. You got it bad."
"Ha, I guess I do." I chuckle.

          I think losing Celestia made me become sensitive and wear my heart on my sleeve. First Rose and now James have called out my feelings out for her.  I didn't want to think about it right now, all I was currently worried about bringing my princess home safe.