A Letter To My Love: A Stolen Novel

Chapter 1

Thank you for reading. Lucy Christopher gets full credit for writing this incredible book, this is just an adaptation of her original work, but in the kidnapper's pov.

You walked into the coffee shop, and I was grateful that phase one of my plan worked. To get you alone and away from your parents. Thanks for wearing that white shirt that your parents were complaining about on the plane, but I think it looks beautiful on you. You look beautiful in anything.

I felt for the powder in my shirt pocket and breathed a sigh of relief as I held it tight between my shirt's fabric. I saw you at the counter fumbling with your money, but the money was British coins which luckily they don't take. Now's my chance to make my appearance. "We don't take British coins." The guy with the name Kenny said before you could finish counting out the rest of your money. "Let me buy it," I said, making my way towards the counter, and I offered a smile towards you. I already had my money out and ready, and I wasn't taking no for an answer. You gave me a shy smile and stepped aside.

I paid Kenny and gestured for you to sit at my table. You looked skeptical at first, and then I leaned in to calm you down. "It's okay; I won't bite. Or would you rather sit with the Addams family over here?" And I nodded at the table across from mine. You shook your head and spoke for the first time. "I just escaped my family, and I don't want another yet." I chuckled and said, "Nice work."

I know how you like your coffee, but you'd be freaked out if you actually knew that, so I asked you how you liked it. "One sugar?" You nodded. I guided you towards my table and set your coffee down close to you, but not close enough as to me not being able to place the powder in your drink. As you stared out the window, I knew that it was now or never. This is my chance to take you to our little forever to our paradise. To keep you safe from everyone else. You need to understand that I would never hurt you. This was only necessary to make our only shot at an escape. I hastily poured a small dosage of the powder into the plastic cup when I knew no one was looking and eased up a little bit not to give myself away. It was cold in here, and yet I was sweating. I couldn't give myself away, so I started talking instead, mainly to calm myself. I'll start with the easy stuff. I know everything about you, but you know nothing about me. "I'm Ty," I spoke the words as you turned to face me again. I reached out my hand for you to shake it, but you didn't take it. Not yet anyway. When you did, I didn't shake it but more held onto you to know that you were real.

That you were really there with me. My girl, my Gemma. "Gemma." You said but seemed flustered by it. I nodded as that was the first time you actually said your name to me before. To keep the conversation going, I asked, "Where are your parents?" Of course, I already knew the answer to that. "The gate, they're waiting for me there." You took a sip of your coffee. A small sip, but that small sip will help me bring you to our present and future. That small sip will all be worth it. You licked your lips to taste every bit of powder or coffee as you knew it to savor the taste. "I said I wouldn't belong, just getting coffee." I gave a half-smile, but it was more of a grimace to me. I was scared that the powder wouldn't take effect or that it didn't take effect until after you were gone. Until after my girl was gone. "When does the flight leave?" "Bout an hour." For them, I thought. "Wh... Where's it going?" I asked, trying to hide my stutter. Thankfully you didn't notice, or maybe you were pretending not to. "Vietnam." Of course, I already knew that. You smiled, and it made me think that you enjoyed my company, that you won't mind coming with me after all. I kept thinking that the powder is dull and won't work because you don't seem high. You seem normal. "My mum goes all the time." I nodded to keep the conversation going. To keep you here just as long as I need to for the drugs to take effect. They will work. They will. "She's a curator." You explained what your mum does, and I just stared at you, listening to your voice. "Your dad?" I asked after you stopped talking for about a minute. Too long of a minute. You took another sip of coffee. "Stockbroker." I nodded, taking a sip of my coffee to have some time before asking you another question I already knew. "Suited and booted, then," I said to keep talking to you. I was glad that you kept talking to me. You have no idea. "So, what is it you want to do, then? A job like your dad or travel like your mum?" You shrugged with your perfect shoulders. "Nothing really seems right, although they'd like me to follow in their footsteps." You clenched your cup tighter, and I thought I crossed a line, but then you sighed. I better keep talking. "Is it not meaningful... Not meaningful enough?" You shook your head. And then stopped and nodded. "Maybe. I don't know. I mean, they just collect stuff." You looked away, and I decided to change the subject before you up and left before you up and left me.

I started playing with the teaspoon to calm my damn nerves before you knew something was up. "What does your mother collect?" "Colors mostly." You said with a trace of bitterness to your tone. "You know Rothko?" The name sounds so damn familiar, but I can't think of anything connected to his name. I frowned. "Well, stuff like that. Pretty pretentious stuff if you ask me." I noticed our hands were still touching and have been for a while, and I pulled back slowly to let your touch cling to my hand before we reach our little forever. You'll love it there, I thought. You'll finally be free. You'll finally be free with me. "Sorry," I murmured but didn't mean the words one bit. "What do you do? You're still not in school, then?" I shook my head. "I guess I sort of make art too." I kept going on to tell you everything you needed to know about me, whereas I knew everything about you. "Gardening, building, and I travel a bit. That kind of stuff." You nodded as if you finally understood me. Learning about me the same way I learned about you from when you were that ten-year-old girl.

You looked nervous in that instant too. I hope I didn't overwhelm you right then. I couldn't bear to see you nervous around me, so I said, "I've never been to Vietnam." "Or me. I'd much rather go to America." I shuddered at the thought. "With all those people? And those cities?" Your eyes were set on mine, and I flinched away from your stare with those beautiful green eyes. I tucked a loose strand of your long chestnut hair behind your ear and shied away from as you stared at me and leaned back. "Sorry, I..." I rested my hand on your lovely face and held it there because if I didn't, I'd start to feel that you weren't really here with me again. You looked at me as if you knew my plans, but you couldn't possibly have known. I was so careful. Now's my chance to see how you feel about the idea of Australia, our final destination. "Wouldn't you rather go to Australia?" You let out a laugh, and a bead of sweat trickled down my forehead, and I frowned at you. "Sure, everyone wants to go there." You said, and I breathed another sigh of relief. I don't think you noticed how relieved I actually was. "Are you Australian?" I didn't answer right away, because I couldn't. My words were lost to me as if I drugged myself and not you. "Ty?" You dragged me out of my thoughts, and I calmed down as your touch soothed all of my doubts and worried away as fast as you touched me. "So, what's Australia like?" I met your innocent gaze as you took another sip of coffee. Taking in more sweet powder is making all of this possible. It's not working; your words aren't slurred or jumbled. This isn't going to work. Don't be stupid; this is going to work. "You'll see," I spoke as you slipped your hand away quickly and held onto your head, and that was when all the doubts that this plan was going to fail washed away, and I knew you would be mine, and soon you'll know it too.