I'm a Costello

(22) Kidnapped

Comment and vote!

[Valentina's POV]

My senses were going haywire. My body was pulsing with anxiety and yet my brain is on high alert. My eyes don't blink unless they really have to. I'm too aware of my surroundings. I guess the only reason I haven't really lost sense of reality is because of the little boy I'm holding.

After I was roughly pushed inside the runaway car, Max was too. I didn't waste any second into pulling my brother close to me and away from Jack. I sat him down on my lap and encircled my arms around his body as protection.

Nobody's taking him away from me. Not again.

Max didn't need me to tell him to stay close to me since he had basically made himself invisible hiding his face in my collar bone. He stayed glued to me like a second skin. Neither of us minded the closeness, in fact, we preferred it.

He hasn't uttered a word to me. Only tucked himself further into my arms even though there was no actual space remaining between the two of us. And I wasn't sure he understood what was happening to us. But he was scared enough to know we were in danger.

Apart from the two of us there were three more people in the car. The driver who hadn't bothered to say a word to anyone. Jack and the woman whose name I didn't dare to ask.

she killed two people...

two people... my people...

my guards...

Taking a deep breath, I tell myself to stay calm. It wasn't working. My heart was pounding against my chest.

We weren't too long on the road. At some point they'd stopped the car in the middle of nowhere and we'd boarded a chopper. I didn't want to get on it. I really didn't, but I wasn't going to risk getting shot by the gun they had permanently pointed at me.

Thankfully they hadn't separated from Max from me. I carried Max in my arms with me wherever we went. I had a feeling if I let him go he'd lose his mind. Or I would.

What was going to happen to us? I didn't know. And the suspense was killing me.

Once the chopper landed, we; the hostages were blindfolded. Max did not like it one bit when the woman had to get close enough to blindfold us, her presence a violation of his space, making him fidget a little in my arms. I tightened my hold, my fingers urgently caressing his back in a desperate attempt to soothe him. For a final second, his wide, scared eyes met my own anxious one before the world was plunged into a heavy, suffocating darkness.

I didn't realize I could feel more fear.

.
.
.

We walked... a lot.

They led me through what felt like a disorienting maze. I couldn't track my exact route, even though I tried. It felt like the path was designed specifically to disorient.

Our abductors remained almost entirely silent, communicating instead with curt, physical commands. A rough grip on my upper arm would tighten as we slowed for a sharp turn, or a forceful shove against my shoulder would move me forward when they stopped. The only sounds between us were the soft scuffs of their heavy boots and the ragged sound of my own breathing.

After what felt like forever they ordered me to stay.

Suddenly, the fabric was removed from my eyes, the abrupt brightness stinging a little after the prolonged darkness. It took a few seconds for my vision to clear and focus as I blinked rapidly. I gently lowered a trembling Max down to his feet. My gaze swept urgently over our new surroundings, settling on what looked like a cold, imposing house.