Mr. Ruthless

Chapter 8

Picture of Zander.

They took Stacey? Why? Who were those people? What did they want from us? From me?

I couldn't stop the choked sob from tearing through my throat. I must have sat there for at least an hour. Cradling my legs close to me as I tried to wrap my head around everything that had happened.

The metallic weapon was laid out in front of me, transforming my plain living room floor into what felt like a crime scene. My head lulled back until it rested against the somber wall I sat against.

My mouth was dry as I tried to swallow the lump that was stuck in my throat. I closed my eyes in exhaustion, my fingers compulsively fiddling with the yellow sticky note.

St. Westron Lane 2.
You can run but you can't hide. You have 2 days.
You'll be expected.

Why did they kidnap her? I had never encountered these men before, what do they want from me.

I clenched my shaking hands as I tried to compose myself, "Come on Eleanor, get your act together." But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself, I couldn't find the courage to get up. How could I have let them take Stacey when it's me they want?

I crumbled the paper in frustration as police sirens kept echoing in my brain. Why didn't I just wait for them to arrive. Any sane person would have. Why had I listened to the man's threat of getting them involved. He would kill Stacey and I just knew his words held no harmless warning.

What would the cops think when they find Mr. Venditto lying unconscious and beaten on his diner floor. Would they come after me, or Aaliyah?

So many questions danced around my head making me feel dizzy. With one last deep intake of breath, I pushed myself off the ground, noticing my dizziness as I stumbled forward. The adrenaline had left my body, leaving me with a feeling of pure exhaustion.

I reached for the cold, heavy metallic object. Looking down at it I noticed the odd engravings of a dragon with its tail wrapped around a bullet with the initial 'V' carved over it.

Remembering how it had pierced a bullet into Mr. Venditto's foot, as if it had suddenly caught fire I dropped it, causing a loud crash to echo around my apartment as it connected with the floor.

I'm not brave enough to go there. I didn't even have the guts to make conversation with a male customer in the diner, how was I supposed to safe her. I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to get my thoughts in line. But they were all over the place.

"What do I do?" how does one handle in a situation like this. I need to get Stacey back. But the scene from earlier kept replaying in my head, like a recording of my worst dream.

'You shouldn't be this close to me bambina. I'm your worst nightmare.'

I wanted to scream, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't reach a point of understanding what had happened. I had no idea what Mr. Venditto did to piss them off but I had no part in it. I never wanted to get involved, for years I've tried to keep out of the attention of men like this. Why do these things come back to haunt me.

I threw the crumbled paper onto the kitchen table. I wanted to run while I still had a chance, disappear like I had done before. But I knew starting over was no longer an option.

Stacey had been my salvation, I couldn't leave her. Somehow it was my fault they took her. They wanted me, he wanted me.

Zander's POV

I ran a hand through my hair for the billionth time this night, how did I end up in this situation? Why did I take her friend, what use do I have of her. But most of all why was I so adamant to have Eleanor come to me.