Love Will Find A Way

Part One - Chapter Twenty-Five: Kidnapping & Blackmail

Nicole sighed as she sat in a café near Cristiano’s home in Portugal, the brunette had decided to stay behind while her boyfriend returned to Madrid to play in a match against Levante.

She had thought that it would be best while she wrapped her head around the fact that she was carrying his child.

Nicole looked around unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched; the brunette shook her head trying to shake the feeling before she turned back to her book that she was reading.

It wasn’t long until Nicole decided to head back to Cristiano’s house; she quickly packed up her stuff and started to leave the café knowing that she would probably feel better when she was back at the house.

Nicole smiled politely at the owner as she went, the café was quickly becoming a favourite of hers and she knew that other people had started to notice that Cristiano Ronaldo’s girlfriend of five months spent a lot of time there.

Nicole had chosen to wear a cream lace insert jumper and boot-cut jeans paired with tan strap detailed heeled boots; since the weather was slowly starting to warm up and she didn’t feel the need to bring a coat with he.

The brunette had always brought a black large cross body bag with two front straps with her so that she could carry some of her things.

Walking back to the house, Nicole thoughts drifted to the miracle child that she was carrying and the appointment that she had the following week to see a doctor; she was so deep in thought that she failed to notice that she was being followed.

The brunette glanced over her shoulder as she realised that a man was following her, she cursed softly under her breath and crossed the road as she quickened her step before she walked straight into Jesse.

Nicole blinked surprised as she quickly righted herself so that she didn’t fall, she glared at her ex-boyfriend as he grabbed onto her arm and the man behind her stopped walking.

“Hola again Nicole,”  Jesse said as he tightened his grip on Nicole’s arm making her wince, she frowned wondering what he was doing in Portugal and cursing herself for declining to have someone with her while Cristiano was away; she struggled against Jesse’s hold as the other man moved closer.

“You ready Hudson?” the man said as he glared at Nicole, he didn’t know why she was important only that she had to disappear for the plan to work; other they could never get Cristiano to do what they wanted and he wouldn’t fall for the plan.

“Sweet dreams Nicole,” he said as the man behind her forced his hand over her mouth and nose with a chloroform soaked piece of cloth making Nicole feel dizzy before she passed out after a short struggle.

Jesse smiled down at her as he lifted her into a more comfortable position in his arms, while the other man rolled his eyes as Irina approached them with a smirk on her face.

***

Cristiano frowned as he checked his mobile again for the seventh time that hour, he hadn’t heard from his girlfriend in twenty-four hours and none of his family had been able to get a hold of her and he couldn’t help but start to worry that something had happened.

Sergio hadn’t noticed since he was continuously texting his new girlfriend who he had started dating over New Year and refused to tell anyone anything about her; it was like he was ashamed at who it could be.

Cristiano sighed as the last training session before the match came to an end, he knew what he would do now and that was to try and get in touch with Nicole; he worried about her and he knew that something was going on.

Entering the changing room, Cristiano quickly checked his phone for any missed messages and frowned when he saw he didn’t have any; he knew it was stupid since he’d just checked it but he couldn’t help himself.

However as he went to place his phone back in his locker it started to ring, Cristiano looked down at the caller id and a small smile formed on his face when he saw it was Nicole.

“Nicole where are you?” he asked as he slipped out of the noisy locker room, he had only mentioned what was going on to a couple of his team-mates since the last thing that he wanted to do was worrying any one if everything was okay.

“Don’t worry so much Nicole’s fine,” the voice said making Cristiano freeze, unsure what was going on, he didn’t like the fact that another man was calling him from his girlfriend’s phone when he couldn’t get a hold of her; panic filled his system as he wondered what was going on.

“I don’t think we have been formally introduced… I am Nicole’s ex-boyfriend Jesse Hudson and at this present time I can tell you Nicole is quite safe,” the voice said introducing himself making Cristiano’s blood boil, the footballer started to pace as he remembered what Sergio had told him about this man.

He didn’t like where this was going and he knew that there was no way that his girlfriend would be with this man willingly.

“You better not hurt a single hair on her head,” Cristiano snarled making Jesse chuckle amused at the threat as he ran a hand through Nicole’s hair; she was unconscious and would be that way for a while until he had what he wanted.

Jesse took a deep breath as he recalled Irina’s plan, he knew that he was going to have to stick to it if he wanted to walk away with not only Nicole but the money as well.

“Meet me at the stadium at midnight tonight and don’t be late,” Jesse said before hanging up the phone and smiling down at Nicole; he pressed a kiss to her bruised lips then he turned his attention to a waiting Irina.

***

Cristiano shivered lightly as he stepped out onto the football pitch, his brown eyes scanned the area before they planned on the pale man that he knew had abducted his girlfriend; he frowned wondering why Nicole wasn’t with him.

Jesse smirked at him as he watched the footballer approach, he hadn’t come alone because he knew that the footballer wouldn’t listen to him if he did; the only promise that he had made to Irina was he would not lay a hand on Cristiano.

“Where is Nicole?” the footballer demanded as he glared at Jesse, he held his ground as the American moved closer to him.

He couldn’t believe that this was happening and he wished that he had told someone what was going on.

“She’s safe and that’s all you need to know right now,” Jesse said shrugging while Cristiano glanced at the larger man that was stood off to the side.

He knew that this was for Jesse’s protection against him and he was surprised that the pale man had thought that far ahead after what he had done.

“So here’s the deal Nicole will be returned to you without a hair on her little head harmed if you help your team lose the game against Levante,” Jesse said forcing Cristiano’s attention to him but once he heard what Jesse had to say he felt sick.

He couldn’t believe that he was being asked to throw a match for his girlfriend.

The footballer swallowed knowing that he would do anything for her safe return and he couldn’t figure out why Jesse would ask this of him; there was clearly someone else pulling the strings on this kidnap plot.