I'm Not Afraid

As We Fade (13)

JULIET'S POV

I strut to where Ashley is hanging limply. He's conscious, but he's keeping his head down.

My heels are clicking against the concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse I've been calling home. He barely raises his head when I approach, igniting my anger. I grab his chin and rip his head up so his dark chocolate eyes meet mine. I sneer down at the defeated man.

"That blood looks good on you. It really brings out your eyes." I laugh, eyeing the dried crimson streaks down his face. Rage flashes over his features, but he remains silent. I throw his head back down, and head over to the ratty chair that was here when I first arrived. I sit and throw my legs over the armrest, crossing them.

The door opens and one of my goons for hire lumbers in. I look to him, waiting for whatever news he has brought me.

"The girl is on her way. She should be arriving in the next five minutes." I feel my face light up and a malicious cackle escapes my lips.

"It looks like Miss Emberly will be joining us soon." I call over to the man chained in place. I see his muscles tense, but he doesn't move. I set up the video camera and hook it to the waiting computer. Once Emberly is forced to play my game, I'll be able to live stream it so Andy doesn't miss a thing.

I am hooking up the last of the wires when I hear tires crunching on the gravel outside. A car door slams shut and moments later, the door opens. Emberly's silhouette hesitates, but only momentarily. She steps into the warehouse, her eyes searching the room with a strange precision. A couple of my men appear on either side of her, holding their guns loosely. One shuts the door behind her, and the other shoves her forward. She growls at him quietly as they fall in line behind her, not touching her, but forcing her deeper into the cavernous room.

"Well, well, well. Look who showed up, all by her lonesome." I coo sarcastically. Emberly's eyes are attempting to burn holes in my face.

"Where is Ashley?" She demands. I step to the side and direct her to the limp figure with my arm, bowing slightly as I spin. I've always had a flare for the dramatic. Emberly rushes past me and makes it to the man in record time, supporting his weight and cradling his head. I roll my eyes at the pathetic girl in front of me.

"Let him go. You have me. Now let him go." She commands quietly.

"Emberly, no. What are you doing?" Ashley is weak, but he manages to lift his head to stare at the woman supporting him. I notice she has tear tracks down her face, but she's smiling sadly. I realize she knows what's coming and has accepted it. It makes my blood boil. A new plan forms in my mind. I want the girl to suffer, and suffer she will.

"Oh honey, I won't be letting him go. Not quite yet." I chuckle. Her head snaps up with enough force to send her bangs flying backwards. Her eyes are cold.

"I'm here. You have me." She snarls at me.

"Yes, but you seem almost eager to die. That just won't do. You see, I have a plan for you, my dear. And Ashley here is reassurance that you will cooperate." I wave one of my men over to where Emberly has moved away from her friend, her fists tight by her sides. My goon grabs her and pulls over to where I'm standing. I caress her face before connecting my straightened hand with the side of her face. She squeaks in shock, and I earn a growl from Ashley.

"Tie her up." I command. "I have a phone call to make before we begin." I pick up the burner phone on the grimy card table, smiling as I make my way out of earshot of my hostages. I dial the familiar number and listen to the phone ringing. After three rings, there's a click and I'm greeted by a deep growl.

ANDY'S POV

"Where is she you bitch?" I snarl into the phone.

I came home to an empty house. Emberly was gone and so was her jeep. The panic set in and I destroyed our apartment looking for answers. Then, I found it in the bottom of the trash in the kitchen-a small flash drive.

I had taken it to my laptop and plugged it in. Juliet's message to Emberly was clear. Where she had Emberly come was less so. I couldn't find the sticky note anywhere.

"Oh honey, you know I could tell you, but that takes all the fun out of it." Juliet purrs in my ear. I know the police are on their way, but I don't know if they'll be able to locate Emberly before she succumbs to whatever the psychopath on the other end of the phone call has planned. I finally break.

"PLEASE. JUST GIVE HER BACK TO ME." I sob. "I'LL DO ANYTHING." I feel pathetic begging, but I have nothing left. My desperate cries are met with cruel laughter.

"Keep your phone on you. Soon, you'll need it. You won't want to miss what I have to show you." The line goes dead. I feel so numb. This can't be happening again.

The elevator opens behind me, and the detectives that previous worked on Emberly's case disembark, accompanied by uniformed officers. I greet them quietly.

After telling them about my phone call, as well as explaining that Ashley was also taken by Juliet and her lackies, I show them the video message. One of the officers is intently staring at the screen, more intensely than the others.

"That's a warehouse. It seems to be abandoned, so I bet it's down by the pier. There are a bunch of abandoned buildings down there. That's where our informant said she might be staying." He says. That's all it takes for the detective to order a search of that area. I feel a little better and start to relax when my phone screen comes to life.

Juliet's face is prominent on the screen. She smiles at me and steps aside, revealing Emberly on her knees, her hands tied behind her back. A masked man steps into frame and cuts the ties, freeing her.

My stomach drops. Whatever is coming, it won't end well.