16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

-Alison-

I lay trembling on the bed, my body battered and bruised from Louis's violent outburst. The pain was excruciating, immobilizing me as I struggled to even shift position. Though his rage had subsided, Louis remained in the room, pacing furiously and muttering to himself. I dared not move, fearing to draw the attention of the predator in our midst. Blood dripped from my nose and mouth, staining the sheets beneath me—a grim reminder of his brutality.

Morning approached, casting an eerie light on our sleepless night in this unfamiliar place. Blinded and bound during my transport here, I was utterly disoriented, and I couldn't shake the ominous feeling that this might be my final night. Louis was a volatile force, his temper a ticking time bomb waiting to detonate. His wife's death, whether intentional or a consequence of his uncontrollable rage, bore testament to the danger he posed.

Despite the circumstances, I found solace in the knowledge that Julia was beyond his reach. In a moment of anger, Louis had unwittingly revealed that someone had taken his daughter. I prayed it was Jared. I clung to the hope that he had found us and that he was safeguarding Julia, even if it meant risking my own life in the process.

"Shit, shit," Louis muttered, his pacing relentless until he finally came to a halt, exhaling heavily.

As he seemed to rein in his anger, his blazing eyes locked onto mine. I met his gaze with unwavering resolve as he stormed toward me, seizing me by the hair and forcing my head back. I winced, the taste of blood filling my mouth.

"You made me do this," he accused.

I remained silent, recognizing that arguing would only escalate his fury.

"You made me hurt you," he continued.

"You let my daughter go," he accused, his grip tightening on my hair.

A faint smile played on my lips, a small victory in the face of his wrath. Yet, my satisfaction only fueled his rage, and he shoved me onto the bed, igniting a fresh wave of pain.

"Yes, you're smiling now, but I will bring her back," he vowed. "She belongs here."

I rolled my eyes discreetly as he ranted, his words more for his benefit than mine.

"You won't change anything."

"You're afraid," I whispered, provoking a sharp reaction from him.

"Afraid?" he scoffed.

"Jared has her, doesn't he?" I pressed, readying myself for the pain my words would bring. "That's what terrifies you. He holds leverage against you now. You can't manipulate him with me, or he'll retaliate."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he spat.

"Don't I?"

"No!" he shouted. "She isn't who you think she is."

"What do you mean?" I groaned, but he shook his head, resuming his agitated pacing.

"It's my family. Always my damn family. Why did I let them in?" he muttered to himself.

"What do you mean?" I pressed.

"They want her. They won't have her," he snarled. "I've taken care of her. I ensured she stayed alive instead of joining her mother, that whore."

I struggled to comprehend the unfolding situation, merely observing as Louis had a smaller breakdown before me. His muttered words hinted at a hidden truth that eluded my understanding. Abruptly, he ceased his ramblings and turned to me once more.

"We will rectify this," he declared, as though I were now his accomplice.

"You don't deserve her."

He approached me, his hands wrapping around my neck as he forced me into the mattress.

"No, you don't deserve her, you bitch! I gave you everything, and you betrayed me!" he bellowed, cutting off my air supply.

I scratched and kicked, attempting to break free, but his strength surpassed mine, rendering my efforts futile. He continued to apply pressure until black spots danced before my eyes and my strength ebbed away. Just as I felt on the verge of losing consciousness, he released his grip, and I gasped for air, coughing violently as I rolled to my side.

"We will figure this out," he stated resolutely. "I will get her back."

"But... you don't... want her," I managed between coughs.

"She is important!"

"How so?" I demanded, but he offered no explanation, storming out of the room and locking the door behind him. Too weak to pursue or resist, I collapsed onto the bed, succumbing to exhaustion.

-Jared-

I only managed an hour of sleep before the first rays of sunlight jolted me awake. Startled, I sat up straight in my chair, quickly orienting myself to my surroundings. My gaze fell upon Julia, peacefully asleep nearby. A wave of relief washed over me at the sight, a peculiar sensation considering Louis still held Alison captive. Yet, I couldn't deny the fleeting sense of calm.

My phone buzzed incessantly, signaling another call from Julia's family, demanding her return. I sighed heavily, rubbing my eyes before silencing the device. Returning Julia to her family would have to wait until I extracted every last bit of information from her.

Rising from my seat, I approached Julia, gently nudging her awake. She startled at first, but upon seeing me, she relaxed.

"Your family is eager to have you back," I informed her. "But I need your help first. Are you ready?"

She rubbed her eyes, offering a sleepy nod. Recognizing her need to fully awaken, I arranged for breakfast to be brought to the office. Placing it on the coffee table in front of Julia, I retrieved a sketchbook and pen before settling into a chair beside her.

As Julia eagerly devoured her meal, her enthusiasm for the new experience evident, I couldn't help but smile. However, I quickly shifted my focus to the task at hand.

"Okay, tell me everything about the house," I prompted, ready to document every detail she could provide.

Julia began recounting every detail, from the grandeur of the house to the apple tree gracing its front yard. Despite the unnecessary tangents about memories associated with the tree, I let her continue uninterrupted. It was the workings of her young mind, after all. She vividly described the white fa?ade, the expansive windows, and the smaller glass dome at the back, offering a glimpse of the beautiful backyard. Her narrative flowed until she exhausted her recollections, but by then, I had drawn a good picture of everything.

"Can I see it?" she requested eagerly as I set aside the pencil.

I turned the drawing toward her, and Julia gasped in awe.

"Close enough?" I inquired.

"It's just like it," she confessed.

A small smile graced my lips as I leaned back in my chair, studying the sketch. Though it bore no resemblance to any familiar sight, I knew I could scan it and let a computer search the internet for matches. However, my primary objective was to reunite Julia with her family. Perhaps they could provide insight into the whereabouts of this house, sparing us the wait for the system's analysis.

"All done?" I asked, gesturing toward her now-empty plate.

She nodded, signaling the completion of her breakfast.

"Ready to meet your grandparents?" I asked.

She appeared nervous, fidgeting with her dirty blouse.

"Julia?" I prompted.

"Are they like my father?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I wanted to reassure her, but the truth was, my relationship with them wasn't exactly amicable either. We all had our own territories, maintaining a cautious distance from one another.

"Well?" she pressed, turning to me for answers.

"I don't know them well," I confessed.

"What if I don't want to go see them?"

"They're your family, and from what I understand, they deeply cared for your mother," I explained.

"They did?" she questioned, surprised.

"She was family to them, and so are you," I affirmed.

She sighed, still unsure, but then offered me a small smile. "Okay, let's go see them."

With that, she hopped off the couch, and I held the sketch as we left the office. She followed me downstairs, and I was accompanied by a few guards. We entered the large black car, taking the back seats while the others occupied the front, with a second car trailing behind. I notified her family of our impending arrival to avoid any unwanted delays.

After a short drive, we reached our destination, where we were subjected to another round of weapon searches. However, as Julia attempted to exit the car, I halted her. Confusion etched across her face as one of Dominic's guards approached us.

"They want to see her," he explained.

"And they will, but first, I have some questions," I declared.

He seemed poised to demand the girl's presence, but I raised a hand to stop him.

"Don't even try to threaten me. The girl is still under my control," I whispered sternly. "You act, and I will retaliate."

Ensuring Julia didn't overhear our exchange, I watched as the guard begrudgingly stepped back.

"Stay with her," I ordered my own men, confident the other guards wouldn't budge as long as they remained near Julia.

Alone, I entered the house, clutching the sketch. Two guards trailed behind as I located the family in the dining room, where they were having breakfast together. Grandparents, sons, wives, and children were all gathered. As Dominic spotted me, he and his wife rose.

"So?" he inquired.

"She is alive," I confirmed.

"Where is she?" his wife demanded.

"I want something first," I interjected.

"That wasn't our agreement."

Ignoring her, I held up the sketch. "Ever seen this place?" I asked.

Dominic and his wife exchanged a glance before turning back to me.

"Yes, it was a gift from us," he admitted.

"To Mila?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Can you send me the location?" I requested.

"Why? What happened? Didn't you say you had Julia?" he probed.

"I do, but I still don't have your son," I retorted.

"We only helped because—"

"Or my wife," I snapped, cutting him off.

He sighed, realizing how everything had unfolded last night.

"Just send me the damn location," I demanded.

"Or you won't give me my granddaughter?" he challenged.

"No, I will go get her. Just send me the location first," I insisted.

"So, exactly what I just said."

"Just give it to him," his wife demanded, ending the exchange.

Dominic sighed and then reached for his phone, sending me the location I needed. Glancing at my own device and seeing the address, I couldn't help but smile.

"Good, I will go get her," I announced.

Dominic shot me a glare, but I turned away, the guards still trailing behind me. Stepping outside, I found Julia's door still open, with her sitting on the edge, her feet dangling out. I approached her and tossed the sketch inside.

"What happened?" she asked.

"They are ready to see you now," I replied.

She nodded, surprising me by reaching for my hand. I tensed momentarily, unprepared for the sudden touch, but I forced myself to relax as Julia used me for support as she climbed down. She didn't release my hand, and I felt a twinge of discomfort at the casual intimacy. Only Alison had touched me so openly before, and it set off internal alarms, yet I couldn't bring myself to tell Julia to let go. Instead, I led her back inside, this time with the guards opting to stay out, understanding that this exchange required no supervision.

As we traversed the house, Julia moved cautiously, taking in the surroundings of the comfortable home.

"Do you think they will lock me up too?" she whispered.

"I don't think you have any reason to..." I trailed off as voices emanated from the dining room, piquing my curiosity.

"What if he really doesn't have her?" Dominic's wife questioned.

"You told me to give him the address," Dominic retorted.

"I'm fully aware," she replied. "But maybe we need some leverage too."

"What are you thinking?"

"You know how important Julia is. Without her, a crucial link is severed, and all this would have been for nothing. We should have something equally important to hold over him."

I stopped abruptly, glancing down at the little girl, who looked up at me with a puzzled expression. She had heard the same conversation.

"Are you suggesting we reach his wife before him?" Dominic inquired.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea. Louis was foolish for doing this alone, but we stand together as a family, and with Julia and her inheritance, then we would stand even stronger," one of the sons chimed in.

Julia frowned, clearly puzzled, and I felt myself tense. I couldn't help but continue to observe her, trying to piece together the puzzle. Something one of the brothers had mentioned about Julia possibly not being blood-related to them struck me. If it wasn't an inheritance from Louis, then could she be linked to something powerful through Mila?

The family conversation continued, but I didn't move forward. We both remained frozen in the hallway, allowing them to discuss their plans, yet none of them offered any direct answers to our pressing questions. Instead, they discussed how they could control me through Alison. A sudden panic gripped me. I couldn't let them reach Alison before me, but what was I to do with Julia?

I glanced from the hallway to the little girl, and she turned to me again, her expression pleading with me not to leave her.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath as I leaned down, scooping up Julia and turning around.

She clung to me, wrapping her arms around my neck tightly. I didn't have my weapons, and as I eyed the entrance of the house, I saw the other guards blocking my path. How the hell was I going to get Julia out of here? The car wasn't far away, with my own guards facing me. I reached for my phone, quickly sending them a message. They all checked their phones, reading the urgent text I had sent. They exchanged glances, trying not to draw attention. While we weren't allowed to bring guns into the house, we could keep them in the car. I just needed an opportunity to get Julia out of here.

"Keep holding onto me. Don't let go," I whispered to her, determination in my voice.

She nodded against me, clinging even tighter, and it wasn't long before one of my men reached into the car, another following suit subtly, just before gunshots echoed throughout the area. The others were caught off guard, but it provided me with the opportunity I needed. I dashed outside, down the stairs, and practically leaped into the car. It roared to life immediately, just as more men started heading our way, but we were already speeding away.

Julia continued to hold onto me as I peered out the window, watching the men chasing us. They swiftly hopped into their cars, and I cursed under my breath. It was going to be a chase, I realized. Despite her reluctance, I made Julia release her grip on me and placed her on the seat, securing her with the seatbelt. She looked up at me, fear evident in her eyes, and I comfortingly ran my hand down her hair before demanding a gun.

It was handed to me, and I rolled down my window, leaning out of the car to return fire. They responded, bullets whizzing past me, narrowly missing. I retreated back inside, gunfire filling the air as the cars raced down the roads. Glancing over at Julia, who had curled up, hands pressed over her ears, I shook my head in frustration before leaning out of the window once more, engaging in the firefight. Meanwhile, my driver pushed the gas pedal hard, taking sharp turns in an attempt to reach the safety of my base.

My gun clicked, signaling that it had run out of ammunition. I retrieved a new one, handed the empty one over to be reloaded, and leaned back out of the window. This time, I managed to take down one of the pursuers, his body dangling limply over the side of the car before being flung onto the road and crushed by the car behind. It gave me an idea. Adjusting my aim lower, I took out a tire of the lead car, causing it to swerve uncontrollably. The driver attempted to brake, but the cars behind him plowed into his, resulting in a collision that sent the first car tumbling and rolling over the ground.

I let out a victorious sound before retreating back inside the car. However, the feeling of triumph was short-lived as I turned to see the shivering girl beside me. She had pulled her legs up, curling into a ball. I moved over to her, running a comforting hand over her once more.

"It's over," I assured her.

"Y-You said they were nice. You said they liked my mother..."

I sighed, regretting that I had given the girl false hope. It appeared that Dominic and his family didn't care about Julia. They only seemed interested in whatever she brought with her, whether it was an inheritance or something else. There was scant information about Mila out there, leaving a mystery to unravel. But first, I needed to retrieve my wife before Dominic and the others retaliated.

As we returned to the house, I made sure to bolster the security, alerting everyone of potential intruders. Then I took hold of Julia, bringing her inside and leading her back to the safety of her room. I placed her gently on the ground, crouching down in front of her. Though she didn't want to let go of me, I gently pushed her far enough back to meet her eyes.

"I need you to stay here while I go get my wife," I explained.

She shook her head desperately. "No, don't go," she pleaded.

"I have to. You heard your grandparents. I need to leave before they act," I insisted.

"Please, don't leave me! I don't want to be alone."

"I'm sorry, Julia, but I will come back. Okay? And then I will bring Alison with me."

"B-But what's going to happen to me?" she asked. "You're not going to let my dad live, right?"

I glanced away, then shook my head. "I can't."

"And what about the rest? I don't want to go to them! I don't know them!" she protested, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please, don't make me."

"I won't send you to them. I promise."

"Then what are you going to do?" she inquired.

I really wanted to reassure her, but I had no clear plan for Julia. My task was simply to deliver her to Dominic and the others and be done with it. However, I couldn't risk her becoming a pawn in some larger scheme that might come back to haunt me later.

"I don't know," I admitted, and her crying intensified. "But I promise we'll figure something out once I get Alison back."

"Together?" she asked.

"Yes, we'll discuss it together."

"You won't let them take me?" she pleaded.

"No, I won't let them take you," I vowed, and Julia clung to me even tighter.

I let her hold onto me briefly, but I couldn't linger. Gently, I pulled her back, though she resisted.

"I need to go get Alison now. I know you're scared, but I'll bring her back, and then we'll come for you."

"What if they come here?" she whispered.

"They won't, and if they do, I promise this place is well-guarded," I reassured her.

Though she remained hesitant to let me go, she slowly released her hold on me. It pained me to see how frightened and lost she felt, but I didn't have the luxury of comforting her for long. Tears weren't my forte, but seeing Julia's distress broke my dead heart.

"We'll figure it out," I promised.

She nodded, taking a step back at last.

"I'll leave guards outside your door, but Julia, this door can be locked from the inside. You lock it and don't open it unless I tell you to, okay?" I instructed.

She nodded again, and I escorted her to the door.

"Remember, no unlocking it unless I say so."

"Yes," she affirmed.

"Good."

Taking one last look at her, I silently vowed that she wouldn't be left alone or abandoned. Then, with determination, I turned away and strode down the hallway. Instructing guards to station themselves outside Julia's room, I gathered a team to accompany me as I set out to retrieve Alison.