Chapter 40

Phoenix

McKenzie and I spend the day with Marcus. He tells us he's the one who found Anna in the shipping container and made sure we found out about it. We're sitting in his kitchen and I understand what McKenzie said about this house feeling like a museum. Maybe when he comes to our home, he'll see that you can have nice things and still be comfortable.

"Why did you want McKenzie to stay close to me?" I ask him.

Marcus sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "I knew you thought I took your mother. I knew what your father told you."

I squint, thinking through this. "Then why would you think I'd protect your daughter?" McKenzie looks between the two of us, the same question evident on her face.

"I had a feeling," Marcus says, and I roll my eyes. "I know that's not the answer you want to hear, but I knew you'd find out the whole truth one way or another. I was hoping you'd keep an open mind."

"Why would you think that?"

He inhales deeply and glances between me and Kenz. "I met you when you were about thirteen or fourteen. Do you remember?" I squint, trying to think, but I don't know what he's talking about. I shake my head. "It was right before your mom left. Isabel and I saw the three of you downtown. I kept it short because I knew how your mom felt about Isabel and me, but there was something about that short interaction with you. The way you talked to Isabel." He smiles, remembering back to that day. "A tourist ran into Isabel and you steadied her, but at the same time chastised the tourist for not watching where they were going. I knew you weren't selfish, and I knew you weren't completely wrapped in your mom. Even if you thought you were."

I stare at him for a long moment and sigh, raking my fingers through my hair. I vaguely remember that day.

"You met my mom." Kenz gives me a sad smile.

I kiss the side of her forehead. "I guess I did." I turn back to Marcus. "Why didn't you just come to me?"

"I knew you wouldn't believe me unless you found out the truth yourself."

"Why did you trust Dick?"

Marcus looks out the window as he sits in silence for a few moments. "I'm not sure I trusted him. Not completely. I had an uneasy feeling about him, but I didn't have any concrete evidence he was going to stab me in the back. So, the night of the auction, I had James on standby just in case Richard did win. James was going to meet them in the back and take McKenzie away. When you bought her…" He glances at his daughter. "I'm not proud of what I did. Allowing Phoenix to go through with the ritual, but again, I had a feeling you'd be safer with him than with me."

McKenzie leans forward and places her hand on his knee. "Dad, do you know the hell we've been through because of Alice?"

Marcus' eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"

McKenzie proceeds to tell him about the two times my mother kidnapped her and what happened to her. She leaves out how I forced her to marry me and how horrible I was to her the first few months of us being married.

Marcus' eyes grow bigger the more McKenzie talks. It would be comical if it wasn't so traumatic. When she's done, he leans forward and pulls her into a hug. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea." He leans back and looks between the two of us. "Is that why you missed an auction last year?"

I nod. "Yes. I got her back right before the auction, but she had lost her memories, so I wasn't going to take her to that one. You said you knew she lost her memories."

He nods. "Yes, but I didn't realize it was because she had been kidnapped. Larry didn't tell me that. He told me it was an accident."

McKenzie shrugs, "I didn't tell him I had been. I told him I had an accident." She looks at me and sighs. "I didn't want to talk about it."

Marcus looks between the two of us, regret evident on his face. "I was trying hard to do the right thing. It seems like I wasn't successful."

I put my arm around McKenzie's shoulders and pull her in close to me. "I, for one, am glad you had her come to Brighton. I wish we could have avoided the kidnapping, but I don't regret everything else." McKenzie gives me a small smile and nods in agreement.

Marcus sighs, looking between the two of us. "I did try to approach your father a few years ago, but he didn't want anything to do with me. He was blinded by his love for your mom and he was convinced I was the problem."

"It seems like you're the only man that didn't succumb to her," I say. Kenz rubs her hand up and down the back of my neck.

"Don't beat yourself up. That was your mom. It makes perfect sense," Marcus assures me. "I wasn't sure how you would handle things once you got McKenzie, but I could tell from the calls and letters Kenz and I had that you had feelings for her. So, I was counting on that. I thought you might be interested in buying her, but once you did, I should have kept closer tabs on the two of you. I did go to auctions a couple of times a year, but when I was informed I wasn't allowed at the ones you hosted, I knew you didn't want me there. So, I had my guys keep an eye on the two of you sporadically." He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "I should have done a better job."

McKenzie and I don't respond. I'm not sure how to respond. I don't agree with how her father handled things, but it doesn't seem like he had bad intentions like my mother did.

"I don't remember the letters you and I shared," McKenzie admits. "I just remembered everything that happened to mom and why I started going to Brighton." She sighs. I know she's frustrated that all her memories haven't come back yet, but I keep assuring her they will. Eventually. I'm hoping I'm right.

Marcus pats her hand. "Hopefully Dr. Pearl can help."

"She says she's going to try hypnosis on her to bring those repressed memories to the surface," I tell him.

"The first session is in a few days. I'm ready," Kenz says. I was nervous when Dr. Pearl talked about this. She said she mentioned it to Dr. Chamberland, but he was against it, so she never mentioned it to me. Now we know why. If Kenz is ready to do it, I'm ready to support her.

"So, what are the plans for future auctions?" Marcus asks.

"We're no longer going to host them at people's residences. The place we went to and handled my mom and Dick is already operational. Victor's partner talked me into allowing them to have them there. We've already purchased the property and construction will begin this week. It should take nine months to a year to get everything completed." It's weird talking to Marcus about this, but he's been doing business a lot longer than I have, so if he can help, I'll accept it.

"Dad, we're not going to be selling drugs at these auctions," McKenzie says quietly. It's the one thing about her father that she hates.

Marcus rubs his hand along his jaw. "I don't do that anymore," he admits, surprising us both. "After what happened to your mother, I stopped. I've actually gone into more legal business. I manage the ports and I keep an eye out for trafficking. That's how I found Anna. I do look the other way if it's not trafficking or drugs and I make those give me a percentage of what they make."

Kenz huffs. "Legal, huh?"

Marcus shrugs, "I said I got into more legal business, not completely legal."

I glance at Kenz. "It's not like we can talk. These auctions aren't exactly legal," I remind her. "Maybe we can merge our businesses," I suggest to Marcus, who chuckles.

"We'll talk."

We stand getting ready to leave, and Kenz gives Marcus a hug. "Dad, you should come have dinner with us. You can see Anna. We'll even invite Larry over."

Marcus hugs her tight. "I'd like that, sweetheart. Tell me when and I'll be there." We walk to my bike and Marcus watches as we put our helmets on. "Take care of my daughter on the back of that bike!" he yells at me and I nod.

"I plan on taking very good care of you on the back of this bike," I murmur into the headset.

"Nix!" Kenz wraps her arms tight around my waist and when I pull out, she cups me over my jeans.

I grunt. "Careful, love, I'll find an alley."

"Promises. Promises," she replies. So, I find an alley and do exactly that.

McKenzie

"You're standing at the edge of a lake. Take one step after another until you're completely submerged." I focus on Dr. Pearl's voice as I imagine what her words say. "You're safe. You can breathe." I suck in a breath, not realizing I wasn't breathing. "Let's go to a day you've already remembered, but perhaps that memory is altered. You're walking down the aisle toward Phoenix."

Walking toward Phoenix, I pretend like this is the wedding I used to dream about in high school. He's my one true love and I'm his. I wish I could tell him. My dad told me to get close to him. Did he mean this close? Does he even know we're getting married?

I don't recognize anyone except Phillip, Clara, and Rex. I wish Anna was here. When I stop in front of Phoenix, the priest doesn't ask who gives me away. Because no one is giving me away.

Phoenix is taking me and there's nothing anyone can do to stop him. I wonder if my father is keeping tabs on me. I miss him. Maybe, one day, when the truth comes out, we can have another wedding and my dad can give me away. Will Phoenix think I deceived him? I didn't know this is what my father had planned. He said he wanted me to get close to Phoenix. I didn't realize he was going to sell me at an auction.

He lifts my veil and cups the back of my neck before bringing his forehead to mine. I suck in a breath and close my eyes, bringing my hands up to cling to his forearms. It's moments like these that make me remember the Phoenix from high school. He's become hard since then. He has a plan but doesn't know anything about my father telling me to get close to him. Is our relationship based on a lie? It feels like it and I hate it.

"I promise I'll make this good for you, Kenz." I open my eyes and stare into his icy gaze. Does he mean the wedding or the marriage? "Both," he answers, reading my mind. I swallow and accept that he will stand behind those words.

"Okay," I whisper. Relief flashes in his eyes and he nods slightly before releasing me, and the priest begins the ceremony. Will he still hate my father when he finds out it was his idea for us to become close?

"We need to adjust her dosage. Phoenix is close to finding her and we can't have her remember," Dr. Chamberland says as he fills his syringe with the drugs they've been giving me.

"We need to kill her," Alice says. I squeeze my eyes shut. This was not part of the plan, but when she threatened to kill Phoenix, I had to do what I could to save him. She's crazy, she would have done it. I feel Alice's presence over me without opening my eyes. "This is your father's fault. If he had just stuck to the plan, but no."

"How long did you poison my mom before she died? She was sick for weeks." I need to know.

"For almost a month. I got tired of waiting so I finished her off that day. I considered poisoning you, too. I should have."

I glare up at her. "How did you get into our house?"

She huffs. "I didn't have to get into your house. I made sure the tea that was being delivered was already poisoned." I have to figure out how to contact my dad and tell him, but I don't know how I'll do that.

William walks in and my eyes widen. I squeeze my legs shut, knowing why he's here. He sneers down at me and rakes his eyes over me with that hungry gleam that makes me nauseous, but Dr. Chamberland walks in front of him and stops him.

"Not today." He brings the needle to my arm and I almost welcome the fog it will bring. "This is a cocktail that will make you forget," Dr. Chamberland says as he sticks the needle in my arm.

I swallow as the drugs course through my veins. Alice walks over and prods my chin with her long pointy fingernail. "This better work."

I'm left in darkness. Complete and total darkness. I wait for them to come back, but they never do. I need to forget. Not just what they did to me, but everything else. What happened to my mom and that my dad asked me to get close to Phoenix. I don't want to think about it anymore. I want to forget everything. So, my mantra begins.

"My name is McKenzie. I'm twenty-three years old. I've been kidnapped. But he will come for me. He always comes for me."

A couple of days later, someone comes in allowing some light, but I can't see their face. They have a mask on. "Do you know who I am?"

"Dr. Chamberland." He doesn't reply. He lifts my arm and sticks the syringe in.

"Don't. Please," I moan as the drugs seep into my bloodstream. He walks out and leaves me in darkness again. My stomach cramps with hunger pangs and I'm so thirsty. Who will come for me? Will Phoenix or my father? I shake my head. I can't remember why I was supposed to get close to Phoenix. Did my father tell me?

Every couple of days, Dr. Chamberland shows up, his face covered and asks me the same questions. Do I know who he is? Do I know who took me? Do I know who I am? Do I know who my husband is? Until one day he comes in and I can't remember who he is.

"What do you remember?" he asks.

"My name is McKenzie. I'm twenty-three years old. I've been kidnapped. But he will come for me. He always comes for me."

"Why do you think you're twenty-three?"

I don't understand the question. "It's the last time I saw my father. He took me to a party." Why did he take me to that party? Had he gone to parties before? I think he did, and I hated it, but it seems like I was ready to go. I just don't remember why.

He doesn't ask anymore questions, but does give me a sip of water. I want more, but he takes the cup away before I can get more. He leaves and I groan. I'm freezing and the chains are rubbing against the raw skin of my wrists and ankles. My body aches. I'm going to die here. They're going to forget I'm here and I'm going to die.

This time, it feels like weeks before someone visits me again. I'm shivering so hard I have no control over my muscles. The person grabs my arm and sticks a needle into it. The drugs warm me up a little.

"Do you know who I am?"

I shake my head. A cup is held to my mouth and I greedily drink the water, some of it pouring out of my mouth and into my hair.

"Do you know who I am?" they ask again.

"No," I croak. I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember?

"My name is McKenzie. I'm twenty-three years old. I've been kidnapped. But he will come for me. He always comes for me." I'm not sure how loud I say the words.

"Who kidnapped you?"

I try to think back. Try to remember when I was kidnapped, where I was kidnapped, but I can't. "I don't know." Tears begin to stream down my face. Why can't I remember?

"Who will come for you?" The tears flow harder.

"No one."