Chapter 4

Wow, that's one word to describe what went down tonight. Kai's a firecracker. I've never met anyone quite like him. He oozes self-confidence, which I can't help but find incredibly attractive, and for some bizarre reason, unbeknownst to me, the attraction seems mutual.

I spent most of the evening trying to keep my accelerated breath in check. Kai's pictures online were gorgeous, but in person he's enchanting. It's in the way he moves, his flirty facial expressions and his quick wit. He knows how to lure you. I'm quietly judging myself for liking him this much after only a week of talking and one date.

When Kai grinded on my lap and nibbled on my neck like he was being graded on it, I thought I was going to explode. And my god, that outfit, he knew exactly what he was doing and the effect it would have on me.

I ached to go upstairs with him, but that's not my style any more. After being ghosted a few too many times when I've slept with guys on a first date, I'm not sure my self-esteem could take another hit.

I watch him swagger towards the run-down apartment block. His milky white legs look luminous in the moonlight. What I'd do for a gust of wind to blow that tiny kilt up and give me a sneak peek of those lacey knickers. I still don't know what colour they are, and that plagues me, so I whip out my phone and shoot him a message.

Edenloves69 1:12:Oi, you little shit, you never did tell me what colour your knickers are?

Kai comes to an abrupt stop outside of the main door and checks his phone. Looking over his shoulder, he gives me the filthiest grin before lifting his kilt and flashing me his perky arse. Black, I knew it. Bubbles of laughter escape me. He's such a little minx, and I fucking love it.

My dick strains against my slim-fit jeans at the sight of his bare legs and plump bum. He's going to ruin my life, I can already tell, and I welcome it.

Kai pulls down his kilt and blows me a kiss over his shoulder before disappearing inside.

My phone aggressively vibrates, warning me I need to charge it. I only have eight percent battery left, but I quickly type another message.

Edenloves69 1:13:You're a fucking menace. ;)

I try to connect the phone charger, but nothing happens. It's been on its way out for a few weeks and I keep meaning to put another one in the car. Usually, it connects if I fiddle around with it and put it at a certain angle. After several failed attempts I sling my phone into the cup holder. I don't live too far away, I can survive without a phone until I get home.

I bring the engine to life when a black Range Rover bolts into the car park. It comes to a sudden stop and idles outside the front door of Kai's building. The windows are blacked out, so I have no idea who's inside.

There's a niggly feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can't quite place so I decide to hang around for a few minutes. Curiosity has got the better of me, and I want to make sure Kai gets into his flat alright before leaving. Praying my phone doesn't die, I send one more message despite how keen it might make me look.

Edenloves69 1:15:Let me know when you get inside safely. :)

Three dots appear underneath his name, then disappear. My knee involuntarily bounces, and tension builds in the base of my neck.

A few minutes pass, the Range Rover hasn't budged, and its engine's still humming away. I glare down at my phone like staring at it will make Kai reply quicker.

The main door clashes against the exterior of the building, startling me. I lean forward and blink hard several times to ensure I'm not imagining it. My stomach drops.

"Kai," I call out, but it's not like he can hear me.

Two men are dragging Kai outside from underneath his arms. He sloppily kicks out in protest, but his body is limp, and his eyes roll to the back of his head. I'm frozen in place as I watch on in horror.

This can't be real. I need to move. He needs help.

I snap out of my frozen state, and a rush of adrenaline courses through my veins, bringing me back online. I fumble with my seat belt and stumble out of my car, but it's too late. They've already forced Kai inside the vehicle, and they're climbing in too.

Who the hell are they? Where are they taking him? What the fuck?

Bile rises in my throat. Too many sick and twisted scenarios assault my brain at once. Before I know what I'm doing, I'm driving out of the car park, tailing them. I'm having trouble taking a proper breath and can barely grip the steering wheel as my damp hands violently shake. I lean forward and squint.

"MD49 YKB," I read the licence plate out loud, then again, "MD49 YKB," and again, "MD49 YKB."

I keep repeating it until it's embedded in my brain. It's all I have right now. I reach for my phone in the cup holder, but my hands tremble so wildly it slips down the side of the leather seat.

"Fuck!" I scream.

I search blindly, knowing I probably only have a couple of percent of battery left if I'm lucky. I growl in frustration when I can't reach it.

I need my fucking phone, need to call the police, need help, need him back.

Sweat drips down the side of my face, and the knots in my stomach tighten. I'm scared, no, that doesn't cover it. I'm fucking petrified because I'm sure he's been abducted. Actually, who am I kidding? He's definitely been abducted because nobody struggles like that when they're going somewhere willingly.

What are they going to do to him?

A queasy wave washes over me. I force myself to take steady breaths to push down the sick bubbling in my stomach.

I hit a pothole and swerve over the double yellow lines. I'm driving like I'm drunk, barely keeping control of the car.

This isn't real. This isn't happening. I can't let them hurt him.

We've been driving for what feels like 40-ish minutes. I have no idea where the fuck we are or if they know I've been following them. I should've noted which roads we were on, but I've been laser-focused on the car in front. I can't afford to lose them.

I roughly wipe my hands on my jeans, soaking up some of the sweat before clutching the steering wheel in an iron grip.

What am I even going to do if they stop?

The men who took Kai looked as big if not bigger than me, and I have no clue how many other people were in the car. If they've abducted him, they won't hesitate to put up a fight when I try to get him back. Fear consumes me, but I can't leave him. I'm his only hope right now.

They turn off into an industrial estate, so I flick off my lights and keep well back. After a few minutes of creeping through desolate streets, the car stops. I kill the engine and slide down deeper into my seat.

A lanky man uncoils himself from the front passenger seat and presses the intercom at the tall iron gates. Glancing up at what seems to be a camera, he nods, and the heavy gates start creaking open. He jumps back into the car, and they drive over the threshold.

The red brick building looks like an old factory or warehouse.

Why would they take Kai here? What kind of fucked up operation do they have going on?

Tears swell in my eyes as I sit there frozen in time, unsure what to do next. The dreadful sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach feels physically painful. I take a few rapid breaths, trying to clear my mind.

My phone, fuck, my phone. I scramble to find it down the side of the seat.

"Yes," I shout when I finally clutch it.

Manically unlocking it, I punch in 999, but it shuts down before I even have a chance to hit the call button.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, no."

I aimlessly shove the charger in and out of my phone, frustration spreading through my bones as the screen remains black.

I chuck my phone at the dashboard and slam my hands against the steering wheel at a complete loss. There's a fucking security gate with CCTV, and I have no way of contacting anyone. Part of me debates whether I should drive to the nearest residential area to get help, but what if I can't find the place again? It's pitch black and I'm in the arse end of nowhere. They might hurt Kai before I get help. For all I know, they're already torturing him. It feels like an impossible decision to make.

Fuck, I'm going to be sick. No really, this time I'm going to be sick. I swing the door open and hang my head out of the car, emptying the contents of my stomach onto the tarmac. Once I finish, I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, grab a stale bottle of water from the side door compartment, swill my mouth several times, and spit. Climbing out and stepping over my vomit, I pace back and forth in front of my car, tugging at my hair for several minutes.

Fuck it, I'll go to the side of the gate, avoiding the CCTV and try and get a better look. If I can get more information, like a company name or address, I'd have a lead to give to the police. I shrink my large frame and sneak over to the gate on unstable legs. The cold air and wind do nothing to cool me down. Sweat trickles down the side of my forehead, landing in my eye.

Clenching and unclenching my damp fists, I ask myself, What if I have to fight? What if they have weapons?

I slide my back against the wall that surrounds the perimeter of the building and slowly creep closer to the main gate. When I finally reach it, I flip around and peek through the first bar. All of the lights in the building seem to be off except one to the far left of the building. It's impossible to see here, but I need an address. I must be delirious because I start scaling the gate. It's about a foot taller than me. I drag myself up and hook my foot on the thick bar in the centre of the gate. Once both legs are balancing on the middle bar, I swing a leg over so I can straddle the top of the gate and then climb over. I land on the other side with a thump and lose my footing, stumbling onto the gravel. I force myself up and rub the gravel embedded into my palms onto my jeans.

From what I can see, there's no business name or anything else identifying the address. "Fuck," I mutter to myself.

I'm going to have to get a closer look. I breathe heavily while edging closer to the illuminated window, keeping myself low. Once I reach the window, I bend down underneath it.

Please let Kai be in there.

I hold my breath as I slowly raise my head to peer inside, terrified of what I might find.

"No." I gasp and slam my hand over my mouth to silence my whimper.

Two girls are sitting on a grubby mattress with looped chains around their necks held together with industrial padlocks. The opposite ends of the chains are bolted into the cement ground. It's barbaric. They're chained up like dogs. It's like something out of my worst nightmare.

The younger-looking girl of the two looks up and spots me. Her eyes protrude, and her jaw hangs open. She points at me while repeatedly swatting the girl beside her, desperately trying to garner her attention. The other girl pushes her away, and from the way her mouth moves, it looks like she tells her to fuck off.

This is much worse than I imagined. It's not only Kai's life on the line. There are other captives. I need to get help. There's no way I can help them escape if they're tied up.

My heart feels hollow at the thought of leaving them here, but the depraved people who've done this to these girls are clearly powerful. I'm just one man.

As I muster up the courage to leave, the sound of footsteps crunching behind me makes my body seize up. My animal instincts tell me to stay still and play dead, so the predator doesn't strike.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?" The gravelly voice makes my blood run cold. I will myself to move, run, fight, and shout, but I'm hopelessly glued to the ground.

A shooting pain penetrates my neck, making me howl out in pain.

My hand comes up, trying to stop the intrusion while twisting around to see who's attacking me, but I'm too slow. He jabs me in the side with a balled-up fist, causing me to keel over.

"Stop, what are you doing to them? Where's Kai? Tell me where he is?" My words slur as I lay helplessly clutching my side.

My limbs feel heavy, and I can barely lift my head. My eyelids flutter in a desperate plea to stay open. I feel myself slipping, and my body becomes boneless. I try to speak, but the words sound foreign to my ears. I sense a dangerous form looming over me.

Then darkness takes me.