Avowed (The Manipulation Trilogy Book 3) (19 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

December 24
th
2014

Ella

It’s Christmas Eve and I’m on my way to fetch Damon’s surprise gifts from Faith. It took some convincing to get away from Damon. He wanted to come with me, but I needed to visit Pops’ grave alone before going to visit together tomorrow. My husband wasn’t very happy but he begrudgingly agreed.

I can’t wait to see the canvas and photo albums. Faith told me they have turned out beautifully and I’m excited to see her artistic ability. I wanted elegant, sexy pictures and Faith said they’re some of the best she’s ever done.

Pulling up to her studio, I quickly exit my car and make my way to the heavy wooden doors. I try the handle but they’re locked. I frown and knock as loudly as I can. When I spoke briefly to Faith earlier she told me she’d leave the doors open for me again.

Receiving no answer, I pull my phone out and give her a quick call. When the call goes to voicemail after ringing several times I’m at a loss as to what to do. Thinking she might be a little late, I make my way back to my car and unlock it. I go to climb in, throwing my purse in the passenger seat, but a voice freezes me in place.

“Oh thank God. Ella, I’ve been waiting for you. We need to leave,” Simon says from behind me. My heart tries to take flight, pounding forcefully in my chest. Blood whooshes in my ears, creating a white noise. Fear holds me in place.

Simon moves closer to me and reaches out a hand to touch me. I flinch from the contact and he pulls back like I’ve burned him.

“Ella,” he chokes. “I won’t… I’m not here to hurt you. I’m going to save you. You have to come with me. I need to take you somewhere safe. Your
husband
can’t look after you like I can.” Simon spits the word husband like it’s a snake ready to strike. “Let me care for you,” he pleads.

“Simon, I… What are you doing here?” I ask in a shaky voice.

“I want to help you,” he replies, stepping closer again. I turn to face him fully and press my back against the car when I discover Simon holding a gun loosely in his hand.

Oh fuck.

“Please don’t hurt me,” I beg. Simon’s eyes widen when he registers my words, and he looks shocked.

“I would never hurt you baby. Listen, we don’t have much time. We have to go,” he says frantically, looking down the road as if he’s expecting someone to turn up. It hits me then. I just need to stall him until Sofia gets here. She can help me. “Your friend is okay but we must go Ella,” Simon says.

His words bring tears to my eyes. Faith must be in there and he’s done something to her. Oh God, please don’t let her be hurt. Simon said she is safe but he’s holding a fucking gun. Can I seriously trust that she’s okay?

“Simon, I don’t understand what’s happening. Why do we need to leave?” I say, deferring. I need to think of something quickly if I want to get out of this. I know I won’t be able to take him down whilst I’m eight months pregnant, but I can take him by surprise and run.

Where would I run though? He’s standing right in front of me and will easily be able to grab me if I try to get into my car. Faith’s warehouse is locked, and I’m on a stretch of road with nothing in sight.

Running is out of question
.

Simon shakes his head, frustration clear on his face. “We don’t have time for this, baby. Get in my car and I’ll explain on the way but I need to get you out of here. It’s not safe.”

“I’m not leaving without knowing why. You need to tell me. I’m scared,” I say. I hope his feelings for me can help because that’s the only good thing I have going for me right now. I need to play on his emotions. “Talk to me babe,” I plead.

I feel sick to my stomach having to play with him like this. Just a year ago I thrived off of my conquests’ pain, but now I know true love, I can imagine the pain I gave my practise ex’s. I played with their emotions, and no one deserves that. I truly am remorseful for what I’ve done. I wish I could go back in time and take it all back, but I know I wouldn’t really if given the choice. It all led to finding my own happiness and I would always pick the same option if it gave me what I have now.

Happiness.

Peace.

Love.

I have it all and could lose it because of one of my sins. I could lose it because I played with this man’s emotions for revenge. I toyed with him like he was nothing, but now I understand that he’s someone’s son. He could be a brother, an uncle, a grandson.
He could be someone’s dad
. My tears flow freely as that though enters my head.

Maybe I deserve to die.

Damon would be better off. I’ve given him nothing but trouble since the moment I knew he existed. My entire family has destroyed him with his own guilt over their deaths. Since the day my husband met the first member of the Knight family he has had nothing but immense guilt, and I have no doubt he would blame himself if something was to happen to me and our daughter.

Jellybean
.

My hand automatically drops to my large bump, my breath knocked from my lungs. I won’t let her die. I might deserve to die but she doesn’t. She deserves the best of everything. She deserves to experience her father’s love.

Using a term of endearment to Simon seems to have knocked him silent. He’s standing in front of me with a loving smile on his lips, and lust in his eyes.

“Simon,” I choke. Panic is beginning to consume me. I can’t let my daughter be hurt but I can see no way out of this situation.

Stepping forward, Simon wraps his arms around me, pulling me against his chest. He tries soothing me by speaking of his love but I pay him no attention. His gun is now pressed against my side and trepidation fills me. One wrong move and my baby’s life could be over.

Motherly instincts kick in and I decide that gaining Simon’s trust is the only way I will get out of this nightmare. He begins peppering kisses into my hair before turning anxious again.

“Baby we need to go,” he says as he begins pulling me to the side of Faith’s studio. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She promised she wouldn’t hurt you. She was just supposed to get him away from you. You were going to be
mine
again, but she lied. She fucking lied to me,” he growls. Simon’s hand, holding my upper arm, clenches and tightens, squeezing my flesh. I cry out in pain and his instantly loosens his grip. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, guiding me forwards again.

A truck is parked behind the building and terror sets in. If I get in the car with him there is no telling what will happen. My car is unlocked and if I take Simon by surprise, then I might be able to get away. He’s speaking in rhymes and not making much sense. 

Fight or flight mode kicks in and I move fast. I rip away from his grasp, only to ram my whole body into him. He tumbles to the ground and I run. I sprint as fast as I can back around the warehouse to my car.

“Ella,” Simon screams, his voice still behind the building.

Reaching my car, I throw the door open and clamber in, fumbling to insert my keys into the ignition. I drop them in my rush and cry out in frustration. Checking to see where Simon is, my blood pressure boils when I see him running at me, gun in hand.

I get the car started and press on the pedal, but move nowhere. Releasing the handbrake, my car lurches forward, and I swerve. I quickly recover and press my foot to the floor and take off.

Holy fucking shit.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

In my rearview mirror I catch Simon jumping in his car and speeding out behind me. Sheer terror fills my bones and adrenalin pumps around my bloodstream. My vision blurs out for a second, and he gains speed on me.

I focus back on the road and try to clear my head. I need Damon. He’ll save me. He’ll know what to do. I reach across the centre console and fumble in my bag to grab my phone.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

December 24
th
2014

Damon

Spencer growls in frustration. I’m just as pissed as he is but there is fuck all else we can do. I look around the piss smelling, filthy flat in repulsion. How anyone could live in this disgusting pit is beyond me. I gag as the urine smell overwhelms me.

“Where the fuck is he? It looks like no one has been here for weeks,” I growl. “Fuck. This sick bastard is after my woman and he’s vanished. How can he just disappear?”

“Do you think he gave up on her when she married you?” Spencer asks.

“You read the fucking letters Spence. Did the last ones sound like he’s given up?” We’ve been keeping check on Ella’s mail and more disturbing letters have arrived. Some of them graphically describing how he was going to punish her for marrying me.

I wasn’t sure it was Simon we were dealing with until I had security cameras installed. When we had a face, Spence handed a picture along with Ella’s exes’ names to a guy he knows. It took just hours to confirm it was Simon. It’s taken weeks to locate him and now we’re at another fucking dead end.

“What’s the plan?” he asks. “I know you have one so what now?”

“I’m going to hunt him Spencer. We can just keep checking his regular locations and hope we find him before he finds Ella. The plan is to
hunt
him.” I stride from the room, taking a deep breath of air when I’m in the hallway. Spencer is on my heels and slams the door shut behind him. He inhales a lungful of air, preferring the stale air out here to the piss filled one inside Simon’s flat.

Spencer sighs as we make our way down the steps. I want to roar and punch things, but my brother’s relaxed attitude is calming.

“I don’t like the waiting around. Something doesn’t feel right. He hasn’t been here for weeks so where is he?” I mutter.

“We know he’s local because of his transaction activity and surveillance, but we’re missing something. Ella’s call history shows all those private number calls and we know nothing was said on those, just breathing, but they’re from two different locations. Could he have a partner?”

“I don’t fucking know. I know as much as you do Spencer,” I growl. I’m getting frustrated with his questions because I’ve asked myself the exact same things and still have no answers.

“Sorry, just thinking out loud,” he mumbles.

God, I’m an arsehole
.

“Sorry Spence. I’m just frustrated,” I apologise.

“No worries. I’m feeling the same. Let’s just head to the café he frequents,” he suggests. “Simon might be there.”

I’m not holding my fucking breath. This prick is going to be escaping us at every turn.

Nearing the car, my phone rings with a new ringtone.
John Legend, All of Me
blares from my hand and Spencer casts me an amused glance.

Fucking Ella.

My wife gets annoyed at me changing my contact name in her phone. I do it just to fire her up because she’s sexy as fuck when she’s feisty. I presume this is her revenge. A sappy love song ringing out whilst I’m meant to be at the office, in a meeting no less, is the perfect revenge to make me look like a pussy-whipped motherfucker.

I laugh, bringing my phone up to my ear, “Beauty,” I say with an amused voice. Her plan failed. I told her I had a meeting today. I really just wanted to see Spencer and tried to convince Ella to come with me. I would have gone into Spencer’s office and left my wife in mine whilst he gave me an update, but she refused, wanting to visit Pops’ grave instead.

I wanted to refuse her going out alone but I know that would have caused a lot of problems. I wanted to fucking tie her to the bed and ban her from leaving the house without me but she would never forgive me. I can’t keep her prisoner, she’s right about that, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

“Damon,” Ella’s terror filled voice greets me and I instantly go on high alert. “Oh God, Damon.” Nervous tension fills me at her anxiety. My body tenses for fight mode as I let her fear consume me.

“Ella?” I ask, in a strained voice. Spencer’s eye clash with mine, hearing my change of tone, and he begins looking around for a suspect.

“Fuck. Damon, I… I don’t know what to do,” she cries. “He’s going to get me.” Black rage incinerates me, sending violent fire blazing through me. I don’t need Ella to tell me who
he
is, I know.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“I went to Faith’s studio and he was there. He has a gun Damon,” she hiccups. “Oh shit. He’s in the wrong lane Damon. He’s screaming at me. I don’t know what to do,” she screams. The panic in her voice freaks me the fuck out. She’s not in the right state of mind to fucking drive.

“Fuck,” I roar.

“I’m sorry,” Ella cries out. “I love you.”

My wife sounds like she has no hope and dread fills me. I need to get her calm and in control.

“Ella,” I shout. Her answering whimper is enough to know I have her attention. “Ella, you need to listen to me beauty. You need to listen to my voice,” I say calmly, in an attempt to soothe her. 

“I’m listening,” she says in a cracked voice. “Oh God Damon. I’m so sorry.”

“Shhh, listen to me baby. I need you to tell me exactly where you are and I need you to calm down. You need to clear your head and think. I’m coming for you, baby. I’ll always come for you Ella,” I promise her. I need to know where she is. I need to rip that piece of shit man limb from limb.

Spencer’s eyes are wild as he waits with his phone in hand, waiting for Ella’s answer as much as I am. I have no doubt he’ll call emergency services but I don’t want that. I want to kill Simon. I don’t want him to have the chance to survive. I run and get into my car, but Spencer jumps in the passenger seat before I can get away.

He’s quick and knows me well.

I glare at him because I don’t have time to argue with him. I start the car and speed out the car park in front of Simon’s flat, not knowing where I’m going yet, but needing to be in action.

“I’m... fuck. I don’t know. I can’t think,” Ella says, panicked. She pauses to take in her surroundings. “I’m a mile away from your mums. I’m heading straight for it coming in from Faith’s studio. He’s gaining speed Damon. He’s not going to let me go,” she cries.

That’s all I needed. I know I’ll never get to her on time and my only option now is the police. Before I can repeat Ella’s words to Spencer, a loud bang sounds out and Ella screams, wailing so loudly, I have to pull my phone away.

“Ella,” I roar. “Fuck!”

“Damon?” Spencer asks, alarm filling his voice.

“I love you,” Ella cries.

“Nooooooooo,” I scream.

“I love you,” she repeats. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

“FUCK NO,” I shout.

“I love you,” she chokes.

I slam my breaks on, my heart ripping apart when I hear the crunch and grind of metal colliding. I scream to Spencer Ella’s location and he gets on his phone instantly.

I need to get to her.

Everything goes quiet as I hold my breath, tears blurring my vision. Ella’s distant soft cries kick starts my heart and brain into gear, and I press my foot to the floor, tearing down the road. She’s alive and that’s enough to have my mind focused.

I race to the stretch of road my wife has crashed on, praying she’ll be unharmed. I keep the connection on our phones going and put it on loud speaker. Ella’s soft whimpers fill my car and each one cuts my heart like a jagged knife ripping the beating muscle apart.

I hear a new voice and relief fills me at the mumbled words. I can’t tell if it’s a man or woman but knowing someone is there to help my wife makes me sag with relief.

I concentrate on getting to my wife,
my world
, with fear running frenzy inside me.

Please let her be okay. Please don’t take my wife. Not when I’ve just gotten her. Please
.

Cold dread fills my heart when I hear screeching through the phone but soon seethe with fury when a voice I know so fucking well screams at my wife.

“Get the fuck out,” Leona Goodridge screams.

Hatred storms through me, thundering through my veins. I’m going to kill her. Ella’s screams cause me to squeeze the steering wheel with wrath, but it’s not enough. I punch it repeatedly, taking my anger out on the closest thing to me.

Spencer continues to relay information to the operator on the phone but at my outburst he places a supportive hand on my shoulder, squeezing me in warning.

Get your head in the fucking game Hunt.   

We’re ten minutes out and I speed up further, needing to save Ella. Sirens in the distance make me take a breath but don’t ease the weight on my chest. The phone is silent. Ella is no longer connected to me through the phone.