TRAPPED (Breaking Free Book 2) (2 page)

He picks up immediately, his gruff voice telling me the lazy sod is still in bed.

I do
n’
t need to say much, the man was a highly ranked part of MI5 until an assignment went tits up, if someone needs finding, h
e’
s your man. He did
n’
t tell me a lot, just that he needed out, and so I made him a shareholder in my Gym franchises, as I was only starting out and wanting to branch out further. It was the best move I could have ever made. I may be the majority holder, but I class him as my equal.  H
e’
s a ruthless bastard, and I know if anyone has a chance of finding my girl i
t’
s him.

“
Harry I need your help. Conni
e’
s been kidnapped
.
”

CONNIE:

“
Err, What
the hell
?
”

My head is pounding, and my eyes are far too heavy for me to even attempt to open them. A deep throbbing has settled to the back of my head, and I start to wonder where exactly it is that I am.
I’
m trying to get a grasp on reality and figure it all out, but i
t’
s so hard. The pain is so intense and I feel as though a fog has settled over my brain making it impossible to put anything together.

I slowly raise my arm to feel the huge egg that has formed, and a vague memory of watching my phone smash at my feet floats through my mind.  I force my eyes open a slither, and wince at the harshness of the sunlight streaming in through the window.

The blinds that look as though they were white at one time, are now holey and a deep cream colour, make me frown. The realisation that this is
n’
t any room I happen to live or stay in hits me like a ton of bricks.
Where the bloody hell am I?

Lifting my head to take in the room further forces a moan from the back of my throat. A dizzy spell washes over me and I suck in a few deep breaths to steady myself.

I know this room, i
t’
s so familiar, but I cannot for the life of me remember how.

A woma
n’
s voice screeching from a distance grabs my attention, and I slowly, on achy legs, edge my way to the chipped bedroom door with fist sized holes in it.

I do
n’
t believe it, it ca
n’
t be her, of all the houses for me to be in, why on earth would I be in my mother in laws?

It all hits me at once. Hunter being married, being confronted by his posh, flashy wife, everything getting too much to cope with and running from his and Lotti
e’
s apartment complex in an attempt to escape the whole messed up scenario.

A tear slithers down my cheek, and I brush it away harshly, angry at myself for falling in to another ma
n’
s trap. I can never just have a break, every man I allow in to my life screws me o
v
er in one way or another. The pain that Hunter has caused me is above and beyond anything Dan ever did to me, including the one too many beatings I was forced to suffer through.

Alex and Lily spent the whole week away with my Mum as a way for me to learn to heal and move on with my life without Dan, and to keep them away from any backlash Dan would throw my way for me finally getting the balls to walk away from him. There I was stupidly spending the majority of it being wined and dined by Hunter, and falling for a man who has in such a short space of time ripped  my heart out and crushed it into pieces.

I feel irreparable, completely heartbroken.

I swallow down the pain that sits heavily in my chest, and compel myself to think of a way out of this house without being noticed. Dan has to be here, there is no way he would knock me out and kidnap me, just to drop me at his mothe
r’
s house and leave me here unguarded. The woman is cuckoo, she lives in a land of fantasy, I
swear sh
e’
s not all there at all and would be of no help to him in the slightest.

The door creaks as I twist the handle and open it gently. My heart thumps painfully, and I pause to listen for movement in the hallway. My arms and legs are shaking from the adrenaline rushing through my system, blood is whooshing through my ears and every small noise nearly makes me throw up in panic.
What the shitting hell have I got myself in to?

“
Going somewhere
?
”

Da
n’
s gruff voice makes me squeal in surprise and turn quickly to face him.
Think, think, think.
“
Er, er
,
no.  I was going to see your Mum. I recognised the bedroom as your old one
.
”

He raises an eyebrow in question at me, clearly not believing the bull shit spewing from my mouth.
I’
m struck dumb by the state of him. The man has never looked like this in the ten years I have been with him. He has crazy eyes, blood shot and shifty, his once black hair that he religiously kept styled is in tufts as if he has been tugging on it. He has on ratty work jeans and an old, creased cheap t-shirt, not the designer clothes he usually wears. His skin appears to be sunken and paler since I last saw him as well. The man is a mess, and I am totally gobsmacked by it.

Dan starts laughing, a full bend over and wrapping his arms around his stomach laugh and I take the opportunity whilst he is distracted to dart for the stairs, praying he does
n’
t pull himself together until I am at least out of the front door and can scream bloody murder on the street and hope somebody hears me.

No sooner have I reached the top step, do I feel a hand tug the back of my vest top and try to pull me backwards. I screech as the material gives way from the force of his manhandling and my body plummets down the uncarpeted stairs, bouncing off the majority of the steps on the way down. I just about protect my head by my hands in time, knowing I cannot take another hit there after him knocking me out earlier.

A sharp pain radiates up my right leg as soon as I fall to the floor at the bottom.  I cry out from the pain, attempting to hold back the tears that are burning the backs of my eyelids. I will not let that brute see me cry, he gets too much satisfaction from the pain he causes me.

“
You stupid bitch. See what you made me do
?
” I try ineffectively, to half shuffle, half drag myself away on my good leg in an effort to distance myself from the angry ex partner
stalking down the steps towards me. The vibes he is throwing off makes me shrink in to myself, in an attempt to make myself smaller
.“
Stop trying to run from me!! Yo
u’
re mine, do you fucking hear me Connie? Mine
!
”

A whimper breaks free from my lips. I should never have tried to run, Dan will never let me go, he would rather see me dead than happy without him.
Stupid, so so stupid
! The only saving grace in all of this is that my babies are safe, and if I do
n’
t make it out alive, I know they will be looked after and cared for by my Mum.

That prick can never let me find a bit of happiness, he has to ruin everything. The anger starts bubbling in my veins, and my fight or flight sense kicks in. Fight it is! I start to kick out, biting my tongue against the pain in my leg and aiming for any part of his body within reach, he grunts as my foot connects and I feel a slither of satisfaction at the idea of him in pain.

I continue to thrash, my emotions taking over and the pain in my body fades to numbness.

“
Children this is no time to mess about, come and have breakfast
!
” Da
n’
s mothe
r’
s voice registers somewhere in my brain, but I ignore it and continue to fight him, not going down easily.

“
Children please! Now that is enough. Dan you can show Connie some affection later
.
” The woman is seriously deluded, on what planet does me thrashing about on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, with Dan trying to make a grab for me count as him trying to
show me
any form of affection? And I often wondered why Dan was as fucked up as he is.

“
Mum fuck off, either help me restrain Connie or go and plate up the food
.
”

My body has started to slow, aches and pains beginning to set in again slowing me down, but his words of restraining me have kicked up the adrenaline flowing through my system and
I’
m ready to take this bastard down. I cannot allow him to restrain me,
I’
ll never get away if he does.

He growls before lunging at me, his whole body weight diving on me, and flattening me against the floor. My eyes zone in on his neck and I throw my head forward and sink my teeth in to the skin there, in an attempt to get him off of me.

“
You fucking bitch, you do
n’
t learn do you
?
” He barks, before I feel him grip a handful of hair at the front and lift my head to smash it back down on the floor.

He continues to batter my head on the floor, forcing my mouth to slacken and release his skin,  the copper taste from obviously breaking his skin coats my tongue, and I laugh in satisfaction from leaving my mark.

“I’
ll kill you, I swear
I’
ll go down fighting
.
” Are the last words I manage to grate out before everything fades to blac
k
… again.

DAN:

“
Fuck, that bitch drives me fucking crazy. Why ca
n’
t she ever do as sh
e’
s told
?
”

Connie is sprawled beneath me passed out. Even with my blood coating her mouth and chin, she is still the most beautiful thing I have ever owned. I could never tell her that though, her head is far too big for her body and sh
e’
d look down her nose at everyone. No, the only way to control your woman is to put them in their place and make sure they know you are inferior to them in every way.

“
Oh Dan, you really do need to make sure she learns to do as sh
e’
s told. I
t’
s far too dangerous for a woman like Connie to be raising a family alone. You must take control like your father did with me. Take her up and put her in bed, that nice cuddle you were trying to give her would be a nice way for her to wake up, do
n’
t you think
?
”

“
Huh, yeah I suppose. I should be there when she wakes really
.
” I reply to my nosey mother. She annoys the hell out of me, is slightly crazy since my Dad died, but always did as my father wished when he was alive, and tha
t’
s exactly how Connie needs to start behaving. How dare she leave me for some little rich boy? She ruined my life so
I’
ll be fucked if
I’
ll let her walk away and leave me now. I do everything for her and her kids.

I pick her up and sling her over my shoulder, turning to my Mother and making it clear she is not to interrupt
.“
And Mum, just for the record, that shit Connie just pulled was her way of attempting to run away, take the kids and leave me. So no matter what you hear coming from upstairs, you are to ignore it, the bitch needs to learn her place
.
” I know she wo
n’
t get involved. Connie made her bed by trying to leave, now she needs to learn she belongs with me, and my Mum knows it.

My mousey looking mother looks horrified all of a sudden, but I still turn my back on her and walk up the stairs
.“
Oh Dan, how awful. I thought Connie was perfect for you, you make sure to put a stop to her terrible attitude sweetheart. What a silly little girl, I cannot believe she would be so selfish as to only think of herself.
I’
ll stay away sweetheart, this is your battle after all. Such a shame though, what a silly, silly girl
.
” She mutters the last part quietly, more to herself than directed at me.

The bedroom door slides open with ease as I kick the corner.

I hate this shit hole, fist sized holes in the doors and walls, bare floor boards from where my dad threw a temper and ripped up the carpets.

Looking down at my girl, I ca
n’
t help but wonder how it all went so wrong so fast, everything was so right and then she ditches me for a gir
l’
s night out and everything went tits up. This is all  her fault, had she not left that night I would
n’
t have gone out and got smashed, and my best friend would still be alive and well.

A lump forms in my throat, the regret from the turnout of that night so many years ago still affects me in such a bad way. My girl and I were happy, had so much to look forward to, and then she threw it all away. She does
n’
t get to decide to walk away and start again with someone else when she has drained me dry, the bitch did this to me and so sh
e’
s stuck with me. Together till the end.

Throwing her down on the bed in anger, I watch her bounce and try to roll to her side. She groans, calling out for that bastard who took her away in the first place, Hunter. I start shaking in rage, how dare he come along and try and take my family away from me, they are mine, mine!

I bite my tongue, the copper taste rolling to the back of my throat as I attempt to quell the urge to beat the feelings she has for this dickhead out of her. I spin on the spot and throw my fist in to the wall, a small sense of satisfaction surfacing from the damage to the plasterboard, my brain visualising Hunte
r’
s face in its place. Another hole to join the several others scattered throughout the room.

“
FUCK, FUCK, FUCK
!
” How could I have let it get this bad? How could I have been so stupid to mess around with that slag Rhia? I should have known she would find a way to tell Connie, the slag has been after my cock for months, turning me against my girl with her spiteful mouth to get her own way.

The decision to make her pay for this mess is not a hard one, she will regret forcing my girl out of my life and into another ma
n’
s. She has
n’
t got a thing on my girl, she was just an easy lay, and something different to fill the time, they all are. They will never compare to my Connie, they are a small distraction, a way to forget that awful night when I lost my best friend.

My body begins to shake as the memories from that night surface. Watching my childhood friend Tom stagger out in front of me, rather than waiting for me to turn the car around for him, the grin on his face replaced with horror as he realised I was about to hit him, myself being unable to stop the car in time, and watching his face smash through my windscreen and flip him in to the air before his body landed in the road, lifeless, broken and unbreathing.

I did the only thing I could at the time, I put the car in reverse and raced away from the deserted street and my best frien
d’
s body as fast as the car would go. I parked it in my Mu
m’
s garage and it has
n’
t come out since. I could
n’
t hang around and try to help him even if I wanted to, I was so far over the legal drinking limit, mylife would have been gone, arrested on the spot. No way was I willing to have those consequences put on me, if it was
n’
t for Connie going out and Tom staggering in to that road then it would
n’
t have happened. This was
n’
t my fault, and no way was I about to spend years of my life locked away for their mistakes.

God, realistically if Connie had just stayed home with me I would
n’
t have gone out drinking, I would
n’
t have driven home drunk, and I sure as hell would not have hit my best friend. Connie killed Tom and our relationship. I ca
n’
t bring myself to forgive her, and I ca
n’
t bring myself to let her go. Sh
e’
s mine, and it was always meant to be us against the world.

Several sets of tyres screech to a halt outside the house, and I snap myself from the awful flashbacks, panic setting in that Hunter has come to take my girl from me. The room is eerily quiet as I start to plan my escape with my girl before they can take her from me, Conni
e’
s gentle breathing, and my harsh, deep breaths the only sounds in the room.

I rip open the top drawer, throwing money and my passport in to my pockets. Connie is still out for the count. Car doors close, and I hold my breath, hoping i
t’
s one of Mu
m’
s neighbours.

Knocking on the front door begins. I immediately rush to Conni
e’
s side, picking her up and throwing her back over my shoulder, checking to make sure I have my hunting knife in my pocket as I walk from the room.

The door kicks open, and I hear my Mu
m’
s shrill squeal in shock, her efforts to hold back the intruders proving ineffective as I hear orders to spread out and search the house.

I run to the end of the hallway, opening the window and climbing out to the conservatory roof, situated below. I grunt as I drop the small distance, keeping a firm grip on my girl.

“
Stop, you take one more step and
I’
ll shoot
.
”

My eyes take in the ladder a small step ahead of me leading to the ground, and take a quick glance behind me, spotting Hunter climbing from the window behind me, gun in hand ready to shoot. I could laugh at the desperate mug, but I have
n’
t got time for this. I need to get my girl away from this, somewhere where i
t’
s just me and her, and no one can come between us.

I sneer at the bastard
,“
You really
gonna   shoot
me, when
I’
m holding the one thing you came for? If I go down she goes down with me. Now back the fuck up or I throw her
.
” Hunte
r’
s eyes flare for a brief second, before a neutral unaffected mask comes across his face.

He deliberates for a second, before backing up to the window and waiting for me to go ahead and leave.

I know I look like a smug bastard, the smirk on my face is instantaneous knowing I not only have Connie, but I have just got another one over on him.

Spinning back around, I quickly and carefully manoeuvre myself down the ladder. Approaching the last few steps, a sharp sting hits me in the lower leg and I fall forward, Connie dropping to the grass beside me as I collapse. I hear the shouting, several male voices behind me, and I swallow down the defeat, making the decision to leave without Connie whilst I still can.

I ignore the pain, and run to the end of the garden, throwing myself over the small fence and jumping in the jeep I have waiting for me at the end.

I squeal away from the parking spot, cursing and punching the steering wheel as I go, out running the three heavily muscled men chasing me.

They may have her for now, but
I’
ll be back. Conni
e’
s mine, and
I’
ll do whatever it takes till sh
e’
s back in my arms!