CHAPTER THIRTY

CRAIG

 

I’M PULLED FROM my bed. Fighting off unwanted hands my hands fail as they are tied with heavy plastic. Before I can comprehend what’s going on a hood is pulled over my head.

“Let me go.” I shout. “Help.” The hit to the back of my head sends stars dancing across my vision.

I’m woken again by water being splashed across my face, I brace myself as I blink into the vision of the man with another bucket of water. It’s so fucking cold.

“Ahhhh.” My hands are tied behind my back and I’m strapped to a chair. I pound my bare feet into the cold concrete with the coldness of the water. No more comes but I shiver. I’m naked. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t when I got into bed. I know who this is before he appears, kneeling down in front of me like I’m no threat.

“You requested an audience with me.” I shiver at the sound of Emmett Harrington.

So Grace passed on the message.

“Yeah.” My teeth rattle together, and I look over his shoulder, two more guy’s standing with arms folded.

“Don’t worry about them.” I’m nodding because I’m not. I am worried about what’s in front of me.

“I wanted to say I was sorry about …” I don’t get to say her name, blood hits the concrete quickly as my head snaps back from the force of the thump he gives me. I spit out more blood.

I glance back at Emmett and he’s calm, eyes as dead as fuck.

“You going to kill me?” I ask, he doesn’t respond which makes this worse. I’m shivering with the cold and fear.

“Any night I could have pulled you from your bed and put a bullet in your head.” Now he points a gun to my head as if to make his point. It looks like the one he used to smash my skull in the night he found out I handed Amber over to his rivals.

I close my eyes because I can’t look. I want to plead but I’m afraid if I speak I will set him off. I should never have called this meeting. It was stupid of me.

“I want to kill you.” The gun is pushed painfully against my temple. I squeeze my eyes tighter and think of Laura. Was she asleep now? I wish I had more time with her. I’ve never loved anyone like I love her.

“Then do it.” I say.

 

***

I open my eyes and close them again, the pain in my skull is blinding. Widening my mouth, I try to push the pain away.

I’m still tied to the chair, every part of me hurts.

“Your debt was cleared.” Emmett’s voice is there but I can’t see him.

I try to push past it opening one eye. I can see his silhouette.

“Your father gave his life for yours. Not a fair trade but one I gave anyway.”

My father?

I never knew him so why was I feeling a loss now. The fact that he gave his life for mine meant something. The tie on my hands disappear and I’m not ready, I fall forward my knees hitting the ground painfully. Every part of me shakes and aches.

I try to look up at Emmett again and this time it’s a bit easier. I can see him clearly now.

“My family is off limits. If you ever contact Grace again, I will kill you.”

I don’t argue. “I have something for you.”

Emmett laughs, and I divert my eyes away from him. I need to do this. This is for Laura.

“A resident here with me was abused by her father. A pedophile.” I’ve heard the rumors about Emmett being abused and killing everyone who ever put their hands on him, so maybe I’m really fucking stupid for bringing this up. But I had made a promise to myself that if I survived a meeting with Emmett I would try and get some revenge for Laura.

Earlier once Grace had left I had spent most the day around the reception area waiting for Mrs Doyle to go. Everyone had to use the bathroom at some stage, I had snuck in and gotten Laura’s home address. It was under my pillow in my room.

“I have his address.” I manage to get out through chattering teeth. I don’t look up at Emmett as he walks away. I feel like I let Laura down, but I don’t think I have it in me to shout for him to come back.

I’m dragged to my feet. One of Emmett’s muscles is lifting me onto his shoulder and I let him. Was Emmett lying about the debt being cleared? Were they going to kill me after all?

I’m in and out of consciousness but make out my room. I’m dropped on my bed and now it creaks loudly. A brown envelope is slapped against my chest and he turns his back ready to leave.

“W-a-i-t.” he stops as I get the address from under my pillow. The shaking in my body is getting worse.

“Please it’s the address to that man who abused his daughter.” He stares at it but when he snaps it from my fingers and disappears I nearly cry. I have to crawl on my hands and knees to the showers. I use the tile ridges to stand and turn on the water. The first spray sends pins and needles all over my body. It’s fucking painful but I try to stay upright and fight it.

 

***

 

It’s warm I move my head and a sharp pain erupts in it. Opening my eyes I quickly look around as I think of Emmett, but I’m in the hospital. My curtain is open, Eleanor stops when she sees I’m awake.

“Welcome back.” She tells me and I try to sit up but she stops me quickly. Her hand going to my chest.

“You need to rest Craig. You’re not in good shape.”

“What happened?” I remember Emmett, the cold. I shiver now as I think of the cold.

“You were found half beaten to death in the showers. You were there all night, you could have frozen to death. Do you remember what happened?”

I’m shaking my head but now I remember.

“What’s the damage?”  I ask closing my eyes.

“Stitches to the front and back of your head. Bruised face. Nothing broken, but you’ve been out of it for two days.” I try to sit up now.

“Laura.” Eleanor once again is pushing me back down and I want to tell her to get her hands off me.

“Laura has been visiting you.” Eleanor sounds amused and I relax. Laura is okay.

“Just rest Craig. You’re not going anywhere.” For the first time in my life I listen to someone.  I think about everything that happened. I’m free to leave; no more looking over my shoulder. I can finally breathe. I’m grateful to whoever my father was for paying this debt for me. I hate to think of how he died, or the fact he is dead because of me. But I can’t change it, only be grateful for it.