Daria
Where was he?
Sunset had fallen in the town of Springville several hours ago, cloaking the streets with a thick darkness that seemed deeper and more sinister than usual. It was coming up on nine o’clock and normally, the shop would have been closed several hours ago. Not today though. Today I had spent pacing back and forth in Rocky’s shop, paying no heed to any tasks, bills or orders that needed to be taken care of. I had much more important things on my mind.
Where was he?
It had been hours since Rocky left. He’d promised that he’d be back soon but I wasn’t going to believe it until he was standing alive and well in my arms. Tonight was the night that Rocky had planned to meet up with Jason Steele and carry out the hit.
I was beginning to get anxious.
Who was I kidding? I was anxious the second he’d placed a foot out the door.
I turned on my heel and began another lap around Rocky’s workshop. It wasn’t too long ago when I was here pacing exactly like I was now, waiting for Rocky to come back to me. The last time was when Rocky and his uncle had met with Garcia at the warehouse and that had turned out fine so maybe I was just overreacting. He was probably fine anyway. He’d spent a long time talking about how easy a hit that was going to be.
In a way, it churned my stomach to know that Rocky was out trying to kill someone at that very moment. On the other hand, it was Rocky, and I couldn’t ever hide how much I would be willing to overcome to remain with him.
He had insisted that it would be the so simple he would be back by dinner but it was a lot later than what I’d expected. He could’ve just been dishonest for my sake but I had a feeling that Rocky wasn’t purposefully lying to me. He really did think he would get home in time. And that only left a few other possibilities of what had happened, none of them looking too positive.
I couldn’t help the way my chest tightened with fear. Something didn’t feel right. Call it a woman’s intuition or just superstition, I knew something wasn’t right. It had been way too long for Rocky not to come back. And he would’ve called by now if he could.
That thought almost earned a scoff from me. Rocky was the worst when it came to calling or texting or even answering. If he even had a phone on him it was a miracle.
I wandered over to the single window of Rocky’s workshop that faced the street and peered through a slat in the closed shutters. The street was quiet outside, just what I would expect at this time of night in Springville. I kept an eye out hoping that Rocky would come racing down on his motorbike at any moment but when he didn’t, I backed away from the window with a groan of frustration.
Where was he?
Normally, I would’ve been at the hotel with my mom, but I’d told Rocky I would wait here for him to get back. I didn’t want to miss him when he returned and I also wanted to be there for him in case he needed me. Despite Rocky’s constant talk of vengeance, I knew he was a better man than what he thought of himself, and I knew he would have mixed feelings about Steele’s death.
Maybe that was what was going on.
Maybe he felt confused and needed some time alone to think things through.
That didn’t sound like Rocky but I would accept any explanation apart from the awful scenarios I’d conjured in my head. Shot and left for dead, bleeding out in the streets, crashed into a brick wall, motorbike crushing his body, stabbed in the chest, his final breaths made in a cold and dark alley, completely alone.
I peered through the shutters again, eyeing the empty street outside and praying for any movement at all.
Nothing.
There was absolutely nothing. No people, no cars, no bikes, and, most importantly, no Rocky.
Where could he be?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard the low rumble of an engine coupled with the bright headlights as something came speeding down my street. I stood up on my toes trying to get a better view, craning my neck left and right while my heart threatened to burst out of my chest.
I let out a small sound of anguish as I realized it was just a black van coming down the street.
Just as I was about to turn away from the window, I noticed the van stop right outside and three men getting out, holding guns the size of my arm and dressed in head to toe black.
“Shit,” I muttered to myself.
I immediately let go of the shutters and raced to turn off all the lights. What was I meant to do in an invasion situation? It had never happened to me before so I was at a complete loss.
What else?
I hurried to the front door and locked it, wishing there was a deadbolt as well.
What else?
A weapon. I jumped over to a small cabinet on Rocky’s side of the room and pulled out the shoebox resting inside. Rocky wouldn’t mind if I borrowed his gun, right?
I peeled off the lid and cursed when I realized that of course it would be empty, Rocky had it with him for tonight.
What would work as a weapon then? I scanned the room frantically and almost smacked myself a moment later when I remembered where I worked.
I opened Rocky’s toolbox and grabbed the large metal wrench that was about the distance from my fingers to my elbow. That should do nicely.
The door was pounded on roughly from the other side and I resisted the urge to scream.
“It’s okay. They can’t get in, they don’t know you're here.”
The door shook again as the men behind it tried to knock it down.
That was my cue to hide. Hurrying to my office, I locked the door behind me and squeezed myself under the desk. There was no hope for me, I knew it.
I snagged my phone from my back pocket and dialled Rocky’s number.
“Come on, pick up, pick up, pick up.” I groaned and shut off my phone, debating who next to call.
A loud bang sounded out as the front door of the workshop finally opened and the men were able to come in.
My hands began to shake. I thought it would take them a lot longer to get through that door.
I called Rocky once again praying that maybe this time he’d answer. Again, there was no answer.
Should I call the police? I debated it then dismissed the option entirely. I supposed Rocky was rubbing off on me.
I gripped the wrench tighter in my grip, holding it carefully behind me so that it would be slightly hidden when the door opened.
The men were making a lot of noise over in the other room, I could hear them shuffling about and knocking things over without a care. Hopefully if they made enough of a mess then Rocky would walk in and immediately figure that something was wrong. My heart was beating in my throat as I held my breath for as long as I would be able. I wondered if they were looking for me or if I was just unlucky.
My question was answered when the office door flung open and a man shouted, “We got her!”
Well, I wasn’t willing to go out without a fight.
I lifted the wrench up and over my head, ready to swing when it was grabbed easily by the man in front of me and thrown to the side.
“Nice try,” the man mocked and smacked me hard across the face, the force of which sending me crashing to my knees while I clutched my cheek.
That wasn’t supposed to happen
They hauled me up and off the floor, each man clutching one of my arms while I flailed about. They were tying a gag around my neck as I screamed and struggled to break free but I was making it as difficult as I could for them. Only when they began tying me up, binding my hands and feet together, did I start to feel the panic set in. They were so much bigger and stronger than me, how could I ever escape?
All I wanted to know was what they wanted from me, but I couldn’t even speak anymore, just grunted and made some incoherent noises through the gag.
I was lifted up into a pair of arms and kicked my legs out in vain, trying to get loose even though I knew there was no point. The man smacked me mildly on the side, not as hard as the other guy, but enough for me to understand and stop my squirming. I’d save my energy for escape later.
“Got a little fight in her, aye Dex?” One of the men leered.
“Wonder if we have time to teach this one a lesson?” another man responded.
I froze solid in the man’s arm, going limp so quickly that he almost dropped me.
“Look at that, I think she likes that idea,” he taunted.
“Hurry up, boys! We’re late!” The third man shouted and I thanked whatever god was up above for saving me just in time.
The doors to the back of the van were opened and I was thrown carelessly inside where I rolled once before hitting the inner wall with a thud. Just before they shut the doors in on me, I caught sight of the logo on one of the men’s jacket.
Nightmare MC.
My heart immediately sank and I tried to slow my panting despite how restricting the gag was. If the Nightmares were here, then that meant taking me was revenge. Revenge against Rocky.
Something had gone wrong with the hit on Steele, there was no mistaking it now. Maybe they’d made a mess of it and word got back to the club. Maybe Rocky wasn’t even alive anymore. Maybe he was tied up somewhere just like I was, struggling to get free. If the latter were true, then maybe I was going off to meet him now.
There was no use in panicking I reminded myself. Everything would be just fine. Think happy thoughts. My self pep talk was slowly starting to fail, leaving me cold and shaking on the cold metal as the van sped through turns and knocked me from side to side.
I couldn’t hold back the sob that emerged from my chest at that moment. I was tied up and alone in the back of the van, heading off to god knows where with nobody coming to rescue me.
It was going to be a long ride.