Kayden

Walking out the door of Savannah’s beach house I feel terrible. She’s worked all evening making this farewell dinner for Zak and Jacob. Just my luck that we have an emergency at the office, and no one can reach Dixon. Leaving me to be the one to go in and deal with the issue.

After parking in my designated parking spot, I lock my truck and head to my office. When I arrive there, my security team is all huddled around the main security office.

“Hey guys, so what’s going on? Were you able to detect what’s causing the issues with the security system?” I walk over to the wall of security cameras. Everything is static, and the alarms have all been turned off. My I.T. guy is hard at work trying to fix the server.

Aaron, my head of security at Beaumont Industries, does not look happy at all. I have a feeling I’m not going to be making it back anytime soon for dinner. “We had a major breach in security Mr. Knox. Someone got through our firewalls and hacked our entire security system.

“They shut down everything; I don’t know how they did it. Our firewalls are supposed to be so secure that no one should be able to hack into our systems, no matter how good they are.”

I have gone from annoyed to completely pissed-off instantly. We pay a lot of money for the top of the line security systems, to keep everyone here safe, and everything in this building secure. “Then how the hell did they do this? We’ve had some of the world’s best hacker’s test our security and none of them were able to break into it.”

Aaron’s shoulders sag, he looks defeated. “I have no idea Sir; whoever this is…they are better than any hacker we’ve ever dealt with before. They bypassed everything without being noticed. We had no idea everything was down until the screens went out. No alarms…nothing went off warning us.”

Raking my fingers through my hair I walk over to the desk where the I.T. guy is working to get our security system back up and running. Fuck he has made very little progress.

Since I won’t be heading back to Savannah’s anytime soon, I decide to head down to the employee cafeteria and try to find something to eat and give the guys some time to try and fix whatever the hell this piece of shit did to our system.

Reaching into my pants pocket, I pull out my cell and decide to try Dixon again.

Me:

Where the fuck r u? Emergency at the office, some fucker hacked our security system, shutting it down completely. Get ur ass down here ASAP

After sending the text I look down at Savannah’s gorgeous face smiling up at me. It’s my favorite picture of her. I took it at my house in Sugar Land the day I took her riding on my property, and we had our picnic in the fields near my house. She looked like an angel that day in her white ruffle tube top, skinny jeans, and cowgirl boots.

I feel like I won the lottery every single day that I wake up beside her. She has to be the most amazing woman on the entire planet. I just hope I don’t fuck up and mess this up. God knows when it comes to relationships I don’t have the best track record.

I just took my last bite of my turkey sandwich when my phone begins buzzing. Pulling it out I see a text message from Dixon.

Dixon:

How the fuck did they get through our fire walls? I’m in LA I flew out this afternoon, going 2  a New Year’s party with Savannah’s friend Brooklyn tomorrow night. So I was gonna to take her out to Vertigo tonight.

Dixon is in Los Angeles?

With Brooklyn, no less; when the fuck did that happen?

Last I knew she was with that rocker dude and hooking up with Jax. I can’t keep up with that girl’s love life. Five seconds of trying to figure it out is hurting my fuckin’ brain.

Me:

That’s fine I’ll stay and handle it, hoping they get the issue resolved ASAP. Had plans with Savannah tonight, then this shit happens. WTH did u n Brooklyn become a thing?!

Dixon:

We’re not a thing, just having fun…damn don’t go putting a label on this shit. She’s been chasing my fuckin’ dick for weeks, and finally I gave in, and god damn she is an animal in the sack!

Me:

Dixon TMI…TMI! K I g2g see if this shit is fixed yet. ttyl

I stepped onto the elevator to head up to my office when my phone goes off again; I’m assuming its Dixon. When I look at the screen I see its Savannah texting me. Her text is barely legible because she’s hit other letters. I can make out that she’s texting to see if things are fixed and if I’ll be home soon. I have witnessed Savannah completely drunk off her ass a few times since we’ve been together, and she is still able to text even after ten shots of whiskey.

Suddenly my stomach is tied up in knots. I can feel that something isn’t right. As soon as I step off the elevator, I head straight to my office so I can have some privacy to call Savannah.

Sitting down on the couch near my desk, I dial her number and hit call. Holding my breath and waiting for her to answer, the phone rings and rings, usually she answers in the first two rings. We’re now onto the fifth. Finally Zak answers the phone.

Laying my head back against the couch, I stare at the ceiling trying to fight off this feeling I have that something is just not right. Zak is telling me Savannah drank too much wine at dinner, and keeps dozing off. They’re going to help her to bed before going home to finish packing.

After getting off the phone with them I feel a little better, but something still seems off. Having a few glasses of wine is usually not enough to affect Savannah that much. Only reasonable explanation is she is still exhausted from our trip to the Alamo Bowl game yesterday. Plus, we’ve been traveling nonstop from Dallas to Memphis and then to San Antonio. I, myself, am dragging right now. I need about ten shots of espresso before I pass the fuck out.

Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I make my way back out to the security office. Our office assistant for the night shift, thank God, was nice enough to run down the street and buy everyone Starbucks to keep us alert while we deal with this crap.

After twenty minutes of watching these guys fight with the server, they finally said they were getting somewhere. It wouldn’t be long and the virus would be removed, security would be back up and running. We will have to contact the FBI in the morning and hopefully they can track the IP address used to hack the system.

Walking over to toss out my empty coffee cup, my cell phone buzzes in my pocket again. Excusing myself I walk back towards my office to see who the hell is texting me now.

Savannah:

Deposit 10million dollars into this bank account 1165789244 within the next hour…or Savannah is dead.

My whole body instantly turns to ice, time stops. My phone slides from my hands hitting the floor. Someone has Savannah. Comprehension has sunk in.

This cannot be happening!

Snapping back to reality, I lose it. Rage and fury boils up, erupting like a violent volcano within me. I flip over the couch and taking long strides I walk over to the book shelf holding all my awards, ripping it from the wall and pushing it to the floor. Taking each award, I hurl them across the room, smashing holes into my office walls. Gripping the side of the cabinet I flip it onto its side.

A disheveled mess, I fall to the floor…breathing out of control, I crawl across the floor to retrieve my phone. Just as I get to it, my office doors swing open with everyone rushing into my office, panic and confusion all over their faces. They heard my boisterous shouts and the sound of me destroying my fuckin’ office. If I were them, I would be scared shitless too.

“What the hell is going on?” Aaron yells running over and crouching down beside me. Everyone else piles in and starts cleaning up the mess that is now my office.

“What the hell is going? Savannah has been fucking kidnapped is what’s going on! I need you to get on the phone…right now! Call the police, tell them she’s been kidnapped and they’re asking for $10 million within the next hour.” I howl up at him as I retrieve my phone, climbing to my feet.

My entire body is convulsing, as anger trembles through me. I cannot believe some fuckin’ piece of shit has the balls to take her. If whoever has taken her harms even so much as a hair on her head…I will track them down and beat their body lifeless with my bare hands.

I text Savannah’s phone back letting the kidnapper or kidnappers, who knows how many there are, know that the money will be in their account shortly. I am on the phone with Maverick when Aaron bursts back into my office with two FBI agents beside him. I knew I’d be talking with these men sooner rather than later with the breach in security, but never thought it would be tonight…because of Savannah.

Maverick and Paisley, thank God, didn’t have a show tonight. They are on their tour bus driving to New York City. They said they will get off at the nearest airport and fly to Houston as quickly as they can. Maverick told me his bank information and to wire the money from his account, but I refused. I will pay them myself, and get my girl back.

After thirty minutes of feeling like I’m going out of my mind, I pull into Savannah’s driveway. Her car is gone; they must’ve taken her car. They don’t know how happy I am that whoever took her did that.

Dialing Maverick again I ask him to contact the car company and have them access the GPS system in her car. Getting off the phone with him, I walked up the stairs leading to Savannah’s house. There are police everywhere. Her home is now officially a crime scene. The police inform me that there are no signs of forced entry, and no signs of a struggle. So whoever took her either was let in or somehow bypassed her security system and got into the house while she was sleeping.

All of this happening while I was called away to an emergency at the office seems to be more than a simple coincidence. I inform the police of the breach of security at the office tonight and they also think it is somehow connected.

The FBI is trying to find out where the IP address is from as we speak. I hope they can find out soon. I will bet all my money whoever hacked my offices security system has done this too.

I look over at the beach house beside Savannah’s that Jacob and Zak are staying in. You would think with the entire street filled with cop cars, their lights illuminating the whole area that they would be out here trying to figure out what the hell happened.

Sprinting down the stairs I run to their front door and bang on the door for five straight minutes. Nothing. Looking over I see their car is parked in the driveway. If they’re sleeping, they should be awake by now; I’ve about punched a hole straight through the door I’ve been knocking on it so fuckin’ hard.

Without thinking I ram my shoulder into the door, busting it open. The place is quiet, I run through the house calling out their names. Checking every single room…nothing! Things are disturbingly coming together now; Savannah acting weird tonight, them answering her phone. Running back out to the street, I quickly dial Agent Hanley. He answers on the third ring.

“Agent Hanley, I need you to run two names immediately; Jacob Williams and Zak Russo. They’re both from Napa Valley California. They’ve been staying in the beach house next door to Savannah’s, and were the last two people she was with before she disappeared.” Leaning down I rest my hand on my knee. Trying to calm myself down, fighting a panic attack from taking hold.

Agent Hanley quickly pulls up their information. He confirms to me that Jacob does in fact run a Winery that his family owns in Napa Valley, and that Zak is a personal trainer in L.A., and also a graphic designer for an AD agency in L.A., but was just laid off due to the agency making cut backs. The big kicker, Jacob just filed bankruptcy and is in danger of losing his Winery.

They said Jacob unexpectedly withdrew all of his savings and booked this beach house…the day after the Envy party! Those son-of-a-bitches sought us out. That was the night we made our relationship public. They acted so shocked when they learned who she was and acted as if they had no clue we were together, until the night I took everyone out.

They had this planned all along.

Twisted fuckin’ Bastards!

As soon as I got the GPS location of where Savannah’s car is heading I jumped into my truck and began driving like a bat out of hell. I don’t care if anyone tries to fuckin’ pull me over…I’m not stopping for anything. Besides the cops are driving just as fast up ahead of me.

They’re expecting their money in the next thirty minutes. So I pray to God I find them before it’s too late. My bank is ready to transfer the money. I just have to call them and it will be done. I’m afraid if I don’t get to them before then once they get the money they will kill her anyway.

The GPS shows they’re heading north along route six. I have the Tech Guy on the phone the entire time I’m driving, letting me know how close I am to catching up to them. I feel like my heart is about to explode in my chest with every minute that passes by. I love Savannah more than life itself. If I lose her I don’t think I can make it.

Melody’s death ripped my heart from my chest, but Savannah has found it when I thought all was lost, breathing life back into my lifeless heart. She showed me I am alive, and taught me how to live and love again. Savannah is my everything; I cannot and will not lose her to some fucking greedy assholes. 

I’m nervous, and scared but also relieved when the guy comes back onto the phone and tells me that her car is only half a mile ahead. Pushing the gas, I am grasping the wheel so hard I fear my knuckles will break through the skin.

I’m going over a hundred miles per hour now. The air is instantly knocked out of my lungs when he comes back on and tells me the car is a quarter mile up the road and has stopped moving.

A million thoughts run wild through my head. Did they stop and wait for the money transfer? They’re expecting it within the next fifteen minutes.

Did they just stop to maybe relieve themselves? Then my worst fear is confirmed when my headlights show tire marks on the road, and I see Savannah’s car flipped over off the road.

Slamming my brakes I throw the truck into park, and jump out, not even bothering to turn the ignition off. Running as fast as I can, zigzagging around the cop cars all parked along the road in front of me, I run down the grassy hill towards Savannah’s now totaled Audi. The EMTs and fire trucks are pulling up just as I reach her car. The police are surrounding it, talking to each other.

“What’s going on, where’s Savannah!?” I wail running around to the car. I have tried to stay strong fighting my breakdown to ensure I do everything in my power to get my baby returned to me safely, but looking upon her wrecked car has brought me to my breaking point.

I feel tears welling up in my eyes, as I take in the site of Jacob in the car covered in blood. The EMT checking for a pulse shakes his head pronouncing him dead. As they’re checking over his body, the EMT says the last words I thought would ever come out of his mouth, Jacob died from a gunshot wound to the side of his head.

Did Zak get greedy and kill Jacob to keep all the money for himself? Instantly my mind travels back to Savannah. I begin screaming her name, and asking them where she is. In a panic I fall to my knees, ignoring the shouts of everyone around me I begin crawling into the totaled car. I spot Savannah right away, curled in a ball behind Jacob’s seat.

Screams escape my mouth as the tears I’ve tried to hold back are now falling rapidly from my face. Trying to maneuver myself into the back of the car is proving to be impossible with it being on its roof, and smashed all to hell. The fire fighters have the Jaws of Life prying open the passenger side of the car, as I’m climbing in from the driver’s side.

Savannah is covered in blood; her small body unmoving and looking frail; I am terrified to learn if she is dead or alive. Reaching for her hands that are zip-tied together I hold them in mine, as sobs heave from my chest. She’s lifeless and her body is cool to the touch. I rest my hand on her wrist. I can’t feel a pulse, oh God please no, please not my Savannah

“Baby, please don’t leave me. Fight, fight for us, we can’t end like this.” I can’t let her leave me, she is all I have. I pray she can hear me and knows I’m here so she’ll fight to live.

My shirt is now soaked with my tears as I continue to plead; please make her come back to me, Savannah can’t die like this. I shake her arm pressing on her delicate wrist again. Mary Mother of God thank you Jesus I finally feel a pulse but it’s very faint. Leaning down I brush the hair from her face. It’s drenched in blood…her head has a big gash in it.

Leaning down I kiss her lips…as my tears trickle from my face dripping onto hers. “I love you Savannah…” I whisper against her lips. “Just hold on baby, we’re going to get you out of here. You’re safe now.” Kissing her one more time I pull away.

It takes all my will power to leave her; I know the EMT’s have to get her out and to the hospital as soon as possible. I just hope it’s not too late. Looking around, it is finally dawning on me that Zak is nowhere to be found.

The police told me that they scoured the entire area and there’s no sign of him anywhere. They said if Zak was ejected from the car, he’d be somewhere nearby, but there’s no sign of him anywhere.

A fresh avalanche of fear hits me, as my worst nightmare is confirmed; Zak is out there somewhere so this is far from over.