Chapter 6 THE ESCAPE

I blink, and tears fall, giving me a clear view of him. "You... you had me kidnapped?" I implore, my heart throbbing with pain, my mind spinning around so fast. "And this." I turn around and scream with shock and fear the moment my eyes catch the lifeless body on the floor. The bullet pierced right through his forehead. He cannot be alive. I am shaking to the core. "You..." I turn my trembling body toward a man that I thought I knew but turned out to be a stranger to me.

"You just killed someone, Daniel? Why? Why all this?" I implore, wondering whether I am safe or whether I should perhaps start murmuring my last prayers.

He smirks, closing the nothingness of the distance between us. "I warned you to stop this madness. You did not listen. Whatever that is about to happen, blame yourself for it. You alone, Irma."

Another tear drops from my eye. "What is going to happen? What do you plan on doing with me? What is the meaning of all this?" My ranting comes to a halt as my mind cruises back to when all this started.

From the day my sister was kidnapped, everything between me and this man-everything about him-changed from that moment on. He never supported any of my endeavors to find my sister. He never tried, even just once, to help. He even went to the extent of breaking up with me a few hours ago because I refused to back off from my search. And now, he just had me kidnapped and killed someone in cold blood. And he is now warning me about something that sounds like an impending danger.

"You have a hand in my sister's disappearance, am I right?" My heart is almost falling from its cage as I speak. We lock eyes; his is daring and dominating, but no less than mine. "Answer me, Daniel! Where the hell is my sister?" I asked furiously.

"Ooh, I see that our guest is here!"

That voice?

no, freaking way!

Now my ears must be really playing tricks on me.

I drag my body from behind, and I meet a very familiar female figure standing at a door that I had not noticed.

My jaw drops. I see darkness for a moment. My mind becomes blank for a second, refusing to accept this puzzle.

"Ma...Ma...Ma....r...y?" I stammer in disbelief.

"Yes, and your yelling is so disturbing, you foolish bitch!" A heavy slap lands on my face from the lady, almost blinding me.

I was so lost in my blankness that I did not realize she was approaching. And even if I had seen her closing the gap between us, how would I have expected that my best friend would slap me? I collided with the floor, disbelief clouding my every sense of being.

"Oops! Did I hit her too hard, babe?" She asks, walking to Daniel.

I snap my eyes at them.

Babe? Whose babe?

He wraps his arms around her waist, and they share a kiss that summons my brain to bitter reality. They did not just betray me in this way, but in love too. How dare they?

"No, sugar! That is nothing compared to the trouble she has caused," Daniel says when they are done mocking me with that kiss.

"Tell me about it. She was so uncontrollable that I felt like killing her every single minute," Mary responds.

I help myself up as I begin to connect the dots. Everything makes sense now. That is why they wanted me to stop investigating. Because they were behind it all. And the affair-no wonder I did not see this green snake downstairs when I was coming out. She went to warm my damn coffee and disappeared into thin air. Well, I might commend them for being so keen to make a good fool out of me right under my nose. I give them that.

"So, what now? I am sure people are waiting," the bitch says.

People?

"Get her ready as quickly as possible and bring her to the hall," Daniel says, kissing her one last annoying time as he starts walking out with his men.

"What do you fools want from me?" I squeal.

Daniel stops at the door, but Mary speaks first, "You go and handle everything, love. I will handle her." Daniel nods his head and walks out with his goons, while the bitch turns to me. "Fools, you say?" She sneers, "There is a bigger fool in this world than you, Irma!"

I admit to that, honestly. I mean, they were making a good fool of me. I was even preparing my wedding with a man who was cheating on me. And I know they know where my sister is. And they were there to laugh at my face as I went insane looking for my sister. Yet, I never saw any of it. I sure am a big fool.

"You know what?" I say, "I will not ask why you both, my fiancé and my best friend, betrayed me like this. I don't need any explanations. I just want to find my sister.

"You have no right to ask anything," she cuts me off, pulling a gun and pointing it to my face. I step back. "Turn around and move," she orders, and I obey.

In a minute, we were inside the room that she popped out of. It is a huge room with chairs and a very expensive bed. "To the right, there is a bathroom. Get in there and clean yourself up, because you stink, you whore! Wear the clothes you will find inside. And I want you done in five minutes. A second longer, and I will blow your brains out the moment you step out," she orders.

Her tone has no room for jokes. I know she would not hesitate at all.

With puzzles of this turn of events driving me, I get into the modern shower. I am greeted by a pair of thongs and a bra.

Wait! Is this what I am supposed to wear? This...

"One minute is gone!" Her voice echoes behind the door.

I flicker my eyes around, and I spot the vast window.

'Run, Irma! These people have hurt you enough, and you don't know what they have in store for you. How will you find your sister if go along with their plan?' my mind howls inwardly, and in as risky as it is, I concur with it.

I close the toilet bowl and stand on it. The window is adjacent to the wall where the toilet tank leans. With shaky legs but fueled by the desire to escape, I stand on the tank, opening the window wide.

I can fit in so well.

I take a peek outside. It is dark. It looks like this is the third floor. Too risky. There is a sure guarantee that I might end up with broken bones, but it is a worthy sacrifice to give these traitors the last laugh to accomplish their mission.

I can only see parked cars in the compound. I don't see or know where the gate is, but I will worry about that. For now, I need to get out of here first and fast.

Without looking back or thinking twice, I place my first leg up on the window, and then the second one. I close my eyes and push my way down. My greatest wish is that I don't fall on top of a car because that will cause an alarm.

The way down does not take long, and soon I am down, but magically, I didn't fall on top of any car, nor on the ground either.

I am tightly wrapped in mighty arms, and mine are draping around his neck. Definitely a man. And no, fortunately, this doesn't feel like Daniel.

My breathing caught in the throat. I unseal my lips and peel my eyes slowly.

Under the shades of moonlight, I meet a pair of eyes that are drawing me to their depths, as if inviting me to see something. Our faces have no distance between them, and our lips are even brushing, which is another reason I can't breathe. The way his touch feels is magical. Safe.

"That was risky!" The man says, his eyes darting in mine.

"Who are you?" I ask with a broken voice, bathing in his alluring pheromones.

"Your savior?" His response came out like a question in the end.

Savior? Did he...

"Come on! Let's get you out of here," he says, carrying me to his car.

Am I dreaming?

Am I getting myself into something else more mysterious and dangerous with this stranger? Who is he?

Wait, if he is here, that means he is one of them, right?

Oh, no! This smells like trouble!

"Wait, I don't want your help. I will find my way alone!" I speak as he settles me in the car, trying to disentangle myself from him. But I fail miserably, and even if I wanted to add another word, I wouldn't dare.

His eyes speak volumes. He does not entertain nonsense. He looks like someone who would skin you alive, even for a slight mistake. I don't want to die before finding my sister, so I shut up despite knowing that I have the right to choose what I want in this situation. I don't see why he has to care anyway. I don't trust him either.

He closes the door and walks to the driver's seat without any hurry. He did not seem to have contemplated that I would do something like escape. He settles behind the wheel and ignites the engine without saying a word.

He surely is one of them. He looks simply dangerous. Not even Daniel can match this demeanor. But why is he saving me?