Chapter 71 Seventy One
AMELIA XAVIER
Three days passed and Owen was to be discharged today. The feeling of warmth overwhelmed me not just because Owen was coming home today, but we hadn't heard from Ash Winters since the fight at his party.
I stood before the kitchen counter making a poor attempt at skinning an onion. This was more reason why I needed Owen home. Staring at the poor onion, I decided it was clean enough to cut. It felt strange how nobody heard from Ash Winters or knew his whereabouts— although it was better for us, curiosity took the best part of me.
I needed to know.
Subconsciously, the knife sliced off a piece of flesh from my finger. I winced, my senses returning to reality.
“Shit,” I cursed, going to the sink to wash off the blood and knife.
“I just wanted to make something for Owen,” I whimpered, turning on the tap.
Just as I turned it off, a sharp crash came from the sitting room, followed by the scrape of something heavy dragging across the floor.
My feet stuck to the floor, and my hand grasped the knife tightly. My ears twitched and I could hear my heart pounding rhythmically. The noise came again and my brain sent warning signals — danger was approaching.
Opening the cabinet, I took out my gun and tucked it in my leg belt. I tiptoed slowly ensuring not even a creaking sound was heard when my legs hit the floor board.
The sound came again, but louder and I quickened my pace, but as I reached the sitting room, there was no sign that someone was there — no shifted curtains, no disarranged pillows… nothing.
I sighed, rolling my eyes and turning to go back into the kitchen.
Suddenly, the TV came alive. Bubble guppies played which even made the whole situation worse. I turned around, heightening my hearing and sight, but I saw nothing. “Owen, if this is a joke, stop it,” I said with annoyance laced around my voice.
Something wanted me to believe it was Owen playing tricks on me, but I knew better. I turned off the TV, but it came on again, this time the channels kept changing from one ridiculous show to another.
“Are you a coward or what? Show your fucking self!” I yelled now angry.
In sync with time, a shadow passed, and I knew it wasn't Owen.
“Let me guess who you are…” I muttered and the realization flashed through my eyes. The only coward who would dare do such a thing could only be Ash Winters. A smile creeped to the edge of my lips.
“Ash Sean Winters, the coward of Paris!”
Someone let out a scream lunging towards me, I moved, allowing the person to fall forward. But before I could gloat about my right prediction, a masked man kicked my stomach. Air rushed out of my lungs as my head hit the floor.
My eyes blurred and I blinked furiously. The last thing I saw before darkness overtook me was Ash putting a sack on my head.
I opened my eyes sleepily trying to adjust to the environment. It was dark with only a window that shared no form of light because the fucker didn't bother opening it.
Suddenly the bulb which stood above me came on blinding me. I shut my eyes immediately as the effect of the brightness caused a slight headache.
“What do you want from me?” I muttered, dragging my eyelids open.
A man walked out of the shadows, his suit jacket screamed who he was and God knew how unfazed I looked as the light hit his face.
Fucking Ash Winters.
His once handsome face looked damaged especially with the scar that went across his nose down to the corner of his lip — poor stitching.
“That's a good question, little woman. What do I want?” He threw the question back at me and I rolled my eyes as an answer.
“All this was supposed to happen next month but I'm so excited that I moved it upwards. Do you think it's a good idea?” He asked again and I shrugged.
My hands were tied behind the chair and all my focus was on how to untie myself and reach for my gun.
Distract him. I thought and smiled a painful smile.
“Your face looks nice though, you look more like a god of war or should I say… a true psychopath-” I smirked, then continued, “just laugh like a hyena and then you'll fit the description.”
Ash scoffed, but I could tell how angry he felt. The rage was building up and that was to my advantage.
Rage left one powerless and hopeless.
“Maybe I should do that to your pretty face too.” I laughed while my hands worked hard to free itself.
“What exactly do you want?”
Ash came closer, our face almost touching. “To destroy everything that man loves, his job, his life and you…” I spat on his face which angered him and he threw his hands across my cheeks.
“Control your anger young man, I'm your little woman after all,” I teased and he slapped me again.
I winced but didn't stop taunting him. The look on his face was priceless. I wanted to keep doing that all day, but what was that pit in my stomach?
Ash Winters was a dangerous and careless man — careless but calculated and everything seemed so easy. The kidnap and just a fucking rope tied to my hands. He had other plans, but my main priority was to untie myself, and protect my child.
I sighted a door and my instinct told me it was the way out. Maybe Ash Winters was truly just careless.
“Are you done hitting a woman? You should fight someone your strength and not a pregnant helpless woman,” I said and immediately regretted it because he looked at my stomach and grinned.
“My strength, you say, I'm as weak as you are so…”
The rope fell loosely to the floor and a glint appeared in my eyes.
“So let's play!”
I kicked him, swiftly standing and using the wooden chair to break his back.
The chair broke and the young man screamed on the floor. This was my chance to find an escape room so I made for the door.