Convict Me (Broken Heroes 1)

“Oh yeah, I fucking know him all right.”

I’m seething—hanging right on the edge of insanity, ready to fucking jump off into the deep end.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Elyse

As soon as I come to, I know something is very wrong. My head throbs, my stomach churns, and my vision is blurry. I try to organize my thoughts, make sense of everything, but nothing fits like it’s supposed to.

With a stiff neck, I turn my head to take in my surroundings.

I’m in some kind of basement. Different smells assault me, but I can’t place them. The room smells like mildew and dirt.

I try to move my arms, quickly realizing I can’t. Panic grips me like a hand closing in around my throat. My ass throbs as if I’ve been sitting for hours. I try to push from my sitting position, but can’t. My eyes slip down over my body to see a thin rope wrapped around my ankles and calves. I realize my hands are tied as well as I try and flex them.

“Hello?” I barely recognize the raspy voice coming out of me. My throat is so unbelievably dry, and my lips are painfully cracked.

The door at the top of the stairs creaks open, throwing rays of sunshine down the steps. Heavy footsteps follow, and every single one makes my stomach twist a little bit more. I’m so scared, my whole body is tremor in fear.

I try to remember how I got here, but my thoughts are fuzzy, as if I’ve been drugged. The man who kidnapped me comes into view. My heart beats so hard, I’m worried I may have a heart attack.

My eyes take in my attacker. He is a big guy with broad shoulders and midnight black hair. As he comes closer, I see a sickening smile on his face.

“I’m so glad you are finally up, princess.” His voice is cruel and as dark as his features.

“Who are you and what do you want?” I ask, my voice so jittery, I’m surprised the words come out at all.

“I’ve been trying to get my hands on you for a while now.” He reaches a meaty hand up to my face.

I cringe, not wanting him to touch me. I try to pull away, but there’s no room for me to move.

The look in his dark gaze is filled with excitement, longing. He drags his rough knuckle down my cheek. “I’d say you are worth the wait. So pretty…pure. I understand why Jonathan is so caught up in you.”

Jonathan? I never heard anyone call Hero by his actual name. Confused, I look into my captor’s eyes. Eyes that are somehow familiar, though I’m positive I’ve never met the man in front of me. Or have I? I take in the rest of his features. Black hair, strong jawline, and dark eyes.

Oh my god. Could he be…?

“A-Are y-you…” I stutter, my body quaking.

He must see recognition written all over my face because he finishes the sentence for me. “Jonathan’s father?”

His smile widens, and I know I’m going to be sick.

“Why yes, I am dear old dad.”

“Why are you doing this?” I croak. I don’t understand. Why would he want to take me? Hurt me, hurt Hero? None of it makes sense. He has nothing to do with Hero and hasn’t for years.

“I took you so my son would give me what belongs to me. His whore of a mother left everything to him. All the money, her car, the house we bought together. All of those things should have been mine, not his.” His words flow from his mouth like venom, full of hate and resentment. “Then your parents came to me. I met them at that cute little church you all go to each Sunday. I saw the perfect opportunity and your stupid fucking parents played right into it.” He laughs a humorless laugh. “The fucking dumbasses paid me to kidnap you. Now, I’ve got their money and I’m going to get a ransom for you on top of that.”

My parents?

His words sink in, slow and painful. My parents hired him to kidnap me? This can’t be happening. This must all be a bad dream I’m about to wake up from any minute now. I’ll wake up and Hero will be lying next to me in the bed, telling me to calm down because it was nothing but a nightmare.

“We are going to take a little video for your boyfriend so he knows how serious I am about this.” He fishes a phone out of his pocket and fumbles with it for a second before pointing it at my face. “Guess who I’m hanging out with? That’s right, sweet Elyse. It doesn’t look like she is having a good time, though. You might want to come get her real soon.” He pans the phone back to himself, a sinister smile appearing on his face all over again. He looks evil, like he’d kill me without a second thought. “All you have to do to get her back is bring me a hundred grand in cash and I’ll tell you where to pick her up.” He looks past the phone into my eyes. “I need you to beg, Elyse. Beg him to come get you.”