Surrendering (Surrender 1)

Dance competitions

Family Vacations

Graduations

My first house

My roommates

Meeting Declan for the first time

The Steamroom

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Our engagement

New Orleans

I think about Declan’s hands roaming my body and his green eyes piercing into me. I wonder if he knows how much I love him. I’m scared I won’t see him again. I need to be strong right now, but I feel so broken. I don’t know what Christie has planned for me, but I need to be ready when she comes back.

The pain in my head grows and I fall down onto the floor. I hit something along the way which stabs into my neck. I feel the liquid on my neck, but welcome the sleep. My head pounds in rhythm to my heart. There’s a shadow coming towards me and I recognize her immediately. “Anna?” Then darkness falls again.

*****

Declan

Raven has been gone for four fucking days. When Finn got the call about the emergency button being pushed at my sisters’ house, he went there immediately. He found the door wide open and Raven’s shit still on the table for her study group. She was gone. He called everyone we knew to see if she was with them. But when no one knew where she was, he called James.

James Hayes was quick like a hurricane. He set up a command center in his house to follow any leads we could find on Raven’s disappearance. He pulled all the information Finn had collected on her classes, school associates, and even the projects she was working on. The he tried to find any connection with his current jobs. James wanted her kidnapping kept quiet so he could negotiate himself for Raven if her kidnapping was about money. If the cops and FBI find out, they won’t allow him to use himself as a bargaining chip. We did tell my sisters, my dad, the band, the guys, and her friends from Atlanta.

Finn and I told James about most of the threats, but Finn held back on the sex video. When I questioned him about it, he told me it was best if we left it out because it wasn’t a direct threat to Raven. Why should he let Raven’s dad know what a piece of shit I used to be? I tried not take his insult seriously because I knew he was protecting her.

My sisters, my dad, and my band mates stayed at the Hayes’ as long as they could. I refused to leave so Abbi and Ella brought my clothes. On the third day, James suggested everyone go home and get back to a normal schedule in case the kidnappers were watching our houses. Again, I refused to leave.

At one point, Nate overheard a conversation that the first twenty-four hours was the most crucial and that we might be looking at a recovery effort. My body went into a rage thinking she could already be dead. I was so scared of what was happening to her.

I’ve been staying in Raven’s room at her parents. I haven’t been getting much sleep, but I’ve found comfort in being surrounded by her things. The sheets smell like her and there are pictures of her everywhere. Jenna and James are keeping me updated with every new detail. But so far, no one has contacted them looking for money. James has determined that this kidnapping is not instigated through his business. His theory is that it’s personal.

The doorbell rings and there’s a commotion at the door. I run downstairs to find James in his command room with a man I don’t recognize and Brent. Brent looks rugged and beat down. He hasn’t shaved and his clothes are wrinkled, like I can talk.

Finn and Robbie walk in and James looks directly at Brent. “Start from the beginning, son.”

Brent starts pacing the room. “We were supposed to get an email from Raven on Thursday night about the project. When I didn’t get it by Friday, I went to her house. Her roommates told me she wasn’t home. Then I got a text from Anna that said she had the research notes from Raven. At this point, Raven had already missed class and she still hadn’t replied to any of my messages. I got this funny feeling.

I asked Anna to meet me because we had to turn in the work by five. When we met at the coffee shop, she was a wreck. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days and she pushed the work on me. When we left, I followed her to the drugstore and heard her talking to the pharmacist about migraine medicine. She said her roommate was at home suffering from a migraine and had been vomiting. The pharmacist told her about a prescription medication she should take. Anna went crazy, begging this man to give her some of the pills. He turned her down and told her that her friend should see her doctor. I got suspicious when she kept begging. Then I remembered Anna doesn’t have a roommate. Raven once told me about having migraines and I started to wonder. I went to see my Uncle John and he thought we should come here.”

I want to kick his ass and kiss him at the same time. He’s had this information since Friday afternoon and it’s Sunday. At least he had the sense to tell someone. I learn the man with Brent is his Uncle John and works for James.

Finn is already on his computer doing god knows what. James confirms that Raven’s missing and that she was kidnapped. Jenna brings in fresh coffee and sits down, waiting for new information.

“FUUUUCCCKKK, how did we miss this?” Finn looks at us, but his eyes land on me.

“Anna Smith and Christie Smith are cousins.”

The room erupts in to questions, but it sounds like buzzing to me. My legs give out. Someone catches me and sits me on the sofa. The name rings in my head, Christie, Christie, Christie. I knew she was crazy, but this is beyond insane. If she’s behind Raven’s disappearance, it’s all my fault. Someone hands me water and I realize they’re all waiting for me to answer a question.