Chapter Eight - Kiara
No amount of procrastination or delusion is going to help me out of this situation. It’s time to haul ass on the next step of the plan. I’ve come this far and have to follow through in getting my father out of prison. Standing in my bedroom, I open the curtains, staring down at the packed sidewalk. All these people have normal lives, and up until a few years ago, so did I. Every time I hear a sound, I jump, and going out for a coffee is a painful experience. I can’t keep looking over my shoulder like this. It’s nearly as bad as Akim finding me. Especially because of the information I’m holding on to. I’m surprised Akim hasn’t come for me already, but maybe—just maybe, I’m better than I think I am.
Go ahead and do it. Staring at the phone, I realize I’m not thinking straight. “You can’t ring him from here. It’s a bad idea.” Talking to myself out loud gives me the hope I’m going to make the right move, but it’s all downhill from here. Where can I go to call him? I draw back the curtains, looking outside once more, assessing my threadbare options.
There’s a small park outside my apartment complex, and I cross over to it, checking if there’s anybody I don’t want near me lurking around. Akim’s probably going to go on the hunt for me after the call, but he doesn’t have our apartment complex details, so even if he does raid our place or get close, he doesn’t have everything.
He raided your father’s office. He has the number. You’re going to have to move around. This is your father’s house. Shit. There goes that long shot of a theory. I feel my nerves jumping inside my skin. If I don’t call him now, I’m going to lose all hope of saving the only man who’s loved me.
Once I think the coast is clear, I pull my cell phone out of my pocket, letting the determination to save my father pull me through. I call Akim’s number, rehearsing my demands in my head, but with every ring, my confidence wavers.
Good. He doesn’t answer. “Crap!” I spit out, starting to walk around the mapped-out track of the park. A lady with a small dog passes by, giving me a stern glare. Her small dachshund barks in agreement. “Sorry.” The lady jogs ahead, but I ignore her. What she doesn’t know is my life is on the line and so is my father’s. I could care less about polite language right now. I don’t want to ring back-to-back, opting to cross over and kill time with a bite to eat before I start the process again. Such a buildup for a ransom phone call.
Let’s get this over with. Calling through again, I get the same treatment. The phone rings out. It’s a private number, but it’s the only way I’m going to call him. I swing back over to the park’s walking track, calling again. but this time he picks up.
“Hello? Who is this?”
“Oh, you don’t know who this is?” I keep my tone casual and light.
“No. I just said I didn’t, but your calls are irritating. Have we fucked?” Akim matches my tone, shocking me with his bold question. A flash of the leggy model on his phone and the sex tape shoot fire through my veins. I’m not equipped to deal with him, but I’m going to pretend my ass off.
“Speaking of sex. You have a thing for models. I’m sure Tatiana would be interested in the videotape you have of her and you doing the deed. Or maybe the cops would too.”
“Ah. I see.” He holds a beat, his heavy breathing down the line, putting me on edge. “I like an extortion call bright and early with toast and coffee. But let’s start with your name? Don’t be shy. If you’ve got all the evidence on me, then you should be confident enough, shouldn’t you?”
Struck by his words and flustered by the creaminess of his voice, I freak out a little. This is spiraling out of hand. Unintentionally, I squeeze the coffee cup in my hand, the dregs of it slopping all over my hand. Hastily, I throw it in the direction of a nearby trashcan—missing. Akim has me good and rattled.
“That’s not important. What’s important is I have you on tape,” I reply sternly, hissing down the phone, back in character.
“Great. You have a tape. How do you know it’s me?”
“She says your name.”
Akim chuckles. “You watched, didn’t you?” he replies silkily, my pulse grabbing at my throat. “Are you jealous? Would you rather it be your name I said?” I think about how he positioned the woman’s hips in the video, a surge of desire rapid firing through my veins.
“Thinking about it?” The vibration of his voice does something bad to me, and I’m powerless in the face of it. I let my eyes dart around the park checking for him or anyone else who looks like they’re involved with him.
The lady with the sausage dog has gone, replaced with a dog group, and that makes me feel safer. Although there’s a row of cafés in front of the apartment complex anyway.
“No. I’m thinking about how handsome you’re going to look in khaki when you go to jail.”
Akim roars with laughter down the line. “Honey. I’m not going to jail. Do you know how many people make tapes?”
“Yes. But does Tatiana know you made the tape? And that’s not all I have.”
“Oh… tell me. What else do you have on me? This is becoming a very interesting phone call, but I still want your name. I’m dying to know.”
“Shut up and listen to me. I have emails between you and your stupid apprentice, Boris framing my father. I want you to get him out of prison and fast before I send the written evidence through to the cops.”
“Well, well, young lady. This call has taken a nasty turn. Just so we’re clear, who is your father?”
“You are so full of shit!” I bellow down the line, angry that men like him not only exist, but thrive. “You know who I’m talking about. My father is Michael Jane, and he works for you, Akim. As for me—we’ve met once. Don’t you remember?” I taunt, growing stronger as the conversation goes on. He’s going to pay attention now. I’m backing him into a corner, and he still doesn’t have my identity. I was smart enough to enter Sky Lever with a fake ID.
“Sorry if my memory is a little short. Michael Jane is your father?” I wait thinking about what to say and do next.
I’m going to have to pack my things and go. There’s no way after I expose who I am that I’ll be safe . No. I’m not stupid enough to believe that. I’m going to have to figure out an exit plan. Maybe even skipping town until my father’s set free.
“You heard me the first time. Michael Jane is my father.”
“That’s why I had to ask you again because I’m shocked you’re calling me. Shouldn’t you be working with your lawyer to help him get out?”
“No way. You should be helping him. You framed him, and we both know it. I’ve got the emails to prove you did, and when the police find out, they’re going to start digging into your operation. You’re finished,” I enforce, keeping an eye on my apartment from a safe distance.
“All of these threats, yet still no name,” Akim replies smoothly, his words articulated in such a way that it makes me feel intimidated all over again.
“You don’t need my name.”
“Hmm, maybe you’re right. I don’t think we’re at the stage where you’ll tell me how or where you collected those emails from?”
“Nope. Just know that I have them.”
“And the tape… did you enjoy what you saw?” he asks, throwing me off.
“What? I didn’t watch it, but if that’s what you’re into, good for you.” The lie catches up with me and Akim senses it.
“Liar.”
“Are you going to help my father? I want him out within the next two weeks,” I tell him, working to change the subject and put the conversation on the right track.
He doesn’t know how I got the sensitive data, and it was only a minute that my screen flickered. He has no choice but to help me now. Dad, I’m getting you out. I walk the track, a half lap from returning to my apartment.
“Your demands are cute, and I want to know how you plan to blackmail me to police when I had nothing to do with his arrest.”
I’ve been hoping the entire conversation that he would slip and say something to do himself in, but he’s too smart for that. “You had everything to do with the arrest. I saw your names on the invoices. You raided my father’s office and planted documents inside it.”
Akim laughs. “Ah, as much as I’m enjoying this conversation, I think you should make it clear what your demands are and what you want me to do. Isn’t that what a good extortionist does?”
“I told you what to do. Get my father out on bail and help him beat the charges. Clear his fucking name.” He has no choice, and as I look around, I don’t see any threats. He still doesn’t have a name. I’m calling his bluff in a way. I got into his records, and I think I’m safe. I still might go to a hotel, but for now, I’m going back to my apartment townhouse.
“Hmm. What’s his bail amount? I am a generous man when I want to be. I might be able to pull some strings for him.”
“It’s 1.5 million dollars. He doesn’t have a million dollars even,” I tell Akim, finding it oddly stimulating to be talking to him again.
“Hmm… 1.5 million.” I step inside my apartment, clicking the front door open, figuring out the best way to end the conversation.
“Yes. But if you can get him out without bail, then do it. I can’t keep on talking. I’m going to ring you in two days around the same time. Please answer your phone unless you want me to release this information to the police, pronto.”
“I understand. I might be able to help you sooner than that. Thanks for the wonderful call. I’ll wait to hear from you on the next one. It’s been a pleasure being extorted by you.”
Baffled by his cooperation and witty banter, I’m flabbergasted, lost for words. “Goodbye, Akim.” Hanging up, checking the hallway, and entering our townhouse apartment. Immediately, I make a beeline for my bedroom ready to pack for a couple of days, just until I can get Akim to comply with my demands.
But I made a mistake… A huge one by coming back. A hard thump at the front door freezes my feet to the floor. No fucking way. How could they find me this quickly?
Who else could it be? My hair flails everywhere as I hear the door swing back on its hinges.
“Oh, Kiara. Come out, come out, wherever you are. I’ve found you.” I don’t need any more information to figure out whose voice it is. It’s the same voice that whispered sweet nothings into my ear when I was on his lap.
Frazzled and afraid, I’m caught out. No point running now. And I can’t climb out a window or down a fire escape. I’ve got one option, and it’s not a good choice. I’m going to face the unwelcome intruder—the sooner the better. With my legs trembling, I cover my head with my hoodie not wanting Akim to see my face.
“Akim.” He stands front and center in my apartment, the room darkening, and if lights were on, they’d probably go out. His dangerous aura has my body hot-wired in both fear and hidden awe. He has two men flanking him, and I’m not getting past them either. Every single one of them is dressed in black.
“Kiara. Nice to see you again. You look… different. I could have sworn your name was Ana Benito, though.” A smirk grabs at his delectable mouth as he steps closer, my heart close to bursting out of my chest in fear.
I’m doomed and my plan failed.