Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Riley
When I wake up, I can see that I’m in the bedroom of the apartment, tied to the bed. I can smell smoke and I’m trying not to panic. I close my eyes and try to take a few deep breaths. But doing that makes the smoke smell stronger and I start coughing.
“Oh look, the princess is finally awake.” I hear someone say. I open my eyes and see Playboy walking in.
“Too bad you didn’t just listen to me. Now your friends are dead and you’ll be coming with me anyway.”
I feel a tear run down my face. Could he really have killed Daphne? Please no. I’ll do anything he says to save her. I continue to stare at him. I don’t want to piss him off more, but I need to know if Daphne and Oliver are okay.
“Fuck you. If they’re dead, why should I cooperate with you at all? You really think killing my best friend will make me want you? I hate you.”
“You’re a dumb bitch. Your friend tried to fight too. She lost. And if you’d rather die, I can make that happen too. The fire will cover up everything.”
“If you think you can scare me? Fuck you. You’ll never win.”
We hear sirens getting closer. I can see smoke filling the living room area and I can see a foot.
I know it’s Daphne’s because I know what shoes she was wearing.
I’m trying not to panic. Just because I can see her foot doesn’t mean she’s dead.
I refuse to believe she’s dead. One of the guys I remember seeing when I met Playboy walks in.
“We need to get out before the whole place goes up.” He says to him.
“Grab the rope so we can tie this bitch up.” Playboy says to him.
The guy nods and leaves. I keep trying to look at Daphne and see if she’s moving at all and so far she hasn’t.
“You don’t really think that you’re going to get away with kidnapping me, do you?”
“You think that fucking cop is going to save you? Think again. He’s standing outside watching the building burn.” Playboy laughs.
I know my Fionn. He would never leave me and he sure as fuck wouldn’t be standing there watching my shop burn.
The second asshole comes back in and starts to attach a rope to my wrists and ankles.
Because I’m still tied to the bed, I cant hit or kick him.
And the smoke is getting thicker. I can’t see Daphne’s foot anymore.
“We gotta go, Playboy. There’s cops and firefighters out there. They’re starting to surround the building.”
“Don’t worry. You know the plan.” He says as he’s helping tie the new ropes and releasing me from the bed ones.
They stand me up and secure my hands behind my back.
The ropes on my ankles are just loose enough for me to walk.
I keep trying to think of a way to get out of this.
But now the smoke is getting thicker and it’s making all of us cough.
I can hear noises but I don’t know if it’s the fire.
I’ve read that fire makes noise when it’s burning.
When we get out of the room, I notice that Daphne’s not on the floor anymore…
“Where’s the bitch we left here?” Playboy yells at the other guy.
“She was right fucking there. She couldn’t have moved. She was fucking dead.”
I choke back a sob when he says that. She can’t be dead.
Fionn
I’ve finally calmed down enough to listen to Salvatore and the Fire Captain, Shane Hammersmith.
They’re making a plan for us to go in. But because the fire is in the coffee shop, we need Shane and his men to go in first. But Salvatore, Hugh, Nelson, Thomas, Noah and me will back them up.
After my outburst, I’m surprised that Salvatore’s letting me go in.
Sal said that he knows I want to find Riley and that’s our number one priority.
Getting Riley and Daphne out without them getting hurt.
“Nelson, Hugh and Thomas, you’re in the back way with the firefighters Shane assigns to you. You three need to make sure they get the fire out. Noah, Fionn and I will make our way up to the apartment. I’m pretty sure that’s where they are hiding.”
“We need to help. You can’t keep me here. I was supposed to protect her.” Oliver frowns at Salvatore.
“And we’re here to help. You know we can. Deputize us for this and we can go in too.” Apollo says as the other shifters nod.
Salvatore nods and deputizes the shifters so that they can go in with us.
“Ares, Oliver, Archer and Apollo, you’re with me.
The rest of you are with Nelson’s group.
We don’t know how many are in there or if it’s even Playboy.
All we know for sure is that someone is definitely in there.
Be careful if you have to discharge your weapon.
Riley and Daphne are in there and I don’t want them to get hurt.
Nelson’s group will go in first to get the fire under control and we’ll go in as soon as they tell us they’re good. ” Salvatore says to everyone.
We all make our way to the building. Our group stays outside to wait for them to tell us they have it contained. We’re trying to do this as quietly as possible so that whoever it is in there hopefully doesn’t hear us.
“We have the fire down here contained. But the smoke is thick and it’s upstairs. You all need masks.”
We grab the masks and air tanks that the firefighters give us and get them on. We file in one by one and head to the stairs that leads to the apartment. I need my Riley to be okay.
The first thing we see when we get the front door open is Daphne laying on the living room floor.
Because we don’t have any outsiders with our group, Oliver and Archer shifted right before we went into the apartment.
They went in to see who else is in there.
They can’t talk to us, but they are venomous snakes.
So if they need to, they can bite whoever’s in there.
I personally think they should bite every asshole that’s touched my girl.
Ares and Apollo slowly grab onto Daphne and pull her towards us. She’s not moving and I’m not sure if she’s breathing. After we get her out of the apartment, Noah takes her downstairs and to the ambulance waiting outside. We can hear voices coming from inside the apartment.
“Where’s the bitch we left here?”
“She was right fucking there. She couldn’t have moved. She was fucking dead.”
Fuck. Daphne can’t be dead.
“Holy fuck! Something bit me!” one of the guys screams.
I smile as we see one body drop to the ground. I don’t recognize him. But I do recognize the other voice.
“Get your hands up!” Salvatore yells at Playboy.
“Fuck you. You need to let me out of here. Or I’ll kill Riley too.”
“Drop your gun and let Riley go. You won’t like the other option.”
I can see Playboy holding Riley in front of him with a gun to her head.
He looks around her and sees his friend writhing on the ground.
I’m not sure if the bite his friend got will kill him.
The Taipan shifters have two different venoms they can use.
One is poisonous. The other will make them really sick.
Personally I’d rather they used the first one in this case.
“Shoot me. I don’t fucking care.” Playboy laughs.
Before he can raise his gun to Riley’s head again, we see a snake launch itself into the air and latch onto his neck. He screams and drops his gun, which gives me the opening to get to Riley and pull her to me. I take my mask off and put it on her face.
“You’re safe, mo fhíorghra.” I say to her as I hold her.
“Take her to the ambo and get her checked out.” Salvatore says to me as the others are handcuffing Playboy and the other guy.
I pick Riley up and carry her down to the ambulance. I put her on one of the gurneys and the paramedics start to look her over. Throughout their examination, I never let her hand go.
“You’re going to be okay. We want to admit you to keep an eye on your breathing for tonight.” One of the paramedics says to her.
“Where’s Daphne? Is she okay?” Riley asks as she cries.
“I don’t know if your friend is okay. She was taken to Lucciola Memorial.”
“We’ll find out when we get to the hospital.” I say to her as I kiss her.
Oliver and Archer come over to us as they’re loading Riley onto the ambulance.
“Let Sal know that I’m going with Riley to the hospital.” I say to Archer.
“I’m coming with you.” Oliver says as he jumps into the ambo.
“I got it. We’ll all be there as soon as things are wrapped up here.” Archer says to me.
I know I have a job to do, but right now Riley’s more important than that. And I know that Salvatore will understand. I kiss Riley again.
“I love you, mo fhíorghra.”
“I love you too.” She says as I hold her tight.