Chapter Nineteen
Brandi woke up in a dimly lit room. She lay in the middle of an old mattress on the floor surrounded by candles. Her shoulders were sore, and she couldn’t think coherently. When she tried to move her arms, she couldn’t. Her hands were restrained behind her back and her ankles were tightly bound together. The last thing she remembered was struggling with someone and encountering an awful smell. She’d been kidnapped and she had a pretty good idea who the culprit was.
Brandi screamed at the top of her lungs. “Help me! Someone please help!”
No response.
“Someone help!” she yelled again.
No one came.
Her heart raced and questions flew through her mind. Where was she? How long had she been out? Was anyone looking for her? What about her children? Were they okay?
Brandi wanted to give into tears but knew they were a luxury she couldn’t afford right now. She had to focus on getting out of here before her captor returned. She didn’t know if he planned on maiming, killing, or raping her, or all three, but she didn’t want to stick around and find out.
First, she had to try and get her hands in front of her. Brandi wiggled her arms behind her back trying to pull them past her bottom. She strained and stretched until sweat beaded her forehead and her shoulders ached even more, but she finally managed to get her hands under her butt.
She took a deep breath and worked to get her legs through her arms, bending, twisting, and contorting in ways she hadn’t thought she was capable of. She almost felt as though someone was giving her the extra push she needed. When her feet slipped through the cuffs and her arms were in front of her at last, Brandi fell back against the mattress, breathing huge sighs of relief.
Being short and petite finally paid off.
Once she caught her breath, she sat up and attacked the knots in the rope around her ankles. They were tight and she broke nearly all of her nails before she was able to free herself.
Brandi rubbed her swollen ankles as the blood rushed back into them. She wished she had the keys to her cuffs, but at least she was mobile. She rushed to the door.
Standing on the other side was Rodney, a large butcher knife in his hand.
She let out a loud blood-curdling scream.
Ignoring his pain, Mason slid past the doctors and out the hospital door. He needed to sneak into the doctors’ locker room and steal a set of scrub tops because his shirt had been cut from his body when he had been brought into the hospital. He was glad that his jeans and shoes were still intact.
Mason dug into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. After assuring himself that he had enough money for a cab, he replaced it. His heart beat a rapid tattoo against his chest as tension gripped him. He knew something had happened to Brandi.
“She’s not at her house. He’s taken her.” Paul appeared next to him.
Mason whirled around angrily. The sudden movement caused him excruciating pain, but he stopped himself from grunting aloud.
“Paul, where were you when the car got trashed with Ben in it?”
“I can only do so much, you know. Although I couldn’t stop Rodney from tampering with your brakes, I was holding Ben when the car flipped. After that, I’ve been with Brandi all this time. I was helping her out of her restraints before Rodney could show up, but, unfortunately, he came back before she could escape. You have to get over there and fast.”
“No, shit! Where are they?”
“He has her in an abandoned house in Center City. A half hour away from here.”
“How did he get her?”
“She was on the way to the store to pick up candles for her niece’s birthday cake when he took her. That was hours ago. Her sister has called the police, but she hasn’t been missing long enough for them to use the manpower for an extensive search.”
“Why didn’t you know he would take her?”
“I was watching her, not him. You need to calm down.”
“Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down when Brandi is in the hands of a psychopath?”
“The last thing she needs is for you to lose your head.”
Mason sighed. His friend was right. Now wasn’t the time for him to lose his cool. “Damn. Will the police even know where to look?”
“Probably not; that’s why it’s up to you to get there in a hurry.”
“What is he going to do with her?” Mason’s body was tight with fear.
“I wish I knew, which is why we have to get there quickly.”
“Damn. Where’s a stinking taxi when you need it?” Mason asked in frustration.
“One is coming.”
“Paul, when I get there, I don’t want any interference from you. That motherfucker is mine.”
“Hmm.” Paul was noncommittal.
“Paul….” Mason growled.
“We’ll just have to see when we get there. Remember the rules,” Paul reminded him.
“How can I not retaliate when he almost got Ben killed and he kidnapped Brandi? Do you expect me to do nothing?”
“I expect you to tread lightly.”
“How lightly do you think I can tread? This man is responsible for my death as well as attempted murder against the Thorntons. Had you not intervened, he would have killed Tina as well. Heaven only knows how many others he’s harmed. The man has to be stopped, and if there are consequences, then so be it.”
Paul sighed as though realizing that nothing he said would convince his friend to back off. Mason was a man on a mission.
Brandi backed away from Rodney. There was a maniacal gleam in his eyes. She knew that not only was Rodney not completely there, but he was psychopathic.
“Where were you going, Brandi? You weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?” He smiled at her as though holding a knife over her was the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it was. For him.
Brandi had known fear in her life, but nothing quite like this. She had always wondered why the women in horror movies stood frozen as the killer advanced on them, and now she knew. Her fear was paralyzing. She was so terrified that she could barely breathe. Brandi was sure that her heartbeat could be heard a mile away.
She could feel the sweat rolling down her face and wondered if this was how her life would end. Who would have thought that when she and Damon had invited Rodney into their lives that things would turn out like this?
When he stepped forward again, she was jolted into mobility once more and took a step back.
“Don’t be scared, Brandi. You know I would never hurt you as long as you behave.” He smiled but his eyes were cold.
She took another step away from him and tried to brazen her way out. “This has gone far enough. Let me go.”
“Why would I do that? I love you.”
She shook her head. “Love isn’t supposed to be like this.”
“You just don’t know any better. I will show you what real love is. I brought you here because it’s my right. You belong to me and your place is with me. I’ve loved you too long and fought too hard to be with you to let you go to that bastard Collins, but it’s okay now. I took care of him and his damn son.” Rodney laughed.
Brandi’s heart literally stopped for a second. Had he killed Mason and Ben? “What did you do?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She no longer feared for herself but for what he might have done to two innocent people.
“Oh, let’s just say I gave them a break.” He laughed again.
Her fear was replaced by a new emotion.
Rage.
She rushed him, hitting him in the chest with her hands clasped in one big fist.
He pushed her off and Brandi lost her footing. She crashed onto her bottom. She screamed at him. “You psycho! You killed them!”
“I hope so. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out, but I’m sure that after the magnitude of the accident, Collins won’t be bothering us for a long while, if ever. Should he have survived, by the time he’s realized anything, we’ll be out of the country. I have a villa in Guadalajara. You’ll love it there. It’s a paradise and it will be just the two of us.”
“You’re crazy. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I’ve told you before, Brandi, I’m only crazy for you.” He walked to her. She tried to scoot away, but he grabbed her by the handcuffs, yanking her up.
“It was clever of you to get your arms from behind your back. Next time, I’ll just have to make sure you’re more secure. I want to show you something. I’m going to prove to you once and for all that I love you more than anyone ever could.”
She struggled until he placed the blade of the knife against her throat.
“Brandi, you have such pretty skin. I would hate it if you make me cut you, but I will to show you who’s in charge. Come on.”
He tucked her under his arm and practically dragged her out of the room. Rodney led her down a dark hallway and opened the door to another room and shoved her inside.
The room was small but well-lit with candles and incense. In the middle of the room was a structure of some sort. It looked like an altar.
Brandi gasped. The centerpiece was a 18” x 20” photograph of her. It was part of a missing picture of her with Damon and the children, but everyone else had been cut out and the picture had been enlarged.
A cold chill rushed through her as she surveyed the rest of the room. The walls were literally covered in photographs and sketches of her. There were pictures of her sleeping, eating, showering, walking to her car…. Most of them seemed to have been taken when she was off guard, and they all spanned the nine years she’d known Rodney.
She has been wrong. Rodney was not psychopathic; he was completely insane.
There was nothing romantic about this room. It was creepy, and now she was more scared than she had been before. It was obvious that his unhealthy obsession with her was not recent. How had they all been so fooled?
“Do you see how much I love you now? Can you deny me after seeing this?” He dug into his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a pair of her missing panties.
Holy shit, he had been inside her house while she wasn’t there. Brandi watched in horror as he put the panties against his nose and inhaled deeply, then replaced them in his pocket. He gave her an easy smile.
Her jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe this. Things like this only happened in the movies.
Brandi retreated until she was against the altar. As gently as she could, she said, “Rodney, it’s over between us. I’m sorry if I hurt you, but this isn’t right. I don’t want to be with you.”
She’d miscalculated. He advanced on her and grabbed her head before she could react. He brought his mouth down on hers, grinding her teeth painfully against her lips.
The tip of his knife was pressed dangerously against her side and she knew if she moved it would pierce her flesh.
“Open your god damned mouth,” he muttered against her lips.
Brandi parted her lips slightly and his tongue slid roughly past her teeth. She fought the urge to bite him. There was no telling what he would do and she had to stay alive. The thought of leaving her children orphans kept her centered. She had to keep her mind on them if she was to make it through this.
She stood completely still as his tongue probed and explored her mouth. Brandi could feel the bile rising in her throat. This was not a kiss but more like a protracted form of rape. It seemed to go on forever before he lifted his head with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
“You taste so sweet, Brandi. I’ve waited so long for this moment. Do you know when I realized you were mine?”
She shook her head, not really caring to know the answer. “From the moment I saw you. When you smiled at me, I thought to myself that here was a woman I would lay my life down for. This was a woman worth fighting for…and killing for. And I have, Brandi. I’ve killed for you. Now do you understand the depth of my devotion to you? Do you finally realize I will never let you go?”
“I….” What could she possibly say to him that wouldn’t make him snap?
“You think I’m talking about Collins, but I’m not.” Rodney smirked. “Damon thought he could keep us apart, too, but I showed him.”
“You…you killed Damon? But…he was shot by that man.”
“Yeah, that’s what they say, isn’t it? It was very convenient for me.”
“Oh, my God! You killed…you son of a bitch!” With a strength she didn’t know she possessed she swung her arms. Her fist caught Rodney on the side of his face. Rodney was taken off guard and the knife fell from his hand as he stumbled backward. Brandi dashed for the knife and snatched it before Rodney could.
She ran at him with murderous intent, her body propelled by her incredible anger, but Rodney was prepared for her. He sidestepped her as she brought the knife down to slash his chest and his fist slammed into her jaw, sending her flying back.
He was on top of her in an instant, grabbing the knife from her fingers. He slapped her across the face, but she refused to stop fighting.
“I told you I didn’t want to hurt you, but you’re making me very angry, Brandi.”
“You murderer! You took Damon from me! You took Mason from me! What makes you think I could ever love you? You’re a monster!” And with that she spat in his face.
Rodney jerked back in surprise. Spittle dripped down the side of his face. He slowly wiped it off his cheek, examining it before licking it off his fingers. “Umm, delicious.” He smiled down on her.
Brandi’s stomach roiled with disgust. She made a move to get away but he pinned her beneath him, straddling her with his thighs so that her arms were trapped. She fought and squirmed, but her strength was no match for his.
She knew she wouldn’t get out of this situation using muscle, so she tried using her mind. “Rodney, you know you’ll get into a lot of trouble for this. You were a police officer. Your job was to protect and serve. Have you forgotten so easily?”
He paused as though considering what she just said. Then he laughed.
“Is that why you think I joined? That’s so sweet of you to think so, darling, but I don’t give two shits about protecting or serving. Cops have access to places most people wouldn’t and people trust them. Besides, a cop can carry a gun. I like guns. I’ll show you my collection one day. Now, baby, how about we get you up? Will you behave yourself or do I have to start chopping off some parts?”
Her eyes widened. He had to be kidding. He just had to be. “If…if you love me, then why would you hurt me?”
“Brandi, I love you so much that I’m willing to do that, even though I don’t want to. You see, I will keep you with me by any means necessary, and if that means cutting off your feet so you won’t run from me, then so be it.”
She shook her head. “Rodney, normal people don’t think like this.”
“When are you going to realize that my love for you isn’t normal. It’s extraordinary, and in time you will understand. I just want to love you, baby, but if you don’t cooperate….”
The way his voice trailed off left her in no doubt what he would do.
“Maybe I should amputate your arms and legs so you can never escape me.”
Terror seized her heart. Rodney was just the right amount of crazy to do something like that. “You…you wouldn’t dare.”
He shrugged one shoulder a pure mania gleamed in his dark eyes. “I wouldn’t mind having my own Venus di Milo although I would prefer you with all your limbs intact.”
Brandi’s eyes filled with the tears that had not come earlier. “What about my babies? They need their mother. Don’t do this to me. Don’t do this to them.”
“Let your family take care of them. You belong to me. Tomorrow, we’ll get on a flight to Mexico, and we’ll start our new life together.”
“I won’t leave them, and you can’t make me!” She renewed her struggles.
“You’re making me angry again. Do I have to cut that cute little pinky finger off to show you that I mean business? Make this easy on yourself and just let me love you.”
“I’ll see you in hell first,” she hissed venomously.
His eyes tightened with rage. “You want to do this the hard way? So be it.”
Brandi screamed as Rodney raised the knife.