A year ago.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Mr Marcus?." Mr Gardner asked and then I smiled. Of course he knew why I was here, standing in front of his room.
I had met him earlier today in the restaurant, and he had told me about his lovely innocent daughter. He had also told me that if I was really interested, I should pay him a visit because he was also booking a room in the hotel.
My eyes trail down to his feet and then I raise it up and plastered a smile on my face.
"We discussed about the matter in the restaurant, I'm sure you know why I'm here." I said trying to make my voice sound more friendly.
"Of course, I know but I want to hear you say it, it gives me a kind of a feeling when I hear you say it, so please, do me a favour and say it." He said rubbing his palms together.
This man was treacherous, I hoped he knew that he was greedy and also a blood sucker. How can he be this vile and promise me a wife that was innocent, kind and sweet.
How?.
He gave a small laugh that followed with a smirk.
"I'm here for a business proposal." I said.
"Yes..." He persuaded.
"To pay for your daughter, Miss Kaya, a billion dollars, because I want her hand in marriage. "
After I was done with saying it, a big smile spread across his face and he tapped his feet on the ground like a child that wanted candy.
"Come in, let's discuss more." He said and when I walked in, there were already lawyers waiting at the table. He wasn't kidding, he was already prepared for business for a long time now.
I felt as if I had just walked into the den of hungry lions and I couldn't go back.
PRESENT DAY.
Gabby's POV
I was sitting on my couch and staring up at the ceiling when I heard my little brother, Tommy call me.
"Gabby, Gabby, someone wants to see you." He said standing at the door.
I looked to the door and I saw Jake standing there.
I jumped from my seat, he looked badly injured...
"Jake, you're bleeding." I told him going towards him.
"Sit down!." He demanded and then I went back to the same couch that I was sitting on, only that now I didn't feel as comfortable as I was before.
"You're bleeding." I told him again but then I figured that he already knew, it's just that it scared me to look at him.
"Who's the bitch you sent to my club." He asked me.
"Kaya?." I asked him.
"Yeah, Kaya, who is she?."
" A friend of mine, we used to work at the same store but.... Did she do this to you, it's impossible, Kaya is harmless. "
" Not her, the man that came for her... " He said and then my eyes widened in realization.
" The handsome young man. " I said and then I heard Jake hiss.
" I'm sorry. " I said to him and he took his eyes away.
" Tell me how to find them. " Jake said to me.
" I don't know how to find them, Kaya was in need of help and I felt that you could help her, the last time I saw her was the day I called you and asked you to employ her. "
" Liar. " Jake said brushing through his hair with his finger. There was a very big cut on his forehead, I wondered how he was still alive.
" Jake you need to go to the hospital. " I said to him.
" Tell me how to find her, now!. " Jake shouted.
I put my hand to my chest because he had scared me.
" I don't know, trust me, if I knew, I would tell you. "
" You don't want to be joking with me Gabby." He said walking very close to me, I started to shift further back into the couch that I was sitting on.
I shifted till there was no where else to go and now he was very close to me, a few inches away.
The way his bruise were deep and opened almost made me puke on him.
" I'm going to ask you one last time, and if you don't give me the right answer... " He said bringing his hand to my neck and caressing it, slowly the rhythm went fast and sharp and hard, before he stopped to squeeze my neck, I held his hand trying to push him away but he wasn't budging, he was not moving away. I kicked at him, scratched, tried to do a lot of things to get him to move but he wouldn't.
"Now, where is Kaya."
"I swear I don't know."
"Wrong answer." He said in a very cold tone.
"I'll find her, I'll find her and then I'll get back to you, please let me go." I said and then he looked at me long and hard, his hands were still squeezing on my neck and I was barely able to breathe.
"Fine." He said and he released me. I put my hand to my neck and I started to breathe long and hard breaths.
He went a few steps away from me and then he said.
"Find her and the you tell me where she is, I'll get her and take care of her myself, your job is easy... you're lucky, this time." He said and he started to walk away from the door.
I looked around, my little brother Tommy was at the bottom of the stairs.
I had to look for a long time before I knew that he was crying. He barely ever sheds any single tear.
I went over to him and I thought of an excuse to tell him but there was none, there was nothing I could say, he just saw a man walk Into our house and tried to choke me.
" I'm fine." I whispered to him.
" No you're not, you're bleeding... "
"Tommy, it's not my blood, see." I said touching my neck and feeling that I wasn't injured, it was Jake's blood.
"What's the difference?." He asked me.