Enjoy ˚₊·➳❥
...
Ashley let out a horrified gasp, covering her mouth with her hand and staring at her brother with wide eyes.
"Stop! Where are you going in this situation?" Taylor said in a firm tone, trying his best to stop the raging man in front of him, and finally succeeded after cupping his face with his hands to calm him down so he could get some words out of his mouth.
"Aiden, listen. You're only making things worse. Please sit down and tell me what's going on, and then we'll think of a solution, not this brutal way of doing it."
Aiden started to calm down a little as he stared at his friend, who quietly nodded and then took him by the arm, leading him to the nearest table so they could sit and think. Aiden's panicked expression only indicated that he was afraid the kidnapper might have harmed his girl since he knew him very well, which would drive him crazy as he was just sitting there with his hands tied behind his back.
Ashley took the chair next to him and gently held his hand to make him feel better. She was also trying to calm her own heart, which was racing because she was so worried about her friend's safety from the psychopathic man.
"What's your relationship with this person? From the way you're talking, it sounds like you've known each other for a long time." Taylor spoke up soon after, waiting for an answer from the other, whose body was still shaking nervously in his chair.
Taylor widened his eyes in surprise as Aiden stood up from his chair, formed a fist with his hand, and slammed it into the table. "He's just a bug that deserves to be crushed by my shoes!"
Taylor fell silent, only staring blankly at his helpless friend, who threw his body back into the chair, running his fingers through his hair, eyes closed.
He opened his eyes wide and lifted his head towards Taylor.
"That's why she broke up with me. My suspicions were right. It was him. That bastard threatened her to break up with me. I'm sure everything was fine between us!"
Taylor furrowed his eyebrows and looked over at Ashley when she asked, "Did he ask you for money to get her back or something like that?"
He denied it, gritting his teeth and forming a fist with his hand before lightly pressing it against his forehead.
"The problem is, the bastard didn't ask for anything in return. He's just torturing me psychologically. That's his way of playing the game, just like he told me. Then he disconnected the line to leave me to flounder in the dark, just like he planned."
The man with the bloody hair bit the inside of his cheek in irritation before continuing. "He's also threatening that if I tell the police, he'll kill her without hesitation... That bastard is really enjoying turning me into a marionette..."
"I'm at a loss."
"Get up and show him that he's wrong." Taylor said, looking serious.
"But how?Tell me how!"
Aiden spoke helplessly, hitting his forehead with his hand. He was surprised when Taylor suddenly stood up from his chair and bent down in front of him, putting his face really close to Aiden's.
"We need to find anyone who could lead us straight to this guy's location. This is the way to go, 'cause we don't want to make the kidnapper suspicious of anything that might be a threat to him."
Aiden let out a nervous breath and lowered his gaze, narrowing his eyes, trying to remember any person that Eric might be dealing with.
"Think, Aiden. Think." Ashley started urging her brother to remember, then her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Aiden's lips, which had moved slowly to utter a name that even Taylor, who was close to him, could not hear.
"What did you say?" Taylor asked after furrowing his eyebrows and bringing his ear closer to his friend's lips; he got startled when Aiden quickly stood up from his chair and grabbed him by his shirt with both hands, "Dragonfly... I'm sure he knows Eric's every move!"
He bit his lip, then loosened his fists on the other's shirt and turned to his sister, who was staring at him blankly, cupping her face in his hands. "Listen, Ashley. I'm going to go somewhere, and if I find out where Eric is, I'll give you the address so you can tell the police. They'll send a support team, but in secret so Celine's not in danger, got it?"
The girl took a deep breath and nodded quickly. Then she felt her brother gently pat her on the cheek. "Good job."
He'd barely turned to leave when she grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Be careful, please."
"Don't go anywhere." She frowned as she stared at her brother, who shook his head in denial. Then she felt his arms around her, holding her to his chest.
He put his hands on her shoulders and smiled, trying to reassure her. "Just trust me and do what I asked, okay? Go see her family and make sure they're all right. Don't let them do anything reckless, alright?"
...
He'd barely started the car when he heard the door open. He looked over at Taylor, who'd just sat down in the seat next to him after slamming the door, making the car shake.
He let out a sigh and then said without looking away from the car's windshield."Go ahead, what are you waiting for?"
"That's dangerous, Taylor. That dragonfly will blow your head off before you even take the first step towards him."
He smiled a bit when he heard Aiden trying to warn him about the danger of what he was about to do. "I'd rather be killed by a mafia boss than die old and alone in a bed.
"Crazy..."
Aiden muttered under his breath before looking back at the windshield and getting ready to set off, realizing he wasn't going to be able to change the other person's mind no matter how hard he tried.
...
"How did you know the dragonfly was a mafia boss?"
Aiden asked as he concentrated on driving, or rather tried to concentrate on driving.
"Are you kidding me? Even kindergarteners know who the dragonfly is," said Taylor while staring at the cigarette case he was playing with his fingers.
Aiden lightly pursed his lips and nodded, losing control of the steering wheel because of his shaking hands. This caught Taylor's attention, and he arched his eyebrows as he checked the speedometer. "Aiden, slow down."
"Aiden, watch out!"
Taylor's sudden yell made Aiden flinch and widen his eyes in panic. He stared at the rapidly approaching car, which was going to crash right into them if he didn't slow down. He unconsciously let go of the steering wheel, awaiting his fate.
The only thing he felt was his body slamming into the window next to him. Taylor had just intervened to steer the car away from the car he had just dodged at the last moment.
"You almost killed us, you fool!"
Taylor growled nervously, breathing heavily, pushing back his hair, and staring angrily at the other man who had just come out of his temporary coma. He clenched his fists on the steering wheel, swallowed hard, and looked forward again before wiping his sweaty forehead with his hand.
"I'm sorry."
Taylor let out a long sigh, rolling his eyes before speaking calmly as he glared at Aiden, who was shaking nervously on the seat.
"Stop the car, Aiden."
"Why?"
"Stop the damn car!"
Taylor's sudden screaming caused Aiden to jump out of his seat and stop the car without thinking in the middle of the highway. Taylor got out of the car and opened the driver's side door, pulling his friend by the arm and forcing him to get out of the car.
"Get out and let me drive. I didn't live two decades to die at your hands."
Aiden had to follow orders, and they switched seats. He silently stared at Taylor, who had pulled his hair elastic off his wrist to tie his hair tight so it wouldn't bother him while driving. And he didn't have a driver's license, to be precise.
...
"Aiden, I hope you're in your right mind for coming here." The man with the hazel eyes said after swallowing a few times. He stared out the car window at the huge mansion. It looked scary when you first saw it because of its gloomy exterior. He shivered as he listened to the dogs barking behind the big gate and the surveillance cameras at every corner of the entrance.
"There's no harm in trying," Aiden suddenly said, focusing intently on the mansion. Then he heard Taylor's loud laugh as he leaned his head against the window, looking out of the corner of his eye at his friend. "Wow, those dogs are going to tear us apart before we even approach the gate."
Aiden gave a quick nod and added in a confident tone."No, don't worry."
The twenty-one-year-old fell silent and raised his left eyebrow. He was surprised at how confident Aiden's voice was.
"What makes you so certain?"
"I've got a plan."
...
"What did you say? I didn't hear you."
The forty-year-old man spoke with a sly smile as he leaned against his leather sofa in the center of his spacious office, cradling his thick cigarette between his lips. He was enjoying listening to the pleading voice of the young man who was kneeling on the floor with his head down, and the wooden floor was stained by the drops of blood flowing from his head after the severe beating he had received.
"Please, forgive me, sir. I really regret what I did."The guy spoke in a trembling voice, his lips quivering with fear at what was about to happen. He closed his eyes tightly as he heard the footsteps of the cruel man approaching him until he was right in front of him.
He smirked as he stomped on the other's hand. The poor guy let out a pained groan and bit his lower lip to keep from screaming. His master kept pushing with his shoe until the sound of bones breaking could be heard.
He lowered himself to his level, bringing his mouth close to his ear, and he felt chills run down his spine. Then he realized that his pleas were useless.
"No one betrays the Dragonfly and gets away with it."
He smiled lightly before standing up straight again. With a quick gesture of his hand, he made the young man shout for help and try one last time to resist the two men who grabbed him by the arms and dragged him out. Torture him so brutally until he wishes for death to come and get him out of the bottom of hell, but he never gets it.
The dragonfly let out a sigh as he made his way over to the marble table. He picked up the wine bottle and poured himself a glass. Then he spoke to his assistant, took a sip of his drink, and continued. "They make me use violence against them."
One of the leader's bodyguards said, "Excuse me, sir, but a young man claims to have been sent by Eric Turner."
The man's body stiffened and his eyebrows furrowed as he put his wine glass on his desk, stroked his black beard, and stared silently at the floor. He muttered words the two men couldn't hear. "Interesting. I'm really curious to know what that idiot wants from me."
He went over to his couch, put his weight on it, and nodded as a sign that he was agreeing to receive him.
The forty-year-old raised his eyebrows at the young man's weird behavior. Aiden had just walked in without even bothering to bow or say anything.
He moved with a relaxed pace over to the sofa across from him, taking off his red hood that was covering his face from the dragonfly, who had just widened his eyes, raised his eyebrows, and smiled sideways.
"What a surprise, little policeman!" He let out a little laugh, then lit a second cigarette and leaned back on the couch, crossing one leg over the other. He sent the smoke in the face of the young man, who just kept staring at him in silence.
Aiden cleared his throat and said, "I know you and Eric Turner have been having problems lately. He was one of your biggest loyalists, but he turned on you and took you for money. Now you're out for revenge, and you certainly knew that he is now out of prison, right?"
He looked uncomfortable as he put out his cigarette and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Get straight to the point. What do you want?"
The young man licked his lips and slowly turned his head to the leader's bodyguard, who was standing close to where he was sitting, watching for the slightest movement that could end up costing Aiden his life.
He swallowed, then bent over and rubbed his hands together nervously. After a few seconds, he said in a low voice, looking directly into the other person's eyes, "You know all of Eric's hiding places since you two were partners, don't you?"
He nodded softly, leaned his elbow on the couch cushion, and supported his head with his index finger. He moved it randomly across his temple, waiting for Aiden to go on.
"Well, I want you to help me catch him."
The dragonfly raised his left eyebrow, totally amazed, and then he giggled at the other's request. He even sighed dramatically, running his index finger under his eye to wipe away imaginary tears.
He stopped laughing and leaned over to Aiden, who didn't say anything, like he already knew how the dragonfly would react. He kept smiling until you could see his pearly teeth and said in a calm voice. "And why would I want to help..."
He tilted his head and continued in a sarcastic way. "A cop?"
Aiden smirked and rubbed his nose. "I know you don't do favors for others without wanting something in return."
He leaned his elbows on his thighs, staring at the other guy with a sardonic smile, and said, raising his eyebrows. "Supposing I agree to help you, can you tell me what your reward is?"
Aiden didn't say anything for a moment, then he tilted his head and replied, "Your reward is that you'll get your beloved wife back."
...