Chapter 40
DEREK POV
After a three-hour drive, I arrived at my clubhouse and looked around the stage, but there was no sight of Gardy. Then I proceeded to check for her in the changing room. Just then, Niel, one of my men, ran up to me and bowed.
“Jaxon is waiting in your office,” he quickly informed and veered to go away.
“Tell Gardy to meet me in my office,” I said, stopping him midway. He slowly veered, lowering his gaze, without uttering a word, and that got me curious. “Any problem?” I asked and began walking in the direction of my office while he trailed behind me.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
After some minutes of silence, he responded, “Gardy left the club, claiming that she wasn’t feeling too strong.” We got into the elevator together.
Just then, my mind drifted back to my father’s words, and I suddenly began to regret why I agreed to his request to meet up with Joanna. I should’ve declined and ignored him like I’ve always done for the past five years.
Now I’ve exposed her to them, and I doubt if they will ever let her be without endangering her life. -I swear. If I have to fight till my last drop of blood, I will never allow them to hurt a single hair on your body. I promise you, my bunny-
Niel suddenly tapped me on my shoulder, and I veered, gazing at him with furrowed eyebrows, wondering why he tapped me so hard.
“Sorry, Mob. Your phone has been vibrating for a while now,” he quickly spoke up, lowering his gaze.
“Uhmm… I see,” I sighed. I guessed I was lost in my thoughts, which made me fail to notice. I retrieved it from my pant pocket, and the name of the caller displayed on my phone screen made my fingers tumble in anger.
I angrily ended the call without picking up, but he was so persistent, as he kept calling and calling nonstop, which left me with no choice but to pick up, and I regretted it immediately.
“What do you want!” I coldly asked, stepping into my office. But deep down, I was scared of his demands. Yes! I knew the reason why he called; he never calls unless he finds new prey.
I heard him chuckle at the other end, “Easy boy… You left without telling your father, why?”
“Because we had nothing left to talk about,” I responded, feeling pissed already and resisting the urge to hang up on him. “Why did you call?” I blurted impatiently, pacing around my office.
There were minutes of silence from him, and when I assumed he wasn’t ready to speak up, I tried to hang up. “I want her!” His words dropped, and my thumb stopped midway from my screen.
“What… what do you mean?” I found myself sputtering. I pretended like I never knew what he was talking about. But at that minute, I knew it was done for, as fear crawled all over my body as I awaited his response.
“Easy boy… You’ve done it before, and you will still do it again and again. Till I say IT IS OVER.”
These have always been his words, ever since I was born. I guess he is the only being feared in my entire life. And I hate to admit his words had always been the final say in my life. But I think not anymore because I’m ready to face him this time around.
“Why? She has never been a threat. Father, you just met her,” I found myself defending, trying to convince him.
“I don’t care. I want her.”
“Never!” I screamed, hitting my clenched fist on the wall.
He chuckled, “Don’t you dare disobey me for the first time in 30 years of your life? Why the rage? I thought you called her your plaything. When did you suddenly develop feelings for your plaything?” I could imagine him smirking right now.
This man knows exactly how to play around with his words, and he would end up making you expose yourself to him. I guessed my outburst to his request sold me out, but there is a first time for everything, right? But I know deep down that there is no point in trying to fight back. No matter what, he will always win.
“You love her, don’t you?” He asked in the calmest voice I could ever imagine.
I only nodded my head. I knew without even seeing me that he already knew what the answer was.
“Yes, right? I mean, who wouldn’t love her at first sight? She looks innocent and naive. Not a lousy bitch like Bec—–”
“Father, please stop.”
“I really want to see her again.”
“Father—-”
“You have nothing to worry about. I promise I won’t hurt her.” He quickly interrupted me with a soft chuckle, and my shoulders fell in relief. I ended the call.
I veered and saw Jaxon patiently waiting for me, while Niel sat down beside him. I began to stride toward them. “Did Joanna stop by the club today?” I asked Niel, and he nodded his head.
“Mob, I only saw her this afternoon. Doven left with her almost immediately after some thugs tried to harass her in the stripper… Sorry Mob, I shouldn’t be disclosing this to you.”
My clenched fist flew through the air and landed on his nose, causing it to bleed. “Speak!” My palm gripped his neck, choking him.
*****
MONALISA P. O. V
Doven’s car halted right in front of the home. The street was noisy as usual as we got down from the car. Doven’s gaze wandered around.
“I wonder how Gardy comfortably lives here with her four-year-old son. Raising her child here is quite dangerous,” Doven tried to start up a conversation with me, but my mind wasn’t having it at all.
My mind was already clouded, running wild and trying to figure out why Candy sounded the way she did over the phone.
I knocked on her door, but surely the door opened on its own, which means it was never locked. But this is strange. Candy, I know would never leave her door unlocked for any reason.
I veered to Doven, who nodded his head, encouraging me to go inside.
I slowly stepped inside, and I saw pieces of glass scattered all over the floor. Instantly, my heart sank into my stomach as anxiousness crawled all over me. Everywhere was turned upside down.
“Why is her home looking all messed up?” Doven stepped in front of me with a screwed expression.
I ignored him and ran past him, but I was mindful of the glass on the floor. “Candy! Candy!” I got into her room and screamed out her name but got no response. But I continued calling out to her.
My head was already spinning in a wild tornado as my gaze wandered around, searching for at least a clue. But then an idea struck me, and I dashed out, ignoring Doven’s call.
I stood in front of her neighbor’s doorstep and was about to knock, but someone opened the door.
“How may I help you?” An elderly woman asked, staring back at me.
“Uhmm…. About Gardy—–”
“I saw a very tall, scary man forcefully drag her away. And she was covered in blood,” she quickly replied, pointing at Candy’s doorstep.
My eyebrows furrowed, “Did you see his face?”
“No. But he was clothed in a black coat and he was wearing black knee boots,” she disclosed more, with her fingers placed on her head, trying to recall more physical features.
But I already know who is responsible. It’s none other than Dominic. I will have to bring Candy back at all costs to her son. If it means meeting him once again, I will.