Chapter 20
Jackson Hatton knew he wasn’t invited to the wedding, but he had planned to crash it anyway even though he knew that somehow it’d hurt him to see Emily in a wedding dress, getting married to his brother when he met her first, kissed her first.
There was a burning jealousy in his chest that he couldn’t control, he couldn’t quench and he could only let it burn till it consumed him. He was dressed in a dark coloured suit, seated restlessly in his sleek black corvette parked in the wedding reception venue while running nervous hands through his ginger coloured hair. He had a bottle in his hand that he sipped from continuously in large gulps and he could feel the liquor running through his veins, invading his brain and compromising his thoughts but it was nothing he couldn’t handle, not when there was something bigger in his mind. Why did he care so much? He had no idea why but he knew it was because she was out of reach, he couldn’t have her and it made him want her more.
He dipped his hands into his pocket, bringing out Emily’s bracelet and he could almost smell her beside him, his mind playing tricks on him, her soft lips caressing his and his hands finding her slim waist. Those hidden eyes that enticed him swarmed his memories, playing with his memories and he groaned in frustration.
Suddenly, the lights went off both inside the large luxurious building and outside at the parking lot. Everywhere stayed still and silent and Jackson’s heart drummed within his chest as he took one last careless gulp from the bottle of whiskey he held and he got down from the car, studying the environment. It felt strangely quiet, even the paparazzis centered outside the building were quiet and he could imagine what he confused look etched on their eager faces, cameras at hand and the next news feed buzzing in their brain.
Suddenly the lights came on, and it was a split drunken second when he turned and an unusual scenario caught in his vision, he paused but it was too quick to deliberate. Quickly, he got into his car and he zoomed off in a hot chase with the black car speeding in front of him.
He had seen two men pull a blindfolded Emily, still dressed in a flowing black evening dress, into the car, dressed in casual clothes but he had recognized the driver.
He was Anita’s chauffeur. Ethan’s ex.
Jackson doubled his speed, his hands reaching to dial Ethan’s phone immediately . He was in flight mode as his brain was yet to understand the situation unfolding before him but he had one thing on his mind.
He had to follow that car. For Emily’s sake.
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Emily Walker sat confused in the back seat of the strange car, seated between two strange men that smelled heavily of coffee and cigarettes. It had happened all too fast, one moment she was dancing with Ethan, looking it his eyes but her heart thundering with someone else in mind and the next moment the lights went off and she felt someone pulling her away, his strong large hand held tightly over her mouth concealing any scream that threatened to escape. She felt those hands overpower her completely as he pulled her through a secret door unbeknownst to the wedding party, and next thing was thick cloth over her eyes as two hands grabbed her now, pushing her through a door. She felt the hot wind hit her face and she knew she was outside, before she was thrown into a car and zooming off immediately. She froze with fear, unable to speak or move, her vision blinded and the car moving at a dangerous speed.
What was happening?
Who were these people?
“What’s going on?” She managed to speak “Where are you taking me?”
“Be still” a harsh voice thundered back at her, but that wasn’t the problem. She wished they would go slower, her heart raced as fast as the car was going and she she squeezed her dress tighter, a silent prayer escaping her lips.
It happened in a quick second, the familiar sound of screeching of tires and the car suddenly stopped. She felt the car crashing unto something, although she wasn’t sure what because of the blindfolds against her eyes. She felt those same strong hands grip her tightly suddenly pushing her out of the car while she landed in a thud, and everything went completely still as she heard the car zoom off. Her body lay limp on the dusty floor and there were hardly any sounds of passing cars so she felt the area was deserted. She couldn’t feel a thing, the numbness coursing through her as she fought within her to move, remove the blindfolds, at least breathe. But she was stuck, a slow panic setting in.
“I don’t want to die” she thought to herself or so she thought but not when a familiar voice responded
back to her.
“You’re not going to die Emily, just stay with me” the voice said, she opened her eyes realizing that the blindfolds have long been removed and Jackson’s face was looking down on her. She looked round her surroundings and they were indeed on a lonely road.
“Jackson?” She called, her head throbbing and her eyes dancing with confusion. She could feel a dull pain encompassing her forehead but she didn’t appear to be hurt anywhere else.
“You’re safe now, Emily ” he said and she could see his eyes squint with worry as he held tightly unto her. She wanted to tell him she was okay but she enjoyed the way he held her, she could feel almost nothing else. She could perceive a faint smell of alcohol on him, and truly his eyes looked drunken even though they settled on her.
“What happened?” she asked, “How are you here?” She proceeded to touch his face and sit up but he held her down.
“Don’t worry about it Emily, you’re safe now. Just stay still” he said
“OMG!! Emily!” Ethan’s voice suddenly boomed as he jumped down from the car rushing towards where Jackson and Emily laid on the floor. His face changed, contorting to anger when his eyes met Jackson. He quickly pulled Jackson by the collar.
“What did you do Jackson?” He yelled “Let go of her?”
“The real question Ethan is what did you do, because this is all you” Jackson replied, pulling Ethan’s hands of him.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“What do you mean?” Ethan and Emily echoed at the same time.
“Anita did this, she was going to kidnap Emily”