Forget Me Not

Chapter 19

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

BERLYNN

When I crept into Berkley’s room, Tracker lifted his head, but other than that, he paid me no other attention as he lowered his head and closed his eyes. He doesn't see me as a threat to his master, which is a good thing that he recognizes who’s on his side.

“Good boy,” I praise as I crawl beside my twin and watch him sleep. These are the times that I covet most. I’m thankful that in the morning, he’ll open his eyes and tell me good morning.

After the whole drugging ordeal, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have this again.

Drowsily, his eyelids flutter as he notices me lying beside him. A small, happy huff leaves his throat as he reaches out to me with his hand. I lift mine and he laces our fingers together.

A satisfied smile forms on his face causing one to break out on mine.

When we were younger, we’d always sneak into each other’s room at night and sleep beside one another. I’m not sure if it’s a twin thing, or if it’s a sibling thing, but either way, we rest better when we’re together.

“Did I have another nightmare, sis? I’m sorry if I woke you.” His husky, sleep-filled voice has me reaching out with my free hand and combing my fingers through his overgrown locks. He needs a haircut and I make a mental note to schedule one for him in the morning.

“No, Berk. No nightmares. Aris had to run to the office and asked me to stay with you because we can’t go outside, not even to take Tracker out to take care of business. Something’s happening, and he was more comfortable leaving us if we were together.”

“Is it something bad, Berl?” he inquires.

Now, I’m not one who likes to normally lie to him, but until I know for certain what’s going on, I decide to not frighten him. “I don’t know anything yet, brother. Let’s just stay here and cuddle like we used to until we find out. Okay?”

“Yes. I’d like that,” he confesses as he snuggles into my relaxing touch as I continue to play with his hair until his eyes close.

Just as I’m about to succumb to the darkness, my phone dings. Across the screen I see the notification for my email stating I have a new one waiting and ready to be read in my inbox. Even though I'm drowsy, curiosity gets the best of me and I press the button to play the video attachment.

“Hello, daughter,” a distorted and transmitted voice says through the airway. I’m not sure why he’s trying to camouflage himself with a voice alternator considering he all but announced who he is.

I know who it is even with the perplexing deception.

For one, he said daughter.

For two, nobody can come across as condescending and snooty as my dad does.

I press pause, and crawl from the bed so I don’t take the chance of Berk overhearing our dad. I’m sure he’s going to be demanding something, and whatever that is, I don’t want it to hurt my brother.

Sneaking into the hallway, I slide down the wall until I’m sitting on my rear end. With trembling hands, I bite my bottom lip and put my big girl panties on. With a skittish breath, I press the play button and the video picks up where it left off.

“It's time for me to play my hand, and soon, you'll see that the cards that I've dealt are not ones you're going to be happy with. You will not come out a winner in this. I will be the victor here.”

He stops long enough to let out a maniacal laugh. It gives me enough time to gather my courage to continue listening to the rest of the bullshit he’s about to spew.

“You only have so many weaknesses and only one was easily contained and I have her at my disposal. Wanna take a gander at who that could be?”

“Oh, God,” I wheeze out. “No! No, no, no, no, no.”

Tears are streaming down my cheeks and I don’t wipe them away. If he has who I suspect he does, the least I can do is cry for her.

“Daddy, no. How could you?” I berate a man who can’t even hear me doing it.

“No guesses? Hmm, let me show you.” He walks around a dark corner, and suddenly, I spot a woman tied to a chair with her head dangling. Chin on her chest. I don't need to see her face to know who she is.

That’s my best friend.

My Addy.

My ride or die.

The Thelma to my Louise.

She doesn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of any of this.

I sob when he reaches out and grabs her by the roots of her hair and flings her head back. I hear her neck snap which has me nauseous.

“Don’t hurt her!” I scream to the taped video.

Logically, I get that he can’t hear me, but that doesn’t stop me from rocking and begging him anyway.

“Please. Please. Please. Stop, Daddy! Just stop!”

But he doesn’t hear me and continues on with his tirade. “You have two hours to escape your guards, leave the grounds, and meet me in the parking garage at the library. If you don’t show up at that designated time and place, Addison will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. See you soon, my daughter.”

My head begins to pound and my eyes start pulsating with the beat of my heart.

How am I supposed to accomplish what he's asked of me?

These men are trained.

There'll be no sneaking around them.

But I have to figure out something, otherwise my best friend will pay the ultimate price.

Deciding I need to work smarter instead of harder, I pick up my phone and shoot off the video to Kayson and Aris. I stare down at the device, begging it to ring back for somebody to tell me what to do. But as time draws on with no response, I decide it's time to do what I have to do.

Sacrifice myself.

After all, she'd do the same thing for me. It’s what best friends and family do for one another. Years ago, we took a knife to our thumbs and pressed them together, becoming blood sisters.

We vowed that we’d die for one another if the occasion ever arose.

We pledged our lives to one another as only sisters could do.

And now it's time for me to keep my oathed vow.

I quickly dress and call for Tracker.

“Come on, boy. Let’s go outside.” His tongue lolls out the side of his mouth as his tail begins whipping around. He follows me like the dutiful dog he is. I feel bad taking him away from Berkley. But if it all works out, he’ll be back at his side soon and my twin will be safe from all threats.

He's gonna be my distraction.

He always goes to the eastern part of the property to take care of his business, which means I need to jog for the west side. Because once he trips the safety wires, they'll all go running in that direction to try to find out who or what tripped the detectors. I may have a few men left behind that I’ll need to make my way around, but I’m a gymnast, so climbing trees and swinging from the limb of one and catapulting myself to the other won’t be too difficult for me. I did it a lot as a teenager.

It's the only plan I can come up with at the spur of the moment that makes any type of sense. I disarm the security panel by quickly inserting the code. Once the green light goes off and the red one takes its place I know it’s go time—I only have so long before somebody realizes what I’ve done.

With bated breath and a silent prayer, I grip the doorknob and swing the door open. I watch as Tracker darts to his favorite area in the back quarter panel of the land and rearm the system and step outside.

“Please let this work,” I pray.

I can’t stay glued to the side of the house because Aris has spotlights aimed toward it. Getting in a runner’s stance, I wait until I hear the sounds of men crashing through the trees. Once I hear the fallen branches snap underneath their weight, I dash for the opposite side of the property and stick to the shadows, allowing the illumination from the bright moonlight to guide me. I haven’t done a lot of exploring on the outside since we arrived, so I let my instincts take over and keep my feet moving. If I stop, I’ll start second guessing myself. I tell myself that I gave them a chance to help me come up with a better alternative when I called. Even though they didn’t answer, I know they’re not going to see that as a good enough excuse.

How can they when I don’t think it’s an adequate one?

“Hang on, Addison. I’m coming. You’ll be free soon,” I say, clutching my fist over the center of my chest where my heart aches, hoping that even if she can’t hear me, she can feel me.

Once I climb up the tree that has enough knots for me to hold onto, I swing from branch to branch like Tarzan until I'm over the property fence.

When my feet crash down onto the dirt path, I pick up my phone and respond to the email.

I’m off the property. I’ll be in the parking lot in an hour or so but you won’t see me. Not until I watch you release Addison and witness her walking away.

I delete my reply and start over. He won’t take demands well, but he’s getting one anyway. I know that if I keep running I can be there in forty-five minutes. The thing is, I need a little time in order to find a good hiding place where they won’t find me so I need to give him a different timeline.

I managed to escape my guards but it’s going to take me more time than you allotted for me to arrive since I’m hoofing it by foot. It’ll take me at least an hour and a half to get there since I can’t take any of the main roads without taking the chance of being spotted. I’m warning you now, Dad, that you won’t see me, you won’t know I’m there until Addison is put into a vehicle and let loose. The very second I see that she’s sitting behind the wheel of a getaway car, I’ll reveal myself to you. I won’t budge on this; her safety and freedom is my only priority.

I don’t sign off with any doting end quotations like I usually would after responding to a message. He doesn’t deserve any love or sincerely Berlynn’s, he hasn’t earned any of those respectful words from me. I just hope the guys check their emails soon and see that I forwarded my dad’s video to them before it’s too late for Addison and me.