“My father. He’s behind everything. You wouldn’t listen to me all those years ago when I tried to explain my situation to you. He’s ruthless and will do anything. I’ll admit that I made some foolish decisions. I was terrified of my father back then. That was why I concealed my identity from everyone because I didn’t want Luciano to get hurt. I especially didn’t want Cecily or you in any danger. Maybe, I should have been honest but hold it against my youth, don’t hold it against me.”
“Gina, I am not interested in revisiting the past either. It’s done.”
“But, I told you that I loved you back then. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
“You were engaged to and had a child with my brother. It counts for absolutely nothing. I’ve moved on, and I’m in love with Braylee. Right now, I just want to know what your father is up to so that I can protect my family.”
*****
Braylee started walking back towards the room when her cell phone chirped. Between the mountains and the weather, she was surprised she could even get reception. It had been spotty at best. She went to answer it to find that she had a couple of messages. One was from Stephanie, and the other was from Malcolm. She listened to Stephanie’s message first. She wanted to check up on her. Braylee deleted that message. She would call her later. Malcolm’s message came up next. She stopped in her tracks. “What?” Braylee put her hands over her mouth. “That’s impossible. That’s….oh my god.”
*****
Cecily lay on her stomach with her head resting on her folded forearms. She’d shed so many tears that there couldn’t possibly be any more left.
She didn’t even turn to see who had entered her room.
“Cecily?”
Who was that? The voice and accent were thick and unrecognizable. Quickly she sat up to see who was calling her name. It wasn’t Uncle Alex or Braylee. She stuttered, “Who…who are you?”
He was a young Asian man in his late twenties early thirties. “Hi. I’m your cousin. I’m Joseph Ling Xiou.”
Cecily blinked a couple of times. She squinted her eyes. That name sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? “I don’t know you. How’d you get in here? There should have been one of our bodyguards standing outside the door.”
“Smart girl. You must have gotten that from our side of the family. I’m not sure where the guard is. He must have gone on a break.”
Cecily shook her head from side to side. “No. He would never have just gone on a break. Does my uncle know that you’re in here?”
Joseph started walking slowly towards Cecily. “He asked that I bring you to him.”
She swallowed nervously and backed up closer to the wall. “I don’t believe you. He would never do that.”
His eyes were menacing. “I need you to come with me.”
“You need to leave, or I’ll scream this room down.”
Joseph pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. “And then what? Uncle Alex or his goons will come running to save you? They might, but if they do, I’ll take care of each one as they enter the room. My suggestion to you little girl is to come with me quietly, and no one will get hurt.”
Cecily didn’t know what to do. She kept looking at the door hoping while at the same time scared someone would walk through it. No. She couldn’t take a chance on Alex or Braylee getting hurt either. She did the only thing that made sense. Cecily crawled off of the bed and made the decision to go with Joseph.
*****
Braylee put her phone back into her purse. Should she go back to Alex and tell him what Malcolm had just told her? She looked down the hallway from where she had come and then back in the direction of where she was going. Should she tell him at all? He had a right to know. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to her temples. Braylee started walking. She would check in on Cecily first and then decide if she should tell him or not.
When she turned down the hallway towards their bedroom suite, her heart rate sped up. One of their security guards was slumped over on the floor. Braylee didn’t even think; she just burst into the room looking around for Cecily. “Cecily!” She went into the bathroom praying that she was in there. She continued to scream out her name. “Cecily!”
No response. She went back out into the hallway and bent down to check the man’s pulse. It was beating. He stirred as he roused out of darkness. He touched the area of his head that was throbbing in pain; it felt wet. He pulled his hands down to take a look, and there was blood on his fingers. Braylee saw it too. She attempted to help him up just as another security guard was coming out into the hallway. Braylee did her best not to panic. “He’s been hurt, and I can’t find Cecily. I want everyone to turn this place upside down looking for her.” She took off on a sprint. “I’m going to tell Alexandro.”
Braylee ran to the office she’d been in not ten minutes earlier. Braylee banged on the door as she pushed it open. Both Alexandro and Gina looked at her as if she were crazy. “Cecily is missing. I
