Redemption (Book 3) The Fixer Series (4 page)

"I'm trying
, Steph.  Things come and go.  I remember more and more each day.  How's Mom?"

"She's much better
, now knowing you're alive.  Though, she's concerned that you might not remember her."

"I remember her.  If you talk to her, tell her I love her and that I'll be home soon."
  I was glad that my sister was there to sit and visit with me.  It helped to keep my mind off of the memories that were flooding my mind and causing me to be emotional.  "Hey, Steph, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Where are we?"

"Brooke, you're in the hospital."

"I know that.  I meant, are we close to home?"

She gave Tristan her "
I can't believe you didn't tell her"
look. 

He
shrugged his shoulders, "She's been out cold for three days.  How could I possibly tell her?"

"Men," she huffed.  "We're in Prague, Brooke."

"What?"  I asked, sitting up faster than I should have.

"Honey, this is where they brought you after you were kidnapped.  Do you remember that?"

"I remember the town where I had my hair cut.  I don't remember anything else about it, other than when Alexi and Tristan drove me to Dylan's hotel room.  We waited for him, but...," I began to cry.  "I'm so confused."

"
Shh...it's okay, Brooke.  Everything is going to be okay," she said, running her fingers through my hair.  It was just like she use to do when we were little.  "You need to get some rest now.  I'm gonna go sit over there by Tristan, I'll be right here when you wake up and we can talk some more."

I nodded in agreement, but I wanted to know why no one would tell me how Dylan was.  Maybe he was gone, and the thought of never seeing him again ate at me a
s I silently cried myself to sleep, slowly dying inside.

I heard low, whispering voices in the room and began to stir. 
The last thing I'd remembered was thinking that I'd never see Dylan again.  I was wrong.  I could sense that he was near.  My heart knew, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I saw his sweet smile.  There was so much that I needed to tell him.  I needed him to understand that what had happened wasn't my fault.  But when I tried to speak, he told me that we could discuss things later. 

He looked terrible.  I could tell that he wasn't as well as he wanted me to believe
, and maybe he wasn't ready to hear what I had to say.  He kept reassuring me that he was going to be fine, and although I had doubts, I had no other choice than to trust him.  I was too weak to argue, and vowed to just enjoy having him near.  He was mine, he really was.  I hadn't imagined him after all, when I was in that dark, concrete cell.  He was the man in my dreams, just as if he were an angel that had been sent to me in my darkest time of need.  I couldn't stop staring at him.  I wanted to rub the back of my hand against the stubble on his face, trace my fingers over his lips and love him like I did on our wedding night. 

I could see he was in pain, his heart broken.  I wasn't convinced that the pain he was feeling was entirely physical.  I knew there was somethin
g else causing his affliction.  I just didn't know what , and when I was able to be alone with him, I would make him tell me.

D
ylan leaned in and kissed me goodbye, before returning to his room.  His nurse was adamant about him needing to get some rest.  I didn't disagree with her, but I didn't want him to leave either.  I'd lost him once, and I didn't want to lose him again.      

As Dylan was wheeled
out of my room, I turned on my side, away from Stephanie and Tristan.  I was happy that they were there with me, but I needed time.  Time to myself, to gain insight into who I was and fully absorb what had happened to me.  I rubbed my belly, remembering the loss I had suffered while being held captive against my will.  I needed to grieve my loss, our loss, but we needed to do it together.  It was the one thing I dreaded the most, telling Dylan that I'd lost our baby.   

The room was silent
, so I took the opportunity to shut the world out and close my eyes.  I was soon fast asleep and that's when the nightmares began.  

I dreamt about
the young woman in the cell next to me.  Every night I could hear her screams as she was beaten and tortured by men who had no regard for her pain.  When they were finished with her, they would throw her on the cold, concrete floor and then lock the cell behind them.  The dream repeated over and over while I slept, always replaying the same scene, as if I could ever forget those screams.  They would haunt me for the rest of my life.   

CHAPTER 4

Dylan

I'd
just left Brooke's room against my will due to the urging of Nurse Ratchet.  That would forever be my new nickname for the bitch that came between me and my wife.  I knew she meant well, and truly had my best interest in mind, but it pissed me off.  I had also sensed at times that she may be like the other women, completely enamored by my physical appearance.  It wasn't happening.  There was only one woman for me, the only one that had ever accepted me for me.  The whole me.  

I was just getting settled
in my bed from hell, when Tristan came strolling in.  The look on his face told me that he meant business, and that the news wasn't good.   I could only assume that whatever he had to say, involved me spending time in a Russian jail.  "Hey, man," I said, as he pulled a chair next to my bed.

"We need to talk."

"About what?" I asked.

"About Kristof, your dad...about you."

"What about it, Tristan?"

"It isn't good
, man.  Where do I even begin?"

"Why don't you just spill the shit and get it over with."

"How about you stop being an asshole and listen for once, eh, Dylan?"

"
Touché, buddy.  Quit playing guessing games and just say what you need to say," I fired back.

"Alright.  Who did you tell that we were coming here?"

I sat straight up in bed, clutching my stomach.  "What the fuck are you talking about, T?  I didn't tell anyone we were coming here.  How could I?  We left so fast and you were with me the whole time.  You tell me.  Maybe you told someone, or maybe...it was someone you shouldn't have trusted who sold you out."

"No, Dylan.  Alexi would never do that.  Besides, he was with me and Brooke the whole time.  There is no way that he could have done this."

"Again.  What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about when I went back to Kristof's place to get you.  I'm assuming that you figured out who the mystery man was, who Kristof was talking to.  It was your dad, wasn't it
, Dylan?"

I sat quietly for a long moment, knowing that I couldn't lie to my friend because he had seen everything, and he knew how pissed I was seeing Brooke treated as a whore.  I took a deep breath before I answered.

"Yes," I said in a defeated tone.  "He was the one sitting and smoking cigars with Kristof, while were up in the room waiting with Brooke.  I didn't know it at the time, but after I had slit that fucker's throat, I was on my way out and ran into my dad.  All the pieces slowly came together.  You should've heard the sick shit they were saying, while I was standing there, listening.  And you know what, T?  Do you know what he said to me when I asked him why?  He said he did it for money.  He didn't need any more fucking money, Tristan!"

"I know," he said, quietly.  "I'm sorry about your dad
, D.  I'm sure having to do what you did wasn't easy."

"He backed me in a fucking corner
, Tristan.  I had no choice.  It was either him, or me.  I chose me.  FUCK!" I yelled, feeling my anger rise. 

"Look, I know you're pissed and I'm sure you're sad too, but I have to tell you something about when I returned to get you."

"What the hell,
now
?"

"When I came in and found you lying on the floor, I was scoping the place out.  I knew I needed to move fast before Kristof's goons came in and alerted the Russian authorities to the crime scene.  My original plan was to get you out of there as fast as I could and get you to the hospital without drawing any attention to us, and then get back to Kristof's and clean up the scene."

"But...?"

"Well...here's where it gets weird
, Dylan.  There was nothing for me to clean up, nothing for me to stage."

"How in the hell is that even possible
, Tristan?" I asked.

"I don't know.  Think about it.  Someone had to know that we were there and saw what happened between you and your dad."

"No one knew we were there.  You and I were the only ones that knew we coming here, besides Alexi, and you swear that he is loyal."

"Dylan.  He is.  I trust him with my life as much as I trust you."

"Well, then who in the hell could have known about our mission?"

"I don't know.  It's part of the reason I brought Stephanie over here.  If someone knows, then they might be after her again, and I didn't want to take any chances.  Especially
, with Thomas being connected to all of this shit." 

"Oh...so you didn't just bring her over to see her Brooke?"

"No, man.  You know I don't work like that.  She would have been fine staying back at home with her mom, but I knew that she was in possible danger and Brooke was a good excuse to get her over here."

"You sure you don't ulterior motives for that
, T?" I teased. 

"Dude," he said, shaking his head.  "Is pussy really all you ever think about?"

"You know me too well, my friend.  I can't wait to get out of here and get some."

Tristan laughed
hard, "Yeah, good luck with that.  I think that'll be a while for you."

"Tell me about it," I said, feeling frustrated.

"All kidding aside, we have some bigger fish to fry with this situation.  I don't even know where to begin looking on this one, Dylan.  We both know Thomas isn't smart enough to pull this off."

I nodded my head in agreement.  Thomas wasn't the brains of the operation, that would
've been my dad and the Governor.  Which reminded me, when I returned home, to take over as CEO of Prescott Oil and Gas International. I would have full access into all of my father's business dealings, and I hoped to hell I didn't find what I suspected.

"I don't disagree
, T.  But whoever was there, knows our secret and I hope they don't go to the authorities, because spending the rest of my life in this country would be worse than death."

"Sometimes you're
so dramatic, Dylan.  I think I might have to revoke your man-card."

"Screw you
, Tristan."

"We have another issue
, D."

"There's more?  Isn't this enough?"

"No.  How do you want to handle Thomas?"

"Oh yes.  Thomas.  Well, for starters, I'd like to take him for a drive out to Eastern Colorado where there is nothing but barren land
; dig a deep hole and drop him in it, while watching him die a slow and painful death.  That fucker deserves to suffer."

 
"He's missing.  He took off once he heard the news about the Governor and Amber being found in a field outside of Prague.  I spoke to Stefan a couple of days ago and he said the F.B.I. has been trying to track him down, but they haven't had any luck.  The good thing is that Thomas still trusts Stefan, and he's hopeful that he will contact him."

"And then
, what?  He'll give him more money, so he can keep running?"

"Dylan, I know you hate the guy, but he really is on our side."

"Yeah, I know.  But I will never forgive him for what he did to Brooke.  I will never forget how terrified and awful she looked that day I had to go and save her from that prick."

"I don't blame you, but look at it this way.  If that had never happen
ed, you might not have married her."

"True.  I still hate the prick
, though."

Tristan laughed,
"Agreed.  I don't really like the fucker much myself.  I tolerate him, because I have to."