RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)(66)

Any plan formed to keep myself tranquil went straight out the window when I closed my eyes and thought hard about how I came to be tied to a chair, with a stranger who obviously had me held captive. For a few seconds, my mind was blank, then like the snap of my fingers, images came rushing back one by one.

Ryder was cheating on me.

His brothers’ knew what he was up to and never told me.

A man attacked me in my kitchen and somehow knocked me out.

The strange man who was still in my presence while I was blindfolded, tied to a chair and completely at his mercy… remaining calm was no longer on my f*cking agenda.

“Who’s there?” I asked, my breathing laboured.

This has to be a nightmare.

“A friend of the family,” the man replied on a guffaw.

His accent was semi-similar to Ryder’s and his brothers’, and that scared me greatly. The only Americans I knew were either bright light, or pure evil. There was no in-between.

I felt like I was going to wet myself as I asked, “What do you want?”

The man hummed. “I have a debt to fulfil.”

What kind of debt?

“This is a mistake,” I blurted. “This has to be some sort of mistake. My family has no debts, I swear. You’ve got the wrong person!”

My captor sighed. “I’ll explain all that in good time, but first, I need you to confirm something for me. You’re Branna Murphy, right?”

A fresh surge of panic set in. This wasn’t some kind of mistake, this man knew my name, which meant he purposely was in the right house and came after me for a reason.

“Ye-Yes.” I stuttered.

“Then there is no mistake, you are the right person,” the deep voice responded. “I’ve been waiting a few months to get you on your own”

“Why?” I swallowed down bile. “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

“Which question do you want me to answer first?” he asked, sounding bored.

A sheen of dread settled over me.

“The second,” I whispered.

“Well, Branna,” he began, “my name is Philip, but I believe you know me as Big Phil. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

My world stop spinning, and it hit me that every moment throughout my life where I had ever felt scared or alone didn’t come close to the emotions I felt during that moment. I was absolutely terrified, and almost instantly began whimpering and trying my hardest to get free because this man… he tried to kill my best friend and her son, and once upon a time he tried to kill Kane too… and now… now he was going to kill me.

“Oh, my God.” I cried. “Please, don’t kill me.”

I heard movement, and every muscle in my body tensed as I felt the monster approach.

“Why would I kill you?” Big Phil asked me and I could hear the smile in his tone.

The sick bastard liked that I was petrified.

“Why else would you abduct me?” I asked, now hiccupping from crying so hard.

“To draw out Kane,” he replied. “Why else?”

I swallowed down my fear, which was no small feat, and asked, “Wh-why would I draw out Kane? I’m n-not with him… I’m not even with his br-brother anymore. Ryder and I br-broke up.”

“How devastating for you,” Big Phil said, sounding like he couldn’t care less.

I was shaking as my fear amplified.

“So you see,” I sniffled, “I won’t draw Kane out be-because—”

“If you don’t draw Kane out then there will definitely be no use for you so I suggest you stop talking.”

I clamped my mouth shut.

“I like you.” He chortled. “You’re obedient, not like that f*cking Aideen bitch. She had a mouth on her.”

I couldn’t begin to imagine how Aideen could backtalk him when he had her, I was almost too scared to breathe in fear he would hurt me.

“I made a mistake with her. I wanted her to suffer, like my boy suffered, when what I should have done is put a bullet in her head and stomach. That would have really killed Kane.”

“You bastard!”

It was out of my mouth before I realised I said it.

Big Phil laughed. “Ain’t that the truth.”

I continued to cry, and it grated on his nerves.

“Stop your blubbering, I haven’t got the patience for it. I’ve worn out every ounce of tolerance I have for your f*cking family.”

I closed my mouth and tried my hardest to control my sobs, but it was difficult. It was like every ounce of strength I had up and left me, and I just accepted my fate like a coward. I wanted to be strong, but my body hurt, my head hurt, and my heart did, too—I honestly didn’t know how it was still beating.

After what I saw with Ryder and his… friend, I was positive it would never work right again. I thought for sure the shock alone would kill me.

I wasn’t stupid, in the back of my mind I knew we were all in constant danger from Big Phil. A man didn’t attempt to murder a pregnant mother for revenge then just disappear because he failed. No, Big Phil had an agenda, and it was obvious it was one he was going to fulfil no matter what—or who—it cost.

It was unbelievable, but the threat of him and what he was capable of faded to the very back of my mind when my relationship problems took centre stage.