Held For Ransom

Chapter 26

"How much longer?" I whine, stretching my legs out as much as they can in the space of Cole's Ford F-250.

"Just another hour or so, Hannah," Cole answers, becoming irritated.

We've been on the road for the past four hours, who wouldn't be bored out of their minds?

"Just go to sleep and I'll wake you up when we get there, how's that sound?" He suggests, reaching over and placing his hand on my thigh.

"Are you sure? You aren't tired or anything? Do you want me to drive the last portion?" I ask in a rush, to which he chuckles.

"Hannah, really, it's fine. Go to sleep, and I'll wake you up in an hour," he finalizes, leaving no room for argument.

Huffing, I turn on my side and bring my hands up under my head, and close my eyes.

"I love you, Hannah," I hear faintly, as I try to fight off my sudden wave of drowsiness.

"Love you too.." I mumble sleepily, before drifting off completely.

~

"Hannah, we're here. Wake up, sweetheart," I wake to a nudging, then something soft pressed to my forehead. My eyes flutter open, and I see Cole in front of me with a slight smile on his lips.

"Where's 'here'?" I ask, with a quiet laugh. Looking around, all I see are fields and trees, nowhere close to my home.

"We're a few miles outside your hometown. We're going to walk the rest of the way to your manor, drug Lacey- your step-mother, and that's about the time Brent, the fighter I told to come along seperately, will arrive in the back. We'll put her in his back seat, and he'll drive us back to my truck. It's a good thing you don't have neighbors, because this is the best I could come up with on the drive here," he explains, chuckling.

"Yeah, I guess. It's a pretty lousy plan," I tease, then peck his lips to show I'm just kidding around.

However, he has different plans. One of his arms snake around my waist, while the other rests on the seat on one side of my head, trapping me in. "What did you say?" He asks, lowering his voice to an alluring growl.

"I-I s-said," I stammer, my heart speeding up every second that goes by.

His lips drift closer to mine and I feel my eyes flutter shut, waiting for the moment his lips meet mine. It never came though. My eyes snap open and I see him above me, smirking triumphantly.

"What was that for?" I ask indignantly. How dare he tease me like that!

"We gotta get going," he replies with a wink, before turning and opening his door to get out of the truck.

Huffing, I open my door and get out as well, before slamming it shut and walking in the direction of my old home.

~

As we walk into my former house, or mansion, if you want exacts, I notice it's pretty much the same as I remember it. Same paintings on the walls, same furniture that no one uses, same grand ol' cliché staircase in the entryway with the elegant balcony. Most of all, I notice the silence. No laughter, no cheerful humming, no talking even. Just silence. Absolute and complete silence.

This is one of the things I hated the most when I lived here. I always longed for a home like my friends had, full of lively and cheery people, that loved you and would do anything for you, to keep you safe and sound. It wasn't supposed to be like this; quiet to the point where you wonder if anyone even lives here. The silence was creepy and eery, not at all what a home is supposed to feel like.

"Lacey is upstairs in her room," Cole informs me, breaking me out of my not-so-happy thoughts.

"Ok- wait, how'd you know that?" I inquire, narrowing my eyes slightly.