HURT FOR ME

Chapter Fourty-Two - War

"If you want peace in your life, you have to stop declaring war."

- Shannon L. Alder

Aaron Adair

"Just tell me what you know!" I exclaimed at the Caruso boy Sebastian managed to find on the street outside of my nightclub.

"I swear, man, I don't know much," his tone conveyed sincerity, but I remained unfazed. I was determined to extract any morsel of information he possessed. Applying pressure to the knife embedded in his knee, I compelled him to divulge what he knew. "She's being held at a warehouse!" he cried out in agony, succumbing to the pain and revealing the crucial detail I desperately sought.

"Which one?" He threw his head back, breathing heavily and sobbing. "Which fucking warehouse?!"

"The one on Blenheim," he managed to utter between struggling breaths, his voice strained with pain. Recognizing that I had obtained the necessary information, I swiftly withdrew the knife from his knee, causing it to clatter to the ground. Satisfied that I had pushed him enough, I made my exit from the room, leaving him behind in his tormented state.

While standing before the mirror, cleansing my hands, my mind became occupied with the task of devising a plan to infiltrate the warehouse and reach Olivia discreetly, without being caught. The idea of entering the warehouse and killing everyone crossed my mind, but I ultimately concluded that a stealthy approach would be more prudent.

Being without Olivia and not knowing if she was safe or not had been eating at me. It's been nine hours since I last saw her, sitting in the food court, judging everyone around her like she always does. I smiled at the thought of her. I quickly dried off my hands and rushed to my car, prepared to do no less than 120 to get to her.

❁

Sebastian decided it was best to join me in my attempt to rescue Olivia and I didn't bother arguing with him about it. It would be nice to have someone watching my back so I didn't care that much.

The entire drive was silent, the air filled with tension as we understood what we were walking into. My grip on the steering wheel was enough to ruin the expensive leather that covered it.

Throughout my lifetime, I have taken the lives of numerous individuals, harboring both shame for certain acts and unwavering remorselessness for others. However, the mere thought of Olivia being harmed instilled a distinct fear within me, setting it apart from any previous experiences.

I began to internally talk to myself:

It's your fault, Aaron.

If you would have stayed away, she'd be safe.

You're no good for her.

My thoughts echoed in my head and I glared at the road ahead of me.

"Pull in here," Sebastian pointed to the worn down warehouse on the end of Blenheim.

I wasted no time as I stepped out of my car and proceeded to explore the building. Swiftly discovering a rear entrance behind the warehouse, I entered quietly, with Sebastian closely trailing behind me.

As we traversed the lengthy corridor, only faint conversations and muffled footsteps echoed in the distance. The otherwise stillness of the surroundings accentuated our presence as we made our way forward.

Suddenly, a woman's scream startled the both of us, "Please, stop!" I quickly recognized the voice to be Olivia's and hastened my steps to find where it was coming from.

I diligently checked every doorway, desperately hoping to find her presence behind one of them. However, disappointment filled each room as they all stood empty. Finally, I arrived at a partially opened door, allowing a sliver of light to escape.

With cautious deliberation, I nudged the door open using my foot, my heart sinking at the distressing sight that greeted my eyes. My heart plummeted as I beheld the sight of Olivia's battered and lacerated body, adorned with wounds. Tears streamed down her face as she arched her head backward, unleashing a piercing scream of anguish. The agony etched on her features tore at my soul, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over me.

Speaking in a deliberate manner, I addressed Adrian, my words measured. "Adrian," I said calmly. "Drop the knife." Exercising utmost self-control, I resisted the urge to raise my gun and resort to violence.

Despite Olivia's evident exhaustion, the sheer relief that washed over her face upon hearing my voice alleviated my own sense of unease.

"Aaron," her voice emerged raspy and choked, bearing the weight of hours spent in screams. The weariness in her expression was palpable as her head gradually slumped between her shoulders, showcasing her exhaustion.

Adrian shifted his gaze towards Sebastian and me, observing our approach. He warned us sternly, "Don't you dare take another step closer," while holding a knife against Olivia's throat. Without hesitation, I abruptly halted and stretched out my arm to signal Sebastian to stop as well.

I firmly reassured Adrian, "I won't hesitate, and you're well aware of that." I made it clear that I was fully prepared to do whatever it took to protect my wife.

"Just like papa and ma, right?" His use of the horrible memory threw me off guard, causing my cold expression to falter for a moment before I recomposed myself.

"It wasn't like that," Olivia's face was relieved by my words. I'd wondered what he had told her about the horrific night, it was obvious our 'pact' was broken.

"Adrian," Olivia pleaded. "Let me go."

He hesitated for a moment before reacting to her pleas, "Shut the fuck up," He lessened the distance between her throat and the knife. "I have nothing to lose," He glared at me. "Your wonderful husband here took everything I had."

I looked at Olivia and slowly shook my head, hoping she'd realize I was telling her to stop because I wasn't sure what he'd do to her if she continued.

Out of nowhere, the voice of an older woman resonated from behind us. I swiftly turned around to discover a woman dressed in a knee-length skirt, along with a white blouse concealed beneath a sophisticated blazer.

"What is this, Adrian?" She spat. Her voice carried authority as she glared at my brother.

He began to stumble over his words as he responded to the woman, "N-nothing," I'd never seen my brother act this way. He was always the one in charge, at least when we were younger.

She approached Olivia, bending down to her level, observing her wounds. Olivia placed her hand over her bump, and I sucked in a deep breath, hoping our unborn child was safe.

She quickly stood, fixing her skirt and redirecting her attention to Adrian, "She's pregnant." She stated the obvious.

Adrian didn't say a word and couldn't even look the woman in her eyes, "You knew?!" She exclaimed, with a hint of shock in her voice.

"Take her," the woman commanded, starting to remove the restraints from Olivia. Seizing the opportunity, I crouched down and swiftly released her legs from their bindings.

As I assisted Olivia in standing up from the chair, she stumbled, prompting Sebastian to lend his support from the other side. Together, we guided her towards the exit of the room and prepared to leave the warehouse. Before departing, I turned to face Adrian, a resolute expression on my face, and declared, "This isn't over." With that, I led Olivia out of the warehouse, determined to ensure her safety and bring an end to this ordeal.

For now.