My New Neighbor

CHAPTER 18: The One I Love

●CARRIE●

  
        I woke up to the most revolting smell that I have ever smelled in my life.

        As soon as I opened my eyes, I began looking around me and saw that I was in a basement, in a cage? What the fuck?

        As soon as I tried to get up and walk forward, I immediately stop as I feel a tug on my neck and as I begin to touch whatever it is that's around my neck, I quickly realize it's an iron made choke collar that happens to be chained to the wall behind me. While my wrists are tied with rope in front of me.

        I hear the door from upstairs open and down walks a couple of guys, including Tanner.

       They all stand in front of me and look at me.

        "Damn! Don't you look sexy as fuck, all chained up. I won't lie, it's kind of a turn on." Tanner grins disgustingly at me.

         "Fuck you!" I snap at him.

         "Maybe later, sweetie. But for now, we need to talk." He says as he pulls up a chair and takes a seat.

         "You are NEVER getting the money. So don't waste your time." I tell him.

          "See, that's where you're wrong. You are going to be doing exactly what I tell you or else..." He threatens.

           "Or else what?" I ask.

           "Or else, your uncle and your man or whatever you call him, will die and you will watch them both die a slow and painful death." He says.

            "Bullshit! You could never do anything like that to either one." I remind him.

           "Times have changed. And yes, it will happen because I now have the one thing that I know is both their weakness and will help make it easy to get my money."

           "You don't need to do that. I will give you the money." I tell him.

           "Please. I am not that stupid. I know that neither your uncle or Hunter will let that happen. This is the only way I can get what I want and guarantee I'll even get it." He tells me.

          "You will never get away with this. I can promise you that you won't be alive long enough to even see the money." I tell him reassuringly.

           "We'll see." He says with a smirk. "We'll see." Then him and his men start to head back upstairs and lock the door behind them.

           I take a seat on the cold disgusting concrete ground and lean back against the wall, thinking about what all has happened and I start to worry about what might happen.

          I do know that both Hunter and my Uncle will put themselves at risk of death, for me. And as much as I appreciate it, I have this feeling that no matter what, one of them if not both of them, will die.

           Before, the Tanner I knew, was not too threatening. But something was in his eyes just now. A look that I have never seen before. It scared the shit out of me.

            For once, I really started to believe that he would succeed in killing them. And I can not let that happen. I WILL not let that happen. Especially not to the one I love.

                          <<<<<>>>>>

●HUNTER●

        Both Big Jones and I have been going back and forth in creating a plan.

        After finally figuring out and informing everyone else about the plan, both Big Jones and I were sitting in his office, drinking some Scotch while taking a breather, if you will.

          "I just want to say one last time, that I'm sorry." I tell him.

          "And I am going to tell you one last time, that there is nothing you need to be sorry about. He won't hurt her. He's always been all talk. He thinks that because he has her that we will surrender and give up. But that's where we will call his bluff. We can make him think we will, but we wont." He says as he takes another drink from his glass.

           "Yeah. I guess you're right." I tell him as I take a big drink from my glass.

           "You really do love her don't you?!" He asks me.

            "I do. More than anything. She makes me feel, alive. Like I'm worth something. She has given me more than anyone ever has. A chance and love. I would do anything for her." I tell him while fighting back tears then look at him and laugh as I clear my throat and drink the rest of my drink. "Shit. And now I'm trying not to cry like a little bitch."

            "First of all, for a man to cry? That's a real man. And second of all, I actually admire you even more. You see, I too have had a woman that I loved. We had started dating when I was twenty and when I finally got the nerve to finally ask her hand in marriage, I was twenty-three and the night I was going to propose, she was killed. I held her lifeless body in my arms and kissed her one last time." He stops to take a final drink from his glass before continuing. "It was in that moment that I realized I had just lost the only love I will ever have in my life." He finished as he too looked a little choked up for a moment as well.

            In that moment, I felt as though I had just seen the softer side of the most ruthless, well feared and respected mobster in the world.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)