I took her hand. “Promise me you’ll give the FBI a full day before you do anything.”
She frowned, stole the tequila back, and sipped it. Her coal-black gaze came to me and she pointed an accusing finger around the tumbler. “They have twenty-four hours.”
I closed my eyes. “Thank you, Blessing.”
She tilted her head. “Don’t thank me yet. Twenty-four hours goes by and no Addison, I call Tyrell. Ain’t nothing any of you can do to stop me.” She handed me the glass and went back into the living room.
I looked down at my bare feet and painted toes and prayed. “God, I’ll do anything it takes. Anything to get Addison back. I just need a sign. Please send me a sign.” I closed my eyes. “At the very least, please keep Addison safe until help can arrive.”
Mama Kerri, Genesis, Liliana, and Charlie were all in the king-sized bed huddled around a sleeping Rory. I’m not sure any of them were sleeping, but it had been a full night with no news.
I glanced at the clock. Five sharp.
Sonia was curled up in one corner of the couch, typing on her phone. I imagined doing Senator-type things. Or maybe she was playing a game on her phone. Blessing was stretched out, her head in Sonia’s lap, her eyes glued to the news.
Sixteen hours.
A madman had had Addison for sixteen hours.
Jonah was out on the balcony, phone glued to his ear, which was how he’d been much of the night.
Me, I was numb.
My anger, gone.
Pain, gone.
Sadness, gone.
I was empty.
Moving my body into the kitchen was the most amount of effort I could commit to. I found the cupboard that held the coffee and filters and set them out before grabbing the pot. I filled the pot and was just about finished pouring it into the coffee container when I felt my phone buzz my ass with a text.
I pulled it out as fast as I could. Everyone I loved besides Tabby and Addison were here.
It was from Tabby. I covered my mouth with my hand and read what it said.
I’m fine. Don’t worry. Got eyes on the lookout. More later. Love you all.
I shook my head and read her words at least five more times. She had eyes on the lookout? What in the world did that mean? My shoulders sank and I sighed, trying to focus on the one thing I did understand. She was fine and she loved us. I wished she’d be here with us, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Simply knowing she was not in the hands of the Backseat Strangler was a small win and I’d take whatever win I could get.
Quickly, I fired off a text in return.
Thank you, Tab. Be safe. I love you. We all do. Always. Come home soon.
I started the coffee and checked the fridge. There was cut-up fruit, eggs, bacon, and all the standard fixings. Even if I wasn’t hungry, I thought maybe I could pull something together for everyone else.
As I was rummaging through the cabinets to see if there was pancake mix, because Mama Kerri always had pancake mix, my phone buzzed again.
I hoped it was Tabby saying she had changed her mind and was heading over now when I noticed it was from Addison.
I clicked the message icon so fast and had to bite my tongue not to scream at what I saw. It wasn’t a message, it was a video.
Addison was tied up in a chair in a dark space. Her luxurious brown and gold locks where stringy and wet. There was a dirty bandana-type thing tied around her mouth. Her teeth were stark white biting around it. Her face was speckled with dirt and grime and sweat. Her arms were tied to the wooden rails of the chair she was in, forearms facing up. Both her hands were held in tight fists, the knuckles bright white at how tight she was clenching them.
I squinted to see better, and noticed up and down her inner forearms were bloody and blackened circular-shaped pock marks or wounds. Then out of nowhere, a gloved hand entered the video holding a lit cigarette. Addy started to wiggle around desperately trying to move her body back and away from the glowing red-tipped ember.
As I watched in horror, the hand turned the cigarette around and pressed the hot tip into Addison’s arm. The sound on my phone wasn’t on but I swear I could hear her screaming in my soul. It reverberated within my chest until I was practically hyperventilating. Still, my eyes were glued to the image before me. Addison looked right into the camera and her normally stunning green eyes were hollow, the light that always shined completely blacked out, devoid of anything but extreme pain.
Tears streaked down my face as the cigarette that had been snuffed out in my sister’s flesh was dropped to the ground outside of the camera’s view. Then a white piece of paper was held aloft.
The note said three words.
You For Her
The video ended and my phone buzzed with a text.
Go to your apartment.
Alone.
Now.
That was all it said. My entire body shook so hard I fell to the tile floor. He wanted me in exchange for her.
“Simone!” Jonah cried, falling to his knees, one hand cupping my cheek, the other my shoulder. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
I opened and closed my mouth as my vision waved in and out. Eventually, it all just went black.
When I woke, I was lying on the couch, a cool cloth to my forehead, Sonia petting my hair with tears in her pretty blue eyes. Jonah paced behind the couch. My sisters and my mother were all huddled around me with various expressions of worry plastered across their pretty faces.
Then it dawned on me. I had to get to my old apartment. Now.
“I’ve gotta go!” I called out and attempted to sit up.
My body still shook, and my teeth chattered.
“You need to lay your ass down, boo.” Blessing demanded on a growl pacing the other side of the couch, rubbing her hands up and down the sides of her hips.
I shook my head. “No, you don’t understand. I’ve got somewhere to be.”
“There is no way in hell you are trading yourself for Addison. Not now. Not ever. Get that out of your head right fucking now, Simone.” Jonah’s words brooked absolutely no argument.
Tears filled my eyes. “He’s going to kill her. But he wants me. I’ll let him have me for her. I don’t care.”
Sonia let out a sob and Mama Kerri pulled her into her arms and petted her hair, her sad eyes on me when she spoke. “Simone, we’d never let that happen. Addy wouldn’t want that, and you know it. There has to be another way, baby girl. There just has to be.” A tear fell down her cheek, but she swiped it away quickly.
Jonah approached and Charlie and Lilian made room for him. “I’ve seen the video. It’s already being reviewed by the FBI. We’ve got our best hacks working the GPS to see if we can get a read on his location. We have a team in place at your apartment. If he shows, we’ll get him. If he texts or sends another video, we’ll have a lock. And we’ll get him. You have to have faith, sweetheart.” He took my hand, brought my fingers up to his lips, and kissed each one.
I closed my eyes and let the tears take me.
Jonah pulled me up and into his arms where I sobbed into his chest. I let all my fear and grief go against him and he took it all without complaint. Then he held me tighter. Closer. Whispered softly into my ear. Promises I wasn’t sure he could keep but I prayed he could.
When I was all cried out, Charlie handed me a steaming cup of coffee. “Here, Si, let this warm you up.”