Chapter 98: Chapter 98

‘…and this closes the news broadcast tonight. A hefty bounty placed on a kidnap victim. The depleting economy and the hazardous effects of drugs in our society again. See you next again, by this time tom…’

Damien didn’t let the news anchorwoman finish, before turning off the television and throwing the control remote in his hand away.

“Arghhhh…” He yelled out loud, his hands going to his hair as he raked the dark strands over and over again.

The events of the past few hours closing in on him, Damien fell to the couch beside him in defeat, as a tear fell down his cheek slowly.

Madison had been abducted by some unknown men, and even though the police were already investigating thoroughly on the case, Damien wasn’t sure if he’d rest tonight.

How could he sleep, knowing Madison was out there somewhere getting tortured or molested by some group of motherfuckers? How could he close his eyes, and pretend everything was fine, when it clearly want?

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” He half yelled, drawing the attention of the guards stationed in his room, and his private investigator too but at the moment he just didn’t care.

All he wanted right now was Madison, and he just needed her in his arms, while he stroked her long hair strands softly. Now more than ever, he wished he could shut his eyes and by some goddamned power in him, he could transfer himself back to the past.

Back to when he had been happy and content with the love of his life. The woman he craved more than oxygen, more than anything in the whole wide world.

A woman he’d treated so badly, and now he was paying duly for it.

Just who had done this? Damien wondered, his hand rubbing at his forehead as he tried to soothe his raging nerves.

Today was like the worst day of his existence and the fact that he had woken up restless, should have been enough warning to him, but no he had waved the feeling away.

From the strange way he’d felt when going to Madison’s house, the news her mother had delivered to him, and then Alvarez call, Damien had almost ran mad with worry and fury.

Just seconds after Alvarez called, he’d dialed Mr Rudiger’s number, informing his investigator about what Alvarez had just said, ordering him to check around with the local news and listen if there was any case of robbery or kidnap anywhere in the city.

Not long after he hung up, approximately 5 minutes later, Mr Rudiger had called back with the bad news. The news that’d shattered his heart, and made him loose control.

There’d been a kidnap, with the driver dying and his passenger nowhere to be found and it had occurred close to the city’s airport road. The location alone was enough for Damien to connect the dots, and instantly he’d known that Madison had been abducted.

He had felt it deep within that something bad had happened, and quickly spurring into action he’d called the police, and detectives he knew in London, placing them on Madison’s case.

He had money, he had the resources and so he’d even offered a 10 million pounds bounty for Madison, and giving out her information and pictures, he’d instructed that investigations begin immediately.

Now as he recalled every single thing that had happened earlier today, Damien let out another string of curses as he stood up abruptly from the couch and began to pace up and down the large suite restlessly.

“I caused this! I fucking caused this! If only I hadn’t pushed to early for our reconciliation, maybe she wouldn’t have thought of traveling and this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe, just freaking maybe.”

His head shaking, as he pranced about like a mad man, Damien started to wonder why Madison had been kidnapped.

It was not like she was the daughter of a rich man, or had enough money to pay for her release, so why did this happen.

There was only one logical reasoning to this. If the kidnap was a clearly orchestrated one then it’d been done by someone who knew Madison was related to him in a way, and if this was the case, then the bounty he’d placed on her head was a good way to lure this person out.

If this was not the case? Then Madison had been kidnapped by one of his enemy who wanted to get revenge on something Damien had done to him or her.

With this in mind, Damien began to rack his brain, wanting to know if he’d offended anyone of recent, or if he’d been in a fight or something with one of business partners or rivals but nothing was coming to head.

He rarely engaged in fights, but then he’d fought verbally with someone of recent and that person was none other than - KATHERINE! -

No freaking way! There was no way she was involved in this, but then their last spat had been about Madison, and after all she’d done these past few days; coming all the way to London to see him amongst other things… Damien was already beginning to have second thoughts.

Katherine had always been the type to do anything, that she wanted without even thinking twice and sometimes he even wondered if she was possessed or something.

It didn’t even surprise him so much, if she had a hand in this at all.

“But no way… She couldn’t… could she?” Damien questioned silently to himself, but he already had his answer.

There was a 70/30 guess that she might be involved in this, and this realization had Damien boiling up in fury

It was just so hard to shake the nagging feeling inside his chest - the feeling that told him she could be involved - and he was already beginning to believe his guts.

After all, Damien was very well aware of how much her hatred for Madison ran deep, and judging by the things she’d said the last time, there was no telling the things she could do.

How she’d even known so much about Madison was a puzzle to him, but knowing the kind of person she was, well it wouldn’t be hard for her to get informations around.

From the first night Katherine had set eyes on Madison, till this day, Damien should have seen the warning signs and connected the dots, but he’d been too busy with reconciling he’d refused to see the dangers lurking about.

“If she really has a fucking hand in this…” He began to say, his feets moving to his wine cellar, and grabbing a wine bottle he finished, “If Katherine had a fucking hand in this abduction. I’m going to rip her heart out and… Arghhh…”

He screamed again, and without reasoning this time around, Damien lifted his hand and swung the bottle in his hand away.

The glass shattering was enough to startle the attention of everyone in the suite yet again, and this time Mr Rudiger seemed to have had enough because he stood from the couch, and walked over to where Damien stood breathing heavily.

“Boss, you have to calm down and…”

“I should fucking calm down? My woman, the bane of my existence is fucking missing and you expect me to just calm down. You want me to behave like nothing has happened, when it feels like my whole world is falling apart? You want me to…” Damien didn’t finish his sentence, as his voice broke into a whimper and he stopped talking.

Straightening and wiping the tears of his cheeks, he looked back at the concerned man standing in front of him, and just as he opened his mouth to say something, the screeching sound of his cellphone vibrating in his pocket cut him off.

Already at alert, hoping that it was the police calling with news of any kind, Damien quickly brought out the device from his pocket, but then his shoulders fell when he saw that it was just Alvarez calling.

“Bad bad timing.” He muttered sniffing, and clearing his throat he swiped the answer button and answered the call.

His gaze flying straight to the suite’s balcony, he mumbled an apologetic excuse to Mr Rudiger and then he began to walk away.

Maybe the fresh cool night air, would help relieve his aching head as he talked to Alvarez. He hoped.

…….

MASON

“What’s the urgent matter? Why do you sound this way?” Mason blurted out, his brows raised up as he gulped down the last remnant of his water.

Dropping the cup on the table, he stood up ready to go to his room. He had no idea why Micheal had called late tonight, but he was tired and if his younger brother had nothing tangible to say then he was going to bed, ready to sleep.

He’d had an hectic day today, and he could definitely make do with a little rest.

“You haven’t seen the news? You didn’t see what they said about Madison? Mom or Dad hasn’t called you? I mean…”

“What are you talking about?” Mason asked again, freezing in his steps as he made a u-turn intent on going back to the living room.

One part of him decided to ignore what Micheal had just said and go back to sleep, but in as much as he despised Madison for all the things she’d done, and how naive she’d been, he was still curious to know what was happening.

“Talk to me Micheal. You rarely call, and now that you did I’m sure whatever this is, it must be really urgent. Why should mom and dad know about it?”

“Unfortunately I… I… I can’t even talk well right now. Just check the news on the television now and you’d see what I’m talking about. As I’m talking to you now, a picture of Madison is staring straight at me and…”

“And what?” Mason asked, even though he had already turned on his television and was busy scrolling through the channels, looking for a particular one.

When he got what he was searching for, he clicked the button and that’s when he saw the most devastating news ever. At first, Mason was dumb and a laugh almost erupted from his lips as he saw the news and the bounty but then… “No fucking way!”

The phone in his hands nearly dropped to the floor, and his jaw dropped open but at the last second he restrained himself, as he continued to stare at the television.

A picture of Madison was plastered all over the screen, as the broadcaster announced that she’d been kidnapped on her way to the airport and that the cab driver, who drove her had been shot dead too.

Right now, Madison was missing and to top it all off a 10 million pounds bounty had been placed on her head. Only one person in this day and time could request for that much money to be placed on her head.

Just one freaking person. Damien Daniel’s - his worst enemy. What was this man trying to prove now? Was this some sort of silly plan of his? Was this part of the revenge plan he seemed to be plotting against them? Had he made Madison fake her kidnap just so he could teach the Connor’s a lesson?

Suddenly a wave of anger coursed through him, as all these thoughts filled his head and as he stared at the television he felt disgust burbling up his throat. However, the broadcaster stopped talking and for a brief moment the scene of the attack was shown.

From the dead driver being carted away, to the almost vandalized car amongst other things, it was pretty evident to Mason that a true crime had just taken place, and once again his heart sank.

He had no choice but to believe that Madison had been truly kidnapped.

“Brother… you’re not saying anything. You’re just…”

“I’m here Micheal. I’m trying to process what I just saw. I literally had no idea until you called, and honestly I don’t even know what to make of it.”

“I’m shocked too, and worried for Maddie at the same time. Who must have done this? Who placed the bounty and who’s going to pay if someone comes forward? We barely have any penny with us and…”

“Damien.”

“Huh?” Micheal questioned confused and Mason finished his sentence, “Damien. Damien Daniel’s placed the bounty on her head.”

“Wait what? What the fuck? What am I missing here? Don’t tell me what I’m thinking now and…”

“You know what Micheal, I’m seriously down right now and need to rest and process what I’d just heard. This is also something urgent and you have to come over tomorrow. I don’t care what it is you’re doing, but we’ve got to solve this like a family and know what’s next okay.”

“Yes brother. I would come over tomorrow. I could do some little visitation too, and… Damn I hope Madison is okay.” Micheal broke off at the other end, sniffing and Mason could tell that he was crying already.

He was also feeling nostalgic, and if it was confirmed that Madison had truly been abducted then Mason didn’t know how he would be able to live with that.

He still loved her. She was his baby sister and… “Fuck! I… I pray she is too. I pray.” Mason muttered almost inaudibly, tears streaming down his cheeks all of a sudden.

Not wanting Micheal to know he was crying, he didn’t even allow the young man say anything else.

Hanging up the phone, he practically threw the device away and began to walk to his room.