Chapter 25: Chapter 25

I bite my lips as I pace the room. It's been a few hours since Richie and John went to get Alice back and I have been freaking out since that time. When they left I change into a casual outfit; a black plain top, blue jean shorts, and a pair of boots. Grace has been with me since that time. She says she is scared that if she leaves me, something bad will happen to me and she won’t be able to face Richie. I understand that she’s worried for me but I still think she’s overreacting.

Right after Richie left, he texted me saying John doesn’t want me to inform any of the family members about Alice’s kidnap. He doesn't want them to worry about her. I understand why he said that but I think it wouldn’t make any difference. This is Richie Moranzino’s family we are talking about. His life is made up of glass there is no way no one will know about it. I’m pretty sure that social media is already blasting information about Alice’s kidnapping. After that, Richie tells me that if he doesn’t come back with Alice by midnight, I should call Papa and inform him. He will know what to do next. I glance at the stove clock. It's nearing midnight. John and Richie have been gone for almost six hours. I hope everything is okay.

I continue to pace around, my mind belts with so many thoughts and I come to the conclusion that Alice being missing is a setup. Someone must have planned the whole thing because I find it so hard to believe that someone broke in and took Alice with them without any of the bodyguards or security noticing anything. They are all highly trained for situations like this so it’s either they don’t pay attention to things around them or someone paid them a ton of money to keep them shut. Either way, they are not to be trusted.

My mind still hasn’t settled with the fact that Richie and John aren’t back. "What do you think Is going on there, do you think they will find her?" I ask Grace

"I don’t know, there are many possibilities but you shouldn’t worry too much, I am sure they will find her and in the meantime I think you should take a seat, your legs must be hurting." She suggests, concerned. Grace is not wrong, I have been pacing around for almost an hour, and my legs kind of hurt but that’s not the main deal of concern right now; Alice Is.

I glance at the clock again "It’s high time they are back, don’t you think so?" I ask Grace and she nods

"Did they even have to go? I mean, what if something bad happens to them, they should have just sent the cops there, right?" I say and she agrees with me.

"Also, where did they even go to? Richie didn’t tell me anything, did he tell you anything?" I inquire and she shook her head in disagreement. I know Richie didn’t tell her anything but right now I am tense and I need to let my tension out even if it’s to say and ask silly stuff.

"You know what, I think he didn’t say anything to us because he doesn’t want us to know…. Yeah, it’s definitely the reason. They went somewhere dangerous and he doesn’t want us to get worried. No wonder he didn’t say anything. He doesn’t want us to know and I think…." I begin to wonder

"I think that place they went to belongs to the Russians." I add to what I am saying and once again Grace nods "This is bad, this is very bad. What if something happens to them!" I bite my lips in tension.

"Nothing is going to happen to them Lady Rachel, you need to relax, maybe you should take a seat and I will get you some warm tea." She suggests

"No thank you, I don’t want tea." Right now, I don’t want anything but to see Alice, Richie, and John back. I hate Richie for obvious reasons but I don’t want anything to hurt me. I am meant to be the only one with the right of hurting him.

"Well, then I think you should seat down." She suggests again

"I can’t, if I sit down I am just gonna think too much and I don’t want to do that."

"I don’t think so, I think If you keep standing, you will think more than you will when sitting."

I sigh "I guess your right." I sit on the couch "I am really worried, I don’t want anything to happen to Alice or Richie."

"And John." She adds to what I say

"Yeah him too." I rest my back on the chair but immediately sit upright "Wait a minute, the CCTV camera. We can check the cameras to see who kidnapped Alice, right?"

Grace was about to speak when a knock at the door halt her from that. I rush over to the door, pull it open, and gasp in shock once my eyes land on Alice in John's arms. They walk inside the room with Richie following close behind. Alice is injured badly.

Tears fill my eyes as I take her in. Her clothes are ripped, and she has cuts all over her body. John walks Alice to the couch and sets her down, he sits next to her and pulls her into his arm. She winces but holds onto him as she begins to cry. He gently pats her blood-matted hair. Tears stream down his face as Alice’s wails fill the room.

What the heck happened to her? My mind begin to tear up as I watched her cry.

"John, they hurt me. They hurt me so badly," Alice rasps as she cries into his shoulder. John wraps his arms tighter around her.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you." John says. His voice came out low. He is inches away from tearing apart.

"Th- they." She broke into tears as she is unable to complete the sentence. I don’t know what I can say or do to make her feel better but I just hope she gets over it. She whimpers into his arms and John’s hands clenched. He is trying to control his emotions.

"I- I just wanted to have a go- good time with you. I didn’t th- think it will lead to this." She whimpers as uncontrollable tears roll down her cheeks.

"It’s okay, it’s fine, you’re home now. Everything is fine." He says, trying to soothe her.

He then turns his gaze to Grace and says "Get the first aid box and dress her wound."

Grace nods saying "Okay, sir."

"I will be right back okay," John tells Alice

"No." She immediately grabs his shirt. She seems to be too scared. "Don’t leave me alone."

"I’m not leaving you alone. I will be right outside. I promise," He kisses her forehead. Standing up, he gives Richie a look before stepping out.

I quickly go to her and pull her into my arms. Alice had cried before, but this time, she let herself cry until she felt spent. My arms felt like security to her because she held me tightly and didn’t let go. Not that I wanted her to. Grace goes to the bathroom to get some fresh towels for Alice and I rub her back hoping it will make her feel much more comfortable.

Soon, Grace brings the towel and I help her wrap it around Alice. She begins to dress Alice’s wound and I watch how Alice wince at every pain.

I hate seeing Alice like this. I hope she overcomes whatever she faced.

~ RICHIE’S POV

"I swear to God! I will kill them." John rasped the moment we walked out of the room "I will kill them all. I won’t spare any of them!" He hit his hand on the wall in frustration.

"John no!" I warn. "You won’t do anything like that."

"Didn’t you hear what Alice said? They hurt her! They fucking hurt her!" His voice was filled with emotions.

"I know but you need to understand. Now isn’t the right time." I try to calm him down

"Then when? When is the right time? Is it when they kidnap Rachel?" He rasped

"That’s not going to happen." I immediately say. My expression was stern and my voice came out profound.

"You don’t know. They can do whatever they want whenever they want." He says

"For now. They won’t be able to do anything once we get back home. We are in a foreign land and it’s easy for them to attack us here." I explain

"So?"

"So we need to calm down and do nothing until we get to a safer place."

John stays silent for a while, trying to hold onto his anger. This is the first time I’ve seen him like this. He’s never this tensed

"You know what, I can’t wait." He suddenly says "I have to teach them a lesson. They can’t just hurt Alice and get away with it."

"No one is getting away with anything. We will take our revenge at the right moment and the right place."

"When the hell is the right time!!" He rasps

"I don’t know but it’s soon!!" I throw him the same energy he gives me.

I sigh walking over to him to calm him down "Right now all we need to do is to get out of here and promise you, everything is going to be fine."

"Easy for you to say. It wasn’t Rachel they kidnapped." He remark. I ignore his comment because I know how hurt he is right now.

"I just- I just want to help her, man! I want to make her feel better." He says

"I know and she will feel better. She just needs time." I wrap my arms around him noticing how badly he’s affected by this.

I know John loves Alice and I understand he’s so worried for her but he needs to calm down. Every revenge requires time and patience and we have those two. The Russians will never see it coming because we will attack them when they least expect it. But now, we have to pack our bags and leave before anything else happens.