His Price(60)

I didn't know what to say. Never in my life had my father admitted he was wrong, or apologized for something he'd done. It didn't matter if his wrong doings were thrown in his face, he never admitted to them.

But now, right that moment, he did.

“Thanks,” I said. Curling my fingers around the warm metal, I turned and ran through the room. I didn't stop, I ran until I hit his car. With the cold handle in my grasp, I flung the door open. There wasn't time to think, only time to act.

Noella needed me, that was all I could think about. And nothing was going to stop me from saving her. My father was serious, he hadn't told him to take her. If he had he would've said it, he would've gave some lame excuse for his actions.

Except, he was just as shocked as I was. His face hung, eyes filled with the same fear I had tasted. Stefan had decided to do this on his own, it was his idea to take her, no one else.

My foot slammed down on the pedal, tires peeling out on the ice as I tore out of the driveway. For the first time in my life, I realized I had meaning; an actual purpose that was more than just money and pussy.

Noella; Noella was my purpose. She was the one thing I'd finally found that actually brought me happiness. She made me feel, really feel. It's hard to explain having gone an entire lifetime with no true emotions.

But she breathed a new life into me, gave me a new outlook on the world. I was meant to find her, she was meant for me.

Watching the road, the lines meshed into one large strip, the lights flying by in a flash. The marina was a fifteen minute ride, but it felt like eternity. The car couldn't go fast enough, no matter how hard I pressed my foot down, the dial was in slow motion.

Fuck! Come on! I wanted to wish myself there, wish myself standing there on the dock. She needed me now, not after he did whatever he was planning. And I wasn't exactly sure how long they had been gone for.

I was counting down the exits in my head, only two left, that was all that stood between the marina and me. Gripping the steering wheel tighter, my blood was boiling inside my veins. I could feel the heat stir up deep inside my muscles, straining against the skin.

The one thing I couldn't wrap my head around was why Stefan had done that. He had stolen her, yanked her from my home, and right out from under my nose. I hadn't seen this coming, never did I expect he would run off with Noella.

But he was going to understand how bad he fucked up. A piece of me hoped the cops got there before I did, for his sake. It was only a small piece of me that wanted that, the rest wanted to beat the living shit out of him.

And that's exactly what I planned on doing.

Pulling into the marina, I turned the car off and took a deep breath. Stepping out of the car, the only sound around me was the waves crashing against the deserted boats. It was an eerie silence under the crisp clear sky; the stars were sparkling, moon shining down with a blazing glow.

I thought it seemed much brighter than usual, I had a clear view of the walkway and docks. None of the wood was covered in snow, it had melted away from the salty air and high waves that smacked against the sides.

Squinting my eyes, I could see a faint glow of light up ahead. The small windows were dark, but the light peeked out around the edges of the curtains. That was where I knew I needed to be, where I'd find Noella.

Walking as gingerly as I could, I didn't want to make a sound. I needed to be a whisper in the air, a shadow in the night. Stefan might have expected me to be coming, and if he didn't...

All the better for me.

I tried to stay hidden, darting between the other boats, listening for any movement; but there was nothing. Slowly, I approached the boat; 'Bernadette' printed boldly on the side. Watching the windows, I waited to see if anyone was walking around inside. Straining my ears, I tried to make out the soft muffles behind the walls.

It's now or never. Just go already! Noella needs you! Moving my feet as quick and quietly as I could, I climbed onto the deck. Pausing briefly, I tilted my head closer to the door. I could hear her crying, then I heard the one thing I never wanted to hear.

Stefan yelled, “Shut up!” A loud smack rang through the air, and Noella let out a small yelp.

That was it, my rage took hold. He had hit her, I heard him hit her. And no one was ever going to touch her that way. Stefan wasn't going to lay another hand on her, I was going to break both his arms.

Flaring my nostrils, everything seeped out of my brain. The only color I saw was crimson. Gripping the metal bars in front of the stairs that lead underneath, I held myself up and kicked the door open.

My muscles had engorged, squeezing around the fabric of my shirt. Stepping inside, I set my sight on Stefan. He was standing only a few feet away, gun held up to his nose.

“Well, isn't this sweet. You came after all.” His lips curled up, eyes batting his lids coyly.