Dirty Billionaire: Own Me

Chapter 6: Vow

|Grace|

The moment I woke up, I knew something was wrong. My head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, and the room around me was unfamiliar, stark, and cold. I struggled to remember how I had ended up here, but my mind was a haze of fragmented images and silence. The last clear memory I had was closing the door of my car and the rest was a blur.

I tried to move, but my wrists and ankles were bound tightly with coarse ropes and handcuffs. Panic surged through me as I struggled against the restraints, my breath coming in short, frantic gasps. My eyes darted around the room, searching for any clue about where I was or who had taken me. The walls were bare, the floor concrete, and the only light came from a small, barred window high above my head. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of terror threatening to consume me. Think, Grace, think. I forced myself to focus on the details, to piece together the moments leading up to this nightmare.

I knew that most of the people of the country hated me, probably because of their belief in my character. But who would go to such lengths to abduct me?!

The sound of a door creaking open jolted me back to the present. My eyes flew open, and I strained to see who had entered the room. A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped into the dim light, his face obscured by shadows. You would immediately notice the scar running down from the bottom of his eyes down to his jaw, like a tear-path imprinted on his face. And what made me more terrified of him was because of the gun he was fvcking holding.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said, his voice a low rumble that sent chills down my spine. He moved closer, and I could make out his features: a square jaw, cold, calculating eyes, and a cruel smirk playing on his lips. He looked like he had seen a hundred battles and won every one of them.

“Where am I? What do you want with me?” I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the terror coursing through me.

The man chuckled, a sound devoid of any warmth. “You’re in the syndicate’s holding cell. As for what we want… well, that’s a more complicated question. You’re here because of Keith.”

The mention of Keith’s name sent a jolt through me.

“What do you mean?” I demanded as a cold seed of doubt began to take root in my mind.

The man’s smirk widened. “You see, Keith owes us a considerable amount of money. Millions, to be exact. And when he couldn’t pay up, he offered you as collateral.”

My blood ran cold. The room seemed to tilt around me, and I struggled to comprehend the enormity of what he was saying. Keith had…fvcking sold me out to cover his debts? My body shivered as the anger brewed inside me. I couldn’t help but laugh as tears pool in the corner of my eyes. What I should have expected, right? Why was I even thinking that I have enemies because of my character when the culprit of my misfortune was that bastard all along?

“Now, you have two choices. You can wait here until we decide what to do with you, or you can cooperate and make things a little easier for yourself.”

I shut my eyes tight and I felt my tears rolling down my cheeks as my rage grew stronger every passing moment. It was the kind of rage that seeped into my bones, poisoning every thought and action.

“What do you want me to do?” I managed to ask despite my voice shaking.

“For now, just stay put. Someone will be in to check on you later.” With that, he turned and walked out, the heavy door slamming shut behind him.

I was alone again, left to grapple with the horrifying reality of my situation. My mind raced with questions. How had Keith gotten involved with these people? Why the fvck did he do this to me?! And most pressing of all, how was I going to get out of here?

Damn it!

What did I do in my past life to deserve a fvcking life like this?! Tears started to stream down my face, as the reality of the abduction set in. Frustration, anger and fear all mixed up inside me, squeezing the air from my lungs. The shadows around me seemed to pulse with menace, every creak and whisper a potential threat.

But then…the fury that surged through me was unlike anything I had ever felt before. Sitting there, bound and surrounded by shadows in that dank, oppressive room, I could hardly comprehend how I had ended up in this nightmare. The ropes binding my wrists dug into my skin, a cruel reminder of my captivity and Keith’s betrayal. He had endangered me, placed me at the mercy of dangerous people who didn't care about human life. The thought made me tremble with a mix of fear and fury.

As the initial shock subsided, it was replaced by a white-hot rage that threatened to consume me entirely. As minutes stretched into hours, I realized something. This anger, this seething resentment—it wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about reclaiming my life, standing up to the man who had shattered my trust and put me in harm's way. If I survived this, I will fvcking remember every single betrayal and danger that you have brought into my life, Keith. And I will ensure that you will pay tenfold.

So, now is not the time for tears. There's no point lamenting over spilled milk. I need to figure out a way to break free from this wretched cell, despite the odds being stacked against me. There's got to be a way, even if it's just one slim chance.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I knew I couldn't think clearly if I let my anger take over. I needed a plan. I couldn't rely on Keith to confront this syndicate, but I was sure my friends would notice my absence after a few days. That thought gave me a glimmer of hope.

I started considering the possibilities of my escape. First thing first, I need to have a clue of where I am. I spent the next minutes and hours thinking over uncooked plans. And every hour passed felt like an eternity. I dozed fitfully, and in my dreams, it was plagued by images of Keith and the men who had taken me. When the door finally opened again, I did not let the chance pass to see what was behind the door. I was almost relieved to see someone, anyone, even if it was another one of my captors. This time, it was a different man, shorter and leaner, with a hard look in his eyes. He carried a tray with a bottle of water and a sandwich, setting it down on the floor just out of my reach.

“Eat,” he said curtly. “You’ll need your strength.”

I glared at him, but hunger and thirst won out over pride. “Can you at least unlock the handcuffs so I can eat properly?”

He considered for a moment, then knelt down and loosened the ropes around my wrists, leaving my ankles bound. “Don’t try anything stupid,” he warned.

As I rubbed my sore wrists and reached for the sandwich, he watched me with a predatory gaze. “You’re lucky, you know,” he said after a while. “Most people in your situation don’t get treated this well.”

I didn’t feel lucky. I felt terrified, betrayed, and utterly helpless. But I knew that showing my fear would only make things worse. I needed to stay calm, to gather as much information as I could.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked between bites. “What does Keith owe you that’s worth kidnapping someone over?”

The man snorted. “More than you can imagine. Keith got in deep with the wrong people. Drugs, gambling, bad investments. He thought he could outsmart the syndicate, but no one gets away from us that easily.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

“What happens now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That depends on Keith,” the man replied. “If he comes through with the money, you go free. If not… well, let’s just say you’ll be here for a long time.”

Despair settled over me like a shroud. Because I know fvcking well that Keith won’t even consider saving me.

That’s fvcking all, Grace. You still have friends. They will immediately notice your disappearance, even if it takes a year. I can wait. And if there’s a chance to escape, I would grab that opportunity, no matter what.

The man handcuffed my wrists once again and left me alone again, I fought to keep the tears at bay. Crying wouldn’t help me now. I needed to stay focused, to think of a way out of this nightmare.

Days blended into nights in that cold, dark room. The only human contact I had was with the guards who brought me food and occasionally allowed me to use the small, grimy bathroom attached to my cell.

The days that followed were a blur of monotony and fear. The same man brought me food and water at regular intervals, but they never spoke, and his expression remained cold and impassive. The scar-man visited occasionally, always with the same chilling smile and veiled threats. And another had passed, I began to despair of ever finding a way out.

It was during one of scar-man’s visits that I finally broke. The fear and frustration boiled over, and I lashed out, my voice trembling with anger and desperation. “Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain?”

The scar-man’s smile faded, and his eyes hardened. “You’re a means to an end, Grace. Keith will pay his debts, one way or another. And if he doesn’t… well, let’s just say we have other uses for you.”

And the implication in his words sent a shiver down my spine. Before I knew it, my tears were running down my cheeks out of pent-up anger and frustration.

Once I really reclaimed my freedom, I vowed that you would pay dearly for the terror you had inflicted upon me, Keith Servanchez.