The Billionaire's Saviour {*Completed*}

Chapter 43: Veronica

Chapter 43: Veronica

I was jolted awake from my state of unconsciousness when I felt someone grab my hand roughly and painfully. I flinched as I tried to get away from the person who was uncomfortably close to me. But my feet were tied together with duct tape. My eyes darted around maniacally, looking for escape.

I felt a slap land on my cheek, like lightening hitting a tree, propelling me from my sitting position to awkwardly lying on my side, banging my head in the process. My eyes clouding with tears because the side of my face was burning in pain, I tried to free my duct tape bound hands from the brute holding them.

"Stop struggling else I will break it." Flash spat at me from where he stood in front of me, holding my phone in one hand, and using his other to get to my pointer finger. I complied when I saw his furious expression. My heart was throbbing in my ears, loud and irregular, but I barely heard it, for my mind was clouded with fear.

Without resistance, I gave him my finger, which he used to unlock my phone. He opened it and typed in a few things. While he was distracted, I peered about wild-eyed for a few seconds to survey my surroundings.

I was in a basement. That much was obvious to me as soon I had woken up. The stench of water in the ceiling of the room was too overwhelming. I gagged, or at least tried to, through the cloth stuffed in my mouth. There were all sorts of long tables around and when I saw the tiny metal door in the wall, with horror I realized we were in an abandoned morgue.

I wish I could say I was brave in the face of danger. That I wasn't scared. That I was thinking of a plan to get out of here, after taking my assailant down.

I really did.

All I think in that moment was how afraid I was and how I wished someone was here. I wished Dean was here. Maybe after Flash is done with whatever he was doing with my phone, I can steal it and call someone. There was no way he will keep me here for long. I just prayed that whatever plan he had for me didn't involve me dying in the end.

Hope flared in me.

I eyed his face to understand what he was doing when he suddenly smiled at the phone. He had this crazy look on his face which made chill run down my spine. Due to the phone's illumination, I was able to see the purple rectangle mark on his neck which was made by the strap of my bag when I had fought back. Pleased with myself despite the situation I was in, I bided my time.

"This is almost too easy." I heard Flash comment before he threw the phone at full speed just beside my head. I watched with numbed horror as the phone collided with the wall and broke in multiple pieces, sending glass shards everywhere. I just gaped at the remains of the only plan I had, as it laid broken on the floor.

"What? You wanted to use it?" He threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing throughout the room. Chills travelled up my spine, as I watched him take a seat on one of the abandoned chairs. I took some time to steady my breath and tried to calm the panic overtaking me in waves.

However, when I saw Flash looking at me with this...look in his eyes, sweat poured down my body as I tried to stay as still as possible. I had no idea what to expect, I wasn't even sure why I was here. All I could concentrate on making myself as small as physically possible, with the insane logic of out of sight, out of mind.

As if reading my thoughts, he began speaking.

"You destroyed me, Veronica." His voice was soft and gentle, the complete opposite of his vibe. His aura was dark and menacing, threatening me with its very presence. "I was on the top, signing deals left and right, but you..." He reached behind him and to my shock, brandished a knife. He waved it around, the low light of the room catching the shiny blade and reflecting it here and there. "...you destroyed my reputation. No one was ready to hire me for the Fashion Week. Apparently, I have been blacklisted."

I gulped as he stood up and crouched in front of me, holding the knife's tip right in front of my face. I tried to crawl back, but he quickly grabbed my neck, and I became immobile again.

Coming closer, he trailed the knife lightly down my face, starting from my forehead, down to my nose, lips and chin. Goosebumps had appeared at the back of my neck, and I felt helpless in the situation I was in. I clenched my bound hands in a fist behind my back to stop them from shaking. I winced as he took out the gag from my mouth in a jerk, making me cough in response due to the dryness. It took some time before my mouth felt wet enough for me to close it properly.

"I am sorry." I apologized desperately. I did feel bad for him, but my terror and distress were overwhelming me. His blacklisting was not my doing. Sure, I had threatened to do that when I had talked to him in my office that day, but all I had done was raise a concern when I had talked to Alexander about him. 

Alex is fiercely protective of me, and at that time, he had taken the insults I had to listen to, to his heart. He had initially consoled me and told me he was proud of me for holding myself back from doing anything rash, but when Flash was named as the main suspect in the arson of my store, he was the one who had 'blacklisted' Flash with his multiple connections. 

"Please, let me go. We can forgo this. I will not press charges." I cried desperately, not caring how pathetic or pitiful I must seem in that moment. Staying alive took priority over my dignity.

His mad laugh echoed throughout the room.

"You think I care about charges?" He asked as he slapped me yet again. The impact hurt a lot and I sobbed as hot tears escaped my eyes, the tear tracks seemingly burning my skin. I was propelled forward like a rag doll when he grabbed the lapel of my shirt. 

"This is it for you, Veronica." He said so gently that it freaked me out. These were words, which were not spoken in anger, but in calm composure, after thinking about them. It showed his resolve. "You will die here."

No. No.

Help me. Please, help...

Dean.

Dean, please—.

He stood up and before I had time to comprehend his actions, I blacked out when the kick landed at the side of my face. 

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Thoughts?

-A