An Open Eye Stabbed

An Open Eye Stabbed

~STELLA~

I could finally breathe when the sack was pulled off my head. The men dragged me out of the car into a warehouse… an abandoned one.

As they pushed me to the ground, I looked around, hoping Valerie was here too, but no, she wasn't.

“And look who we have here.” Taylor appeared from one dark corner of the building, his tone laced with mockery.

My eyes burned with tears because I just wanted her safe. The last thing I cared about was whatever he'd do to me.

“You see, wifey.” He crouched before me, taking my chin with a finger. I looked into his eyes. “Where's that sassy gaze from the last time at court? Hmm?” He sniggered ferociously.

I couldn't say a word because this time, I wasn't the only one involved—Valerie was involved in my mess too.

God… “Tay—” I opened my mouth to say something, but he turned towards one of those masked men who'd pushed me in.

“Bring in the surprise for our wifey here.” He got up, gently rubbing his palms against each other as if he'd touched dirt.

A part of me waited, expecting Valerie to be brought to me, but instead, it was a man. A man came out of the exact corner Taylor had.

No. I rubbed my hand over my teary eyes, hoping it was my vision that'd just blurred or maybe I was hallucinating.

“Desmond?” His name fell from my mouth as the man lowered his head before Taylor, then grabbed his place behind him.

This was a prank, right? Desmond would switch on him and it'd turn out that he was setting Taylor up, right?

Desmond would never switch on Valerie and me, right? Even if he would do that to me, he wouldn't do that to Valerie, right?

“Desmond,” I called his name again, but he stood gallant beneath the yellow bulb dimming and shining above our heads.

No… this wasn't a prank. Desmond was really on Taylor's side, and when the realization hit me, my mind ached painfully. The tears didn't stop rushing down my eyes.

As my tears dropped against the hard concrete beneath me, the ache in my chest deepened. My best friend's life was in danger because of my own fucking mistake.

It was really him. We’d been betrayed. No.

“My Felicia.” He said with mockery etched in his tone and face. Felicia. That name echoed in my ears.

When Valerie had newly introduced him to me, he'd told us about a woman whom he'd tirelessly fought for, and her name was Felicia.

“You'd been siding with him, the whole time?” I asked, more tears pouring down my eyes.

He didn't respond, and somehow, that was more than enough of an answer. “You shouldn't have done this to us, Desmond. Not me or Valerie.” My voice cracked.

How did I never see this coming? He stood beside Taylor without a single trace of regret.

“Where's Valerie, Taylor?” I raised my eyes, my voice shaky.

He wore that same smile he always had, every time we met. “You might never see her again, and at least, my name will never leave her lips again.”

My heart stopped for a fraction of a second.

I knew Taylor now, and I couldn't pay the price of doubting him.

Rhys had warned me about him—Taylor would strike those who crossed him, and even if I had, he should have let me pay alone. My best friend couldn't partake in my shit.

My phone vibrated against the table.

Mario. I stared at the name for a moment before answering.

“Calling me without warning?” I leaned back in my chair. “Should I be worried, or did you finally miss my voice?”

A chuckle came from the other end. “The way you joke at the most random times never amazes me, honestly.”

I smiled faintly. Some things really never changed about a person, did they? “What happened?”

The amusement in his tone died quickly, “Do you remember the girl?” He asked.

My brows pulled together above my bridge, a temporary wave of confusion hitting me. “What girl, Mario?”

“The one you asked me to look into. Stella Scott.” The room suddenly felt colder.

“What about her?” I rose from the chair, my nerves pumping hard already.

“One of our men who works with Taylor just tipped me some information.” He paused, and for a fraction of a second, I wished I could punch everything out of his throat. “She and her best friend were taken.”

“What?” I didn't need any further information when I could drive, and have him describe the location.

“Stay on. Tell me the exact location, Mario. I'm heading there now.” I grabbed a shirt, my keys, and rushed downstairs to get my damn car.

“It’s dangerous—” He didn't need to remind me. Taylor knew the people he could mess with and the ones he couldn't.

“I can handle it. Don't track my location for anything.” That wasn't just a bluff. It was a warning. “Don't for any reason do it. Shawn can't know where I am.” I didn't care—I was going to find her and rescue her.