Chapter Four: Any Ideas

That same panic which had somewhat calmed down since Baxter and I started talking soon clung to my senses again, I knew when Justin and especially, my father found out about my escape they’d be pissed but to hear the anger in Justin’s voice, it scared me to the absolute core.

As the door pounded once again, Baxter seems to jump into action again and takes me by the hand pulling me deeper into the kitchen. Tears rolled down my cheeks as we reached the very edge of the kitchen where a brick wall stood, when my mind went to question how me standing next to a brick wall was going to help me hide from Justin, I wasn’t a chameleon with the ability to blend in to any of my surroundings! Baxter takes a hold of a certain section of the wall and pulls it away revealing some kind of hidden room.

“Hide in there and I’ll deal with these men.” He tells me as the pounding on the door seems to worsen, my shaky hand still placed with Baxter’s giant one as my eyes locked on the direction of the main door that led into the stairwell.

On any other regular occasion, there would be no way I’d happily walk into some hidden passageway by some random man I had never met before. But with the overwhelming fear of what would happen if I was caught by Justin, I knew I didn’t have much choice.

Nodding my head, I climb through the little hole in the wall and arrive in some kind of dark back room, if my brain had the time, I would begin to ask myself why Baxter would have such a room in his home but my brain was working on overdrive due to the events today where that thought didn’t enter once.

Within a second, Baxter pushes at the hidden door pulling me into the darkest of darknesses I believe I had ever experienced, while the pounding on that old door sounded as though it was about to rip the entire thing from its hinges!

“Alright! Calm the fuck down!” Baxter’s loud voice booms through the home but seems to get further away from me as he went to answer the door, my heart in my mouth knowing the man who was hunting me now had a doorway into the place I was hiding in.

The sounds of muffled voices due to the many walls which sat between me and the guys prevented me from hearing what was being said, but I prayed Baxter would be able to talk his way out of it and lead Justin to believe I certainly, was not hiding in somewhere here.

“What exactly are you looking for?” Baxter’s loud voice asks as the sounds of heavy footsteps walking into the main section of his home erupt, my heart pounding so loud in my chest as I brought my shaky hand to my lips in hopes of muffling the terrified cries that threatened to spill from my lips.

“Something that belongs to me has run away and I intend to take it back before it gets any other ideas.” Justin’s voice full of anger and venom speaks from the other side of the door while all around us, shuffling could be heard as though people were searching through the apartment.

The way Justin spoke about me only proved why I shouldn’t even consider marrying him, to him, I was just property of his that he owned and didn’t really care about. What if this doesn’t work and I’m forced back with him? I don’t think I’ll be able to live that life, knowing the man I was forced to marry doesn’t even care about me.

“Well, you should learn to treat some of your belongings better and perhaps they wouldn’t run away from you.” Baxter seems to angrily spit at Justin in response, my lip quivering from the sadness and fear which rocked my senses.

“If I find out you are hiding her, you will not begin to fathom the chaos that I will have fill your very existence. I am a dangerous man and not one to be messed with.” Justin’s much deadlier voice spoke once he seemed to read between the lines of what Baxter was saying, even though I couldn’t see what was happening, I heard the deep chuckle that rippled from Baxter, not seeming to be scared in the slightest.

“That speech may work on some of the more cowardice individuals within your circle, but you do not know who you are dealing with, posh boy. You want to talk about danger, believe me when I tell you, if you were to ever attempt to interfere with my life or business, I will make sure your darkest nightmares become a reality. All of these men on your payroll, will not be able to save you from the wrath of my inner demon when I am crossed.” Baxter replied in an even darker tone pulling the once shuffle filled room into a tense silence, my breath hitching in my throat worried any noises made from me would only alert Justin and his men of my presence.

“Now, as you and your team of fuckwits have seen, I am not hiding anyone or thing in my apartment and with the mess you have created, I will give you three seconds to walk out of that door before the dangerous side of me that hides within, will break from his cage and show you how a real man deals with business.” Baxter continued laying down the law before Justin could utter another word, due to me being in complete darkness and not having the ability to see what was going on, each time the area would dip into silence, I’d panic even more.

The sounds of someone sucking their teeth fills the room and from the footsteps that sounded and seemed to be getting further away from me, I couldn’t help but stare at the dark wall in front of me with such hope, did Baxter actually make this man leave?

“Oh, and posh boy, if I do ever cross paths with this Rosemary girl, I will be sure to give her some pointers to make sure she remains as far from you as she can.” Baxter was sure to give Justin one final dig as he left, even though I would assume this comment angered Justin, he didn’t have much other choice but to leave the whole apartment.

That same silence gripped the area for a moment as we waited for Justin and his men to leave, but now Justin was gone and I was somewhat safe, the floodgates which had been close to busting their banks won the battle and began to ripple from my chest. Was my father really forcing me to marry this man who clearly, does not care about me in the slightest but knows what he will get? What if all this running is for nothing and I’m still forced to marry him?

The bright light which I had been hidden from soon begins to illuminate my little safety room as Baxter slowly opens the secret door to his house, a room I had neglected to look around in that moment to see what stood behind me.

“The coast is clear Princess.” Baxter said fully opening up the door to watch me stand in my place weeping, even though I didn’t know him and would have never done this on a regular day, I needed comfort.

Without speaking, I step out of the secret room and wrap my arms around his body, my face crying into his chest as the sadness, betrayal and terror from all of the events during this past day exploded from my body. At first, Baxter seemed to tense, his arms held up a little as he watched me cry against him.

Within a moment, his arms slowly lower to wrap around me pulling my body into the embrace I so desperately needed in that moment, even though I didn’t know him, I felt safe in his arms.

“It’s okay Princess, you’re safe now.” His more determined voice told me seeming to relax his tense body and allow his arms to hold me even tighter as I wept.

I couldn’t have known back then but this one simple hug, trapped me with his dangerous mafia boss forever.