Chapter 4: Kidnapped

"Are we there yet?" I asked, clearly annoyed. We'd been walking for what felt like forever, and if I had known we’d be walking this far, I would’ve finished my food first before agreeing to come with Jett.

“We’re almost there, don’t worry,” he said casually.

My steps were getting heavier with every move. I didn’t sign up for this. I went out to clear my head and escape all the stress, not to go on some boring, endless walk through who-knows-where.

“You sure we’re close? I still need to get ready, and I’ve got work later,” I grumbled, already regretting not staying in bed.

I stopped in my tracks the moment I realized there were no more footsteps behind me, Jett was no longer beside me.

I was just about to turn around to check when suddenly, a cloth reeking of chemicals was pressed against my mouth.

Jett.

I struggled hard against his grip, trying to twist out of his hold, but no matter how much I fought, he was simply stronger.

Freaking hell, that stinks, I cursed internally.

Am I being kidnapped? Again?

This wasn’t my first time getting kidnapped, believe it or not. And sure, I’ve pretty much developed an immunity to the chemicals they use, but that smell still gets me every time.

So, like any experienced victim with a flair for strategy, I decided to do the only thing I could.

I played dead.

I almost jumped for joy when Jett finally pulled the cloth away from my mouth, but then I remembered I was supposed to be unconscious, so I held myself back.

“He’s tougher than I thought, huh? I really expected him to squirm more,” I heard Jett mumble, probably talking to himself.

'Wow. The nerve. And seriously? This is how he carries people? Not even a bridal style?' I grumbled internally as he lift me up like a sack of rice.

'But then again, I can’t really blame him.' I sighed in my thoughts. What kind of guy would carry another dude bridal-style, right? Still… he could’ve at least carried me properly. His shoulder is basically stabbing my stomach.

I was in the middle of silently ranting to myself when I felt him lower me into a car seat.

“Is that the target, Heart?” a man asked from the driver’s seat.

'Wait, Heart? Wasn’t his name Jett?' I thought, mentally rolling my eyes even though I kept mine shut. So he’s a liar on top of being a kidnapper. Great.

“Yup. I thought he’d put up a fight, but thankfully, the chloroform worked,” Jett, or should I say Heart, replied from the passenger seat.

“So… are you finally going to tell me what Gio’s doing back here? I thought he hated Canada?” the driver asked.

“That’s the thing,” Heart, a.k.a. Jett the Lying Kidnapper replied, chuckling to himself. “Almost all their family businesses are based here, right? Gio knows that if he ever comes back, he’ll be forced to handle them. And apparently, Aunt Connie’s done working, she just wants to party these days so she forced Gio to come back.”

He let out a laugh. “Gio said he didn’t even know what hit him. One minute he was chilling, next thing he knew, he woke up in Canada. And get this, he claims Aunt Connie beat him up. Then, dragged his unconscious body to the hospital. You know Gio, right? He’d rather die than set foot in a hospital.”

'Connie? Wait, Connie Vitale? The same woman Evelyn watched on the news?' I asked myself, trying not to visibly react. 

'And Gio… so that’s his name, huh?'

The ride was long, and so was their nonstop conversation. Honestly, it felt like I was being gently rocked to sleep with a free bedtime story in the background. I was starting to get drowsy, lulled by the motion… but I couldn’t fully doze off because their car’s air conditioning was ridiculously weak.

“Can’t you turn up the AC? It’s freaking hot in here,” I blurted out without thinking, my voice thick with sleep.

And just like that, silence.

Shit. My eyes shot open internally as panic crept in. I swallowed hard, once, twice, then slowly cracked one eye open to sneak a peek.

Yup. There it was. Both of them were staring at me, wide-eyed like I just rose from the dead.

“You’re awake? Since when?” Jett clearly caught off guard.

"What's wrong with being awake? What do you expect me to do? Shout and ask for help? As if people would hear me from here. Only kids do that, I’m a grown man already," I said with a sigh, arms crossed like I wasn’t literally kidnapped forty minutes ago.

Jett stared at me like I’d grown another head, eyebrows scrunched in disbelief.

"Now, can you please turn up the damn aircon? At least make your hostage comfortable. I can’t sleep in this sauna," I added, full-on audacity mode activated like being kidnapped was just a mild inconvenience in my day.

Jett let out a long, weary sigh, shook his head like he was regretting all his life choices, and finally spoke. "Don’t sleep. We’re here."

He glanced out the window, and just like that, the mood shifted.

I followed Jett’s gaze and yep, we were parked right in front of a huge, fancy-ass house.

The car pulled inside, and as soon as it stopped, they wasted no time making me get out.

Once inside, we went straight to a room where Gio was already sitting, probably waiting for us for a while.

“Three minutes late,” Gio snapped at Jett, clearly annoyed.

I watched as Jett just plopped down on the couch and kicked up his feet on the table like he owned the place.

I squinted at them, because honestly, they acted like they hadn’t just kidnapped me. “Mind if I sit down?” I asked with a hint of sarcasm, grabbing the comfiest spot, of course, right beside Gio. Because honestly, the guy’s good looks were kind of soothing.

“So what exactly am I doing here? Why couldn’t you just bring me here like a normal person instead of kidnapping me?” I started, looking at both of them.

Jett glanced at Gio, clearly waiting for an answer, while Gio just raised an eyebrow and nodded toward Jett.

Jett sighed, adjusted his seat, and looked straight at me. “You’re gonna be Gio’s personal nurse.”

I frowned hard at that.

“Me?” I pointed at myself like I didn’t believe it. “I’m supposed to be his personal nurse?” I looked over at Gio, waiting for some kind of explanation.

“Why?” I asked.

For the second time, Jett looked at Gio, clearly expecting an answer. But Gio just gave him a blank stare. Jett scratched his head in frustration.

“Don’t bother asking. Just accept it. This guy only asked for a personal nurse this one time, so honestly, even I have no clue why,” Jett said with a careless shrug.

I frowned, annoyed at the vague reply. I stood up and faced Gio directly, which surprised Jett.

Their expressions shifted, alert, maybe even a little tense. But I didn’t care. I just wanted some real answers.

“Can’t you talk? Why do you always make Jett answer for you? What happened to your tongue? When I was taking care of you at the hospital, you were way more demanding than a child—”

Before I could finish, Gio stood up and grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the room.