“Guys, this is Jules. Jules, this is Ryan, Hunter, Mason, and I think you already know Jake.” She waves and smiles clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. That is just another thing that makes me feel like something is up. Jules has never been shy or unsure of herself around people, it just isn’t her.

“So, I know you guys were all in the same unit, but what do you do now?” she looks around at the guys.

I’m about to answer when Ryan speaks up. “Hunter does private security, Jake and Mason work on the houses with Brian, and I just joined the police force.”

“You’re a cop?” she asks and the tone of her voice has me on edge.

“Yea, so if you have any overdue parking tickets, I’m your man.” She gives him an uncomfortable laugh before looking down at the menu as a welcome distraction. The rest of dinner went okay, everyone made small talk and it was actually fun. We say our goodbyes to the guys before we leave and I hate knowing that she wants to go to her house.

“They are all really great, Brian.” Her voice is so level that it makes me uneasy.

“Please talk to me, Jules. I know something is wrong. Whatever it is I can help you. I just can’t take not knowing what it is.”

“Nothing is wrong. I’m just really tired.”

I pull into my driveway and sit there staring out of the window. “Bullshit. I know you too well. There is something wrong and for some reason you won’t tell me what it is.”

“I don’t have the energy to do this with you, Brian.” She opens the door and quickly shuts it once she is out. I can see her walking home in my rearview mirror. I want to go after her and force her to be honest with me, but I don’t think it would make a difference. Whatever is upsetting her is not something she is willing to talk to me about.

I hate that she doesn’t feel like she can talk to me. I would never judge her or make her feel bad about whatever it is, I just want to help her. If she can’t trust me, what does that say about our relationship? This thing will never work if all she is going to do is rely on herself and shut me out. I decide to go over there in the morning and force her to talk to me.

***

I couldn’t sleep at all last night. All I could think of is what Jules is hiding. Thousands of scenarios played through my head and at this point it can’t be worse than what I’m already thinking.

When I look across the street, I don’t see Jules’ car, but I do see her parents. The car is in the driveway and both of them are standing on the steps knocking repeatedly. I walk over to Jules’ house to let them know she isn’t home. Here we go.

“She isn’t home.” I say a few steps away from them, hating that I need to have any interaction with them.

“You!” her father points his finger at me. “You’re behind all of this aren’t you?”

“Listen I don’t—“

“No I know that it’s you. She hasn’t touched it in her entire life and now by chance she does?”

What in the fuck is he talking about? “Touched what? I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Spencer.”

“Her trust fund! The bank called us and told us that she withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars. Was that what you were after all along? I bet you just—” I run bacl toward my car and pull out my phone calling Ryan. “I need you and all of the guys now. I’ll text the address once I have it.” My stomach dropped when her father mentioned the money.

Did they find her? Did they hurt her? Is that why she was acting so off yesterday?

Fear runs rampant through my body as I think of everything that could happen to her.

I just got her back

No one is taking her from me.

Chapter Twenty Three

Julia

As I walk up to the old brick building, my heart starts to pound. The duffel bag I have weighing down my shoulder is full of money, and I don’t even know who I’m meeting. All the message had was an address and it said not to be late. I look down at my watch, exactly noon. I knock on the door feeling like I might pass out at any moment. My hands clench and unclench while I wait for whoever I am supposed to be meeting.

The door opens but no one is standing there. I hesitate, feeling like I should have just told Brian. I didn’t want to risk him or Lacey getting hurt though.

“Come in.”

It’s all I hear and the voice sends chills down my spine. I don’t move. It’s like I’m frozen in place, paralyzed by the unknown waiting for me behind the door. A hand reaches out grabbing my arm and yanking me into the darkness. I scream and am instantly hit across the face. I fall to the floor the duffel bag sliding away from my body. Pain shoots through my head and I bring my hand to my cheek. It’s so dark in here that I can’t even see my own hand in front of my face.

“You scream again bitch and I’ll knock you the fuck out.” The voice is so cold, distant, emotionless. I was stupid to think I could handle this on my own. That I could just walk in here, give them their money, and leave.

A pair of hands grab my arms wrapping something around my wrists and securing them together. What feels like tape is placed over my mouth. “What do we do now?” I hear a voice from behind me say. It’s different than the one I heard before.

“We wait for him.” For who? The guy in the suit?

“What if he doesn’t come?” The voice behind me sounds worried, unsure, I can tell he is not the one spearheading this whole operation.

“He will, because we have her.”

The voices stop and I hear footsteps retreating. I start to cry feeling like there is no way I’m making it out of here at this point. I thought I could handle this shit and I was so wrong. I don’t know how long I sit here before I hear it. Tires screeching. Doors slamming. Pounding on the door. a small spotlight is turned on near the door illuminating only about an eight foot circle of the room.

A laugh sounds from behind my ear making me jump. “Guess he does love you.”  Who is he talking about? I would think that it might be Brian, but he has no idea where I am or what I’m doing.

The door opens and I hear footsteps running into the room. When they step into the light I gasp. It’s Brian and the guys. “Where is the fucking light?”

“This is no good, brother.” I think I hear Mason’s voice but I can’t be sure.

“No shit, but she is here.” I want to scream that I’m right here. I want to yell for him to run, I know the other men are in here. He’s walking into a trap.

“What are we doing, Brian?” I can’t figure outse voice yells next.

“I don’t fucking know! We need to find her!” Brian’s voice is panicked as he frantically tries to scan the darkness around him.

“If only that was all you needed to worry about.” It’s that voice again. The light above me turns on but again it’s only a small circle and everything behind me is still shrouded in darkness. They move to come to me but freeze. Their eyes are trained on something behind me and when I turn around I see the shadows of at least a dozen men. There isn’t much light behind me so I can’t see their faces. The one behind me has a gun pointed directly at my head.

“Take one fucking step and you’ll be covered in her.”

Brian looks at me and I want to cry. He looks frantic, and his body is so tight with tension that it seems like his muscles might snap at any moment. The rest of the guys are all standing behind him guns in hand but frozen in the same state.

“Drop your guns or I’ll drop her.” The voice seethes with hate and violence. I look back needing to see his face. Put an image to the monster standing behind me.  I can only see half of it though and it is covered in scars from what I assume is a really bad burn.

“Who the fuck are you?” I turn my attention back to Brian as his voice fills the room. “She brought you the money that asshole owed you. Let her the fuck go.”

“See it might have been that simple if you and I didn’t have some unfinished business.” I have so many questions running through my head. How does Brian know him? How did he know about the money Dan owed? How did he find me?