Fifty-six: The things we care for

Alec

"Hello?" I ask for a second time. Who the fuck was this.

There's been scrambling on the phone before someone on the other end asks for "the girl" to be woken up.

The girl? Temperance? 

She could have gone anywhere, run away, and maybe been taken by Jared's gang.

"HOW COULD YOU LOSE HER?! HOW COULD YOU LOSE MY COUSIN?" Chris yells at my guards for their lack of attention on the only person too weak to defend herself. It's more my fault than theirs, though. She is mine; I should have made sure everyone around us was safe. Of course, something like this happens. It's like I have bad luck.

Breaking me out of my thoughts, a high-pitched scream comes from the phone. The strength of the scream stings my eardrum, and I yank the phone away from my ear. Rubbing my ear, I place my phone on the speaker; harsh breathing from the girl drags everyone's attention toward me. 

Why would someone just scream like that?

"The fuck?" I grunt, irritation fueling my body. Zander sits beside me, and Chris and Connor sit in other chairs. My sister, along with Damien, try to shush Kenli's crying. 

I look at Connor, who sits calmly, watching the scene unfold. "Go find out where this is coming from," I tell him, ignoring that the people on the other side heard me.

"A-Alec. Please don't come here. No matter what they say." I am horrified when I hear Temperance's shallow voice coming from the other side of the phone. She is sobbing in pain; she is the one who was screaming in pain.

I don't bring myself to look at anyone else with my eyes glues to the phone. A notification shows from the top of the screen, and my heart stops when I click on it. 

Temperance lies in the frame of the picture, her face swollen and bloody. Her hair looks stiff and reddish in areas close to her scalp. Her arms are held above her body with chains to keep her upright. A pit of despair settles in my stomach before nausea rises in my throat.

I turn my head, feeling a presence creeping behind me; Chris.

From my peripheral vision I can see his face scrunch up in digust for what was happening to her.

"Temp, what just happened to you?" Chris's voice shakes as he speaks into the phone. Then another horrid scream came through the phone—her scream. Sounds of skin being hit are just under her screaming. Like she is being hit.

"Stop it! Stop hurting her! Where are you?" Im finally able to push the words that have been stuck in my throat.

Then a man speaks. "We will tell you where and when. Bring yourself, Chris, And Kenli. Or else your precious girlfriend is going to get beaten to death." His voice cuts out as the phone call ends, leaving us speechless. 

He hadn't given us a place and from what it looks like, she isn't doing too good.

Chris storms out of the room, and Kenlis's frail body is wracked with sobs.

Curses under my breath are all I manage to say as Zander says he's going to check on Conner. I don't know what to do. I know if I go, then I would die. Chris and Kenli will be beat and probably killed. But if I don't go, then Temperance will be beaten to death.

There's no good choice for this. But one dead person isn't as bad as three. Fuck. Am I really thinking about letting her die there?!

"We need a plan. I'm not letting anyone else die." I turn to everyone with a serious expression. I'm fucking around. I am going to get my girl back without giving up anyone's life.