Chapter 21

Ron Pov.
With all of Roger's knowledge of the police, I got the same answer every time. Twenty-four hours must pass since no one has heard from Amanda.
As I know...Waste of time.
I filled out a form though, and agreed with the police that if Amanda showed up I would let them know.
But if she was going to show up, wouldn't she have done it by now?
- I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. Roger says after we leave the police station.
-OK. Thanks anyway. I say pulling my phone out of my pocket because I got a text.
I hope it's Amanda and she tells me she's hot.
I open the message from an unknown number and feel my heart climb into my throat.
"I have something that I think belongs to you."
- Will you let me know if you find anything out? Roger asks me making me look up from my phone.
I could tell him that I just got a weird text, but I don't know how I manage to keep my facial expression normal, but I do.
-Sure. I say and after greeting him I get into a free taxi.
Roger is a good guy. I realized that he would help me unconditionally, but after the message I received, I realize that the matter is much dirtier than I thought. I don't want other people involved in this shit.
Officially, Amanda didn't just disappear to hide from me, someone took her.
I clench the phone in my fist patiently waiting for the taxi driver to arrive at my address. If I want to find Amanda as soon as possible, I have to control my nerves so that I don't do anything stupid.
After a few more minutes of walking, the taxi stops in front of the block where I live. I pay the driver the required amount and get out of the taxi. I notice that Roger has kept his word and my car is in the parking lot.
I enter my apartment without wasting time and call the person who sent me that message.
"-Exactly the person I was looking for." Says a man on the other end of the call.
-She is fine? I quickly ask, pacing the living room like a caged beast.
"-Define 'good'."
Is this man up for a joke?
-Did you do something to her? I screamed into the phone and that man laughed like a mentally ill person.
"-Maybe yes maybe no."
-Listen here, you bastard. If you do anything to her, I swear on my holy heart that…
“-Tsk…tsk…I don't think you're capable of making such threats, are you? Now…How about you listen to me, hm?”
Swallow your pride, Ron.
-What do you want? I ask trying to have a normal conversation with the bastard on the phone.
“-I have nothing personal with you or your beautiful girlfriend here, but…Someone hired me to do their dirty work and I'm paid well enough that I could kill you both. But I don't want that…yet. That person who hired me said I had to make you 'pay' for touching his family."
- Please, don't do anything to her. I say scared that she might hurt Amanda. She...She's all I have.
The man's laugh is heard again and if he were now in front of the table I would beg on my knees.
"-That's right...She's all you have. She's your only family, and I…I'm paid to make you suffer.”
-Not…
"-You can try your luck and look for me, but I assure you, there is no way you will find me." He says cutting me off then hangs up.
I have to lean on the back of the chair at the kitchen table with one hand, because if I don't I feel like I'm going to pass out. I take a few deep breaths before I realize who is behind Amanda's kidnapping. Russell Denver. That idiot paid someone to kidnap Amanda because I put his idiot son in the hospital.
Anger like I've never felt before takes over me and I throw the chair at the wall, smashing it into pieces
The phone rings again and my heart sinks with fear.
What if it's him again and he's telling me he hurt Amanda? I'm not sure that Amanda is safe and sound at the moment but... What if he's calling me to tell me concretely that Amanda is hurt?
I reach for the phone, which is in the middle of the table, and let out a small sigh of relief when I see it's Max calling me.
-Hello? I answer simply because I am not in the mood to engage in discussion.
"-What's up man? What is the situation?”
Calming myself down a bit and deciding that it would be best to talk to someone about what happened, I begin to tell Max in great detail what I've been through today, and break the news that Amanda has been kidnapped.
"-We are coming to you. Don't do anything stupid until we've calmly discussed all the options." Max says quickly then hangs up.
Telling Max what happened to Amanda was easy. The hard part is calling her mom and telling her I failed to protect Amanda. I failed to keep my promise to her mother.
I don't know how I'll be able to look her mother in the eye again. She was so sure that I was the best match for Amanda that I actually believed her. After today...I realize that I am not suitable for her at all. My explosive nature makes Amanda suffer. Amanda pays for the stupid things I do when I can't control my anger.
My goal from now on is to find Amanda, bring her home safely, and then…make sure I'm not the reason for her suffering anymore.
Only now have I realized the negative effect that not knowing how to control my starts has on those close to me.
I have never prayed to God, but now I am asking him to protect Amanda.