Page 93 of Searching for Bristol
“All right. Stay in touch. If you find anything, let me know.”
“We will,” Ethan said, grabbing Rocky’s arm. “Thanks.” He took a few steps to the right, away from Simon. Then Ethan wrapped his arm around Rocky’s neck and pulled him close. Rocky rested his forehead against his brother’s. They stood like that for a long moment. Rocky absorbing the love and support from his twin, needing it more than he’d needed anything in a long time.
“We’re gonna find her, bro,” Ethan said softly after a minute had passed.
“I’m scared,” Rocky whispered.
“Me too.”
“Someone’s got her. She didn’t walk away,” Rocky said.
“You’re right. We won’t quit until we’ve got her back.”
Rocky closed his eyes. His heart was pounding and so much adrenaline was coursing through his veins, he was shaking. “I love her,” he admitted out loud for the first time.
“You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know,” Ethan said. “She loves you too. No matter where she is or what’s happening, she’s hanging on…for you. She’s a tough cookie. She might be tiny, but she’s got more determination in her little finger than people twice her size.”
Rocky nodded and took a deep breath as he straightened. Ethan’s hands went to his shoulders as they stared at each other. His brother was right. Bristolwastough. Not only that, she was smart. He had no idea what happened, but he knew she wouldn’t give up. Ever.
“You ready to search?” Ethan asked.
He was more than ready. “Yes.”
“Come on. Let’s go find your woman,” Ethan said.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Bristol had no idea how much time had passed since she’d been taken. With the room kept dark all the time, she couldn’t tell when it was daytime and when it was night. She had a feeling she slept a lot the first few days, to mentally escape her situation and to have a reprieve from the pain in her leg.
When she needed to use the bathroom, Lance brought her a bucket and placed it next to the bed. It was humiliating and disgusting, but she literally had no other choice but to use it. It was either that, or soil her bed and herself. Lance had to help her out of the bed, since she couldn’t move her leg without pain. Bristol had been surprised the first time he’d actually left her alone to do her business, but he always returned right after she finished, taking the bucket away. He was probably watching her, which disgusted her even more.
He brought her food and drink regularly. The food wasn’t great, but Bristol ate it anyway. She needed to keep up her energy, and the only way to do that was to eat.
Lance was obsessed with her jewelry and art. He bemoaned the fact that she couldn’t create her stained glass in bed, but was full of promises that when they got to his home, she’d be able to get back to it.
Leaving here was literally Bristol’s worst nightmare. The last thing she wanted to do was go back to Tennessee.
Apparently, the entire town of Fallport was banding together to find her. It broke her heart and frustrated her anytime Lance offered updates on the search. There were missing posters and organized searches through every inch of the town and surrounding forest.
It made her feel good that everyone cared so much, but it also made her extremely sad. She washere. Right here! Three doors down from where she’d been taken. Still, as the search continued, it was her only bit of hope.
Lance didn’t feel the same way, of course. He was outraged over the concern for her. He ranted and raved about how she was new here, how no one should care as much as they did. She washis—no one else had the right to love her like he did.
His moods constantly swung from being lovey-dovey toward her, to scarily pissed off at the situation he claimedshe’dput him in.
Despite his anger over the search, Bristol knew he was still smugly proud that he’d hidden her right under everyone’s noses. He’d told her several times about how the police had knocked on his door the evening of her abduction, questioning him about anything he may have seen or heard. He boasted about keeping the door to the apartment wide open, and they’d had no idea the woman they were looking for was literally in a room fifteen feet away.
He told her over and over that she washis, that no one would take her from him. Ever.
It was getting harder and harder to stay positive. To play his game. Every day, Bristol had to force herself to smile rather than scream at him. Avoid telling him how sadistic and horrible he was, and that she’d never,ever, love him.
If she told him how she truly felt, he’d hurt her. Maybe even kill her. She still couldn’t move her leg all that much. She had no idea if the pin the surgeon had put in a couple of months ago had been knocked loose or what. All she knew was that even if she didn’t have a chain on her ankle, she wasn’t walking out of the apartment.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t crawl. She’d done it in the forest, and she’d do it again now. Gladly.
The worst part of her captivity wasn’t the embarrassment of having to relieve herself in a bucket, or pretending to enjoy Lance’s company. It was when he left. No matter how much she begged and promised that she’d be quiet, he didn’t trust her. He handcuffed her hands to the chain attached to her leg, strapped a ball gag around her head, and told her to be good.
It was hard to breathe with the ball in her mouth, and every second he was gone, Bristol felt as if she was going to gag on her own spit. It would run down her chin because she couldn’t swallow very well, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t reach the buckle at the back of her head with her hands cuffed to the chain. Not to mention, moving too much hurt her leg like hell.
