“Have we met?”
“Yes, Jovi. I'm Melody,” she announces lowering the tray beside me.
Shit...why don't I remember?
“Why am I here?”
Kindly she starts to unroll my silverware. “You were taken.”
“Taken?!”
“Yes. Are you hungry?”
My eyes wander to the fresh fruit and buttered toast. “I feel like I already ate.”
“Yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” I shriek.
She nods. “The drugs are strong. You barely stir.”
“D-D-Drugs?” my voice is barely able to stutter out. “I'm being given drugs!”
“Yes,” Melody softly answers. “Non-addictive sedatives mostly. It's to keep you the least coherent as possible and your memory unclear. You're not supposed to remember anything you see or hear here.”
“How?” I whisper out confused. “How am I taking them?”
Melody bites her bottom lip and nudges the glass forward. “Drink your juice last...”
At least she doesn't seem to be heartless or terrifying. Maybe she's a prisoner all on her own. See that scar by her collarbone? Maybe...just maybe there's a story there.
Suddenly we're no longer alone. A man who looks like he might be in charge of a big business enters the room that is starting to feel like a shoe box rather than a room. Certain if I've met Melody before that I've met him, I strangle my brain to recall his name.
Help me!
The man hums, “That'll be all Melody. Miss Carter, it is time for your check in with your beloved.”
Excited I scoot forward, my attention grabbed by my change of clothes.
Did I...did I change? Who changed me? How drugged up am I? Holy shit...I don't think I can get any more terrified.
“Madden negotiated for proof of life checks. However, if I get wind of you trying to hint him into your location, you will not like the results. Am I clear?”
Cautiously I nod, “Yes.”
“Good,” he hums cheerfully. Turning to the opposite direction of the door, he turns on a T.V. and I see something that I needed to.
“Merrick!” I scream and reach a hand out for him.
“Baby!” He screams back moving for the screen. “I'm so sorry, baby! For everything.”
Sniffling away the tears that have started to form I shake my head. “It's okay.”
It really is. No. I mean, it's not his fault I'm here right? Wait. Wait. What do you mean it it is. He's...wait, he's who? No...how could...How? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. That's a good point. Stealing things and all the other criminal bullshit he does is not okay, but you're right. That's not who he is any more. Did someone tell me Merrick wanted out of his? That he was trying to get out? That he wanted to be done. No, it doesn't fix everything, but that damn sure counts for a lot.
“I never meant to hurt you,” he whimpers, tears in his own voice. “I...I...I just...this was supposed to be the end of it all. This whole deal was supposed to get us a future together...not ruin a chance at one.”
A sniffle comes out of me. “You just...you focus on getting me out of this okay? I'll yell at you later for the rest.”
The short attempt at humor causes him to try to smile. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Good, because I promise to spend the rest of our lives making this up to you baby. Every day and every night. I love you. I love you so much Jovi Carter McCoy.”
My lip trembles at my future name.
You're damn right I still wanna marry him! How could I not? No one's perfect. This is...this is just something that if I live through we have to work through. Right. When I live through it. Don't think there won't be hell to pay or that it'll be a quick fix, but there will be a fix. Come on, he's my soul mate. How could I not try to work shit out?
“I love you too.”
“Isn't that just beautiful,” the man, whose name I think starts with the letter D interrupts our talk. “You got your proof of life McCoy. I want my package. Tick-tock.”
Neither of us are allowed another word. He turns off the screen and any flicker of hope I had is smothered away by the darkness of it.
“Eat. Sleep. See you tomorrow,” he declares exiting the room.
The door shuts behind him and I stare at the food in front of me. Instead of eating it, like I know I'm expected, I push it to the side and begin to bawl uncontrollably.
I'm scared. So fucking scared. What if I never see him again? Or Nadie? Or my dad? What if I die in this room? This poorly Hawaiian theme decorated abomination of a room. What if my whole life is over? Tell me I'll be fine. Tell me that you have faith he'll rescue me. Tell me...tell me you think I'll be okay.
Merrick
Today was supposed to be our wedding day. Our goddamn wedding day. We were supposed to have said vows earlier and right now we should be laying together in a hotel suite. She should be moaning my name and I should be whispering her new one. The one we should be sharing.
Scrubbing my face I lean back against the couch. “I'm fucking going out of my mind.”
“That makes two of us,” Hayli sighs from beside Daniel. “I've never been stuck in the house this long.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Drew says from the kitchen table across from Destin who's typing away furiously on his computer.
“Easy for you to say, you remember what the outside world looks like,” Hayli snips. Snapping her head at Daniel she gripes, “Do you have to breathe so goddamn loud?”
“Do you have chew so loud?”
Normally I would snicker, but given the situation, the timing, the subject, I just don't have it in me.
Madden strolls out of bedroom shouting into the phone, “Fuck! No! I can't-just- shut the fuck up. I'll be by in a few.” As soon as he hangs up, he demands, “Drew. Let's go.”
“Where?” Drew questions. When Madden glares, he stands up, and surrenders. “Nevermind. Let's go.”
Before they're out the door, I call to Madden, surprised he's even stopped moving for this long. “Hey, Mad Man. I have an idea on how to save Jovi.”
Holding the door open for Drew to go through he bites, “I don't need your fucking ideas. I need you to just sit the fuck tight and wait for us to get something together that'll actually work.”
The pain from his lack of faith in me echoes with the slam of the door behind them.
I turn to Destin, “Will you-”
“Nope.” Destin rises to his feet. “I'm gonna grab a nap. Not much more I can do until Madden decides what it is he wants to do next.”
“But I-”
“No.” Destin strolls out of the room with his lap top.
Defeated, I slouch further down as Hayli sighs, “I want a bath.”
Daniel cocks a grin. “For two?”
She tilts her head at him. “I'm not that desperate yet.”
“Run the girl a bath and then swing by the bar to get your dick wet,” Knoxie demands entering the room.
“Love that fucking idea.” Daniel hops up. “Come on fire crotch. Let's get you wet.”
“There's so much wrong with those sentences,” Hayli grumbles following behind him the direction of the bedrooms.
Knoxie flops on the couch beside me, clearly exhausted from more than just what I've been seeing.
I've seen Madden treat her like shit before, but this is even worse.
“Wanna talk about it?” I quietly ask.
“You wanna listen to my idea about how to get Jovi back?”
She shakes her head and we enter a small stretch of silence.
Quietly I confess, “I gotta get outta here and get some air, Knox.”
“You heard your overbearing dickhead brother. He wants you to stay in the house.”
“Yeah well, he's not always right.”
Knox lifts her eyebrows. “Ain't that the fucking truth.” She rolls her head over to me. “However, I can't let you go out.”