Barbados: Day One

Willow's POV

I woke up in a daze, my body laid out on a beach with people I don't recognize hovering over me, I'm startled when dudes with guns yank to me to my feet and pull me towards a truck. This has to be one of my nightmares, but it feels so real. 

"Where am I?" I panic, "How am I here?"

"Shut up." 

"No!" I fight against their hold on me, "Tell me where I am!"

"You're making things worse for yourself." 

"LET ME GO." 

I'm thrown into the back of a truck, with a dude watching me, an assault rifle in his hands. I pull my knees into my chest, my mind lost on how this is happening and I don't know where my baby is.. I need her in my arms, I've never been separated from her like this before. My empty eyes watch the scenery pass us by while we travel through this bustling town I've never seen before, the signs we've passed say Barbados, so I guess I somehow made it here, without my baby, my fiancé, my brother or my friends. 

How is that possible? I have no fucking idea. 

All I do know is, I was dragged from a wrecked plane by a pilot I have never seen before. I can't help but wonder if I'm being kidnapped by Rafe, he could have hired these people to grab me from Poguelandia in my sleep or something. Which means my friends could either have no idea where I went, or they could be hurt if they tried to stop me from being taken. That scares the shit out of me, because Emmy could have been in the middle of that. Fuck, she needs me, she can't be apart from her Mama.

I can't handle this. 

"Calm down, Willow, we'll find a way out of this."

I can't CALM DOWN, this is fucking terrifying. 

"I know, but you need to be able to focus so we can figure this out."

I'm trying, I promise.

"Just listen to me, don't shut me out anymore, so I can help you."

I want to, I do, but I'm scared to let you in. That means I really am crazy.

"No you aren't, try trusting for once in your life."

Trust is hard for me to give out, I've been hurt by everyone I've trusted. 

"I'm very aware of that, but I won't hurt you."

I want to believe you.

The driveway to the mansion we're driving up to is lined with tall palm trees on either side, and there are guards with dogs walking the perimeter, this makes me wonder if I'm stepping into something a lot scarier than my obsessed stalker, Rafe. This might be someone a lot worse. The house and property is gorgeous; it's white with large balconies and patios, perfectly trimmed grass for miles, well maintained flower beds. 

But the guards on every corner makes my skin crawl.

I'm roughly escorted into the house, up a flight of stairs, and into a room. Before being locked inside, the guard ordered me to get ready for dinner, with who? Still no clue. I open the armoire in the corner of the room and stare at the burgundy colored dresses in various sizes, letting out a loud sigh before grabbing my size, heading for the bathroom so the guards at my window can't watch me change. Not to mention, I'd like to take advantage of the toiletries provided, at least I can fully wash my body for the first time in a month. The little travel soaps and salty water didn't make me feel truly clean, and the water was chilly so I'd always rush the process. 

My entire shower consisted of me crying over missing Emmy and JJ, and the fact that my boobs hurt from not nursing, reminding me of the fact that my baby won't have anything to eat now. She's going to starve to death while I'm trapped away in some rich dicks mansion. And I'm not only protecting myself, I have to make sure that my baby bean growing inside of me doesn't get hurt, I have no idea what this person wants with me, especially if it isn't Rafe or Ward. 

If they try to hurt me, I have to fight back. I have to be strong. 

I start to feel lightheaded while drying myself off, so I quickly slip into my silk dress before the all to common feeling of passing out flushes my cheeks and brings fear to my mind. I have to stay awake. My body slides down the wall, sitting down on the floor so I can focus on my breathing. 

I can be strong and brave, I can handle this. I can, I know I can, for my babies. 

After way too many minutes pass, finally I'm able to breathe, so I quietly make my way to the bed and lay down.

When the door opens sometime later, I timidly walk to the door, one of the guards gruffly pulls me out of the room. My eyes roam the rooms we pass through, it's almost impressive how this guy, whoever he is, has so many priceless artifacts in glass cases and on display. 

He must be gold obsessed. I already know it.

"Correct you are, Willow."

I'm always right.

"Usually, but not always." 

~~~~~

JJs POV

"We have to find them!" I pace in front of my friends, "She fucking got kidnapped, again."

"I'm so sick of this," Sarah huffs, "we should call the cops."

I throw my fist into the metal wall next to me, my last fucking bit of patience gone, "You seriously think your daddy hasn't called them already?" 

This has to be Rafe, we all know he will do anything to get his hands on Willow. Fuck that.

"I have a crazy idea," Pope looks down as he speaks, "let's call my parents." 

"Yeah, and say what?" John B counters in annoyance.

"Tell them were alive." Pope frustratedly exclaims, "I haven't seen my family in so long. They're probably worried sick about me, I could ask them to wire us some money or something, they'd do that for Willow."

"Okay? And while you're missing your family that are safe at home, my fucking family," I seethe, "my fiancé, is in danger Pope, a little money from Pops isn't going to solve this." I hold up Portis' wallet, "I've got a better idea. And faster." 

Sarah's face twists in confusion, "Who's is that?" 

"You think I'm gonna go through someone's backpack and not snag their wallet?" I look through it and find the ID card, "Jimmy Portis, 101 Cattle Wash. I bet that's where they took her. So that's where were going."

Pope sighs, "That's conceivable, but can we at least think this through?"

"You got a better idea, Pope?" I ask. He stays quiet so I nod and pick up Emmy in her car seat, walking off before anyone else can protest my idea, "I'll do anything to find my girl, so come on if you want to help me."

~~~~~

Willow's POV

I'm pushed into a dining room where none other than Rafe Cameron stands, his eyes go wide when he sees me, I stay still when he crosses the room, he's smiling when he pulls away from hugging me, "How are you here?"

"Are you not behind this?" I tearfully ask, "I was stuck on a deserted island and then I woke up on the beach here, getting dragged away before anyone could tell me where I was. I don't know where Emmy or my friends are."

He shakes his head, "This doesn't make sense, why would only you get rescued from the island? Wait.." His mood shifts into suspicion, "are you trying to weasel your way into my deal for your pogue friends?"

"I wondered if your little reunion would cause sparks, you know." A man in a suit chuckles when he enters the room.

"Who are you?" Rafe carefully pulls me behind him.

"Me?" The guy points to himself, "My name is Carlos Singh. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cameron. And Ms. Routledge, I do apologize for the rough tactics in bringing you here." Singh continues, his hand moving to gesture to the chairs at the table in the middle of the room, "But please, come. Sit down. Come now, I don't bite."

"Rough tactics? What about me?" Rafe pulls me by my arm to sit in the chair next to him. 

Singh stands at the end of the table watching us with amused eyes, "Yes, Mr. Cameron, false pretenses. But the ends justify the means, I'm afraid. We have a lot to talk about."

"Why are we here?" I finally ask.

"Well, we share certain interests, you know. Objectives."

Rafe rests his hand on my upper thigh, "Is this not about the cross?"

Singh looks at him and then back at me, "It is. Tangentially, it is about the cross, but it's also about something much, much bigger than the cross. By orders of magnitude.." He takes a sip of his drink, "...the completion of a grand quest. You see, the story goes that years ago, a Spanish soldier came out of the Orinoco Basin with a few gold beads. And when they asked the Spanish soldier, 'Where the beads came from,' the Spanish soldier replied he got them from a peaceful Indigenous tribe who lived in a city of gold." 

"A whole city full?" I squeak out.

"Yes, it's called," He pauses to be dramatic, "El Dorado." 

"Wow." 

He smiles before continuing, "And for the next years, people tried to find that gold, you know. They tried." He picks up a knife artifact, "Conquistadors, knights, captains of ships, tribes, entire nations. All fighting each other in a race for the end of the rainbow. Thousands of lives laid on the pyre of gold fever. And it falls to me, you know. It falls to me to complete the task. To bring full circle a quest that has gone on for almost years. Perhaps... perhaps the greatest quest in the history of the western hemisphere, you know. And you two..." He points between us, "..you two are going to play a part in that." He sits down at the head of the table, "What about you, Ms. Routledge? Are you interested in history?"

I sigh, "I'm more of a future person. The past can fuck off, honestly."

"Be cordial, Willow."Rafe leans forward in his seat and groans in annoyance, "I didn't listen to a word you said, okay? How much longer are you gonna keep philosophizing?"Singh chuckles, "You are direct, aren't you, Mr. Cameron?""What do you need from me?""I've come to believe that you and your friends are in possession of something that can help me get what I want."I furrow my brows, "Which is?"

"An old manuscript. A diary, actually." Singh downs his drink. 

I knew this had to do with the royal merchant.

"Don't give him any information, Willow, he isn't pure of heart."

Wasn't planning on it, not like I know much anyways. Pope is the one with all the diary knowledge. 

My eyes meet Singhs impatient stare, "I have no idea what you're talking about.""This is ridiculous." Rafe slips his hand into mine, "I don't know anything about a diary." "But how else could you have learned that the cross was on the Royal Merchant?"I loudly exhale, "Look, I want to help you, but I can't.""I was hoping you wouldn't say that, you know." Singh glares at me, "Because unfortunately, I don't believe you. You and your friend here couldn't have found the cross without it." "Look, this is ridiculous. Okay? I'm out." Rafe stands up, pulling me with him, stopping short when a guard stops us at the door, we back away and look over at Singh's smug smile. "I don't know anything about a diary, okay? So...""Do I look like a fool to you, Mr. Cameron?" Singh asks, then he looks at me, "Do I look like a fool to you?" He looks back at Rafe after I shake my head, "You have the cross. She and her friends had the cross at one point. So one of you has the diary. And if you really don't know, then I suggest you convince your friend to tell me. Once I have the diary... you'll be free to leave."

I call bullshit on that. I doubt he will let us out of this alive. 

~~~~~

JJs POV

We had to ask some locals where Cattle Wash was since we don't have a gps, but once we spotted the blue house, I felt true fear run through me. It doesn't look like anyone is there, and it doesn't help that I keep getting fucking attacked by crabs in this dudes yard.

"Get off." I shuffle my feet, "Get off." I reach down to grab one but it clamps my finger, "OW! Ooo, ow, fuck!" I dance around trying to fling the fucker off my finger while everyone shushes me. 

Sarah scolds me for almost waking Emmy up. Shit, my bad, only getting attacked here, damn. 

"What is wrong with you? Does the element of surprise mean nothing to you?" Pope whisper shouts, while Cleo continues to shush me, I finally free myself from the death claws of the crab and chill out.

"Damn little sea spider. My fingers purple!"

Everyone disappears into the house so I quickly follow them inside. The house is dead silent. Making my fears worse.

"Fuck." I whisper shout, "She isn't here, where else could she be?"

I could hear Pope calling John B over to look at something so I run over, "What?" They both were staring a painting on the wall, "It's just a burning boat."

"Its the San Jose," Pope tells us, "It's from Denmark's diary. This is the ship that Captain Limbrey stole the cross from."

"And the merchant gold."

"Great, whatever. It's just about the gold. It's not about Willow, who we're currently trying to save. It doesn't help." I walk off to keep looking for clues, "Just let it go, that's not why we're here."

Cleo whistles, "Guys. Guys." Sarah runs over to the window she's looking out of, "It's Portis."

I look back at John B, Kie and Pope, "Yo he's back. Hide." 

Everyone runs around looking for hiding spots, I slip into the room next to the door after telling Sarah to hide with Emmy in the farthest room from the door,  I want my baby far from the fight, and I want to be first to ambush this asshole. 

No one takes my girl and gets away with it.

As soon as Portis walks inside I run from the room and throw a punch to his face, he shoves me backwards right as Pope rushes in, he dodges me and throws his own fist into Portis' face while John B grabs his arms. I regain my footing and grab Portis from their grasp, slamming him into a chair, then I tightly pull his shirt collar so he struggles to breathe.

"Where is she, Jimmy?" My voice laced with venom.

Cleo grabs a knife and holds it to his throat, "Answer the man!"

"You.." Portis gasps, "you really don't want to know."

Sarah walks up with a hot sauce bottle and pushes his head back by his chin, "Who took them? Was it Ward?"

Portis laughs, "Who's Ward? You guys really don't understand who you're messing with."

"Then we'll go to the cops." Sarah threatens.

Portis scoffs, "Sure, see how far that gets you. This guy owns the cops. He's got eyes all over the island looking for you. All of you." He moves around under my tight hold, "He's a big man, the kingfish."

I raise my brows, "The kingfish?"

"Hey, what's this?" Pope holds up an envelope.

"Hey, get your hands off my shit." Portis stresses and fights against me and Cleo.

"Shut up." I hiss.

"Oh looky here." Pope pulls a shit ton of cash out.

"Is that the payoff?" I tighten his shirt around his neck even more, "Is that the payoff for Willow, Jimmy? HUH?" I yell, "IS IT?" 

He groans in response.

"Hey, what's Vaux Hall?"

"You really don't want to go there man." Portis says in a low voice, "That's the lions den." 

"That's it." John B nods, "That's where they took her."

"You really don't want to go there!" Portis calls out to Kie, John B and Pope, none of them turn back, they run off with Emmy while I continue to squeeze the breathe out of him.

"Do we look afraid?" Cleo gives him a sickly smile. 

"You should be." Portis chokes out. 

"Lets go! Come on." John B yells from the side of the house. 

I shove Portis away from me and take off, snagging his phone when I pass the table on the porch. 

"You're just going to make it worse for them!" Portis calls after us.

~~~~~

We've been walking for hours trying to find Vaux Hall off a map we found, somehow we ended up on a dirt road surrounded by perfectly cut grass that extends for miles.

"Lets ask this guy for directions." Sarah points to a guy on a tractor passing by.

"Hey, man!" Cleo walks up to him, "Do you know where Vaux hall is?"

"This is Vaux Hall." He gestures around us.

"This is?" Cleo looks around confused.

"All this, all this."

"Oh everywhere." I huff, "That helps."

"Okay, so who lives up there?" Pope points to the only house in the distance.

"Carlos Singh. But take it from me, he's no one you want to get to know."

"Okay, thank you."

This shit is stressing me out. Everyone's making this guy sound like a fucking murderer or some king of the island. I mean maybe he is. But why the hell would he need a teenage girl, unless it's for some fucked up reason. But it felt like we were being set up by Portis, like he rescued us for a reason and he mentioned Singh was looking for all of us, so this has to connect to something big or important. 

Either way, I have to find my girl. I can't let anything happen to her again.

She's really going to hate me now. How many times can she forgive me for getting her into these situations where she's left behind, left to handle danger alone, left to be kidnapped. Now she's away from our daughter, who needs her. 

We finally cross the couple acres worth of land and jump the stone wall around the perimeter of Singhs property. Once we saw the armed guards we scrambled down to the ground and laid in the tall grass near the wall. Thankfully Emmy has slept through all of this scary shit.

"Okay, Portis wasn't kidding." Pope whispers.

"No, that's a fortress." John B quietly exclaims, "This is much bigger than we thought."

"We got two towers, patrollers, ATVs, possibly snipers." I stress.

Fuck my beautiful girl is hidden away in that house and I can't get to her without putting her into more danger.

"There's no way we're getting past that." Sarah sniffles, "This complicates things." 

I notice Kie next to me, her shoulder brushing mine. She's been glued to my side the entire day, well I guess she's been like this ever since we left Outer Banks, and she's been oddly quiet today which is weird. Does she miss Willow? They haven't been close for months because of the Rafe shit though. 

"We can stick to the tree line." Cleo jumps up, running off before anyone can protest her plan.

I grab Emmy's car seat and follow after her.

We make our way through a ditch along the side of the property until a familiar sound clicks next to us, we all freeze and look around, everyone panicking but I knew the sound. I scramble towards a short post and grab the device, "It's a game cam."

"Pull the battery! Before it transmits." Pope snatches it from my hands and pops the batteries out.

"Do you think it transmitted?" Sarah quietly asks.

"I don't know." Pope drops the cam to the ground.

"Dogs. Dogs. We gotta go." John B fearfully yells.

I don't know how I didn't here it before but I do now. It sounds like a group of dogs barking in the distance, headed our way. 

"Go go go." I take off running. 

I have to get my daughter away from this shit, she can't be around this. 

I look back to see ATVs and trucks driving our way while the dogs chase us. I'm the first to scale the stone wall, even with Emmy hooked to my arm. We drop to the other side and fall to the ground trying to breathe.

"That was a series of bad decisions." John B breathlessly states. 

Sarah sighs and looks at me after I check on Emmy, "How do we get her out of there?"

"We'll think of something, but we're not leaving her in there." I state in a low voice. "Come on."

~~~~~

Willow's POV

Singh walks us into our room, "You have one day. But I must warn you, I'm not a man of infinite patience. Now go to the window for a demonstration." Then he disappears out of the door and locks it behind him.

My feet drag on the floor when I walk to the window, watching the pilot that kidnapped me on the back patio, Rafe rests his hand on my lower back, basically on my ass while looking over my shoulder to see out the window, "Who's that guy?" 

I'm too scared to pull away, I don't want him to get angry with me after I escaped from the ship, so I stay close and focus on my breathing, "That's the pilot that took me from the island."

Singh looks up at us, his hands pulling his pistol from his waist band.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's he doing?" Rafe stresses. 

Singh walks over to Portis and holds the gun to his head, not even a second passes before the shot rings out over the property. 

"This diary," Rafe turns me to look at him, "Hey, don't bullshit me, baby. Do you have it?" I look down and don't say anything, "Brookie?"

My head slowly shakes before I pull away from him and make my way to the armoire, pulling out the silk pajamas provided for me, "I'm gonna change." I disappear into the bathroom, quickly tugging the clothes on. 

I climb into the bed when I come out of the bathroom, keeping my eyes off Rafe until he sits down across from me, he sighs and reaches out to play with my fingers, "Do you remember?"

My eyes watch our fingers, his gold ring cold on my skin, "Yeah."

"Do you think you're pregnant?"

I look up at his hopeful expression, "Yeah."

His eyes light up, "Really?" I nod, "Holy shit." He smiles, "I'm.. I'm going to be a dad."

"You made sure of that." I look down at our hands again, "You didn't give me a choice, Rafe."

"I just want us to have something between us," His hands move to feel my belly, "this makes it where I stay apart of your life, Brookie, now I'm important to you too. I'm going to be the father of one of your children."

I wipe the tears that roll down my cheeks, "I'm only 17 and I'll have two kids, you forced me into this, Rafey. You.. you raped me again." 

My head whips to the side after his fist connects to my jaw. My cry fills the room while clutching my face in my hands.

"Stop saying that shit," Rafe seethes, "you enjoy it when I fuck you, you moan and you finish with me."

"I'm sorry." My heart aches, knowing he's right, I did moan and have orgasms, but only because he demanded I participate. And my body did just that, but that doesn't mean I wanted it. I don't say any of this though, I know he'll hurt me again. 

"No, I'm sorry." He tilts my head up and kisses me softly, feathering a kiss to my jaw after we break apart, "I'll be there for you, baby." 

"You'll provide for our child?"

"Of course." He feels my belly again, "I promise I'll be a good dad to our baby and I'll always help you with whatever you need." 

"Okay, thank you." I tuck myself into bed and face away from him, "I'm tired, pregnancy wears me out."  

"Goodnight, Brookie." He leans over and kisses my head before laying down next to me, curling his body around mine. 

I silently cry, wishing I was safe in JJs arms with my daughter next to us.

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