Destiny Keeps Getting in the Way

[Nathan’s Point of View]

Devlin and Nathan stood outside the restaurant that night and waited for Peter to walk out. Once he did they walked up to him. Peter glared at them but especially at Devlin for ratting him out about his ‘brilliant plan.

“What the fuck do you want?” Peter growled. “I haven’t gone near Melinda.”

Nathan couldn’t get the words out. He hated asking for help from his enemy.

“Melinda’s been kidnapped.” Devlin said for Nathan.

“Shocker.” Peter said sarcastically.

“Juan Rodriguez has her.” Nathan said.

Peter inhaled sharply. “He isn’t the nicest.”

“We know.” Nathan growled. “I… need you to help me find her.”

Peter raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer from one side of his face. “Let hear you again.”

Nathan growled. “I. Need. You. To. Help. Me.” He said it slowly so he wouldn’t have to repeat himself again.

“Nah.”

Nathan snapped and grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall.

“You are going to help me because I know you still love her and you wouldn’t want her dead.”

Peter knew Nathan was right. As much as he hated Nathan he loved Melinda way too much to let her get killed by some asshole. Nathan knew Peter was going to help so he set him down.

“When did he take her?”

“This morning.”

“And you’re coming to me now?” Peter growled.

Nathan shrugged. “It was a difficult decision to make and I didn’t know until the evening.”

“I’ll start calling some people. Who knows?” Peter asked.

“The FBI but my father is stalling them from telling her family. If I’m correct Juan wants money.”

“Figures. Once a drug lord always a drug lord.” Peter smirked. “I’m sure he has some friends around here. I’ll call you when I have something.”

“I know you, Peter; you will keep the information to yourself.” Devlin said. “You’re going to play the hero.”

Peter smirked. “You do know me. But does everyone else know you?”

Devlin narrowed his eyes at Peter.

Nathan ignored it because all his mind could worry about was to get Melinda back safely.

“Let’s go to her place then and see if we can find anything.” Nathan said.

Nathan and Devlin got inside the car and Nathan drove while Peter followed in his car.

“She must be pretty special.” Devlin said.

“She is.” Nathan answered.

“How do you know she’s the one?”

“Because I wouldn’t be doing all of this if she wasn’t. I wouldn’t feel like a part of me is missing.”

Devlin nodded his head.

“Thanks for helping me, mate.”

“No problem, I’m sure if I was in the same situation you would do the same.”

“I would.” Nathan said.

They arrived at Melinda’s apartment building. Nathan parked his car and his heart fell to his stomach when he saw her car parked outside of the building. The three men walked inside of her apartment.

The door was open and there were no signs of struggling.

“Blood.” Peter called out and pointed to the floor near the phone.

There were small drops of blood. He hoped it was from her mouth and not her head because brain damage would be bad.

“She didn’t see him coming.” Devlin concluded.

“She must’ve gone for the phone because she felt something was off.” Nathan said as he heart pounded against his chest with rage.

Nathan walked inside of her room. There were drawers opened and clothes missing.

“They must be leaving the country.” Devlin said as he joined Nathan in her room.

Peter got there as well. “Must be leaving the country.”

“Already knew that, Peter.” Nathan said.

“But where?” Devlin asked.

“Spain?” Peter suggested.

“No.” Nathan said.

“Then where?” Devlin asked.

“Simple. Where it all started. Los Angeles.”

“Great. I’m sure not that many mobsters here would let Juan borrow their private jet.” Peter said sarcastically.

“Why don’t you start making those calls?” Nathan hissed at Peter.

Peter narrowed his eyes and took out his phone and walked away.

“Where in Los Angeles?” Devlin asked.

Nathan shrugged. “Near the church she was supposed to marry his son, maybe.”

“What do you plan to do when you find her?”

“Rescue her.”

“It’s always simple out loud, ain’t it?” Devlin smiled a bit.

“Yeah, never actually as simple as said, we need to go to Los Angeles.”

“I’ll have the jet ready.”

“No, we’ll take mine.”

“All right.”

[Melinda’s Point of View]

I wasn’t in a dirty, cold room. I wasn’t in a basement tied to a wall or a bed.

No, I’m in a motel with Juan Rodriguez… one bed. I’m sleeping on the floor at this moment. Juan is on the bed but he does have us chained together with a hand cuff. While he was asleep I was wide awake because of the time difference.

I’m back home. Sort of.

I did recognize my own city; I just wish it didn’t have to be this way. Maybe I have a sign on my forehead that says ‘Easily Kidnapped’.

This was going to take a long time the sleeping thing. I wasn’t going to sleep any time soon.

When Juan woke up he took the cuffs off but warned me if I tried to escape I was going to pay. He had about two big guys near this motel or next to us. I rubbed the wrist that had been chained to him.

He still hasn’t told me what he wants with me. If he wanted me dead he would’ve killed me. So what did he want?

My parents were going to freak.

I’m pretty sure Nathan was coming for me.

I just hoped he would get to me on time before Juan tried to do anything like… torture me or something.

Juan walked out of the bathroom and told me to go.

I was able to do my business. I washed hands and then my face. I walked out of the bathroom and the two buff guys were talking to Juan.

When I walked in Juan turned to me and smiled.

“You sleep well?” He snickered.

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Hun, you’re no good to me dead.”

“I know, otherwise you would’ve killed me, so what is it?”

“What it has always been… money.”

He walked towards me.

“If you would’ve married Cesar then you would’ve gotten a lot of money from your father and I could’ve used that money to build an empire no one had ever seen. I would control all drugs and guns entering and leaving this country. I would’ve been bigger than anyone in the history of the world.” He had a glint in his eyes.

Then he turned around. He was so melodramatic.

“But you and your little fucking boyfriend had to ruin everything.”

“We didn’t tell you to shoot him.”

He turns back around. “How else was I supposed to get what I wanted?!”

“The normal way? Ask another drug lord for the fucking money.” I snapped.

He laughed. “Yeah, I was already in serious debt. I’m surprised Cesar was able to save the family company with the debt that I left it in.”

“Now what?”

“Now we’re going to call daddy and have him know that his precious little Princesa is in trouble.”