Faithfully

“There you are sweetheart,” I turned quickly, smiling when I saw James walking up to me in his usual royal attire. He smiled and dipped down to kiss my cheek and wrap an arm around my waist. “You look amazing, so beautiful, so radiant my dear.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I responded with a smile, I slid my hand up his chest and rubbed where my hand sat over his heart.

“Why thank you,” he smirked and dipped down to whisper in my ear. “I want to introduce you to some very important people.”

“I’d love to meet some very important people,” I faked a grin and walked in step with him to each person and with each face, I grew increasingly exhausted and bored. Finally after two hours of mingling with people I didn't know and didn't care to learn about, I excused myself from James’ side and went outside for a breath, plus I really wanted to pull out a wedgie from my sucky in thingy that Betty made me wear. I slid into the dark corner of the castle wall that no one could see me, waving a guard off that wanted to stick to close to me. I was relaxed into the night breeze, at peace with the smell of roses and dozens of other blooming flowers the wind was wafting my way but my solitude was shortly interrupted. I inhaled deeply when the cold steel of a really big gun pressed against the back of my neck.

“Be a good girl and walk backwards without turning around,” an unfamiliar voice told me, I whimpered and held my arms up to show I surrendered as I walked backwards through the hedges.

“Who are you?” I asked softly, making small steps so I wouldn’t fall over a rock or any roots in the ground.

“Doesn’t matter who I am, all that matters is I know who you are and that I take you to my boss, Queen Grace,” he answered, I sighed softly and tried to take a peek at him but he jabbed me with the gun. “Listen, I’m not supposed to hurt you but I will blindfold and gag you if I have to so don’t be trying to look back at me. I don't want to do this, so don't make this hard on me.”

“I’m sorry,” I bit my lip and thought of what to do. I kept my eyes out for any guards but I had stupidly run them off all because I wanted to be alone. I was close to being out of sight from the castle when I saw James walk out, probably to make sure I was okay getting some air. I didn’t think at all when I did it, I just did, I opened my mouth and I shrieked. “James!”

His head snapped in my direction at the same time the goon holding the gun to my neck swore and literally picked me up and put me into a dark van. I screamed again, throwing myself at the one window that wasn’t blacked out long enough to see James barreling down the hill towards the van before a hand reached out and grabbed hold of my hair. I have really thick hair so when this massive hand gripped and pulled me back, I felt like he literally scalped me on the spot. I yelped and fell against the person’s chest that still held my hair.

“That wasn’t very smart, Grace,” his deep voice chuckled at my pain and then everything when black when something hit me in the head.

______________________________________________________

When I finally woke up, I wasn’t in the dark van anymore, I was in a dimly lit library full of books and old ripped furniture that was in some serious need of polish. I sat up slowly, looking for two things; any sign of life and memorizing where I was in case I had to run for my life. “Dear Grace, I apologize for my eldest sons’ behavior,” a really familiar man walked out from behind a bookcase, I couldn’t place him yet because I was still a little fuzzy. “I told him you weren’t to be harmed, that you’re with child and after all, it’s not you I want dead, it’s your husband but you know children, never listening to their elders.”

“Your that guy from Prague, DeMotta,” I whispered, sitting up straighter, scared now.

“Yes, Don Vincent DeMotta,” he bowed his head with an arrogant smile as he proudly stated his name, like it was a title. “Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?”

“I’m fine,” I answered lowly, looking at the two men on each side of DeMotta suspiciously.

“My sons,” he noticed me eyeing them with caution. “Dominick DeMotta and Raymond DeMotta.”

“You hit me,” I pointed to the one I didn’t recognize; I hadn’t snuck a peek at him where I had the other one. He was one huge son of a bitch.

“Raymond,” DeMotta introduced with a frown. “Never follows orders.”

“Who hits a pregnant lady over the head? If my child has problems because of that, I’m taking it out of your ass,” I pointedly told him, the one named Dominick chuckled and looked at Raymond smugly.

“I like her,” Dominick commented, as if he agreed with my threat. I stood up and walked closer to them.

“Yes, I do too,” DeMotta murmured to his son, interrupting what seemed to be the start of an arguement, he turned his attention back to me and cleared his throat. “I want you to know that no harm will come to you while you’re here, your just collateral for James Beast, he is all I want.”

“You’re using me as bait to kill my husband?” I asked to make sure I heard right. When Vincent chuckled and gave a slight nod, I scoffed. “You guys are freaking idiots. Okay, it’s cool; I’ll be going home soon so take me to my cell or whatever dungeon you’re going to throw me in.”

“Why do you say we are idiots, dear Grace? What do you know that you’re not telling us?” DeMotta asked, leaning forward against a desk that was completely bare.

“Just that James won’t leave me here long and there’s no way you’ll kill him, he’s too good to let a bunch of moronic Italian mafia types kill him,” I leaned in, mimicking him. “I’ll take my living quarters now, sir.”

My living quarters as I called them, because I had an uncontrollable stupid urge to act like a pirate wasn’t a 10x8 cell with a bucket in the corner and hay for a bed like I had imagined but a very nice red and gold colored room with a King sized bed and a nice TV across from it. I lay down and smiled in spite of myself, at least I could get some much needed sleep and peace before James rescued me.

________________________________________________________

By the third day of being held hostage, I began to worry. I hadn’t heard anything about me on the news, I hadn’t seen anyone but the DeMotta family and I felt like I would literally never leave.

“You have to eat,” Dominick sat a tray down in front of me, like every day, three times a day for the past three days. “Your pregnant, eat for the baby at least.”

“Why does your father want to kill my husband?” I ignored his attempts; I’d eat when he left.

“Because he knows too much about our business,” he explained simply without me having to beg it out of him. “I don’t want to kill him, especially not with you here. James was a nice guy.”