He Has My Heart

I kissed Ash's cheek as I left to get us drinks. The casino was still in full swing at 2:30 am with people drinking and gambling. I went to the nearest bar and ordered two whiskeys on the rocks.
I leaned against the bar patiently, when a man in his forties stood next to me. He had black hair that was starting to grey. Tanned skin and a simple gold chain hung around his neck. He easily towered over me and looked quite toned underneath his suit.
I ignored him at first, but he kept looking at me.
"Can I help you?" I said sarcastically.
"You're Christina Mitchell, yes?" The man said.
I froze. I literally felt my heart stop and my lungs empty.
When I didn't reply he pulled his jacket back to reveal a gun.
"Don't make a scene or you're as good as dead" he threatened.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards a staff passage way.
As soon as we out of the public eye, he got out a syringe and plunged it into my neck.
"Ahhh, what the fuck!" I cried out.
I soon felt dizzy and could no longer stand. My eyes felt heavy and I was gone.

I felt the cold, hard floor against my face.
I heard clinking as a moved my hands. Chains?
I opened my eyes in the dim light and there were pipes and boilers. No windows, just plain brick walls. I was in the corner furthest from the door. My hands were handcuffed around a pipe and my ankles were tied together with thick rope.
I had no idea how much time had passed or where I was.
I can't believe this! I knew something bad was going to happen. Why did I separate myself from Ashley! Oh my God, Ashley! What if they got him too! What if they killed him! I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him.
I started hyperventilating and broke out in cold sweats. I curled up in a ball and tried to not pass out again.
I was startled when the door flung open and banged against the wall.
The man who threatened me stood in the doorway looking at me intently.
"Ahh, good, you're awake" he said slyly, slamming the door behind him.
He flicked a switch and the room brightened a little.
"So Christina. I figure you know exactly why you're here. So tell me, where is the money!" He yelled, grabbing a switchblade knife from his pocket.
"What money! I have no idea what you're talking about! There's no money, okay!" I snarled at him.
"You know, I was hoping you would cooperate, but I see you're going to be difficult" he spat as walked towards me and slapped me, hard across my face.
"DON'T PLAY DUMB! DON'T PROTECT YOUR THIEVING FATHER!" He yelled into my face. His deep voice sounding more like a roar.
I coward into the wall, waiting for him to pull the gun out on me, but walked over to the other side of the room, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
"My father didn't steal anything! He wanted out! You wouldn't let him!" I screamed at him trying to make myself as big as possible, but failed.
"Look at you, trying to defend him! Don't! He stole one million dollars from us after he left. That cost him his wife. If we get don't get it back, you'll be seeing them soon" he said giving me a look of pure evil. "I have to say, you were hard to track. We lost you for a few years, but when you checked back in, you were ours."
This man was going to kill me. I can't believe they had been tracking me. Were they waiting for my dad to pass so I would have no protection? There were so many chances before I moved to LA. Why now?
When I didn't reply to him, he came back towards me and leveled his face with mine. He gripped my jaw in his large hands and rested his knee on top of my legs. Pinning me under his weight.
"Now, you must have some clue about where this money could be. You know. A secret safe, a hidden bank account, something!" He said almost desperately.
We were interrupted when the door swung open and a second man appeared. He looked familiar to me.
"Tyler! Get off her! No need to be pushy now" The man demanded.
Tyler reluctantly backed away from me, but kept his switchblade drawn.
"Christina, such a pleasure, but on terrible circumstances. I'm not sure if you remember me. I'm Eric. I worked with your father" he said in a polite tone.
I did remember Eric. My dads boss. He had aged. He would now be in his late forties and his face showed it. He wouldn't have been much taller than me. His light brown hair cut short and graying like Tyler's.
"I remember you. You had your men kill my mother!" I spat.
He flinch at the harshness of my tone. "Dear Christina, we tried to reason with your father, but he wouldn't listen. Nora paid the price" he said as if we were having a casual conversation.
I felt like this was the fucking mafia.
I shook my head at him. "She would have reasoned with him if you asked" I said choking up.
Eric clicked his tongue. "Actually, we tried that, but your father had plans to leave this city and had to ground him. I bet you didn't know that."
I felt my face heat up. I tried my hardest to hold back my tears. There was so much I didn't know. What could I possibly say that was going to get me out of this?
"Hmm, thought so. Well I'm going to give you some time to think. Maybe this will jog your memory" he said coming up to me slapping me like Tyler did. Eric's was much more firm and I could feel the metal of his rings scratch my skin.
I whimpered in pain.
"Come on Tyler. We'll come back later" he said as he exited the room. Tyler glared at me, but soon followed, turning off the light and locking the door as he left.
I had no idea how this was going to end for me.

Ashleys POV

I had spent all night frantically searching the casino for any sign of Riley. I went to every staff member asking them if they had seen her. This place was huge. Not mention the amount of hotel rooms, locked doors and rotating staff. She might not even be here anymore! I had fucked up. I should have never brought her here!
I went to hotel security and they said they would review the cameras and get back to me.
I felt defeated. Like I had failed Riley. There was nothing I could do that would benefit Riley, but I couldn't sit around and wait.
At 8:30 am I finally left the Caesars and headed back to the hotel. Maybe there was something, anything, that could clue me in.
I walked past the front desk and barely noticed the clerk.
"Good morning Mr. Purdy. No Miss James today?" She said politely.
I looked up at her and it was the same clerk who called Riley Miss Mitchell. Something clicked in my head and I snapped.
I stalked over to the desk and leaned over as far as I could to be in her face.
"You know something Lena!" I yelled as I glanced at her name tag. "You know Riley's real name, so you have to be apart of this!"
She looked startled, but not shocked. She knew what I was talking about. "You're too late. You're precious 'Riley' has already been handled. She'll crack and tell us where it is" she whispered harshly.
"Where what is? Riley isn't going to know!" I said gripping the desk tighter.
"She'll have to know. Otherwise it's her life" she said simply and sat down as if nothing happened.
Shocked at her actions, I left her and hurried over to the elevator. I reached the room and my phone buzzed. It was Caesars. Maybe they had good news...
"Hello?"
"Hello Mr. Purdy, its Peter Gordan, head of the security department at Caesars Palace. We reviewed the footage of last night and there was a woman being carried out by a man from one of the staff entrances. She matches the description you gave us. Unfortunately it is out of our hands. Would you like us to call the Las Vegas Police Department?" He asked.
"Umm, no, but thank you though" I said quickly and hung up.
I still had no idea where Riley was, but I think this place has something to do with it.
I tore apart our hotel room. Surely there was something here that had something to do with this. With Rileys family.
After three hours of ripping, shredding and smashing everything in the room. Nothing. I was so sure. I went into the walk-in closet in our bedroom to pack our stuff and noticed a small picture frame that hung directly across from the door. It look out of place. I ripped it off the wall to uncover a perfectly cut out hole behind it. Like where a safe would be.