Secrets of Sin: The Finale
Yazar
E. J. Lace
Okur
453K
BölĂŒm
30
When Ben disappears, Mari loses her mind. They'd come so far, and life had finally gotten good. All around her is chaos. The city is burning, riots and murders are happening daily; it's as if the world went mad. Ben finds himself in a prison cell, forced into the dark, seedy world of underground fighting.
Night after night, he must fight for his life if he has any hopes of ever seeing the light of day. Mari enlists the help of a dangerous man, Owen, with connections and sources to help her find her husband. Owen agrees to help Mari if she swears an ancient and sacred vow. Mari decides there is nothing she won't do to find her husband and bring him home safely. Now, she must fulfill her end of the bargain if she has any hope of finding her husband.
Blood and Broken Glass
MARI
âRoss, why wouldnât you speak to me? What is going on? Where is my husband?â I demand, watching him vomit again.
Aurora rubs his back, placating him, but I canât be bothered by the theatrics.
âI donât have time for this. Just tell me what is going on,â I snap, rolling my eyes.
Ross wretches again, gripping my office trash can. Brittany snaps her phone into her pocket and comes closer.
âWhat the hell is going on?â she asks, and I look from her to Ross.
âWhere in the fudge is my husband?â I snap my fingers, and Rossâs eyes meet mine.
âBen?â Brittany asks, crinkling her brows. âWhat the hell is happening here?â
I look over Rossâs weeping body, and I feel a slight pain of guilt for being so harsh on him.
Tears well up in his eyes; he looks distraught.
âWhat happened? What arenât you telling me?â I cry as I look frantically around the house, waving my hands.
âMari,â Aurora says for the first time. âIâm so sorry.â
Sheâs barely spoken to me the entire time sheâs dated Ross, but I look her over, waiting for her to give me some answers.
âSorry for what? I donât understand.â I stomp my foot.
âBen is gone,â Ross wails as he retches, gripping the trash can.
I choke back a sob. âWhat do you mean he is gone?â
âWe went to the gym,â Ross cries, holding back another heave. âI wanted to show Aurora a few moves.â
âAnd?â I insist, losing all patience.
âAnd there was something wrong. We found blood stains on the floor mats,â Ross stammers.
âBlood stains?â I shake my head, not understanding.
âYes, and the sliding glass door was shattered,â Aurora offers sadly.
âWhat?â I pace. This canât be right. They are wrong. Something doesnât make sense.
âI ran out the door, and I saw Benâs truck. His tires had been slashed. Someone took him, Mari. Iâm so sorry.â He weeps as he vomits.
âWe couldnât find him anywhere,â Aurora says softly, patting Rossâs back.
âNo, this makes no sense. He was just downstairs, in our home. How can this be?â I cry, grabbing my phone.
I call Ben over and over, and each time, I get his voicemail, but it says his mailbox is full.
âWhat is it?â Ross asks with a raised brow.
âHis phone is off,â I snap, closing my phone.
âThen, he really is gone. Someone took him. Someone came for him,â Ross groans, a soft breath escaping his lips.
âApparently so,â Aurora sighs, tears in her eyes.
âApparently so? Who would do this? Why would they? I donât understand,â I snap, losing all self-control.
âWhatâs going on?â Erik comes stumbling into my office, looking a little too drunk for noon.
âItâs Ben. Someone has taken him,â Ross gulps, gripping the trash can.
âWhatâs this now?â Stevie comes trampling in.
âLook.â Ross shoves his hands in the direction of the gym. âIâll show you if you donât believe me. See for yourself.â
We follow him.
We see broken glass and blood, and my heart leaps into my throat.
âNo, it canât be.â My lips quiver as my hands go to my mouth.
âWhat the fuck is going on?â Brittany comes barging into the gym.
âBen has been taken. Someone abducted him,â Aurora tells her flatly.
âExcuse me?â She looks taken aback as her eyes scan the room.
âAll evidence shows that someone came into the house and stole him away,â Ross sobs, and tears spill down his cheeks.
âHe was my brother, my friend,â Ross wails.
âWhat the fuck is wrong with him?â Brittany snaps.
âHeâs had too much to drink. We went to brunch and had too many mimosas.â Aurora shrugs, shaking her head.
âWe never thought anything so serious would happen on a Sunday. We were just trying to have some fun.â Aurora sniffles.
I shake my head, looking at my family.
âIâm so sorry, you guys. Mari, please forgive me,â Ross weeps, wiping his mouth.
âBetween the booze and the blood, he got sick. Itâs no wonder. How can this be?â Aurora chokes, looking around the gym.
âThat explains all the vomit,â I sigh, shrugging and looking at Ross with mercy in my heart.
âIâm so sorry, Mari,â he whines, and I nod.
I know he means well, but I just donât have time to deal with drunks.
I look at my family, concern swelling in my chest.
âWhat are we going to do? Should we call the cops?â I ask them pointedly.
âNo, donât do that. They never help. They only make things worse,â Brittany says, squaring her shoulders.
âI called for him. I yelled his name, but he didnât answer.â Ross hiccups.
âItâs okay, Ross. Itâs not your fault,â Erik says, patting his back.
âYeah, bro, you did the best you could. You are not to blame,â Stevie says with a shrug, looking thoroughly confused.
âHeâs really gone?â Erik asks, looking around at the broken glass and blood.
âHeâs not here,â Aurora assures him, gesturing at the mess as proof.
âOh, fuck.â Erik assesses the broken slider and grips his temples.
âWhat does this mean?â His eyes scan across mine before they fall on Brittany.
âIt means somebody fucked with the wrong person. The wrong family.â Brittany makes fists at her side.
At this moment, I love her dearly. She is always so strong. She always knows what to do.
Even when I donât.
Even when all hope is lost, she is my salvation.
She is my strength.
As I examine the pieces of broken glass and blood, my heart sinks.
Where is my love? Where is my husband? What on earth is happening?
I want my bear. I want my Benny. How did this happen? I was just upstairs on the phone, and now, heâs gone?
We should be safe here. We donât even live in the city anymore. We moved here to have a quiet life.
To find peace.
I donât understand.
I have no idea who would take him or why.
It makes no sense.
I run my hands through my hair, feeling the panic rise up in my chest.
He is a big, strong man. He could kill you with just his fists. How did he get taken?
And why?
My body trembles, and helplessness overwhelms me.
I tug at my hair as an ungodly wail escapes my body.
âMari. Mari, itâs going to be okay,â Erik says, rushing to my side.
âNo, it wonât. I cannot live without him. You donât understand. He is my everything.â I stomp my foot as the tears spill.
I remember what happened when he left me. How I couldnât eat or sleep. Now, heâs gone by no will of his own.
Someone stole him from me.
I canât stand it. I growl, and all eyes turn on me.
âMari, weâll find him. I promise you on my life, we will get him back,â Brittany swears.
âHow did this happen? We live in a safe neighborhood. Look at how far we have come,â I sob.
Stevie moves to rub my back, but I shrug away.
âI donât need to be placated. I need my fudging husband!â I scream, and everyone falls silent.
âSweetie, weâll get him back. Everything will be all right,â Brittany assures me.
But Iâm not so sure.
I look at the shattered remains of the sliding glass door and am scared by how easily our life was broken.
Ross stumbles beside me, looking at the bloodstains on the carpet before he wretches once more time into a trash can.
âIâm sorry, Mari. Heâs gone. Heâs just gone, and it looks like something awful happened down here,â Ross tells me.
I sob, fearing the worst.
Choking back another cry, I look around the ruined gym. âPlease, just let him be all right.â
