orders to his men. She watched as everyone started running around, and even the guests weren’t allowed to leave. The entire room was shut down to make sure that no one got out before his bodyguards spread outside to find Laura.
Pearl looked around the room, her mind in over-drive as she tried to figure out where Laura could be. There was no way anyone could just take her out of here. The entrance was guarded and there were too many people around. She was sure that someone would have noticed something. As she looked around, her eyes fell on the stairs that led to the upper floor. Standing at the very top was the scarred man, a smirk on his face as he held an unconscious Laura close over his shoulder.
He looked at Pearl for a minute, before turning around and disappearing into the upper floor. Pearl debated informing the guards, but she knew how dangerous this man was, and she was afraid that he would hurt Laura if she informed anyone. She quickly made her way up the stairs, going unnoticed in the panic and chaos that was taking place. She slowly walked onto the upper floor, worried about Laura, and at the same time, trying to fight the urge to run away. She had been running from this monster for years, and now she was walking toward him herself.
She should run away. She should get out of here and find her father before disappearing once more. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Laura in the hands of such a cruel and vile man. She knew that she was about to meet her end, but it would be worth it as long as Laura remained unharmed.
“This game of cat and mouse has gone on long enough.” She heard his silky voice, and she turned around to find him standing behind her. “It’s time you came back home, my little pet.”
“Slade,” Pearl whispered, looking into his dark eyes. “Let her go. Your fight is with me, not her. She is innocent.”
“She is just an excuse to get to you, my pet,” Slade said. “It’s time to pay the debt your father owes me. After all, a promise is a promise.”
“Just leave her alone, Slade,” Pearl said, clenching her hand. “I will come with you as long as you give her back.”
“Of course, my pet,” Slade said, grinning. He threw a pair of handcuffs on the floor and gestured at them. “Put these on and then stand next to me. I will leave the girl afterward.”
Pearl glared at him before slowly bending over to pick up the handcuffs. They were familiar, and she knew that they were rather special. The first time Slade had put them on her, he had boasted about how they were made of the strongest metal on earth. She closed them around her wrists, her heart sinking as she realized that all her running and hiding had failed her.
“Where is your father?” Slade said, licking his lips as he grinned at her. “He owes me a huge debt and it’s time it was repaid, fully.”
“You got me, Slade,” Pearl said. “You don’t need to go after him.”
“I found you,” Slade said. “I will find him as well.”
“I put the handcuffs on, Slade,” Pearl said. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. “Now, do your part of the deal and let her go!”
“Of course, Slade always keeps his promise,” he said, laughing. Pearl watched in horror as he held her over the railing of the stairs, his eyes gleaming with evil. “As I said, I will let her go.”
“No!” she shouted. “Slade, please, I am begging you! Please, just don’t hurt her! Take me! I will go with you. I will do whatever you say! I will never run away from you again! Just don’t hurt her.”
Slade laughed manically, holding onto Laura by her leg. “A promise is a promise,” he whispered, before opening his hand. Pearl screamed in horror as she watched Laura plummet down to the ground.
Chapter 14
Rio knew from the twisting and churning of the bear within him that Pearl was in danger. He was already panicking because of Laura, but now he felt an even deeper worry hanging over his heart.
“Where is Pearl?” he said, shouting at Larry.
“Inside, I think,” Larry said. “No one has been allowed to leave the building.”
Rio ran inside, trying to use his sense of smell to find where Pearl was. He had a sinking feeling that