Chapter 17: Tantalizing Revenge

Stella'sP.O.V.

"Do you like this song?" Baltor asked nonchalantly.

I was in the passenger's side of his Mercedes as he drove recklessly down the highway. I have no idea where he's taking me. My inner freak out hasn't stopped yet. Baltor left Musa back at the apartment so she can be found as a 'clue'. This guy is psycho. Why didn't I just leave this alone like Brandon asked?

"No," I snap.

"Well, that's a pity, isn't it?" He shook his head and turned the radio up louder.

"Where are we going?" I raised my voice to be heard over the music. It was some rock song I think.

All he said was, "You'll find out soon enough." He continues to drive and I try to control my fear. Does Brandon know what's happening right now? Does anyone know? The only thing I know is that I might die from my own stupidity.

Yay me.

Brandon's P.O.V

"Damn it!" I threw my phone against the wall. Helia just sighed and put a hesitant hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off.

"Brandon, it's going to be alright. We'll find her." He tried to calm me down but I wasn't having it. I could hear Flora try to stifle her sniffles. It wasn't working, obviously.

"It's been four hours! Four! That son of a bitch almost killed Musa and if he even lays a hand on Stella-" I chocked off my sentence at the emotion welling inside of me.

After Stella hung up on me, I knew something was wrong. I was at Flora's house to pick up Stella, but she wasn't there. I should've never told her about all that crap. I knew she would do something stupid. I just didn't know she would do this. Now, there is a police search and lookout for her. Stella's Dad is on a rampage and is blaming me already. I don't care. I just want my princess back.

"I know that Brandon, but yelling and ranting about it isn't going to help anything," he explains calm. Screw calm.

"You don't know shit, Helia. Your girl isn't the one kidnapped by a crazy idiot that you created!" I yelled at him. Flora makes a gurgling sound and starts her crying over again. Helia told her everything after they found out Stella was missing. She hasn't really talked to him since.

"Calm down and stop cursing at me," He snaps. "I can't control what that buffoon does. I'm sorry, but I never told you to tell her about this."

I laugh humorlessly. "I don't give two sh- I don't care. If you didn't think that dealing freaking drugs was such a good idea, then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation either," I retort. Helia was about to respond, when Flora stood up abruptly.

"Just shut up you two!" She wiped her face furiously. "This isn't going to make us find her any faster. Baltor could be out of the state by now." My heart clenched painfully at the thought. No, he won't hurt her. I won't let that happen. Flora's right. This wasn't helping anything.

I blew out a long breath and fisted my hands in my hair. "I know, I know. I'm just…we have to find her. We have to," I breathed quietly. "He could k-kill her and I'm not there. I told her I would always be there for her. Now I can't even find her!" I slide down the wall, onto the floor and put my face in my hands. What if I never saw Stella again?

I feel Flora kneel down next to me. "We're going to find her. Stella's a strong cookie. She can get through this until we get there. I'm sure of it." I let my hands fall into my lap and nod. Helia takes a sharp intake of breath. I snap my head up to him.

"What is it?"

"I…I think I know where he's taken her." I scramble from my seat and over to him.

"Where?" Just then, my cell phone rings. I don't recognize the number, but answer it anyway. "Hello?" There was no response for a couple of seconds, just gasping and crying. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Brandon," Stella sobbed.

Stella's P.O.V.

I'm jolted awake by the car jerking to a stop. Good thing I had my seat belt on, otherwise I would be through the windshield. It was getting dark outside. Baltor shut the ignition off and turned to me. "Ready for your debut?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked warily. He exits the car and runs to my side in a matter of seconds. I undid my seatbelt before he tore me out of the car and started pushing me towards some old warehouse.

Baltor covered my eyes with one of his hands and his pistol pressed into my lower back.

The walk to the warehouse was quiet and I'm trying to get my escape plan ready. The only problem is, I have no idea what my plan is. Sucks to be me.

"Just sit down right here, beautiful." I shivered in disgust at his pet name, but comply.

"Why are you doing this? I mean, I know why you got mad at me being in your apartment, but you just knocked Musa out. Why not do the same for me?"

"Because it's time to show that medaling boyfriend of yours who's boss." What? This was all to get back at Brandon? I should have assumed that.

"He didn't do anything to you. Just…just let me go and this will be settled. I won't tell anyone what happened. I swear." My voice was wobbly because of the tears I was trying to hold back.

Baltor laughed cruelly and shouted, "No! Your stupid little boy toy is going to learn his place."

"What are you going to do then? Kill him? You won't get away with it like last time." Does my mouth have an auto pilot or something?

Baltor's eyes widened with fury and he rushed up to me. "Maybe I won't. Then again, maybe I will." I gasped and he smiled, pulling out his phone. He was going to kill Brandon.

"No! Please don't hurt him. H-he doesn't- just don't, please!" I resorted to begging. Anything to protect him.

"Shut up," Baltor sneered and turned around to rant some more. Time to take advantage. I stand up quietly and pick up my chair. He turns around and I slam it a top his head. Yeah, I workout. He falls to the ground in a heap, but I know he won't stay that way for long. I grab his phone quickly and try to run out of the warehouse. Locked. Damn it.

There's no where to go so I have to make this call and I have to make it quick.

"Hello?" Brandon answered and hearing his voice was like it was every time. Cool and soothing. This was the voice that I thought I would never here again. I started crying a little and Brandon called out again. I'm not sure what he said, but I answer with a watery, "Brandon."

"Stella? Oh god, princess are you okay? Where are you? Did he hurt you?" Brandon sounded frantic and it made me so sad that I put him in this stupid situation.

"I-I don't know. I think it's a warehouse or s-something."

"I know which one it is. At least, Helia is pretty sure. Where is he, princess?" He asks angrily. I know that it isn't directed at me at this moment.

"I knocked him out with a chair, but he's waking up," He was starting to stir. "Please hurry."

"I will, Stella. I promise. I love you so much, gorgeous. Don't forget it, okay?" I can already see him hustling around the place and I hear the faint horn of a car.

"I love you too," I sob and look over to see Baltor advancing on me. "Hurry, please!"

"Stella-" I didn't hear the rest because Baltor snatched the phone away from me and threw it somewhere else. Kind of like he did with my phone.

He wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed tightly. I closed my eyes at the shot of pain.

"You just made this so much easier ." With that, he threw me on the floor, much like he threw his phone.

Brandon's P.O.V.

"You can't go any faster?" I ask Helia anxiously from the passengers' side of the car. We were on the highway and about ten minutes away from the warehouse that Baltor killed Kyle.

Stella's call scared the crap out of me. It was great to hear her voice, but then she got extremely nervous at the end. Baltor did something to her. I think I'm going to kill him.

"I'm going as fast as the law will let me."

"Well go faster," I requested, like it was the smartest thing to do. Then I saw the traffic jam ahead.

"No, no, no, no, no," Flora repeatedly groaned from the back seat. "We were almost there!"

I wasn't going to let a traffic jam stop me now. I turn in to face Helia as he stops the car behind hundreds of other ones. "What exit do we take?"

Helia scrunched up his eyebrows. "85. Don't do what I think you're about to do Brandon."

"Is there any other choice, brother?" I spat and launched out of the car. I weaved through the honking cars to find the exit. I don't really remember how long it took me to get to the exit. All I was concentrating on was getting to Stella, stopping Baltor, and…getting Stella. Seems like that's really my only main motivation. Her. And if I didn't find her…I don't know what I would do.

Stella P.O.V.

At the moment, I am tied up to a pole. My hands bonded above and behind my head. My feet are tied together and there is some kind of dirty rag tied around my mouth. Baltor made sure I wasn't getting away this time.

He left to go check the perimeter around the place. I have just been here for I don't know how long. He knock me around pretty bad. The side of my face is still on fire from when he smashed my cheek in the ground and scraped it around. The tears stopped a while ago. I'm just tired now. So, so tired.

My head was bent down when the door opened again. It was probably Baltor. Why should I lift my head for him? He shuffled up to me breathlessly. "Stella?" That's not Baltor.

I lifted my head weakly to see Brandon's glorious face. My eyes widened and I tried to smile, but my lip was busted so I ended up flinching when I tried to spread it. I tried talking around the rag. "Brandon! How-" He shushed me and gently pulled down the rag.

"Don't talk gorgeous. You're weak. The police are on the way, but I'm getting you out of here now." He touched my cheek lightly and when I flinched, he clenched his jaw even further. "I'll kill him later."

"Do…don't talk l-like that." I stumble out feebly. He is already untying my arms and feet. When I was free, I all but collapsed in his arms. "I'm so, so sorry Brandon. I didn't know what I was doing. I'm sorry," I sobbed incoherently, but he understood the gist of it.

"Relax, princess. I've got you now." He helped me stand and pulled me tightly against his chest. I winced in pain from my injuries and he loosened his hold a little. "You scared the life out of me, Stella. Don't do that again," he said fiercely, kissing my forehead.

I nodded, just happy that he was here. He set my arm around his neck and was about the lift me up, when the door opened.

Shit.

Baltor stood there, angry as hell, but seemingly delighted at the same time. "Well, well, well. Looks like your knight in shining armor decided to make his appearance. Too bad this little fairytale won't have a happy ending." Brandon was shaking with anger and I pressed myself closer to him. He pushed me behind him as if he was shielding me from Baltor.

"You can try protecting her all you want. It isn't helping anything in the long run." Baltor took a step forward and Brandon backed us up.

"The police are on there way. It's over Baltor. You lost and now your going to jail for a very long time."

"Really? Do you not seem to remember the evidence I have on your broth-"

"We found it," Brandon interrupted. "Before the police came, we found it behind a painting in your room and destroyed it. No more blackmail."

The expression on Baltor's face was livid and I am getting very tired of standing. My legs are starting to wobble so I reach out and grab the pole I was previously tied to. Brandon looked at me and in that split second, Baltor pounced.

I screamed as Baltor stabbed Brandon in the leg with a knife that seemed to come out of no where. They grappled with each other and Brandon managed to kick the gun away from Baltor. It skidded across the room. This was a chance. Baltor could kill Brandon and I can't let that happen. Even though I had no idea how to shoot a gun. I mean, it seems simple. Just pull the trigger, but you need aim. I'm already dizzy from feebleness so aim isn't my strong suit right now. I had to try, though.

My legs finally gave out so I crawled over to the gun and tried to ignore the grunts and cries of pain behind me. I couldn't tell who it was from. I finally reached the gun and picked it up with shaking hands. Brandon was struggling with the blows that Baltor was delivering because of his wounded leg. I could hear the faint sound of sirens. They were coming, but not fast enough. Baltor already had the knife over his head, ready to give the killing stab. I lifted his gun.

Then, I pulled the trigger.

A/N: Phew, that took forever to get up here. Thank you all for your patience. School is kicking my butt, and it just started! Thank you for reading and reviewing.

So, I know I said no more cliffhangers….but I couldn't help it. It wasn't that much of one. Oh, and sorry for all the P.O.V. changes. I just thought it would enhance this chapter. And I know I suck at action sequence scenes. Sorry, not my strong suit. I'll try to never have to do it in the future.

This was the last chapter and the next is the epilogue. The new story I was thinking of doing is completely different from this one. Here's a summary:

Stella Cross: Wealthy 21-year-old with no job, wealthy friends, and a perfect fiancée to match.

Brandon Woods: Middle-class 23-year-old mechanic with a mysterious past. When there paths cross on that fateful day, neither knew how they would each irrevocably change each others lives forever.

Does it sound good? Well, let me know if I should write or if I should slap myself for coming up with such an idea. I gotta know what you guys think.

Next chapter will hopefully be up next weekend. I'll try my best.

So…Review!