“If it will help get Anna back I’ll do whatever it takes.” After a quick security check, James was ushered through the station towards the interview room.

He froze as he looked through the window. The young woman who he was about to interrogate looked scared and fragile. Her red hair covered most of her face, but it couldn’t hide the stains from the tears she had shed. He received his final instructions from the overweight constable and strutted through the door.

The young woman saw him coming and jumped to her feet. “I am so sorry,” she sniffled apologetically. “I had no idea what they were going to do.” She begged for mercy but James had no interest in giving it.

“Look, Miss…”

“It’s Young. Janelle Young,”

“Miss Young. I will be honest with you. I really don’t care what you did or didn’t do. Right now all I want to know is where she is. Please tell me so I can get my girl and take her home.” James was doing remarkably well at keeping control of his emotions. “Please, tell me where she is,” he asked softly.

“She’s…she is in a flat. You were never supposed to get involved. It was always about her,” Janelle began to explain.

“I don’t understand,” James said, obviously lost. His accusing face had faded and now he was trying desperately to understand. Why would someone go after Anna? he asked himself, bewildered.

“They both knew Anna. Before you. He said he fell in love with her at first sight. But she wouldn’t give it up. She was determined to hang on ’til she was married. Then you came along. And he knew. He knew that as much as she loved you, you loved her just as much. And his obsession grew. Then when he met you in Canberra he saw firsthand just how connected you two really were. Then you went to England and it was like something inside of him snapped. Even from the other side of the world, he said he saw that something had changed. And that’s when he lost it. He was convinced that Anna gave you the one thing that he wanted. The one thing that he had convinced himself was rightfully his. And that’s when his scheming started. He planned on taking her. I was just the bait. He threatened my son’s life if I didn’t help him, and my son, Ben—he’s only six. He didn’t deserve to die, so I helped him.” Janelle was sobbing uncontrollably. James understood why Janelle had helped this maniac, but now she had to help him find Anna.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Janelle sobbing, James madly processing everything he’d learnt. After a few minutes James refocussed and blurted out, “You said ‘they.’ Who the other one? What did he want?” James needed as much information as possible. He didn’t care how much it hurt to know the truth, he needed to know.

“He met her a few weeks ago. He was obsessed with her right from the very start. But she didn’t pay him the attention that he thought he deserved. She was too caught up in her own little world. Too caught up in you,” Janelle hiccupped between sobs.

“Please, Janelle. Please help me? Where is she?” James’s eyes told the truth. His heart was breaking for this poor young woman, but that would have to wait. He had to save Anna and Janelle was his only chance.

“His name is Grant. Your fiancée, Anna, I think he said her name was…she knows him. You met him in Canberra a few months ago, just after you announced your engagement. When you find her tell her that I’m sorry. And James, be careful. He’ll do anything to get what he wants.” Quickly she rattled off an address and then slumped to the floor.

***

Anna

Grant clambered off Anna and for the first time she saw him. He was still that attractive young man that she had fallen in love with what seemed like a million years ago now. His hair was a mass of dirty, uncombed browns. His wide brown eyes were rimmed red. Anna knew she shouldn’t feel anything, but she had once loved this monster. She thought she knew him but now she didn’t even recognise him. She had never seen him like this before. His tall muscular stature, which had once made her feel loved and protected, was now animalistic and intimidating. Leaning over the top of her, he whispered into her ear seductively, “Now don’t go anywhere, sweetheart, I’ll be right back.” With one last lick of her face, he turned and left the room.

Anna watched as he strode confidently out the door. After a few quiet moments, Anna heard an argument break out. It was then that Anna finally realised that, as much as the other man wanted to save her, he wasn’t going to. He was going to leave her there. Leave her there alone with Grant. He was going to walk away and leave her at the mercy of Grant’s whims. Then the realisation struck Anna like a sledgehammer. If she was going to survive she was going to have to do it herself.

The arguing got louder and louder before coming to an abrupt halt, quickly followed by the slamming of the door. The man who didn’t want to see her hurt was gone and all of Anna’s worst fears were confirmed. Now it was just her and Grant.

Less than five minutes later Grant sauntered back in, a sly smug smile covering his face. “Now, Princess, where were we?” Grant smirked, sliding onto the bed beside her. Slowly he undid the buttons on his shirt, revealing his perfectly toned chest. He threw his shirt across the floor and kicked off his shoes. He stood up proudly and unzipped his pants. Beneath his baggy blue jeans he wore a pair of black satin boxer shorts; Anna could see his erection straining the fabric. “I forgot something, Princess, I’ll be right back. Don’t miss me too much,” and with a wink he walked briskly from the room.

Anna gave up crying, she’d accepted that it was no use. She figured the quickest and safest way out of this wasn’t to annoy him but instead just concede. The idea repulsed her but it was her only hope if she wanted to get out alive. The door creaked open once again and Grant stalked in, one hand behind his back. He was carrying something but Anna couldn’t see what it was.

He reached out and twisted her nipple through her bra. Anna bit her lip, trying to ignore the pain. He saw the disgust etched into her face and just grinned. “You’re going to get everything that you’ve ever wanted but would never let me give you. God knows, that pretty boy fiancé of yours can’t give it to you.” And that’s when Anna saw red and lost control of her tongue. She’d put up with him abusing her both verbally and physically but now he had crossed the line. No one said anything bad about James and got away with it. Not on her watch.

“Shut the fuck up, Grant!” Anna spat. “You obviously don’t know him. Leave me alone! You know you can’t compare to him. Not now. Not ever. That’s the real reason you’re doing this. So why don’t you just let me go and save yourself the embarrassment? You’re nothing, Grant.” Anna’s words were so harsh and unexpected that she saw Grant physically recoil at her words.

His hunger for her body was overtaken by the hurt and anger she’d evoked. He slapped her again before revealing the knife he’d been hiding. He showed her the long, stainless blade. Anna froze. She’d come to accept that he was going to abuse her body but she’d never stopped consider the fact that he might actually go through with it and kill her. “Shut up. I have more in my jocks than that pathetic attempt for a man could ever dream.”

Anna felt the cold blade press against her skin. With a few quick movements he had cut her bra to enough pieces for it to fall off her shoulders and reveal her plump breasts. He stepped back and admired his handy work. “Well, aren’t those beautiful? I never did get the chance to meet them before. God knows I deserved it. I put up with your crap long enough!” Anna tried to kick him, but her legs were still bound. He swept the remaining bits of bra from her chest and Anna watched on, horrified, as they fluttered to the floor like confetti. Anna’s chest lay exposed in the frigid air, her nipples puckered from the coolness, and she was mortified by her nakedness. A few more swift moves with his knife and her underpants were gone. For the first time, Anna believed he was capable of murder.