Chapter 307: Ransomed

Lisa was staring at the shallow breathing Mina, half hoping the woman would die. Although she had fought hard, in the end, she and Lisa only differed in condition. Mina was beaten bloody, while Lisa had only suffered a few slaps. Sometimes playing tough worked in one's favor, and other times it did not. Lisa felt that Mina learned that lesson hands on; literally.

When the door to the room was opened, Lisa watched one of their abductors run to Mina's unconscious form and check her pulse. The man looked visibly relieved when he saw that Mina was still breathing. He made a few weak attempts to wake the girl, but when he got no response, he gave up, and turned his attention to Lisa.

"You've been ransomed," the man said, and Lisa felt her heart relax. She knew her name held weight, unlike Mina who had nothing.

Lisa was content in the fact that even though Mina had her eyes on Ian, she could not use his name or call him for help. Likewise, Lisa believed that Mina was also unable to use Cylus' name as a bargaining tool, and there was something refreshing to her about a vixen who knew her worth; zero.

Lisa followed the abductor into another room, but she soon slowed in her pace. She was being moved to where all four men had gathered, and she worried that something much more serious was about to happen.

"I thought you said I was ransomed. Where is my brother?" Lisa asked shakily.

"Relax," said the man who had been violent with both women. "You'll stay in here until he comes." Not wanting to risk another slap, Lisa sat and remained quiet.

----

Lisa was trying hard to remain invisible when one of the men who was watching over her engaged her in conversation. He was curious as to why Mina was living with President Lee if Lisa was his girlfriend.

"She is an employee with no place to go," Lisa said. "If you are hoping to get a ransom out of her, don't bother. Her family has nothing." The men looked at one another, as if they were considering Lisa's words carefully.

"Are you telling us that no one will miss her?" One of the men asked and Lisa nodded.

"She is a homewrecker with no friends, and barely any family left." The men looked to one another again. In their minds, Mina could be sold for a much higher price than they were being paid to hold her.

"Are you sure?" One of the men asked, he did not trust Lisa's words, and of the two women, she was the one he was most wary of.

"Wake her up and ask her," Lisa said confidently.

The men began to earnestly discuss what they were going to do with Mina. After they came to a consensus, the conversation travelled to what they were going to do 'to' Mina, and Lisa felt just a twinge of guilt knowing that her words could be the reason Mina was ruined.

At the same time, Lisa did not care. Mina had come in and shaken her life up so badly, that it was only right she repaid the favor. Besides, no one would know it was her, they would all point their fingers toward whoever had arranged for the women to be taken.

After some time, one of the abductors left and returned with two men Lisa recognized as her brothers two most loyal men. She was slightly disappointed that Kace had not come himself, but she figured it was for safety reasons; he was going to be a father.

One of the men Kace had sent threw a bag filled with, what Lisa could only guess, was money, at one of the abductors. Lisa was released and she ran to the men. Feeling much safer now that they had come.

As they were being led out of the building, Lisa passed by the room Mina was in and decided to give the abductors a little motivation. She walked up to the still unconscious Mina and ripped her shirt open, exposing the girl's chest and bra.

Lisa did not see the reaction her brother's men had. Even the abductor who had been leading them out looked shocked. He had been the only one to question Lisa about her true motives, and now he was even more sure the girl was setting them all up for disaster.

Making sure he was unnoticed, one of Kace's men texted his boss. The response was clear.

[Clean everything up professionally.]

----

Ian and Zane pulled up to the warehouse where Mina was allegedly being held. Before they could make their way inside, Lisa came running out of a nearby car. Not wanting to scare the already shaken woman, Ian put away his weapon.

When Lisa was close enough, Ian pulled her into a hug. She was crying without regard for her appearance, and Ian could see that her cheek was slightly reddened. He did not need to ask, it was clear she had been struck, but the question left his lips anyway.

Did they touch you?" Ian asked. He was trying to be as gentle as possible with the clearly traumatized Lisa.

Lisa admitted to being smacked, and Ian felt a weird sense of relief. Two hours was a long time to be held captive and anything could have happened to either woman.

Remembering Mina, Ian looked around the area, trying to spot the girl, but there was no sign of her. He had believed Kace, who told him that Mina would be taken care of until he arrived, but now he was regretting believing the man.

"Where is Mina?" Ian asked, but before Lisa could answer, one of the men she was with responded.

"She is still inside. We did not want to touch her." Ian gave Lisa a gentle shove in the man's direction.

"Send her to a hospital. Make sure she is thoroughly checked," Ian said. He may not have wanted to be with Lisa, but she did have a place in his heart.

Without waiting for a response, Ian was already making his way inside of the building where he had been told he could find Mina. As soon as Ian entered, his eyes landed on a pool of blood and drag lines that led further into the structure. Ian's mind went blank and he almost lost the will to push forward. Whoever the blood he had seen belonged to was no longer alive and he could tell by the sheer amount of it.

Careful not to step in the mess, Ian and Zane crept along the sides of the hall. The first door they came to was shut, but there did not appear to be any people inside; at least living. Regardless, Ian kicked open the door and felt his entire body jolt, freeze, seize, you name it, he felt it.

Inside, Mina was tied to a chair. Her head was hung so low that her body had folded in on itself, and it looked as though she could rest her head on her knees with a few extra inches. The position was unnatural and looked uncomfortable, but what worried Ian the most was that Mina did not appear to be breathing.