Chapter 54
Jesse heard the key in the lock and sat up hoping it was Frankie with her phone. Instead, it was Tina and she had someone with her, probably her boyfriend but she couldn’t be sure since she hadn’t seen him before.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” commented Tina as the large man leaned against the door frame.
Jesse’s heart was in her throat. She didn’t want to give anything away because she wasn’t sure what her mother was referring to. “What do you mean?”
“You’re engaged to Richie Sambora. I should have known your father couldn’t afford a ring like the one Todd took off your hand. That baby is worth fifteen thousand dollars.”
“Where is it?” asked Jesse hopefully.
“Serving its purpose…keeping the wolves at bay until your father brings the ransom money. Of course, now I know why he didn’t argue about the money or make any threats about calling the cops. I suppose Richie gave him the money.”
Jesse felt the tears burning her cheeks. “How could you sell it? It was MY ring…a promise….” She was fighting the sobs that were in her throat. “It was Richie’s promise to love me forever.”
“Ah, a promise from a man to love you forever. Isn’t that so sweet?” taunted Tina. “Todd, isn’t that special? I wish you could afford to give me that kind of promise.”
“Special,” answered Todd.
“Let me give you a little motherly advice, Paige. NO MAN will ever love you forever! Someone WILL come along and replace you in his heart or after you get pregnant, he will be revolted by you because your body isn’t the same any more.”
“Who took your place in Daddy’s heart?” questioned Jesse as she wiped her tears.
“YOU DID!” she hissed. “His precious little princess. He would rush home just to see you. He would fall asleep holding you in his arms…NOT me.”
“Daddy loved you.”
“Until you were born!”
“That’s not true! He loved you to the very end! He never said a word against you and he never remarried.”
“What do you mean….to the very end?”
“Daddy died four years ago in a motorcycle accident.”
That stunned Tina and she took a step back.
“Who the hell did she talk to then?” demanded Todd as he stood up straight in the doorway.
“Richie’s bodyguard. He’s been at my place taking care of YOUR grandson while I’ve been with Richie on the road.”
“Grandson? I have a grandson?”
“One that you’ll NEVER see. You’re right too. Richie is giving you the money but I’ll guarantee that the law WAS called and you’d best be afraid. Richie WON’T let this go! He will find me and you had better be able to produce my ring.”
Tina became nervous realizing that her ill-conceived plan was quickly falling apart.
“She’s bluffing! What can this Richie do?”
“He can afford to hire someone to look for me,” pointed out Jesse. “He can use his power and influence to get you prosecuted to the fullest extent! This is a FEDERAL offense…because you took me across MULTIPLE state lines.”
“Why didn’t you know she was engaged to Richie Sambora? That was YOUR job! We’re going to jail…I can’t go to jail…I’ll never survive! We have to get out of here! We have to run!”
“We have to pay off Al too! HE won’t let us off either and he WILL kill us!” pointed out Todd.
“We get the money….pay off Al….and take off! We need more money though. We’ll have to hide….somewhere safe….we can continue to hold Paige…make Sambora pay us more.”
“You’ve lost your damned mind, woman!” sneered Todd as he turned to leave.
Tina followed him and the door closed behind them. Jesse heard the lock and she was alone once more. There was no fighting the tears or sobs any longer. She fell to her knees and began to cry in earnest. She knew her mother was desperate; she knew Richie would move heaven and hell to find her; what she didn’t know was what would happen to her before he did.
