Rejected: A love story-Chapter 71: Nathan to the rescue

Nathan’s phone buzzed again and caleb picked on his behalf since he was driving.

It was Alex.

"Sir, we’ve been able to track the location of the car" Alex said.

"What are you waiting for? Send it to me immediately"

"Yes sir, on it" He replied before hanging up.

The location ping flashing brightly on the screen. His heart slammed in his chest as he sped down the empty road, Caleb beside him was scanning every corner like he expected Fiona to be lying somewhere on the ground.

"She’s here," Nathan muttered, gripping the steering wheel so tightly the veins in his hands strained. "She has to be here."

Caleb’s jaw was clenched hard enough to crack. "The tracker stopped moving fifteen minutes ago. It’s stable now. That’s the only good sign we have."

Nathan didn’t respond. He pressed harder on the accelerator. When they turned onto the dark service path leading to the abandoned building, the first thing that made Nathan’s heart drop was the familiar shine of metal reflecting in the moonlight. His office car was parked awkwardly, half-swerved, like someone didn’t bother aligning it.

Nathan hit the brakes so hard the tires screeched. Both men were out before the car fully stopped, running toward it.

"Nathan—" Caleb gasped, reaching the driver’s door. "The car’s intact."

"But where is he?" Nathan snapped, yanking the back door open, he froze for a sec. He had thought it was Fiona.

"Caleb." he called.

The driver—Nathan’s driver—was slumped in the back seat, his wrists tied and head lolling to the side.

Nathan grabbed his shoulders instantly, shaking him. "Hey! Hey, wake up! Where is she? Wake up!"

The man didn’t move, Caleb reached into the car, checking his pulse. "He’s alive."

Nathan exhaled, weak with relief—but only for a second.

"Why isn’t he waking up?" Nathan demanded, his voice filled with panic. "What did they do to him?"

Caleb placed two fingers against the driver’s neck again, then sniffed lightly at the air around him.

"He might have been sedated," he muttered. "Heavy dose of something."

Nathan slammed a fist against the car. "Damn it! We’re losing time!"

Caleb steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. "Nathan, listen. I’ll stay here with him and call for medical backup. You go."

"Take two men. Search the building, she has to be inside."

Nathan didn’t wait another second. He motioned to two security guards who had pulled up behind them and sprinted toward the massive, dark building.

"Fiona!" he shouted as he shoved the heavy rusted door open. "FIONA!"

His voice echoed into the hollow, abandoned place. They splited quickly—Nathan took the left corridor, the two men splitting up into the other passage.

"Sir!" one called. "Nothing on the first floor!"

He ignored them and moved deeper, searching each room as his heart pounded painfully.

"Fiona!" he shouted again, louder this time. His voice cracked.

He wasn’t thinking about anything.His mind replayed only the image of her tied somewhere, crying, scared, alone.

A metallic clang came from somewhere below him. Nathan stopped, staring at the basement.

He bolted toward it, kicking open another set of doors and racing down the narrow stairs. The air grew colder.

"Fiona!" His voice echoed again.

And then—a small, broken sound came from the far corner. Nathan’s heart nearly stopped.

"Fiona?" he whispered, his voice trembling as he moved toward the sound. "Fiona! It’s me—it’s me, baby, I’m here!"

He sprinted toward her, and then he saw her—tied to a chair, blindfolded.

"Fiona!" Nathan fell to his knees so fast he scraped them against the floor. His hands went immediately to the blindfold, ripping it off carefully but urgently. "Hey—hey, look at me. It’s me, it’s Nathan. I found you—okay? I’m here."

Her eyes blinked rapidly, unfocused at first, then widening as she recognized his voice—his scent—his hands.

"N–Nathan?" she whispered, voice breaking.

"Yes—yes, baby, I’m right here." He cupped her face with trembling hands. "God, Fiona, I’m right here."

She burst into tears. It was a sound that ripped through him like a blade.

"Nathan..." She choked on her breath, her head dropping forward until her forehead pressed against his chest. "I—I thought— I thought you wouldn’t find me. I thought they’d come back—I was so scared—so scared—"

Nathan pulled her into his arms instantly, one hand cradling her head, the other wrapping protectively around her upper body as much as the ropes allowed.

"Shh. No. No, I’ll never stop looking for you," he whispered fiercely into her hair. "Do you hear me? Never. I swear it."

She sobbed harder, her whole body shaking against him. He pressed his face into her shoulder, breathing her in. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Fiona. I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight. I should’ve—God, baby—I’m so sorry."

She shook her head frantically. "It’s not your fault—it’s not—Nathan they— they said horrible things— they—"

His hands trembled as he reached for the ropes binding her wrists.

"Don’t tell me now," he whispered. "Not like this. Let me get you out first. I’ll take you home"

The knots were tight, rough. It took effort, and his frustration showed in how his breathing grew heavier.

Fiona felt every tug, every urgent movement, and the terror that had been strangling her began melting—slowly—into a different kind of trembling...relief.

When the final rope loosened, Nathan gently pulled her hands free. The red marks around her wrists made his lungs burn with fury.

He swallowed hard, controlling his anger as he lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

The moment she held onto him, clutching him like he was the only thing keeping her from falling, Nathan collapsed into a full embrace around her.

He pressed her firmly against his chest—one arm under her legs, the other around her shoulders—holding her so tightly that his whole body shook.

"I’ve got you," he murmured over and over. "I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you. You’re safe now. You’re safe."

She sobbed into his neck, gripping his shirt like she was afraid he might disappear. "Don’t leave me here—please—don’t leave me alone again—Nathan—please."

"Never." His voice broke completely. "Never, Fiona. Not for a second. I’m not letting you go."

He lifted her slightly so he could stand, but her legs buckled immediately. Nathan reacted fast, scooping her fully into his arms.

Her trembling hands curled into his shirt as she buried her face into his collarbone.

"Are you hurt?" he whispered, as his voice trembled.

She shook her head faintly, still crying. "Just... scared... so scared..."

Nathan’s jaw tightened. "I’ll kill them," he whispered under his breath, more to himself than to her. "I swear to God, I’ll—"

"Nathan..." she whimpered, barely audible. "Please... let’s... just leave..."

He exhaled unsteadily, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, baby. I’m taking you home."

But his eyes burned with fire. He knew one thing... whoever took her? Whoever touched her? they had just declared war.