Torn

by A. F. Crowell

  “Forgive me, but I’ll never remember that, let alone pronounce it right.” I looked him over.

  With a quiet chuckle he grinned. “Just call me Kai, Miss Leila.”

  “Deal and you just call me Leila, no miss. It makes me feel old, like Driving Miss Daisy.” Teasing the big man seemed like the way to go.

  Jaxon chimed in. “Okay, you’ve seen her, woke her up and talked to her. Time to go now.”

  “Wait, what is the other half of this story, Jaxon? Why are you rushing them off?” My imagination, as always, ran wild.

  “I’ll tell you exactly what’s going on after they leave and you can call your little buddy here tomorrow to make sure I told you everything,” he said crossly.

  “Really, Jaxon? You need to watch how you speak to the mother of my child.” Brody puffed out his chest valiantly and Ruger took notice of the ensuing confrontation.

  “Brody, stop. I can handle this. Y’all should go.” I was perfectly capable of fighting my own battles and I knew Jaxon was feeling irritable because Brody was here, questioning him in his own home.

  Once we were alone I turned to look at the fuming man I loved so dearly. “Jax, why don’t you sit down and talk to me? I know you didn’t mean what you said. You were pissed about Brody and you let him get to you.”

  “I was pissed, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t mean what I said. If you don’t believe what I tell you and you feel the need to verify my story then—”

  “Would you just stop and listen to yourself? Why are you being an asshole to me? The only thing I said is that I wanted the whole story. I never once said or implied that you wouldn’t give me the whole truth. And I certainly didn’t mention asking Brody to substantiate your story.”

  He stopped and quietly sank onto the foot of the bed. It was in that moment I realized he was freaking out—scared shitless—feelings that had to be so foreign to him. “You’re my whole world, Lei. The thought of losing you scares the shit out of me. I guess it all got real when I saw you lying there asleep, unharmed. That guy downstairs broke in to finish what Drill started the other day. He was here…” He hung his head and exhaled loudly. “He was here to take you.”

  “What? Take me to Drill? Oh my God, Jaxon, why? What did I do to him that he has this vendetta out for me?” I asked, knowing part of the answer already.

  “He was told to grab you and meet Drill at the airstrip. Brody got a ransom note, that’s why he called you, to see if someone had already gotten to you. We can’t figure out where the plan got fucked up. Either this guy was late or the kid who dropped off the ransom note was way too fuckin’ early.” Jax scooted up the bed and grabbed my hand. “Listen, we have a chance to catch Drill tonight—”

  “No, don’t go, Jax, let someone else do this. Just stay here with me,” I demanded—actually, I pleaded, but I didn’t want him to hear that in my voice. No fucking way was I letting him out of my sight. Jaxon stood and paced the room, deep in thought. “Besides, what if it’s a setup? What if he is just waiting for you to leave and go rushing off after him?”

  “Wait, what?” He paused and whipped his head around to gaze at me. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, it seems way too easy. This guy has brains to electronically siphon off two hundred grand. Why would he be so stupid as to send a guy in our backdoor at eight p.m., and have the messenger dropping off the note at five? Three hours before my planned abduction?” I could see the wheels start to spin. “He knows that guy would blab and you’d go running out of here guns blazing, leaving me alone for him to grab himself.”

  “Holy shit.” His eyes widened in the realization that I could very well be right. “I need to get downstairs. Stay up here.” He ripped the door open and slammed it before I could say a word or object. Ruger took offense to the loud noise and barked once.

  “Hey, buddy, you wanna come up here?” I patted the bed in front of me. Ruger hopped up onto the king-size bed and curled up on top of my shins. “Hey, yo, fatty, you aren’t a Chihuahua, get off my legs.” He groaned before relocating to the foot of the bed near the middle as I slipped from the bed to use the bathroom. While I was in the bathroom I decided to sneak into the hallway to see what was going on downstairs.

  Padding across the bedroom floor to the door, I slowly opened the door to try to hear what was being said below. The moment the door was opened Ruger bounded out of the bed with a huge thud.

  “Damn you, dog,” I whisper-yelled as he looked at me with knowing eyes. He sat and watched me. “Stay.”

  I pulled the door open and peeked out to see the stairway clear. Stepping out onto the little landing right outside of our door, I could finally hear voices discussing meeting Drill at the airstrip.

  A deep gravelly voice disagreed. “We should leave her here with the walking Redwood. Put them in the panic room and all clear out. If he’s watching the house like you think, then he’s seen all of us coming in the front door, but Redwood came in the backdoor and wouldn’t have been seen.”

  “No fucking way,” Jaxon and Brody said in unison. Shocking, all it took was another kidnap threat for them to get on the same page. Five to one it lasts for less than fifteen minutes.

  “I hate to agree with him, guys, but he’s right. It’s the best option. We can tap into the camera feeds and track everything from a street over, but he has to see us all go flying out of here,” I heard my brother say. I couldn’t believe he, of all people, agreed with making me bait.

  “If we can catch him in the house, then we pretty much guarantee ourselves a conviction,” the gravelly voice said with finality.

  “I’m glad you’re so comfortable with risking my daughter and her mother, but I’m not. This is a bad plan,” Brody stated.

  “If they are locked in the panic room that’s safer than anywhere else. She is the only one who can open that door. Think about it, man, it really is the best option. She’s my sister, I’d never agree to anything I thought might get her hurt,” Drew argued.

  “Jaxon, please tell me you’re not considering this?” Brody asked. “This is fucking insane.”

  “Listen, Brody, Drew is right. That panic room is made of concrete and steel. It’s its own self-contained unit, if she didn’t want anyone to get in, they wouldn’t. I hate to say it but the rational part of me has to agree,” Jaxon said.

  “So you’re really going to do this? I can’t believe you. You’d risk her just to get this prick?” Brody sounded incredulous.

  “If I don’t, he’ll just keep comin’ after her. Don’t you get it, he’s trying to fuck with me and he knows she’s my only weakness,” Jaxon shouted back at Brody.

  “If you would have just left us alone none of this would be happening. She’d be with me and she’d be safe.”

  “Fuck you, Brody. You walked away, not her. I was simply there to be her friend and help her pick up the pieces after you annihilated her,” Jax growled.

  Hearing a scuffle, I started down the stairs. Less than fifteen minutes. Big surprise. This had to stop. I refused to live like this forever. Just as I got to the second floor I heard Drew. “Knock it the fuck off, you two. Have your pissing match another time. It’s almost nine o’clock and this dipshit, Billy, is supposed to meet Drill at ten. If we stick to the plan and go outta here like we expect him to be there, then we need to get this show on the road. Like now.”

  I stopped almost at the bottom of the steps and peered around the corner to see the assembly of men in the dining room. Kai was the first to notice.

  “Miss Leila, did we wake you?”

  “I never fell back to sleep, Kai. Who could when there is a psycho on the loose who wants to go all Hannibal Lecter on me?” I always make the most inappropriate jokes at the worst time. Brody, Jaxon, and Drew all groaned in response.

  “Sis, how long were you on the stairs?”

  “Long enough to hear that you wanna use me like chum in the water to lure in a great white.”

  “Lei,” Jaxon started to explain but B
rody cut him off.

  “Why don’t we sneak her out in my car? She can stay with me until this is over and you’ve caught this son of a bitch.”

  “No,” Jaxon commanded. “She’s not movin’ back in with you. Ever.”

  “Drew.” Brody looked to my big brother for support.

  “Leila, you’ve obviously heard the situation and our possible resolutions, so I want to hear what you think,” said Commander Gorden—Mr. Deep Voice.

  The smart-ass in me wanted to do my best Southern belle impersonation and thank him for giving two shits about what I think. The bitch in me wanted to tell them all to go to hell and take Brody up on his offer to whisk me away. However, the rational side weighed in and I knew this was the only way to be done with Drill. I would have to go back into the infamous Fortified Room of Terror.

  “Well, first let me say thank you, Commander. I appreciate you giving me the option to weigh in on your plan to dangle me out there as bait.” He started to say something but he wasn’t fast enough. “And you two over there making decisions for me and my daughter without so much as a thought given to what I might want…” Shaking my head, I walked through the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

  “Lei, what are you doing?” Jaxon asked from right behind me. Damn, that man moved like a cat.

  “It just so happens that the baby is hungry and I’m going to get something to eat since it would appear that I’ll be spending my night with Kai in our godforsaken panic room. Is that okay with you?” I grabbed the container of cream cheese and opened the meat drawer for the Genoa salami.

  “I’m not staying around to watch this situation go from bad to worse. Drew,” Brody turned to my brother, “call me when you have this guy and she’s safe.” He turned to me and placed his strong, steady hands on my belly. “Are you sure you want to do this? If you aren’t comfortable with this, then you can come with me. We still can sneak you out of here and leave Ikaika here to confront this guy.”

  With a sympathetic smile I set the food down on the counter and grabbed his hands. “I love that you are trying to look out for me and the baby, B, but I have to do this or I’m going to always look over my shoulder and wonder when he’s coming for me. Besides,” I nodded to Kai, “your boy over there looks like he could take on a football team without breaking a sweat. I’m sure I’ll be in good hands.”

  “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind?”

  “Jesus, man, she said no. Leave my fiancée alone. She made her decision, just accept it.” Jaxon grabbed the food from the counter and handed it to Kai. “Babe, we need to get you two into place so we can make our move.”

  “Right.” Swallowing hard, I looked from face to face and saw worry and tension.

  “I want Kai to go up first and wait just outside of the bedroom. Lei, you’re gonna walk me to the door, kiss me goodbye, then lock up. When you go upstairs, turn on the TV, if you don’t already have it on, grab anything you might need for the next hour or so and then get yourself, Ruger, and Kai locked in the panic room. Take your cell phone, I doubt it will work, but it might. Brody,” Jaxon nodded to the back door, “a word.”

  “Jax…” Worried about where he was going with his little sidebar, I tried to stop him.

  “Babe, its fine. Just a talk, I swear,” he promised.

  Sighing loudly, I watched Brody and Jaxon exit the back of the house. I couldn’t make out what was said, but I noticed there was no yelling, pointing, hitting, or referee needed. As they walked back in I caught the last few words.

  “…your man, hope you’re right,” Jaxon muttered.

  “What was that about?” I asked Jax.

  “Just makin’ sure Brody’s got his shit in check.”

  Well what the hell does that mean? I didn’t have time to find out because everyone started for the door, which meant I needed to kiss Jaxon goodbye and get my pregnant ass up the stairs before Drill came a-calling.

  “Please be careful,” I whispered to Jaxon as he kissed me goodbye.

  “Go get in the safe room and stay there. Remember the word. I love you, Lei. This is all gonna be over after tonight,” he reassured me.

  “I love you too, Jax.”

  Drew was right behind him. “For the love of God, Drew, please be careful.”

  “Always.”

  They left and I locked the door. My hands were shaking as I climbed the stairs. I found Kai standing on the landing just outside the door, the food in a pile by his feet. Dressed in a black suit with his hands tucked behind his back, he reminded me of a soldier.

  “It sounds like the TV is already on. I think you should have enough time to use the restroom should you need to, ma’am.” Kai’s voice was gentle and kind. He scooped up the food, opened the door for me, and was greeted by a not-so-friendly growl.

  “Ruger, pfui. Stop it. There is a small bathroom in the room so I should be fine, but good thinking. I’m just going to grab my iPad.” I nodded toward the bed.

  After retrieving my tablet, I showed Kai to the walk-in closet where the safe room was located. I didn’t know why it’s called a safe room. I sure as shit have never felt safe when I was in there. Well, I knew I was safe from the danger outside, but the reason I was in there wasn’t a safe one. Yeah, I was rambling in my brain.

  “Last chance to run screaming from the house,” I teased.

  “No, ma’am, I’m sure everything is going to be just fine. I’ve been in far worse.”

  Part of me wondered what could be worse, the other part of me started playing out several different scenarios in my head that were far more depraved than my current situation.

  No. We are so not going there, chick. I had a three-hundred-pound man-beast and one hundred-fifteen-pound trained attack dog here to protect me, and I was going to be locked in a nine-foot square steel box that only opened from the inside once engaged.

  Shutting the door, I armed the system and looked around the room. “I should really consider decorating this place. I think I spend more time in here than I do my living room.”

  “Red and black will always looks good with the steel walls,” Kai joked.

  “Hmm, and here I was thinking some blues and jumpsuit orange.” We laughed.

  I sat on the couch and Ruger took his position in front of me on the floor. For a few minutes I played games on my tablet before I got bored with that. I thought about reading a book, but I didn’t want to be rude.

  “Should I turn on the monitors?” I finally asked. Kai had not sat down since we came into the room.

  “I can turn them on, you stay seated. You need to rest right now. Brody says you’re due in the next two weeks or so.” Kai slid out the chair and sat in front of the computer system.

  “Yeah, and if she doesn’t come soon, I think I may actually explode,” I said, groaning as I rubbed my large baby bump.

  “Nah, you’re tiny. My wife was bigger than you when she was eight months and she’s a personal trainer.”

  Gee, why was I not surprised? A personal trainer. I bet she looked like a rock star a week after she popped her kid out. Bitch.

  An hour passed. We made small talk as our eyes were glued to the screens. We saw no movement on the screens. Close to 10:30, I caught a glimpse of something moving. I lurched forward and pointed. “Kai, there. Is that him?”

  “I’m not sure, but there is definitely someone there. Don’t panic, he can’t get to you in here,” he soothed.

  “Right.” I tried to sound confident. Reaching down, my hand found my furry best friend’s thick coat. His hair was coarse yet soft. Ruger was a traditional black and tan German shepherd with the saddle-back marking. He leaned into my touch, turned and placed his head in my lap.

  “Maybe you should read something on your tablet.” Kai tried to distract me from the fact that there was a man breaking out a sidelight at the back door of my house. “Brody said you’re a big reader.”

  Kai turned his attention back to the monitors as I opened the Kindle app on my iPad. There
was no chance in hell that I would be able to read instead of watching Drill slip unsuspectingly through the house looking for me. I tried to tell myself there was no possible way for him to get to me.

  Just as I was looking through my TBR books, I had an iMessage come in from Barb.

  What’s happenin’? Is the baby here yet??

  She always had the best timing. Okay, well sometimes. I think Jax would disagree. In this case it was perfect, she would definitely help keep my mind off the current predicament.

  Me: No baby yet. I wish though. I’m over being pregnant & peeing every 5 mins. I feel like my bladder is the size of a freaking walnut.

  Barb: LOL… what r u doin?

  Well, how was I supposed to answer that? Oh just hanging out in the panic room with my baby daddy’s bodyguard and Ruger. You know, just a normal night in my house.

  Me: nothing, just reading.

  For the record, I didn’t lie. I was reading, well, sort of. I tried to find something to read. Looking up, I saw Drill ranting and raving outside the closet. Then, all of a sudden, it was as if he figured out that he’d been set up or he heard something because he went tearing ass out of the closet. The next camera picked him up outside the nursery. Looking over to the foyer camera, I saw Jaxon, gun drawn.

  “Oh fuck.” My breathing quickened and I was practically panting. Next, I saw Drew and another guy come in the back door. “God, why don’t we have sound?”

  “Miss Leila, you have to take a deep breath and relax. It’s not good for the little one,” Kai coached.

  I took a slow, cleansing breath and watched as Drill and Jaxon had a back-and-forth conversation. I was unable to understand anything they said because I didn’t read lips, but I noticed Kai watching the screen intently.

  “Can you read lips? Do you know what they are saying?” Anxiously I walked around Ruger and waddled over to the desk.

  “I can and I do. The long and the short of it is that Drill knows Jaxon and Mark ratted him out to the Feds. He said he can’t prove it yet but that he will expose both of them. Jaxon told him to remember that he’s accusing the sitting president and vice president so he better be damn sure. Then they talked about you and the baby.” Kai’s gaze never left the screen.