by Anna Lewis
Chapter 9
I woke up early to get Gio’s favorite pancakes going, banana chocolate chip, which Josh was excited about having as well. He was busy putting a big fat ribbon on Gio’s bedroom door and adding, ‘some last touches’ to the room. I paused in whipping up the batter to take my prenatal vitamin. I was sure to hide the bottle immediately after taking out the pill.
“Hey how’s pancake making going?” Josh nearly scared the pill right out of my hand.
“It’s coming along, just have to get it on the stove,” I recovered quickly and took the vitamin, gulping down some water while facing away from him.
“What’s that? Headache?” he asked me, coming up from behind to kiss my neck.
“No, it’s just a vitamin,” I said…not technically lying.
“Oh, do you want some help? I can be taste tester.”
I smirked at him and shook my head.
“You can be on bacon if you want to help,” I pointed to the pack on the counter and the skillet. Working as a team we got breakfast done in no time, and it wasn’t long after that Gio came running downstairs. His eyes bright and excited for the day, his expression almost matching his hair which was sticking up in all directions.
“It’s my birthday!” he yelled excitedly and ran to jump right into my arms.
“I know, happy birthday,” I murmured into his ear and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek.
“Happy birthday little man,” Josh said and Gio gave him a hug just as big as mine.
“You made my favorite pancakes! Dad have you tried them? They’re the best…” as Gio continued talking at a million miles per hour I went to make myself some pregnancy safe tea. Being an avid coffee drinker in the morning I just needed something hot to drink out of a mug in the mornings. I did brew a cup for Josh who was getting the brunt of Gio’s excited chatter. They were both devouring the pancakes though.
“Thanks, you’re not having any?” he asked me, suddenly aware that my mug had a tea packet inside.
“No I usually skip coffee on the weekends,” I lied and I feared he suspected as much. But he didn’t question it. He simply took his cup and continued talking with Gio about our upcoming visit to the zoo. Gio had completely forgotten about his new room.
“So…I know you’ve been eagerly awaiting seeing your new room buddy…” that was all Josh had to say after everyone was done with breakfast. Gio took off upstairs and Josh laughed as he jogged behind him. I took a more graceful walk upstairs and made it just in time to see Gio open the door and his face light up with wonder. It was like he was entering Disney World or something.
“Wow! This is so cool! Mommy come look!” Gio yelled in amazement. I stepped into the bedroom and I had to say, I was impressed. The once neutrally done guest room was now Gio’s favorite shade of pastel olive green. He had a bunk bed that wasn’t too high and had a little lounge area underneath with a huge beanbag that Gio jumped on immediately. He ran over to his own play area, it was equipped with another beanbag chair, had his toys neatly lined up in a small shelving unit and a TV on top of that. Then where there was once a little reading nook by the huge panoramic view of the city, was a desk and homework area. His bathroom was done up too, matching the color scheme of his room, the closet was made to be more friendly to his height so he could reach all his clothes and whatnot.
“Thank you Mommy, thank you Dad!” Gio gave both of us another big hug. Then Josh showed him the crème de la crème and pulled out a decent sized trampoline that was hidden behind his bunk bed. They both played on it until I deemed it time to get ready for the zoo, which Gio didn’t have to be told twice. Josh pulled the trampoline over to Gio’s play area and went to help him get ready. I loved that he was so involved with Gio, I couldn’t have asked for a better father to him. My chest felt full and I did want to cry a little as I couldn’t help but begin to hope that we were finally getting back on track. Headed towards being a family.
* * *
As Gio came face to face with a chimpanzee almost the same size as him, I took solace in the fact that Josh was carrying Gio like a backpack. Also the tour guide was holding the chimp like a baby on his hip so nothing bad could happen. Gio gave the Chimpanzee a high five and the chimp actually gave him a kiss on the cheek per the guide’s command.
“Mommy did you see?” Gio laughed as he glanced back at me. I’d been emotional all day. Knowing my baby boy was six already would have been enough, but then Josh was being a model father and making the day even more perfect and memorable. Amidst all we were going through, he was making sure Gio was happy and…well it brought tears to my eyes every time I thought about it. Which was why I largely wandered behind with Marcus and Jackson who were discreetly following us through the busy park.
“Come say hi Maddy,” Josh beckoned me forward and I went to shake hands with the chimp who gave me a kiss as well. After that we moved on to look at the big cats and needless to say I was worried when the tour guide offered to let us interact with one of the cougars. Both Josh and Gio looked back at me for permission and of course the tour guide listed all of the facts on how safe it would be. Reluctantly I nodded my head and even the tour guide was excited to let Josh and Gio see their ‘sweetest’ and only cougar named Rio.
We spent five whole hours at the zoo and I was exhausted. But the day wasn’t over of course. I was beginning to wonder if I should have had those banana chocolate chip pancakes instead of an omelet and bacon. Because both Josh and Gio were strangely as energetic as they were at the start of the day.
“Where are we going now?” Gio asked as we all got into the SUV.
“To get some early dinner,” Josh said, it was nearing six o’clock already and though I’d been snacking throughout the day my stomach was about ready to devour anything and everything. When we pulled up to one of the best pizza places in the city I had to smile. Josh was gaining major points today.
“We’re having pizza!” Gio exclaimed eagerly.
“And guess what…we get to make the pizza too,” Josh said, setting Gio off on an excited ramble about all the steps to making pizza. I was impressed, after all those times of making pizza from scratch with Aunt Aida, Gio was almost an expert.
As we got out of the car though, a wave of dizziness hit me and I knew it was because I had been standing and walking all day.
“Whoa there…” Marcus caught me before I could fall over and Josh was at my side a second later.
“Are you alright?” he asked, searching my face for what was wrong.
“Yeah I just need to sit down for a bit…” I said and waved their hands away, not wanting to make a scene.
“Alright let’s go inside,” Josh said, refusing to let go of my elbow. Gio held my other hand as we walked inside the intimate shop. We were met by the chef who gave us a warm welcome, hugging Josh as if they were good friends. He led us back to a part of the bar that had a clear view of the kitchen and whole pizza making process. I sat down and was content watching Josh and Gio get taught how to make a proper New York Style pizza. I made sure to taste both their slightly lopsided, but really good pizzas when they were done baking in the oven.
“You were amazing today Josh,” I said in a low voice, bumping his shoulder with mine. He gave me a proud smile and glanced at Gio who was actually discussing the dough making process with the head chef. I had a feeling we might have a pizza chef in the making.
“I just wanted to make today really special, get all our minds off of…you know,” he said in an equally low voice.
“I’m glad you respected my wishes and left things up to the police, things have been great lately,” I told him. A fleeting look crossed his features, I couldn’t really tell what it was before it was gone. Josh leaned over and kissed me though, murmuring that he loved me against my lips. Something clicked in my chest then and I finally felt ready to tell him about the baby.
Chapter 10
After having cake and ice cream with Aunt Aida later that evening we finally came home. I
was about ready to pass out and not wake until two days later, but I had work the next day.
“Hey I have to…return a call really quickly. Go ahead and pick a movie,” Josh was staring at his phone intently as he walked quickly from the living room in the direction of the library instead of his office. It was still kind of early so we’d all decided to watch a movie before bed.
“Can we watch Minions Mommy?” Gio asked me absently as he fiddled with one of his Avengers action figures.
“Sure honey…just a sec,” I said as I got up. I had this strange needling feeling in my gut that was all of a sudden bothering me like hell. That feeling turned into a dreaded hunch as I made my way down the hall off of the kitchen, and yes I did tiptoe towards the library. If he had a call about work he’d be up in his office on the phone. I was about to enter the library to ask if everything was okay, but I heard Jackson’s voice speaking in an urgent tone.
“If Kane is right, which he always is, we need to move on this quick. Forget about taking the high road…” my brows drew together in confusion as I tried to glean what exactly they were talking about.
“He’s right Josh we should stick to Kane’s plan, it’s the only way to catch him,” Terry’s voice, his tone suggested he was trying to be the voice of reason. Though if I was piecing things together properly whatever they were planning didn’t sound very reasonable to me.
“I know but—it’s just that I promised I’d stay out of things as much as possible, I don’t want to hurt Maddy again I’m already keeping things from her as it is,” Josh spoke up this time, his voice heavy. He was keeping things from me? What things?
“Maybe you have to…just once and then it’ll all be over,” Terry murmured. I’d heard enough and turned silently to head up to Josh’s office. I hardly went in there, but it wasn’t like he’d told me to keep out or anything. His desk was neat, nothing but work files out in the open. I went for the top middle drawer and came across a black folder marked, ‘Kane’. It was the name Jackson mentioned just now. I opened the folder and what was inside made me sick to my stomach. I ran for the adjacent bathroom and emptied my dessert and my dinner. I washed out my mouth and slowly went back into his office to finish flipping through the folder. The tears didn’t come until I was done reading each detail Josh had on Giovanni, myself, and Gio while we lived in Chicago. Hell he even had pictures. Pictures of Giovanni’s sadistic nature with me behind closed doors after Gio was born. Whoever this Kane person was really knew how to creep around a person’s house for the clearest shots. My stomach rolled over again in my gut, but I didn’t have anything else to throw up.
I put everything back in the folder and shoved it into the desk. Angry, hurt, disgusted…I can’t believe Josh had been lying to me all this time. After he promised he’d leave things up to the police…after he said he’d stop going after Giovanni on his own. Then how long had that Kane person been watching us? Why? I hated that Josh had seen those pictures, of Giovanni hitting me, threatening me. There were enough photos there to clearly define our relationship after Gio was born. But still it didn’t show how far Giovanni went at times. What he’d do to me at any given time of the day…whenever he saw fit to strike.
All I wanted was to just move on…and Josh couldn’t respect that…he blatantly went behind my back, and now? Who knew what kind of dangerous situation they were planning in that library. I shot up from the desk chair and hurried to the bedroom. On an angry whim I packed some clothes and did the same for Gio. I’d call a cab and we’d go spend a couple of days in a hotel or something. I knew Josh had someone keeping an eye on Aunt Aida, and I just couldn’t face him or her at the moment. I needed some time… Before I went to get Gio I stopped by Josh’s office and took the folder out of his desk to place it right on top and in the open, so he’d know what I found.
As I hurried downstairs I saw that Josh was still in the library. Gio looked up and confusion instantly entered his features.
“Mommy where are we going?” he asked me, his voice already small and timid.
“We’re going…we’re just going away from here for a couple of days,” I said and handed him his sneakers which he reluctantly pulled onto his feet.
“But mommy…don’t you love Josh?” he asked me, his voice a slight whine.
“Gio please, there’s no time for questions right now, just come on…” I handed him his book bag that I packed and took his hand. Since everyone in the surveillance room was preoccupied with whatever plan they were concocting it was relatively easy to leave the penthouse. Instead of taking the elevator to the garage I exited through the lobby.
“Oh, Miss Lochte may I call your car around for you?” one of the front desk managers caught me on the way out and I put on a smile for him.
“Oh, no thank you Neil, I’ll just have the doorman hail a cab for me,” I said and he gave me a hesitant nod.
“Alright then Miss Lochte, have a good evening,” he said, still hesitant. No doubt he’d be calling up to Josh’s ASAP. I quickly went outside with Gio and the doorman was eager to hail us a cab. A town car pulled up and Gio and I quickly slid inside. The driver pulled smoothly out into traffic and I had to gather my thoughts before figuring out where we’d go.
“Take us to the—”
“I know exactly where to take you ma’am…” As my heart leapt to a gallop in my chest I realized there were two men in the front. One driving and as the other turned around my blood ran cold. It was him, the one Giovanni sent to my job, the one that promised Giovanni would take Gio and I sooner or later.
“Hate to say I told you so…but I did tell you,” he sneered. Gio squeezed himself tight to my side and I wrapped a protective arm around him, I could feel him shaking.
“Mommy…”
“Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you or your mommy. But I hate to break it to you kid, your daddy’s not too pleased you all left him.”
To be continued…
Book 4: At Last
Stakes are high when Josh realizes Maddy and Gio are gone. They go through the roof when he learns what Maddy has yet to tell him. Trying not to let his emotions get the best of him, Josh and his team find and go after Giovanni. It’s life or death when Josh finally confronts him and in the end he comes too close to losing what he loves most. In the days following their ordeal Maddy is trying to heal and move on from everything Giovanni brought into her life. Josh has only one more loose end to take care of before he can finally do what he’s wanted to since he was ten years old. He won’t ask Maddy to marry him until he knows for sure that they have the mafia off their backs.
Chapter 1
Joshua
There’s only been a few times when my heart has beat loud enough that I could hear it, that I was sure others could see my chest pounding through my clothes. Not many times where my palms sweat and my blood felt like ice in my veins. These reactions had certainly never happened simultaneously, yet as Jackson spoke those words I felt as if my body was rebelling against the news before my mind could completely process.
“Josh?” Jackson waved his hand in front of my face and I blinked a few times, snapping out of the daze I was in. The words, he took them, replaying on a loop in my mind.
“How do we get them back? Where is Mo? Jason?” I asked, my voice hoarse. Terry guided me to a chair and I sat, afraid that if I tried to stand any longer my legs would buckle under the pressure of knowing my worst fear had come true.
“Jason is trying to flag down the town car and Mo’s coordinating with him on the road to try and catch them as well. As far as we know it was only two men in the front seat…” Jackson’s voice was strained, tight. He was anxious and I knew first hand that the most emotion the man ever gave away was if someone was about to do something stupid and it pissed him off. Never have I seen him anxious.
“Why would Maddy just leave like that?” Terry murmured as he was busy working the monitors and coordinating with what info the manager and doorman who let Maddy go gave him.
&nb
sp; “I should have been upfront with her, I shouldn’t have been keeping things from her. Then she would have known that Giovanni was in town. She would have known we were close…not to leave,” the words tumbled out of my mouth as I thought them. Half of my brain was moving at a million miles per hour wondering what would make her up and leave. Terry rolled the tape we all saw her pack and leave after the fact. She’d gone into my office though…I burst up from the chair, both Terry and Jackson calling after me. I practically sprinted up to my office. My galloping heart came to a standstill that had me clutching my chest when I saw the black folder on the desk.
“Shit…” I breathed. I was right, I should have been truthful with her, I should have reasoned with her instead of going behind her back.
“Kane is already on a flight over, he should be here in a couple of hours,” Jackson spoke quietly behind me. I turned around and took a deep breath.
“What if we don’t have a couple of hours, what if your guys lose them?”
“I have four cars out there with highly trained guys doing the best that they can do Josh, but we have to face the fact that Giovanni’s guys got a decent head start.”
I dropped my head then. The only reason he’d be saying that is if there was a higher chance the town car would get away. With all the eyes and ears I had working for me, Maddy just slid right through my fucking fingers.
“This is unacceptable,” I said in a low, hard voice.
“We’re working nonstop Joshua; we will find them before he can harm either Maddy or Gio. But the best option now is to pull our investigators back so they can focus on figuring out where Giovanni would have them taken.”
“He could be taking them to an airport, or any of the hundreds of heliports in the city by now!”
“We’ve already reported their being taken to the police, they have all eyes out for them at all registered takeoff and landing sites in the city. Including marinas and private docks.”
