Chained to You: Loved

by Alexia Praks

  “You okay?” he asked. “You want a drink or something?”

  Andy shook his head. “Umm… Yeah… I’m fine.”

  Matt narrowed his eyes. You said you’re fine, but you’re shaking your head, Andy, he thought. How typical of you.

  Andy turned his eyes to Matt then, his body tense with worry. “Have you spoken with Mr. Maxwell?”

  Matt shook his head. “I called him, but he didn’t pick up. I know he’s busy.”

  Andy nodded in understanding. “Searching for Mia.”

  “Hmm.”

  Andy licked his lower lip and then asked, “It has to be the Mexicans, right? I just know it. They got me last time, and because of what happened, because they didn’t get what they want, now they’ve gotten their hands on Mia. Shit. I… We must find her, Matt. She can’t… She just can’t handle those people by herself. She’ll… Oh fuck…”

  Matt wrapped his strong arm around Andy’s shaking shoulders and drew him close. He knew the boy was thinking back to what had happened to him when the mafia had gotten their hands on him and couldn’t bear the thought that they’d do the same to his beloved sister.

  “Stop thinking stupid thoughts, silly boy,” he said. “She’ll be fine. I’ve only known your sister for a short time, but I know she’s a strong girl, like you.”

  Andy raised his eyes to Matt, surprised at his words. “Like me?” he asked. “You… you think I’m strong?”

  Matt smiled. “You think I’m the type of man to be attracted to a weak, timid boy? Sex would be so fucking boring.”

  That had Andy frowning. “Is that all you think about? I’m just a sex toy to you?”

  Matt chuckled with amusement. “If you’re just my sex toy, I wouldn’t have to spend my precious time and resources in saving your ass from that bastard mafia and getting you out of shit you got yourself into so many times.”

  Andy thought Matt was right. If he was just Matt’s sexy toy, then he’d just be another of the billionaire’s things, like the many fancy cars that could be cast aside when something new and shiny came along. But Matt had risked his own life many times to save Andy, and he was grateful for that. So fucking grateful, in fact, despite his retaliating attitude indicating otherwise.

  Andy lowered his eyes. “Sorry, I… umm… I’m not thinking straight at the moment. I’m worried about Mia, and everything else just triggers my irritation.”

  Matt laughed. “I know.” He stroked Andy’s soft hair fondly as he said, “I must admit that I do like your short fuse, though to a point.” He moved his fingers to caress the boy’s cheek. “Rest assured, Andy, James will do what it takes to save Mia. I know him well. He’s my best friend. He loves her after all.”

  “He loves her?” Andy asked. “Like properly loves her? Not just because she’s…”

  Matt knew what Andy wanted to imply. “He loves her not just because he considers her one of his play things, Andy. He loves her. I know that in my gut. When James loves, he loves deep.”

  “I see,” Andy said, though he didn’t quite see it.

  He had always thought Mr. James Maxwell’s type of woman was the hot, sexy high-class girl who knew the world and was on top of the world. The type that was a complete opposite to Mia. The type that didn’t have a dark past. The type that was filthy rich. Yes, he couldn’t imagine the man falling in love with somebody like his sister, who was sweet, generous, and too caring and kind for her own good. Just as he couldn’t imagine Matt Caine wanting to be with somebody like him, a hotheaded boy who hated the world and only cared for his sister.

  Matt sensed Andy’s dark vibe and knew the boy was worrying about his sister again, which in this case was useless. After all, they couldn’t do a fucking thing to help find or save her. At least not yet, anyway. So he decided on cheering him up. Or at least keeping his mind away from his sister for a little while.

  He drew the boy’s face closer to him and started kissing him on the lips, which took Andy by surprise. Matt thought the boy was going to push him away, considering his timing, but when Andy didn’t, he was glad.

  Andy groaned into Matt’s mouth pleasantly, and Matt, encouraged, kissed the boy deeper and urged his lips to part for him. When Andy obliged, Matt thrust his tongue into Andy’s welcoming wide-open mouth.

  Their tongues stroke one another, playing seductively against one another until Andy was dazed.

  Andy groaned deeply again and held on to Matt tightly as he enjoyed the pleasure of being kissed by the arrogant billionaire. By the time Matt terminated the kiss and drew back, Andy was even more breathless.

  Matt chuckled in amusement. “You always surprise me with your passion, Andy. You look so fucking delicious. I just want to fuck you here and now.”

  Andy, still a bit breathless, said, “No thanks. You’re not doing me on the plane again. The last time that happened, I couldn’t walk for a couple days, and it was embarrassing. Your staff was staring at me like I was an alien. They knew you were screwing me.”

  Matt laughed. He had to admit that sex on the plane was one of the best he’d ever had, though perhaps not for Andy since the boy couldn’t walk after that and had to be carried by him out of the plane, princess style, while his staff, the air hostesses, and pilots stared at them in disbelief.

  Noting that the boy was now more relaxed, Matt patted himself on the back for the fact that he had eased the boy’s worry about his sister, at least for a little while.

  Once they landed in L.A. a couple hours later, it was dawn, and they headed straight to James’s mansion up in Beverly Hills in Matt’s luxury sports car. The moment they arrived and drove in through the opened gate, they noticed many vans and cars parked along the driveway, which didn’t surprise Matt. Almost everyone on James’s team must be there, no doubt searching for Mia.

  As they headed to the front door, Scott came out and met up with them.

  “Hey,” Scott said. “Thanks for coming, man.”

  The men shook hands and hugged as Matt said, “No worries, Scott. Where’s James? And what the hell is going on?”

  Scott said, “James’s busy.” He turned his eyes to Andy and smiled. “How are you holding up, Andy?”

  Andy raked his fingers through his dark hair as he said, “Okay.”

  Scott patted the younger man’s shoulder and said, “Rest assured we’ll save your sister. There’s no doubt about that.”

  Andy nodded. “I… I hope so, before… before something bad happens to her.”

  Scott said, “Of course. Come on in, guys. I’ll take you up to see James.”

  When they arrived in James’s office a few minutes later, Matt found his best friend standing behind the desk while he was on the phone and staring at the laptop screen at the same time. Matt didn’t miss the commanding vibe emitting from his friend and knew James was in charge and on top of every little detail during this investigation.

  The moment they made eye contact, Matt knew shit was going to hit the fan, not for them, but for the culprit who had dared to kidnap James’s girl Mia Donovan.

  “Matt,” James said after hanging up the phone. “You’re here.” He moved around the desk and came toward Matt.

  The friends hugged, and once they moved back, Matt said, “About time you tell us what the fuck is going on. Andy is doing his best to be patient, as am I.”

  James turned his attention to Andy and asked, “How are you holding up, Andy?”

  “Okay,” Andy answered again. “But not for long.” He didn’t beat about the bush. “What happened to my sister? Who kidnapped her? How? When?”

  James didn’t beat about the bush either and said bluntly, “Your sister is kidnapped by your uncle Herbert Weston, Andy. How? She was lured to leave the house alone by one of my ex-staff, who probably got pissed with me and wants revenge. She probably hates Mia to her guts, too. When? Last night at around nine. Where? Along the street down the road, just out of view of the surveillance camera.”

  Andy frowned for a moment, confused. “Wai
t a minute. Mia is kidnapped by whom? You said my uncle? Uncle Herbert? Not the Mexican mafia? What the hell?”

  “Yeah, what the hell is right,” Matt said. “Who the fuck is this Herbert Weston? How come I didn’t know anything about him until now?”

  James said, “Let me explain.”

  Chapter 5

  James

  James calmly explained everything he knew so far about Herbert Weston. He noted that Andy looked utterly shocked to the core upon hearing this, which didn’t surprise him. He had no doubt that Andy had thought he and his sister Mia had been saved from that child molester, since they’d run away from home. But of course, that was not to be, as they had been hunted down by Herbert for years now.

  Andy was still shaking his head in disbelief. “He was looking for us? Hunting us down? Sick. Just plain sick.” He felt shaken and his knees wobbled. Shit! He couldn’t believe this was worse than he had initially thought. Herbert Weston. Their uncle. Their monster. If that beast did anything to Mia… Shit! Shit! Shit!

  James watched as Matt caught Andy before the boy fell to his knees on the floor.

  Matt asked, “You okay?”

  Andy managed to reply, “I… I think so.” He looked around for a chair to sit. “I…” His head was in a haze of confusion as he straightened himself.

  James said, “You’re in shock.”

  Scott offered, “I’ll get you something warm to drink.” Then he disappeared out the door while Andy made his way toward the sofa near the window with Matt’s help.

  A moment later, Eric came in. When he saw Andy looking as pale as a ghost, he asked no one in particular, “Is Andy all right?”

  Matt replied, “Just needs to catch his breath.”

  Eric nodded in understanding. He turned his attention to James and said, “William’s on his way.”

  James nodded. Then he asked, “Has anyone found Herbert’s whereabouts yet?”

  Eric shook his head. “The team is currently combing the usual suspected areas.” By this, he meant the most common places people like Herbert Weston were likely to hide, such as along the deserted alleys, streets, and abandoned buildings and warehouses in remote spots around L.A., not to mention dubious motels.

  “L.A. is a big place, James. It’ll take time. We also have a team searching for Sophie. The bitch should be easy to track. The team knows what she looks like, after all. Just got a word from Cole, too. He and his team are on their way to her apartment now.”

  “Good,” James said. “We need to get this done quick before shit happens to Mia. I don’t want Herbert taking Mia out of town before we find him.”

  Eric nodded. “Cole will call in when he’s onsite.”

  James nodded.

  It was then the door squeaked open and Aria’s little head popped in, her blue eyes searching about the room for her father. Apart from her Uncle Eric, she noted another two men. One of them was Uncle Matt, who had visited her occasionally, and the other was a young man sitting on the sofa, looking so pale that it worried her. He looked a lot like Mia, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

  “Aria?” James’s voice drew her attention away from the young man.

  Aria darted her eyes to her father and then slipped into the room. Still in her pajamas and her dark hair in a wild mess, she ran to him and threw herself into his open arms.

  James lifted her up and asked, “What are you doing here? Isn’t the maid with you?”

  Aria wrapped her arms around her father’s muscular neck and said, “She’s asleep in my room. Daddy? Where’s Mia? I couldn’t find her when I woke up this morning. I looked in her room. She’s not there. I looked all over the house. She’s not here. Where is she? And who’s that man? Is he Mia’s brother? ‘Cause he looks like her. Is he here to take her back? Please don’t let him take her back, Daddy. Please?”

  James stroked his daughter’s dark head and smiled gently. “Yes, he’s Mia’s brother, but he’s not here to take her back.”

  “Oh, that’s good then,” she said and flicked her gaze to Andy again, who was watching her with interest now. When she noted him giving her a smile, she shyly grinned back and said, “I like him, too, Daddy. Can we keep him? Then they don’t have to be separated, ‘cause they’re siblings, right?”

  James chuckled as he patted her cheek. “We can’t keep him, darling.”

  Aria frowned. “Why not? He looks like he needs someone to look after him.”

  James wasn’t surprised that his daughter wanted to take Andy in as she had with Mia, like one of the animals she found injured along the streets. Aria had always been attracted to injured or damaged beings after all. She had always wanted to help those in need, and her young instinct must have sensed the broken spirits within these two siblings to want to help and heal them. His daughter was such a kind, trusting girl, and he loved her to bits.

  “Because he’s mine, Aria,” Matt said, winking at her.

  Aria turned her attention to her Uncle Matt and asked, “Oh, he’s yours? Like Sammy and Alfie are my cute dogs or like Mia with Daddy?”

  James frowned over this while Eric raised a brow in curiosity.

  It was then Scott walked in through the door. He must have heard what Aria had just said, as he was chuckling with amusement. He asked, as he was heading over to Andy with a mug of hot coffee in hand, “What do you mean, Aria, about your daddy with Mia?”

  Scott handed the mug to Andy, who gratefully took it.

  Andy was just sipping the welcoming drink when Aria said, “You know, like Mia with Daddy. Like they kiss and stuff and being lovey-dovey and stuff.”

  Andy coughed and sputtered at hearing Aria’s answer, while Scott was laughing loudly. Eric shook his head, while both James and Matt could only stare at Aria.

  Eric asked, “You’ve seen your dad kissing Mia, Aria?”

  Aria nodded enthusiastically. “Uh-hmm. They look awfully cute when they kiss. And you know, Mia slept with me and Daddy, too, so we’re like a family.” She turned to Matt. “Do you sleep with Mia’s brother, too?” she asked innocently.

  Matt grinned and said bluntly, “Yes, I do. Every night, and we have a lot of fun, too. By the way, his name is Andy.”

  At this point, Andy was glaring at Matt. He said loudly, “What the hell are you doing, Matt? She’s a little girl.”

  Just as quickly, Andy got a warning from James. “Language, Andy. Not in front of my daughter.”

  Andy went bright red and said, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to use the word hell.”

  Aria giggled. “It’s okay, Andy. Sophie uses that word in front of me a lot, too, so it’s fine.”

  At this, James frowned darkly. He now wondered what other forbidden words Sophie had used in front of Aria when he wasn’t around. That woman was indeed a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

  Aria asked Matt, “So Andy is like your family, too, Uncle Matt?”

  Matt glanced at Andy, who was obviously avoiding making any eye contact with him. He noticed the boy’s red face and uneasy demeanor.

  Matt grinned. “He’s more than a family to me, Aria. He’s very important to me. He’s a special person to me.”

  Eric rolled his eyes while Scott laughed and said, “What? Is this a love confession or something?”

  Aria asked Matt, “Like I’m a very special person to Daddy? ‘Cause Daddy keeps telling me that.” She giggled in delight.

  Matt nodded.

  James put Aria down on the floor as he said, “Now, why don’t you go get dressed and have some breakfast?” He turned to Scott and asked, “Can you call one of the maids over for me?”

  “Sure thing,” Scott said and picked up the phone.

  Aria said, “But what about Mia? You haven’t told me where she is yet.”

  At this point, everyone was watching James, wondering how he was going to explain to his daughter about Mia and her kidnapping.

  James stroked his daughter’s hair and said, with a smile, “She’s just gone out for a bit. Daddy’s going to get
her soon. She’ll be home soon, all right?”

  Aria trusted her father’s words and nodded furiously. “All right.”

  A moment later, a maid appeared at the door and ushered Aria away to shower and get dressed for the day. Hence, the men returned their attention to the work at hand, searching for Mia.

  It was half an hour later when William and Savannah arrived from Vegas. Savannah looked distraught and asked about Mia immediately the moment they were in James’s office.

  “We haven’t found her yet,” James replied bluntly.

  Savannah held on to William’s arm at the news and said softly, “I see.”

  William kissed her on the forehead and then said, “We’ll find her soon, sweetheart.”

  Savannah nodded furiously, tears blinding her eyes, so worried she was for her friend.

  A moment later, James asked the maid to bring Aria over, and when the little girl turned up once again, James introduced Savannah to his daughter.

  He said, “Aria, Savannah is Mia’s friend. Why don’t you show her around the house until Mia arrives?”

  Aria was delighted over this and raced up to Savannah, who was still a little teary.

  The little girl got ahold of Savannah’s hands and said, “I’m Aria. Come on. I’ll show you around the house, and I’ll introduce you to my dogs Sammy and Alfie. You’ll love them. They’re the most adorable dogs ever. Daddy said you’re Mia’s friend, right? I love Mia, so I’m going to love you, too.” She giggled as she took Savanah away.

  Once the door was shut behind them, the men once again commenced on their investigation.

  Chapter 6

  Mia

  I had no idea how it came to this. One moment he was telling me stories of his past, of his love and obsession with my dead mother Rose, and the next… The next? I… I was taken by surprise.

  As well prepared and cautious as I had been—since I knew this sort of shit was going to happen to me, was going to be done to me eventually if James couldn’t get to me in time—Herbert had still managed to take me by surprise. I gave out a frightened gasp before he pounded on me and silenced me with his disgusting kiss.