by K. J. Dahlen
Cordy smiled. “I need to wait for him to realize his brats are missing. I’ll let him sit for a while then I’ll make contact. I’ll give him a choice, me and his kids or her and the baby in her belly. If he chooses her, then he’ll never see these two again. I have to believe he’s more attached to the ones he already knows than the one who isn’t born yet.”
Cricket stared at her sister in horror.
Cordy glanced at the clock entirely ignoring her sister’s expression. “Damn, I have to go to work. I’ll be back tonight.” She seemed to have no clue as to how horrible her actions were. She started for the front door then stopped and turned her head to her sister. “These kids better be here when I get back. If they aren’t, there won’t be a rock big enough for you to hide under, and when I find you…I will kill you. But before you die, you’ll watch Dusty die a slow and painful death.”
Cricket stared at her for a moment then nodded slowly. When the door slammed behind her sister, she turned and laid a hand on the babies’ chests. Their breathing was slow and steady and they didn’t seem to be in distress.
The bedroom door opened and Dusty came out. When he came over to the sofa he looked at Cricket, then he gazed at the babies. “What did she do now?”
“Something I’m afraid can’t be undone,” Cricket whispered.
~* * * *~
Cassie closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her chest felt heavy and she wanted to scream. The muscles in her neck tightened and she could hear Rufus growling in her mind. Shaking her head, she wouldn’t let him come out. She had to stay with Deke, she promised.
Opening her eyes, she glanced around the room. When she saw Kayla sitting on the chair with tears in her eyes, Cassie broke away from Deke and moved slowly over to the girl. Kneeling down on her knees, she looked at her. “Are you okay?”
Kayla nodded but didn’t say anything. She was afraid of what Cassie would do. Everyone knew not to mess with the President’s woman. She glanced uneasily at her parents.
Cassie closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks. Opening them again, she studied the other girl. “I’m glad you’re okay.” Then she got to her feet and went over to the empty cribs. Sobbing, she picked up Sammy’s blanket and held it to her chest.
Deke stepped close and wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll find them, Cassie. I promise,” he whispered in her ear. It broke his heart to listen to her sobs. “Cassie, I need you to stay with me here. I can’t do this alone.”
She turned her head to him. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m counting you to keep your word and I love you enough to trust you. I’m sorry I didn’t before but I know better now. You love them too.”
“I would die for them and you. I would also kill anyone who would hurt them or you,” he whispered his eyes were full of wrath.
“Ohhh, Deke.” Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “What happened? Why would anyone want to hurt them?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will find out,” he vowed.
Cassie paused then looked away to stare at the wall. “What if someone is trying to get revenge on me for something that happened in my past?” she whispered. “What if—?”
“Don’t do this.” Deke scolded her. “Don’t blame yourself. We don’t know yet who’s to blame for this.”
She leaned into him and felt his arms surround her. More tears rolled down her cheeks. “I miss them so much. I want them home Deke. I want to feel their tiny arms around my neck. I want to hear their baby giggles.”
“So do I baby, so do I. And everyone will do their best to make that happen.”
“I know but I’m afraid,” she admitted.
“Mrs. Tory,” someone called out softly.
Cassie turned and saw Jumper and Donna behind her. They were holding Kayla up between them.
“Kayla would never do anything to hurt your kids. I hope you understand that,” Jumper stated.
Cassie frowned. Looking from Jumper to Donna then to Kayla, she could read fear and concern in their eyes. “Of course, I know that. She loves my babies. She would never hurt them or any other child here.” Then she understood what they were saying and was horrified. “Oh my god, you think I blame her, don’t you?”
Jumper stiffened a bit.
Cassie went over to Kayla. Reaching out, she put her hands on her face. “Oh, sweetheart. I don’t blame you. Please don’t ever think that. I know you would never hurt my kids.” Cassie stepped back and looked over at Jumper. “I hope they find the monster who did this soon. I don’t know about you but I would want justice done for the harm done here today. Not only to my kids but to yours as well.” Stepping back, she searched Jumper’s face. She felt tears welling in her eyes. “Please Jumper, we need everyone on this. I don’t know who might be out there looking to hurt me or Deke or this MC. My babies are out there somewhere, lost, maybe hurt and whoever took them, hurt your baby girl. We need you on this.”
Jumper glanced back at his wife and daughter, then looked at Deke. “I’m in.”
~* * * *~
Deke nodded. He was proud of Cassie. She was growing stronger than he ever thought she could be. A year ago, he almost lost her to her own fears when she thought she couldn’t protect her babies, now she might be heartbroken but she was thinking of others too. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “We’ll find them and bring them home again, I swear to you.”
Cassie turned in his arms and hugging him close she whispered back, ‘You better. I don’t know how long I can last. I promised you I’d stay but it’s so hard. Rufus is calling to me and his voice is getting louder inside my head. I need you and I need our babies. Please bring them back to me.” She paused then whispered, “Right now I want to scream until the rafters shake and I really, really want to hurt someone. I want to tear someone apart but I can’t because I don’t know who that person is right now.”
Deke hugged her close and listened as she sobbed. Her tears soaked his shirt and he looked from man to man inside the nursery.
The door opened and Gator came back inside. He had a laptop in his hands. He nodded his head at Deke. “I told Zipper to get his ass over here and he’s on his way. I’ve isolated the time of the attack and I found this.” He turned the laptop around as everyone gathered nearby.
Hitting the play button they watched as Kayla moved around the nursery. Then they saw another woman come up behind her. They watched as the scene played out. They all saw Kayla fall to the floor and the woman giving Sammy and Jemmia some liquid. Then they watched as she gathered up the sleeping kids and go out the window.
Fresh tears fell down Cassie’s face as she watched the woman carry off her children. Donna reached out and handed her some tissues and Cassie smiled briefly. The woman in the security tape was little more than a shadowy figure at the moment. “Does anyone know her?” she asked.
“I’m hoping Zipper can clean up the video, so we can at least see her face,” Deke explained.
“Or her arm,” Sam muttered.
Deke turned to his father. “What? What about her arm?”
Sam nodded at the laptop. “She has a tattoo on her left wrist. If we can see that, we might be able to identify her.”
“Do you have any idea how many women out there have tattoo’s on their bodies?” Deke asked his father.
“Trust me, there’s something familiar about this bitch,” Sam assured him. “At least I think there is. Let’s just wait and see what your pal Zip comes up with.”
~* * * *~
Mountain, Dominic and Izzy were sitting at the kitchen table talking when Mountain’s phone rang. When he answered the call, his face changed from pleasant to worried. He hung up, then glanced over at Izzy. “We got a situation.”
“What kind of situation?”
“I’m not sure yet, but there’s trouble.” He looked from her to Dominic then back to her. “I need you to go to the clubhouse and wait for me there. Can you do that?”
“I can but why?” she asked.
>
“Somebody kidnapped Deke and Cassie’s twins.”
“Do they know who or why?” Dominic asked as they both heard Izzy gasp.
When he turned to look, she had her hands spread over her belly. Fear touched her eyes and Mountain knew she was worried. “They just found the babies gone. They don’t know anything else yet. I need to get over to Redemption House. But before I go, I need to know you’re safe.”
“I’ll take her over there myself,” Dominic offered. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Mountain shook his head. “I don’t know yet.”
“What about Boone?” Izzy asked. “If trouble is coming, shouldn’t he be at the clubhouse too?”
“Yeah, he should be.” Mountain nodded. “I’ll have someone pick him up from the PT and take him out there.”
Izzy got up and walked over to him. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she told him, “You’ll call and keep us informed?”
“Yeah, I’ll let you know,” Mountain promised. “But I got to go.”
Izzy leaned over and kissed his lips. “Take care and call to let us know what’s going on.”
“I will.” Mountain walked out the door.
A moment later, they heard his cycle start up.
“Maybe we should get you out to the clubhouse,” Dominic stated.
Izzy nodded. “Yeah, let’s go. I don’t want Mountain to worry. He’s got enough on his mind.”
“Yes, let’s hope Deke and Cassie get their children back.”
CHAPTER NINE
Cricket watched as the sun set. She was also waiting for Cordy to get home. The two toddlers had been feed and were now sleeping. The cough syrup had worn off and the babies had cried all afternoon. They were afraid and she couldn’t blame them.
Dusty had been great with them and that helped, but now the day was done and this feeling of dread had been growing in her stomach all day. The kids were sweethearts and they didn’t deserve what Cordy had done to them.
“Cricket, what is going to happen to them kids?” Dusty asked.
Cricket turned her head and observed him. At the tender age of six, he had experienced more than any child ever should have to face. It broke her heart that Dusty had to suffer but she didn’t see any other way. Cordy kept a hard watch on her sister, almost as if she expected her to run. Cricket had thought about running so many times, but she was looking at the only reason she stayed. Dusty. She would never leave him behind but she also didn’t want to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder either.
Cordy was bat shit crazy and she had killed before. Cricket knew if she left and took Dusty with her, one day her sister would find her and she would kill both of them. “I don’t know baby.”
“I wish you were my mom,” he whispered.
“I wish I was too,” Cricket whispered back. “Maybe then, this madness would go away.”
“Can’t you take the kids back to where they belong?” Dusty asked. “You know they don’t belong with us. They have a mom and a dad of their own, don’t they?”
“Yeah baby, they do,” Cricket admitted.
“Does their mom and Dad love them?”
“Yes they do, very much.”
“Then we have to get them home again.” Dusty got to his feet. “We can’t let her hurt them.”
Cricket felt tears gathering in her eyes. Dusty was right. Cordy might have taken them but it would be up to Cricket and Dusty to get them back to where they belonged. She felt a ripple of fear rush through her. This wasn’t the first time she’d tried to go against her sister but if she got caught, it would be the last time.
Dusty saw the lights of the truck pull into the driveway. His eyes widened and he scampered off to the bedroom. He knew Cordy probably wouldn’t be in a good mood tonight and he didn’t want to be caught in the middle. He knew she didn’t want to see him and he knew how to make himself scarce.
Cricket tensed and waited for her sister to come inside. When she heard the screech of the door scraping along the floor, she turned and watched as Cordy entered.
She was stumbling, so Cricket knew she had been drinking at work.
She looked over at Cricket and muttered, “So how were the brats?”
“They were fine, scared but okay. Dusty helped a lot,” Cricket informed her sister.
Cordy laughed. “Who knew the little bastard would come in handy one day?” She weaved her way over to the sofa. Flopping down, she laid her head back and closed her eyes.
“So what are you going to do with the kids?” Cricket asked.
Cordy smiled without opening her eyes. “I’m going to make Deke sweat for a day or two, then maybe I’ll let him know where his kids are. He’ll go nuts looking for them.” She chuckled. “Then when I know he’s ready, I’ll give him the ultimatum.”
Cricket shook her head. “You are actually going to tell him either you and his kids or her?”
Cordy sneered. “Yes, I am. I love him and I know deep down, he loves me too. He left before we could do anything about it, but now we can be together. We can raise his kids together or give them to his ex and let her raise them but one way or the other, I will have my happy ever after.”
Cricket was stunned. She knew Cordy was emotionally stunted and cruel but she truly realized now that her sister didn’t live in the real world. Deke would kill her before she got her happy ever after. The fact that she stole his kids would be enough to earn his everlasting hatred. She could only hope she was nowhere near when he found Cordy.
Cricket knew she had to get his kids back to him. It was the right thing to do and maybe if she asked, Deke could protect her long enough for her to disappear with Dusty. That was all she wanted…Freedom and the right to raise Dusty without being under Cordy’s thumb.
Cordy had laid her head on the back of the sofa and had her eyes closed.
Cricket stared at her and she couldn’t believe they were related. Cordy was such a different person since their father was gone. Before, she’d been the homemaker after their mother, Grace died. Cricket thought back to when their mother was still alive. Cordy had always been a mean kid, but she was much better at hiding it. Then their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Suddenly, there was no time for anything but taking care of their mother. Then after she died, Orrin moved them from New York to Maine. He was home less and less, then Cordy didn’t have to hide her dislike anymore.
It would be years before Cricket would know the real reason Cordy hated her. It seemed Cordy wasn’t Orrin Tannis’s child. Their mother had gotten pregnant with her before she met Orrin. The only parent they shared was the mother that died and Cordy was stuck taking care of Orrin’s true child. Orrin wasn’t her father but he still gave her orders, he still made her take care of Cricket.
Then after Orrin died, the abuse Cordy heaped on Cricket got that much worse. Others in the MC tried to stick their nose in Cordy’s business and that just pissed Cordy off. She packed them both up and they left the MC.
When they left Bangor, Maine that day seven years ago, Cordy had told her she was going to find her Deke. She didn’t care how long it took or where they ended up, she was going to find him.
What Cordy didn’t know was when they left Maine that fateful day, she already carried a small piece of someone else. She hadn’t wanted to keep the child she carried but Cricket did. Cricket promised to take care of the baby and that was a good thing. Cordy used the baby every time she wanted Cricket to do something and while Cricket hated the power Cordy had over her, she loved the baby. She would protect him always.
But Dusty was right, they had to make sure Deke’s kids got back to him. Cricket had to think about how she would do it but she would do it. It was the right thing to do.
Cordy sat up and rubbed her face. She looked tired. “I’m going to bed. I work the early shift tomorrow, so keep the brats quiet tonight. I need my sleep.” With that, Cordy got up and stumbled to the second bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Cricket then
heard her flop down on the bed.
~* * * *~
At that moment, eight miles away in the main room of the Sin’s Bastards clubhouse, Deke growled with impatience and fear. His children had been missing for hours and no one had found even a clue as to who took them or why.
Cassie was at the house and all the Old Ladies of the club were there with her, trying to keep her from going crazy.
Deke stomped over to where Zipper was busy tapping keys on his computer. He’d been looking for anything that could tell them who this woman was and for what purpose she had kidnapped two innocent children.
So far, nothing they tried had worked. They still didn’t know who she was or why she’d snatched the kids. Security cameras hadn’t captured her likeness very well at all.
“Well, do you have anything?” Deke muttered angrily.
Zipper shook his head. “Sorry boss, these tapes aren’t telling us anything.”
“I don’t want to hear that!” Deke slammed the back of Zipper’s chair.
Sam came over and grabbed Deke’s arm. “That isn’t helping.”
Deke wrenched his arm out of Sam’s grip and scowled at the older man. “I know but I can’t help it. They’ve been gone for hours and we don’t have a fucking clue where they are or who took them.” He began to pace. “Cassie is barely hanging on and I’m not much better.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I need some answers before it’s too late.”
“We all need answers,” Sam told his son.
“If that bitch hurts them, even down to a tiny scratch I will bring hell’s own fury down on her head. I will burn her myself for what she’s done,” he vowed.
“Hell,” Sam grunted. “I’ll hand you the matches.”
CHAPTER TEN
