by Amy Davies
“I got it, Mum.” I smile at him, knowing I probably look like a demon from a horror film.
“I am so bloody proud of you, honey.” I gingerly sit up, and bless Carter, he helps me, holding me up when I almost fall back due to the pain being too much. I wince and bite my bottom lip when the agony gets too much.
I painfully reach for the rope around my feet and tug and pull, trying with all my might to undo the knots. After a few attempts, I get the knots undone. I snap my eyes back and forth between the ropes and the door, praying to every God that will listen to save us. To help us get home safely to our family.
“Mum, if you are up there looking down on us, please help us. I need to get Carter out of here,” I whisper to the room, sending a quiet prayer to my mother. I usually talk to her when I need her. Luke caught me one time. He smiled and kissed my head, before walking out of the room.
We manage to untie my feet and I carefully slide my legs off the bed. Seeing Carter standing there with puffy eyes from crying makes my determination to get us out of here grow to DEFCON 1.
I carefully climb to my feet. Carter tries to take some of my weight when he puts his arm around my waist. Could I have asked for a better son? NO!
“Careful, Mum.”
“I will be. Thank you, baby.” We step slowly towards the door, hoping that in his drunk and raging state, Tim forgot to lock the door. My breathing is laboured due to the broken ribs, but I hold on to Carter as little as I can, still making sure he thinks he’s helping me out. My other hand is holding tight across my middle, making sure that I move my ribs as little as possible.
As we reach the door, it swings open, and a furious Tim is standing there. He lunges for me, knocking me off my feet. I scream in pain as we hit the concrete floor. We wrestle around on the ground, me trying to scratch and hit Tim as much as I can. Even with the pain coursing through my body, I know I need to fight.
I close my eyes as I scratch at Tim’s face, when I hear him roar in pain. I look to see Carter hitting Tim over the back with a wooden sweeping brush handle. I have no time to take a breath as Tim spins and goes for my baby. I jump to my feet, adrenaline pushing me to protect Carter. Tim slaps Carter and he drops the wooden pole. I bend and pick it up and hit Tim with it before he can strike Carter again.
Tim falls to the floor and I grab Carter’s jacket, pulling him behind me. Ignoring the pain in my ribs, I bring the wooden brush handle up over my head and bring it down with as much force as I can on Tim’s back and shoulders. I hit him so many times I lose count.
“We don’t owe you anything.” Hit.
“You made our lives a living misery.” Hit.
“You raped and beat me.” Hit.
“You ruined us.” Hit.
“You don’t deserve us or anyone.” Hit.
“You are a fucking monster.” Hit.
I’m huffing and puffing, and my arms feel like lead by the time I stop.
“Mum, he isn’t moving.” Carter’s voice stops me from the next hit. I drop the brush and turn to look at my boy.
I take a look down at Tim’s body. Carter is correct, he isn’t moving but he is alive. He’s moaning from the pain. Good, he deserves everything he gets. I close my eyes and take a jagged breath. I collect my thoughts until I hear a phone ringing. My gaze snaps to Tim’s body and I drop to my knees. I fish through his pockets and find his mobile phone.
I cancel the call and dial nine-nine-nine.
“Nine-nine-nine, what’s your emergency?”
“My name is Ivy Bilson, and my son and I have been kidnapped. I don’t know where we are.”
“Okay, Ivy, are you hurt? Is the man that took you still there?”
“I am hurt; he beat me badly. He’s here. We managed to hit him with a brush handle. Please, hurry, I don’t know how much longer he will be unconscious for.” I’m crying now. Carter cuddles into my side, careful not to hurt me.
“Okay, we’re tracking the phone you’re using. Officers are on their way, and so is an ambulance. Can you stay on the line for me?”
“Yeah, please hurry. Can someone go to my house and get my family, please?” I reel off my home address and ignore the pain, pulling Carter tighter to me again. We sit on the bed and wait for help to arrive. I’m fearful of leaving the room in case Tim comes around and escapes.
I have no clue how much times passes, but the sirens are a welcome sound.
“Police. Ivy, you here?” a man’s voice comes.
“Here,” I call out. I breath a heavy sigh of relief when I see two police officers come into the room, taser guns raised. I pull Carter to his feet and gingerly stand. I stumble and one of the officers runs to my side.
“I’ve got you. The ambulance is close by. Let’s get you two outside, shall we?” I nod and take a hold of Carter’s hand. I take one more look at Tim and see that he has turned over and is looking at us with pure hate in his eyes.
“You will pay for this, you fucking bitch.”
“Hey, that’s enough,” Officer number two says as he cuffs Tim’s hands together. We are lead through a small cottage and out to the waiting ambulance. Two paramedics come rushing to us and help us into the back.
They poke and prod about, checking Carter and me, connecting me up to a drip for the pain. Carter sits on the little seat next to the stretcher, holding my hand tightly. The last thing we see before the doors close is Tim being walked out by an officer.
*****
Sitting in the emergency room with Carter, my heart rate starts to regulate. I know we are safe, but I won’t truly relax until I see Luke and my brothers. Carter is colouring on the bed at my feet. The nurses have been spoiling him rotten. The police came and took a brief statement before leaving the doctors and nurses to tend to my injuries. I have three broken ribs, two broken fingers, and bruises all over my body. The room they have kept us in is quiet, the only sound the beeping of the heart monitor they have connected me up to.
I hear my name right before the door is pushed open and a beast comes charging in. My heart skips a beat as Carter yells at him.
“Luuuuuke, I knew you would come for us. You love us, right?” I take a long look at Luke as Carter keeps his attention. It means so much to me that he isn’t ignoring Carter and coming straight to me. It proves that my son means a lot to him also.
“I’m sorry I’m late, kiddo. I wish I could have gotten to you sooner. I wish I could have protected you and your mum. God, I love you, Carter. Always, little man.” I sniff and give up trying to stop the tears running down my face. Beast turns his head and looks at me. I swear I can hear his heart breaking right in the room.
“Peaches.” His voice is full of anguish. The emotional dam breaks, and I do a full-on ugly cry and bury my head in his chest when he reaches me. I’m wrapped up in his arms and held safe. He holds me tight to him, but not tight enough to cause any more pain to my ribs. His smell hits my senses and I start to feel calm, like his scent soothes me. I grip the back of his thin jumper when he goes to pull away.
“Stay.”
“I’m not leaving you, babe. Never will I leave you—either of you. You are mine. My family. My fucking world.”
“Family,” I say between sobs. I turn my head and see Dex and Jay standing at the foot of the bed with Carter.
Dex steps towards me first, and Luke moves to the side, not taking his hand from my shoulder.
“I’ll fucking kill him,” Dex growls when he touches my face. He leans in and kisses the top of my head. Jay steps up next, saying his part, before he goes back to colouring in with my son.
“The doctors ran some tests on me and we’re waiting for the results. My injuries will heal in time. I’m used to them.”
“Well, you will never feel those injuries ever again, do you hear me?” Luke growls next to me. I smile up at him and nod.
The doctor comes in the room, blushing when she sees the three strapping men. I giggle at her face.
She coughs and gets to the results. “Okay
, Miss Castle, all of your blood tests came back clear, except one. Do you want privacy for this or can they stay?”
“They can stay. Luke is my boyfriend and those two,” I motion towards Dex and Jay, “are my brothers.”
“Well, okay, then. The one test came back positive for—”
“Positive for what, Doc?” Luke cuts her off, making her jump.
“Beast, really. Let her speak.” She offers me a smile of gratitude.
“The one test that came back positive was a pregnancy test. You are pregnant, Ivy.”
I gasp and Luke sucks in a breath. Pregnant? How the fudge did that happen? Well, I know how it happened, but I’m on the pill. Oh, hell.
“Pregnant?” Luke repeats.
“Yes. From the blood work we would estimate around twelve weeks along.”
“Pregnant?” I repeat this time.
“A baby. Will I be a big brother?” My gaze snaps to Luke. He’s staring at my stomach, where the tiny human is growing inside me. My heart stills, waiting for his reaction. I reach out and touch his hand. His body jerks and he looks at me, his gaze devouring my face.
“We’re going to have a baby?” he whispers. I nod.
“Hey, will I be a big brother, and will Luke be my new dad?” Carter’s voice rises when no one answers his question.
“Yeah, kiddo, you’ll be a big brother to the baby. It’s up to your mum if you can call me Dad.” His words shock me. My gaze bounces between the people in the room. Dex and Jay are smiling at us, Carter looks at me with hope, and Luke… Luke is looking at me with so much love in his eyes it’s hard to deny the man anything he wants.
“I’m okay with the dad thing.” I smile, moving my hands to my stomach. Twelve weeks along. How did I miss that?
“Things happen for a reason. This,” Luke places his hand over mine, “happened because we happened. Love happened. I’m going to be the best fucking dad our kids will ever have. I love you so fucking much, Ivy Bilson-soon-to-be-Baker.” He winks at me and Carter jumps up and down.
“Kiss her, Dad.” Luke obeys the kid and leans in and kisses me. He takes everything that I have to offer him. This is my life now.
Castle Ink saved my life.
Carter saved my life.
Luke Baker saved my life.
Leaving Tim was the best decision I could have ever made. It brought me the family and love I deserved. I will forever be grateful to the people who helped me become the woman, the mother, the sister, and the girlfriend I am today.
I now have the rest of my life to make it up to them, and I plan on making it epic.
Epilogue
Luke
The past few years have been a fucking rollercoaster. I moved back home and found the perfect job for me. Castle Ink was my saviour. Then, like a kick to the balls, a woman walks into the studio and captures my heart. So does her son, who is now our son. The day I found out that Tim had taken them, I thought my world was coming to an end. For a few hours I truly believed he would kill them. But then that phone call came through and we got to the hospital, and I could breathe again.
Ivy and Carter made my life complete.
My Peaches. My son.
And now my daughter.
I look down at the baby girl in my arms and smile at her. She’s a spitting image of her mother, but with my eyes. Heterochromia runs in the family, and clearly Bailie Baker, aka BB for short, has it, just like her dad. Well, I call her BB; Ivy calls her Bailie.
BB is nine months old, crawling, and trying to walk and shit. The damn kid can’t stay a baby for a tad longer. Ivy was a champ during labour. She swore black and blue that she was going to throat punch me and staple my balls to the nearest wall. That was my cue to leave the room and have Addy and Penny take care of her.
Bailie Baker came into the world at two-thirty-one a.m., weighing in at six-pounds and three ounces. Peaches was in labour for eight hours, and she was a fucking Goddess throughout it all.
I lay BB down in her travel cot that we keep in the staff lounge. She grips her blankie that Cassie bought for her. It has Batgirl logos on it. I smile over at Cassie, who is actually sitting on the sofa feeding her and Jay’s baby boy. Cassie and Jay found out she was pregnant a few weeks after us. Remy is three months old and is a Castle boy through and through, with his jet-black hair and green eyes. He was named after the character Gambit from the X-Men.
“You good? Do you need anything?” Cassie is breastfeeding, so we all help her out when she’s feeding Remy.
“I’m good, thanks, Luke. How’s the little Miss?” She tips her head towards Bailie. BB has been teething and has been grouchy.
“The tooth should break through soon. I hope, anyways. Okay, I’m going to go out front. I have a client due in soon. Call if you need anything?” She nods and adjusts Remy on the boob.
It’s one of the most beautiful things to see—a woman feeding her child from the breast. Ivy did it for a few months, but BB became a very hungry baby.
I leave Cassie to her feeding and make my way over to Ivy, who is reading on her kindle at the front desk. My woman loves her romance books.
“Hey, babe. BB is down for her nap. She should sleep for an hour or two.” I kiss her head and lean over her shoulder to see what she’s reading.
“No, Luke. You know I hate it when you read over my shoulder. It creeps me out.” I chuckle and flick through the bookings book. We’re pretty much fully-booked these days. Between the four of us and Addy doing the piercing, Castle Ink is always busy.
Cleo walks down to us, her smile brightening up the room. She has done so fucking well since she has been here. She’s growing in confidence and strength, becoming the woman she should have always been before her wanker of an uncle damaged her.
“Hey, you two. How’s things?” her soft voice asks.
“We’re good. How’s the sketching going for the Army vet?” Ivy asks.
“Good, almost done. He’s coming in next week for another meeting.” Her phone dings in her hand and she smiles at the screen, before excusing herself.
Peaches winks at me and I smile at her.
“I dread the day Bailie gets a boyfriend.”
“Why just Bailie? Why not Carter?”
“Because Carter is a boy; he can handle the girls. Bailie is my baby girl. No boy is touching her.”
“Yeah, this is a conversation for another time, Beast,” Ivy exclaims.
The door opens and an older lady walks in. Mutton dressed as lamb pops into my head, and I chuckle. Ivy gives me a confused look, but I just shake my head.
“Can I help you?” Peaches asks.
“Yes, I have an appointment with this sexy guy here,” she says, running her finger over my forearm. Ivy tenses but doesn’t say anything. She’s had a few run-ins with clients touching me in front of her, but she normally puts them straight. I step back and look at the woman.
“If you’ll follow me to my room.”
“Oh, yes, please. Aren’t I a lucky lady.” She winks at Peaches.
“Lady?” Ivy coughs under her breath.
We walk away, and I wink at Ivy over my shoulder, which she returns.
“So, Luke, when are we going to grab a dinner date? I could do with a real man to treat me like a real lady, if you know what I mean.” I chuckle and reply.
“Sorry, but I’m taken.” I jog back to Ivy, who is watching us like a hawk. I give her a Baker smile and she melts before I even get to her.
“Love you, baby. Only ever you, Peaches.” I kiss her breathless, before returning to my client. She doesn’t look amused. Looks like my work here is done.
The beast finally got his peaches, and he doesn’t plan on sharing anytime soon. Well, maybe only a little with our two kids, but that’s it. No sharing with anyone else.
The beast and the peach. The rough and the smooth. The perfect combination. The perfect us.
Epilogue part 2
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream at the two people in my bed. My
boyfriend and my so-called fucking best friend are in my bed naked together.
“Babe, it isn’t what it looks like,” Tony says. Fucking really, he’s going with that?
“Clearly. Get the fuck out, the two of you. I am done with you both.”
“But I live here,” he states while climbing from the bed and picking up his jeans. Jean is scrambling to pull her clothes on.
“Like I fucking care. I suggest you leave before I phone my dad and uncles.”
“Oh, maybe you might phone Knox. I bet he would love to come over here and kick my arse, right? Then he can sweep in and get the girl, like he has always wanted.” He sneers at me.
My heart rate jumps at the mention of his name. Knox Bradley. The man I have been crushing on since I was a little girl, but with the age gap, Knox kept his distance. We kissed a few times, but he backed off. The one and only time we went further than a kiss, Knox left for good.
He joined the army. That was six years ago. He comes back from time to time, but he never stays long. There’s a ten-year age gap between us. It never bothered me, but clearly it bothered him. I haven’t seen him in over a year
