by Jen Talty
Fucking wonderful. The only way Daniel was ever getting to Rusty again was through Jax, and that wasn’t ever going to happen.
“Don’t roll your eyes, Daddy.”
To try and lighten his now soured mood, he rolled them again.
“If you can do it, then so can I.”
He waggled his finger toward his daughter. “This is not a case of monkey see, monkey do.”
“Of course not. It’s a double standard for grown-ups just like it is between men and women.”
He opened and closed his mouth a few times before his brain could process the adult conversation he was having with a ten-year-old. “What double standards between boys and girls?”
She set the two nearly burnt pieces on his plate with some sausages and settled into the chair next to him with the perfectly good pieces. Well, she had cooked them, and he’d cooked the not so great ones.
“If girls are assertive and speak their minds, they are seen as bossy, or that b word. But if men are that way, they are considered the future leaders. Women aren’t given the same opportunities as men just because we’re girls.”
He waved his fork. “The world is changing, and you’re making a blanket statement. Women can do and be anything.”
“Oh, come on, Daddy. How many female generals are there? How many women do you work with?” She smiled triumphantly, popping a sausage link in her mouth.
“There are some women, but the military is different.”
She raised her hand in the air. “Because of the double standard. We live in such a patri…patriart… ” She looked up at the ceiling as if the word would drop down from the sky.
“Patriarchal?” he asked.
“That’s what I was trying to say. Our society is based on women are less than men.”
“That was a long time ago and not true. Women are equal to men, just our bodies are different.”
She lowered her chin and glared at him. “Let me finish, Dad.”
He nodded, still trying to figure out when his kid had turned into a debate queen.
“No matter how far we’ve come, it’s still a patriarchal society, and men are just given more opportunities than women.”
“You’re right,” he admitted, though this wasn’t a conversation he ever imagined having with his kid, but he certainly enjoyed it. “Where are you learning all this?”
“A book I’m reading that I checked out of the digital library. It’s all about feminism and the struggles women face in today’s world.”
He opened his mouth, but she held her hand out.
“It’s intended for girls my age, so don’t worry.”
“Ha!” He reached over, stealing a hunk of her breakfast. “That’s not what I was going to say.”
“Oh, right.” She rolled her eyes.
“Really, sweetheart, this is a good topic to be passionate about. Look at your Aunt Claire and all the good she does with her programs and helping women. We need more people in this world like her.”
Elle nodded, chewing her food vigorously. “Scarlet loves her new job. When I grow up, I want to do what they are doing.”
“Sounds like a good plan, but until, mind going to back to being Daddy’s little girl?”
“I’m going to grow up.”
Ding. Dong.
“Hello, you guys in here?” Scarlet called out.
“In the kitchen.”
Rusty’s feet hitting the floorboards as he raced through the house sounded like sweet music.
Jax pushed his chair back, waiting for the little boy to see him and jump on his lap. “Hey, little man.”
He stopped, raising his arms, making fists and flexing his non-existent muscles. “I’m a big man,” he said in a deep voice.
“That you are.” He helped the boy up, who glanced between him and the plate of food. “Have at it, kid.” He pulled back the chair next to him for Scarlet.
She shook her head. “I need to speak with you for a minute. Alone.”
“All right. Elle, watch Rusty, okay?”
Elle nodded as he set Rusty in the booster seat he’d picked up. Poor kid didn’t need to eat on his knees every time he came over, even if he didn’t seem to mind.
“What’s wrong?” Resting his hand on the small of her back, he guided her into the family room, his concern growing as her gaze darted from the door back to his face.
“There was a car outside Mauve’s house this morning.”
He balled his fists. “Whose car? What kind of car?”
“It’s your basic small SUV, dark blue, older model, but well taken care of with tinted windows. I didn’t think anything of it at first until it pulled out behind me. Now it’s parked down at the corner.”
“Stay here and keep the kids inside,” he said with a stern tone, one that he normally reserved when training new firefighters.
“What are you going to do?”
“Have a little chat with the asshole.”
She grabbed his biceps, squeezing hard. “What if he’s—” She gasped, covering her mouth. “It’s Daniel,” she whispered, pointing to the picture window behind the dark-brown sofa.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment. “Stay in the house,” he said behind gritted teeth. “I’ll take care of him.” Reaching out, he fanned his thumb over her cheekbone and cupped her face. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let him near you or Rusty.”
“Is that the right thing to do? He’s never laid a hand on me or him. He’s not violent.”
“Maybe not, but he’s doing just as much damage to the little boy as if he were. It would be one thing if he was late on child support, but tried to maintain a relationship, but he hasn’t even tried to contact you or his kid. He’s no good.”
“You’re right. You’re right.” She nodded.
He opened and closed his fists, pumped out his chest, and stepped through the front door. “May I help you?”
Daniel stood at the edge of the driveway. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore faded jeans, a black T-shirt, and his face was clean shaven. He looked to be about six foot and muscular.
“Yeah. I want to talk to Scarlet.”
“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“I want to see my boy,” Daniel said, folding his arms and spreading his stance.
“You can take that up with the court system. Oh, wait. You won’t do that because you’ll get arrested for being a deadbeat dad. Now get the fuck off my property.”
Daniel laughed. “Tsk. Tsk. You didn’t do your homework. I don’t owe any child support because she dropped the ball on that one, setting me free and clear.”
“Perhaps, but you have no visitation rights, and you’re a drifter with barely two pennies to rub together.” Jax took three steps forward, keeping his eyes locked on Daniel.
“You think you know shit about me because you’ve been poking around my business?”
Jax’s breath hitched. Tex was the best at finding people, and he’d found Daniel. Now how did that little weasel know anyone was snooping into his background. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“You’ve messed with the wrong man. My boss doesn’t like it when his employees have people asking around about them.”
Shit. Pepe Hernandez was not the kind of man you fucked with.
“Stay away from Scarlet and her son, and no one will ever be asking about you again.”
Daniel shook his head. “Call off your goons, and I will.”
“Done,” Jax said, holding his phone. “Just need to make one call.”
“Do it, and I’ll be gone. If not, I’ll be back, and I’ll be coming for my boy.” With that, Daniel turned on his heels and strolled down the street toward his car without a care in the world.
Anyone who thought they were untouchable was sorely mistaken, and Daniel would rue the day he came anywhere near the people Jax loved.
His heart pounded at the last thought, but he pushed it out of his mind as he took out his phone and texted Tex the l
icense plate number along with a buddie of his from the local police department and a retired Air Force Fire Specialist who currently did PI work. Hopefully, they’d be able to get a handle on what this asshole was up to.
Raking his fingers through his hair, he headed back inside.
“Did you spy on me?” Scarlet asked with a hushed tone, but angry none-the-less.
“I wouldn’t call it spying. I did a background check. Any parent would—”
She poked him in the chest. “When someone does a background check on a potential employee that person generally knows it’s happening, and it doesn’t include nosing around their loser ex-boyfriend that they’d prefer not to ever see again.”
“Look. Maybe I should have told you I’d be doing that, but—”
“No buts. Your prying brought him here, and you’ve put me in a horrible situation with my son,” she said, still in a menacing whisper. “I’ll forgive you for doing a check on me, because I’d do the same thing if I had the resources, but you took it a step too far.”
“Jax!” Rusty came barreling into the room, arms flapping.
Jax picked up the little boy, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He’d never let any harm come to him. Ever.
“I’m ready to go,” Elle said, looping her arm through Scarlet’s, who stared at him with a sadness that stabbed him right through his heart.
“There has been a change in plans,” he said quietly, holding Scarlet’s gaze.
“What!” Elle’s smile quickly turned to a pout.
“A situation has come up that I can’t discuss in certain company.” He nodded his head toward Rusty who’d become amused by the tattoo on Jax’s neck. “Until I hear back from a friend, we’re going to have to stay put.”
Elle stomped her foot. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You promised, Dad.”
“I know I did, and I intend to keep that promise, just not this minute,” Jax said.
“Why don’t we go to your room, and I’ll curl your hair like the girl on the show you like so much while we wait for your father to find out what he needs. And if not today, we will have our girls’ day another time.” Scarlet smoothed down Elle’s hair with the tender care only a mother could.
“Okay,” Elle said less than enthusiastically, tugging Scarlet across the room.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, pal, for the next hour or so. What shall we do?”
Rusty shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I’ve got it.” Jax set Rusty down, holding his hand. “Let’s clean out the fishing box so that when it’s time to go, we’ll be all ready.” He glanced at his phone. All he needed to know was that Daniel was miles away by now, hopefully never to return.
He brought the fishing kit out to the garage, setting it up on the ground. He’d bought a few new lures, different size weights, and a couple of bobbers. “All right, Rusty, you take these round weights and put the tiny ones in this spot, the middle-sized ones here, and these big ones in this spot. Got it?”
Rusty nodded, his pudgy fingers plucking the silver beads from the floor and plopping them in their spots.
Anger and frustration swirled in Jax’s gut. He’d never understand men like Daniel.
A door slamming, followed by a crash sounded from inside the house. Quickly, he scooped up Rusty. “Elle? Scarlet? Everything okay in here…” He sucked in a harsh breath, staring at two men with guns, holding the girls, both wide-eyed and tears streaking their cheeks. He shielded Rusty’s face. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
“Who we are is immaterial,” the man holding his daughter said. He wore a blue T-shirt and had a scar on the side of his face.
Jax made mental notes of the tattoos he could see. He did his best to engrave the man’s face in his brain.
“But we want Daniel, and the money he stole from our boss,” the man with the scar said.
“He left about an hour ago. No idea where he went.” He wanted to add that he couldn’t care less about Daniel but didn’t know if Rusty knew his father’s name or not.
Rusty squirmed, trying to turn his body. “Is that a real gun?” he asked.
“I need you to be still and keep your eyes closed, can you do that?” he whispered into the little boy’s ear.
Rusty buried his face in Jax’s neck, fingering the tattoo.
“Can we let my girlfriend take the kids into the other room, and we can discuss this outside?”
“No can do,” the man with the scar said. “When we get our shit back, then we let them go.”
“Take me instead.” Jax knew deep down these men wouldn’t go for that, but he had to try.
“Stop negotiating or we’ll take the little boy too. He’s more valuable anyway.”
Scarlet cried out, her shoulders bumping up and down.
The man with the red T-Shirt yanked her hair. “Be quiet.”
Jax did his best to shield Rusty, holding him tight against his chest. “I’m going to pull out my phone and call one of my buddies who’s tracking him.”
The man with the scar cocked his head. “Why?”
“We want him out of our lives, so I’m making sure that happens.” He glanced between his daughter and the woman he knew without a doubt he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. His gaze pleaded with them both to trust him.
Holding Rusty with one hand, he reached around to his back pocket, holding out his phone. “I’ll put it on speaker.”
“If you signal them about us, she bites the bullet.” The man holding Scarlet shoved his gun against her temple. “Then we’ll hurt the girl.”
Jax exhaled through his nose like a bull as he tapped on his phone. Tex picked up on the first ring.
“I was just about to call you,” Tex said.
“Just watch what you say, I’m in the car on speaker with little ears.”
“Hey, Buttercup, how you doing?”
Jax nodded to his daughter.
“I’m good,” she said with a shaky voice and a sniffle.
“I don’t have much time and was wondering if you’d seen our mutual friend.”
“As a matter-of-fact, I just heard he’s on 75 just south of Gainesville. He’s now in a four-door sedan. We watched him unload and load just outside of Ocala,” Tex said.
“Did he have help?”
“Not that my guys saw. What’s going on?” Tex asked.
“Nothing. Just a few more friends looking for him. Can you send me what you have so I can give it them?” Jax honestly didn’t care he was tossing Daniel under the bus. Only Daniel better hope the cops get him before these thugs do, or he might not see the sun rise tomorrow.
“I’ll do it right now.”
“Great. I’ve got to go.” Jax tapped the phone at the same time it buzzed. He tossed the cell on the table. “There’s all the information for you to find him. Now let my girls go and leave my house.”
Rusty’s fingers clasped behind Jax’s neck, and his body shivered. He had no idea what he understood, but he knew things weren’t right.
“Nope.” The man with the scar snagged his phone. “What’s the passcode?”
“9845,” Jax said.
The two men inched toward the back door, pulling his precious Elle and sweet Scarlet with them. “Once we have our man and our product, we’ll let them go, unharmed.” He raised his brow. “But if we don’t, well, you know how that goes.”
“We’ll be in touch,” the other man said.
Jax lunged forward but halted the second a gun pointed in his direction.
“I shoot, the bullet goes through the boy. I don’t think you want that.”
Jax watched in horror as the two men walked through the side gate, and got into a car that had been parked on the side street, stuffing Scarlet and Elle into the back seat of the car.
“Echo, Charlie, Delta, seven, seven, Oscar,” he mumbled the license plate number. Clinging to a sobbing Rusty, he ran back into the kitchen, looking for either Elle’s phone or Scarlet’s. He found Scarlet’s on th
e kitchen counter, locked.
“Damn,” he muttered. He rubbed Rusty’s back. “Do you know how to get into Mommy’s phone?”
“I do.” Rusty took her phone in his little hands, and he swiped his fingers across the number pad.
“Thank you.”
“That didn’t look like a girl’s day.”
“It’s going to be okay, little man.”
Time to call in the cavalry.
Chapter 9
Scarlet wrapped her arms around Elle’s trembling body in the back of a white van parked on Cypress Avenue in Bonner Heights. Guilt plagued her mind. None of this had been Jax’s fault, and she’d all but blamed him for how she and his daughter were being held at gunpoint.
“I’m scared,” Elle whimpered.
“I know, sweetie.” Scarlet smoothed down Elle’s hair, tucking her head into Scarlet’s chest as the child sobbed uncontrollably. “Your dad is going to find us.”
“What do those men want?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but someone I used to know showed up today, and I think he has something they want.”
Elle tipped her head. Her normally happy toffee eyes had turned a cold brown filled with fear. “But what does that have to do with us?”
Scarlet had no idea how to answer that question. If she told Elle the truth about Rusty’s father, then her son would probably find out, and it was hard enough to find answers about why his father left.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
The back doors swung open.
“Let’s go,” one of her captors said, showing his gun. This man was the meaner of the two. He had piercing blue eyes that were lined with deep-set wrinkles. “Be quiet and don’t say a word.”
Elle shook violently.
“I’ve got you, sweetie.” Scarlet’s heart pounded like a jack hammer, but she needed to be strong for Elle. Holding her tightly, Scarlet helped her from the van. She looked around, straining to see the street sign a few houses away. The homes were run down, and the grass and bushes were overgrown on most of them. There was a random solar window shop across the street.
