by K. C. Lynn
The kids talk amongst themselves on the short drive to school, making plans on where to meet at recess. It warms my heart knowing how close they all are, just like us parents.
If someone would have told me ten years ago I would be married to the man I’ve loved since I was a teenager, have a beautiful daughter with him, and work as a school counselor, I would have never believed them.
But I am.
I’m living the dream. A life I will always be thankful for.
I pull up to Foothills Elementary, parking in my usual spot, then climb out and open the back door. Annabelle gets out first, using my hand as a crutch to jump down.
I kiss each child’s cheek, wishing them a good day, and make sure to give Parker two because I know how much he loves it…not!
“Aw, man, come on, Auntie,” he complains, wiping his cheek, but there’s no hiding his smile.
Unlike Parker, Beckett accepts the affection but is just as uncomfortable with it.
Sheesh, these boys. It’s not like I do it in front of the entire school.
Most of them run to play at the park for a few minutes before the bell rings while I take Mia’s hand and walk her over to her kindergarten door, which is on the other side of the school.
“I love your boots, are they new?” I ask.
“Yes, ma’am. Kistipher bought them to go with the hat he got me at the market.”
“Well that was awfully nice of him.”
“Yeah, he loves me.”
Her response makes me chuckle.
This sweet little girl is loved by many.
My attention draws to the drop-off zone where I see Connor Daniels climbing out of his mother’s car. He moved here only a few months ago. He’s a quiet child but very kind.
His mother came to see me when he first transferred here, letting me know he has some social anxiety due to all the moving around they do. She didn’t elaborate why they’ve had to move around so much but I’ve made sure to do my best to make him feel welcome.
He’s in grade two like Annabelle and she has also gone out of her way to include him.
My smile is bright as I greet him. “Good morning, Connor.”
“Hi, Mrs. Reid,” he mumbles, head down.
“Annabelle is over on the playground if you want to join her.”
He nods and heads that way.
The bell rings as I make it to Mia’s door so I walk her right inside and into her classroom, waving to her teacher, Leslie Foster.
“Hey, Julia, do you have a quick minute?”
“Sure.” Giving Mia a hug good-bye, I hang back and wait for Leslie.
She dodges all the little bodies as they pile into the classroom before stepping out into the hall with me. “I’d like to come by your office at lunch, if that’s okay. I’m concerned about one of my students and think things at home need to be looked into.”
“Of course. Do you want me to bring Doug in on this meeting?” I ask, talking about the principal.
“Sure, that’s fine.”
“Okay. We’ll meet you in my office at lunch.”
“Thanks.”
“You bet.”
Once she disappears back into the classroom, I start toward the office and see Annabelle walking into her class.
“Have a good day, sweetheart.”
“I will, Mama,” she calls over her shoulder.
Smiling, I round the corner, running smack into a brick wall. The impact is so hard that I lose my breath for a moment.
Large hands grab my shoulders, making me realize I ran into someone.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t…” I trail off as I look up into the face of a man I’ve never seen before. An older gentleman with salt and pepper hair. He’s dressed in an expensive black suit with sunglasses shielding his eyes, looking completely out of place here.
Alarm bells bang around inside of me.
“No problem, dear. It was my fault,” he says, flashing me a smile that does nothing to ease my apprehension.
His accent is thick.
Russian? Swedish?
“Can I help you with something?” I ask, wondering why he’d be here.
“No. That’s quite all right. I was just dropping off my grandson.”
“Grandson?”
“That’s right. His babushka and I just got in late last night.”
I guess that’s why I don’t recognize him.
I’m about to ask him who his grandson is but he excuses himself and steps around me, heading out the side entrance. Not the front.
I continue to the main office, my uneasiness lingering.
Janice, the secretary, smiles at my entrance. “Hey, Julia.”
“Hey. Did you notice that man out in the hall?” I ask, jerking my thumb over my shoulder.
“What man?”
“He wore a dark suit and sunglasses. Said he was dropping off his grandson…”
“I didn’t see him but I was just in the backroom making some photocopies for Mr. Thompson.”
I walk around the front desk and look at the security monitors that cover all exits, finding no one in sight.
“Is everything okay?” she asks.
“Yeah, I think so. He just caught me off guard since I’ve never seen him before.”
“I’ll keep an eye out. If I see him again, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.”
As I head into my office next door, my phone dings with a text. Digging it out of my purse, my heart leaps when I see it’s from Jaxson.
Jax: Tonight, we’re going to have a repeat of this morning, and I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll be screaming my name.
A ridiculous blush heats my cheeks, my thoughts running wild with all the feelings this man evokes in me.
Me: I hope you make good on this promise, Mr. Reid.
Jax: Count on it, baby.
Me: Love you.
Jax: Not as much as I love you.
He’s very wrong about that.
Turning my phone on silent, I slip it into my skirt pocket and open the door to the tall oak cabinet where I hang my purse and store my belongings. I remain standing, my hand over my heart as the Pledge of Allegiance echoes over the intercom.
Afterward, I crack open my windows and take another look around outside, unable to shake my uneasiness from earlier. But again, I see nothing.
Shaking my head, I take a seat at my desk and go through the files I have pulled out for the children I plan to check in on today.
Less than an hour later, there’s a slight knock on my open door.
My head snaps up to see Connor Daniels, his face ghost white. “Connor, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Mrs. Reid, I-I think I need help,” he says, his voice shaking.
I stand, his fear bringing me to my feet. “Okay. Come in and tell me what’s wrong.”
Before he can speak, all the lights shut off and so does my computer.
“I think they’ve found me,” he whispers.
Before I can decipher what that means, a scream of terror pierces the air, followed by a gunshot.
Panic pounds in my ears, my knees threatening to give out beneath me.
Grabbing Connor, I yank him into the room then slam my door and lock it. I move to the windows next, closing up every single one.
No alarm goes off, no call comes over the intercom. Nothing but chaos sounds behind my door.
“Connor, come here.” Opening up my cabinet, I usher him inside. “I want you to stay in here and don’t come out until I tell you to. Do you understand?”
He nods, his brown eyes wide with fear.
“It’s going to be okay, I promise. Just don’t come out unless I say so. No matter what.”
“Okay.”
After closing the door, I reach for the phone on my desk but get no dial tone. It’s then I realize all the power to the school has been cut.
I dig into my pocket for my cellphone just as another gunshot rings out, this one shooting off the handle on my d
oor.
I jump, a scream ripping from my throat as my door swings open, revealing a man dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, similar to the one I ran into earlier.
He aims his gun right at my chest. “Raise your hands and come out now. Or you die.”
I follow the deep, accented order, praying Connor stays where he is. My steps are slow, too slow, so he reaches in and yanks me out the door.
“Faster, bitch!”
Dread seizes my chest when I see there are at least a dozen of them, ushering all the classes into the gym at gunpoint. The children follow in a single line, tears streaking down their pale faces.
My eyes scan the crowd, frantically searching for Annabelle and the others. As we pass the office, I look in and find Janice’s head down on the desk, lying in a pool of her own blood.
A strangled noise works its way up my throat, my blood running cold as I comprehend how much trouble we are in.
What started out like every other morning has turned into everyone’s worst nightmare, flipping the town of Sunset Bay upside down.
CHAPTER THREE
Jaxson
“I’m tellin’ ya, Slade. You need to rethink your retirement,” Sarge says, eating his burrito as he follows Kolan through the gym.
“I told you, it’s not happening. I’m done fighting.”
Sawyer, Cade, and I listen to the two argue while standing at the front counter, going over today’s schedule before the gym opens.
“Do you have any idea how much money we could make together?”
“I don’t need money. I have more than enough.”
Sarge comes to a stop, swallowing his massive bite. “Well excuse me, Mr. Selfish. Do you have any idea how much money I could make off your ass? You’re a fightin’ machine. It’s what you’re meant to do.”
Slade shakes his head, refusing to argue anymore.
“All right, fine,” Sarge grumbles. “No fighting. But I still think we should start our own Dark Warrior clothing line. We could sell it right here at the gym. Maybe even get some little tops for the ladies.” He delivers the suggestion with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“Yeah and I’ll make sure to get one for your woman to sleep in.”
The three of us chuckle at the jab but Sarge finds it less than amusing.
I take the opportunity to cut in. “This isn’t a fucking mall. The only items we sell here are gloves and supplements. And it’s going to stay that way.”
“Thank you,” Slade says, nodding at me.
“Fine. If you assholes don’t wanna make money and support your families, see if I care.”
“Hey, who the hell said I don’t support my family?” Sawyer bristles, taking offense.
Sarge shrugs. “No one. But let’s not forget your wife has a successful bakery.”
Sawyer straightens from the counter and points his finger at him. “Let’s get one thing straight. I bought my wife that bakery. I also fucked her damn good this morning, gave my kids money to buy themselves a treat at school, and put money in the fucking swear jar.”
My brow lifts, realizing we had a similar morning.
“We’re like the fucking Brady Bunch at my house,” he continues, all fired up. “So take that and shove it up your ass.”
“Calm your shit,” Cade cuts in. “We all make more than enough to support our families, Sarge included.”
“Exactly,” I back him up, throwing a look over at Sarge. “You’re welcome for that.”
“Did I say I was ungrateful? No, I didn’t.”
“Then what are you saying? Where’s all this coming from?”
Sighing, he drops down on the edge of the ring, shoulders slumped. “It’s Miranda,” he says, talking about his girlfriend who also happens to be Logan’s mom. “She wants to move in together.”
“What’s wrong with that? You guys have been together for what, two years?”
“Two years and four months,” he mumbles like a chick. “And hello, that shit costs money.”
“Sarge, you make more than enough to rent a place with her,” Kolan says. “And she works, too. Between the two of you, everything will be fine.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t know what it’s like to sleep on the streets. You wanna know why I eat so many of these?” he asks, holding up his burrito. “Because every morning, when I woke up outside that place to people throwing their garbage at me, I swore if I ever got the opportunity to clean myself up, I’d be the one buying the burrito, not wearing it.”
It pisses me off to hear people threw garbage at him but it doesn’t surprise me. There are some real assholes out there.
“They also taste really good so that’s why I eat them, too,” he adds, taking another bite.
“Look. We wouldn’t let you end up on the street,” I tell him. “You’re still going to be able to buy your burritos every morning and live with your girlfriend.”
“That’s right,” Sawyer says, jumping back in. “And you’re going to get laid even more. Just think of all the places you’ll get to fuck each other. The kitchen table, counter, shower, up against the wall…”
I shoot him a look, letting him know we get the point.
He shrugs. “Just sayin’.”
“You’re right,” Sarge sighs. “We’ll be fine, and it’s time, I suppose. Can’t live here forever.”
“You can if you need to,” I tell him. “But do you love her?”
“Of course I do. That’s why I’m so damn nervous. I want to take care of her but what if I fuck up?”
“If she loves you then she’ll forgive you,” Sawyer says. “Grace forgives me all the time for the stupid shit I do.”
“And just think of all the dumb shit he does,” Cade adds, making us all break into a chuckle.
Several sirens suddenly pierce the air, cutting into the conversation. They sound close. Too close for comfort.
The three of us share a look and step outside to see what’s going on. At least a dozen police cruisers speed past the gym. There’s so many of them that I swear half of the Charleston department is here, too.
“What the fuck is going on?” Cade mumbles as we watch them disappear around the corner.
It’s then my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see it’s Cooper. I hit accept and bring it to my ear. “Coop, what’s happening?”
“Get to the kids’ school, now!” That’s all he says before hanging up on me.
My stomach bottoms out, icy terror flooding my veins.
“What did he say?” Sawyer asks.
My eyes meet theirs as I slip the phone back in my pocket. “It’s the school.” I barely manage the words through the fear restricting my throat.
We don’t waste time climbing into our vehicles and instead go on foot, our shoes pounding the pavement as we run to the school that’s only blocks away.
“Did he say what happened?” Cade asks.
I shake my head, unable to speak. Millions of scenarios run through my mind as I try to figure out what it could be.
A fire?
But why all the cops? And I didn’t see any fire trucks. My gut tells me it’s worse than that. Much worse.
We arrive less than three minutes later. Dozens of cops surround the place, setting up police tape and barricades around the school.
I spot Cooper and Logan in the midst and head their way.
An officer I don’t recognize moves to step in front of us, blocking our way. I barrel right through him, shoving him to his ass in the process.
“Cooper!” I call out.
The moment he turns around, my heart stops beating altogether, a fear I’ve never seen from him prominent in his eyes.
“We have reports that shots have been fired,” he says, the words penetrating the blood roaring in my ears. “Gunmen inside. We have no idea how many but we know there are more than one.”
My knees buckle at the information, the entire world crumbling beneath my feet as I think about my wife and daughter trapped inside with wh
atever evil lurks behind those doors.
CHAPTER FOUR
Julia
The air in the gym is stifling, thick with terror of the unknown. I found Annabelle and the rest of the children quickly and rounded them up to keep them close to me.
Annabelle sits on my lap, her tears soaking my shoulder and small body trembling in fear.
A fear I feel all the way to my bones.
Mia is curled up against my side, her tiny fingers clutching my skirt as I hold her close. Beckett sits on my other side with Hope next to him then Parker. Both boys have their arms around her, hugging her as she cries into her knees.
I’ve never felt more helpless in my life. I’ve been reassuring them as much as I can but how do you instill safety at a time like this?
At least thirty minutes have gone by but it feels like days and we still have no idea what they want or why they’re here. Only a few of the gunmen reside in the gym with us while the others patrol the hallways and cover exits. The man who I ran into earlier this morning, the one I wish I had reported, has been calling the shots.
He barks out orders, speaking in his own language. It looks like they are searching for something, or rather, someone.
I have a feeling I know who that someone is.
My eyes close, remembering Connor’s words to me before all hell broke loose. I’m praying he stays where he is and doesn’t come out until it’s safe to do so.
Hopefully, that’s soon. The police are here, we heard the sirens minutes ago, surely they have a plan to get us out of here.
Jax is going to be beside himself when he gets wind of this. The entire town will be, but especially all the people I hold close to my heart. The ones whose children I’ll do everything in my power to protect.
Another gunman stalks into the gym, shaking his head at the man in charge.
“It looks like we are going to have to do this the hard way,” he says, his voice carrying across the gym.
The room falls quiet except for the children’s sobs.
“I am looking for my grandson, Ivan Mogilevich. Or who you may all know as Connor Daniels.”
My stomach tightens as my suspicion is confirmed.
“Who is going to tell me where I can find him?”
