by Jenika Snow
Mason didn’t stop himself; he attacked. But before he could get in one hit, something sharp pierced his neck. He pulled out the dart, but just as it fell from his hand, the world started to tip. He turned his head and stared at the house again.
God, Olivia.
Olivia stared out the window. She knew Mason needed to think about what to do, and how to get through this. She just hoped he wanted a future with her and their baby.
She placed her hand on her belly and smiled.
Moving toward the back door, she opened it and stepped on the porch. The moon was high and full, and the light from it was scattered along the beach.
But what she saw had her heart stopping in her chest.
Mason wasn’t too far down on the beach; she could see two guys lifting him off the ground. Was he dead?
God, please don’t let him be dead.
There was a third man. He wasn’t holding onto Mason; he was walking right toward her.
He was close, his focus on her. Her heart started beating fast and hard.
Her father had come for them.
Just like Mason had said.
She took off down the porch steps and away from the man coming after her. She didn’t know where to go, but inside the house wasn’t an option. Even locking the doors, he’d get in. God, why was she so far away from other people?
But she would not stop. She didn’t have her car keys to start the vehicle, but she wouldn’t have had time to get them in her haste to escape.
She pumped her arms and legs, the town seeming so far away.
She chanced a look over her shoulder, seeing the man charging after her, a gun at his side. Olivia screamed out, hoping someone, anyone would hear her. But she knew it would be too late before anyone did. This place was privately owned and secluded, and because of that, she was truly alone right now.
God, where was Mason? Was he even okay?
And then she felt something sharp land on the back of her neck. She cried out, but kept running, reaching behind her and ripping out the dart at the same time.
The world slowed, her mind going fuzzy. She placed her hand to her belly, thoughts on Mason and their baby filing her head right before darkness claimed her.
25
“We can’t do anything to them. They have to be alive. He wants them that way.”
Mason heard the guy talking, and he vaguely recognized the man’s voice, which meant he was back in hell. The events of the night before came to him, and he opened his eyes. He immediately saw Olivia in a cell across from him.
He was going to hurt every single one of them.
He would destroy them.
They had a baby on the way, and he couldn’t allow anything to happen to her.
“Oh, look who is awake.”
He turned his head. The men who had taken him once before were there, watching him. He’d killed everyone who had been in the facility where he’d been held, but these men… they’d been the ones to take him originally. They hadn’t been there when he’d made his escape the first time around, and he wished they had been. Mason wished he’d killed them with his bare hands.
“Hello, princess,” the guy on the left said. They were large, and the evil in their eyes was clear to see.
“I take it you missed me,” Mason said.
“Oh, we didn’t give a shit that you were gone. For some reason, Mr. Redman wants you back, and what he wants, he gets.”
“Why bring her here?” Mason asked. He couldn’t allow them to hurt her, and right now, he couldn’t focus on anything else.
Get her out of here.
Get her to safety.
Even as he thought that Olivia was safe seeing as she was the daughter, he knew better. Her father was a monster, an even bigger monster than he could believe. She was his daughter, and yet she was chained to the wall as if she was a savage dog or something. Olivia was not safe from her father.
She moaned.
“I bet she’s a really great fuck,” the guy on the right said.
“The boss might let us play with her. I know what I’m going to do, and I’m going to have her screaming.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you.”
The two men laughed.
Fisting his hands, Mason felt sick to his stomach.
“You really think you can take me?”
“We did take you, and I was a little disappointed,” the one on the left said. “I thought you’d be a little more difficult this time. It was so easy.”
“Like taking candy from a baby,” the other one agreed.
Gritting his teeth, Mason forced himself to stare at them and make sure he didn’t lose his temper too soon. “You call that easy? You boys cheated.”
The both snorted.
“You had to use tranq guns. Pathetic,” Mason said. “You didn’t beat me this time. You guys are just a bunch of pussies.”
The left one grabbed the bars of the cage he was in. “I’ll show you fucking pussy…”
This time, the right one grabbed his friend. “He’s doing this on purpose. He wants us to lose it. It’ll take our attention away from the girl.”
Mason didn’t say anything, and he kept his gaze on them.
Both men smirked. “We’re going to fuck her and have her screaming, begging for help. We’re going to make you watch until we slit her fucking throat.” He slammed his hand against the cage, and together they turned away, leaving him alone.
“My father did this?” Olivia asked, shock and fear in her voice.
Mason glanced over at her to see that she was indeed awake. Even across the small cage, he saw that she was crying.
“I love you, baby. You should know that by now. I love you more than anything. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She wiped her tears away. “Now, my father has taken us both; we’re either going to die or we’re going to have to fight, aren’t we?”
“I’m afraid so. It’s not what I want for you, but it has to be done.”
He watched as she rubbed at her temple. “I think I hit my head.”
“We’ll get out of here. I promise.”
“Can you really promise something like that?” she asked.
“Yes, I can. I can promise anything I want, and I mean it. I got out before.”
“There’s no guarantee we’ll get out of here. My father is crazy, and I should have listened to you.”
He didn’t like how she sounded, like she was giving up. This wasn’t the time to give up. This was the time to fight. “You have been bleeding.”
“Yeah, it looks like I cut myself on something.” Olivia rattled the chains. She stuck her hands in front of her, left, then right, and she tried to separate them. Nothing happened, and she sighed. “It was worth a try.”
“We’re going to get out of here,” he said. He had to make sure they did. She was pregnant with his baby, and he had to protect them both.
“What’s the point, Mason? You’re only going to want to come back here and get your revenge again. Not that I blame you. He needs to be stopped.” She covered her face and started crying.
He hated her tears. What he hated more was the fact he couldn’t comfort her as they were both chained up.
She was pregnant, and he’d failed her again. When it came to her, it was like he was always failing her.
“Well, isn’t this lovely?”
They both turned, and there, on the other side of the bars, was the man Mason had wanted to kill for a long time.
Her father, and he looked scary as hell.
26
Olivia had always known her father was insane, she just didn’t know he was certifiable.
He stared at her, and she forced herself not to shrink back from the cold, dead look in his eyes.
“Why are you doing this?” she forced herself to say. Being strong was paramount right now. She wanted to scream, to lash out. But staying alive was what she had to focus on.
And hoping she got out of this alive with M
ason and their unborn baby was at the forefront of her mind.
“I could name off a slew of reason why I’m doing this to that piece of shit.” Her father tipped his chin toward Mason. “He took you, brought the media down on us, and then escaped after I had him.” Her father shook his head. “No one fucks me over, Olivia. Surely, you know that.”
Yeah, she did.
“But you—” Her father turned and faced her fully. He wore a signature three-piece Armani suit, pressed to perfection, screaming of money. “You humiliated me, made our family name a laughingstock. Do you realize how much money I lost after your little stunt with the press?” His face got redder, his anger clear. “You tarnished who we’ve always been, and the reputation that put us at the top.” He moved closer and snarled. “Now, we’re damaged, with a daughter who is so fucked up in the head she’d rather stay with the man who kidnapped her than with her family.” He curled his fingers around the bar of the cell she was in. “You fucking ruined our life, and now it’s time to erase that, Olivia.”
She brushed away the tears that fell. She was angry, hated that she had ever thought her father would just leave them alone. How could she be so stupid? “I’m your daughter.” She stood, her entire body aching like she’d been tossed around like a ragdoll. She moved closer, not caring that he scared the shit out of her. If she was going to die, then she’d tell her father exactly what she thought.
He wanted to scream at Olivia to shut up, not to make this worse. Mason had to make sure she got out of this; that she and the baby were safe and healthy at the end of this. But if she egged her father on, poked the snake with a stick, who knew how crazy he’d go?
Who knew the lengths he’d go?
“You are a son-of-a-bitch, piece of shit father. You don’t deserve anything you have,” she said, the anger seething in her voice. “All you did was use me as some kind of pawn, as something that could better you and your name.” She curled her lip, and he saw so many emotions race across her face.
“You’d do best to watch your fucking mouth, girl.”
“Why?” she all but spit out. “Why the hell should I? You already have me chained up, plan on doing horrible things to me in front of the man I love.” She placed a hand on her belly and Mason’s throat tightened. “You want to kill me, the man I love, and the baby we created.” She was crying again. “You’re nothing but a worthless shell of a father. You’re nothing but a fucking ruthless bastard who only cares about himself and how much he can make.”
Her father slammed his other hand on the bars so hard the noise seemed to echo off the prison they were chained in. “You fucking bitch.”
“Hey, you fucking asshole,” Mason shouted out. “You want someone to fight with who can give back, then come over here you old motherfucker.”
Her father slowly turned around. Good, Mason wanted his focus off Olivia. He grinned, and Mason found himself smiling in return. “Come on, you piece of shit. Come over here and show me what a real man you are.”
He turned fully around and walked over to Mason. Mason bared his teeth at the old bastard, not caring what was done to him as long as Olivia and their baby were safe. “Fuck. You,” Mason said and spit right on the prick.
He heard Olivia gasp.
The rage that covered his face was exactly what Mason wanted to see.
That’s right, fucker. Come at me and I’ll make sure you bleed.
Oh God. He’ll kill Mason.
She watched in horror as her father called in one of the guards to unlock Mason’s cell. “No, please leave him alone.”
“Shut up, Olivia,” her father spit out. “Just shut the fuck up and watch as I make this bastard pay for his insolence.”
The cell was opened, Mason was pulled out, and she felt her heart stop.
Then she screamed when her father hit Mason right across the face. Blood exploded from his mouth and nose.
“Stop. Please,” she cried out.
But she knew he wouldn’t stop.
She knew this was only the beginning.
27
The blows kept on coming, and Mason took them. There was no way he was going to let Olivia or his precious baby be hurt. Blow after blow rained down on him; the pain was intense but bearable. He could take anything so long as he knew Olivia was safe.
Please, Olivia, don’t look.
“You worthless piece of fucking shit.”
This time, feet started to kick him, and the pain intensified.
I can take everything so long as Olivia is safe.
Just think of our life together.
Loving her.
Knowing I’m going to take care of her.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a flood of light, and then the pain was gone. Mason opened his eyes and frowned.
“You, Mr. Redman, are under arrest,” a large guy who had Olivia’s father pinned to the ground said.
“Do you have any idea who you’re fucking dealing with,” her father spat.
“Yeah, I’m dealing with a guy who orders the kidnapping and death of his own family.” The guy lifted Redman up. “We’ve been following you for some time, and now we have everything we need to convict your ass.”
He heard Olivia gasp, and he turned toward her, seeing her crawl toward him. They had unchained her, and she was trying to get to him
“It’s okay,” she said. “You’re going to be okay.” She stroked his cheek, and he saw the tears in her eyes.
“I don’t—”
“We need to get him some help,” she said, looking toward the men.
“We have an ambulance waiting outside.”
“You hear that, Mason? We’re going to get out of here.”
Everything went black.
Olivia stared at Mason as he lay sleeping in his bed. He looked so calm and so relaxed, which was nothing compared to how nervous she was feeling. He’d been out of it for a couple of hours, and she hoped he’d wake up soon.
The doctor had already examined her; because Mason had taken the attention from her, she’d been saved. Watching her father beat the man she loved had made her sick to her stomach. She was hurting for him.
Her father had crushed his fingers and kicked his stomach. The rage within him had scared her.
The man she had grown up with was a monster, and she wanted him behind bars for good.
She took a sip of the hot chocolate the nurse had given her, and stared at Mason, willing him to wake up. She was standing at the window, looking at him.
Time passed— seconds, minutes, and what felt like hours— before he finally groaned.
Getting to her feet, she rushed to his side. His hands were bandaged from her father’s brutality.
“Mason, it’s me,” she said.
He opened one eye. The other was swollen shut. “Olivia, baby.” He reached out, and he frowned when he saw his hand completely covered in bandages. “Well, that explains a lot.”
“You’re hurting?”
“Yeah, just a little.” He tried to sit up, and she called for the nurse and the doctor. Seconds later, they were surrounded by medical staff. Olivia stepped away, allowing them to see him and talk to him.
She was so happy he was alive and that they could finally have a life together.
Once everyone was gone, Mason turned to her. “He didn’t touch you, did he?”
“No, he didn’t. I can’t believe you did that,” she said, taking hold of his hand and sitting beside his bed. “I love you so much. I thought I was going to lose you.”
“I’m a lot stronger than I look.”
“That you are,” a man said from the door.
Olivia turned to see David, the guy who had saved them, standing in the doorway. He nodded and entered the room.
“I’m sorry we got to you too late,” David said.
“It’s fine.” Olivia smiled at Mason.
“I don’t understand what is going on.”
“Would you like to tell him or should I?” David asked.
David chuckled. “I’m a member of an undercover team. For years, we’ve been trying to get Redman for his dirty deals and murder. When you went missing, and Olivia finally called out her father to the press, I knew I had one moment to make this right. Olivia promised to help me, so long as I could guarantee that her father never hurt her or you again. She wanted me to lock him up and throw away the key.”
Mason frowned and turned toward her. “But you told me to let it go.”
“I know. It’s because I had already made this deal, Mason. I was already planning to bring my father down, but I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t risk it in case my father had eyes and ears at the cottage.”
“She did have eyes and ears on her,” David said. “My entire team surrounded the both of you.”
“Why did you let them take us?” Mason asked.
“That was my fault,” Olivia said. “The only way to get that was by allowing my father to take us. It would lead him to where my father did his dirty work and the men who worked for him.”
“So I followed her instructions, against all of my better instincts. I allowed her to go, and we followed. This was not easy for any of us,” David said. “I don’t believe in allowing the people under my protection to get hurt.”
“I didn’t think my father would do what he did.”
“I can promise you that he will regret that,” David said. “I want to extend my thanks to both of you. You’ve saved a lot of people today and helped get some dangerous men off the streets.”
Olivia nodded.
“If you ever need anything, just call me, and I’ll be there,” David said.
She watched as he walked out of the hospital room. Turning to the love of her life, she smiled. “Surprise. Are you mad at me?”
“I’m not mad… just shocked. You were going after your father all along?” he asked.
“Yes. I love you, Mason. Forever and always, and I wasn’t going to leave that bastard free.” She leaned down and kissed his lips. She would do anything for the man she loved.
