by P. J. Belden
“No, it’s not!” A voice boomed through the hallway. Turning Sage spotted the man responsible for it and dropped his head again.
“It’s no use dad. You can try and convince me otherwise, but it won’t change that Ember coded and that Hudson may wake up, but may never be able to do more than move his eyes again.”
“Ember, what?!” He roared. “When?” Rufus asked softly as he knelt down next to his son.
“Just now.” He looked up to his true father. “I’m losing…” Sage’s voice trailed off when he saw movement over Rufus’ shoulder. His glare hardened, and he stood from the ground. Rufus turned to see what Sage was looking at and scowled.
There stood Collin and Donna smiling. “Aw, are you losing everything Sage?” Donna called.
“Always said you were a waste of space and would eventually kill all around you. What do you know, I was right.” Collin added.
Sage clenched his fists at his side. Slowly, he pushed past the people that he cared for deeply and cared for Ember just as much as he did. With each step, his body filled with more rage than he’d ever felt before.
“What the hell is wrong with you two that you have to go and hurt innocent people like this?” He growled as he continued heading down the corridor toward them.
“You did this. You took from us. We take from you. Easy as that.”
Before Sage could reach them, they were gone in the flurry of people hustling around doing whatever the fuck it was they did when a Code Blue was called. Right now, they caused him to miss out on making them pay for what they’d done. But just as he was ready to turn back and stand at the door, waiting impatiently for news on all he loved, he saw his ‘parents’.
“Let her go, you bastards!” Sage roared and took off running.
He shoved anyone that got in his way and pushed through the doors with so much force, they bounced off the outside wall and broke. Sage didn’t wait. He looked up and down to find which way they were dragging her. Damn it! No one else will be hurt because of me! With all the people moving about he couldn’t see anything.
“Who does he have?”
Sage turned to see Creighton staring daggers up and down the same area that he’d been scouring. They weren’t going to get away with this. He wouldn’t let them.
“Jada. They’ve got Jada. Fuck!” He roared helplessly when there was no further sign of them.
“Who’s Jada?” Cray asked as they headed back toward the others.
The minute they rounded the corner, Sage started yelling. “What I want to know is how the FUCK they got past security? We had all these measures in place. For what?”
“What’s going on?” Sage turned to find Holden and Aspen standing behind them.
His face hardened at the sight of the two men. “Where the fuck were you two,” he growled as he walked toward the men.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“I asked a fucking question,” he swung out and managed to knock both men against the wall with his hands to their throats. “I want a fucking answer. Where the fuck were you?”
“We were running behind. The girls came ahead of us.”
“What’s wrong, bro?”
The fear and concern mixed in their voices, but Sage barely noticed. He was so pissed at himself. It wasn’t so much the guys he was mad it. Once again, he was too slow at responding and now another life hung in the balance of the very people that were hell bent that he owed them. The only thing Sage had ever felt he owed them was a trip to the fucking grave. With his very last breath, Sage would make sure they got just that too.
“My son may never move again, my wife coded, and now my fucking bastard of parents have Jada,” he growled.
Holden shoved against Sage’s chest, catching him off guard. “Your parents have Jada! How the fuck did that happen?”
Of all that, Holden only picked up on Jada. Sure, it told him a lot about his feelings for her, but there was more going on than just Jada. Don’t get him wrong, he loved Jada like a sister and was seriously pissed he’d lost her. But before anything else could happen, the door to Ember and Hudson’s room opened and Sage rushed the doctors.
“How’s my wife? Is she okay? My son?”
“Your son is fine, sir. Your wife will recover, but,” he looked at everyone standing outside the door. “I’m sorry, sir, but she lost the baby.”
Sage shoved past the doctors, into the room and straight to his woman. She laid there in their shared bed with an oxygen thing up her nose, wires connected to a machine that showed her heart rhythm. His heart broke the more he looked at her pale, fragile frame.
“We are just going to monitor her for a little while to be sure that there are no surprises.”
He swallowed hard as he took hold of her hand. “What happened?”
“We’ve done blood work, and as soon as we get the results back, we’ll let you know. Sometimes there’s just no rhyme or reason to these things. They just happen.”
With that, the doctor patted him on his shoulder and walked from the room. Sage couldn’t take his eyes off Ember. He just needed them to be okay. The amount of apologizing that Sage needed to do was immeasurable. All he could do at this point was hope that he had a chance to try to make it up to both of them.
“I’ll make this all right somehow, I promise. Just please don’t give up. Don’t leave us.” He rested his head on the bed next to her and pulled her close to him.
Holden tipped his head to Rufus to step outside. He wasn’t sure that there was a dry eye in that room as they all watched him beg her to forgive him for something that wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t like Sage had any control over his parents or their actions. They needed to end this, and they needed to finish it now. Holden needed to get Jada back before more of them were hurt.
“How’d they get in here?” Holden questioned the minute the door closed behind Rufus.
“I came here to discuss that with Sage and the guys.”
“Well, I think Sage needs to stay in the dark right now, don’t you think?”
“You know as well as I do if we leave him out of making them punish for what they’ve done to his family, he’d never forgive any of us. That man deserves, if nothing else, to have some satisfaction in making them pay.”
Rufus made a valid point. But right now, Sage wasn’t the only one on the verge of breaking. Holden was very close to blowing his top. Once again their conversation was interrupted by the opening of the door and all the guys walked out.
“We need to get on this shit, and now, Ru,” Ky stated firmly.
“Not another person in this group will be hurt by those bastards,” Cray growled before his face froze.
Turning Holden followed the direction he was looking and saw Bexley walking down the hallway. Smirking slightly, he realized that Cray may have just found his match in Bexley. That woman was a stubborn, bullheaded woman. It was her way or no way. Being told what to do by a man that had a need to control everything around him, like Creighton, would not be tolerated well by her. The thought nearly made him laugh until Aspen’s voice cut through his thoughts.
“Where the hell have you been?” Aspen growled. “Where’s Isa?”
“She’s with Grey. Uh,” she looked around at the angry looking men before Holden noticed her eyes widen at Cray. “Grey said that he saw some guy, I can’t remember his name, talking to Sage’s parents before letting them in and talking to security. He told me to tell you he’s following them and if you need him to track his cell or text. His phone is on vibrate.”
Holden immediately pulled out his phone and called the fucker. After several attempts, Grey finally answered.
“What fucker, I told you to text or…” Grey started to yell.
“They have Jada man! I’m calling your fucking ass since you’re following them.”
“Oh, shit! Let me call you back when I get to a spot I can talk.”
“You better,” he hissed.
Looking back at the group, he raised an e
yebrow in question. “Well, what the fuck are we going to do?”
Sage stared down at his world. It had been a week since the doctor said she’d be all right and she hadn’t woke yet. He was beginning to worry if she ever would come back to him. His heart was aching. As much as he didn’t want to leave them, Sage knew that if he was going to get them off their backs, he needed to at some point. All he wanted was some kind of sign letting him know that leaving was what he needed to do.
“Daddy,” came a soft, scratchy voice from behind him.
Sage whipped around and stared at his son. Hudson’s eyes were closed, and he still lay perfectly still. They’d removed the ventilator and all that about three weeks ago. They said it was up to him from then on out. The longer he watched, and nothing happened, Sage’s heart fell further to the floor.
“Daddy,” Hudson said and this time, Sage saw his mouth move as he did so.
Quickly, he moved to the bed, grabbed his son’s hand, kissing it. “I’m right here, buddy.” He choked out as his throat tightened in both unbelievable happiness and gut wrenching sadness at the same time.
Slowly, he watched in awe as his son opened his beautiful eyes. Blinking several times and groaning at the bright lights. He finally looked at Sage with a watery smile.
“Daddy, you have to save mommy,” he forced out with deep breaths.
“Save mommy?” Sage repeated unable to understand what Hudson was talking about. Surely he didn’t know that Ember lied in the bed next to him.
“Mean…” he took another deep breath. “…man was in here. I heard him.” He paused again.
Sage took this moment to stop him. “Hold on buddy. I want you to meet someone. They are helping us find out what happened to you. Okay? That way you only need to tell it once.”
Weakly, Hudson nodded his head and closed his eyes. Sage had made everyone leave the room so he could have a few moments of peace with his family. He had thought he’d be running out the door minutes later to end this shit once and for all. But things might be changing. Opening the door, he looked in shock as everyone was just standing on the other side. He figured they would have left.
Tears streamed down his face, and he couldn’t help the sad smile that tilted the corners of his mouth. “Hudson’s awake. I need you guys to remain calm and don’t overwhelm him. He called for me and told me I had to save mommy. He heard someone in the room. I only want him to have to do this once so please, please let him tell it all.”
When tears sprang to everyone’s eyes, and they all nodded mutely, he opened the door and moved quickly back to his son’s bed.
“Buddy, you know a lot of the people in the room. But let me introduce you to the ones you don’t, okay?”
“Okay,” he breathed, slowly opening his eyes.
Rufus stepped forward first. “This is my father, Rufus. He adopted me after I ran from the evil people that gave birth to me.”
“What… can… I call you?” He asked with what looked to be a little smile on his face. “Grandpa Dog?” And he pretends to bark using Rufus’ name before he started to cough.
“How about we go with GD for now until you’re stronger and then we’ll go from there?” Rufus leaned over and pressed a light kiss to his forehead. “I’m so glad I got to meet you finally. Your daddy has bragged about you and your mommy for so long.”
“I love you GD,” he croaked out and Sage’s heart swelled with pride at how loving his son was with no questions asked.
Rufus’ eyes filled with tears as he stepped back from the bed. This time, my sister stepped forward.
“This is my sister Kenzie. We call her Zee for short.”
“Hey little man,” Kenzie said with tears in her eyes.
“I’ll call you Auntie Kee. I already have an Aunt Zea.” He smiled.
“You can call me whatever you want. I’m always here for you too. Okay?”
Hudson nodded his head, and my brother Kyan stepped forward, holding out his hand. “I’m your dad’s brother. My name is Kyan, but they call me Ky.”
“Hmm, I think you should be called Kiki. Yeah!” he said as excitedly as he could manage.
“Kiki?” Ky scrunched his face. “Why Kiki?”
“Because daddy says that you fight like a girl,” he laughed softly followed by a coughing spell.
“How about we keep that for now, but when you’re all better your dad and I square off in the ring? Then decide who fights like a girl. Deal?”
“My dad will kick your butt.” He chuckled. “I watched him beat the Cyclops.”
Hanging his head in mock embarrassment. “You’re probably right. He’d probably mop the floor with me, huh?”
“Totally because he has me as a coach,” he grinned big up at Sage.
Leaning down, Sage pressed a kiss to Hudson’s head. Damn, he loved that boy more than anything. Sage had only known him for such a short period of time it seemed, and he believed him to be the greatest man that ever lived. Sage still wasn’t sure what good he did to deserve this, but whatever it was, he’d do it all over again.
“Hey, bud. My name is Creighton. I could tell you what they call me, but I think I want you to give me a nickname instead.” Cray smiled as he leaned down and kissed Hudson’s forehead.
“My dad’s your best friend. I heard you say that. You said you’d die for him if it kept him from feeling the pain you live with. Don’t do that, though, okay? We want you here. You can keep their nickname for now. I need to think about yours. Because Crabby is the only one I’m getting so far,” he grinned.
Cray laughed, and it was a beautiful sight to see and hear. He didn’t do it often, and they knew why, but he needed to forgive himself. Though Sage had never met his family, he knew they’d not want him suffering like this.
“Okay, buddy. Can you tell us all what you heard?”
Nodding his head, he looked around the room and said ‘hi’ to Everett, Kimberly, Aspen, Holden, and Bexley. When Sage felt Hudson squeeze his hand, he couldn’t stop the sob of relief that left his lungs. Hudson looked up at him, and he winked down at his son, urging him to continue.
“There was a mean man in here. I heard him talking, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, buddy. You’ve been through a lot.”
“You’d gone out in the hall to talk to someone,” he said looking up at Sage. “He was talking to someone else. Hold on, I remember his name.” Hudson closed his eyes and squeezed them tightly shut. “He kept calling him ‘X’. The man on the phone called the man in the room,” his eyes were still closed as Sage assumed he tried to pull the memory up. “Tray, I think.”
Sage looked at his father, and they both nodded at the same time. It was Trainor as they expected. ‘X’ was Xavier from the Fox crew. For them to be working on their own, though, had a ton of questions racing inside Sage’s head. But he was soon pulled from them when he heard Hudson continue with what he heard.
“The ‘X’ guy asked him if he had the injection. And the other one said yes. They said taking her from you was the only option. That I was taken care of by someone else. That Tray guy said that once he injected mommy, there’d be no going back and he’d have to deal with the consequences. Tray then told him he’d done it and it’d take a couple of days, but will slowly kill mommy. Then the guy on the phone told the other one that he was in, and he’d collect his reward once it was confirmed or something like that.”
Everett tore off out of the room and next thing they all knew, he was storming in, dragging in her doctor. After everyone had repeated what happened, Sage told him everything that Hudson had just informed them of. The doctor asked a few questions and then ran from the room. It was a whirlwind of activity from then on, for both Ember and Hudson. Not knowing exactly what was given to her no one knew what exactly to do. It was like a shot in the dark. Hudson was questioned more and apparently something that Hudson had said rang a bell with one of the five doctors that were circulating the room.
O
nce they did what they thought would save her – they had to wait and see – Rufus pulled all the doctors back in the room, and the plan was revised. This time, we were all to act as if Hudson and Ember had died. Sage wasn’t sure how he was going to handle being away from them, but he needed this to end, and he needed it to end now. He was claiming his family and his life back. The only thing that scared him about this whole plan was not being with Ember if she were to wake or worse… He needed to save them. Save them all. He needed to rescue Jada.
Of course, they had an enormous gaping hole in their plan because none of them were sure why killing Hudson and Ember mattered. But they all knew it had to do with Sage. Today as he had to pretend to mourn the loss of his family – his heart truly broke even though it was not entirely real – he guessed he’d find out soon enough.
Sage had taken a deep breath before he walked into Rufus’ headquarters of sorts. Honestly, he didn’t know what to expect him to say, but Sage worried that things were only going to be getting worse. Somehow, a month had passed since the passing of his wife and son. Nothing had come of it, but a broken heart for Sage. He had nothing without them. Everyone around him wanted to ‘make things better’, but really, how could they? He was alone. Sage’s heart beat and did its daily functions, but it didn’t do anything further from that. It kept him alive, to endure the pain he lived in continuously. To watch Everett and Kimberly fall apart the way they did…
“Hey Sage,” Trainor called out, breaking Sage from his thoughts.
He wanted to beat the shit of the man for breaking his world apart, but he wanted answers more. He wanted a reason for his world falling apart. Though nothing would justify the killing of innocent people, he still needed answers. No, it was more than a need for Sage. It was eating him alive. The guilt, the helplessness, the hopelessness suffocated him on a daily basis.
“What are you doing here?” Trainor greeted him, his smile falling, but not completely gone. “I heard about your loss man. I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to lose so much like that. If you need me, brother, you know all you need to do is call me.”
