by Karen Deen
I hold my hand up and laugh at him. “Don’t be Tate. You know I don’t want the details.”
“Man, you can guarantee one thing. You will never hear one word from me about my private life with Paige. I don’t need to brag, buddy. I mean, look at her.”
“Actually, I value my life, Mason. I pity the poor guy you catch checking her out, now that she has you as a boyfriend.”
“You got it in one, Lex.”
We both take another swig of our beers.
“So, tell me about this Mia woman. Have you seen the husband?” Sticking my hand in my jeans pocket, I get a flash in my head reminding me of my mother’s comment about the state of my jeans. Wow, wouldn’t she love these ones with a few tears in them, and ones that I brought already ripped? What a travesty.
“No, Paige has just met her twice at the elevator. But the second time I arrived in time to see her after her little boy ran off on her, and Paige found him on his own in the elevator. He’s a cute little guy, but he explained to Paige that Daddy is a cranky man but doesn’t live with them. And whoever this current guy is, Jack calls him mean and that he makes Mia cry and calls her a bitch. I just want to find this dude and show him what mean is. I have my buddy Ashton watching her and her apartment. Until we can work out what’s going on, the least I can do is try to keep her and the kids safe.”
This whole thing sounds fucked up. No one deserves to live in fear. I see it way too often in the courts where it’s too late to save the victim.
“Thank god your girlfriend has a sixth sense. She may be the person to save this woman and her children’s lives. Doesn’t sound like she’s a very good judge of character.”
Before we get to finish the conversation, the rest of the noisy crew all arrive, and then there are three conversations going at once and you need more than a beer to make any logic out of any of it.
This is what I love.
Exactly what I need to remind me of what normal is.
I look around the table, Mason and Paige fussing about getting everyone food and drinks. Tate and Bella trying not to show too much public display of affection in front of Gray because he’s still getting used to his sister dating his best friend. Although Grayson is too busy being all loved up watching Tilly, his girlfriend, and her friend and business partner, Fleur, tell a story about a function they organized today.
As much as I say I hate chaos, this is the perfect kind of crazy. Happiness, laughter, and love that you can’t get just anywhere.
The normal banter starts, and I’m the first to join in. I mean, it’s time to punish Mason in front of his girl. That’s what friends do, right? We might all be in our thirties now, but we’re all still sixteen-year-old testosterone-filled males who can’t wait to stir the crap out of each other. Now it’s even better with the girls involved. Bella knows a lot of our secrets from growing up but has been a little outnumbered, until now. She has found her support network too. The way they gang up together against us is brilliant.
All the fun things are coming out now. Tate pulls out his phone to play the infamous recording of Mason’s drunken karaoke the first night he arrived home from his last mission. We went out to celebrate and parts of that night are blank for all of us. We were so happy to have him home safe, and I think he was too busy trying to bury demons he had left behind. Which resulted in some really bad singing and severe headaches the next morning.
“Come on, Paige, you have to agree how bad it is,” I yell across the table over top of all the laughing.
“All I see is a sexy soldier on the stage whose got some moves.” We all start groaning.
“Yeah, that’s my girl.” Mason grabs her in for a kiss. Then offers to get drunk with Paige one night and give us a karaoke duo.
Paige just laughs at him. “I thought you liked your friends. Why would you want to punish them like that?” She fits in perfectly.
“That’s what friends do,” I tell her. “They punish each other. That’s part of the fun. I mean, we’re punished every day just having Mason as part of the group.” I wink at Paige as Fleur pipes up.
“You’re all crazy, that’s all I know.” No truer words have ever been spoken.
Fleur then sets the girls off into talk of a girls’ night out, and before we know it, everyone is talking at once again.
Just the usual, really.
Mason takes a phone call in the middle of all the laughter, and he and Paige disappear from the room.
“Are we ever going to find out what the FF boys stands for?” Tate keeps asking, and all the girls lock down tight with sealed lips.
“I think it stands for Fabulous Fellas,” Gray replies to Tate.
“Fellas… what are you, an eighty-year-old man? Who even uses the word fellas?” Tate starts laughing.
Mason comes storming into the room heading straight for the elevator, and Paige runs after him screaming at him, “Mason, please, no, just stop. Don’t go. I can’t lose you.”
The room is silent except for the sounds of my, Tate, and Gray’s chairs on the floor as we jump up to help with whatever the fuck is happening.
My guess is it’s Mia, and there is no way in hell he is going alone.
Chapter Five
MIA
The night is finally settling to a little moment of peace. The kids have been bathed and fed. Not that dinner was very exciting. Macaroni and cheese for Jack, baby food for Kayla with a bottle, and just a slice of toast for me. I can hardly stomach anything at the moment. Plus, I don’t have any money, and Bent who promised he had a job for me, lied. The job he had was to live in the apartment and spy on Paige, reporting back to him anything I see or hear about her. He gives me a little money for food, and that’s it. Of course that traps me here, right where he wants me.
I’m not sure what the hell I’m supposed to find out. She lives in the penthouse and I live on the eighth floor of a twenty-floor building. I don’t have access to her. I’ve only seen her twice, and to be honest, I’m scared to be near her. I don’t really understand what is going on with Bent. I’m doubting more of what he tells me every day. I know I’m in danger, and I don’t want to be involved in any trouble with her.
Everything he’s told me, about her stealing all our mother’s money and then not helping her when she was dying, just doesn’t sit right with the person I’ve seen glimpses of. I’m so confused. Somehow, I just need to get out of this situation.
“Time for bed, Jack. Let’s pick up some toys and move the playpen into your bedroom for your sister.” Standing up like a good boy, he picks up his few toys he has. There aren’t many. His favorite red truck, a couple of cars, an airplane, and of course his t-rex. They were all we could fit in the bag to bring with us, but I wanted him to feel some sort of normalcy. Kayla is too little to understand, thank goodness. Hopefully Jack is too little to remember the bad times of his father, and if I can get out of here soon, he will totally forget this as well.
Kayla is lying on her back on the floor just watching her brother move around her. She is totally mesmerized by him, which I think is the most adorable thing. He’s so gentle with her. Always making sure she’s okay, and if she cries, he is straight over to comfort her as best he can. The sad part of their childhood so far is they haven’t really had a chance to make friends and play with other children. I couldn’t afford childcare, not that I would want to leave them with a stranger anyway. So, when they came to work with me, occasionally they would see another little one in the diner, and Jack would get so excited.
“Done, Mommy.” He stands proudly next to his toys lined up along the wall.
“Good job. Now, can you watch your sister and I’ll move her bed?” I asked Bent if he could buy a permanent crib for her to which he just laughed and said, ‘Ask your sister, she’s the rich bitch.’
“Clap hands,” his sweet voice says behind me as I’m struggling with getting her bed through the door. “Good girl, clap hands for Jack.” Even though she’s getting tired, I can hear Kayla clapp
ing hands and giggling at him. The sound melts my heart. That’s what it should be like between siblings.
I lean against the doorframe of the bedroom, just taking a few moments to feel the love that is in their little bubble. Taking my phone out, I snap a few pictures for later. I don’t own a printed picture of my kids, but my phone is full of them. I guard my phone like it’s one of my children. It’s the only material thing I own but is worth more to me than anything money can buy. Those photos are irreplaceable.
Laying Kayla down into the crib, I hear the front door open.
Fuck.
I hate that he can just walk in whenever he wants, and I have no choice.
Before I even have time to leave the kids’ room, he’s in here with us.
“Bent, what are you doing here?” I try to remain calm while guiding Jack up into his bed.
“None of your business, bitch.” He grunts, carrying a bag over his shoulder.
“Paige said you’re a meanie, when she helped me,” Jack blurts out, and I die on the inside. I see the rage on Bent’s face.
“What the fuck did you do!” He screams at me and drops his bag on the bed.
I try to get myself between him and the kids. I know he’s about to lose his temper, and I will take whatever I need to, so he doesn’t hurt them.
“Nothing, it’s nothing. He’s confused. Paige helped him when he got lost in the elevator. That’s all. Calm down…” I’m talking quickly, words pouring out of my mouth trying to stop him from getting crankier.
“Stupid kid’s as dumb as you. You need to shut your mouth, boy!” He starts moving towards Jack, and my heart races.
“What do you want, Bent?” I interrupt, trying to distract him.
“It’s time to teach our sister another lesson. Move, you little shit.” He pulls his laptop from his bag and sits on Jack’s bed, pushing me to the side while I grab Jack and pull him farther up the bed away from Bent. His fingers are madly typing away.
“What are you doing, Bent? Take it out of here. The kids need to sleep.” He looks so focused and it’s as if he isn’t hearing me. “Bent?”
“Shut the fuck up. You can watch me take what should be mine.” My head is spinning, trying to work out what he means. He’s doing something bad, I can just feel it.
“Jack, come with me.” I take his hand. But Bent grabs his other one.
The banging on the front door stops us both from moving or making a noise.
“Ignore it,” Bent whispers.
The banging starts again.
“Get rid of whoever it is,” he growls at me
“I’m not leaving the kids,” I say, standing defiantly.
“This piece of metal under my jacket says you are. Shut your mouth and no one gets hurt.”
I must look like a deer in headlights and can’t seem to move, knowing he has a weapon.
“Now.” He glares at me.
“Stay still and don’t talk, Jack,” I whisper. I back away slowly, with a stabbing pain in my heart.
As I close the door to the room, I thank god Bent seems to be focusing more on his computer than on Jack. My little boy has a look of fear in his eyes as I leave him with Bent.
Just breathe, keep calm. Get rid of them, and the kids are safe.
Stay calm, and they stay safe.
“Who is it?” I ask without much strength in my voice.
I hear a man’s voice, but I don’t recognize it, “Maintenance, checking the smoke alarms, as per the email we sent.”
My hand is on the doorknob, and I’m trying to think what to say. I’m trembling and can’t find any words. My brain is scrambling thinking of my kids with that maniac.
“Won’t take long, ma’am. We’ll be in and out in five minutes. Otherwise the fire department has to come in and do a thorough inspection.” Shit, I know that can’t happen, Bent will lose his shit if I let more people in here.
You can do this. Five minutes, then they’re gone.
Slowly I open the door, and with as much strength as I have in my voice at the moment, I say, “My husband’s not home. I’m not allowed to let people in when he’s not here.”
The man in front of me is tall and doesn’t look like he should be messed with. Shoulders that take up the whole doorway and the sort of face that tells you he’s not messing around. Yet as I look at his eyes, I sense a hint of kindness there. I’m not sure why, but I don’t fear him. I fear the man in my apartment far more than this man looking at me now.
“That’s okay, ma’am, it will take five minutes, and we will be out the door again. If you would feel more comfortable, you can wait outside with your kids while I’m inside. Here’s my ID card.” He holds something up.
Feeling like I don’t have much choice, I move to the side slightly for him to enter.
“Okay, but I’m leaving the door open, and only five minutes. Don’t touch anything.”
I’m almost begging him to come and do what he needs and just get out.
Walking past me, he gives me a little smile which I ignore. I can’t let my guard down. As I watch him walk towards the living room, I startle as another person comes in behind him. Crap.
“Who are you?” My scattered brain tells me he’s familiar, I just don’t know why. I’m having trouble thinking straight right now.
“His assistant. Looks like you have children here. Where are they, asleep?” he asks in a soft calm voice.
“Umm, yes umm, sleeping in there. You can’t go into that room.” I step between him and the door.
He just stands in front of me while the first man is looking at the smoke detector in the ceiling.
“Ouch, that hurt,” Jack’s voice cries out, and my heart stops.
Everything happens so fast. The man in front of me shoves me towards the first guy, and his arms grab me while the other bursts through the door to the kids.
I’m struggling and screaming, trying to get free. His soft voice whispers quickly in my ear.
“My name’s Ashton, he’s Mason. We are here to save you and the kids. I need you to stop now. Trust me.” Something about the words ‘save you and the kids’ takes all the fight from me for a moment. Just a second, and then he steps me in front of the door so I can see what’s going on. He asked me to trust him which I can’t do, but I need his help and I can’t deny that.
Sitting on the bed is Bent, typing madly on his laptop while trying to hold onto Jack.
“You can stop now, Bent, and let the boy go, it’s all over,” Mason calmly says to him.
“What, do you think I’m as stupid as that? These kids are my insurance policy. If I hand them over, then I’m screwed.” Bent doesn’t even look up from the computer.
“No matter what, you are not leaving this room without handcuffs or in a body bag. You choose,” Mason says, and I shudder. No, I don’t want my kids involved in this. Once again, they are being used as pawns in some sick man’s game.
I barely notice when Ashton lets me go and steps past me into the room. He thrusts Kayla into my arms.
“Go, Mia, now,” he says quite forcefully.
“No, not without Jack. I can’t leave my baby. Not like she did.” He is never going to feel like I do every day, that he wasn’t enough. I’m not leaving here without both of them. I’m not like my mother.
It’s all becoming too much, I’m petrified, and the tears are running down my face.
“Mia, we’ve got him. Go,” Ashton says.
“She’s dumb, my sister, she never listens,” Bent says, gasping and trying to breathe at his words. “She wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone, but of course she opened her big mouth. Talking to her and letting her find out their names.”
“If she’s your sister, why are you treating her like this? Why are you scaring her and hurting your nephew?” Mason is keeping Bent focused on him.
“She’s just my half-sister. She’s not worthy of any attention. That’s why Mom got rid of her.”
My legs wobble, and I want to sink to the floo
r. The weight on my chest is making it hard to breathe, but somewhere deep inside, I drag what strength I find and start to fight. I need to fight for my kids.
“You’re a liar. She was protecting me,” I start yelling at him. How could he say that about me, he’s my brother!
“You’re such a stupid bitch, just like that other stupid sister of ours, your dad didn’t want you. You were girls. The weaker sex,” he yells loudly at me.
“Fucking asshole, why would you say that?” Mason yells at him, and Bent looks at him with vengeance. My eyes are still glued to Jack, and he doesn’t stop looking at me with fear.
“So, Mom got rid of them. She finally got it right and left their dad and got remarried, then had a baby. Me, the perfect male. Just what my dad wanted. He was so proud of me. He didn’t need or want any more children.”
Oh my god. I can’t help but look away from Jack and at the man who is supposed to care about me and be my brother. But instead Bent hates us both. He’s just been using me to try and get close to Paige. What have I wound up in the middle of? Bastard, he doesn’t want me at all.
I’m so focused with anger on Bent that I feel Ashton’s hands on mine, and I see out of the corner of my eye he has Jack and is taking Kayla from me. I look at him, and I’ve never trusted any man with my kids, but right in this moment I know it’s the right thing to do. If he is with Mason who I now recognize as Paige’s boyfriend, I have to believe what she tried to say to me. That they wanted to help me. He will keep them safe. I feel that in my gut. He tries to signal me to go too, but I need to finish this. I need to make a stand in my life. I make the toughest decision of my life to let him take my children so I can finally stand up for myself and my life. Everything happens so quickly as they exit the room, and I’m left feeling filled with hate for the man who hurt me in ways he will never understand.
I start towards Bent because I just want to hit him and hurt him for what he is saying about me and Paige. She might not know about me, but I will defend her because deep down I have a feeling she would do the same for me. Mason’s arm juts out to the side to stop me from going any farther. Then I hear her voice behind me.
