Liam & Gwen - Entirely Yours: A Romance Novel (The Adair Series Book 1)

by Tania De Melo

  I look at my mother, “I need to talk to her.” I say.

  “Yes, you do, but not tonight. It’s late, and the flower shop is closed for you to be able to buy your ‘forgive me for being an ass’ bouquet; Tomorrow is a new day!”

  I let out a laugh. Standing, I hug my mom. Then my phone rings.

  I look down to the caller ID. “It’s Dad!”

  “Hello?”

  “Liam, I need you to grab your brothers and head to Gwen’s Salon.”

  My chest tightens, “Dad, what’s going on?”

  “Son, do as I say, and quickly! Now let me speak to with your mother.”

  I pass the phone to my mother and then head out to my brothers. “We need to leave now!” I say urgently.

  I can’t stop, replaying my father’s words in my head. ‘Gwen’s salon.’ Is she OK?

  “What’s going on?” Ewan asks

  I shake my head, “I don’t know, Dad only said to meet him there, now.”

  They get up quickly, and we head to our cars.

  “You are riding with me Liam; you can’t drive right now; you can’t stop shaking.”

  I don’t argue and jump into his truck. Everything that happened between my brother and myself, not twenty minutes ago is in the past. I realized what he was doing, the point he was trying to prove.

  I try calling Gwen, but there is no answer. I hang up and try again. “She not answering?” Kai asks, from the driver’s seat.

  I shake my head and try again, and again, and again! “Can’t you drive any faster?” I let out in defeat.

  “Liam, I’m going as fast as I can without killing us before we can get there.”

  Moments later, we pull onto the main street in town. All we can see are the flashing lights of the police cruisers and ambulance; my heart drops.

  “God let her be OK?” I let out, as Kai looks to me with equal concern.

  “The roads blocked off. We will have to get out here.” Kai says. He throws the truck into park, and we run.

  As I approach the salon, I notice someone coming out on a stretcher. I speed up, but my father walks over, stopping me before I can get any closer. “Liam, wait here.”

  “No! Where is Gwen? I need to see Gwen.” I am pushing and struggling against my father to try to get by, but my efforts are met with no reward, as his determination to keep me from seeing what’s inside the salon, overpowers my weakened emotional state.

  “Son, please stay here and allow the police to do their job.”

  “I am the damn police, now let me see Gwen,” I say with a roar.

  “Liam, she’s not in there.” My father replies with a soft pause to his words.

  Confused, I look to my father, “What do you mean she’s not in there? Where is she?”

  Ben and Ewan arrive and join my father, Kai, and myself. “Dad, who was on the stretcher,” asks Kai.

  “Ati, she was shot. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

  “What? Where are they taking her?” Ben asks, worry taken over his face.

  He looks to me, “Go, Ben, Ati will need someone there for her.”

  He doesn’t hesitate. He runs to his car and follows the ambulance out.

  “Dad, you need to tell me what is going on, and now. Also, why were you at Gwen’s Salon?”

  My father looks over to me, “Have you ever heard of Eric Connors?”

  A sudden feeling of dread takes over, “Yes, we’ve been working with the FBI on finding out his whereabouts, how do you know, and what does that have to do with Gwen?

  “He’s Ati’s father, Liam!”

  “No, Gwen said her father died when she was young.”

  “He did. Gwen’s father, Thomas Rutherford, was killed in a tragic car accident. Eric Connors is Matilda’s biological father.” Then I remembered that Gwen had mentioned they had different dad’s.

  “Dad, none of this makes sense.” I weave my hands, on the top of my head, trying to make something of this.

  “Liam, we will sit down, and I will explain everything to you later, but right now we need to find Gwen. Has she ever mentioned anything to you.?”

  I shake my head, “That was the reason we always fought because she never opened up to me. Dad, please we have to find her.” My mind is everywhere, how did I not know. Why would she not tell me something like this?

  “Do you have any information we can use, to try and track him?” My father’s question brings me back.

  “Not much, only what the feds supplied us with; some information on the man he shared a cell with and a list of his family. God Dad, I never put two and two together.”

  “Son, you couldn’t have.” I look into my dad’s eyes, and I can see the loss of hope.

  Ewan speaks, his words stumbled, “Liam I read that report, the things he did, he did to all those girls.”

  “For God’s sake, Ewan shut it. No one needs to be reminded of that right now.” Kai adds as he returned from speaking to the Chief. “They don’t have anything new, Liam.”

  Letting out an enormous roar of frustration, I look around and see the crowd has grown. I need to focus; think Liam.

  “Liam, Dad!” I hear Thea calling out. I scan the crowd and walk over once I spot her. “Thea go home!”

  “No Liam, I might be able to help.” She says.

  “Thea, this isn’t a game, GO. HOME.”

  “Liam, Ati used to tell me things, share parts of her past, maybe there’s something there.”

  I look at Thea! Of course, Thea was Ati’s confidante, because that is what teenage girls do. I reach over the gate, which was put up to control the crowd, and lift Thea over; we walk toward my dad, brothers, and the chief.

  “Liam, she shouldn’t be here.” My father states.

  I look to him, reassuring him that I know what I am doing.

  Motioning to Thea, I start, “Thea and Ati are good friends, the kind who share everything. Thea is going to know something; the trick is asking the right questions to see if there is anything that may be of use.” I look at Thea.

  “We’re going to head back to the station. You will be able to focus, and we will have the resources we may need right there.”

  ***

  We are back at the station, shooting all kinds of questions at Thea. Some revealing information, but nothing we didn’t already know. Sitting there with our heads in our hands, we’ve hit a wall. They have been gone for hours and could be heading in any direction. Ati is the only hope we have, but she is still in surgery.

  “And to think, I would have missed all this for a weekend getaway to a Cabin with Elise Matthews?” Ewan says.

  Kai lands him with a stare, “What the hell is wrong with you, man!”

  “Sorry, not the time for humor... I’m so worried about Gwen. I’ve got a lot of nervous energy, and I always say stupid shit when I am nervous.” Ewan responds with a remorseful look.

  “What did you say?” Thea asks

  “Thea, I said I was sorry, and if you are going to go on about Princess and me, she hasn’t even bothered to look at me since…!” Ewan starts to ramble, but Thea cuts him off

  She jumps off the desk she was sitting on and walks over to Ewan, “That’s a matter for another time, you mentioned a cabin?”

  “Ya, so?” Ewan asks confused.

  Thea grabs Ewan by the shoulders, “You’re a genius, Ewan, don’t ever filter that mouth of yours.”

  She turns to the rest of us, “There’s a cabin in Siskiyou National Park. Their grandfather used to take Gwen there when she was little. I remember because Ati told me that Gwen had told her stories about going there, and Ati thought, if it was still in the family, we could go there sometime.”

  Special Agent Peters, who joined us a few moments ago, speaks up, “No, we have done thorough checks, we are aware of all the family assets and properties.”

  Thea shakes her head. “You wouldn’t have found this one. You were looking into the Connors and Rutherford families, but the cabin belonged to Martin Reardon, a f
amily friend they thought of as an Uncle. Ati used to talk about him and his wife Agatha all the time.”

  A thought comes to my father, “Eric Connors and Thomas Rutherford were friends in University. It’s a possibility he knew about the cabin.” How does my father even know that?

  “Did she happen to mention where in Siskiyou?” The Chief asks Thea

  Thea shakes her head. “No, as I said, she has never been there, only heard stories about it from Gwen.”

  “The land should show registered in Martin Rutherford’s name, let’s start there, and someone should see if they can get a hold of him,” I say

  “I can make that call!” My father says. I look to him, but by the look in his eyes, I know he is telling me, now is not the time.

  We all get to work accessing sitemaps and areas of entry; I hope to God, we are not too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  -Gwen-

  My whole body aches, and as I try to open my eyes, I am having a hard time. I try to move, but I can’t. It feels like I have been tied down. Then it all comes back to me…my stepfather, being drugged and Ati. Oh, God Ati, he shot Ati! I try to move some more, but no luck.

  “I see you're finally coming to, Gwyneth!”

  I look over to him as he enters the room, of what looks to be a Cabin. As my eyes begin to focus, I see it is a cabin, Uncle Martin’s cabin. The one Papa used to bring us to before he passed away.

  “You shot her! You promised she would be ok!” The tears from my eyes spilling over as I think to myself, ‘Oh, God I hope someone finds her in time.’

  “I never make promises, love. What I said was you didn’t have a choice either way!”

  I look to the man in front of me; Anger mixed with a need to get back to Ati takes over, “Don’t call me that. Never have I, nor will I ever be your love, you psychopath.” I try to move around, hoping to loosen the ropes.

  “You know, you’re right. How could I love the thing that got my daughter killed?” his eyes darken, almost as though every piece of humanity has left and replaced with pure evil intent.

  “I didn’t get your daughter killed. Your sick need to have her share your masochistic desires did. You killed her; you killed your daughter.”

  Having pushed too far, he unleashes a fury of punches and kicks to my body, and with each one, the pain becoming more and more unbearable.

  ***

  It seemed the beating went on for hours, and somewhere along there, I passed out. When I do finally come to, I am on the ground tied to the chair, but he is not there. I try to look around, but my eyes have swollen almost shut, and my body is so severely beaten, struggling to get free sends spikes of pain through my body.

  “I have to get out of here,” I say aloud, almost as though hearing my voice saying the words will give me the drive I need to get through the pain.

  I wiggle my body and move hands around trying to loosen the ties around me. After a few minutes with no luck, I am tired, and the pain continues, and I feel as though I am starting to fade away again, but not before the door to the room opens again, and he’s standing there with what looks to be a metal bar. Walking over, with long strides, he caulks back his arm and with an unforgiving force swings the bar directly at me, over and over never letting up.

  ***

  I see nothing, just darkness, but the suffocating thickness of smoke is filling my lungs. ‘The cabin is on fire.’ The realization sends a surge of adrenaline coursing through me. ‘I have to get out.’

  I don’t stop, I can’t stop I fight to get myself free, and as what feels like what is going to be my final breath, I remove one hand loosening the rest of the rope around me. I struggle but manage to crawl out from the ties. Barely able to move, I manage to sit up. I look around and see Eric has blocked off the one window in the room. Spotting the bloodied pipe, discarded on the floor, I grab it and make my way to the window, repeatedly trying to bust it open. With the last full forced effort, the window comes crashing down along with the makeshift board he had put up. I pull over the small chair in the corner of the room and use it to boost myself out the window.

  Falling to the ground, I let out a scream at the pain. Laying there for a moment I eventually get up and run; I run as fast as I can and don’t look back in hopes that he doesn’t know I have escaped, but before too long, the loud bang of a gun brings me to a stop.

  “Did you think you could get away? I was watching making sure the house came down on you in a burning inferno.” I hear him move in closer. “Answer me you little bitch.” As the words leave his mouth, his fist hits the side of my head, knocking me to the ground.

  Now standing over me, his eyes peering into mine with unwavering hatred, he holds the gun out and fires.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  -Liam-

  We arrive at the perimeter of the park, and I quickly go over the map of the area.

  “Looks to be about a mile. I think it best if we span out fifty feet on both sides and work our way in slowly. He may have gone to the cabin, but could be anywhere out there.” Everyone nods in understanding.

  Grabbing flashlights and we head out. Part way in, someone notices smoke and calls over. I move a little faster, and within minutes, we reach the cabin, which is up in flames. I drop everything and make a run toward the fire. Grabbing hold of my arm, Kai stops me.

  “Where do you think you are going?”

  “Kai let me go. She could be in there.” His grip tightens on my arm, “Don’t be an idiot, Li. You will get yourself killed.”

  “Kai, let me go, I have to…” I’m cut off by the loud bang of a gun, sounding off in close distance.

  Kai yells, “Where did that come from?”

  One of the other officers responds, pointing in the direction on the other side of the cabin. Kai releases his hold, and we both dart off.

  Getting closer, I pull my gun, as we hear someone yelling, “You just won’t die you bitch, will you?”

  As I make out the silhouette of a towering figure holding out a gun standing over what looks to be a body, I aim and fire. He hits the floor, and I run over. Spotting Gwen on the ground, lying in a pool of her blood, severely beaten and unconscious, I drop down beside her and grab her in my arms, as Kai comes up beside me checking the vitals of Eric Connors.

  “Headshot. He’s dead. How’s Gwen?”

  “Gwen, baby, please wake up! Kai, I can barely feel her pulse. Gwen, baby please!” Kai rushes off, returning quickly.

  “They’re dispatching a helo, but we need to get her out to the clearing, Li.” He rests a hand on my shoulder. “Li?” I nod, acknowledging.

  One of the EMT’s arrives with a stretcher. Kai pulls me out of the way, once they have Gwen secured, Kai radios in, and confirms the helicopter is waiting for us.

  ‘Please let her survive this…please!’

  ***

  Once we arrive at the hospital, Gwen is taken in immediately. Hours go by with no updates of any kind, then finally just as I am about to lose it, the doctor walks out.

  “Detective Adair, I’m Doctor Azam.” He greets with his hand extended forward. I take his hand, and I am sure that he can feel my whole body shaking.

  “Yes, how is she?” I ask.

  “She’s stable but critical. She suffered quite a few blows to the head, and he kept her sedated, which wasn’t any good for her condition. She’s in a coma, and we will be monitoring her closely until she becomes conscious. At this time, all you can do is wait. Is her sister, her only next of kin?”

  I nod, “She has no other family.”

  “Very well, her sister is of legal age to be able to make all medical decisions on Gwen’s behalf, but seeing as how she is so young, you may want to consider having an attorney present with her.”

  I nod, hearing what he is saying but still at a loss, I can’t seem to process anything right now.

  My mother speaks up, “We will call Bane Curtis, he’s an attorney in Emerson and close family friend; I’m sure he would be ab
le to come down if we ask.”

  Dr. Azam looks to my mother, “That’s perfect. I do suggest the sooner, the better, it would be good to have him on hand, in case we need to perform an emergency medical procedure. There are also other things which need to be discussed, concerning her care.”

  I look to Dr. Azam, “Like what?”

  “I’m sorry Detective, but I am not at liberty to say due to confidentiality. I will advise of any further changes, once everything's cleared through her sister.” He shoots me a weak smile and walks away.

  I fall into the seat beside me, drop my head to my hands, and start to cry. I’ve managed to hold it in until now, but I can’t any longer. The pain in my chest is growing stronger the longer I can’t see Gwen. I need her to be OK; I can’t lose her. I need her back in my arms…safe!

  My mother fastens her arms around me, “Mom, I can’t lose her!”

  “I know, Love. We only need to be strong and have faith that she will be ok.” She gives me another tight squeeze. Then Ben walks over, pale and as worried as I am.

  “I’m going to check on Ati!” He says, tears threatening to spill over.

  I can see Ben is falling apart, although he won’t say it, we all know that he has been struggling with his feelings for Ati and having to end things with her. After tonight I’m sure, any doubt he had about what to do, has now been put to rest.

  “I got a hold of Bane, he’s on his way,” Kai says as he comes to my side. “I’m going to head out and take Thea home. Liam, you should think about getting some rest, Brother; you are not going to be any good to Gwen if you’re exhausted.”

  I shake my head in refusal, “I’m not leaving her!”

  Kai nods in understanding, “Grace has been calling Thea, she’s upset. I told Dad, he said he would bring her up later.”

  He bends down to kiss my Mom on the cheek and then heads toward the elevators.

  Minutes pass by, in what seems like hours. I keep checking my watch and pacing the hall. I need to see her.

  “Liam, please sit down.”

  I look to my Mom, “What is taking so long. I need to see her, be with her, explain…”