He looks away, towards the splash pad and gives a shake of his head, then sits down heavily on the bench. “You’re a better man than I am, Madden.”
I chuckle and slap his shoulder. “Was that ever a doubt?”
He grunts. “You’re an arrogant bastard, though.”
Something wet hits my leg, and I glance down at a plastic toy football. Picking it up I scan the crowd and see a little boy looking at me expectantly. I toss it to him, and he grins in delight as he catches it, then races back towards the splash pad.
Drew’s expression is hollow, empty when I turn back to him, and he mutters something under his breath that I can’t make out, before standing abruptly. “I should go.”
“Call Jessica,” I tell him. “Try and fix things.”
“Yeah. I just... I can’t fuck up again.”
I slap him on the back. “Then don’t. Take this time to get cleaned up.”
He opens his mouth like he’s about to say something, then shuts it and shakes his head. “See you at practice.”
I watch him leave, ice prickling across my skin like something is wrong. I scan the area, looking for paparazzi, but I only catch a few moms with their iPhones out pointed at me. Nothing I’m not used to.
My phone buzzes and I answer it when I recognize the number of the detective I hired. “Any news.”
“Your girl is back in town,” he says through the receiver.
“Ashely?”
“Yeah. We have pictures of her with a man named Marcus Stone. Dude is bad news.”
“Do you have a location on her?”
“Not a permanent address. But she was seen walking Harbor Boulevard.”
I let out a heavy breath, knowing that by walking he means she was most likely prostituting herself.
Fuck.
It makes getting custody of Rose that much easier, but I can’t imagine what it’s going to do to Aria when she finds out.
I hang up, the happiness I’d felt earlier slightly dampened, but not completely gone. I knew things would get complicated when Ashley returned. My hope is that we can get her into a rehab center, help her straighten her life out. Maybe at some point, she can have a relationship with her daughter. It’s a long shot, but for Rose, it’s worth trying.
A small cry rings out and for a second I think it’s Rose, but it comes from a stroller that’s parked a couple of feet away. I give the mom a friendly smile when she picks her infant son up and starts to feed him.
I glance down at my watch realizing that it’s past Rose’s typical feeding time. I’m surprised she’s not wailing, letting me know she’s hungry. I reach into the diaper bag and grab a bottle, then move around the stroller ready to pick her up.
My heart stops.
Literally.
For a brief moment, I stand there as the shock of the empty stroller hits me. I can’t think. Can’t move. Can’t fucking breathe.
She’s gone.
Rose is gone.
I drop the damn bottle and scream like a maniac, “Rose?” Fear like I’ve never known in my life burrows inside of me and I’m racing around the park, yelling for my daughter. Because it doesn’t matter what that fucking DNA test said, she is mine. My heart. My child. My life.
And she’s gone.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Aria
Two days.
Three days.
Four days.
One week.
By day seven, the hope of ever getting Rose back grows more and more unlikely. And I can’t do anything but cry and fight the urge to yell at every police officer that comes into Tatum’s apartment, telling us they’re doing their best.
“Their best isn’t good enough,” I say when Tatum pulls me against his chest. I can see the guilt in his eyes, and as much as I want to ease it, I can’t. Not with Rose still missing. There are no clues as to who took her. No ransom notes or calls. We don’t know if it’s Ashley who has her, or some crazy person who’ll do God knows what to her.
I barely sleep, but when I do my dreams are tormented by Rose’s cries.
Tatum has stopped saying it’s going to be okay. And I see in his eyes that even he is starting to lose hope.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Aria,” he says for the hundredth time. “I swear, I barely looked away. I don’t know... I...”
I place my palm on his cheek. “I know.” I know how sorry he is. And I also know that he would never have put Rose at risk, never taken his eyes off her. Whoever did this had it planned out.
“I just hope that wherever she is, whoever has her, that they’re taking care of her.”
Tatum’s throat bobs and I know he’s going through his own hell. We know that Ashley is back in town. But that doesn’t mean she’s the one who took Rose. If it was her, then why didn’t she come to us?
Ellis sits on the couch next to Cleo, watching the news, his expression as despondent as how I feel. He flew into LAX the day Rose went missing, and he’s been a great support. Shelly and Nathan came for a couple of days as well, but Tatum sent them home, knowing there is nothing they can do here.
My own mother has been a challenge. Her reaction is more of a show than anything resembling real concern. It took the police showing up at her door to even get a response from her. But then the crocodile tears had started, the wailing, the calls to the press, her face on the media begging whoever took her precious grandbaby to return her.
“You need to eat something,” Tatum says now, rubbing my arms.
“I’m not hungry,” I mutter, leaning into him and taking the strength he gives me.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change in just a heartbeat. I’d planned for the worst, but I’d never imagined this.
Our whole life has been put on hold. Stopped. Even now, Tatum should be at practice, but he refused to go. But how long can we continue like this?
“Tatum’s right,” Cleo says, standing. “Let me order some food. How about pizza?”
I shake my head.
“Okay, then sushi. I know you won’t turn down a Shrimp Tempura roll,” she says squeezing my hand as she walks by. I hear her ordering from the kitchen, my stomach starting to grumble with hunger despite my protest.
I take Cleo’s spot on the couch, pulling my knees to my chest and trying to feel anything but numb. It’s impossible. Until my mom’s face appears on the screen in a recording from a few days ago, pleading overdramatically for the police to find Rose. I reach over for the remote and turn the channel.
I can feel the look Tatum and Ellis share before Tatum disappears into the bedroom. A few seconds later I hear the shower turn on.
“I know what you’re thinking,” I say, glancing over at Ellis.
“Yeah?” His mouth is drawn tight. “What’s that?”
“That you wish your brother never met me... or my sister.”
He grunts and rubs the back of his neck. “I’m not going to lie. It’s crossed my mind.”
“Maybe it would be better if I just left--”
“Don’t start that bullshit.” There’s anger in his voice, directed at me. “You run and my brother loses everything. You understand that?”
“But--”
“No, Aria. I know you’re scared. I get that you’re a mess right now. But you stay and fight. No matter what happens, you stay. Because I damn well know my brother isn’t going anywhere.”
I break into sobs then, and Ellis quickly pulls me towards him, wrapping me in his arms. “Fuck,” he mutters. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. Mind stopping before my brother comes back and beats the shit out of me for it?”
I sniffle and pull back wiping my eyes and laughing for the first time in days. “You’re a bit of a dick,” I say.
He chuckles. “Yeah. But like Tatum, I’m extremely protective of the people I care about.”
“He’s lucky to have you.”
“You are too,” he says with a wink, before standing and heading toward the kitchen.
I breathe in and out s
lowly, a small sense of calm filling me. I’m not sure where it comes from but I grasp it, not wanting to let go.
“Everything will be alright,” I whisper to myself, like a mantra, forcing myself to believe it to be true. Eyes closed, I let myself believe it, even for a moment. “Rose will be alright.”
I startle slightly when large arms envelop me. I don’t need to open my eyes to know it’s Tatum. I inhale his scent and ease into his embrace. He smells clean, like body wash and shaving cream.
“I love you,” he murmurs against the top of my head.
I know he does, and I also know Ellis’ words are true. He’d be devastated if I left. But part of me still wonders if it wouldn’t be best for him in the long run if I left.
“Aria,” Ellis frowns at me from the other side of the room. “Your mother is here.”
Shit.
My mom pushes her way past Ellis with an air about her. She’s never been here before, but she acts like she owns the place and as soon as I see the sparkle in her eyes the hair on the back of my neck stands on end.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, standing.
“Can we have some privacy?” she snaps at Ellis who continues to frown at her. He doesn’t know all my history, but he knows enough that I can see the distrust in his gaze.
“Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Ellis,” I tell my mom. “He’s family.”
Her lips curl up slightly. Not enough that most people would notice, but I’ve known the woman my entire life, and I see the plot twisting around in her screwed-up head.
“Fine. But what I’m about to tell you stays between us.”
“That depends on what you’re about to say.” Tatum takes my hand, standing beside me.
She chuckles. “So much arrogance. But then if I had your kind of money, I guess I’d be a little haughty too.”
I snort. “Are you kidding me? I can’t deal with this right now, Mom. Just say what you need to say and--”
“I know where Rose is.” Her eyes are bright and full of triumph.
I forget to breathe for a second, and it’s Tatum who asks the important question, “Who has her?”
“She’s with her mother.”
“Ashley took her,” I say. It’s not a question, just a statement. A truth that I should have known all along. My legs are shaky and a rush of emotion swarms through me so fast I have to sit down.
“Is Rose okay?” Tatum asks, his voice tight.
“Of course. You think my daughter would hurt her own child?”
Ellis snorts. “You’re talking about a girl who left her newborn with a stranger to go get high, then never came back.” His face is red with anger. “Yeah, we’re a little worried about what’s going on in her head.”
My mother sucks in a startled breath, not used to men talking to her that way. And it’s true. She can usually slither her way into most men’s good graces, charm them with her fake smiles and flattering words. But neither Tatum nor Ellis have fallen for her tricks.
“Where is she?” I ask.
“Somewhere safe. I made sure of it.” My mother grins at me, and I know her game isn’t over yet. She hasn’t gotten what she came here for. Not yet.
“You knew all this time that she had her?” I shake my head.
“No. What kind of monster do you think I am. She came to me last night asking for my help.”
“If you want to help her,” Tatum says, managing to keep the anger out of his voice, “then let me get her into a rehab center. Let her dry out. We’ll take care of Rose--”
My mother chuckles. “So predictable. Aren’t you? I had a feeling you’d say that. Which is why I came here.”
She’s about to strike and I brace myself for what’s about to come next. “What do you want, mother?”
Her lips twitch up. “Always straight to the point.” She sighs, then says casually, like she’s asking for some spare change, “Five million dollars.”
“What?” Tatum’s eyes narrow.
“You want Rose? That’s the price. Five million and Ashley agrees to sign her over to you.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Ellis’ face is bright red.
“Let me guess,” I say, rage boiling inside me. “You want the check made out to you.”
“Oh no, dear. No check. Cash only.”
“You’ll both go to jail for this,” Ellis growls out. “It’s extortion. Kidnapping. Fuck, there’s gotta be some law against trying to sell your kid--”
“Ellis, stop,” Tatum says, voice even, his gaze hard and focused on my mom. “It’ll take me a few days to come up with that amount.”
Ellis steps forward. “You can’t be fucking serious--”
Tatum raises a hand and shakes his head at his brother. “Stay out of this.”
“He’s right.” I place my hand on Tatum’s arm. “This is wrong on so many levels.”
Tatum turns and cups my jaw, holding my gaze. “You and I both know that as long as Rose is with Ashley, she’s in danger.”
“I know, but--”
“Do you trust me?”
I suck in a shaky breath. How many times has he asked me that? And I’ve never truly been able to say yes with full conviction. But standing here now, seeing the primal need to protect a child that isn’t even his, I know I trust him with every fiber of my being.
“Yes.” I nod. “I do.”
“Okay.” He places a chaste kiss on my forehead, then drops his hands and turns to my mom. “Five million. You’ll have it. I’ll call you when the paperwork and money are ready.”
“Cash only,” my mom says, grinning like she just won the lottery, rather than using her granddaughter to exploit a man with more morals in his pinky finger than she has in her entire body.
When she’s gone, Tatum sinks onto the couch, Ellis starts yelling, and Cleo who’d obviously overheard the whole exchange from the kitchen comes into the room, eyes wide with shock.
“Did that seriously just happen?” Cleo says.
“We need to call the fucking cops,” Ellis hollers. “That bitch is going to go down--”
“That bitch is still Aria’s mother,” Tatum says. “And she just gave us good news.”
“Good news?” Ellis looks at Tatum like he’s lost his mind.
“Rose is alright. And if I do what she asked, then we’ll make sure she’s safe. And no one will ever take her from us again.”
“Tatum.” Resting my hand on his chest, I look up at him. “I know you feel guilty about this. But it’s not right. You can’t pay her off. Once she has the money, she’ll just keep coming back for more.”
“I have to do this,” he says, palm on my cheek. “For us. For Rose. I can’t let that…” He closes his eyes and breathes out through his nose, jaw tense. “You know the life Rose will have if we don’t. And I have the money.”
“It’s not about the money,” Ellis’ voice is still raised and I understand his frustration. But I also understand Tatum’s need to protect Rose.
“You,” Tatum says to Ellis. “Let’s go.”
“Where?”
Tatum just gives him a look, one that tells Ellis not to ask any questions and after that, he doesn’t.
“I’ll be back later,” Tatum says, then kisses me.
“Where are you going?” I don’t want him to leave.
“To make sure no one fucks with my family again.” He holds my gaze long enough for his words to sink in.
His family.
I’d said something similar to my mom about Ellis. We might not be connected by blood or even law or ceremony, but there’s no doubt in my heart that’s exactly what I’ve found.
Real.
Honest.
Family.
And what I see in Tatum’s eyes before he turns and walks out of the apartment is a man willing to fight and to sacrifice for that family.
I just don’t know how we’re ever going to get the happily ever after that he deserves and I so desperately want.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Tatum
By the time I arrive at Knox’s place with the documents from the detective in hand, my heart has finally stopped pounding. The visit from Beverly really fucked with my head. And the moment I step into Knox’s place
and he asks what the hell is going on, I feel like I’m gonna burst all over again.
Damn, I’ve always been good at keeping my emotions cool. Being demanding just isn’t my style. But now, with the threat of losing Rose, I’m going to make a fucking scene. Fight for what I want. What she needs. She’s just a baby girl.; probably confused and scared after being torn from Aria and me. The two people who have been by her side since Ashley dropped her off at my house and ran without looking back. The idea of Rose being with her now makes my blood boil.
“Dude, what’s going on? Your text was cryptic as fuck.” Drew hands me a beer.
We’re gathered in Knox’s kitchen, and I give them the rundown of what happened with Aria’s mom. I don’t leave anything out. These two are my closest friends and understand what Rose means to me. She may not be my flesh and blood, but I swear to God she’s my family.
“So, what are you gonna do? Five million is a shitton of cash,” Knox says, running a hand over his neck. “Maybe it’s time to get the cops involved.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Ashley might get wind of that and fucking leave the country with Rose. And then what? It’s not fair to an innocent child. I think I’m gonna pay it.”
“Really?” Drew whistles low, surprised at the choice just like Ellis and Aria were. But they haven’t been working with a detective. I have.
I drop the stack of files on the kitchen island. “Really.”
I spent a few minutes in my car after meeting with the detective I hired, looking through this shitstorm of a pile of documents. It’s not good. “With this list of charges, no judge in the state of California that will grant Ashley custody. She already abandoned her daughter for two months.”
“I don’t know,” Drew says, scanning the photos the detective took of Ash last week. She’s on a corner in Malibu clearly looking to score some dope. And this was taken after she kidnapped Rose. “The whole thing is dicey. You give her cash and you’re going to be connected to her for the rest of your life.”
Game Day Baby Page 15