I’ve never felt any sort of love from my mother, so her telling me she never wanted me doesn’t even sting, nothing could have surprised me about her feelings towards me. I guess I’ve always truly known, but it still never stopped me over the years trying to gain her approval, to make her proud.
Now I can see why dad was so scared to leave her, why he distanced himself from me during my childhood. She really is a raving lunatic.
“Well, I want you gone. It will kill your father, but also get rid of you. My all-time embarrassment. My biggest failure. Your father will never recover from losing you. You were always his main concern, the reason he stayed with me. Even when he acted like he didn’t care about you, I knew. I knew he still kept a close eye on your grades, had someone record your school plays, but the man was weak, he still is. I can’t wait to see his face when he gets the call to say he lost you,’’ she grins, her grin disarming and disturbing to the eyes.
Slowly, I put my hand in my cardigan pocket, silently pressing the buttons to what I know to be Mason’s mobile number. I don’t want to risk it dialing the last person I called as I’m pretty sure it was my Nan. She’d probably be out somewhere with friends on a Saturday night. And knowing her, she’s probably either at bingo drinking the rest of her buddies under the table. Or in a bar chatting up someone thirty plus years younger than her and don’t think I’m joking.
Not long after moving in I got a call from a local bar asking me –okay pleading with me-to pick her up. When I walked in I had to pry her off a twenty something year old lad who looked like he was going to be traumatized for the rest of his life.
And something tells me I’ll need someone sober for what’s about to come. I can feel it in my bones, that fleeting instinct there, not too far in the back of my mind. It’s screaming at me to ‘go’, to ‘run’, and not look back.
“Mother, you’re scaring me,’’ I shiver, hoping the next button I press on my phone is the call button, but I don’t have too much time to dwell on it when Craig Davis’s brother suddenly walks around the corner, coming from out of the alley with a smug, evil, smirk on his face. My face drains of colour and my whole body goes on high alert.
What the hell is he doing here?
I look towards my mother, and back to Carl, and it occurs to me, my mother knows him, she’s not at all the least bit intimidated or scared of his presence and the thought scares me more than I’d care to admit.
Taking a step backwards my mom begins to laugh, the high pitched sound screeching in my ears, but it’s Carl’s amused expression while he shakes his head that has me freezing on the spot. That’s when I look down to see a huge butcher knife held firmly in his left hand and my whole body locks up, freezing in fear.
“I’m going to have fun with you,’’ he snarls then lunges at me, a scream roaring from my throat.
This cannot be happening.
Chapter Sixteen
MASON
Where the fuck is she? It’s been over two hours and I’m about to lose my fucking mind over it. I’ve gone out once, driving around the area not believing she’d go so far, but I’ve seen no signs of her.
Dialing Harlow’s number again, I’m about to give up and just call Malik when she finally freaking answers.
“Jesus, who set a light up your arse?’’ my brother greets me, and I growl into the phone.
“Where’s Harlow, jackass?’’ I snap, not having the patience to deal with him tonight. I need to know where Denny is, my stomach is all up in knots and something inside my head is screaming at me that something is wrong. I can feel it. I can feel it right down to my bones.
“She’s in the shower, where I just was before you rudely kept ringing every two seconds,’’ he snaps back.
“So Denny isn’t there?’’
“Bro, I think I’d notice a pregnant chick in that tiny shower with me and the missus,’’ he teases, trying to make light of my dark mood, but it does nothing but piss me off more.
“Shit! Don’t fuck with me Malik; I’m not in the fucking mood. Go check downstairs with Joan. I’m going over to see if she’s at the house.’’
“Where are you then? She could just be at home in bed asleep,’’ he laughs sounding amused at my paranoid, erratic behaviour.
“Cause I didn’t think of walking upstairs you twat. We had some sort of fight. I think it was a fight anyway and she stormed out and she hasn’t been back, Malik. I’m scared something’s happened, I can feel it,’’ I tell him, my voice breaking towards the end.
“Well shit. Maybe she’s just walking off some steam?’’ he offers softly.
“She’s fucking pregnant wearing only a pair of jeans, tank top and a cardigan Malik, she wouldn’t risk hers or the baby’s health.’’
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go downstairs then head next door if she’s not here. You call her Nan and see if she’s heard from her, if not call her dad. Call me if you find her. I’ll be over in a second,’’ he tells me before ending the call.
My body should have relaxed, that somehow saying what I’d been thinking for the past hour and a half would somehow make it all sound ridiculous, but it only makes me feel more anxious.
“Fuck Denny! Where are you?’’ I groan, pulling at the ends of my hair.
When her Nan answers and assures me she’s not with her I call her dad, who sounds just as worried as me, unlike her Nan did.
“Have you gone and looked for her?’’ he asks sounding pissed and worried. I want to bite back at him, telling him not to give out fucking advice when he’s treated her like shit her whole life. Instead, I bite my tongue and just tense my fists.
“Yes Charles, I did. I’m fucking worried. I can feel it,’’ I croak, the feeling of loss suddenly hitting me.
All of a sudden my phone beeps with an incoming call and I look down at the screen.
“It’s Denny, I’ll call you back,’’ I rush out, not entirely sure I finished before answering her call. “Denny? Denny? Where are you? I’ve been so worried. I’m so, so, so fucking sorry,’’ I beg, the tightness in my chest not releasing.
“Denny, babe, talk to me,’’ I plead, but soon shut up when I hear the sound of manic laughing.
“I’m going to have fun with you,’’ a muffled voice snarls, and it sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t figure out where. A woman’s laughter rings through the phone just as a loud scream rings through. All my blood drains from my face, leaving me dazed and weak.
Malik chooses that moment to walk in with Myles and Max, a startled look on his face when I start shouting into the phone.
“Denny? Denny? Baby, answer me,’’ I roar down the phone, breaking down when the call ends suddenly. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!’’
“Bro, calm down, what’s going on?’’
I ignore Max and dial the police on my phone, my eyes watering, a lone tear sliding down my cheek before I have the chance to wipe it away.
“999, What’s your emergency?’’
“Hello, my name is Mason Carter,’’ I explain, rattling off my address before going into the whole argument we had earlier, to the phone call I just overheard.
“Sir, I’ve sent uniform out to take your statement. They will be with you shortly. Please hold tight until then,’’ the woman on the other line tells me, and I want to scream at her to calm down, but my temper flaring isn’t doing anyone else any good. Plus, I need to get her back and I can’t do that if I’m arrested over disturbing the peace or some shit.
“What the fuck bro? What’s going on?’’ Malik asks once I end the call.
“She called when I was in the middle of talking to her dad. She didn’t speak, but I listened. A male voice said ‘I’m going to have fun with you’ while another voice, a woman’s voice laughed. It wasn’t even a laugh you hear when someone’s told a funny joke, it was cold, menacing and dark,’’ I shiver just remembering the sound. “Then she screamed. She sounded so fucking scared guys,’’ I croak out, falling to sit on the armrest of the sof
a.
“Fuck!’’ all brothers say in unison.
I nod my head in agreement, then nearly drop my phone when it starts ringing again. All brothers jump to attention and I’m so grateful that they’re here right now.
“It’s her dad,’’ I whisper, and all boys relax their postures, Myles grabbing his own phone out to call someone, who, I don’t know.
“Charles, you need to come to the house,’’ I whisper, my voice clogged up from wanting to scream, cry and smash things.
“Oh my God. What’s happened? If something’s happened to her,’’ he chokes out, and I can hear the tears in his voice. “I’ll…I’ll be there soon.’’
The line goes dead and I stare numbly at the phone. For how long I don’t know, but the next thing I know is Harlow running into the room and wrapping her arms around me.
“She’s going to be okay,’’ she whispers softly, tears running down her own face.
“Yeah, bro, we’ll find her,’’ Maverick says on my other side and I look up dazed, wondering when the fuck he got here.
“I can’t lose her,’’ I choke out, not caring if I look like a wuss.
“You won’t Mason. The police will be here any minute, and they’ll find her, we’ll find her. I promise,’’ Mav tells me, his voice filled with honesty, so much honesty my heart hurts.
“It’s my fault. I couldn’t just tell her I was scared; scared if we went further than fooling around she’d leave me, or that we’d lose the baby. I couldn’t risk it. Now, I’m going to lose everything. I can’t lose her Mav, I can’t, I love her. Fuck! I haven’t even told her that. Did ya know? I fucking love her so much that when I try to feel it, I mean really feel it, I can’t breathe, that it hurts that much I just want to hold her and squeeze the ever loving shit out of her and not let go. Now she’s gone and she could be hurt,’’ I choke out, more tears running down my face.
“You’ll be able to tell her yourself once she’s back home, bro.’’
I look up at Mav at the same time Joan and Granddad walk in followed by Denny’s dad and two police officers.
I quickly stand up to greet them, wondering if they are already looking for her. “Have you found her?’’ I croak out, my voice hoarse and dry.
“We have a few questions. First though can we get a description? We usually don’t report a missing case until twenty four hours after they’ve been missing, but according to the phone call, your girlfriend screamed?’’ he asks.
I nod my head confirming. “Yes, she screamed after someone said I’m going to have fun with you,’’ I tell them. “She must have pocket dialled my number, so whatever happened she had enough time to do that. She must have felt safe at one point before she started to dial me.’’
“Can you give us a description so we can have other patrol cars on the lookout?’’
“You can’t miss her,’’ I reply harshly, not meaning to. “She’s just over seven months pregnant, she has blonde hair to here, and is stunning. She’s wearing a pair of grey jeans, I know because we bought them yesterday, her other clothes were getting too tight. These were maternity jeans,’’ I croak out. “She’s got a white tank top with her cream cardigan.’’
“Does she have any tattoos? Scars?’’
“No,’’ I shake my head at them, feeling more and more dejected with each question they throw my way.
“Right. Is there anyone you can think of who would want to hurt her?’’
“Her mother,’’ her dad scoffs and I whip my eyes to his in alarm.
“Her mother? You think her mother would hurt her?’’ I ask utterly shocked.
“Wouldn’t put it past her, son. She’s been sending me crazy messages all day,’’ he tells us and gets his phone out to show the police.
“What about the breakin? Could the two be connected? That was about my case,’’ Harlow whispers, but loud enough for the one officer to hear.
“I’m sorry. What breakin?’’ he asks looking between us.
“Denny, she stayed at her brothers before we moved in here together. One night there was a breakin. Nothing was stolen, but a picture was shoved under her locked bedroom door. The picture showed one of the witnesses to the Davis trial, dead.’’
“Oh, yes, I’ve been informed of the case. So Denny is another witness?’’
That’s what I fucking said asshole. “Yes.’’
“I’ll call this in. If it’s the same person that has Miss. Gittens, then we will need a bigger team.’’
“You should have everyone searching for her anyway,’’ I sneer, standing up.
“Don’t do something stupid, son. I don’t want to have to arrest you, but I will if you push me.’’
I nod my head sharply, barely registering anything they’re saying to each other over the radio. Walking into the kitchen I grab a bottle of vodka and pour myself a decent amount.
“Don’t take that too far boy. She’s going to need your head straight,’’ My Granddad’s voice cuts in and I slam the glass back down after downing the glass. I run my fingers through my hair before frustratingly pulling at the ends.
I need her.
I need her here so goddamn much it’s slowly killing me from the inside out.
“Granddad, I can’t do this. I can’t lose the only good thing I’ve ever had walk into my life. I spent so long pining after her, thinking she’d never see past a good time, or the real me, but she did. Then I went and let my fears consume me and I fucked everything up. I just got her back,’’ I choke out, the tears falling as another sob tears from my throat.
Granddad walks up to me, pulling me into his beefy arms and slapping my back.
“She’s going to be okay,’’ he assures, his voice choked up just as mine is.
I feel like this is karma. Karma for letting such light into my dark soul, but I’m selfish enough to never let her leave again.
I need to find her.
I need to get her back, where she belongs.
Chapter Seventeen
DENNY
Waking up, I groggily try to roll over, but something pinching my wrists stops me from moving.
If Mason is trying to do something kinky I’m going to fucking throttle him. My bladder is bursting to be relieved and I’m freezing, no doubt Mason is also hogging the blanket.
“Mason, I’m freezing,’’ then cough when I smell the most rancid smell I’ve ever smelled. I can’t even begin to describe just how bad it is. It’s burning my nose and when I open my eyes I startle awake. I’m not in my bed, at home with Mason, in my nice clean, warm house. No. Instead I’m in a dingy, black, burnt out basement, with rain water puddles in various little holes around the room. I sit up blinking, noticing my hand is attached to a long metal chain that is attached to a concrete wall.
“Help,’’ I croak out, suddenly remembering what happened. Images of flashbacks skitter through my mind and I struggle to make sense of some, until they start flashing in order.
Mom and Carl, Davis’s brother were there, he had a knife and went to attack me. I tried to run, but didn’t get far when he put an awful smelling rag across my face. No wonder my brain is all foggy and confused.
“No one is going to help you,’’ a cruel voice whispers and my head shoots to the left, the movement making me nauseous. My hands run over my belly, making sure nothing is wrong, that they didn’t hurt my baby when I was knocked out, but everything seems fine. I mean, I would bleed if something was wrong, wouldn’t I?
“Mom, please, mom, let me go. I promise I won’t tell anyone¸ just please let me go. I’m having a baby, your grandchild,’’ I beg, tears falling rapidly down my face, now just realising how dangerous of a situation I’m in.
If only you didn’t run out on Mason, my mind screams at me and I want to scream back ‘fuck you’ but keeping quiet wins out.
“Grandchild?’’ she laughs and I want to puke. How can this woman be my mother? I’d never treat my kids like this, let alone put them in a dangerous situation like the o
ne she’s put me in. “Stupid girl. When will you learn? You and that sprog mean nothing to me. What made you think I’d care if I’ve never cared about you to this point?’’ she sniggers, the sound feeling like a kick to the gut. I can handle her not loving me, but her grandchild? I’ve read stories where some people who sucked at parenting always end up being better grandparents, fuck was that wrong.
“There has to be something inside you that knows what you’re doing is wrong? That a part of you wants to be in your granddaughter’s life? Please mom. I’ve never asked you for anything. Not even as a kid did I ask for anything, but I’m begging you, please don’t leave me here. Please,’’ I cry.
“Weak, weak, weak girl,’’ she mutters looking at me like she’s looking at something disgusting.
My head bows down, my body going completely numb.
She’s not going to help me.
Clapping has my body jumping on the grimy, too thin foam mattress on the damp floor.
“What a beautiful escape speech. But your mother made me a deal; I get you in exchange that I make your dads life a living hell. Making sure he couldn’t sell his house has been fun so far, so seeing how he reacts to me killing you? That is going to be even better. First though, we have a matter to discuss.’’
“What matter?’’ I snap out, my body shivering from the damp, cold room.
“Craig. You gave your fucking statement after I warned you bitch,’’ he sneers, his yellow teeth glowing in the dull lit room.
Seriously, does his whole family brush their teeth with butter? I cringe at the sight.
“Oh, this is my queue to leave,’’ my mother laughs, stepping over what I can only presume is burnt wood. “Oh and Carl dear, you really should get some air freshener down here, it smells awful,’’ she gripes and I want to laugh. The place needs more than just air freshener, it needs rebuilding, and fucking heating.
“Bye, Viv.’’
“Vivian,’’ she states sharply before leaving me to defend myself with a complete and utter psychopath.
Mason Page 20