by LYNN, K. C.
“Oh fuck you, asshole. You know I would never do that to you. I have more respect for both of you than that. But I’ll tell you something, it would have served your ass right. Have someone else step in and take care of her since you sure as hell can’t.”
Our chests are both heaving with fury and I try to calm the rage, knowing everything Sawyer says is true.
Suddenly Cooper’s radio goes off at his hip, “Sheriff?”
Cooper keeps a hand on my chest and reaches down grabbing his radio, “Ya what is it?”
“I’m sorry sir, but you need to get over to the hospital right away. Kayla’s been in a bad accident.”
Julia!
Without a second thought the four of us are running out the door. “Get in,” Cooper yells for us to hop in his cruiser. He flicks on the sirens and hauls ass.
As soon as we break through the emergency doors we hear Kayla crying and yelling, “Please you’re wasting time. You need to find her!”
We follow the sound of her pleas and run into her room. Kayla is sitting up at the side of her bed with a bandage wrapped around her head. Her face is cut and swollen. Grace is sitting beside her, holding her hand and crying.
“Where’s Julia?” I ask looking around frantically.
Before Kayla can answer Cooper pushes me aside and rushes over to her, “Jesus baby, are you alright? What the fuck happened?”
“Oh god, Cooper, you need to help Julia.”
“Where the fuck is she?” I ask again.
My stomach clenches in dread when Kayla starts crying harder, “He took her. He fucking took her.”
Panic threatens to choke me, “Who, goddamn it?”
“Wyatt! He ran us off the road. I passed out but I woke up to her screaming my name. He was dragging her by her hair to his truck, then he hit her.” She starts sobbing uncontrollably, “Oh god Cooper, he hit her so hard that she stopped screaming, he knocked her out.”
My knees threaten to buckle under me. A mixture of fear and rage has my heart pounding so loud it’s all I can hear.
Fuck no! No! No! No!
“Jaxson man, take it easy. We’ll find her.” I hear Sawyer’s voice in the distance.
“Fuck! He’s fucking dead! I’m going to fucking kill him!”
Arms try to grab me while shit flies all over the place. A force knocks into me from behind, taking me to the ground.
“Goddamn it man, get fucking control over yourself. You’re trained for shit like this Jaxson. So get your fucking head together or you’re not going to be able to help her.”
Cade’s words breaks through the rage that consumes me.
My chest heaving with fury and fear I close my eyes and try to calm down, knowing he’s right.
Jesus Julia, I’m so fucking sorry.
“You good?” Cade asks a minute later through an exerted breath.
I nod, “Ya, I’m good.”
He gets off me and helps me up. I look at our surroundings and see the damage I caused. A chair is splintered in a million pieces, a table and tray lay on it’s side, it’s medical tools scattered all over the place.
I run my hand through my hair, “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Grace nods at my apology, looking ghost white. Kayla continues to cry, “Cooper, please. You guys need to go find her.”
I walk over to her, “Kayla, did you hear anything else? Did he say anything about where he was taking her?
She shakes her head crying harder.
A deputy speaks up now, “Sheriff, we have the 911 recording Miss Julia made during the accident. The operator stayed on the line while the crash happened, we have her being taken on tape.”
Cooper nods then looks at Kayla regretfully, “Jesus I don’t want to fucking leave you right now.”
“Cooper listen to me,” Kayla says, taking his face in her hands, “I’m going to be fine. Julia needs you now, more than I do. You’re the best, please go find her.”
“I’ll stay with Kayla,” Grace says through her own tears.
“Alright,” Cooper agrees reluctantly. Then he kisses Kayla, “I love you.”
His three simple words strike a chord deep inside me. I never fucking said them to Julia, all because I was too scared. Now she’s god knows where, scared and alone, thinking I don’t love her or our baby…
Fuck! The baby.
I look at Sawyer and Cade, “Let’s go.” I take off out the door and sprint down the hall.
“Jaxson hold up,” Cooper says catching up behind me, but I don’t stop.
“Goddamn it, I said hold up.” When he grabs my arm I throw him into the wall and get into his face.
“I don’t fucking have time to hold up. I need to find her now.”
“What, you’re going to fucking do it without me?” Cooper asks angrily.
I shake my head regretfully, “I have no choice Cooper, right now the law means nothing to me and it’s not going to. That son of a bitch took my girl and my baby; he’s fucking dead.”
“Listen Jaxson, I get where you’re coming from, I do. I want to kill the bastard myself. But right now you need the law on your side. I have resources that you don’t. Working together is only going to find her faster.”
“He’s right Jaxson,” Sawyer says cutting in, “think about Julia and the baby, they need you when this is over.”
I keep my eyes trained on Cooper, “Do you understand what I’m telling you? The only thing that matters to me is getting Julia and my baby out alive, and I will stop at nothing to do it, even if it means breaking the fucking law. Are you prepared for that?”
“Do you really think my first priority isn’t the same as yours? She means a lot to me too Jaxson.”
I nod knowing he’s right, “Alright then, let’s fucking go, time’s wasting.”
“Sheriff?” a deputy yells coming over, “I just got word from Reynolds that Wyatt’s home has been searched and cleared, no sign of either him or Miss Julia.”
“Alright, I want all property records pulled under Jennings, that includes his old man. Also bring Ray in for questioning, we’ll meet you there.”
“Yes sir.”
The four of us hop in Cooper’s police cruiser and head to the station.
Jesus Julia, hold on baby, please, just hold on.
I awake shivering, my body cold and aching; it feels like someone took a sledge hammer to me, especially my head. I moan trying to bring my hand to my head but can’t.
What the heck?
Then memories flood me, shit, Wyatt. My eyes shoot open and a small whimper escapes when I take in my surroundings. I’m in a cold dark basement laying on a cot. My hands chained to the rod iron headboard. My mouth is gagged, making it hard for me to take in the deep panic breaths that my lungs are desperately trying to inhale. Looking down, I see I’m wearing nothing but my bra and panties.
Oh god!
I try to get a grip on my fear knowing I need to stay calm and find a way out of this, for both mine and my baby’s sake.
Oh please let my baby be okay.
A loud noise has me turning to the right, I instantly regret it when pain radiates through my head. Wyatt is pacing back and forth on his cell, “Come on you bitch. Pick up!”
What I see beyond Wyatt has my panic escalating: candles are lit highlighting an entire wall of pictures of me. He captured me walking around town, in my car, my house. Worst of all, some of me sleeping in my bed. He was in my house while I was sleeping and I never knew.
“Well look who’s awake.”
My gaze snaps to Wyatt’s, his silhouette blurry from the tears that streak down my face. Walking over he sits next to me on the bed and trails a finger from my cheek down between my breasts. Whimpering behind the gag I try to wiggle away from his unwanted touch.
This infuriates him. He back-hands me so hard that my cheek splits on the inside, filling my mouth with blood. Darkness dances in my vision, threatening to take me under again.
“You’ll let that fucking trash touch you, but n
ot me?”
Crying has me trying to take in deep breaths but the stupid gag doesn’t allow me to.
“If I remove your gag, you’re going to be good right? Not that anyone will hear you scream, but it will get on my nerves. And right now Julia, my patience is thin when it comes to you, do you understand?” His voice is soft again contradicting the wild rage that is in his eyes.
“Answer me!” he yells squeezing one of my breasts painfully, making me scream behind the gag.
I nod my head to answer him.
“Good girl.”
When he removes my gag I take lungfuls of sobbing breaths, “Wyatt, please don’t do this.” I know my pleading is probably pointless, but right now that’s all I can think of.
Wyatt cups my face gently, “I hate that it had to come to this Julia, I really do. You have no idea how much this pains me, I’ve loved you for so long…” His crazy words trail off as he gets a faraway look in his eyes.
I decide to try my own crazy: “I know that now. I’m so sorry Wyatt. You were right, we had something special and I should have given us more of a chance.”
He stares down at me, trying to see if I’m being truthful. Whatever he finds isn’t what he was looking for. Fury fills his gaze and his hand tightens on my cheeks painfully. “It’s too late, you let that son of a bitch take you from me. You ruined my reputation with that fucking restraining order. Now you’re both going to pay.”
I cry out in pain as blood begins trailing down my mouth. Wyatt sucks in a sharp breath as his eyes fill with lust. Growling he leans downs and crushes his mouth roughly to mine, forcing his tongue in my mouth. It takes everything in me not to gag from the bile that threatens to choke me.
He pulls back breathing heavily, “Fucking beautiful. We are going to have some long overdue fun Julia. I’m finally going to have you, first though we are going to teach that bastard a lesson for taking you from me.”
Oh no, Jaxson.
‘Ow! Stop it! Get off me you son of a bitch! Kayla! Kayla, wake up!’
Listening to Julia scream and struggle from the 911 recording is almost too much for me to bare. My body shakes with a violent rage the same time my heart clenches in fear.
‘Shut the fuck up you dirty whore!’ Then everything goes silent.
I close my eyes and swallow thickly.
“Mother fucker!” Cade seethes through a clenched jaw.
My chest heaves from trying to control all the violent emotions that threaten to consume me. I’m trying so goddamn hard to push them aside so I can keep a clear head, but fuck is it hard.
Cade, Sawyer and I look back to the two way mirror that looks into the interrogation room where Ray Jennings is being questioned by Cooper.
“I’m tellin’ ya, you’re wrong. There’s no way my son took Miss Julia.” Ray lifts his hand and points his finger at Cooper, “If I were you I would look at Jaxson Reid, Wyatt warned her…”
Cooper cuts him off slamming his fist on the table,” Goddamn it! I have a 911 recording that says Wyatt kidnapped her not Jaxson. You arguing is wasting time that could spare Julia her life. So I am going to ask you again, do you have any idea where he could have taken her? What other properties do you guys own?”
Ray narrows his eyes, “I don’t believe you. I want my lawyer, now!”
“Jesus Christ!” Cooper storms out of the room coming over to join us on the other side.
Then he shouts out the open door, “Wright! What the fuck is taking so long on the list of properties?”
“I should be getting them anytime now sir.”
I rake a hand through my hair frustratedly, “Fuck! We don’t have time for this shit.”
“I’m with Jaxson, maybe we should split up, some of us can at least start patrolling. We can back track from where the accident happened.”
I’m about to agree with Sawyer when my cell starts ringing. Lifting it from my pocket I look at the call display. My heart stops when I see Julia’s number.
“It’s Julia’s number!” I bark out.
Cooper slams the door and I hit the speaker, “Julia baby, you there?”
“Oh she’s here alright.”
My blood runs hot with rage at the sound of Wyatt’s taunting voice. “Where the fuck are you hiding mother fucker?”
“Tsk, tsk, it isn’t very smart Reid to be calling someone names when that person has something that means a whole lot to you.”
“I’m telling you now Jennings, I will find you and if you have hurt any part of her, I will fucking gut you alive and feed you your own insides.”
The son of a bitch laughs, “Oh Jaxson, I plan to hurt her alright. And you are finally going to know what it’s like to have her taken away from you. I’m just deciding though, do I record me fucking her or would you rather I just keep you on the phone so you can listen to her beg.”
I clench my jaw as my rage reaches a whole new level. Cooper cuts in obviously being able to tell I’m about to lose control, “Wyatt, it’s Cooper. It’s not too late to change things around here. Think hard, is it worth losing everything over this?”
Wyatt scoffs, “Of course you’re already with the good sheriff. Sorry about your woman there Sheriff, nothing personal she just happened to be in the way. I’m assuming she’s okay though if you already knew Julia was with me?”
I cut back in ignoring his question, “This is between you and me, it always has been, so leave Julia out of it and we can deal with it one on one.”
Wyatt’s cool facade collapses, “This has everything to do with her you son of a bitch! She was mine and you took her from me, for years you kept her from me!”
“You’re fucking crazy Jennings, Julia has always been mine, and everyone in this town knows it, including you.”
“No! You’re wrong! Tell him you bitch, tell him right now that you were mine, that you are mine!”
I hear shuffling before Julia’s voice comes on the line, “Jaxson?”
Agony rips through my chest when she sobs out my name. “Julia baby, I’m here. Hang in there okay, I’m coming for you.”
Her sobbing fills the line then I hear a loud crack, “Ahhh!” Julia screams in pain.
“Tell him right fucking now!”
“Jaxson,” she whimpers, “I- I love you.” Another crack on the phone has her crying out.
“You fucking whore!”
I growl with violence and punch the wall, feeling my knuckles split open. “Jennings you mother-fucker! I swear to God I’m going…”
“You are going to do nothing because you will never find me! I am finally going to have her. And when I’m done I’m going to leave her handcuffed to this bed naked, which is how I have her now, then I’m going to light the whole place on fire, leaving her to burn to death. I will be long gone when you find nothing but fucking rubble. Have a nice life, you son of a bitch!”
I hear the click but still scream out his name, “Jennings!? Jennings!?” I drop the phone on the table. “Fuck! Fuck!” I punch the two way mirror making it crack. When I look through it at Ray I lose all control.
“Shit! Goddamn it, grab him!”
I escape the arms that reach out for me and in a flash I’m in the room next door. Picking up Ray I slam him down on the table and wrap my hands around his fucking throat, “You start cooperating right now you son of a bitch.”
“Jaxson stop! Come on man you’re going to fucking kill him.”
My rage fuels a strength that makes it impossible for all the arms to rip me off him. I watch Ray’s face turn purple while he tries to pry my hands from around his throat, “If anything happens to her because you didn’t cooperate I will make you watch while I gut your fucking son like a fish.”
Hoping this got through to the arrogant prick I let go, allowing the arms to pull me away from him.
Ray chokes and sputters with his hands around his throat while he tries to breathe, “Are you fucking crazy?”
Cooper walks over and leans down in his face, “We just got a call f
rom your son saying he’s going to kill Julia. She’s fucking pregnant and her life is depending on you. So tell us where the fuck they might be or I will leave Jaxson in this room with you and lock the door on my way out.”
Ray looks over at me nervously then shakes his head, “I have no idea where they are. I swear, I never thought he would do something like this.”
“Properties, give us properties that you own,” Cooper presses.
Before Ray can answer a deputy comes running in, “Sir, Melissa Carmicheal is here saying she has information on Miss Julia’s whereabouts.”
I bolt out the door with everyone close behind me. Melissa stands nervously by the front desk, sporting a black eye. Suspicion rears its ugly head…
Fuck! I should have known!
She backs into the counter looking scared shitless when she sees me storming towards her. She shakes her head, “I’m sorry. We were only supposed to scare her…”
I grab her arms roughly, “What the fuck have you done? Where is she!?”
She starts crying but I feel no sympathy, “Wyatt’s holding her at some fishing cabin that’s 20 minutes from here. He’s expecting me to pick him up in an hour to take him to the airport. His private plane is waiting for him… I swear I didn’t know it would escalate to this.”
“Why would you help him? She never did a goddamn thing to you!”
Anger flashes in her gaze masking some of the fear that was just there, “She took everything from me! From the moment she fucking moved here everyone flocked to her, especially you!”
Jesus, all this over fucking jealousy?
“You make me sick,” I shove her away from me, “If anything happens to her or my baby that she’s carrying I will come back and make you fucking pay.”
She pales, “I didn’t know she was pregnant. We were only supposed to scare her. I didn’t think he would take it this far.”
Cooper cuts in, “Directions now!”
Melissa shakily hands him a paper with directions written on it, “This is what he gave me.”
Coop looks to the deputy, “Take her into custody. And keep Ray here too, don’t allow him any phone calls.”
Fuck! Please let me make it on time.