The Jaxon Effect
Page 29
Grayson nodded. He looked very frightened and it broke Kate's heart. “Hey, do you want to play a game?” she asked him. She was desperate to do anything to get his mind off what was happening to them.
“No,” he said, “I want my dad.”
“I know sweetie, so do I.”
Jade peered out the window as Kenny retrieved a drill and another set of chains out of the trunk. Straining her neck as far as she could, she kept her sights on him and she soon noted there was another car parked beside them; a black Sedan.
“Maybe we can get away from him after all,” Jade whispered realizing Kenny planned on switching cars.
“How are we going to do that?” Kate asked, tugging on the chain that held her in place so tightly she found it hard to breathe.
“I don't know exactly how,” Jade answered with the smallest of hope in her voice. “He's going to change cars and he’ll have to unchain us; maybe we can do it then.”
“No,” Kate said firmly then whispered in Jade’s ear. “We can’t do anything to piss him off until Grayson is safe. We can’t give Kenny any reason to renege on his promise to let him go.”
“You're right I know,” Jade sighed in frustration. “I hadn't thought of that.”
As nightfall finally came, Kenny was thrilled, filled with anticipation regarding his plans. Soon he would have Kate right where he wanted her, and she would pay for everything she did.
They were parked just around the corner from their final destination and he was determined that he would have Kate’s mouth around his manhood before too long. The only way he could trust that she would do her very best to please him, and not do something stupid like bite him, was to keep the boy around. If he was going to die tonight he was going to go out with a smile on his face. He turned off the engine as he coasted into the garage.
“We are at my house,” Jade whispered to Kate.
“Give the girl a cookie,” Kenny mocked. “Of course we are at our house.” He drew out the word ‘our’ as if she could have ever forgotten they shared that house together once. “I thought it would be fitting to end it where it all began.”
Jaxon was freaking out. Not only were the police and all six of his men out there looking for Kate, Grayson and Jade but he had hired another dozen men.
“Jaxon! Royce just called. He’s checked both Kate’s and Jade’s house and there is no sign of them.”
“Fuck!” Jaxon yelled. “Tell them to keep looking, damn it. If anything happens to my family I will blame you all personally. You were supposed to protect them!”
Maxwell nodded sharply. “We won’t stop looking.”
Jaxon waited until Maxwell was out of sight before he slumped into a chair and began to weep. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so torn; with the exception of the day his parents had died. He blamed Maxwell and his men but deep down Jaxon knew it was entirely his fault. He never should have left his family to go to Madrid. He never should have allowed Grayson to live with him until the danger was over.
Suddenly, Steven barged into the room. “Maxwell just told me what’s going on,” he exclaimed. “I think I might know where they are.”
Jaxon jumped from his chair. “Where?”
“Jade’s house.”
The wind was knocked out of his sails. “No, Maxwell said Royce checked out Jade’s and Kate’s places just an hour ago and no one was at either.”
“I was there earlier today, taking care of Jade’s lawn and something seemed off. I wasn't sure what it was but then it dawned on me. The porch light was on. It wasn't on the day before but earlier today it was on. I'm sure of it. I think we should check it out.”
The house was dark and Kate could barely see as Kenny ushered them all up the stairs. The only light in the house was what came through the window, from the streetlight on the corner. Kenny pushed them all into the bedroom; the same room where Kate found Jade almost bleeding to death the night he tried to murder her. Chills ran up her spine.
She heard the strike of a match and the strong stench of sulphur invaded her senses as Kenny lit a candle and placed it on the dresser. It was still too dark to see the blood stains on the floor but Kate knew they were there. Jade was shaking uncontrollably; the memories of what Kenny had done to her were likely flashing in her mind.
“It’s going to be okay Jade,” Kate whispered. She was still bound tightly so she could not offer Jade any physical comfort, words of assurance was all she had. “When are you going to let Grayson go?" The only thing Kate’s mind now was to get Grayson as far away from danger as she could.
Kenny approached Kate, cupping her face with his hand and she wanted to hurl. “You need to have patience,” he said as he stroked her lip with the pad of his thumb. It took all of her strength not to bite his thumb off.
“Kenny stop!” Jade cried out desperately. “It’s me you want. It's me you hate. Let them both go and I will give you anything. Do anything you want with me, but just let them go.”
“Oh no Jade, sorry baby,” he said, wagging his finger at her as if he was scolding a child. “What I want right now, only Kate can give me.” His voice eerily changed to something dark and far more menacing. “So shut the fuck up and get in that closet.”
“Kenny please,” Jade pleaded. “Let’s talk about this.”
Kenny picked up a knife from the dresser and held it to Kate’s neck.
Okay, okay,” Jade said in a shaken whisper. “I'm going."
“Good,” he said. “Take the brat with you.”
Jade nudged at Grayson as she was still bound and shuffled them both into the closet. Keeping the knife against Kate’s neck, Kenny pulled her with him toward the closet door. He kicked it shut.
“Alone finally,” he whispered in her ear. His voice was so calm, so demented. “I need you to listen to me closely and if you do, the boy will remain alive. Do you understand me?”
Kate nodded.
“What? I didn’t hear you. I said do you understand me?”
“Yes!” she hissed. “I understand.”
“Good girl.” His repulsive hot breath was on her neck. “I’m going to remove your restraints and you will get on your knees. Got it?”
“Yes.” It took all of her strength not to cry. She refused to give him that satisfaction.
“One false move and I’ll gut you and the boy like a pig. Do I make myself clear?”
Kate was barely able to answer him. She was too afraid. She was sure she was going to die and, what was worse, she was beginning to realize Kenny had no intentions of ever letting Grayson go. She was going have to discover a weakness in Kenny’s control, and then she would be the one doing the gutting.
Outside Jade’s house, Jaxon and Steven took a good look around. Steven was right – the front light was on. Steven peered through the window of the garage finding a black car.
“He is here,” he whispered. “There is a car in the garage that wasn’t here earlier.”
Steven reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. Jade had given it to him so he could pick up some things for her while Kate was in Chicago and she was in the hospital. He slipped the key in the lock and quietly opened the door. Both men moved into the house silently, they heard voices coming from upstairs.
It took all Jaxon’s effort not to run up the stairs and kill Kenny with his bare hands. He had to keep his head clear. He had no idea what the situation was like up there so he wanted to make sure no one was going to get hurt, except Kenny.
Kate closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath. She had to focus on two things – one was not getting sick and two was figuring out a way to get the knife from Kenny. She could hear the sound of the metal teeth coming apart as Kenny pulled down his zipper. It was as grating as nails on a chalk board and just then she heard something else. A faint creaking sound came from outside the room. Someone was out there and they were coming up the stairs but Kenny didn’t seem to notice. She had to keep him distracted.
“I need some water. My mouth is dr
y. You haven’t given us anything to eat or drink all day and if you want this to be good then I need some water.”
He waved the tip of the knife inches from her face. “If you think I am going to leave you alone in this room you have another thing coming, bitch.”
“No, of course not. You can follow me into the bathroom and I’ll get a quick drink and then I can do whatever you want. We can do it in the bathroom even. My mouth is just very dry.”
Kenny thought about it for a minute. “Fine, this had better be fucking good or your death will be painful, you understand?”
“Yes, Kenny, I promise. You’re going to love it.”
“Okay get up, let’s go.”
Kate scanned the hall and stairwell, looking for something she could use as a weapon in the event she had the opportunity to get away. She didn’t find anything. She prayed what she heard earlier was in fact real and she wasn’t imagining things. Someone was going to save them. They entered the small bathroom and she turned on the water at the sink.
“Hurry,” he snapped.
“I am just waiting for it to get cold.” Kenny huffed but didn’t say anything more.
Kate spotted Jaxon in the mirror. He was hiding behind the shower curtain. He was there. They were going be saved. Trembling, Kate filled her glass with water—really hot water. She put the glass to her lips and in a swift motion she threw the water in Kenny’s face. He ground out a curse as he lurched forward with the knife in his hand. Kate could see a knife was coming at her. She instinctively covered her stomach the best she could and tried to move away from him, but she wasn’t fast enough; her legs gave out and the last thing she heard – before blackness took her—was Jaxon calling her name.
Kate opened her eyes. Her face was pressed into Jaxon's chest. She loved his delicious scent and his warmth made her feel safe. He was carrying her. But then he was putting her down.
“No, don’t let me go”, she uttered with barely a whisper. “Jaxon.”
“Shhh,” he said tenderly into her ear. “It’s okay, baby. The paramedics just want to check you out.”
His face was grim but she could see a hint of a smile begin to appear. “What happened?” she asked, confused. “Why does my head hurt?”
“Try not to move,” he urged tenderly. “You fell and hit your head.”
Kate put her hand to her face. It hurt. “Ouch.” She realized that her hand was bandaged and blood was seeping through the gauze.
“Be careful,” he said reaching for her hand. “You were hit with the knife and you broke your nose in the fall.”
The last thing she remembered was Kenny coming at her with a knife. The baby? Did he hurt the baby? She brought her hand to her belly. She didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary, no injuries. She was able to save her baby. She had to tell Jaxon about the baby. If only she didn’t feel so tired, she could tell Jaxon about the baby.
“You slipped on the water you threw at him and fell back just as the knife cut you.”
“Grayson and Jade are they okay?” she asked now trying desperately to sit up.
“They are,” he assured her, making her lie down again. “I know you risked your life to save Grayson's. I owe you everything Kate.”
“I'm so tired,” she whispered.
“Sleep baby, I will be here when you wake up.”
“Baby,” she mumbled and then drifted off to blackness.
Coming Soon
Book Two: The Jaxon Effect- Complications and Compromises
Table of Contents
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Dedication
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26