I pressed the phone between my shoulder and my ear, having to use both hands to steer my way out of the marina.
“Felix! This is an emergency, Marcus has taken Erica and Jack. He’s got them on Dad’s old yacht. The Intrepid. You’ll recognize it. It’s just outside the marina. Get the cops, the coast guard too. I’m following them now. Make it fast, you hear me, Felix!”
I couldn’t hear any response, the phone was just a dead weight, pressed against my ear. I wasn’t sure if it was a bad connection, or if I simply couldn’t hear him over the roar of the jet ski.
“Fuck, Felix, and don’t let anyone back on the Honeymooners - there’s a bomb on it! Felix! Felix? Can you hear me?”
The phone beeped, shrill in my ear.
I gave up on it. It wasn’t worth slowing down to make sure I had back-up. There was no time to spare waiting around. I needed to get to the Intrepid now.
I put the phone in my pocket.
I was getting close to yacht now. I didn’t have a plan for what I was going to to when I got there. The only thought in my head was seeing Erica and Jack alive again.
And Marcus. I was going to make Marcus pay for this. For too long, I’d let him get away with interfering in my life. Dad loved Marcus, and I let him get away with things because I hated the idea of hurting Dad….But that was going to stop now. He’d gone too far.
I was coming up to the Intrepid fast and steered round to the aft. Marcus was probably going to hear it when I boarded, I was going to lose the element of surprise, but it couldn’t be helped.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion. It was the sound of an earthquake, coming from right behind me! That must be the bomb going off. I didn’t pause to look back. This was a golden opportunity to cover the sound of me boarding the yacht.
I swiftly pulled up my jetski, cut the engine, and leapt on to the yacht. My feet landed on the dry plastic. I took a second to slow my breath. Listening closely for any sign of life, I stalked forward. I knew this yacht well. Dad had bought it ten years ago and the two of us had gone out on it together a few times.
Something moved, in the periphery of my vision. It was a massive plume of black smoke, billowing up from the marina. The explosion had been far bigger than I’d expected.
There was no way that I would have survived that if I’d still been on the yacht.
Marcus had meant to kill me!
And, if he was fine with murder, then what was he planning to do with my family? I had to get to Erica and Jack fast.
There were noises coming from the bridge. It made sense that Marcus would have them up there - he’d need to be in front of the controls to sail the boat.
The noises grew louder and more distinct as I walked along the deck, padding as quietly as I could without slowing down, my sense of dread growing with each step. What was that sound?? It was an inhuman noise, a repetitive wailing sound.
The next wail dragged out, ending in a dry, feminine sob. That was Erica’s voice! What was Marcus doing to her, that she would make those terrible cries?
I ran forward, not caring how much noise I was making as my imagination whirred, filling my mind with images of all the horrific things that Marcus must be doing to Erica to make her cry out like she was in tremendous pain. He was undoubtedly torturing her. He had to be be. A fresh swell of fury roared through my mind.
I burst onto the bridge, running across the room with barely time to understand what was happening. Marcus was sitting in the captain’s chair, nowhere near Erica and Jack. I charged towards Marcus with fury I didn’t know was inside me. My arm drew back as I ran, my fist swinging forward the second Marcus was in range.
My hand crashed into his face, blood splattered out of his nose and I heard something clatter to the floor. Whatever Marcus had dropped was precious to him, because, as he yelled out in pain in frustration, he dived out of his chair, trying to pick it up. I kicked him in the side, sending him rolling. There, on the floor, was a gun!
Marcus had been holding my family hostage at gunpoint! Anger thrummed through my veins, hot rage clouding my vision as I kicked the gun backwards, away from Marcus and behind me.
He got to his feet unsteadily. Blood was seeping from his nose and lip. It looked like he’d lost a tooth as well. It was nowhere near enough.
“Hello, brother,” Marcus said, smiling, so that I could see the rest of his teeth had been stained red with blood. He held out one of his hands, like he was trying to get me to calm down.
Rage overtook me as I rushed him again, knocking him to the floor, punching his face again and again. The anger that had been simmering inside me since I first realized Erica and Jack were missing suddenly erupted, choking me so I couldn’t speak or think beyond my need for vengeance.
Behind me, I could Erica’s voice screaming at me, and then the blaring peel of sirens, but all I cared about was stopping Marcus. He would never threaten my family again.
Underneath me, Marcus’ face was a bloody mess, but I wasn’t ready to stop. I pulled back, ready to punch him again.
Someone grabbed hold of my wrist, holding onto me, stopping me from hitting Marcus. I yanked my arm, trying to get it free. I wasn’t done with Marcus. He needed to know fear and pain, like I had felt! Like my family had felt!
Another arm wrapped around my chest, pulling me backwards, trying to get me away from Marcus. I struggled to get out of their grip, desperate to land another punch, to give him what he deserved.
“Aidan! Aidan, stop!”
I knew that voice. It reached me, touching something deep in my soul, through the haze of my anger.
It was Erica, screaming my name - she needed me, and that was more important than hurting Marcus. I dropped my fist and stopped struggling, letting the arms drag me off Marcus. I panted, clearing my head and then Erica was there in front of me, Jack too.
“It’s over,” she said, putting a hand on my cheek, “The police are here, we’re fine, it’s all over. You’re alive, you’re really alive.”
For a second, I saw the glimmering shine to her eyes. Those were tears. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying. The end of my anger drained away, the tightness in my chest relaxing now I knew that she and Jack were alive and uninjured. Her words slowly made sense to me, my brain finally catching up. She had thought that I’d died in the explosion!
That’s why she had been making those terrible, tortured sobbing noise. I’d had myself so convinced that Erica didn’t love me, but after hearing those cries of grief, I knew that I’d been wrong.
She had never looked more beautiful to me.
And then she threw an arm around me, knocking me backwards. I wanted to hug her back, to reassure her that she was safe now, that I would never let anything hurt her or Jack ever again.
“Let him go,” Erica was saying to the people behind me. I blinked, finally understanding that the police had arrived and they were the ones holding me back so that I wouldn’t hurt Marcus anymore.
The tension left my body, my taut muscles relaxing as I realized it was over: my family were safe. The arms holding me back slowly relaxed their grip too, and I pulled out of their grasp so that I could get hold of my wife and son.
My arms flung around Erica, so that Jack was pinned between us, as I clung to both of them. I was never letting go. This was my family, and I should never have let Marcus get in the way of that before. I wasn’t going to let him do it again. Erica was mine and I was going to do everything I could to make sure she knew that this marriage had never been fake for me. It had never been about the married-heir clause. I married her because I loved her.
I buried my nose in her hair, still reassuring myself that this was real. That really was my Erica, mine for the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
Erica
I stared at my screen, unable to hide my pleased smile. The figures for the quarter looked great! Even though I didn’t go into the office as much anymore, preferring to stay here in Connecticut, I still kept track of
what was happening at IBA. I glanced over at the photo frames that I’d put on the old oak desk in the study. I still kept the photo of Jack from his fourth birthday party in plain sight, but now I kept another one next to it.
In the photo, Aidan and I were standing on the steps of an ancient cathedral in Askovia, with Jack holding up the long train of my wedding dress. I smiled, just like I did every time I looked at that photo, as I remembered our second wedding ceremony.
Our first wedding had been small, and I hadn’t had any say in what I wore, or any of the arrangements. I treasured the memory, because it had brought Aidan back into my life. But we’d both wanted to have a second wedding, a wedding that was purely for us, not for some legal clause, and not with any misunderstandings between us. Our second wedding had been more real, I’d vowed that I would love Aidan forever, and I knew that it was true.
Laughter filtered in through the open window of the study. Jack’s boyish yells of fun mixed with a man’s deeper voice. I peered out, watching the two of them play.
Roderick was sitting in his wheelchair on the lawn, with Jack running about in front of him.
Seeing them together always made me smile. I was so grateful that Jack would grow up knowing his grandpa and having fond memories of their time together. When I first met Roderick, a year ago, his health had been so frail that he’d been completely bedridden. Now all that had changed completely. It was like having Jack in his life had given him a sudden burst of energy that had rejuvenated him.
Roderick said that it was because having Jack in his life made him feel young again. Perhaps there was something to that. All I knew is that they got up to all kinds of mischief together when I had my back turned!
Whatever the real cause of Roderick’s sudden turn towards good health, I knew that Aidan blamed Marcus for the illness in the first place. Roderick had spent years worrying about his step-son. It had been a weight on his shoulders that aged him before his time. A constant strain on his heart.
After Marcus had been arrested in Monte Carlo, he’d been examined by a team of psychologists. They’d told us that he was certifiably insane, not that I needed anyone to tell me that!
Roderick had pleaded with Aidan, asking him not to press charges against Marcus - instead suggesting that he be sent to a mental hospital where he could be watched day and night, and receive the care he needed.
Aidan had agreed, but on the condition that he would never be released from the institution, and that Marcus renounce all claims to IBA.
I try to have pity for Marcus and hope that he gets the help he needs — but it’s tough to forgive him for what he did. I know that Aidan will never forgive him, and doesn’t even try to.
The married-heir clause that started all this, has finally been removed. Aidan had done it himself. Working through the tricky, ancient legal work was his first act after Roderick was strong enough to hand the company over to him, making Aidan President.
I sighed, closing my laptop. Truthfully, I didn’t think about Marcus often these days. Although it had only been a year ago, the whole ordeal felt like a distant memory. So disconnected from my new life.
After Marcus attacked us, and was taken away by the police, still bleeding from the beating Aidan had given him, we went to Monte Carlo, spending the night in a luxury hotel. I barely even remember anything about it, except the vague impression of marble tiles and Doric-style columns - I was so shaken by everything that happened that I just wanted to have Aidan and Jack by my side where I could keep an eye on both of them.
That evening, Aidan had Felix rent us a new yacht — so that we were able to sail out of the marina early the very next morning.
We spent the rest of our honeymoon sailing around the Mediterranean, occasionally docking in places whose names I’d vaguely heard of in movies, but never expected to see in real life: Portofino, Capri.
We stopped one evening in Sardinia, and went ashore, leaving Jack after he went to bed with Felix watching over for him.
I’ll never forgot that evening. Aidan took my hand as we walked along the pier. It was a warm summer night, but there was a cool breeze coming in from the sea. With the sound of the waves in the background, he told me that he loved me, and that he had only left me because he knew Marcus would try and hurt me if we stayed together.
Honestly, I forgave him as soon as he told me that. I knew, first hand, what Marcus was capable of doing…but finding out that every decision he’d made over the past five years had been to protect me, to make sure I’d never come to harm, not matter how much his heart ached for me. It broke my heart.
As alone as I’d felt, he was somewhere in the world feeling the same way. I understand now that, in a way, neither of us were ever really alone. We loved each other too much and that would never change.
Thank you for reading!
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- V
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Her Mountain Prince Excerpt
Blurb
Available Now!
She doesn’t belong on my mountain, but she does belong to me.
Prince Gabriel
Revenge was my only concern…until she barged into my life.
A real woman, with real curves. Real curves that I need to make mine.
My plans to claim the throne of Askovia might have to wait until I’m through claiming her.
Being a Prince means I’m used to getting what I want. And I want Ruby.
Ruby
I had to get away from my old life. My a**hole boss. My pathetic ex-boyfriend.
I thought a small town would be a good place to start a new life.
I didn’t think that new life would include a real life Prince!
Now he says he’s going to claim me for himself.
Honestly…that doesn’t sound so bad…
Warning - This book is completely over-the-top! Filled with tons of smutty goodness, a growly alpha prince, insta-everything and a lovely HEA. ENJOY!
This is a standalone, novella length book (~25k words) and, of course, it’s safe, no cheating and HEA guaranteed!
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1
Ruby
I looked up from the ledger as the bar door swung open and one of the regulars walked in. He was the first customer of the evening. For a second, with the door open, the sunlight shone in, lighting up the usually darkened bar and illuminating the dirt and grime of the place. I winced.
It didn’t seem to matter how hard I scrubbed, the Corral Bar just never looked clean. The owner had told me not to bother - Buddy thought that none of his customers cared about how dirty the place was. Personally, I’d rather work in a clean bar.
I nodded at Jackson as he took a seat at the far end of the bar. Like most of the regulars at the Corral, Jackson wasn’t here for any conversation. He just wanted a quiet corner to sit and drink. I put down my pen and fetched his beer. I’d been working here for three months now, not long really, but that was more than enough time to learn the drink orders of every regular that came in.
When I left New York, I had no idea where I was going to go. I’d simply fled. I left everything behind, especially everything that had happened on that last, terrible day. I was too upset and distraught to even think of a destination. I just got on the first bus out of there, leaving everything behind and letting the thrum of the bus engine numb me.
I’d stayed like t
hat, huddled in my seat for hours, feeling so angry, as the bus drove through the night, taking me away from all my problems.
After a few hours, my red-hot anger faded into a deep sadness. It was a good thing that the bus had been half-empty, it meant no-one saw me when I burst into tears. I had been able to cry with a degree of privacy. The other passengers leaving New York had looked just as miserable as I did anyway. I’m not even sure they noticed me.
In any case, no-one had stopped to ask why I was crying; even if someone had seen me, everyone was too wrapped up in their own problems to ask about mine. I guess that’s just life in New York.
Finally, after I’d cried myself out of all my tears, I had fallen asleep, sitting upright on my bus seat. Exhausted.
I don’t even know how long I slept. But when I awoke, after hours of traveling, I felt like I had a weight lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I was free of all the things that had been weighing me down, that I’d escaped. I was free of the job I’d just quit, and my shitty boss, and free from the ex-boyfriend that I never wanted to see again.
The next day, when the bus stopped for gas in a small town, I found, without too much surprise, that the joint bank account that I shared with my ex had been emptied. He had wiped it clean.
I guess that’s just the kind of man he was.
I stared at the ATM screen, feeling like such an idiot. Jake had always had a mean streak in him. After all the other ways that he’d betrayed my trust, this really shouldn’t have been a surprise, but somehow it still hurt.
I should have been devastated about the joint bank account. We both put money into that account, saving up for the life that we were planning together.
I should have thought about taking my money out as soon as it was over between us. It was so stupid of me.
But then I’d been stupid about a lot of things when it came to my old life.
Things hadn’t been great between Jake and I for a while. Still, I would never have expected for things to end the way they did. I’d come home from work early. Finding him, like that, was the biggest shock of my life. Compared to that, an emptied bank account was just the shitty frosting on top of a shit cupcake.
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