Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection

by Crowne, K. C.

Cassie,

  I’m sorry to have to do this, but I have the opportunity to make everything right. You and Owen will be safe again. Please, stay with my brothers and Teddy. Let them keep you safe since I can’t. I trust them. I just want you and Owen to have a long, happy life. And I’m willing to do anything to make it so.

  I love you,

  Jack.

  Tears pooled in my eyes and fell. My hands shook so badly, I nearly dropped the letter. I managed to get to my feet and stumbled to the door. I rushed into the living room and found all the men awake. Everyone except Graham, who was nowhere to be found.

  “Jack left,” I croaked.

  “We know,” Samuel said, his voice soft. He stood up and walked over to me. “Graham followed him; we’ll get him back.”

  “Graham went alone? Why?”

  “He said we needed to be here,” Samuel said. “And he’s right. We don’t know what’s coming.”

  “But you let Jack leave?” My voice was high pitched. “With just Graham? He’s injured and what if—” I was frantic now, my entire body shaking. I couldn’t finish. Samuel took my shoulders, helping me stay on my feet.

  Breathe, Cassie, I told myself. You need to breathe.

  “We have to protect you and the children first,” Samuel explained. “Mason said Graham’s injuries weren’t that bad, and he’ll be fine. Jack will be fine too.”

  “I don’t—”

  A sound came from the bedroom. The sound of glass shattering. Before I even had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Samuel moved past me toward the door. Elijah was behind him. Mason walked to me, taking my arm. I yanked my arm free just as the other men rushed into the room.

  I followed them, Mason right after me. “Cassie, wait!”

  But I was already in the room. A man in a black mask was holding my son. The glass door of the patio was broken, shards of glass everywhere. I didn’t have time to contemplate how he managed to get all the way up there on the fourth floor. All I could think about was that he had my son.

  “Don’t shoot,” Samuel called out. “You might hit the baby.”

  The man had a gun, pointed at my little boy. I couldn’t breathe; it felt like all the air had been pulled from my lungs. I couldn’t catch my breath or think clearly. My knees felt like they were made of jelly.

  “No, please!” I cried out. I somehow moved toward them, though I don’t remember my feet moving. “Give me my son back. Please.” I sobbed, begging and pleading.

  The man walked backward onto the patio. Samuel was closest to him. “Just put the kid down,” Samuel said. “We’ll cooperate, just let the baby go.”

  They had their guns pointed at him. He had nowhere to go. Samuel walked slowly toward him. The masked man did the unthinkable next. He climbed over the patio railing and fell forward. I screamed so loud, falling to my knees as I watched the man fall with my son, imagining an imminent death for both of them.

  The men rushed toward the patio, and the sounds of their voices sounded like they were so far away. Everything felt far away. Too far away.

  “They’re on the third floor,” Mason said. “Let’s go.”

  “Third floor?” I croaked.

  “Stay with her,” Samuel barked to Elijah.

  Madison and Teddy were in the hallway. Zoey was safely tucked into her father’s arms. Our eyes met, and Madison rushed to me, wrapping her arms around me, holding me close.

  “They’re going to find them,” Madison said. “They’re gonna get Owen back.”

  Elijah had remained with me, standing by the patio door.

  “How? What happened?” I asked him, tears streaming down my face. “How are they still alive?”

  His rough face softened when he looked at me. “They managed to enter through the floor below us, and he fashioned a rope to your patio and pulled himself up. When he jumped, he landed on the third floor, on his feet, and ran inside.”

  “So there’s hope my little boy is alive?”

  “He was alive when they landed, yes.”

  That brought some relief, but the idea that a strange man had my son still filled me with dread. I kept talking to myself - Samuel and Mason would find him. They would get down to the third floor and get my son back.

  They had to.

  I couldn’t live without my little boy.

  First Jack, now Owen.

  Without them, my world would be empty and dark.

  My heart already felt like someone had punched a hole right through it.

  We waited for an eternity for Samuel and Mason, and when they stepped through that door, they were empty-handed.

  “They were gone by the time we got down there,” Samuel said, his voice defeated.

  I wailed in pain, and Madison wrapped her arms tighter around me, pulling me to her chest. She stroked my hair and let me cry on her shoulder.

  I could vaguely hear the conversation in the background.

  “The residents of 301 are dead,” Samuel said, trying to speak low. “Whoever planned this knew exactly what they were doing. They did follow us, managed to find a layout of the place, everything. I knew they were good, but I would never have imagined they’d be this good.”

  “I shouldn’t have left him. Not even for a second,” I sobbed.

  “You couldn’t have known, sweetie,” Madison said. “No one could have guessed they could get in like this. No one.”

  The men around me wouldn’t even look at me. I knew it wasn’t their fault - but they were supposed to be the experts.

  “We need to get you out of here,” Samuel said.

  “What about my son? We have to find Owen.”

  “We’re gonna find him, but we need to get you, Madison, and Zoey to safety. We can’t let them take anymore hostages.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without my son,” I croaked. I glanced at Teddy, holding little Zoey, and my heart broke for her. I couldn’t put her at risk either. “Get Madison and Zoey to safety, but I’m not hiding. I’m going to find my son.”

  My voice came out stronger than I expected. There was still fight inside me. As long as Owen was still alive, I wouldn’t give up on him. I pulled myself to my feet and wiped the tears from my eyes. I felt broken on the inside, like a part of me was missing - but I would find Owen or die trying.

  Jack

  Graham had to make a pitstop to use the bathroom. He ran inside the public rest stop and left me in the truck. I was surrounded by truckers and families on vacation. I kept an eye out for any suspicious vehicles, but thankfully, I saw none. Graham had purposefully drove around in a way to lose anyone who might be following us, but I was still on guard as was he.

  His phone was in the center console, and it rang. I thought about answering it for him but didn’t get to it in time. They left a voicemail. I figured if it was important, they’d call right back. Graham hopped back into the truck and tossed a Coke and some potato chips my way.

  “Breakfast of champions,” he joked.

  “Hey, it’s better than nothing. Thanks, man.” Graham started the engine, and I remembered his phone. “You got a call while you were in there. Went to voicemail.”

  He picked up his phone from the center console and said, “It’s from Mason.” He clicked the button to listen to the voicemail, and his face blanched as his eyes cut towards me.

  “What is it?”

  He didn’t answer me. He pressed another button on the phone and said, “I’m calling them back now.”

  “What did the voicemail say?”

  “Mason, it’s me. What’s going on there?”

  I tried to hear Mason’s side but could only get bits and pieces. Not enough information to know what was going on, but from the look on Graham’s face, it wasn’t good. He listened intently for a few moments.

  “You’re right. Get out of there. Get everyone to safety, and we’ll meet up and formulate a plan.”

  Again, I asked, “What happened?”

  “I need to talk to Jack, Mason. I need to tell him wh
at’s going on. Keep me in the loop,” Graham said. He hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh. He ran his hand over his face. I swear I saw tears in his eyes.

  “They—they got Owen,” Graham said.

  My heart stopped. It felt like the entire world crumbled around me. “No, no, you said they were safe.”

  “Apparently, someone managed to climb up to the fourth-floor balcony and broke in.” He looked at me. “I’m really sorry Jack.”

  “No, no, no.” I clenched my eyes shut; my jaw was tight and firm. My fists balled in my lap. I wanted to punch something, anything. But it wouldn’t bring my son back.

  “You should call Cassie. She’s not doing well,” Graham said. “She could really use your voice right now, Jack.”

  I nodded. Pull yourself together, Jack. If you think you’re hurting, imagine what she’s going through. Imagine the pain and heartache she must be feeling.

  “We’re going to get him back,” Graham said.

  I scowled at him, my rage burning. “You also said you’d protect them.”

  “I know, man. I know,” he said, sorrow in his tone. “But we won’t fuck up again.”

  He handed me his phone. I dialed Cassie’s number, and she picked up on the second ring.

  “Graham?” I could hear the tears in her voice, and it broke me. Nothing had ever broken me than the way her voice sounded at that moment.

  “No, it’s me,” I said, my voice barely coming out at all.

  “Jack? Oh Jack—” Now she was sobbing. Full out sobbing. “Are you okay? You’re with Graham. You must be safe, right?”

  “I’m safe,” I said. I knew this wasn’t the end of anything, as I’d hoped. It was only the beginning, and things were even worse than before.

  “Jack, Owen…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

  “I know, Graham spoke to Mason,” I said. I took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before adding, “But I promise you, we will get him back. I will do anything to get him back, Cassie. Anything. They want me, not Owen. I just need to make sure to give them what they want.”

  I couldn’t even look at Graham. Maybe they would have gone after Owen regardless, but I doubted it. If they’d gotten me, Owen would be safe right now. Graham was trying to save me, but his heroics could have cost us our son, and it would take a very long time for me to forgive him.

  Graham had started driving. I had no idea where we were headed, or what our next moves would be. All I knew was that no matter what, I would get Owen back.

  There was no other option.

  I knew that if I didn’t, it would kill Cassie. And it would kill me too.

  “Stay safe, Cassie. I need to talk to Graham to figure out the next steps, but I love you. I need you to stay safe while we try to figure this out.”

  I heard a gasp on the other end of the line. “I love you too, Jack. Let’s get our baby boy back.”

  We hung up the phone, and I turned to Graham. “What are we doing to get Owen back?”

  “We’re going to wait for Hank to call. Because he will call. He will have demands. He’s not gonna kill a baby - it would do no good. He’ll use the child as leverage to get to you. Once we hear from him, we’ll figure out a plan to get him back.”

  “What if he doesn’t call?”

  “He will call, Jack. You and I are too dangerous to him. He’ll call, trust me.”

  It made sense, it really did. But I didn’t like leaving the ball in Hank’s court. I wanted to be proactive, to do something – to rush in and save my son as quickly as possible.

  But Graham was right. We had no idea where to look.

  “What are we gonna do while we wait?” I asked.

  “Cassie and the others are being moved. Once I know where they’re headed, we’ll meet up with them. Safety in numbers.”

  “I’m not worried about what happens to me,” I muttered.

  “I know, Jack. But there are people who do care what happens to you. We’re gonna get everyone out of this alive.”

  The phone in my pocket buzzed, and Graham looked at me. We both had a good idea who would be calling. The number was blocked, of course, which was all the answer I needed.

  I answered it, putting him on speakerphone so Graham could hear him as well. Before I said anything, Hank’s voice came through the other end of the line. “Things are about to get real here, Jack. Really fast.”

  “Let the baby go,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let him go, and then we can talk. He did nothing - I’m the one you want.”

  “Yes, you are, but you continue to fuck this up, and now it’s gonna take more than just handing yourself over to protect your family.”

  “What do you want? I’ll do anything.”

  “It’s not just about you anymore,” he mused. “Others know about me. Others are involved. They need to be taken care of as well.”

  I looked at Graham. He kept his eyes on the road, but he was listening. He didn’t react to Hank’s request. His face remained stone cold and unflinching.

  “You want both of us?”

  “Not just the two of you, no. All five of you. You’re all too close, and I obviously can’t trust you,” he said, sounding satisfied. “So, until everyone is out of the picture, I can’t let the boy go.”

  Graham responded before I could. “We’ll be there. Give us a time and a place, and we’ll be there.”

  I was speechless. Graham had just offered up himself and all of his brothers in order to save my son. I knew he was one cocky son of a bitch. He seemed to think no matter what, we would come out ahead. But there were no guarantees. None whatsoever.

  “I’ll call back with more details soon,” Hank said.

  “Wait!” I exclaimed. “I need to see him. I need to know he’s okay before we agree to anything.”

  “I’ll send a video as soon as we get off the phone.”

  The line went dead.

  I held the phone in my hand, waiting for the message. I needed to see Owen. I needed to know my son was still alive, and that he wasn’t hurt. A few minutes later, I got the notification. I opened the video and instantly, a lump formed in my throat.

  Owen was in what appeared to be a bed. He was awake, fussing. His cries ripped a hole in my heart. He was so tiny and fragile, and likely so scared. He had no idea what was happening to him. I choked up as a voice off-screen said, “Is that enough proof for you, Jack?”

  He was alive and unharmed. And I would do anything to make sure he stayed that way.

  Cassie

  As soon as the hotel door opened and Jack entered, I ran to him. He wrapped those strong arms around me and held me close. Our lips met, and I wasn’t sure if it was only my tears or his mixed with mine. I was shaking, but thankfully he was there to hold me up, to keep me on my feet.

  “Have you heard anything?” I choked out.

  “We did. He called. We’re still waiting on more information, but we’ll formulate a plan once we know where to go,” Jack said quietly.

  He rested his forehead against mine and stared into my eyes. “What does he want?” I asked. My heart hadn’t stopped aching since Owen was taken. It had only been a few hours, but it felt like years had passed. I felt like I had missed so much of my son’s life, and I wasn’t about to miss anymore.

  “We’ll talk about that with the others,” Jack said, and I knew it wasn’t good news. “But for now, just let me hold you.”

  I rested my head against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat and breath calming me slightly. Jack was here. He was alive. And I trusted him to bring back our son.

  “Owen’s alive,” Jack said, relieving some my deepest fears. “He sent a video to verify.”

  I pulled back. “I need to see it.”

  Jack nodded and reached for his phone. He pulled up the video, and I covered my mouth to stifle the sobs as I watched my sweet boy fussing. He was surrounded by strangers, men who had no idea how to care for a baby - who probably couldn’t care less whether he lived or died.
He was still so little, so he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He wouldn’t be able to remember any of it, but the fact that he was scared broke my heart even more.

  “He’s alive,” Jack reminded me. “He’s gonna be okay.”

  I nodded again, wiping the tears from my eyes. He was scared, but we would get him out of this.

  Graham and the guys were talking in hushed tones. I turned toward them, wanting to know more about the plan. How were they going to get my son back? No, scratch that. How were we going to get my son back? Because I wasn’t going to sit back and put all my trust in others. I was going to be part of this.

  Teddy had joined the group, talking in whispers.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, raising my voice loud enough for them to hear me. “I need to know what we’re doing.”

  Graham glanced at me, pain in his eyes. He felt terrible. I could see it in his face. But feeling bad about this wasn’t good enough for me. We needed to act, and we needed to act fast.

  Graham and Jack shared a look.

  “I’m going to be part of this,” I said. “So, I need to know what’s going on.”

  Jack took my hands in his, giving them a firm squeeze. I turned to him, staring into his eyes. “They want me and the other guys to turn ourselves over,” he said. “Then, they’ll release Owen.”

  My knees felt like jelly. “You’re going to hand yourself over to him again, Jack? There has to be a better way—”

  Jack placed his fingers against my lips. “The guys and I are working on a plan. If it goes well, everyone will make it out alive.”

  “And if it doesn’t?”

  No one answered my question. They didn’t have a chance to.

  Jack’s phone rang, and the sound cut through the silence, nearly deafening us all.

  “It’s go time,” Jack said, answering the call.

  I stepped closer to him, holding onto his arm as a man’s voice came through over the speakerphone. “I will send you coordinates in a few moments, Jack. I want you and the four other men to be there. This is your last chance to make this right.”

  Jack looked at Graham and spoke. “Who will get Owen and make sure he’s safe? I won’t agree to anything until we have a plan in place for him to get to safety.”