by K E Osborn
The world starts spinning and I can’t control the motion. I’m rotating out of control and my balance is off. I stumble on the spot as my body flames red hot and tears fall from my eyes so fast I can’t actually see.
“Where is she?” I yell so loud Mason winces.
“I…I don’t know. I don’t fucking know,” he answers and hunches over placing his hands on his knees. His breathing so fast, he’s hyperventilating just like me.
“Mason, has someone stolen our baby?” I’m trying to wrap my head around this hell.
He winces and nods. “I think so.”
“Oh my God,” I murmur through a sob and collapse to the floor as my knees give way.
I scream at the top of my lungs as pain rips through my chest so painfully I don’t know if I can ever be repaired from this agony.
Mason pulls out his phone as he sits on the floor next to me and wraps his arm around me. It doesn’t comfort me at all as I rock back and forth. I vaguely hear him talking to someone, but I can’t make out words through my incessant sobbing.
My baby has been taken.
She’s missing, and God knows where she is.
I have no idea what to do, where to turn.
So I stay on the floor in a mess as Mason comforts me. I have no idea how long I’m on the floor in the hallway at my front door for, but the voice of Hunter soon catches my attention. I remove my hands from my face and look up through my wet lashes to see Hunter rushing to me. He sits down next to me and wraps his arms around me tightly.
“Jesus Christ Amber, don’t worry. I’m going to have everyone I know out searching for our girl. We will find her. I promise.”
I look into his eyes and they’re watering. It only makes me feel worse. “Hunt, what if whoever took her is hurting her? I couldn’t stand if they—”
“Hey, don’t think about that. We’ll get her back, won’t we Mase?”
I look up at Mase, who’s pale and sweating. He looks like he wants to be sick, and he’s continually pacing the floor.
“Yeah. We need to call the police right, Hunt?” he asks and I nod.
Hunter pulls out his phone just as a message comes through on Mason’s phone. Hunter dials the emergency number as Mason looks at his phone and he gasps.
“What? What is it?” Hunter asks stopping what he’s doing to see what Mason is reacting to.
Mason turns an even paler shade of white and his knees buckle. The crunch of his knee bones hitting the marble makes me cringe as he falls to the floor and starts sobbing into his hands. My chest tightens and I feel like I want to heave as Hunter takes the phone from Mason and brings it over for us to look at. It’s a message from Mason’s father with a picture of Charli. My heart thrashes in my chest.
“Oh God, Charli.”
Hunter scrolls down and it says:
Dad: We have your daughter.
A sense of relief washes over me. She’s with Mason’s family. That’s okay. Sure they’re not the best people, but at least she wasn’t taken by someone we don’t know.
“Mason, why did your family take Charli?” I ask wiping my tear soaked cheeks.
“I have no idea, but it can’t be good. Give me my phone. I’ll call Dad.”
Hunter hands Mase his phone, he still looks terrified. I think he knows more about the story, but he isn’t letting on. It scares me.
He dials the number and I want to know what’s happening. “Put it on speaker.”
He nods and presses the speaker button. The ringing sound echoes through the hall of my house as my heart thrashes and I feel it in my throat. I just want to know why they felt the need to take my baby.
“Mason.” A raspy male voice answers, it sends a chill down my spine straight away at his tone.
“Dad, why do you have my daughter?” Mason asks.
“The family took Charlotte because she can’t be involved in the rock star life. We saw in the paper that you were arrested for drugs, and we assume the mother was there slutting herself around. Who knows who was looking after my grandbaby. We only want what’s best for Charlotte, and being in that environment is not what’s best.”
I tense up and curl my lip in disgust. “I wasn’t even at the party. Charli was asleep in a different hotel room with me, you prick. Don’t go judging what you don’t know—”
“Amber,” Mason berates looking at me opening his eyes wide and pursing his lips like he’s telling me to shut the fuck up.
“Even so, Charlotte is far too important to be around that lifestyle. She’s a Hughes. She will need to carry on the family name, and tradition is our legacy seeing as our son won’t. Son, you forfeited your role in the family business. Therefore, your daughter takes your place.”
My stomach twists on itself and I gasp as my heart lurches into my throat. “Charli will never be a mob boss’s lackey. You have to give her back right now or we will call the police,” I scream. Hunter caresses my shoulder as I look at Mase who slumps and looks down at the floor with drooping eyes and a frown so big it may very well fall off his face.
“Who do you think is in their pockets? Who do you think they’re going to take the side of…hmm? Some drug-fucked rock stars or the well-groomed business family?”
“Everyone knows you’re so far into crime it’s not funny. So the police will definitely give Charli back to us.”
Mason’s dad’s bitter laugh echoes down through the phone prickling the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. I look at Mase and he’s visibly shaking.
“The police are on our payroll, sweetie. They do what we tell them. We can make you disappear—”
“Dad you’re being ridiculous, and if you ever want to see me again, you’re going about it the wrong way.”
I glance at Mase and nod letting him know I’m glad he’s finally talking.
“Charlotte is ours, and the only way to get her back is for you to come and join the family again Mason.”
My body goes rigid as I look at Mase, any colour he has gotten back now leaves his body again, and he’s as white as a sheet. His body slumps against the wall.
“You have three hours to decide.” The beeping sound of the hang-up tone seers through my ears making me want to puke. My bottom lip trembles at the thought of losing Mason, but I can’t see a way out of this to get my Charli back.
“I have to do it,” Mase says.
Hunter shakes his head and scoffs. “This is crazy,” he says running his hands through his hair.
“Well, maybe you can say you’re going to, and then we get Charli back you leave again?”
Mase shakes his head standing up and starts to pace the hall. “It’s not that simple. And even if I do go back, they’re probably going to make Charli stay anyway. The only thing we can do is go in with the pretence of me going back, and for Amber to sneak in and take Charli from right under their grasp. Charli can’t make a sound, so it has to be someone she recognises. It’s dangerous and I probably won’t make it out alive, but we need to get Charli out. She can’t grow up in that lifestyle. It’s why I got out.”
My entire body jolts with the force of the shock of his words. I hunch over and start to cry at the thought of losing Mase and Charli. Hunter rubs my back, but it’s not soothing at all.
“It’s too risky for Amber to go in to get Charli alone,” Hunter says.
“What if Brax comes as well?” I ask and my chest tightens at the thought of Brax. I haven’t seen him in so long and I need him right now. I need his support, and I need him to help me get my daughter back.
“No.” Hunter glares at me.
“Yes!” Mason quips excitedly. “I need someone there who will watch out for Amber and Charli, and get them the hell out of there, Hunter. Brax could do that, he would protect them both with his life. You know that,” Mase says and even I know he’s making sense.
“Godammit! Fine.”
I grab Mase’s phone and quickly dial Brax’s number.
Brax holds me tightly for what definitely does not f
eel like long enough. But we don’t have time to catch up and reminisce on how we’ve been over the last two months. I have to admit even in my weak and miserable state, the moment I locked eyes with him again after so long apart, the air was knocked from my lungs and my knees felt unsteady. Lucky Hunter was holding me. Otherwise, I might have fallen over.
“It will be okay, baby. I promise. We’ll get her back.” Brax’s deep voice wafts through my soul and soothes me slightly as he caresses my back. Feeling his touch against my skin is like a feeling of home, and I wish we were meeting again under different circumstances so we could enjoy the moment.
“Okay, we need to discuss how we’re going to go about this. Let’s sit down and talk this through. We really need to nut it out before we go in all guns-a-blazing.” Mase is quiet when he speaks, but there’s an edge to his voice like he knows we’re in deep shit, and he might be living his last moments on this earth. That doesn’t sit well with me at all!
Walking through to sit at the dining table, Clara puts on a pot of coffee as Brax pulls out my chair for me. The wood scraping against the marble jolts my senses and my muscles clench at the irritating disquiet. Sitting down in the comfortable high backed chairs, it does nothing to ease my thoughts.
“Okay, here’s how I think it should go down. I’ll go inside and tell Dad that I’m back in the family business as of now. I’ll ask him to hand over Charli to Amber. Brax will get them both out to safety. Hunter you’ll need to distract my dad somehow while I leave, and then Hunter you’ll make your exit. Hoping it all runs smoothly, we will all get out of that place without anyone getting hurt.” Mase nods his head and looks at Brax as if to see if he thinks what he’s just discussed is a good idea.
Brax nods and Mase exhales and nods again like he’s psyching himself up for this. I hate how scared he is of his own family.
“Brax your only goal is to get the girls out safely. You don’t stop for anything, okay?” Hunter demands making me look at him and furrow my brows.
“What’s that mean?” I ask.
“It means if things go south and Mase and I get into trouble, then Brax is to look after you and Charli—”
“Wait! What? You’re going to be in danger now too?” My eyes open wide and my breathing becomes short and shallow.
Losing Hunter is not an option.
No way.
No how!
“I’m the distraction. If they figure that out…it could be dangerous. Amber—”
“Then no! You are not going. I can’t lose you, Hunter. You’re the only family I have left. I can’t lose you,” I blubber out as Brax wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. I cling on to his shirt and his cologne acts as an instant relaxant. He gently strokes my hair and kisses my head.
“Shhh, it will be okay. We’re all getting out, baby. All of us,” Brax says and I look up at his beautiful face. I’m too emotional and need comfort, so I lean up and press my lips to his. He hesitates but kisses me slowly. It’s not an open mouth, tongues dancing wildly, making out, kind of kiss, just an I need to feel you, lips locking kind of kiss, and it soothes me just enough.
I pull back slightly and look at Hunter, his eyes are drooping and his lips pursed like he’s disappointed in me, but I don’t care. He has to get used to the fact that Brax and I are an item, and we’re working on being together as much as he hates it. Glancing over at Mase, he half smiles at me. I return the smile and it lifts my spirits slightly knowing that Mase is starting to let go.
“Right, I’m going to call Dad. Tell him I’m coming, and you’re all coming with me to pick up Charli.”
My heart is pounding furiously in my chest as the four of us approach the abandoned warehouse. The flakes of red paint peeling from the rusted metal sheeting makes me think of congealed blood, and that thought isn’t soothing my emotional state. I wish the steady thumping and whooshing in my ears from my blood pumping so fast would vanish. That mixed with the sound of the gravel crunching under our feet as we walk toward the open barn door is disconcerting to say the least. We’re trying so hard to be quiet that in the silence, every tiny noise is deafening.
Brax is walking a step in front of me. I’m holding onto his hand tightly and walking right up against his back. I have no idea what Mase’s family are going to be like when we get in there, but what I do know is that we’re all on edge. Hunter is next to me, and Mase is next to Hunter as we enter through the large opening. The warehouse is enormous and I glance around searching for a clue of some kind, but there’s nothing. The foul odor of cigar smoke permeates the air and I turn my nose up in disgust.
They better not be smoking around Charli!
The silence is deafening, only the faint noise of four rushed and harsh breaths can be heard. Looking ahead is a doorway with clear Venetian blinds. I can’t see into the room behind them, but my guess it’s where we need to be. Suddenly, the cries of Charli pierce through me making my body scream to run to her. We all stop walking and my body reacts before I do.
“Charli!” I scream and let go of Brax bolting past him, and running with every ounce of strength I have in me toward the next room.
I need to get to my girl.
“Amber!”
“Amber, stop!”
“Amber, fucking hell.”
Three voices all meld into one as they call out to me, but I blank them out as I race for my daughter, all thoughts locked on getting to her. My heart’s pounding so hard I think it might burst right out of my chest. I’m just about to reach the Venetian blinds when strong arms wrap tightly around my body encasing me completely. I lean back into them and squirm trying to break free.
“No, I need to get to Charli. Let me go—”
“Amber, stop! Stick to the plan,” Brax’s deep voice washes over me as he whispers in my ear. I wish it would soothe me, I wish it would calm me, but instead I turn in his arms and look at him, my breathing so rapid but I can’t get any air in. Charli’s distress is all I can hear, and right now, I know I need to stick to the plan, but I need to know she’s all right. This is a whole new level of torture. Brax grabs either side of my face and forces me to look at him.
“Amber, breathe. In through your nose…out through your mouth. Charli is okay. It’s normal crying, she’s not being hurt. I promise. Just control your breathing. Breathe with me. Look at me…in and out, in and out…” Brax’s relaxing technique is actually working as I stutter in my breaths in and out slowly, trying to come back to a functioning level. “That’s it, it’s okay. You’re okay. Focus on me.”
I look at Brax and into his bright green eyes. They’re focused right on me, and I see nothing but love and devotion coming right back from them. I’m not sure what that means for us yet. But I can’t think of that right now.
“Good. Okay? You with me?” he asks.
I nod and he leans in and gently kisses my lips then he pulls back and looks at Mase, who’s breathing hard and fast like he’s trying not to panic. I’m sure he wouldn’t want Brax bringing him down from a panic attack.
“Okay, once we go through we stick to the plan. Okay, Amber?” Mase asks and I nod and look at Hunter, he smiles at me and I rush forward hugging him tightly.
“Get Charli and get out. No matter what. Okay?” He furrows his brows at me and his face is tight.
Nodding, we all take in a deep clarifying breath. “Let’s go.” Mase pulls back the blinds and walks through. Brax follows taking my hand, and Hunter and I walk in, and there’s Mase’s mum and dad standing over by a table, and in Mase’s mother’s arms is Charli. I tense up and my bottom lip trembles looking at her.
Looking around the room, I check it out to look for other exits. There’s another door at the back, and that seems to be about it. Only two ways out. We walk up closer, no one is saying anything and suddenly Mase’s dad pulls his hand up and in it is the most terrifying sight.
A gun.
We all freeze and Brax steps in front of me as I bite my bottom lip and look at Charli,
who’s still crying. Mase takes a step forward and I tense up watching him as his dad points the gun directly at him. I can’t hold back a gasp as my hand rushes to my mouth in shock.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced, Amber. I’m Tony and this is Francesca, my wife. Nice to meet your acquaintance.”
“Dad, give Charli to Amber…now!”
Tony curls his lip up and shakes his head. “Not until you swear your allegiance to the family.”
Mase looks back at me and I furrow my brows hating this whole situation.
“I pledge to surrender myself undoubtedly to the prodigy of the Hughes name. I swear my allegiance to the family. I am indebted to you, my father.”
Tony nods, and then looks at me and tilts his head toward Charli. I gulp and take a step out from behind Brax toward her, and then Tony moves the gun and points it at me. Then I hear the click of him unlocking the safety on the gun, and it sends an immediate wave of nausea right through my system. I stop and turn to see the gun pointing right at my head.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Mase calls out.
“There’s no way I’m letting this child go,” Tony sneers pulling the sliding chamber back on the top of the Glock locking the bullets into place. The clunk of the metal sliding against itself is enough to make the dead shiver with a frigid cold. I take a deep breath and tense my entire body as Brax steps up in front of me guarding me entirely. I grab onto his arms and he holds me behind him.
“Stay there.”
“We’ve got a tough one, hey?” Tony chides grinning evilly as he waves his Glock at Brax and me. “I’ll just shoot right through you boy to get to her.”
Before I have a second to think, the deafening sound of gunfire pierces through the warehouse, Brax lets go of me and lungs toward Tony. I scream closing my eyes and my body goes rigid, hearing a groan, my eyes can’t remain closed any longer. I look up and watch Brax tackle Tony to the ground. Hunter runs up to them as the gun is flung to the floor and slides across the room. Gasping as I watch Francesca run with Charli, Mase takes off after her. All while I stay frozen to the spot in fear.