by Wade, Maddie
He’d held back because he didn’t want her to feel like she owed him for the transplant. When he took their relationship to its natural conclusion, he wanted there no doubt it was about the two of them.
However, earlier tonight when she had walked in, his brain had headed south and he’d decided he was an idiot for holding back and Skye would only move their relationship on if that was what she wanted to do. If the signals he was getting from her tonight were correct and he would bet his house that he was then she wanted him, in a big way.
They walked hand in hand to the car. He could feel the pulse in her wrist jumping around and knew his own heartbeat was going wild. He’d never felt like this about sex. Maybe that was the problem it had been just sex with others. Even his ex-fiancé hadn’t moved him like Skye did. He felt more for her than he’d ever felt for anyone. Wanted to protect her and consume her in equal measure.
They stepped out into the cool clear night and he looked up at the thousands of stars. This was one of the things he loved about this part of the country–you could see the stars. When they reached his car, she turned to him, her eyes filled with lust. He held out his arms, their bodies came together as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Their mouths met in an explosive kiss. It was as if all bets were off tonight, something had changed, and neither one was holding back. He slid his hands into her hair and gripped the back of her head, tilting it slightly, taking control the kiss. He could feel the soft heat of her as she pressed into him. He needed to slow this down or he was going to end up taking her up against the car, and he didn’t want that … this time. This first time together, he wanted to go slow and get to know every inch of her. In a bed.
Nate stepped back, slowing things down, but she didn’t want to be slowed down.
“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked her as he looked into her flushed face. Skye blushed and looked away. He took her chin and making her look up.
“Hey you have nothing to be embarrassed about.” She looked up, then, and the desire he saw in her eyes made Nate feel like the only man in the world. He knew she was nervous earlier, so out of character for her to be forward in any way. She always referred to herself as just a mother and cake maker. That was her life and she loved it. But Nate wanted to make her feel cherished and beautiful and sensual, like a woman should feel. No man in the past seemed to look out for her and treat her like the gift she was. He wanted to be the man that brought out the sensual woman he knew was inside her.
“Let’s get you home,” he said and reached for her soft hand.
The loud ringing of her phone broke them out of their moment. He wished she could ignore it but knew she couldn’t, it might be her young son Noah who was home with a babysitter. Nate knew, Skye was always slightly anxious when she left Noah because of all his health issues. Being the parent of a child with Leukaemia meant that things could change from hour to hour sometimes. Nate respected the hell out of her for the way she coped.
Nate stepped back and handed her her bag, which she had dropped during their fevered kiss. Her phone display said it was home calling and his heart sank. Had Noah taken a turn for the worse?
“Hello.”
“Skye! Oh thank God.”
“Joanne, what’s wrong? Is Noah all right?”
“He’s … he’s gone.”
Skye started to shake, “What do you mean gone?” she asked tremulously. Her hand tightening on the phone in fear.
“Someone took him. He was in bed, asleep, when I checked on him at ten o’clock, but when I went to check him a minute ago he was gone. There was a little card by the bed, though, with a phone number on it.” As Skye felt the world tilt and her vision started to go spotty, she heard Nate shout her name before her entire world went black.
~~~
Nate caught Skye as she fainted to the ground. Gathering her up in his arms, he grabbed the phone she had dropped and raced back inside. He ran to the room where his friends were still partying to celebrate the engagement of their team leader. He placed Skye on one of the cream couches that were set up along the sidewalls of the room, and looked at her ashen face. Her pulse was strong, but she looked so pale. Lucy, Zack, and Lizzie came rushing over followed by the rest of the team, including Colin, Dane, Lucy, and Lizzie’s dad.
“What happened?” said Lizzie, bending down to check on Skye. The two women had become close over the last few months. She looked as worried as he felt.
“She had a call from the babysitter, and the next thing I know, she fainted.” He’d known as soon as she took the call that it was bad news and his gut was screaming that something really bad happened, but she fainted before he could ask her.
He watched her intently, willing her to come round. His pulse started to calm as her eyes started to flutter open. She looked confused for a second to see everyone standing round her. Tears filled her eyes as reality returned and she started to shake. Not knowing what to do, Nate lifted her into his arms and held her small body on his lap as she shook.
“Skye. What’s the matter, what happened?” That made her cry more. He felt her take a deep breath and tried to explain.
“Someone’s taken Noah! It was the babysitter on the phone. She said she went to check on him and he was gone, someone took him!” She sobbed out the last bit. Nate gathered her closer, trying to offer comfort.
“We’ll find him Skye,” he said and looked to Zack, who nodded.
“Yes, we will,” Zack said, instantly taking charge of the situation. Nate was relieved and felt more confident about getting Noah back quickly now that Zack and Fortis were involved.
“Daniel, I know you’re on leave, but can you get every team member back to Fortis now? I want a briefing in 20 minutes. Start looking at CCTV around the area of Skye’s house and start running plates of any vehicles in the area,” Zack checked his watch, “from anywhere from 8pm until just after Skye got the call.” Zack took charge so quickly and proficiently that Nate almost breathed a sigh of relief.
“Yes of course, anything I can do to help.” Daniel knelt down to Skye and Nate. “Nate’s right, Skye we’ll get him back.” She offered him a wobbly nod of her head, and Nate tipped his head in thanks.
“Lucy, put a call into the local police and let them know what’s happened,” Zack ordered.
“What about Dane and Lauren? They’ll want to help.” Lucy said. She looked a bit pale, too thought Nate absently, and he remembered her family had suffered something similar many years before. He would have a word with Zack and make sure that she and Dane would be okay to handle this situation. He was confident they would be, but he hated to see his friends suffer on his account.
“Yes, call and let them know,” Zack said quietly, “It might be good for Skye to have friends around.”
“Skye, I’m going to need you to tell me everything that was said,” Zack stated kindly.
Skye explained haltingly what Joanne had said on the phone. Using the back of her hand to swipe at the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing from red rimmed eyes. She clasped onto Nate with her other hand is if he was her only life line.
“Okay, Zin and Drew,” who had now joined the group from the public bar after hearing the commotion, “you come with me to the house so we can get a look round to get a feel for what happened. Nate, I think you and Skye should come, too. It will be easier for you to notice if something is out of place.”
“Sure,” Nate replied, feeling anything but. He felt helpless, he knew what he should be doing from a hostage rescue situation but his priorities were divided. Did he do his job or support Skye or try and do both. He’d been relieved when Zack had taken over, it meant he could concentrate on Skye right now and be ready when the time came for him to do his part. She looked so fragile. Noah was her world, and if anything happened to him, he couldn’t imagine how she’d cope.
He felt sick at the thought of someone harming him and he wasn’t even his blood. No. He had to have faith that Fortis would get
Noah back–after all they were the best of the best, and he wouldn’t trust anyone more than he trusted these guys.
Nate decided, as they piled into vehicles, he would play it by ear and see how Skye was holding up before deciding his next move. Colin and Lizzie had insisted on coming, but Zack vetoed that idea–he didn’t want civilians walking all over the crime scene and ruining any evidence. Instead, he sent them to Fortis with Daniel and Lucy, they could help from there. This was going to be an all-hands-on-deck case and everyone was determined they would not fail.
~~~
Kanan felt like the dirtiest scum on earth. He’d done some horrible shit in his time, but this was the lowest point in his life. Taking a sick child from his bed and giving him to strangers, for them to do god knew what, was despicable. He rubbed the back of his neck, the other hand clutched on the steering wheel.
Glancing over at the sleeping child he wondered how it had come to this. He had always been a bit of a rule breaker, but he had a code that he wouldn’t break. Innocents and children were not to be harmed, whatever the cause or end result.
That was the one thing he prided himself on, and now he didn’t even have that. Kanan wondered, again, if it was all worth it. Maybe he should just jack it all in and go find himself a beach hut and some local woman. A nice cabana in Hawaii. A willing woman ready to bring him drinks and maybe fuck occasionally. That was what he should do. He could get a boat and do some fishing. Nobody to bother him or screw with him. Yeah, and he’d be bored in a month.
He knew before he finished the thought that he wouldn’t do it, but he definitely needed to get away–take some time and re-evaluate his life.
It was time to get out from under the influence of those rotten, scum bastards at SIS t who insisted he do this. When had the British government become so cold and calculating? Oh yes when the Divine Watchers had got involved with someone at the top of the food chain.
He thought he could do anything, just so he could continue his search for her; the woman who haunted his dreams. But it turned out there were limits and he just reached his. No woman was worth sacrificing his morals for. After this, he would get out and take stock of his life. Maybe it was time to let go of her.
He looked, at the child for what felt like the hundredth time and was surprised to see him awake and calmly watching him. It felt disconcerting to have a child look you in the eye with such confidence and surety. The boy was small for his age, but his eyes held intelligence and wisdom beyond his years.
Somehow the Star Wars pyjamas made him look smaller, more vulnerable. He remembered how he’d loved Star Wars as a kid and had collected every character he could. It was one of the really good memories he had of Zack and Catherine. He forced that thought away though, no sense thinking of those times. They were gone.
“I’m not going to hurt you kid.” Kanan said quietly, so as not to frighten him. However, it was him that was shocked when the child smiled and said.
“I know you’re not, Kanan, I knew you were coming.”
Kanan, who was known as one of the coolest operators ever to grace the halls of SIS, was shaken by the boy’s words and his calm demeanour. How the fuck did this kid know his name?
“What do you mean you knew I was coming, and how do you know my name?” He knew his words had come out more clipped than he intended, but this made no sense at all.
“I dreamt it, of course.” The child laughed as if he was the crazy one. Maybe he was, because this was the strangest conversation he’d ever had.
“I don’t want to go and see my daddy,” said the boy, “I don’t think he is going to be very nice.”
So this was–a family dispute. Well, surely that couldn’t be bad. They wouldn’t want the kid if they were going to hurt him. Why was he taking the kids words at face value all of a sudden? He wouldn’t have a clue where he was going.
He thought about it for a second before dismissing it as some sort of coincidence. Would they hurt the kid if it was his family? No, probably not, but Kanan knew better. He was only trying to justify his own fucked up choices.
“It’ll be fine, kid. Don’t panic. I’m sure he just wants to meet you.”
“No, he doesn’t. He’s only doing it because she made him. She wants to give me that horrible medicine to make me do as I’m told. They’re evil,” he whispered, as if revealing a secret. “They want to kill the world.”
The kid’s words, on top of what he knew about the Divine Watchers, gave him pause. The fact that it was them pulling his strings through MI5 or SIS or whoever the fuck you wanted to call it made him nauseous. This was a giant clusterfuck waiting to happen.
He was having serious doubts about leaving the kid with them. Maybe he could keep an eye on the boy until he was satisfied that they meant him no harm. His hands clenched on the steering wheel, and he worked hard to relax his tense jaw as he thought through his options.
He could drop the kid back home and hope he wasn’t caught by Fortis, or he could carry on and keep an eye on the boy. He thought of his sister and wondered if she was safe. If he dropped the kid home, would Zack honour his promise to keep Celeste safe or would he come after him?
He could try to keep her safe, but if he fucked over the Watchers, he would have zero back-up and would, in fact, put a bigger target on her back. Plus, there was the fact she had no idea he existed. Stick with the plan and keep an eye on the kid.
Yes, that’s what he would do–keep an eye on the boy covertly for a few days. Happy with his decision, he said, “Look, kid, it’ll be fine.”
“Okay Kanan,” said the boy quietly, “I trust you.”
And wasn’t that a kick in the balls?
Chapter Two
Nate pulled into the drive of Skye’s rented bungalow at just gone midnight. She lived in a small cul-de-sac in the rural village of Burghill. It was a small, friendly village where everyone seemed to know everyone. It was the perfect place to raise a child.
The school was within walking distance, there was play park and plenty of open space. They even held a yearly event, called the community games, allowing kids to get involved with sports. Nate had gone with Skye and Noah. Although Noah wasn’t strong enough to join in, he had loved watching his friends. They had done quite a bit in the four months since they had met.That was another reason to love this town. It was full of villages like this.
The property was ablaze with lights and there were already two police cars on the side of the road. He went round the car to open the car door for Skye and help her out. She’d been silent on the way over, as if she didn’t even have the strength to speak. She’d stopped crying, but now her eyes looked vacant. She clutched at her bag like it was life-line.
He’d given her his jacket since she had been shivering in just a thin pashmina thing. He knew it was mostly shock, but he wouldn’t risk her getting sick.
Not knowing what to do to help her, Nate felt powerless. He couldn’t imagine how she was feeling. His heart was breaking for her. He wished he could just make it all go away, but couldn’t, so he vowed to do everything in his power to get Noah back. He just hoped it was enough.
Putting his arm around Skye, he guided her through the front door as Zack, Drew, and Zin pulled in behind them.
A hysterical Joanne and two uniformed officers met them. Joanne threw herself into a shocked Skye’s arms, crying, and it seemed to break Skye out of the fog she was in. The two women sat on the couch with Skye comforting Joanne.
That seemed wrong to Nate. Why was Joanne so hysterical? He got that she was upset but shouldn’t it be the other way around? Nate walked over and shook hands with the two uniformed officers, both of whom he knew from the Jujitsu club he belonged to.
They were good guys and Nate was glad to see them there. He kept a close eye on Skye in case she needed him, and he noticed her eyes kept seeking him out as if to reassure herself he was there. He liked that, he liked it a fucking lot. Even now, in what had to be the worst time in her life, she wanted him. As he
watched her, he couldn’t help admiring her class, her serene beauty and strength. She awed him.
Her skin was still pale and her hands, which lay in her lap, were clasped tightly around a tissue. But her posture was still regal and she still held herself with dignity. She looked across at him then and her eyes held a determination, instead of the vacant fog.
This woman, his woman, was so strong and even in the face of all that was going on, Nate recognised that he would never find anyone like her again. He needed to fix this for her.
~~~
Zack came in and walked over to join Nate and the other officers. They both turned as a tall athletic looking man of about 35yrs came from the back room. He must be the lead detective. He had that exhausted look about him. The man was assessing Zack and Nate with his intelligent pale grey gaze, he seemed to understand that Zack was somehow in charge, and Nate could sense him bristle a bit, and stand taller.
The male detective’s eyes skated over towards Skye, and Nate did not miss the flare of appreciation he saw there before he shut it down and turned towards him. The detective gave the officers an unmistakeable look of hit the road and the officers gave him a chin lift and dispersed into the house.
“I’m Detective English and this is my partner Detective Herbert,” he said turning slightly to indicate his partner. “We will be handling the investigation.” He indicated the tall stunningly beautiful African-American woman beside him. They all shook hands as Nate introduced them.
“I’m Nate Jones, Skye’s man and this is my boss Zack Cunningham and my colleagues Zin Maklakov and Drew Preedy.” It was not lost on the detective what Nate meant by Skye’s man and Nate knew he understood him by his slightly raised eyebrow. He was letting everyone know that she was his and he didn’t care what they made of that.
Zack shook both detective’s hands and Zin just nodded and kept his arms folded across his chest, Drew followed Zin’s lead and settled for a chin lift.
Nate noticed Zack texting someone on his phone and wondered if the team had an update already, Zack would tell them if he did.