by Lane Hart
"I don't know," I breathe, putting my hands over my stomach, finally turning around to meet his gaze. "I don't know in what fucking universe they thought we would be able to take care of that little boy."
His brown eyes bore into mine. He hands me the cigarette, encouraging me to take a hit too. Just one will calm my nerves; I tell myself as he continues speaking.
"We loved them, we knew them better than anyone, and we love Jacob. We'll do what we have to do because neither one of us wants to see him go to the state, not when he has fucking family that loves him."
I never expected words of wisdom to come from his lips, but everything he says makes sense. If we have to do this, we'll do it and like it for Jacob.
"You're right, let's go back in there."
He puts his arm around my neck, guiding me back into the office. "Do we need to sign something?" he asks as soon as we step back in.
"You'll appear before the court tomorrow, and they'll assign custody. I'll take care of all of that," Bella tells us, standing up from the desk.
"Do we get to see him before then?" Hawk asks. "The only thing I want to do is make sure he's okay."
"A social worker is on her way over with him," Jane informs us.
"There are some other things we need to talk about. There's a little bit of money in an annuity that we can cash in that will help with some of the bills, and there was a small life insurance policy on Dominic. We'll need the death certificate before we can start doing anything about getting that money, but it's something we'll get started on. The club is here for anything you need," Bella tells us as we wait.
There seems to be nothing else to say as we wait in silence for the social worker to show up with Jacob. We all hear the car pull up and Hawk stands, running out of the office. Before the social worker can even get the driver's side door open, Hawk's opened the back door and picked Jacob up out of his car seat. The image of him holding Jacob close will forever be ingrained in my mind, as I stand on the sidewalk, holding my arms around my middle, trying to keep my emotions in check.
This morning I was a single woman. This afternoon I'm in the process of becoming a family of three, and the truth is I have no idea how we're going to hold this together…
Find out how Hawk & Banner hold it together in their full-length novel Sacrifice coming 2019!
Click here to be notified!
Also By Laramie Briscoe
Heaven Hill Series
Meant To Be
Out of Darkness
Losing Control
Worth The Battle
Dirty Little Secret
Second Chance Love
Rough Patch
Beginning of Forever
Home Free
Shield My Heart
A Heaven Hill Christmas
Heaven Hill Generations (Spin-off Series)
Hurricane
Wild
Fury (2019)
Rockin’ Country Series
Only The Beginning
One Day at a Time
The Price of Love
Full Circle
Hard to Love
Reaper’s Girl
Stand Alone
Sketch
Sass
Trick
Moonshine Task Force Series
Renegade
Tank
Havoc
Ace
Menace
Cruise
Road to Kaytlyn
Marissa Dobson
eBooks cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.
Road to Kaytlyn
Copyright ©2018, Marissa Dobson
Edited by Brynna Curry
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously and are not to be constructed as real. Any resemblance to actual person—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
www.marissadosbon.com
To my husband. Thank you for all your support.
To my readers for everything. Without you I wouldn’t be on this journey.
Introduction
It takes a kidnapping to bring two separated lovers together, but can they survive the journey through Hell?
After spending three years in prison, Jax Easton has two things on his mind: the woman he left behind and revenge. He never expected a kidnapping would bring them back together and put them on the same path—a path to a freedom.
Kaytlyn Esposito has lived under her father’s thumb all her life, playing the dutiful daughter and pawn more times than she can remember. But when he sells her to save himself that’s where she draws the line. It’s time to remove his hold on her and to move on with her life.
Torn apart by Jax’s need to save her, can they come together again and find something that makes everything worth fighting for? Their journey through Hell will be hot but love must find a way to prevail.
Chapter One
The wintery night was made worse by the winds coming off Lake Erie, sending freshly fallen snow through the air and a chill straight through Kaytlyn. This wasn’t where she was supposed to be, dressed in nothing more than a little black dress and rope bidding digging into her wrists. She was supposed to be miles away in Detroit stuck in yet another so-called business event, trying to play her part as the dutiful daughter.
Dutiful daughter, that’s what got me into this. A fresh wave of anger rushed through her giving her the strength to stand a little straighter. She wasn’t some naïve school girl, she could find a way out of this if she kept her head.
“Ahh, there she is.” A heavyset man looked her over before nodding to the man beside her, still gripping her arm.
Unlike the man holding her, this man’s English was nearly perfect, only a trace of his accent lingered. Though she suspected he worked harder to blend in. In his line of work, little things such as a strong Mexican accent would have marked him in someone’s memory. Things like that could link them back to a crime.
“You did well, Jorge.” He spoke again pulling her from her thoughts. “Not a scratch on her. She’ll fetch a good price.”
“You have no idea the hell you’ve brought upon you and your men.” Refusing to back down she met his gaze. “When my father finds out”
“Jorge told me you’re quite the handful, but he didn’t tell me you were senseless.” He shook his head. “Your father knows. Who do you think offered you up on a serving platter to us? He even took care of your bodyguard so we didn’t have to bother with him.”
“Papa would never.”
“He would and he did, but believe whatever you must to get through the days ahead of you. The longer you keep your spark the longer you’ll stay alive. We enjoy when it takes longer to break a woman’s spirit.” His smirk sent chills along her spine still she kept her gaze locked on him. “I’m Pedro, we met briefly years ago, but I doubt you remember me.”
“I couldn’t forget a pig like you.” The words barely left her lips before his backhand met her skin. Blood formed in her mouth, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d hurt her.
Play it smart and you can survive. Let your smart comments get the best of you and it will only lead to pain. Jax’s words flashed through her thoughts until the embers of rage burned brighter.
“Take her inside. She’s worth nothing to me if she catches her death.” He stepped aside on the deck giving them a straight shot into the house behind him. “Place her in the cell in my room. I think I’ll have some fun with her before she’s up on the block.”
Even as comments rolled through her thoughts, she forced herself to keep her mouth shut. Be smart, think this through, take into account every exit, every weapon you can use, and every threat. Jax’s words haunted her again but she couldn’t let anger from another situation seep into this. A mistake like that could be deadly and Jax wasn’t worth it. Not after all this time. Not after all he did to her, to her family.
Chapter Two
Three years in prison had left Jax Easton with one mission now that he was free—revenge. For the past three years, he had fantasized about this, putting together plans in mind for his retaliation. It wouldn’t replace the years that had been snatched away from him, but it would ensure Ale Esposito would never do it again to someone else. Esposito deserved to have the things he cherished the most stripped away from him, before Jax finally ended the man’s pitiful existence.
The first prize Jax set his sights on was Kaytlyn—Ale’s beautiful daughter. Ale’s most prized possession. Because to him, Kaytlyn was nothing more than an extension of himself. Her dreams and desires for the future meant nothing to Esposito. She was a catalyst for him to use to fulfill his own ambitions.
From their first interaction, Kaytlyn had gotten under his skin. The sweetness that radiated from her was almost enough to bring on a toothache. She didn’t belong in her father’s cold dark world, yet there she was surviving. The long days of prison had often been filled with thoughts of her. He wondered what she was doing. How she was surviving alongside her father, and more importantly, did she believe he was responsible for the crime that sent him to prison? That last question haunted him daily. He wanted to reach out to her, but even if it wouldn’t violate the terms of his agreement with Esposito, what could he say? Nearly everyone in prison claimed to be innocent. He wasn’t entirely innocent, but he wasn’t guilty either, at least not of this crime. As much as he hated the in-between, he was in a gray area.
All for Kaytlyn. That’s how this started and part of him knew that was how this was going to end.
“Son of a bitch!” He growled to himself as he stood hidden at the edge of the tree line. Revenge, that’s what tonight is about. He was supposed to be kidnapping the bastard’s daughter not rescuing her. Kaytlyn had been a knife in his side since he laid eyes on her, now here she was screwing his plans over again.
Even though he knew she wasn’t here by choice, it seemed as though fate had decided once again to screw him over where it came to her. Not tonight. He’d get what he came for no matter the cost. All he had to do was get her out of there and his plans would be back on track. Easier said than done. Still, he’d never been one to give up because the challenges ahead were too steep to overcome. He’d go out fighting if the gates of Hell opened and called him home.
He scanned the lakefront home, taking in each entryway, as he searched for anyone on Pedro’s payroll. While it was a tasteful home, it was on the small side compared to what he would have expected from Pedro who had always preferred flashy things. Tonight, small worked, it would make things easier. A large home would have meant the possibility of too many employees. From what he could gather, it was just Pedro and the man who’d delivered Kaytlyn. Still, he had to be sure before he could make his move. Sliding his gun out of the waistband of his jeans, he neared the house, staying in the shadows. He’d find her and get them both out before anyone grew suspicious. In and out. Jax felt the adrenaline back like a familiar friend from days long ago when this used to be his life. Only now it wasn’t as welcomed. Kaytlyn was at risk and that wasn’t anything he’d ever wanted.
You were supposed to be kept safe, Kaytlyn. That was the promise, that was why I did the things I did. It was always for you.
Chapter Three
The cell Kaytlyn found herself in was nothing more than a very small, dark closet. Her shoulders brushed against the walls and it was barely deep enough for the empty hanger to span across before hitting the back of the closet. She never thought of herself as claustrophobic before, but this tight space made her rethink that. It was too tight for her to sit, leaving her standing in her high heel boots staring at the door.
“Think damn it, think. There must be a way out.” She knew Pedro. Maybe not him personally but she knew about him and his hobbies. He sold women. Sometime as personal playthings for some rich jerk, other times the women were sold to truly evil people. The police have investigated Pedro before for sex trafficking, but nothing came from it. He kept himself isolated, letting others take the fall for him. Still she knew what he built his empire on. She’d seen first-hand what one such man had done to his prize. I can’t end up like that. She’d rather die than be left at the hands of anyone. Anyone besides papa, for I’m already at his mercy. I was born there and will die there. That is my life, I’ve accepted that, but I won’t accept this.
The top of her head brushed against a hanger as if calling to her. She snatched it off the bar by as her fingers slid over the cheap plastic. It wouldn’t give her much of a weapon, but it was better than nothing. “It would have been too easy for him to have the old fashion metal ones. A weapon and a knife to cut through these ropes.” Still she clung to the cheap plastic as if it was going to save her life.
Break it. Jax’s voice inside her head urged her, as she readjusted her hold. If should could break it at an angle, leaving a sharp jagged edge, it might give her what she needed. All she had to do was get a good hit in and go for Jorge’s gun. She could do this, more to the point, she had to do this if she wanted to keep Pedro’s hands off her.
A noise caught her attention, it was almost as if there was someone breathing on the other side of the door. She hadn’t heard anyone approach and even though it could have been just her imagination playing tricks on her she wrapped her fingers tighter around the hanger as she brought it up. If you have your keys in your hand go for the eyes and bring your knee up. A solid knee to the nuts will bring any man down, no matter his size.
Metal clicked as the key in the door turned, unlocking. Taking a deep breath, she watched as the door inched open, and prepared to make her move. Thrusting herself forward, bringing the hanger straight toward where she estimated Pedro’s face should be, she fought against the blood rushing in her ears to hear if Jorge was coming. Fingers wrapped around her wrists as she brought up her knee.
“Tesoro, don’t even.” Still he turned, giving her his hip and denying access to his crotch.
Her knee brushed against his hip barely making contact as her eyes grew wide. The voice turned her mouth dry while stealing the air from her lungs. Only one person used that nickname. Tesoro. It can’t be. The face was different, so different, and so familiar all at once. Yet it couldn’t be. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her as she fought to handle the terror of what was coming.
“Tesoro.” The softness of his voice had her glancing up at him. Even as she took him in, she expected reality to sink back in and find herself looking at Pedro instead.
“You can’t be here. This isn’t real.” Shifting her wrist and forcing the tight ropes to dig into her sensitive flesh she pinched the back of her hand, half expecting to wake up from the daydream and find herself still in the closet, or worse, standing in front of Pedro. “I’m hallucinating.”
“Shh Tesoro, they’ll hear you.” Cool metal brushed along the inside of her palm seconds before the rope dropped away. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“You can’t be here.” She reached out and touched the curve of his cheek. Feeling the cool skin under her touch she pulled back. Hallucinations aren’t something you can touch, they weren’t real, yet she felt him as if he was standing before her. “You’re dead.”
“I’m very much alive.” Taking hold of her wrist he brought her hand to rest over his heart, as if feeling the beating beneath her fingers would somehow convince her all this was real.
“He said you were dead.” She glanced past him, looking around the room, looking for her purse. “Where’s my purse? I have your obituary.”
&nbs
p; “We don’t have time for this. You have to trust that I’m alive and I’m here to protect you.” With the gun still in one hand he held out the knife he’d used to cut the ropes. “Take it, just in case. You remember how I taught you to use it?”
“I remember.” She remembered too much. His words had plagued her since this nightmare began. It was as if her mind had conjured him from memories. She needed him, so he was there just like he always said he’d be.
As he stepped away from her to check the hallway, images of her prom night filled her vision, sending her further into the past.
“My black knight.” She whispered as her date hurried back inside the grand hotel, glancing back over his shoulder to ensure Jax didn’t follow. “You knew I needed you and here you are.”
“I’m no knight.” He opened the passenger door. “Get in, I’m taking you home.”
She spared one last look at the boy before turning back to the man that held her heart. “You’re my knight. I’m not sure what would have happened here tonight if you hadn’t showed up.”
“I do. I overheard that punk bragging.” His fingers tightened on the doorframe until his knuckles turned white. “Damn it, Tesoro, after everything I taught you how could you not look at that punk and know he was up to no good? What if I had not been here tonight? If your father had sent me out tonight, I wouldn’t have been here. Then what? You can’t just skip out on your bodyguard and not expect bad things to happen.”
Standing on the other side of the door she watched him without getting in. Everyone around them disappeared, only he existed in that moment. The anger pouring off him didn’t frighten her. She knew what he was capable of just as she knew he’d never harm her. Even with the impenetrable outer shell he kept firmly in place she could see something softer hidden deep inside. Sometimes it was the way he looked at her, other times it was in a conversation they shared when no one else was around. There was more to him than met the eye. Maybe that was why she agreed to his training, even though she doubted she’d need to defend herself with the guards papa always had surrounding her.