by LK Shaw
Then, there was Connor. We had reached a new point in our relationship. We loved each other and wanted a future together. But we hadn’t discussed Alex. I hadn’t told Connor yet about wanting to pursue guardianship of Alex. I knew Connor cared about him, and I knew he wanted me to be happy, so I was sure he would agree to it. I just didn’t know if that was something Alex would want.
Everything with Connor had been amazing this past week. I truly believed that last night and this morning had been a turning point for us. I hated that, after all these years, he still had nightmares, but we both thought that the more he embraced his sadism, the more he’d heal.
I had no doubt he would push my limits in order to fulfill his own needs, but I was willing to do whatever it took to make my Dom happy. I wanted to be the sub he needed. And if what he needed was to push my pain threshold in order to prove to himself that pain and pleasure co-existed, then I’d be there for him. If he needed to prove to himself that he wasn’t exactly like that other man, then I’d submit to his demands. Connor could trust in me, and know that I would use my safe word if it became too much. I knew he would find a way to mix pleasure in with the pain.
I had slept half the day and needed to make a quick run to the boutique. I’d been neglecting my store lately, and it didn’t sit well with me. I missed being there. I was just about out the door when my cell phone rang. I almost didn’t answer it, because of the unknown number on the caller ID, but something told me I should.
“Hello.”
“Your broke my fucking nose, you bitch.”
“Who is this?”
“Don’t worry about who I am right now. Just listen to what I’m telling you. If you want to see your son alive again, you will follow my instructions to the letter. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t understand. What have you done with Alex, you piece of shit?”
“Tsk, tsk. I’d watch what you say to me, whore. If you want your son to remain safe, I’d suggest you be a little bit nicer to me. Now, I won’t tell you again. You will follow my explicit instructions, or your son is dead. You will not tell anyone where you’re going, and you’ll come alone. Once you’re in your car, you will shut your phone off. Don’t make me explain this again. Now, do you understand?”
“Yes, yes, I understand. Now, please, tell me where you are.”
I frantically wrote down the directions he gave me. I wished I had a gun. I’d kill this son of a bitch for threatening my son. I had no idea what this psycho wanted from me, but if I lived through this, Connor was going to kill me for what I was about to do. But I had to go. Alex’s life was at risk and nothing would stop me from reaching him. Mama bear had been unleashed and no one would hurt my son.
I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the sharpest knife I could find. I had no idea if I could really kill someone, but I was going there prepared to do what I had to in order to protect Alex. I made a split second decision, because I knew it would be suicide if I didn’t. I had just found my son. I wasn’t ready to die yet.
I hurriedly picked up my phone and hit the speed dial button.
“Hey, lady. What’s going on with you? How’s Connor?”
“Penny, I can’t talk long, but I needed someone to know what was going on. I just received a phone call from a man saying he had Alex. He wants me to meet him at some cabin. It was the same man who broke into my house. I’m heading out there now. I’ve got to go. I love you.”
I heard her scream my name in the background as I disconnected the call. I knew going out there, especially alone, was beyond stupid, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but Alex.
Connor
As I drove home after speaking with Donovan about what our options were regarding Alex, I couldn’t stop my mind from returning to last night. I had never before felt as much myself as I did with Bridget. Embracing my true self had been freeing and cathartic. A weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
I looked down at my phone, which had begun ringing. I wondered what Marcus wanted.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“We have a problem. Bridget just called Penny and said she’d received a call from the same man who broke into her apartment. Connor, he has Alex. And Bridget is going after them.”
“God damn it! Please tell me she didn’t go alone? Did she, I don’t know, happen to mention where the hell she was going?”
“She mentioned a cabin, but that was it. Nothing about where it was. I’m sorry.”
“Of course she didn’t. She couldn’t have made this easy for me. Typical Bridget. Thanks, Marcus. Please let me know if she calls Penny again.” I disconnected the call and immediately called Webber, who answered on the first ring.
“I need your help.”
Webber must have sensed the urgency in my voice, because he didn’t give me any shit about having to come to him for something.
“What’s wrong?”
I explained to him what Marcus had told me. I knew it was a long shot, but I needed him to try and track her phone. I told him to call me back if he could find anything out. In the meantime, I made a detour and headed straight to Malcolm’s house. Just as I reached the house, Webber called me back with exactly what I knew he’d say. Bridget’s phone had been turned off. We were in the dark. I swore to God this woman would be the death of me.
“Webber, you might want to get over here. It looks like Shipman’s had company before me. The door is partially open. I’m heading in.”
“Stay put, Black. I don’t need you contaminating a possible crime scene. I’ll be there shortly.”
“I don’t give a fuck about your crime scene. These are Bridget and Alex’s lives we’re talking about. I need to see if I can find anything in here that will help me locate them quickly. They’re in danger, and I’m not waiting on you.” I hung up without waiting for a response.
Everything inside me told me that Malcolm was behind this. I mentally reviewed everything I had discovered about him. Nothing came to mind about a remote cabin. I needed to find it and soon. I pushed the door until it opened fully. I needed to see if I could find any clues.
Cautiously, I made my way inside. The first room I came to was the living area, where total destruction lay before me. Papers were strewn everywhere, tables turned over, couch cushions slit. Someone had obviously been looking for something. What I didn’t know was whether it had been before or after Bridget went after Alex.
I stepped carefully over the debris on the floor and made my way to other areas of the house, hoping to find something I could use to locate my family. And Bridget and Alex were my family. When nothing in the bedrooms offered any clues, I returned to living room where the majority of ruin was located. I picked up random pieces of paper and examined each of them. When I couldn’t find anything that even looked like it would remotely help, I made a phone call.
Immediately, she picked up.
“Josephine speaking.”
“Josie, I need you to work your magic. And I need you to do it, like, yesterday.”
“No problem, boss, whatcha need?”
“Malcolm Shipman. I know you looked into his bank records for me already, but there must be something you missed. I need to see if he owns some type of cabin. I don’t know where, and I can’t give you any more information than that.”
I actually cringed when I inferred she might have overlooked something. Josie didn’t miss anything.
“I didn’t find anything, sir, but let me take another look. Give me a sec.”
The rat-a-tat sound of fingers on a keyboard echoed loudly in the background. I could see her sitting at her desk, her dual computer screens in front of her, her glasses almost falling off the tip of her nose.
I met Josephine Bishop when she was a fresh-faced teen. She had just started her first year at MIT. She was a computer genius and the daughter of a former client. I hired her immediately after graduation, and it was one of the best career decisions I’d ever made. I never asked where she learned to hack into
organizations whose firewalls and security were state of the art. I’d utilized her hacking skills more than once, and she was one of the best.
“I think I found something, sir. It wasn’t something I would have found if I hadn’t been specifically looking for it. Malcolm Shipman’s paternal grandfather purchased some land about sixty years ago. It’s a small strip, about five acres, approximately forty miles outside of town, halfway up the mountain. The reason why it didn’t show up during my initial review of Malcolm Shipman’s assets is because the property actually belongs to Christopher and Malcolm Shipman’s aunt, Mabel Shipman. It was passed down to her by her father. She never married and had no children. There is a small cabin on the property. No one actually lives there, but it looks like it garners some income as a rental property. It’s situated right on the river and is used as a weekend retreat for fly fisherman. It might be the place you’re looking for. I’ve dug as deep as I can possibly dig, sir.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Josie. I need you to text me the location of the cabin. Also, I need you to get Miles on the phone. Let him know I need him there. I’m on my way to the cabin now.”
I hung up the phone and raced out to my car. If any harm had come to Bridget or Alex, I was going to kill Malcolm.
Bridget
The single-story cabin sat about a hundred feet off the road, partially hidden behind some trees with a view of the mountains behind it. It was bigger and better kept than I expected. There were two steps leading up to the large wrap-around porch where two white, high back rocking chairs sat. A white, wooden swing hung from the porch awning. A small landscaped area graced the border around the porch and was dotted with multi-colored flowers. If I weren’t so afraid for Alex, I could appreciate the gorgeous view in front of me.
The minute I exited my car, I could hear water flowing from a creek or river nearby. I loved coming to the mountains during the fall, but I certainly didn’t want to be here under the current circumstances. I had done as instructed and turned my cell phone off the minute I got in my car. Whoever had Alex was either dumb to assume I’d actually do it or had put an awful lot of faith in the fact that I would follow his instructions. Regardless, I didn’t want to take any chances, so I played by his rules.
I slowly walked toward the house, constantly on the lookout for someone who might jump out of the bushes. With every step, I could feel the small knife shift where it was tucked in my back waistband. I prayed it didn’t fall out or that I didn’t accidentally stab myself. A bead of sweat trickled between my breasts, and I was on the verge of throwing up from nerves and fear.
I hadn’t even reached the steps before the door opened and a man I didn’t recognize stepped out on the porch. He looked only slightly taller than me with short, salt and pepper hair. He was average looking with two black eyes, the colored bruises faded. I’d never seen such hate emanating from someone. There was also a crazed look in his eyes that left me trembling in fear. Crazy people were even more dangerous. This man had the look of someone who had reached the end of his rope. I only prayed he didn’t do anything drastic. People with nothing left to lose did desperate things.
“You followed my instructions, correct?”
I had to clear my throat before I could answer. “Tell me where Alex is. Is he safe? Please, I’m begging you.”
“You aren’t the one asking the questions here, bitch. Now, answer me.”
“Yes, yes, I came alone, and didn’t tell anyone where I was going. My phone is off and in my car. I answered your questions, now please, I need to know if Alex is here and that he’s safe.”
“Get inside, now.”
Needing answers, but not wanting to piss him off too much, I hurried up the steps and into the house, the man following behind me. Once inside, I immediately spotted Alex tied to a chair, hands behind his back and his feet tied to the legs of the chair, a gag in his mouth, and a bruise already forming around his eye. The second he saw me, he screamed behind the gag and struggled to get free of his bindings. I cried out as I raced over to him and pulled the gag off his mouth.
“Alex, honey, are you all right?” Tears clogged by throat as I cupped his cheeks.
“I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I promise, I’m fine.”
Without a thought to the consequences and acting on instinct only, I turned and threw myself at this asshole who had hit my child. I caught him off guard and clipped his jaw, but he recovered quickly. He grabbed my hair and punched me in the face. I fell to the floor from the impact, leaving strands of hair in his grasp.
“You fucking bitch. I should kill you for that. Better yet, I’ll let you watch as I kill the kid over there.”
“No, please, I won’t do it again. I’ll do anything you say, just leave Alex alone.” Blood dripped down my lip and splashed onto the floor. My side was killing me too. I hadn’t fully healed from the last beating this man had given me. And I still didn’t know who he was.
I slowly picked myself up off the floor, warily eyeing him to make sure he wasn’t going to strike again. When he remained where he was, I stepped away and moved over to crouch next to Alex as I wrapped my arm around him. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?” I begged for answers.
“He’s my uncle,” Alex answered for him.
Aghast, I stared. This was Alex’s uncle? The man who’d been abusing him? He hadn’t answered my question about why though. What had prompted this man to kidnap and threaten to kill us?
“Why?” I asked again.
He shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. “I owe a lot of money to some very bad people. Because this little bastard called you, the police started nosing around in my affairs. My access to the money was cut off during the investigation, and the people I owe money to don’t give an extension on payment due. So, unless I pay them what they’re owed, they’re going to kill me. And it’s all your fault. You couldn’t leave well enough alone. You had to sic your musclehead boyfriend on me. Now, you’re both going to pay. First, I’m going to kill you. Then, I’m going to kill your boyfriend. Once you’re both out of the picture, the police will stop bothering me. I’ll be able to pay what I owe, and everything will be okay then.”
He walked over to the kitchen island that butted up against the border of the kitchen and living room, and that was when I saw the gun. He picked it up and tilted it back and forth in his hand before opening the chamber to examine the bullets inside. I felt sick to my stomach.
All I thought to myself was that this couldn’t be happening. I could only stare in shock at this lunatic who thought he could murder two people and get away with it. He clearly had no idea who Connor was. Or the friends he had. They wouldn’t rest until they’d found his killer. Alex’s uncle was crazy. Completely and utterly bat shit crazy.
“Do you really think you’re going to get away with that? Connor is friends with a police detective. If he goes missing, they’re going to investigate. Fingers are going to be pointed at you.” I wasn’t intentionally trying to poke the bear. The bear with the gun. I just couldn’t seem to help myself. I only hoped it wouldn’t lead to my death.
“If I don’t pay, Louie Falcone will kill me. I’d rather take my chances with you than him. I’m guaranteed to be feeding the fishes if Mr. Falcone doesn’t get his money.”
I really wished Connor were here. I hoped and prayed the whole way here that Penny had passed on my message. I didn’t know what kind of skillsets the people working for Connor had, but I imagined they had to be phenomenal at their jobs for him to be as successful as he was. I was putting an awful lot of faith in Connor. But I knew he’d do everything in his power to find us. I just needed to keep Alex and myself alive until then. Inconspicuously, I reached behind me to make sure the knife was still where I’d hidden it. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt it beneath my fingertips. A knife didn’t have a chance against a gun, but it was my only option. I had been scanning the place since I’d sat next to Alex, looking for some type o
f weapon I could use besides my puny knife. I was kicking myself for not spotting the gun sooner. I could have used it to my advantage had I known it was there. But my main focus had been on Alex.
After hearing Malcolm’s plans for me, I knew, without a doubt, that if it came down to him or me, there would be no hesitation on my part. I would defend myself in any way I could, and if I killed him the process, so be it. I tensed when Malcolm started pacing the length of the floor. He didn’t appear to be paying attention to us, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before he made his move.
Connor
The hour or so drive to the Shipmans’ cabin was the longest sixty minutes of my life. By my estimation, Bridget had been there for a couple of hours already. I prayed like I had never prayed before that I made it to the cabin before Malcolm hurt either of them. I was still trying to understand his motive for taking such desperate measures. Considering the amount of money he owed Mr. Falcone, my guess would be fear. Fear was always a motivating factor when people did crazy things.
I knew Miles would be right behind me, so when I finally reached the vicinity of the cabin, I pulled off on the side of the road, left the car there, and began my trek the rest of the way to the cabin. I didn’t want to give away the fact that I was here. After about fifteen minutes of walking, I came across the driveway. I snuck along the drive, staying close to the trees to conceal my arrival as best I could. As soon as I moved around the last tree, I spotted Bridget’s car. I didn’t realize how scared I had been, not knowing whether this was exactly where Bridget had come. I breathed a small sigh of relief.