by H. Q. Frost
"Ma'am," the officer says.
"My daughter!" I shriek and break down in tears.
I've feared this moment my entire life as a mother, and now that it's happened, I hate myself for letting Callum back into my life. Do I tell the police I have an idea of who stole my child? Her father. Or do I keep my mouth shut about that because I don't want her to get hurt? And if the Carbons find out I told, there's no telling what they'll do.
After three hours of searching around the area where she disappeared, I sit in the police station. They tell me people are still out there looking for her but I wasn't much of a help anymore. I couldn't pull myself off the ground after so long. My mom is at my side and my sister just got here; she was still out there looking.
"I have to go to the bathroom," I tell them in a hoarse voice after hours of screaming.
Walking into the stall, I lean against the wall and break down. With a trembling hand I dial Kip's phone number and get immediate voicemail.
"Please, Kip. It's Poppy. If you know anything, I'm begging you." I hang up and stare at my phone, remembering Lol called me right before I lost her. I dial his number and get voicemail. "Lol," I cry. "Please call me as soon as you can." Exhaling heavily, everything hurts.
If I had Callum's phone number I would call him. Lifting my chin, I walk to the sink and wipe away the black streaks of makeup. There's no help for me at this point. I've been crying for hours and my face is swollen and red. I look like a crazy person. My brown hair is disheveled and matted in weird spots because it started to snow, but I couldn't give up. For almost an hour I searched that area, not once thinking a Carbon did this, but when it hit, I broke down. The odds of this being a random incident is not likely.
I know what my options are. I have to fly there. I don't think there's an eight hundred number to call and ask for the Duke of Covington's phone number. The only thing keeping my head on my shoulders right now is the fact Callum wouldn’t hurt her.
"Am I needed anymore?" I ask the investigator I was assigned.
"No, but where are you going?"
"Home," I state. "Unless I'm needed here, I want to be at home."
"That's perfectly fine. Except, Ms. Reif." His hand lands on my shoulder. "I don't want you out there looking for her."
"Don't tell me what to do with our lives. Please just do your job."
"Magdelena," my mom scolds me.
"I understand you're upset but we don't need something happening to you. When we get your daughter back, she'll need her mom."
"I'm only going home," I tiredly tell him.
"If you hear from your ex-boyfriend, please contact me because we've yet to be able to locate him."
I nod and look away. Same story, detective.
"Come to my house," my mom says as we walk to Mary's car.
"I have to go home first," I tell them. The only emotion I'm feeling right now is empty. "Drop me at home then I'll meet you guys there."
"We'll just wait for you," Mary says.
"No. It's fine. I want to pack up some stuff. I'll just meet you back at Mom's."
"They'll find her, honey," my mom says, a waver to her voice.
I'll find her.
"I know," I mutter, staring out the window.
"She'll be home soon," she whispers and my heart breaks because I can only imagine what they're feeling right now. I have it figured out, but they don't have a clue.
"I'll go in with you," Mary says.
"Please just get Mom home," I calmly tell her. "I'm going to pack up some stuff. I plan on staying there until this is over."
"What if it's Kip, Mag?" Her lip quivers. "I don't want you alone right now."
"I have my phone." I show her. "I'll be right behind you. I just want a minute alone. I've been surrounded for the past five hours and I just need a minute. I want to go into my little girl's room and cry, then pack her things because she's coming home soon. I know she is."
Mary wraps her arms around me and I hug her back just as tight. Pulling away, she wipes her steadily falling tears. "Call me when you're heading to Mom's."
I nod and jog up the stairs. I will call Mary when I'm on the way to the airport because I won't put them through thinking something happened to me as well. I'll have to tell her the truth, and that'll be much easier over the phone while I'm on my way to retrieve my daughter.
I lean against the front door and stomp my foot. "Fuck!" I scream, breaking down into tears as I drop to my knees.
As I writhe on the floor in tears, hands grab me and gently pull me to my feet. His smell is the first thing I notice and I throw my arms around Callum until I realize what I'm doing.
"You motherfucker!" I attack him until he restrains me. "Where is she?" I shriek, trying to break free of his hold. "Where the fuck is she!"
"I'm sorry, My Pleasure," he says, much stronger than I am. A cloth covers my mouth and I scream until I can't stop my eyes from rolling back.
A powerful scent jolts me awake and I start to cough. When I inhale to try and get a breath, the stench of ammonia hits me in the face and my eyes water. I start to choke but I'm suddenly alert.
"Are you okay?" Callum asks.
"What the fuck was that?" I rub at my nose.
"An ammonia inhalant. Are you okay?"
"Fuck you, Callum, where is she?" I continue blinking through the uncontrollable watering of my eyes.
"Get yourself cleaned up, Magdelena. We have a flight to board."
"Callum, don't fuck with me right now. You took her. Where is she?"
"Clean your face." He hands me wipes and I'm clearly not going to get answers until I start moving.
I stay by his side because he has a grip on my arm, and if I alert someone there's a chance I won't see my daughter again.
"Is she alive?" I quietly ask while he leads me to our gate. "Please just tell me she's okay."
"She's fine."
"Where's your private jet?" I glance around, just now realizing we had normal tickets and had to show our passports.
"Occupied by our daughter," he tells me and my heart starts to beat faster because she's safe.
"Are we going to meet with her? Why are you doing this? Please just talk to me."
"Let's not get dramatic," he says, his eyes constantly looking around.
"Then don't steal a woman's child. Again."
"She's safe, Magdelena."
"Will you please, please talk to me?" I grip his hand and he finally stops walking, looking down at me. "Please." Reaching up, I touch is face. "Callum, I love you." Fuck. I really do. I don't know how but it is possible to hate and love him at the same time. "I was made for you." I blink my gaze away from him as my head starts to fog.
The man put me through agonizing hell for the past six hours and I'm confessing my love. He's put me through hell the past five years and I'm still obsessing over him.
"I would do anything you asked me to," I admit.
His hand wraps around mine as I hold his face. "I'll explain everything soon." He lowers my hand, tugging at my other so I stop touching him.
The grip at my arm pulls me to walk again. As we get to the gate I casually push my hand into my pocket, looking for my phone. At the very least I need to contact Mary before I get on a flight to… I look at the marquee trying to find out where we're headed. Mongolia. Again. I sigh. I hate Mongolia.
"You couldn't make it a tropical destination?" I quietly grumble and see him crack a smile. "I know you have my phone. I have to call Mary, Callum, or she's going to die from worry."
There's an apology on his face but he doesn't speak.
When we board the plane, I grab his hand. He tries to tug it away but I hold tighter. "At the least, you can comfort me," I say through grit teeth.
He leans over, his face in my face. "Kiss me," he says and I move for his mouth without thinking twice. His hand slides into my hair as he kisses me slowly, tasting me. "I'm doing this for you," he whispers; my eyes close.
I believe him when h
e says she's okay. His plan is completely unclear, but I stupidly trust him.
An agonizingly long flight makes me cry, sleep, have a small panic attack, and lastly feel nothing at all. After landing, we get into a jeep and I stay close to his side because it's freezing. My heart is starting to feel lighter as we begin to drive. Hope that Poppy will be at our destination makes me anxious. The jeep stops at what appears to be a run down industrial building. There are no yurts or people living off the land here. This doesn't even look like Mongolia.
"Where are we?" I ask while he pulls me out of the jeep.
His grip on my hand is warm and I eagerly follow behind him. We walk up a few flights of stairs and he opens a door. I look around for my daughter, but there are only three people in this room. People I don't know, until one of them faces me head on. Qara.
"Callum," I softly say, glancing around at the three women staring at me. "Where is she?"
"She's fine." He turns to Qara and speaks something in her language.
She nods at him before her eyes go to me again. As Callum pulls me toward another door, I keep eye contact with her, jealousy rearing its ugly head. If I were a lesbian, I would kiss Qara's feet. She's gorgeous, even if she is a weirdo. But maybe I'm the weird one.
He closes the door behind us and I pull my hand away from him. "Callum, goddammit, I want answers."
The delay for him to face me makes my heart start to beat rapidly. I'm not going to like these answers.
"You were never a contract, Magdelena. You were my complete undoing."
Well…that wasn't as bad as I was thinking. I actually like hearing that.
"Thank you," I say and watch his eyebrows slowly raise. "For admitting that." It's not quite I love you but I'll take it. Especially right now when I have no idea what's going on.
"Kipper's dead," he whispers.
"You killed him?" My heart plummets.
"You're dead as well," he states in the same tone.
My head tilts like I'm a damn dog. "I don't understand." I chuckle. "Callum," I say his name loudly, but only because I'm nervous.
"You left your house around nine forty. I'm guessing you were headed to your mother's? I couldn't help but notice Mary dropped you off at home, and I know they'd never let you be alone through this. So my guess is you sent them to your mother’s, telling them you were going to drive separate, but you were actually going to try and locate me because you're not stupid. You know this wasn't a random event."
When he stops talking I glance around. "I never left my house willingly. Can you get back to the part where you killed me and Kip please?"
"Kipper called your sister at nine forty and told her you two were together. You were leaving your house and headed to your mother’s with him."
"You impersonated Kip?" I can't get my head around this.
"No. He made the call."
The door at my back opens and I look behind me to see Kip enter. Mixed emotions wash over me. Keep them separated, don't let them talk, get away from Kip. My body doesn't react to anything. I stare at him in confusion.
"Hello, Mag." He glances at Callum.
My sight goes to Callum and his eyes are on the floor by my feet, his hands in his pockets.
"I need a clearer explanation of everything right now." I'm starting to lose it. I'm sweating and having a hard time breathing. I'm completely confused.
"You're safe," Kip says and I jerk my head to look at him, wanting to attack him.
"Callum." I whip my head back to pin him with my glare.
"Your car is in the Bronx River. Close to the East River."
"Fucking A, Callum, why?" I groan.
"Because if not, then your actual body would be with it." Callum pulls his eyes from me and looks at Kip with so much hatred I slowly move to stand between them.
Kip’s eyes finally land on me before he leaves the room.
"What the fuck, Callum?" I grab my hair feeling like I'm going crazy.
"Why'd you stop dying it?" he asks and I look at him with wide eyes. I can't believe he's questioning my hair color at a time like this. "I loved mint hair on you, Magdelena." He approaches me, twirling his finger in my hair. "Why'd you change it to something you're not?"
"Because." I can't believe I'm going to admit this out loud. "Because Kip said it reminded him of when I was married to you and I didn't want that. I felt guilty he tried to steal me from you and there I was, his girlfriend. I thought if I toned myself down some, it wouldn't be like he won me from you. It’d be like he got a different version of me." It all sounds incredibly stupid saying it out loud.
"Which version is the real version?" He steps even closer, distracting me from what he was telling me.
"Mint hair," I whisper staring at his lips.
As he leans down, about to kiss me, I remember the situation I'm in and I yank back.
"Dammit, Callum. Don't fucking touch me. Not until you explain what's going on."
"And then I can touch you?" He starts to circle me but I follow him, turning my head every time he's out of view. "Fill you? Consume you the way you consume me?"
"No. No." I rub at my face. "Why is Kip here?"
"Because he had the decency to warn me you were in danger."
"What a nice fucking guy. Why didn't he tell me?" I scoff.
"Because you couldn't help yourself. I'm the only person that can help you right now. And I'm sorry your family will never have closure."
"No." I chuckle. "No, no, no, Callum. No. What's that mean?"
We stare eye to eye and he stops circling me.
"Callum," I whimper. "And Poppy?"
"She'll never be found, but you'll get your little girl back, Magdelena. I promise you."
"You fucking killed me!" I scream at him.
"It was either that or let you really die. I will never, so long as I live, let that woman find you. And Kip will ensure it as well."
"What are you talking about?" I start to cry, feeling like there's a weight on my shoulders and I'm struggling to stand.
"I have to go home. I'll soon be questioned about our daughter's disappearance. She chose you." He tells me and I furrow my brows.
"Who chose me for what?"
"My great grandmother had to kill one of us and she chose you." He takes my hand but I yank it away and back up so he can’t touch me.
"What did you do, Callum?"
"If you left me before a year of marriage I was going to pay for it with my life."
"What!" Confusion makes me want to hit and scream at him.
"Listen to me, Magdelena." He grips my shoulders. "The contract of our marriage stated if you were to leave me and I didn't get you to return within a year, I would die for it. I was never going to force you to be with me just to save my life. I couldn't stand your misery, no matter how miserable your absence made me. So I accepted my fate. I almost got a bullet to the back of my head a few weeks ago because my time was up, but Kip saved my life. Or, you did, by breaking up with him. Circumstances changed when you were no longer on her chess board. She needs one of us alive as legal guardian of Cole. And she needs Cole to take over as the next Duke of Covington. I've been skating on thin ice these past years, not wanting to give her a reason to kill me. I've lost control of my life, but I can save you. If you're not a player on her board, you're dead. So she was going to have you killed. Kipper too, and I believe her plan is to frame me for it, but I will make sure that doesn't happen."
It all bounces around in my empty head. "Why can't you just kill the bitch?" I finally snarl and catch his smirk.
"Believe me, if I could manage it, I would. It's not that simple."
"How? For the love of god, how? How did this get so convoluted?"
I just wanted to live life a little. Get an experience out of marrying a duke and having his kid. I ended up with a complete nightmare.
"The Carbon name needs to be rebuilt to her liking. The only person that stands tall on her chess board is Cole at the moment. She was trying to
replace me with Kipper. Upon my death, you would have all the power because when I married you, I appointed everything to you. When you had my child, you were automatically granted every privilege our son would have as duke. Until he could rightfully reign, you would dictate on his behalf. The only problem with that is no woman will hold more power than Germaine Carbon, but she will allow a man." With a chuckle, he rubs at the stubble on his chin. "And you would marry Kipper, and share everything with him. She would bring you home not to lose power over Cole. You and Kipper would be married and raise our son until he was of age and then she would have you taken care of. You didn't fit into the long term goals."
"What are they?" I ask in confusion and anxiety.
"Rebuild the empire to her liking."
"What was wrong with how you were doing things?"
He chuckles and tiredly rubs his face. "I fucked everything up, Magdelena. The moment you came into my life I fucked it all up. If I could have been the man you needed me to be, none of this would have happened. I am a disgrace and she will not forgive me for it so I will pay, you will pay, and anyone that doesn't fall into her plan will pay. And so, I am now trying to fix everything."
"How? By telling my family I'm dead. It's a domino, Callum! Don't you see that? You ruined my life, you ruined your life, now you're going to ruin my family's life!"
"I would rather your family mourn something that's not true than let you die. I'm sorry if this hurts them, and you, Magdelena, but I will not let you die."
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I moan over and over because this cannot be happening. "Now I'm supposed to stay in Mongolia? When will I get Poppy back?"
"As soon as you accept this."
"I will never accept this," I scoff at him and he looks at me with that hard glare. The one he uses when I will not get my way and he will win.
"I don't want to keep her from you."
"Let's go to the police." I grab his shirt. "Please, Callum." Dropping to my knees I beg until he kneels before me.
"Get off your knees, Magdelena. Make peace with what is done."