Mom has been singing a different tune lately as well now she"s Colton"s biggest ally; dad"s smile is a little less strained these days also. As for Colton"s family well let"s just say they"ve all been exceptional even Daniel who is a complete riot when he"s high. I"ve hardly been out without Colt since that night of the whole James thing at the bar restaurant; there were a few times here and there and yes he"d gotten better about it but I didn"t fool myself for a second that I had the all clear. Now the girls are talking about a bachelorette party and I"m not sure how well that"s going to go over but we"ll see; things have been really smooth between us lately and I don"t want to rock the boat. Maybe the fact that his mom will be there might make it go over easier like I said we"ll see.
The office is kind of quiet today everyone"s in the shop in back because of this crazy order Grimaldi placed that has to be filled like yesterday. Colton has been cussing up a storm all morning and I thought it prudent not to tell him my old buddy was having a field day making him crazy. He keeps calling me for updates on Colt"s frame of mind and cackling like the demented derelict he is whenever I told him he was a mean old buzzard. Whod"ve thought him and I would become such good friends after our first encounter; it"s really strange but between him and Cyrus I"d filled my grandpa quota. Colts grandpa was also a sweetheart but he kind of scares me a little; even though I only met him a few times and the others claim he was the nicest guy in the universe I found his hawk like visage a bit intimidating.
Grim as I fondly call Grimaldi these days was always sending me little gifts which made Colt see red and grumble for hours. Nothing inappropriate of course for all that he loved to tease Colton every chance he got that he was going to run away with me I happen to know that he"s crazy about his wife of thirty eight years; he just so loved to get a rise out of Colton and Colt was an easy mark for him too.~ "Babe stop daydreaming, I have to make a run to pick up some parts we need the guys are in the back but it"s kinda loud back there, not that I"m expecting anything to happen but keep your eyes and ears open okay."
"Stop worrying I"ll be fine." It"s a wonder he got anything done the way he"s always busy worrying about my safety. The truth is I haven"t thought of my experience in a long time; each day with him made the horror recede further and further away. My days and nights are filled with only happiness; well except for the occasional spat when Colton and I got on each other"s nerves. But really, life had become something completely unexpected; instead of the dark stormy days of fear I"d come to envision for myself I was loved and cherished by an amazing man who is willing to move mountains to keep me safe. His love has made all the difference; I would never have imagined my life becoming this when I made the decision to move here. Jared was still the same big brother he"s always been and now I have Colt and his family as well; life couldn"t be better.
It was almost lunchtime and I suddenly had a hankering for a turkey club with lots of mayo maybe on sourdough bread. Usually Colton would run out and get it for me if no one else was heading out since this particular place didn"t deliver this far out but they had the best homemade bread. I"d have to borrow one of the bikes that the guys used to run around on but I could be there and back before I was missed I"m quite sure.
I saw Cyrus coming out of the shop as I was sneaking off the lot; I raised my hand to wave but before I could do anything something hit me from behind and I went down hard but still more confused than hurt. I heard Cyrus shouting and running as I was thrown into the back of a running vehicle which took off in a peal of burning rubber. Now fear kicked in and my heart raced out of control as I tried to make sense of what had just happened. I realized that somehow during the melee when I"d been knocked to the ground whoever had taken me had tied my arms behind my back. I looked up from the backseat where I was laying and saw wild hair and a scruffy jaw. It almost looked like that James guy but not; he looked rather rundown since the last time our paths had crossed.
Chapter xvii.
The Lyon My phone was going crazy I wonder what the h.e.l.l the guys could be having problems with now that they all needed to be calling me at the same time.
"Hold on a minute Dennis I think I should answer this but get your guys started loading that stuff in the meantime."
"Sure Colt." He whistled for his guys to get a move on while I answered the phone. "Jared what the f.u.c.k?"
"Get back here Colt someone took Kat."
"The f.u.c.k you say?"
I heard bees buzzing that"s the only thing that registered in my head; why the f.u.c.k was I hearing bees buzzing? Then I realized it was my mind and not actual bees. I don"t remember walking to my truck and getting in I just heard Dennis calling after me and someone cursing as I pulled out at high-speed. There was s.h.i.+t falling off the back of my truck but I could give a f.u.c.k.
I made it back in record time my whole crew was standing around outside ready for battle. I jumped from the~truck and composed myself before I did or said something regretful; it was no one"s fault I had to keep telling myself that. They were not responsible for keeping watch over her, they were all at work in the back; they all knew she"d been in the office alone but in the end it was not their responsibility. With my arms folded and legs spread apart I addressed them.
"What the f.u.c.k happened?"
Cyrus started talking seems he was the one that"d seen what went down. By the time he was finished I was way beyond p.i.s.sed and well into homicidal territory. Motherf.u.c.k me when will it end?
"Are we calling the cops Colt what about Drake?"
"Nah Jared I know who took her, mount up."
From the description Cyrus gave me I knew who it was.~ "I couldn"t get to them in time boss I"m sorry."
"It"s not your fault Cyrus, it"s okay, I know who took her."
"So we"re gonna go get her now?"
"Not you you stay here."
"But..."
"You know how she feels about you, she won"t want you to get hurt, you stay here, I"ll go get her I"ll bring her back I promise."
"Rossetti." It was all I needed to say for my boys to know what was about to go down. I"m not sure if he"d made it out of the city with her but I was pretty sure he was working on fumes and not thinking too clearly and all because of me. She"s in danger because of me. Only heaven knows what torture she"s going through right now. I couldn"t think about that now that s.h.i.+t would destroy me, I had to get her out first and there was no doubt in my mind that I would get her back and when I did I was never letting her out of my f.u.c.king sight again.
I didn"t even try to hide my approach just walked right up to his door and kicked the s.h.i.+t in; I heard feet moving quickly and followed the sound. He was sitting in his home office looking a little rough around the edges, there were scratches down one side of his face; good my girl had got in a shot.
"Where is she James?"
"Who?"
He fidgeted a little and moved around some papers on his desk, my boys filed in behind me. I saw the f.u.c.k swallow in fear before he tried to man up.
"Do not f.u.c.k with me, where the f.u.c.k is my woman?"
"Why would I know where your little b.i.t.c.h is?"
"Mistake number be, I"ll ask you again, where the f.u.c.k is she?"~ I walked around his desk and grabbed his scrawny neck in my hand; it took everything not to snap that s.h.i.+t right then and there but if he"d stashed her somewhere I"d never find out if I killed him the f.u.c.k.
"I don"t know what you"re talking about I haven"t seen the little tramp since the last time we....met." He smirked at me and it was then I realized that he was on something.
"You"re f.u.c.king high you piece a s.h.i.+t, where the f.u.c.k is she and no more bulls.h.i.+t or I"ll end you right f.u.c.king now."
"I"ll make you a deal, you sign over your shares of my family"s company and I"ll tell you where I buried her alive." He grinned at me and I had to check Jared who had started forward.
"You didn"t have enough time motherf.u.c.ker and I don"t negotiate with a.s.sholes but I"ll tell you what, you~tell me where she is and I"ll let you live. You don"t tell me in the next thirty seconds and it"s bye bye."
I put pressure on his throat and squeezed.
"Tie this f.u.c.ker to the chair I"m gonna have some fun with this s.h.i.+t before I finish him." Inside I was as scared as I"d ever been in my f.u.c.king life; what if he was telling the truth and he"d buried her somewhere or worse yet what if she was in the clutches of his demented sister? I had to get him to talk.
Jared did the honors of tying his arms and legs to the chair while he struggled ineffectively.
"Sure you don"t want to talk jimmy, this is your last chance."
"f.u.c.k you, I"ll give you what you want if you give me what I want."
"Search outside boys."~ They spread out around the outside of the house while I stayed behind with our prisoner.
I walked around the room looking for what I needed, as I neared the door I heard a m.u.f.fled sound coming from down the hall, leaving him tied to the chair I went looking for where it came from.
She was tied spread eagled on the bed; her arms and legs tied to the posts all she had on was a camisole and some underwear. Looks like I got here just in time.
I took the gag from between her lips."Did he touch you baby?"She shook her head no. My baby was scared as f.u.c.k.
I untied her and hugged her to me taking in her scent, now I could breathe again, f.u.c.k.
I covered her in her torn clothes that looked like he"d ripped them from her body. Then I took my tee s.h.i.+rt off and put that over her for extra coverage.
"Colton."
"I know baby I"m right here, just hold on for me okay, you sure he didn"t hurt you?"
"No I think......" She started to shake and my guts hurt; I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming out my rage. I helped her off the bed and into my arms and walked down the hall and out the door to my truck.
Using our special whistle I called the guys in; I walked a little ways away from her so she couldn"t overhear.
"Burn it."
"What about him?
"What about him, he stays; wait until I get my woman outta here."
"Right boss."
"What the f.u.c.k am I supposed to do with a daughter?"
I was hyperventilating and my father the smoking doctor was having one of his philosophical moments, why was this dude always in a lecturing mood when he was high?
"Son you need to calm down, the baby"s not even here yet and you"re already a mess."
"Daniel would you put that s.h.i.+t out already, I hope when our granddaughter gets here you put a stop to this nonsense."
"You still jealous of my freedoms there chief?"
"No I"m tired of having contact highs every time I"m within two feet of you."
"Whatever anyway like I was saying son, you need to chill."
"That"s easy for you to say your wife"s not about to give birth to a girl." What the f.u.c.k did I just say? I"d lost my f.u.c.king mind. Kat had been to the doctor today to find out the s.e.x of our first child which will be here in two months which was a whole two months after our wedding which had been amazing if I do say so myself.
Anyway when the doctor told us that we were having a little girl my world s.h.i.+fted, I"d been prepared for a boy but not this. I hadn"t said anything in the doctor"s office because Kat had been grinning from ear to ear happy as f.u.c.k.
"I can"t have a girl, I"ll be killing motherf.u.c.kers left and right, I can"t do this s.h.i.+t."
"Colton son, I hate to be the one to tell you this but you"re not the first man to have a daughter, many have come before you and I dare say there will be many more after."
Oho, they find this s.h.i.+t funny; even Cyrus was getting in on it.
"You guys are not helping me, why is no one helping me?"
"Maybe because you"re acting nuts?"
"Thanks chief real insightful." I rubbed my stomach where that gnawing pain had started ever since I"d heard the words you"re having a little girl. Why me?
"I"m going in and telling her we"re not doing this s.h.i.+t."
"Son you"ve already made us look bad enough already stay your sorry a.s.s out here with us you don"t want them to laugh you to shame again do you?"
"But dad..."
"Listen to your father boy for once he"s making sense, that in there before was bad." Drake shook his head at me like he was disappointed, f.u.c.k if I care. d.a.m.n straight I"d stood up in a room full of Lyon women and forbidden Kat to give me a daughter, I needed sons only sons, I haven"t the first clue what to do with a daughter.
"Here comes your woman boy, try to find your b.a.l.l.s."
It wasn"t right to want to pop your old man one was it?
She came over to me and I could tell she was trying hard not to laugh in my face.
"Let"s go home baby, you"ve had a long day."
Interpretation "it"s time to go home you"ve made enough of an a.s.s of yourself for one day." What the f.u.c.k ever.
The day James took her was always with me, just something new for me to f.u.c.king obsess over. She on the other hand seemed to be over that s.h.i.+t; says it"s because she knows I"ve got her. That"s good it means she trusts her man to always protect her, now if she"ll just keep her little a.s.s quiet my life would be perfect. I tried locking her down in the house but her girls released her, mom Char and Tina. Of course they each took turns tearing into me but I ignored their a.s.ses. She was now the proud owner of a watch with a tracking device so that not only her vehicles were tractable. Too bad I don"t believe in that chip s.h.i.+t or she"d already be implanted. f.u.c.king Tina had moved back here and was always in my s.h.i.+t like Elena and Char weren"t bad enough now I gotta deal with her nosy a.s.s too. She and Drake were apparently working on their s.h.i.+t whatever.
Jennifer had sworn to anyone that would listen that I had something to do with the fire that had taken her brother"s life but she couldn"t prove s.h.i.+t. The coroner"s findings of an unusually high percentage of a narcotic in his system was all that was needed for the public to believe the f.u.c.k had gotten high and burned his s.h.i.+t. I knew I could trust my boys to do s.h.i.+t right, good thing I hadn"t shot the f.u.c.ker.
Jennifer"s crazy had extended to her showing up at our wedding looking like she"d just been rescued from a deserted island; screaming about Kat destroying her life and how she was gonna kill her. That proved to be the last straw for her already distraught parents who were in attendance. Last I heard she"d been packed off to a facility somewhere; I"ll be keeping an eye on her a.s.s too.~ Now here we are Kat has been driving me crazy for the last few months she doesn"t listen for s.h.i.+t; it"s like the whole experience made her freer or some s.h.i.+t. Now she gets into more s.h.i.+t than a little bit. She suspected that we"d had something to do with the fire but the one time she"d asked I"d looked her in her face and denied everything. She doesn"t need to know that s.h.i.+t; Drake didn"t even bother he"d just looked at me and shook his head on the way out the door. I could"ve sworn he"d mumbled something about can"t off everybody who messes with her but whatever. I"m no killer, at least I don"t see myself as such, I"m just the motherf.u.c.ker that takes care of s.h.i.+t if you f.u.c.k with what"s mine. This is why I"m trying to keep my hard headed a.s.s wife in the d.a.m.n house and out of danger and now she"s pulling this s.h.i.+t on me.
"Babe we gotta talk about this."
"Okay baby we"ll talk at home come on say bye to the others okay?"
That"s another thing all day since we left the doctor"s office she"s been talking to me like I was f.u.c.ked in the head or some s.h.i.+t. When had I lost my power in the relations.h.i.+p, her spoilt a.s.s was gonna get it.
We said our goodbyes and I helped her into the truck, no bike for my girl her tummy was too much for that it was round and cute as f.u.c.k; I loved the way she looked all ripe and s.h.i.+t. I also loved the fact that her hormones were out of whack; she was even more of a kinky freak these days.
I started my appeal as soon as we got in the truck.
"Baby I can"t do this s.h.i.+t."
"What s.h.i.+t Colton?"
"Daughter, the word alone makes me break out in a sweat."
"Okay." I almost ran off the road.
"What?" I looked over at her sharply as I righted the car.
"If you don"t want her...." Her voice was small and hurt.
My heart f.u.c.king hurt; what the f.u.c.k was I doing, where had my head gone? I"d been so busy worrying about what having a teenage daughter would mean for my life and how hard I thought that s.h.i.+t would be that I hadn"t realized what I was doing to her. I pulled over on the shoulder of the road, the house was only two minutes away but this couldn"t wait.
"f.u.c.k babe, I"m sorry; don"t know where I went in my head but I"m straight now, can"t wait to meet my little princess." I rubbed her tummy and barely caught the eye roll out the side of my eye. See what I mean, somehow she"d learned how to play me.
"Let"s go home."