Page 60 of Trust In Me

Being active and feeling like we are doing something is helping to settle my friend's nerves, but I can’t deny the feeling that’s still in the pit of my stomach. I don’t know how I know, but I know Mia has been taken. I know she is in danger and scared. It’s almost like I can hear her body calling out for me to help her. I make her a promise that I will find her, or I will die trying. And so help me God, whoever has taken her, they will regret the day they ever thought this was a good idea. Then, if it isn’t Shayla, I will deal with her. She can take back her fucking threats, and stay out of my life. I decide who I want to be with, and that is Mia. When I bring her home, she is never leaving my side again.

That night is the longest night I’ve ever endured in my life, and that’s coming from a sleep-deprived single father. I’ve never known fear until I realised Mia was missing. I’ve also never felt so fucking helpless. I feel like I’ve explored every single piece of CCTV that I can find, and the few glimpses of Mia that I caught on the high street caused my blood to boil. She made it to the shop, and had bought the dress she’d been telling me about for weeks. I watched her choose it, walk into the dressing room, before exiting and purchasing the dress. I followed her movements, watched as she bought a takeaway coffee, and then she disappeared.

I’ve explored several surrounding cameras, but she went missing in a dead spot. That does give us an area to explore, which Finn and Shane were more than happy to do. Everyone has been keen to help in any way they can, and it makes my heart soar to see the love that my family has for my girl. They want to see her returned home safe and sound, just as much as I do.

Ryleigh and Freya take turns looking after Hallie, as I don’t have the emotional capacity to care for her right now. She has experienced so much loss in her little life, and I sure as fuck am going to do everything in my power to make sure she doesn’t lose Mia too.

Bree, Liam, and Kian have all been exploring our criminal aspects to find out if Mia has been caught up in some of our bullshit that has gone wrong. Personally, I think they are barking up the wrong tree. The evidence suggests Shayla is our number one suspect, but we also can’t rule out Whitlock. If it is Shayla, then Mia is as good as dead. The Reapers would only keep her alive if they could gain something from her, but Mia has nothing they want. If it was about me, I would’ve had a ransom demand by now. But it’s been radio silent, which fills me with dread. It means we have no idea if they plan on returning her, if she isn’t already dead.

Fuck…this is all my brain has been able to focus on last night. All I can think of are the worst-case scenarios, and all the ways that I might already have lost her. We have wasted so much time being apart, and Shayla will fucking pay for that. Mostly, I just want to hold Mia in my arms, and tell her how I feel. It feels so stupid now, waiting for the perfect time to tell her that I love her, and now that opportunity might be gone. She’s either in a shit situation, probably one where she fears for her life, or she’s already dead. I need her to know I love her. I want to be the reason she fights, the thing she has to live for. I need her to come back to me and Hallie.

“Kellan, come downstairs and get some food, bro. My father is on his way over with an update,” Liam says, as he taps me on the shoulder to get my attention. I’ve been looking at the same computer monitor for the last few hours, and it makes my blood boil that I don’t have any more information than when Liam checked on me a few hours earlier. He was going to try and get Bree to have a few hours of sleep, given her pregnancy. I didn't bother to tell him that he is fighting a losing battle. Bree loves Mia almost as much as I do, and she won’t stop until we’ve explored every avenue, no matter how much her body is telling her to sleep.

I guess Bree’s the one person who knows how Mia feels right now. Bree was kidnapped, and the memories still terrify her. I sure as fuck hope Mia isn’t going through what Bree did. Mia’s already suffered so much in her life, but she survives it all, and I have to hope she will survive this.

I let Liam push me out of my office and down into the living room. Despite it being early, all the Doughtys are awake. Hallie’s in her high chair, and it looks like Freya and Ryleigh are trying to get her to eat her porridge, but instead my cute little monster is throwing it everywhere. Shane and Ryleigh appear to have got the worst of it, and Freya is cleverly standing behind her.

The sudden urge to hold my little girl, to be near her, propels me towards her. When she sees me she starts to clap and giggle, and I honestly have never felt so loved in all my life. Tears glisten my eyes as I watch Hallie look around, and I realise she’s looking for Mia. It’s usually Mia who gets her to eat her breakfast without painting the walls with it.

“Hallie, my beautiful little monster. You either eat the porridge or I take it off you. You don’t throw your food. Understand?”

She looks up at me with the big blue doe eyes that are the exact same shade as mine, and she even sucks in her bottom lip, like she’s trying not to pout. My girl is becoming an expert at wrapping everyone around her cute little finger. She is nowhere near crying, but she looks at me like she’s about to be in floods of tears.

Thankfully, before we can get into this any further—as I’m more than sure she will eventually—we’re distracted by the doorbell ringing. Bree enters the living room with Desmond in tow. Everyone finds a chair, surface, or the floor to sit on. I sit on the sofa with Bree and Liam, and Desmond sits in an armchair opposite.

“You didn’t have to come all the way over here, Desmond,” I say, not wanting to sound too ungrateful for his help, but I’m not entirely sure why he is being so helpful.

A smile, that I know is supposed to be friendly, but actually comes across as a little sadistic, spreads across Desmond’s face. “Your girl is missing, of course I’m here to help. But if you can all stop getting your girls kidnapped, that would make our lives a lot easier,” he jokes, with a head nod towards Bree. Stupid fuck, why the hell does he think now is the time to mention such a traumatic experience.

“Nobody asked you to be here,” Liam snaps, but I see Bree lay her hand over Liam’s arm, no doubt to try and calm him.

“I’ve gotta admit, I’m questioning your motives with this one too,” Ryleigh shouts from in the kitchen with Hallie, and I hear Shane and Freya both tell her to be quiet and stay out of things. But Ryleigh’s never been one to shut up, not unless she wants to. “What? I can’t be the only one questioning his motives?”

“Ryleigh…” Desmond starts, but I cut him off, stopping the argument before it starts.

“Answer Ryleigh’s question.”

“I don’t think now’s the right time for us to talk about this. We can do it, just the two of us, at a later date. For now, shall we focus on the information I have?” Desmond somehow manages to look even more shifty than usual. Everyone looks to see if I’m going to let that slide, or if I’m going to demand he talks. I’ve never lied or kept things from Liam, and I’m sure as fuck not going to start now.

“I think now is the perfect time. I hate people who keep secrets and lie to me. So you better start fucking talking, right now,” I snap, and Desmond just rolls his eyes.

“Fine, but remember, I advised you that this is a conversation that should be had in private, when we have a lot longer to talk about it.” He pauses for a moment, looking to me for permission to continue, and I nod my head for him to carry on. “Do you remember when you came to live with us when you were a kid?”

“Of course I remember. What does that have to do with anything?” I snap, looking at Liam to see if he knows what his father is talking about, but he looks just as confused as I do.

“When your mother decided she couldn’t look after you anymore, she asked if we’d look after you. You had no other family, so I didn’t hesitate to take you in.”

I cut him off, adding in the part I remember, “No. Liam asked you to take me in, not my mother.”

I look to Liam who confirms my version of events. Desmond shakes his head, making it clear our recollection isn’t correct. “No, you and Liam had grown up together and were friends, and yes, Liam did ask us to let you live with us, but the decision had already been made at that point. What do you remember about your father?” Des asks, and my brow furrows in confusion.

“Why is that relevant? My father worked with you and one of your shady deals got him killed before I was even born,” I snap, confused as to why he would bring all this up. Besides, that’s about the extent of my knowledge on the subject. I know Mum was married to a man called Kaden Burke, for a couple of years before I was born. They never planned on having children, and he didn’t even know he was going to be a father. He died on a job gone wrong, getting shot in the head while working for Desmond. That’s all I know. I don’t know anything else about him, not even stupid things like what he was like, or what kind of person he was.

“Look, before I tell you the rest of this, I want to make it very fucking clear that I have never wanted to keep this from you. I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but your mother was very set against it. Even now, she will be very fucking pissed that I’ve told you, but I don’t care. It’s time you knew.” Desmond’s voice raises and becomes more animated as he talks about arguing with my mother.

Snapping at him, I can’t keep the anger out of my voice. “Tell me what you know. Now!”

“There’s no easy way to say this, but I’m your father.” Before he has even got the last word out, the room erupts around me.

---