Page 12 of Dangerous Refuge

“No, I’m not. And neither was he. He told me he would protect me from Paul, but only if I married him. It’s insane, right? Am I just a little stupid for even considering it?” I run a hand through my hair. My forehead is damp with sweat, so are my palms. It’s a hot day, but the topic of Sven and his stern proposal give me anxiety. I like him, but we have talked less than five times. And the sex was amazing, but that does not constitute a relationship.

“Wow, he’s crazy. He really said that?” She gawks at me while I nod my head then she continues. “I mean, divorce is a thing.” I see her wheels turning, her eyes looking upward toward the cloudless evening sky as she purses her lips. “This guy is loaded, Allie. You could marry him. Take advantage of the great sex, his money, and the safety, and when Paul is gone for good, you just divorce him. You could have a huge payout.” She laughs so hard she snorts, but I don’t see the humor in it. I can’t toy with someone’s emotions.

“Yeah, I just don’t see that happening. He’s a pretty serious guy. And how could I ever lead him on and let him think I was actually interested in him when my entire plan was to divorce him and hurt him?” I shake my head, turning away from her to find Rico. My eyes scan the entire playground, searching for a hint of his red shirt. Another boy with a red shirt runs past, but his hair is blond, not the warm auburn tones of Rico’s hair.

I look to where the swings are, but he’s not there. Then I scan the equipment, waiting until a few kids go down the slide to make sure he isn’t just held up in the giant plastic tube. I don’t see him anywhere and my heart starts to beat fast.

“Uh, Sarah, do you see Rico?” I ask, standing. I hear her mumble something but it’s not coherent. I move toward the playground, certain in my own head that as soon as I get closer he will emerge from a hiding spot I’ve not yet thought of, but dread begins to weigh down every step. “Rico!” I call, cupping my mouth. A few children look in my direction but I still don’t see him. “Sarah!”

Sarah is at my side in an instant, clasping my arm to her chest. “I don’t see him, Allie.” Her voice sounds frantic, the way my heart feels. I weave through the children with their moms at their sides. Women are staring at me, glancing around the park too.

“Rico! This isn’t funny. Come out!” I spin around in a circle, thinking I’ve just missed him. I’ve walked past him and that’s it. It’s a simple explanation for why I don’t see him. But I look in every corner of the playground and he’s not here.

“Look, he was with that girl!” Sarah hisses, pointing, and I see the young redhead who was running around with Rico moments ago. I run over to her, tears already brimming in my eyes. She looks frightened as I drop to my knees next to her and grab her hand.

“Honey, where did Rico go?”

“Who’s Rico?” she asks, scrunching her nose. A woman dressed in bright purple approaches me, looking concerned. I address my next comment to her.

“Ma’am, is this your daughter? She was playing with my son. I can’t find him. Did you see him? Did you see which way he went?”

The woman’s face softens as she pulls her little girl into her arms, the girl clearly frightened now. She shakes her head. “I did just see him. Dark hair, red shirt?” I nod and she continues. “He was just here. They were going on the slide.” Her frown only makes my heart panic more.

“Rico!” I scream, bolting to my feet. My mind is racing as I begin to tear across the park, looking behind trees and trash cans. In moments I hear sirens, though I didn’t call the cops. Sarah must have had the forethought to do so, because in my panicked state, I can’t even see straight let alone think of proper steps. He is gone. There is no trace of him.

I drop to my knees, a mess of anxiety and terror, and a police officer approaches me. He crouches next to me and offers his hand. “Ma’am, I’m Officer Tiney, here to help you. I understand your son went missing. We need a solid description of him. Where was he? What is he wearing? Do you have a photo?”

I rub my eyes and think. I don’t even have my wallet with me. No picture of him, and my brain isn’t functioning. I throw up, dousing the grass with a hefty pile of spaghetti, which was formerly my dinner. The officer walks away, returning with Sarah to comfort me. She helps me to my feet and puts an arm around me.

“We’re going to find him, Al. I told the cops everything. I showed them a photo from my phone from the other day when I babysat.” She guides me toward the benches where we were just seated and I sob hysterically.

“Paul… he took him. I know it.” Covering my mouth, I collapse onto the bench and curl into a ball, hugging my knees. “Paul did this. He’s got my boy.”

“Shhh, you don’t know that.” Sarah’s hand smooths down my back and around in circles. “Look, we’re going to find him. Maybe he just went to the toilets.”

I only cry harder. I don’t even know how much time passes as I sit on the bench with cops asking me a dozen questions each, but the sun goes down, and it’s dark. Central park is terrifying to children in the dark, and I can’t imagine Rico out there all alone.

When a figure shrouded in shadow approaches, I feel my hope rising. Before he even gets to me I stand and run to him. Sven’s chest is hard as a rock as I bury my face in it, wrapping my arms around him. He holds me to himself and I hear him wave Sarah off with a few words. Then I hear one of the cops talking to him.

“I’ll bring her home. And Jim, tell the gang I have this. Make it look good. Give Danny the credit or something.” Sven’s voice rumbles in his chest, vibrating my cheek, but I don’t let go. “Can you walk?” he asks me, but I’m in a daze still. When I don’t answer he picks me up and carries me.

“Sven, Paul took him.” I’m a blubbering fool as I cling to this man I hardly know. Why am I clinging to him? Why has this shut me down so much that I can’t even aid the police in the search? Why does Paul scare me like this?

“No, he didn’t.” Sven’s voice is stern, the way I remember. I look up into his eyes as he sets me on the ground. We are near a large black SUV, the door standing open. “Get in,” he says with authority and I don’t hesitate. I climb into the back seat of the car and see Rico seated there playing a handheld video game. He looks up at me with a sulking expression and rolls his eyes.

“Oh my god, baby,” I gasp, pulling him onto my lap. He squirms to get away.

“I wanted to go with Dad. This jerk told me to get in his car.” He scowls and huffs out a sigh. “At least he has a Gameboy.” Video game still in hand, Rico pushes off my lap and sits next to me and I turn to Sven, who climbs in next to me. There are two more men seated in the front seats, and Sven shuts the door, closing me and Rico in with him.

“The man did try to take the boy, ma’am, but we stopped him and had a nice friendly chat.” The driver adjusts the rearview mirror and looks back at me in the reflection. “He has a new piercing, if you know what I mean.”

As the man says that, Sven opens his jacket and flashes his weapon so I can see it. I cover my mouth and gasp. “You shot him?” I hiss under my breath, not knowing if Rico can hear me. Sven raises his eyebrows and sighs.

“Your son is safe. The man in question walked away—or ran. It doesn’t matter to me how fast he left.”

My chest is so tight I’m finding it hard to breathe, but my Rico is safe. This was a very close call. Paul could have been in the next state with my boy already and I’d never see him again. It was time for me to take this more seriously. I should have left town when I had the chance, but my stupid emotions and my damn sex drive just kept me here confused. I need to protect Rico at all costs.

“My offer stands,” Sven says, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a ring and holds it up in front of my face, pinched between thumb and finger. Part of me wonders if Paul was even here, or if Sven’s men took Rico just to make me afraid Paul would do such a thing. But Rico wouldn’t lie. He said he wanted to be with his dad and these men stopped that. My heart sinks as I realize how close I came to losing him.

---