Page 36 of Securing His Family

Reed stared his friend down. “If the woman and child you loved were being held, would you sit back and let everyone else handle it?”

The bone-deep truth. Those two girls owned his heart and he would do everything in his power to earn their love back.

I have to be there.

“I hear you. Stay here.” Andy walked out.

Reed took the opportunity to remove the IV that was attached to his arm, grabbing some tissues to stem the blood leaking from the site.

He carefully began to move, knowing that the more he got the blood flowing through his system the easier it would be. He wasn’t going to break any world records, but he could move and that was all that mattered to him.

“Hang on, Ren. I’m coming.”

ChapterFifteen

All she had to do was hang on, help was on the way. Lauren believed that deep in her soul. That everyone at Power Security would do everything possible to save her and Charlee.

In the dark of the night when Patrick had been snoring in the corner and Charlee had slipped into a restless sleep, Lauren had allowed herself to finally give in to her emotions. The despair that she’d never get the chance to tell Reed that she loved him. That she wanted to stay living at his house. That she wanted them to be a family.

God, the thought that he was dead because of her pummeled her. She should’ve stayed away from him. If she had he would still be alive. Still be that vibrant and caring person who’d touched her and her daughter’s soul.

Lauren had no idea if Reed had any feelings for her, but everything he’d said and done showed her he cared, she’d just been blind to it.

She didn’t known how long she’d silently cried for. Her eyes were still gritty, and when Charlee woke and asked her why her eyes were puffy and red, she assured her daughter that everything was okay, when it truly wasn’t. How could it be when they’d been handcuffed to a bed the second Patrick had shoved them inside the shack they were in. If they’d wanted to go to the bathroom, Patrick, surprisingly, had been generous and uncuffed them and led them to the bathroom, but he’d kept the door open so that he could make sure they wouldn’t escape.

He hadn’t explained what the hell was going on. Why he’d wanted them. It was as though, for whatever reason, he’d now decided that he wanted to claim Lauren and Charlee as his.

Of course, he hadn’t answered any of the questions she’d asked, just laughed and told her to shut up when she’d pressed him for answers.

Now the sun was beginning to rise and Patrick was awake. She hadn’t said a word to him and he hadn’t spoken to them either.

The longer they were in the cabin, though, the more agitated he got. The control that he’d had when he’d taken them from Charlee’s school, gone. His movements, jerky. His gaze darted everywhere and his right-hand shook as though he was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.

Was that what was wrong with him? Did he have Parkinson’s or some other ailment? Had he not taken his medication and that was making his symptoms more pronounced? Not that she was an expert and was clutching at straws, but at least it kept her mind off Reed being dead and them being stuck in this hellhole.

“Mummy, I’m hungry.” Charlee’s hand slipped into hers. They both had one free hand and she supposed she should be grateful that Patrick hadn’t restrained them so they didn’t have any movement.

“I know, baby. I’m hungry too. Patrick, can we have some food, please?” Knowing what the answer was going to be, she asked anyway. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time he’d give them something.

“Shut up,” he said and went back to looking out of the window. Sunlight attempted to penetrate the grimy glass but it wasn’t enough to warm the place.

Beside her, Charlee whimpered. “I’m so hungry, Mummy,” she whispered.

What was Patrick’s end game?

What was he hoping to achieve?

Lauren wanted to throw those questions at him, but knew if she did, he would hurt her. He still had the gun and the first time she’d asked questions, he’d fired it into the air, telling her the next time she wouldn’t be so lucky. She couldn’t risk that he would turn the gun on her, or worse, Charlee. She had to protect her daughter’s life. At the end of the day getting Charlee out of this alive was the most important thing.

Yet, she couldn’t sit there and do nothing. She had to do something. The longer she waited, the more chance that Patrick would destroy her daughter’s life and mental health. Although, after this she feared that any innocence Charlee had in life was going to be dramatically changed. But when they got out she would deal with it and give her daughter everything she needed to get over this traumatic event.

And theywouldget out, she continued to believe help was on the way.

“It’s okay, baby,” she gathered her daughter close when she started to cry softly. “We’ll get out of here,” she whispered.

“About fucking time,” Patrick announced. “Now it’s going to get interesting. Can’t believe it took them this long to find us. I made it so fucking easy. Some security company they are. They should’ve been here last night.”

Hope rose in Lauren—help was finally here, but it also died when she realized that Patrick expected this to happen. Wanted the guys from Power Security to find them. That this was all a trap and she couldn’t warn them that that’s what it was.

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