Chapter 10—Milly
“L et’s go.”
I don’t respond well to commands, a fact my family learned very early in my life. Something Bass obviously wasn’t privy to. Besides, for all that this place has, there’s not a single energy drink in sight. Sure, there’s coffee, but I only drink it if I’m dead to the world and need that strong pick-me-up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against it like some I know, but I can also live without it. Unlike my energy drinks. I’ve gone without before, sure. Not a biggie. But I already have a headache from the lack of sleep last night, and now the lack of caffeine is getting to me. I’m grouchy to say the least, and I don’t feel like I need to do anything but glare.
A glare has gotten me far in life. It conveys so much. Mostly “fuck off,” which is all I need right now. I’m here against my will with someone keeping me from leaving. Sure, it’s comfortable compared to what a person might picture as a prison, but lipstick on a pig doesn’t make it look any better than what it is.
“Get your ass up.”
He doesn’t growl, but as I drag my eyes away from the TV show I’m paying attention to, I see the look in his. He’s staring at me, hard. It’s a look that probably works on most people to get them moving, but I’m not most people—aka, I ain’t no bitch.
“Can’ t. Too comfy.” I wiggle into my seat on the couch to prove my point.
“Don’t care. I got shit to do, and I ain’t leaving y’all alone.”
This has me smiling as I watch the show. “Why? Afraid we might break something.” Truth be told, I already broke a glass. Two of them. What can I say? I’m clumsy. Or I seem to be when I’m caged, anyway.
His dark chuckle has me looking over at him. The tone alone has me curious, but it’s the glint in his eye and the smirk on his face that have me thinking I might be pushing too hard.
“Don’t care what you break. Most things are replaceable. But he ain’t.” Bass nods at Ollie, who’s sitting on the floor watching us.
My rage at the threat against my kid takes on a glare of its own that would burn this place to the ground if given half a chance.
“Oh, relax.” Bass grabs his keys and rolls his eyes. “Not making a threat, so take that look off your face. I’m talking the truth. This place is mine, and when I’m not here, I set the alarms. Alarms that, unless you’re me, can get you killed.”
I roll my eyes as well, but that damn chuckle has me grinding my teeth. It does something to my stomach that I don’t want to think about.
“Suit yourself. But don’t come crying to me when you or the kid steps on something that sets off a bomb and you lose an arm or two.”
“Bombs? Seriously? Yeesh, give it a break, man. Go do your thing. We’re not leaving. We don’t have a car, and I doubt you’re going to leave your garage of torture toys open. Makes zero sense to go out on foot when I bet you could find us just as we’re walking down the only road out of this place.”
While I might hate that I’ve been kidnapped, I will admit that it’s the first time I don’t have to think about a place for both me and Ollie to sleep and eat. I can take what this place is offering: rest. I might not be the sleep-through-the-night type, but I am restoring my energy. Every bit helps when you’re out on the run. I don’t trust these people, but my gut is telling me I’m safe for the time being. At least till they learn the truth and realize Ollie and I aren’t worth the risk to their club and family.
“Your call.”
Once the alarm is set, it only takes three minutes to lock the place down. Then I hear the beeps. Lots of them. More than a normal amount for an alarm code, and I’ve got to admit, I don’t remember seeing an alarm system set up by the door. Or on the outside.
Nothing about this screams safety, and one look at Ollie says he’s feeling what I’m feeling. Unease. First time since we stepped into this place. If Bass is willing to just walk out of his house with us still in it without a care for what we could do, that makes me think he could just be crazy enough to blow the place up himself. The whole “if I can’t have it, no one can” mentality. But in this case, it’s a home, and he’ll be the one to set it ablaze when the time comes.
I nod at Ollie, and we both make quick work of getting out of the house and into the idling truck in front of the house. To his credit, Bass says nothing as we buckle up. But I don’t miss the smile on his face as he turns the wheel to do a 360 in his gravel driveway before heading to God only knows where.
The place is a gym. A fucking gym . Sure, it looked nice from the outside, even showcasing a spa feature and an internet café, if the advertisement on the outside was true, but I’ve got no clue why we’re here. It’s not a normal place you take kidnapped victims, especially since there are a ton of people here who don’t seem to be affiliated with the club.
No one says anything as we get out, and I don’t miss the bag he pulls from the bed of the truck. Not sure when he put it there, but I notice it now. Bass keeps eyes with me as he walks around the truck toward us, probably wondering when I’m going to run. Don’t get me wrong, the pull is strong. But I’m almost ashamed to admit that the intrigue is too high to do more than follow his lead. I’ve lived the past few years thinking and planning for the unexpected so I can prepare for it. But this? This is so outside even my wildest imagination.
I’m so focused on Bass, trying to read his mind as he opens the door for us, that I almost miss the person racing over to us. I react on instinct, but thank fuck that Bass is watching me as closely as I was him. He counters my reaction a second before I do something I might regret, like break Maddy’s arm after I flip her over my shoulder before trying to choke her out. Yeah, I’ve practiced that one. Done it more than a person should. You’d be surprised at the things you can do when you’re in survival mode for both you and your kid.
Bass quickly wraps his arm around me, pulling me flush to his front as his other hand grabs my other arm, pinning it to my side. The move was so quick, I have to wonder if he’s practiced it himself. Either on an assailant or a willing victim trying to get into his bed. Either way, it’s effective. I’m cut off from reacting, and I feel the wall at my back. For the first time, I don’t feel it as a threat but as a tool to use.
The thought filters in my brain, and I look over my shoulder to be pierced with eyes so dark brown, I’m sure they get confused as black more times than not. Eyes that have been watching me all day, but till this moment, I’ve never felt seen by them. He watched me as an enemy then, but now… now there’s something else. Hesitation, or maybe that’s just me projecting my own thoughts.
No one has ever held me back before, not even my family. I had to prove myself every step of the way before all this, and I stepped up to the challenge. But there are times, like now, that I need someone to stop me. To hold me back from reacting to something that isn’t as it seemed. And Maddy isn’t the enemy. I feel that with every fiber of my being.
“Hi, Milly! It’s so good to see you again. I’m so glad you decided to give this a chance.” Her smile is genuine, but her words have my back straightening.
Did she really think I decided to stay? That this isn’t a forced thing? I glance once more at Bass and notice his lip twitch a bit, showing he’s enjoying it. My glare has the opposite effect I was going for if his wide smile is anything to go by, but at least he releases me as he steps back.
“Actually, Mama Bear, Milly was left in the dark on this one. Figured she would enjoy the surprise.” The asshole actually smiles bigger, if that’s possible.
Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I don’t like surprises, especially if we consider my earlier actions. Maddy’ s smart, a fact I picked up on early. She also doesn’t miss much, but at least she’s sweet enough to pretend that I didn’t almost attack her.
“Oh, sorry, then.” Maddy winces, and I appreciate that she looks as put out by that as I do. “I should have realized when I texted Bass earlier and he replied so quickly that he probably decided for you. I was just too locked on the chance of Teddy and Ollie hanging out together. Teddy rarely takes to other kids his own age so quickly, and I just love the fact that he might have found his best friend in Ollie. He talks about nothing else but when he can see him again.”
Maddy’s voice trails off as she turns to look at the boys. While I may have been unprepared for her walking up, as soon as we got here, I saw Teddy as he beelined to Ollie. I should have connected the dots, but my first focus is always on Ollie. Then protection. Hence why I expected the worst from Bass and kept an eye on him.
Ollie and Teddy are in their own world, talking about Minecraft and some sort of Pokémon thing. I never got into it, but I listen when my kid talks. And while he talks a lot about those two things, so I know the high points, don’t expect me to win any trivia questions about them.
“The gym offers a ninety-minute parkour course. Teddy and Grace call it ninja training, but I’m all for whatever gets their energy out. I figure if you’re anything like me and mine, having a few minutes to think is a blessing in disguise.” Maddy smiles warmly, and I force myself to react.
My smile doesn’t shine as bright—more of a grimace, I’m sure. Spending any time away from my kid feels like a death sentence, but I can appreciate her trying to connect. She’s been doing it since I met her that first day. Pretty sure she has enough friends of her own, and it gets me thinking that this is all for her son. Which I respect on a whole other level. She’d do anything for her children, just like I’ll do anything for mine.
“Um, yeah.” I clear my throat and finally give in, not wanting to hurt my kid. Me? Jury is still out on that, but I can deal with this. “Sounds good for him. Does he need anything?”
Maddy straightens as the weight of my words seems to physically release off her. The pressure she must have put on herself to find her son a friend makes me almost feel sad for her. Not that I know her story or anything, so I keep my thoughts to myself. The last thing I want to do is get a sob story and feel guilty when I have to pull us out of this. I’m already regretting the effect it’ll have on my kid, but I really can’t deny him a friend, even for a short time. He rarely gets to stay in one place long enough to become known, much less gain a friend in return.
“Just a water bottle. They have the kids take off their socks and shoes before getting on the equipment for the indoor course. It’s too hot for the outside one today, which they would wear shoes for.”
As Maddy talks, Bass opens his bag and pulls out a water bottle. He calls out to Ollie and tosses it to him. Not sure if the fact he caught it or that Bass gave him something is why he’s smiling and looking like a lost puppy getting found.
Jesus. This kid is getting attached to more than one of them. Damnit. One I can handle. Two might be a bit of a strain. But if they keep treating him like he’s always wanted—a person to be seen and not to hide in the shadows—then I’m going to be in trouble when this all ends. I know I should be the one giving him everything, but a girl on the run can only do so much. A mantra I tell myself several times a day. Keeping him alive is more important than friendship.
“Come on,” Teddy calls out before he runs a few feet away.
Ollie is quick to turn, but a second later, he’s looking back at me. Always the smart kid. Friend or not, we don’t take risks if we can help it. And looking around, I don’t see a threat. My eyes are roaming the place, and I can see almost everything from the front entrance where we’re standing. I even see the other kids at the back in what’s probably the parkour area.
I give him a chin lift and get a smile that makes my heart sprout wings and fly in return. It’s one of true happiness that I see so rarely. He doesn’t notice that I almost feel like a damn girl about to bawl my eyes out as he turns and follows his friend.
“Izzy is at the coffee bar watching Wyatt for me if you want to join. Her Princess and my Gracey are already over there with the boys, so we should be kid free. Well, as much as we can be with a one-year-old.”
She’s trying, she really is. But I think I’ve hit my max at being friendly today. At least when there are about fifty people between me and my kid, and I already know my cover in this location is blown, no matter that the club thinks they can keep us safe. It’s only a matter of time before we get found again.
“Think I’ll just look around,” Bass grunts at my back, and I realize I’m not even looking at Maddy as I continue to monitor everything around me.
The noise draws me back in time to watch the happiness drain a bit from Maddy’s face. Something that makes me feel bad, but not enough to change my mind. Still, Ma always told me not to act like a bitch to everyone, especially if they might be in a position to help you later. And she is helping. She’s giving my kid something I’ve not been able to provide. So I throw her a bone.
“Maybe next time. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a few machines to work out some of my issues on. Apparently, I have a temper.”
Bass laughs outright, and I find my own lips twitching at my words. Maddy just smiles and walks away.
I look back to the door and see no club brother there guarding it. It would be pointless if they did. Bass already knows I’m not leaving without Ollie, so there’s nothing to do but look around. I’ve got the time, and I really do have some pent-up energy to get out. I might not be dressed for using some of the machines, but I’ve got no problem hitting a bag in shorts.
And as luck would have it, Bass is heading that way himself, and it’s closer to where my kid is laughing away with his friend.
Despite the look he gives me as I walk past, Bass says nothing. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel his eyes on me the entire time as I go to one of the unused speed bags and start a smooth rhythm my brother Danny taught me at a young age.
I get lost in the familiarity of it. It’s been longer than I can remember that I could just enjoy a moment without having to look over my shoulder. Of course, it helps that I picked the spot with a wall behind me and angled myself in a way that I can catch anyone who comes close but still keep an eye on Ollie. Till my view’s blocked .
“You’re not so bad at this,” Bass says as he crosses his arms, watching me work the bag.
I snort. Obviously, the fish boy has never seen someone actually work one of these things before, ’cause I’m killing it.
“Yo, Bass.” A guy with the gym logo on his shirt walks over and pulls Bass in for one of those half hugs men do. I try to ignore them, but a girl can only ignore a Shemar Moore look-alike for so long.
“Glad to have you back. We missed you around here.”
“Thanks, Meekail. Good to be back. And you only missed me because you know it takes more than just you to corral your husband. Tell me, how many brothers did he piss off while I was gone?”
The guy laughs, and it’s a sound that doesn’t grate on my nerves. Hell, I’ve got half a mind to ask him to do it again, as it’s almost lyrical. “More than I care to count. If we didn’t give the club a discount on membership, I doubt I’d still have a man left. Guy has no filter and loves to get under someone’s skin. Reminds me of you, actually.”
“Ha, yeah, but we both know my bark is worse,” Bass says easily as he looks back to the bag that I haven’t stopped hitting.
“Nice. See you’ve done this before,” Meekail says.
I shrug, not feeling the need to voice anything that I’m obviously good at. I also never feel the need to agree or say “I told you so.” Just a waste of breath.
“If you’re interested, we’ve got a few programs that offer a bit more structure and they involve speed bag and sparring. Nothing too crazy, but we can match them to the parkour time if you’re wanting to go the solo route. ”
Of course this guy knows more than the average gym worker. I try not to roll my eyes. He’s probably the one who found a spot for my kid in Teddy’s class. And no doubt it’s not a free course.
I punch the bag harder to hide my humor. If they want to spend money on me and mine, I’m not going to say no. I already know shit isn’t free in life, and I’ve got no shame in accepting help—as long as there are no strings attached. That’s the catch.
“Nah, this one isn’t about structure.”
Bass’s words have me missing the bag as I pause and catch my breath.
“That right?” Meekail raises an eyebrow at Bass before giving me a once-over. Doubt I’m his type, considering Bass mentioned his husband, which means he’s assessing me as something more. An athlete? A fighter? Whatever it is, I can’t tell if he’s left wanting, and that pisses me off.
“She’s more of a runner.” Bass smiles wide at the joke, but I can’t hide my eye roll as I get back to my speed bag.
“I only run when the threat is illuminated. And we only run as far as we have to before we can blend enough for Ollie to have some sort of normal childhood.” I grab the speed bag to stop it from swinging and look straight at Bass for the last part, ignoring the look of both horror and concern on Meekail’s face. “Or we run once we escape our kidnappers.”
’Cause it’s going to happen. No use in pretending that’s not the end goal here. And from the click of his jaw, Bass knows it too.
Like me, he doesn’t need to state the obvious, and we both return to our own respective bags and continue till Ollie rushes over, smiling all the way and wanting to know when we can come back.