Chapter Twenty
Finn got in his car, throwing his bag to the passenger seat.
Putting his key in the ignition, he started it up, but all he heard were clicks then nothing.
Frowning, he tried again, but the same thing happened.
Finn couldn't understand what was happening.
This was a new car he'd just bought a few weeks ago from a reputable dealership.
Looking around the parking garage, he saw only a few cars left, since it was after work and not many people were still in the building.
Finn had stayed later than he had planned to work on a proposal and to sign a few important documents for his assistant to send out in the morning.
Bevin went on a trip with Shane, their friend from university, and wouldn't be back for another week.
Although Bevin took work seriously, he still partied as he had in school, saying it was his way of breaking up the monotony of the dreaded nine-to-five.
Honestly, Finn didn't mind. He'd learned to relax more and take days off when needed, especially now that he was pregnant.
When he tried to start his car again, Finn got the same clicking, but nothing else.
He sighed.
Even though he knew nothing about cars, Finn popped the hood and got out of his car, hoping to see if he could figure out what had gone wrong. Finn had been poking around for a couple of minutes when someone came up beside him.
"Having car problems?"
"Yeah, not sure why, considering it's new," Finn said, not looking at the person.
"Let me see if I can help."
Finn nodded, and just as he was about to step to the side, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and the next thing he knew, he was falling to the ground.
His mouth was covered before he could say a word, and he tried to move or turn his head, but he couldn't. He was trying to make heads or tails of what was happening when he heard a voice he couldn't place giving instructions.
"Get rid of the car. We don't want anyone tracking us down."
"Yes."
Finn tried once again to see who was talking, but it was already too late when he felt something covering his head. The last thought that ran through his mind was that he'd never trust a stranger again.
Prince entered their apartment smiling. He'd gone out early that morning and, instead of using the family jet, had taken the drive to Shoreline to retrieve a very important package.
He'd been thinking about it for weeks, and with the baby coming, and after talking to his father and Bevin, who agreed with him, Prince knew he'd made the right decision.
It wouldn't be right away, but the Sullivans were moving out of New York, just like the Hamiltons.
After reconnecting with Lucas, Prince realized how much he missed his friends and his family.
He also knew Finn wanted to be closer to his grandmother so he could visit her grave.
In the past few weeks, he'd talked about her constantly and was making more meals from the cookbook she’d left behind, and Prince knew it had nothing to do with cravings.
With the move, that meant Finn and Bevin would do the same, because, as well as Prince knew his husband, he knew his son as well.
Wherever Finn went, so would Bevin. Although they weren't moving directly beside the Hamiltons, they were going to be in Eastvale, about thirty minutes away.
Hunter had gone with Prince to purchase the building to set up their new operation.
And instead of coming back with him, he stayed in Shoreline to connect with his friend.
Prince hadn't told Finn of anything he was doing.
Prince wanted to surprise him once he finalized everything.
He knew it had been his idea to have Finn move to New York, and in just a little over a year, they would be moving back.
But Prince couldn't stand to see his husband's sad face the more he thought about his grandmother.
Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Prince looked down when he heard Gray meowing and bent down to pick up the kitten, who had put on more weight since Bevin moved into the building.
Prince suspected his son had bribed the cat to stop glaring at him with food he wasn't allowed to eat, since Finn was strict about his diet.
"Hey, baby," Prince said when the cat purred and nuzzled his chin. "Feeling neglected? Did your daddy come home and go to sleep on you?"
Prince didn't expect to see Finn cooking or even sitting on the couch waiting for him like he sometimes did. At six months pregnant and showing a cute bump, his husband would come home and curl up in bed to nap, but he knew Finn was working a little late today and should be home in an hour.
Finn was still as predictable as ever, no matter how many times Prince tried to interrupt it. Putting Gray down, Prince went to get cleaned up, then started dinner so it would be ready when his husband came home.
An hour later, Prince looked at his watch and then at the door, waiting to hear the click of the key turning, but he frowned when nothing happened. He waited another minute, but when the seconds ticked by with nothing happening, Prince pulled out his cellphone and called Finn.
When the call went unanswered after the second ring, his senses prickled, telling him that something was wrong. Just as he was about to pull up Finn's location, his cellphone rang, with Lucas's name popping up on the screen. Prince was going to ignore it, but after a quick thought, he answered.
"Lucas, what's up?"
"Roderick Ashford escaped custody."
"What! How?"
"Fuck if I know. He was being transferred to a maximum facility, and the vehicle he was in was hit. He took the chance to escape."
"When did this happen? When did you find out? I thought he was in Seeker's custody?"
The feeling Prince had earlier that something was not right returned in waves, his chest tightened, and his body went on high alert.
"We had to turn him over to another agency. It happened two days ago. And as soon as I found out, I called you," Lucas explained.
"Lucas, Finn isn't home yet," he told his friend. "I know it might sound crazy, but Finn is predictable down to what time he walks in the door, even if there's traffic on the way home. He's always home at the same time."
"What are you saying?" Lucas asked.
"I think Roderick has him."
"Wait right there, I'm on my way."
The call ended, and Prince didn't relax.
He brought up Finn's location and received a message that it could not be found.
His hands shook as he refreshed the screen over and over, getting the same message.
Prince growled in anger, went to throw his cellphone, then it rang, and this time, a name he should have erased from his contacts flashed on the screen.
"Where's my family?" he demanded.
"Safe for now," Roderick said, in a voice far too calm for how Prince was feeling.
"If you hurt one hair on his head..."
"You'll do what?" Roderick shouted. "Take away my livelihood? You've already fucking done that. I know it was you. I'm not sure how you found the information, but that's no longer relevant. All that matters is you make things right, or I will kill your boy toy and the brat in his belly."
Prince covered his mouth to hide his gasp. He couldn't break down, not now. Not when Finn and his babies needed him. Roderick had him by the balls, so to speak. "What do you want?"
"One billion dollars and safe passage out of the country.
Don't try to tell me you can't come up with that kind of cash in a short time.
I know how much you Sullivans are worth.
Why do you think I tried so hard to get into your bed?
I'll get back to you in an hour with further instructions.
Oh, and don't call the cops. I have people watching you. "
"Ro..."
Roderick hung up before Prince could say more.
He tried calling Roderick a few times, but his cellphone was shut off.
Prince felt something he'd never felt before, the kind of anger that made a man capable of killing.
But he promised himself he'd make sure Roderick never lived long enough to see the inside of a prison if anything happened to Finn or his babies.
Finn groaned, coming awake, but couldn't see anything.
It wasn't just his eyes that were covered, but his entire head.
He tilted his head to the left when he heard a noise from that side, and he was glad he could move part of his body.
He hissed when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach.
The babies were awake, but restless, no doubt feeding off his emotions.
He tried to rub his belly to reassure them, but his hands were tied behind his back.
Finn blinked a few times when whatever was covering his head was pulled off, and was surprised to see Roderick Ashford standing in front of him.
Before he could open his mouth to say a word, his head snapped to the right and then to the left when Roderick landed two hard slaps to his face.
Finn glared at Roderick, licking the drop of blood at the right corner of his mouth.
"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?" Roderick said, rubbing the palm of his hand.
Finn didn't speak. Roderick was in the mood to chat.
"I bet you're wondering why you're here. This wouldn't have happened if you'd just taken the money and left Prince alone, but one little insult and the bastard brought my entire family down. It's not like I said anything that wasn't the truth. You are low fucking class."
Finn had no clue what Roderick was talking about, and honestly, he didn't care.
His main concern was his babies; the pain in his stomach was intensifying, and he was fighting to stay quiet.
Finn was trying his best to stay calm; he couldn't lose his babies, not when he had everything he wanted in life.
Roderick grabbed Finn's face, leaning down but keeping his distance, as if Finn might contaminate him.
"I hate people like you. Born poor and meet a rich man who gives you the Cinderella treatment like you deserve it.
You fucking don't. Your kind should remain in the fucking gutter.
Never getting a piece of the pie. How dare you steal what belongs to me, and I'm going to ruin you just as Prince ruined me. "
Roderick roughly released Finn's face and stepped back, and punched him in the jaw.
Finn didn't scream out; he remained silent, and he didn't even shed a tear, no matter how badly he wanted to.
He kept thanking the gods that Roderick wasn't focused on his stomach.
The bruise on his face would heal, but losing his children would break his heart.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Roderick screamed. It seemed Finn's silence angered Roderick. "Where's all your snark? Why aren't you begging me to stop?"
He punched Finn twice more. He felt blood pool in his mouth and swallowed it, refusing to let Roderick see him damaged in any way. But he knew his silence could only last so long. Roderick grabbed the front of Finn's shirt and ripped it open. Fear engulfed him.
"What are you doing?" Finn growled.
Roderick grinned, and it reached his eyes, which looked so manic that Finn thought he was seeing things. "Oh, so you can talk. For a minute, I thought they'd cut your tongue out before bringing you to me."
He pulled a knife from behind him, and Finn's entire body went still when Roderick trailed the pointed tip from Finn's sternum to his round stomach, pressing it in, breaking the skin.
"Don't," Finn whispered, closing his eyes.
"Don't what?" Roderick said.
"Please, don't hurt them." He opened his eyes and looked into Roderick's eyes. "I'm begging you."
Roderick didn't move the knife; he simply stared at him for a long time, and when Finn thought he would press it in further, he stood and spoke to someone else in the room.
"Lock him up. I don't want to see his face until it's time to make the exchange." Roderick glanced at Finn. "Don't take this as me being nice. I can't have my bargaining chip damaged too much."