Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
A ll 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 they would get 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.
Patrick was a fool to think Steve and the others hadn’t thought of everything. Wouldn’t know this was a trap. Patrick’s arrogance thinking he was better than the men arriving would be his downfall.
There was no way they’d make silly mistakes that would endanger them and her and Charlee. Patrick, however, would and so she would ensure that her daughter wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.
She would sacrifice her life for her daughter without question.
“I need you to come here, Lauren. Now.” He pointed to a spot next to him. “Come watch while the traps I’ve set take out these so-called experts.”
Had the man forgotten that she couldn’t move freely? “I can’t. You handcuffed me to the bed. Remember?”
Patrick stormed over and slapped her hard across the cheek. Charlee screamed, and the force of the hit snapped Lauren’s neck to the right. Pain radiated up to the base of her skull. “I’m okay, Charlee.”
If she kept Patrick’s focus on her, it would give Steve and the others time to get close to the cabin. These guys were used to situations like this. There’s no way they’d just rush in without considering the possibility that Patrick would’ve made it difficult for them to approach the structure easily.
“Yeah, Charlee, your mum is fine. Charlee. What a fucking stupid name! If I’d been around when you’d been born, I never would’ve allowed your slut of a mother to name you that.” Patrick stalked toward her, leaning down so he could get in her face. “Only good thing about you deciding to have my baby is, she’s going to get me a pretty penny and make someone very happy. I might even be able to negotiate for you too. Double my payday.”
Lauren’s blood chilled as the implication of what Patrick said sunk in. He was going to sell both her and Charlee to sex traffickers. Beside her Charlee whimpered and Lauren pulled her close.
“You won’t get away with this, Patrick.” Lauren ground out.
“Won’t I?” he taunted and held up the handcuff key. “I have all the power here. You can’t do shit.”
The sound of wood splintering was the only warning she and Patrick got that something was about to happen.
“No, but I can, asshole.” A voice ground out.
Patrick didn’t even get a chance to move. His eyes widened in surprise before they rolled up and he fell to the floor with a thud. Not moving.
There’s no blood. If he’d been shot there would be blood, right?
Charlee screamed again pulling her from her thoughts, but her gaze was fixed on the person standing where Partrick had been.
Am I dreaming?
“Reed?”
“Hey Ren, I’m here.” He limped over to pluck the key off the floor, where it had landed when Patrick had fallen. He unlocked the handcuffs and had her and Charlee in his embrace in seconds.
“You’re real,” she whispered. “I’m not dreaming.”
“It’s real, babe. I’m here.”
Lauren was aware of movement around her but all her attention was on the man who held both her and her daughter. Charlee was crying. Hearing her daughter’s emotions, unlocked the key to Lauren’s own. The damn burst and tears started. She’d thought she’d cried herself dry last night, but she hadn’t.
“It’s okay, Ren. You’re okay. Charlee’s okay.” Reed’s words assured her but did nothing to stop the rivers of tears trickling down her cheeks.
“I thought you were dead. You weren’t moving. There was so much blood.”
“I’m here. I’m alive. You’re both safe now. He’s not going to hurt you anymore.”
“Is he…” she couldn’t finish the words.
“No, just neutralized,” Reed responded.
Lauren didn’t know what to feel. Should she be sad that her daughter’s father wasn’t dead? She believed Reed when he said that Patrick couldn’t hurt them anymore. But he was still alive, there was always a chance he could try again. Only next time, he could succeed. Next time she and Charlee might not be so lucky.
A full body shiver wracked her body and her teeth started to chatter as shock set in.
Reed stroked her back soothingly. “I know what you’re thinking, Ren, but it’s not going to happen. I’m going to make sure Patrick gets the book thrown at him and he doesn’t see the light of day.”
How did he always seem to know what she was thinking? Maybe because he knew her. Like no one in her life had.
“All clear,” Steve announced.
Lauren lifted her head from where it was buried against Reed’s chest and looked around. Patrick wasn’t anywhere to be seen and Andy, a very bruised but very alive Andy, stood in front of the trio.
“You’re okay?” she whispered, not taking her eyes off him, but hugging her daughter tight, not wanting to let her go. “I thought…”
“I’m good,” Andy assured her. “You want me to take her?”
“No, I need her.”
“Of course, take all the time you need,” Andy said.
Andy, Steve and the others walked out, then it was just the three of them. “Are you sure, you’re okay?” she asked adjusting her hold on Charlee so that she could get a good look at him. Her eyes widened when she saw that he was wearing hospital scrubs, the top of which had a blood stain on it. “Reed! You’re bleeding.”
He shrugged. “Worth it. We don’t have much time before the authorities come, but I need to tell you both something.”
Her stomach dropped at the seriousness of his tone and she clutched Charlee a little tighter, her daughter squirming against her hold.
Was he about to tell her what she’d feared from the beginning, that getting involved with her and Charlee was too much? Considering what he’d just gone through, it wouldn’t surprise her if he did, and if that was the case, then she would survive—somehow. “What?”
“I don’t ever want to go through the last couple of days ever again. I can’t live without you Lauren and Charlee Wishart. I love you both so much. I know, after what you’ve been through that it’s a lot to take in, but I can’t go another day without telling you how I feel.”
Lauren blinked a few times, sure that she’d somehow slipped into a dream again. Had Reed really said that he loved her? It didn’t seem possible. How could he with everything she’d put him through.
“You love me? Us?” she had to ask.
“With my whole heart. I love you and I love Charlee. Me leaping into a fake engagement with you wasn’t a hardship because it’s what I wanted. I want to make it real. When you’re ready.”
This man.
Reaching beneath the collar of her shirt, she pulled out the necklace with the ring Reed had given her still hanging from the gold. She opened the clasp, slid the ring off and held it out to him.
The light that had been in his eyes dimmed at the action. “Lauren?”
“Ask again. For real.”
He smiled a full wattage, one that turned her insides into a bowl of jelly. Beside her Charlee was bouncing up and down, something Lauren was pleased to see.
Reed took the ring from her. “Lauren, I could say all the pretty words in the world, but these are the only ones that matter. I love you with my whole heart. Will you and Charlee let me become your family? Will you marry me?”
“Yes! I love you Reed!” Charlee screamed, and Lauren laughed, her heart melting at hearing her daughter’s declaration of love for Reed.
It stunned her that she could feel this way when not that long ago she believed she and her daughter were about to die. She knew it was adrenaline pumping through them both, but Lauren had no doubts about the man who’d asked her the question she never believed she would ever hear.
She grabbed Charlee’s hand, needing her daughter to know she was part of this decision making with her. “Reed, I don’t know what I did to deserve you but I have you and I’m not letting you go. I love you completely. You make me feel things I never thought I could. Charlee’s already told you what she wants. There’s no doubt in my mind I want the same. Yes, I would love to marry you.”
A second later the ring was on her finger and his lips were on hers sealing their commitment to each other.
No matter what the future held, Lauren knew that after what she and Charlee had just gone through, this man holding her, would always be by their side.