Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
September 3 rd
8:05 A.M.
The unicorn lunch box and backpack sitting on the kitchen counter mocked him.
Today was supposed to be a special day, a milestone in his daughter’s life.
Her first day of kindergarten.
Essie should be there, wearing the cute pink and yellow sundress she and Gabriella had gone shopping for back at the beginning of summer after Essie finished preschool. His daughter had been too excited to wait until it was closer to school starting and the two girls had gone on a huge shopping spree, buying everything any child could possibly need at school.
Last week, it had all been packed up into Essie’s brand-new unicorn backpack, and because Essie liked looking at it Gabriella had left it out in the kitchen.
Now it mocked him.
Because Essie wasn't there getting dressed and having her hair done in the cute style she’d picked out because his daughter liked to have everything perfect. She wouldn't be holding up a cute chalkboard with her name, the date, and what she wanted to be when she grew up on it. There would be no first day of school pictures, no driving her in and dropping her off, and watching with pride as she took the next step in life.
For as long as Cade could remember, Essie had been excited to start school. His daughter was smart and curious, and she loved learning new things. At least a few times a day she’d ask some random question, and if he or Gabriella didn't know the answer, they’d grab Essie’s iPad and look it up.
Essie should be there.
Rage at the people who had taken her from him was so all-consuming that he could barely do anything else. It pulsed inside him like a red-hot beast, desperate for an outlet. It howled out its pain inside his skull until he had a constant throbbing headache. Every one of his muscles ached because he was so tense, wound so tight that when he finally snapped, it would be epic.
Now, though, he had no outlet.
Nothing to do but sift through intel that didn't appear to be leading him anywhere and battle his fear for his daughter and Gabriella.
Cade couldn’t get Olivia’s words out of his mind.
What had been said to comfort him only made his fear worse the longer he pondered it.
It was true, Gabriella was going to do whatever it took to protect his daughter because she truly loved Essie. It was why he’d hired her. From the moment they met, it was clear that Gabriella and Essie were going to get along. It hadn't mattered to him that she had no training, he didn't either when he became a dad, all that mattered was that whoever cared for his child would treat her the same way he would.
If he were the one abducted with his daughter there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect her.
Anything.
Gabriella would do the same.
What horrors was she enduring on his daughter’s behalf?
It made him physically sick to think about it. In fact, when he’d gotten home last night he’d gone straight to the bathroom and thrown up, unable to stomach the fear any longer.
How was he going to survive if he couldn’t bring his child and her nanny home?
“Cade?” The front door to his house opened and he heard Cooper call out his name.
Company was the last thing he wanted. All he wanted was to be alone to wallow in a pit of anger and terror without any witnesses. There was nothing anyone could say that would change or fix this situation and he wasn't able to summon enough energy to be even vaguely hospitable.
Knowing his family meant well didn't help, he just wanted them to leave him alone.
“Cade?” Cooper said again as he entered the family room. Not alone. Almost the entire family was there, everyone except Connor and Becca. Ironically, they were the only two who could even come close to understanding what he was going through. Becca had miscarried their baby boy twelve years ago. Connor had just found out about it and the two of them were now grieving the loss together.
“Sorry to show up when you said you needed time alone, it’s just that … you shouldn’t have to be alone. It never helps,” Susanna said softly. While she was the newest addition to their family, even though they’d known her in passing for the last three years since she was Cole’s neighbor, she’d fitted in seamlessly. The woman had major trust issues, and he respected the hell out of her for working on them, making an effort to change the patterns of a lifetime now that she finally had a place she felt safe and people she felt safe with.
Maybe he needed to learn a lesson or two about taking on his fears rather than ignoring them. If he had, maybe he would have let Gabriella know that he thought she was gorgeous, smart, funny, caring, kind, compassionate, loyal, and the kind of woman you could build a life with.
How could he argue with Susanna’s words?
They knew her story, how she’d been hurt and called a liar, how she’d built a life all on her own and yet still had such a big heart and cared for others so deeply.
“You're right,” he reluctantly agreed. Raking his fingers through his hair, he forced himself to accept that sitting alone in his home was just a way to punish himself. Essie and Gabriella were alone right now so he should be too. But his suffering didn't alleviate theirs. If anything, it made theirs worse because the deeper into this hole he dug himself, the harder it would be to get out of.
His girls were counting on him, and he couldn’t fail them.
Wouldn't.
“I am?” Susanna asked, her green eyes widening in surprise, drawing a chuckle from him.
“You are,” he told her.
“See, I'm not the only one who thinks you're always right,” Cole teased, drawing his girlfriend against his chest and touching a kiss to her temple. Despite their relationship being new, they’d fallen into such ease with one another. Cade remembered what those early days were like, you couldn’t get enough of the person who had captured your heart. You wanted to touch them all the time and spend every second with them. He wished Cole and Susanna, and Cooper and Willow, weren't having what should be such a special time tainted by the fact that they were all in danger.
Shoving to his feet, Cade headed into the kitchen. “Who wants coffee?”
After a round of affirmatives, they all bustled around his kitchen, making coffee and raiding his pantry for snacks. By the time they were all set up at his table, he was already feeling a little better. Susanna had been right, and he’d been wrong. What he needed was to be reminded that he wasn't fighting for his girls alone. An entire team was at his back, and together, they were more powerful than the men they were up against.
“Where are Con and Bec?” he asked.
“They went to the cemetery,” Jax replied.
“They’ve wanted to go ever since the ordeal at the cabin, but they haven’t had a chance yet,” Willow added. “They didn't want to go today, they wanted to be here for you, but we told them they should go. They need that time together to say goodbye to their son.”
He didn't disagree.
The whole mess of the pregnancy twelve years ago had driven Connor and Becca apart. Now that they were getting their second chance, they needed to be able to lay the past to rest, and part of that meant having a real chance to grieve their son together.
“They’re going to come by after,” Jake said.
“When did Essie get the ragdoll?” Cooper asked, glancing at the doll and teddy bear sitting side by side on the kitchen table.
“It’s not Essie’s,” he replied. Since he’d found the doll in Gabriella’s room, he hadn't been able to go anywhere without it and Essie’s teddy. Having them close felt like maintaining a link to the missing girls and he needed to cling to it right now. “It’s Gabriella’s. The only thing she had from her biological mom.”
Gabriella had been open with all of them about how she’d grown up, so he wasn't breaking any confidence. In fact, given that he’d worked hard to maintain distance between them, he wouldn't be surprised to know that his brothers knew more about her and her past than he did.
“It was in her room,” he said softly, reaching out a hand to brush a fingertip across the worn pink material of the doll’s dress. How many times had he had to curl his fingers into fists to stop himself from reaching out and touching Gabriella over the last four years? To stop himself from caressing her freckle-dusted cheek? From running his fingers through her wild red curls? From dragging her into his arms and kissing her until neither of them could breathe?
From telling her that she was more than just his daughter’s nanny, but he was afraid of losing her if he let her in?
Only he’d lost her anyway.
All that keeping distance, pretending he didn't catch the longing and heated glances she threw his way, pretending that they were just friends, pretending that he didn't crave more, hadn't protected Gabriella or him.
In the end, he’d lost her anyway.
And there might never be a chance to make things right.
September 3 rd
3:29 P.M.
“Truck!” Essie announced triumphantly, beaming with pride.
“That’s right!” Gabriella encouraged her little student. “T-R-U-C-K spells truck, that’s awesome! You're going to be reading in no time.”
“Then I can read you books at bedtime,” the little girl said, preening with enthusiasm and pride in herself.
Since they’d been there for over two days, she had to get creative in what she could do to keep a young and active child occupied. Since Essie loved learning and was always enthusiastic about learning her letters and numbers, Gabriella had decided to start trying to teach her some more words. So she was sounding them out, and letting Essie think which letter made each sound and how the letters went together to form a word.
It was a poor substitute for spending what should be her first day of kindergarten at school with her teacher, making new friends, and embarking on a new adventure, but at least she was learning something and having fun while doing it.
So far, no one had made any move to do anything to the little girl, nor had they made any move to contact Cade. At least as far as she knew. Obviously, since she’d been stuck in there, she couldn’t know for sure that they hadn't, but she wasn't stupid, she knew the reason they had been taken was to put pressure on Cade and his family to get them to back off. The best way to do that was to hurt them and send the Charleston Holloway family proof.
While she may not be a part of that family by blood, she knew they cared about her enough that they weren't just hunting for Essie but for them both. They’d do whatever they could to get them out of there alive and she hoped they found them sooner rather than later.
“You sure can. You can read me one every night and then I’ll read you one,” she agreed. Keeping up a positive attitude was wearing on her, especially since she’d barely slept again the previous night and still had pretty much no appetite. Since Essie had been so proud of the lunch she’d made yesterday, Gabriella had nibbled on a bit of it and done the same at dinner when Essie had excitedly proclaimed she’d cook again. Now they were basically out of food, and she dreaded what she’d have to do to get them more.
The door to their room suddenly swung open, and even before anyone said anything Gabriella’s stomach dropped.
Something bad was happening.
Other than yesterday morning at breakfast, no one had come for them. She knew someone was always out there because whenever she knocked and asked if they could use the bathroom someone answered, but it was always only one man.
Now four of them strolled into the room.
If the number of them hadn't set off her alarm bells, then the smarmy looks on their faces would have.
They were excited about what was coming next.
She, on the other hand, was terrified.
Picking Essie up, she stood and clutched the child against her chest. Whatever was happening they weren't hurting this little girl.
Any sacrifice she had to make to ensure that, she was prepared to do.
“Who’s ready for a little photoshoot?” one of the men asked as he prowled toward them.
“I think we’ve let daddy stew for long enough, don’t you little one?” another asked.
When he reached out a hand to touch Essie, Gabriella quickly stepped back. “Don’t touch her,” she snapped. Her inner mama bear was coming out. Just because she wasn't Essie’s mother didn't mean she didn't love this child as though she was. Anyone who tried to hurt her would have to go through her first.
The man chuckled like she was hilarious. The hand that had been going to touch the little girl instead grabbed a handful of Gabriella’s red curls and yanked her closer. “You want to be the star of the movie, I think we can make that happen. Don’t you, guys?” he asked his friends who all snickered and whooped in response.
“Let’s go,” one of the other men said, and with his hand still tangled in her hair, the man who had grabbed her threw her forward, almost causing her to lose her balance and fall.
Somehow, she managed to remain upright, and with no choice but to follow the men, she clutched Essie tighter in her arms and walked where she was led.
“It’s okay, cuddle bug, I won't let them hurt you,” she whispered in the girl’s ear.
“I don’t want them to hurt you neither, Gabby.” Essie whimpered, her little face wet with tears.
“I don’t want you to worry about that, Essie. I'm a grown-up and it’s my job to protect you. Okay?” How could she explain to such a little girl the love she felt for her and how it precluded anything else?
“Put the kid down,” one of the men ordered when they walked into another small room like the one they’d been kept locked up in. Only this one wasn't completely empty, there were two chairs in the middle of the room, and a camera had been set up facing them.
Even if she had zero imagination and zero idea of what to expect when they’d been kidnapped, she could have figured out what they had planned in less than a second.
“On one of the chairs,” another added.
As badly as she wanted to refuse, Gabriella was afraid of what would happen if she did. These men could quite easily force the little girl out of her arms, and if they did, they wouldn't be gentle about it. Essie would wind up hurt and she couldn’t allow that.
So feeling backed into a corner, she slowly crossed the room and deposited the child on one of the chairs.
Essie whimpered and clung to her when she tried to straighten.
“Shh, cuddle bug, I'm still right here,” she soothed, fighting the urge to snatch the child right back up again.
“Sit beside her,” one ordered her.
That was a much easier direction to follow. Taking the other chair, she wrapped an arm around the little girl’s shoulders and tucked her in against her side.
The men all pulled on ski masks, and she noted they were all dressed in black today, including black gloves. There was nothing that would help Cade and the others to identify them.
Nothing in this room to identify where they were being held either.
In front of them, the camera switched on, and one of the men strolled in front of it. “Missing something?” he sneered as he circled around to stand behind them, running a hand down her hair and then doing the same to Essie.
“Unless you want your kid getting a real up close and personal lesson in the birds and the bees, I suggest you back off, stop looking for answers about topics that don’t concern you,” one of the other men said as he walked over to her chair and shoved her legs apart.
“Close your eyes, Essie,” Gabriella quickly whispered. She had no idea how far these men were going to take things, but she certainly didn't want Essie getting a lesson in the birds and the bees from watching her be raped. “Keep them closed, okay? Until I tell you to open them.”
The man groping her chuckled and lifted a hand to wrap around her neck, holding her still as he crushed his mouth to hers. The kiss was harsh and forceful, and with his body pressed against hers and his hand squeezing her neck just tight enough to begin impeding her ability to breathe there was nowhere for her to go.
From behind her the other man roughly grabbed her breasts, kneading them painfully. The bite mark, which had torn through her skin and left behind horrible red welts as well as dark black and blue bruises, stung horribly as his large hand squeezed her flesh.
Gabriella whimpered at the violation of his tongue forcing its way between her lips, and she was so very aware both of the little girl still tucked against her side, and the fact that this video was going to be sent to Cade.
When he saw it, he was going to lose it.
His fear for his daughter and what was going to happen to her would be off the charts, maybe even bad enough for him to agree to stop searching for answers about who hurt his mom.
That wasn't what she wanted for him or his family, they deserved to be able to clear their mom’s name after all these years, but she didn't want to die in the process. Nor did she want Essie to have to pay the ultimate price.
The facts were, there was no good outcome.
And even if Cade agreed to back off it didn't guarantee that she and Essie would be returned alive.
Hopelessness drowned her, and a single tear trailed down her cheek as she lifted her gaze to look square into the camera.