37. Data Capture
Data Capture
Sara
The afternoon is spent working, walking, and fucking. Not necessarily in that order. I don’t bring up Tom again. We don’t talk about the mission Wyatt and Drew are on. Though now, as I lie between Finn and Dante in the bed, Wyatt and Drew are all I can think about.
Did they make contact? Were they taken into custody? Do they miss me the way I miss them? Is it ridiculous to miss someone when they haven’t even been gone a day?
Sleep is not happening.
I slip out of bed and throw on some leggings and a t-shirt.
The guys are wiped out and normally I would be too, but my brain can’t stop racing through everything.
There has to be a way to fix this. To go back to our new normal where we just have to worry what my mom will think about me dating four guys.
The house is dark but the guys always leave on a few lights. I make my way to the kitchen. Before I open the door, I listen, but it doesn’t sound like anyone’s talking in there tonight.
I push open the door and Tom sits at the island with the laptop out. He wears flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt. He looks up when I open the door.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks, raking a hand through his hair.
I shake my head but step into the kitchen and let the door fall shut.
Tom stands and stretches. Without another word, he walks to the refrigerator and pulls out the milk.
From the pantry, he grabs some chocolate.
After he sets them on the counter, he pours milk into a pan before setting it on low heat.
“Have a seat.” He blows out a breath. “I could use some too.”
This was our thing growing up. If we couldn’t sleep, we’d end up in the kitchen making hot cocoa.
I sit next to his workstation and see the files up are one of the clients I worked on in his absence. “I audited the cash account on this client.”
He smiles and gently stirs the milk, adding chocolate pieces. “I saw. You did a great job. Have you been enjoying your internship so far?”
I could point out he’s been gone the whole time I’ve worked there, but instead I decide to play nice and just talk. This isn’t something that’s a fight between us. It’s a neutral subject. At least between us.
“I’ve enjoyed it. They have me working in your office.” I raise an eyebrow at him.
He chuckles. “Good. I know there’s a few associates who would have flirted with you otherwise.”
“And that would be a bad thing?” I tip my chin down.
“It would have driven the guys crazy.” He shrugs and gives me a half smile. “I’m not surprised by your relationship. Maybe I should be and I was when I found out. Mostly because of how I found out.”
I blush because it wasn’t ideal. He continues, so I don’t say anything.
“But they’ve always loved you. I just figured they’d love you like a sister like I do.” He pulls the pan away and gets out two cups, pouring the hot chocolate into them. “I definitely don’t want to know more about your relationship. Except if you’re happy with them?”
He pushes a mug to me and I wrap my hands around it, drawing in the warmth and the sweet scent.
I meet his eyes because this is important to me. “I love them. Each of them. I can’t imagine being with just one of them and not all of them.”
“Even Drew?” Tom rests his elbows on the island across from me and blows on his hot chocolate. “I barely know the guy, but what I do know isn’t all good.”
“Drew’s—” I catch myself smiling thinking about him. “Unique. You know how it is in our social circle. Too many people want to play games or they aren’t truthful. Drew, he’s honest and kind and a better boyfriend than I’ve ever had.”
The way I feel when I’m with him. It’s like he thinks I hung the moon. No one’s ever made me feel like that before.
Tom’s smile is soft. “I don’t really have room to talk about your relationship. But it looks like they all really care about you.”
“They do.” I take a sip of the cocoa. “Tell me about Natasha.”
His face tells me he’s in love. It’s not hard to read.
“She’s amazing. Beautiful, smart, funny.
She wouldn’t even give me the time of day when I first met her.
Which, given her father, isn’t a huge surprise.
Most woman fall for me because of my money or good looks.
” He gives me a boyish grin. “Natasha made me work for it. But she’s worth it. ”
I nod. “You need to tell Mom and Roger.”
“Yeah, I got married and am having a baby. You just have four wealthy boyfriends.” He smiles and shakes his head. “You can thank me for taking the heat off you this time.”
“I don’t think either of us are going to have an easy time of it with our parents.” I sip some more of the chocolate. As long as we don’t dive into some of the things that really tick me off, it’s nice talking to Tom.
“Drew and Wyatt get back tomorrow?” His finger rubs the side of his mug as his pale green eyes meet mine.
“Or the next day if they run into problems.” My heart squeezes. We won’t know until they don’t come back by the allotted time.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Wyatt’s a good guy to have around during a crisis.” Tom glances up at me like he’s unsure if we can talk about Wyatt without him getting hit. He’s not wrong.
“He is.” The bottle of rage I capped to talk to him spills over and I know I can’t be civil any longer. “I should head back to bed. Thank you for the cocoa.”
His smile is sad but he nods. “Any time. I’m glad we could talk.”
“Me too.” I lower my head as I head out of the kitchen.
“Night,” he calls after me.
I wish this were easier, but I’m not the one who made it difficult.
The door closes, but I say quietly, “Night.”
* * *
Something woke me. I don’t know what. But I lie awake in the darkness and listen. Did I hear something? I sit up on the bed and look around. I reach out for Dante and Finn, and my hand brushes their warm skin. It settles me, but I still don’t know what woke me.
There’s a creak on the floorboards outside the room, but that could be the house settling. Maybe just nervous energy.
I’m about to wake the guys when the door bursts open. They both wake as guys dressed in black flood our room.
I left on my clothes when I came back to bed, because I was a little chilled. The guys both have on their boxers, but we’re definitely underdressed.
“Come with us,” one of the guys says as he looks over Dante. Everything is covered except their eyes.
They don’t appear to be armed, but there are four guys total. That’s more than enough to take down two guys.
“Run, pip.” Dante leaps from the bed and crashes two of them into the wall. Finn does the same thing. I’m frozen in place as they wrestle with the men in black.
“Dammit, Sara, run.” Finn’s words set me into motion. I leap out of the bed and hurry out the door. Two guys are waiting in the hallway, so I turn and run the other way.
“Don’t hurt the females,” a voice calls out of the room. “One of them is pregnant.”
I will never be more grateful for Finn’s lie than at this moment. As I twist a knob to slide into a room, I’m lifted from behind.
“No! Put me down.” I struggle in the guy’s arms.
“Please calm down, ma’am.”
“Yes, that’s what you tell a woman when she’s being kidnapped. Again.” I kick back with my heels, but my feet are bare. I’m not even making a dent.
The guy just carries me down the hallway back to the bedroom.
“The other assets are in the van,” someone says.
When we pass by the door, one of their guys is slumped on the floor. Both Finn and Dante have their arms tied behind their backs and black bags over their faces.
“Finn! Dante!”
“If you hurt her, I’ll end you,” Finn snarls.
“Our boss just wants to talk to all of you.” The guy sounds like he’s the lead.
“An invitation would have been better than waking us in the middle of the night.” I try to go slack, but the man holding me has both arms around my waist.
“Boss figured you’d run again.” The men all look the same with black masks and black clothes. He closes in on me. “This seemed easier.”
The guy on the ground groans. The man in front of me chuckles. “Except for Ryan.” He shakes his head. “Get them in the vehicle and let’s get out of here. Franks, help Ryan.”
As I’m carried down the hallway, I look back to see them leading out Finn and Dante. I try to dig my nails into the man’s arms, but he doesn’t even grunt in pain. It’s wholly dissatisfying.
When we get to the van, the guy stops. They open the back and Tom and Natasha are in there already, huddled together. They both look like they were taken from bed too. Tom has on boxers and Natasha a robe. A black bag covers Tom’s face and his hands are behind his back.
They load Finn and Dante.
“It’s up to you, scrapper.” The guy in charge is in front of me. “You can come along for a ride or make us chase you again. I can’t be positive we won’t accidentally hurt you this time though. Your choice.”
“Fucker,” I whisper as the guy holding me releases me.
I straighten and climb in to sit between Finn and Dante. The men in black close the doors and it’s dark as night inside the van.
“Are we alone in here?” Finn asks.
“Tom and Natasha are with us.” I touch Dante’s and Finn’s thighs.
“Take the bag off my head,” Dante says quietly.
“It won’t make much difference. It’s too dark to see.” I reach up and take off Dante’s and then Finn’s while Natasha takes off Tom’s. The guys are bound with zip ties. I can feel the plastic but I still can’t see a thing.
“Are we thinking Peter?” Tom asks.
“Who else would try to kidnap us?” Finn’s laugh is bitter. “You’re the one who got us into this mess.”
“What happens when Drew and Wyatt come back and we’re gone?” My heart is still racing. I can’t think outside of the rocking of the van as they carry us away from our safe haven.
“How would Peter have found us though?” Dante asks.
“He could have found out about Wyatt.” I don’t say more because Natasha doesn’t know, and the fewer who know the better.
“Maybe,” Dante says. “Did they hurt you?”
“No, boss. How about you?”
He chuckles. “They had to get Finn down first and then overwhelm me.”
“Whoever sent them didn’t send weak guys,” Tom grumbles.
“They know one of us is pregnant.” I breathe out. The darkness is suffocating. “They said to be careful with the women because one of us is pregnant.”
“I told Peter you’re pregnant, flower.”
“Are you?” Tom’s voice is a little brisk.
“No, I’m not, but it made sense, especially if the child is Finn’s.” My cheeks are heated.
“Good thinking,” Tom says.
“But my father would know by now too, and who knows how many other people.” Finn’s tone is sharp. “Which means it could be Peter or another faction that wants to get back at my father.”
“So we’re captured and have no idea by who or for what?” I ask.
No one answers.
“Last time, I was invited into a car and left in a luxury suite with three meals a day.” I blow out a wistful sigh. “You think that will happen this time?”
“One could hope.” Dante rests his head on my shoulder to touch me.
I shiver at the chill in the air, but Dante and Finn are in their boxers. So is Tom. Natasha and I are in pajamas. I don’t know where they’re taking us, but it can’t be good.