Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
“ D AD!” Gabe shouted as Torres barreled through the door and tackled Ali to the ground. He really didn’t need to shoot the man and scar his kid. Catherine would never let him see him again after that.
Gabe grunted as Kade took him to the ground, covering him with his much bigger body. “Wait, Dad, wait!” Gabe shouted, struggling against Kade as he saw his dad’s fist connect with Ali’s face. “DAD STOP!” Gabe screamed at the top of his lungs, shocking all of them. “Kade, please get off me.” He begged, then stumbled to his feet and ran to his dad, wedging his smaller body in between his dad and Ali. “Dad, please stop and listen to me.”
Torres reared back, stunned that Gabe was protecting the man that kidnapped him. “What?”
Gabe helped Ali sit up and grimaced. “I’m sorry, my dad is super protective.”
“I can see that.” Ali croaked out as he tried to stem the blood flow from his nose.
“Can someone explain what is going on, please?” Leo demanded.
“I would like to know as well.” Kade said, throwing his hands on his hips and glaring in their direction.
“Gabriel Antonio Reddy, you better tell me what the fuck is going on and you better tell me fast.” Torres growled.
“Ali’s son is missing. I want to help him find him.” Gabe fired back, glaring at his father. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“I would never hurt a child.” Ali mumbled. “But I needed a trade-worthy child to get mine back.”
“You were going to trade my child!” Torres thundered, advancing on the man until Kade pulled him back.
“Of course not! But I needed to pretend.” Ali said as he stood straightening his clothes and glared at Torres, offended. The man would even consider that.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Torres raged, running his hands roughly down his face. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“There was a man that stole my son and killed my father.” Ali said, swallowing hard before he continued. “He sold my son to a man named Abdullah Hassiem. He is a human trafficker who specializes in children. I have been trying to infiltrate his underground network to find my son.”
“And why did you take my son?” Torres growled.
“I was in the States looking for the man who stole my son. I found out he died and noticed you and your son hanging around the guy’s husband. When I saw you go to the gaming place, I saw my chance. Your son would go very quickly in a setting like that with his skin and eyes, and could get me in easily so I could find my son.”
“So what was your fucking plan because I hope you realize you wouldn’t have made it out of there, alive with both boys, and when you died, they would most likely face the punishment.” Kade demanded. “You not only put yourself at risk but Gabe, who is fucking innocent in this.”
Ali stood straighter and met Torres’ eyes. “If it was your son, what would you do?”
“I would go and get him but there’s a difference between me and you, you idiot. I’m trained for this type of shit” Torres barked.
Kade laid a hand on Torres’ arm to help calm him. “Let’s go back to the hotel and talk with the others. Maybe we can figure out a way to save your son.”
“Dad, can we please help Mr. Ali find his son?” Gabe asked, looking anxiously back and forth between them. “He’s my age and I’m sure he’s really scared. I want to make sure he’s ok.”
The second Torres saw the tears in his son’s eyes, he knew he would do whatever his kid wanted. He sighed. “Fine, but we need to get back and call your mother. She already blames me for you disappearing.”
Gabe’s brows furrowed. “It’s not your fault, Dad, I went with him on my own. I just wanted to help.”
Torres cupped his son’s face. “I know buddy and I’m so proud of you for that, but I brought you into this world and I swear to God if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will take you out of this life.” Torres threatened, shaking his son by the shoulders.
Gabe made a funny noise as he wobbled back and forth. “Yeah, Dad, I got it, but you’ll have to answer to Mom if you give me brain damage.” He said, hugging his dad’s waist hard. He wouldn’t tell his dad, but he had been terrified. Mr. Ali was nice enough, but he had still been scared, but he knew he couldn’t just leave another boy to suffer.
“Let’s go.” Kade ordered and ushered them all out. He held onto Torres’ arm and shut his eyes as they ran down the brightly lit hallway and out into the scorching heat.
“Gabe, glad you’re ok.” Jett said, smiling at the boy as Sniper racked a bullet into the chamber of his Barrett M82 and glared at Ali.
“Thanks, Jett.” Gabe said, grinning. “Uncle Sniper, it’s ok, he didn’t hurt me.”
“No, but he took you. I want to shoot him.” Sniper hissed.
“You can’t.” Gabe gasped, stepping in front of Ali as if his smaller body would protect him.
Sniper gasped and looked at Torres as he pointed at Gabe. “What the fuck did he do to him. Oh my God, does he have brain damage?”
Jett rolled his eyes. “He’s fine. You heard the reason why.” Jett reminded him, ignoring his partner's glare.
“Can we get back to the fucking hotel, or are you gonna act like old women and gossip on the side of the street?” Kade asked, his voice low and fed up.
“We’re going.” Sniper replied, jumping in the SUV. They all followed suit, and Torres kept a close eye on his son as Gabe sat next to Ali and chatted with him.
“The fuck is going on?” Kade muttered.
“That’s what I would like to know.” Torres replied roughly.
Back at the hotel room, Leo bounced on the balls of his feet as they all piled into the room. “Hey, Gabe,” he smiled softly, waving at the boy.
“Your husband killed my father!” Ali barked as he advanced on Leo, and was immediately knocked off his feet by Kade, who stood over him.
“Enough!” Kade barked. “You lay a finger on that man and I will skin you alive.” He moved away.
“Please don’t hurt my friend.” Gabe said to Ali as he hugged Leo. “He’s dating my dad, and he makes him happy. I won’t help you if you try to hurt him.”
Ali grunted as he got to his feet, nodding in understanding at Gabe. “I give you my word, I won’t.”
Torres released the tight hold he had on Leo’s arm. The second he saw the man move, he’d moved faster. There was no way in hell he was letting anyone hurt his man.
Leo swallowed hard. “I am sorry about what my husband did to you and your family, but I want you to know I was divorcing him before he died. I had no idea what he was doing while he was overseas. What he did was wrong, but right now maybe we can help right some of the wrongs he did. You don’t have to like me and I understand why you don’t, but if you give me a chance, I want to help you.”
“If you’re not nice to Leo, we won’t help you.” Gabe said, crossing his arms and trying to look intimidating like his father.
Leo tried to hide his smile as he met Ali’s. The man nodded to him. “Ok, good, now what do we know?”
They all sat around while Ali told them all he knew.
“Ok, so Abdullah Hassiem is a powerful member of the Lebanese Mafia.” Cowboy said as he stared at his laptop, reading out loud what he found.
“Great, so this could potentially cause a war.” Kade said sarcastically.
Sniper gasped loudly. “Kade, can I please get more weapons!” He screeched as he bounced on his feet, clapping. “I wanna blow someone’s brains out and since I can’t touch him, I would like to kill someone.”
Jett snorted. “Easy partner.”
Sniper stuck his tongue out at Jett and smiled when the man laughed.
“Call in the calvary.” Kade ordered. “For now, let’s settle down and relax. We need to eat something. Gabe, when Doc gets here, he’ll want to check you over.”
“Ok, I’ll be good I promise.” Gabe said grinning. He loved Doc.
“Ok, then Gabe why don’t we go and take a nap, I don’t know about you but I could use a nap.” Leo said, chuckling.
Gabe grinned at him. “Yeah, it’s been a wild few days.” He said, his bottom lip wobbling.
Leo smiled softly at him, caressing his curls that were so much like his father’s. “No kidding, come on let’s go build a pillow fort and hide out to take a nap.” He waggled his brows, relishing in Gabe’s laughter.
“Deal.” Gabe shouted and took off to the room Leo gestured to.
“Thank you.” Torres said roughly.
“He’ll need more eventually. He doesn’t want you to know how shaken up he really is.” Leo warned him.
Torres nodded. “I’ll start looking for a therapist for him.” He gently kissed Leo’s lips and urged him to go join his son. “I’ll join you guys in a bit, so make sure to make the fort big enough.”
Leo snorted as he walked away.
“No giants allowed!” Gabe shouted, making them all chuckle.
“He’ll be fine.” Kade assured Torres as he paced around the living room.
“I know, but fuck Kade, I was so close to losing him, man, and I just fucking got him.” Torres put his hands on his hips as he stared at the floor.
“I know, man.” was all Kade could say as he patted Torres’ shoulder. “Cowboy, do your thing. I’m going to take a nap. Ali, you can take the couch. The fridge is stocked, so eat if you need to. Sniper Jett, stay in here and keep an eye out.”
“Got it boss.” Sniper said around a mouth full of chips. He made eye contact with Ali as he shoved another hand full into his mouth and gave the man a flaky smile as he grimaced.
Torres sighed, raking a hand through his hair as he continued to pace. “I’m going for a run.” He told Cowboy as he stripped out of his gear. “I need to burn off some of this energy.”
“I got you, man. Just keep your GPS on and wear your comms in case we need you.” Cowboy replied, not looking up from his screen.
“Got it.” He didn’t bother to go change, and while he wouldn’t recommend running in this type of heat in cargo pants and Steel toed combat boots, he couldn’t wait another second. He started off at a fast but steady pace. He didn’t want to go very far in case he was needed, so he went down a couple blocks, then turned back. He repeated that route several times before his sweat was burning his eyes, and his muscles were screaming. He needed to head back before he pushed himself too far. He raised his arms over his head and walked the block and a half back to the hotel to cool down.
“You ok?” Leo asked quietly as he got up from the bed.
“I will be.” Torres said roughly. Smiling softly as he saw Gabe passed out on the bed, his curls wild in sleep and his little face relaxed in sleep. “Is he ok?”
“Yeah, he struggled a little to fall asleep, but exhaustion won.” Leo said, smiling softly.
Torres swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry I left him with you. I should have been here too…”
“Shh,” Leo hushed him, pulling him close, not caring that Torres was soaked with sweat. “I don’t think Gabe wanted you in here. He did kind of cry a little, but he made me swear I wouldn’t tell you. He told me he wanted you to think of him as brave, not scared.”
Torres couldn’t hold back the sobs, so thankful his baby was ok, and so thankful to Leo for sticking around.
Leo held him tight and when he quieted, he led him to the bathroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up and then we can get some sleep.”