Chapter 25

"I'm just stopping to grab Ari, and then I'll be home. Dinner at home tonight?" I tell Mason as I sit outside the day care to get our little girl.

"Of course. You want me to cook, or do you prefer takeout?" he asks.

I smile to myself. This man is so considerate. He didn't even think about me cooking. He assumes he will take on that duty. I don't mind cooking, but I like that he is happy to take on the tasks and not assume they are mine.

"I was thinking pizza," I admit.

"Pizza it is. See you soon. Love you."

My heart is so full every time he says those words. I know he means them too. He could not say a word and I would know because his actions prove it to me every single day.

"I love you too, Mason."

As we hang up, I take a minute in the car to calm my racing heart. I miss him, and it's only been a few hours. I know this is likely the honeymoon phase, but I hope it never ends.

Finally feeling like I am put together, I exit the car and go into the day care. I stop at the desk, looking around for Ari, but I don't see her. Usually she is running toward me by now, knowing what time I usually come.

One of the assistants comes over.

"Ms. Knight. What are you doing here? Did Ari forget anything?" she asks.

"What? I'm here to pick Ari up," I tell her, my heart starting to beat faster.

The panic is starting to set in as I search for her again.

"It says you picked her up around noon. Marigold signed you out." The woman looks confused.

No. No. No. This can't be happening.

"Where is my daughter?" I hiss out before moving past the desk and start looking for her myself.

The assistant attempts to stop me, but I push past her. I don't care. I need to find my daughter.

"Ari? Ari!" I call out.

Another woman steps in front of me. "You checked your daughter out, ma'am. I helped you. Remember?"

She is talking to me like I am crazy, but I know I'm not.

"You're Marigold?" I ask.

She nods.

"Good." Pulling out my phone, I dial the police. "My daughter is missing from her day care. The incompetent worker insists that I picked her up, but I didn't. I need help right away."

Marigold's eyes widen as she starts to back away.

"Oh no. You stay right there. You are going to tell me where my daughter is, right now. You had better hope that she is okay. If not, I have no problem going to jail for my child."

She looks scared now while the other adults attempt to calm me.

Ignoring them, I hang up with dispatch after giving them the day care's information and dial Mason. He answers right away.

"What did you forget?"

His voice sends me over the edge, and I break down crying. "Someone took her."

That's all I can manage before the floodgates are opened. The next several hours are a blur for me. I remember the cops coming and taking my statement. The worker was insistent that I took her. The cameras weren't working at the time, so they had no proof and started to look at me like I was the crazy one.

Then Mason showed up with Brantley, Max, and Eli in tow. They took control and soon found camera footage from a business across the street of another woman taking Ari from here. Ari was screaming even.

I lost it then. I must have internalized myself, my mind not able to handle what it was being told. The next thing I know, Chloe is in front of me, shaking me.

"Snap out of it. Littles needs us. They have an idea of who took her. They are going to find her, but we need to get out of here. Sitting in this day care isn't going to help anyone. So we are going to go back to your place and grab some clothes for Littles. Then we are going to go sit at the hospital and wait. That's where they will bring her when they find her."

I nod numbly as I stand. Looking around, I search for Mason.

"Where is he?"

Chloe gives me a sad smile. "He said he was going to bring your little girl home. Leave it to him. There's nothing else we can do right now."

So I leave it with Mason, sending up a prayer that my little girl is okay.

I can't live my life without her.

* * *

Olivia went catatonic several hours ago. I hate watching her shake as she attempts to come to terms with this. I want to be over there holding her, but I can't right now. That's why I had Brantley call in Chloe.

"Here. This is the woman who took her." The officer shows me. "Do you know this lady?"

I squint, trying to see the grainy picture better. I can't really tell anything about the woman, but then my eye catches on the ring on her finger. It's one I know well.

"It's my mother," I tell the officer.

They look relieved. "So a misunderstanding?"

I start shaking my head before he even finishes his sentence. "Absolutely not. I have a protection order that states my mother is not to have contact with my daughter. She attempted to have her aborted, and since then, has stated on multiple occasions that she shouldn't be breathing. My daughter is in danger every second that she's alone with that woman."

"We understand, sir. Leave it to us. We will handle it," the officer tells me before walking to the group of police officers that haven't been doing a damn thing.

Shaking my head, I move to my boys. "It was my mother. Spread out and search for her. Everywhere you think she might be."

I go to move toward Olivia, but then Chloe walks in.

"What do we know?" she asks as she rushes up to me.

"I know who has her, and I'm getting our girl back."

"What do you need from me?"

"I need you to take Livvy home and stay with her."

"Of course. Anything." She steps forward and whispers under her breath, "I have a shovel in my trunk. I'm ready when you need me."

"I hope it doesn't come to that," I mutter as I move to Olivia. I kiss the top of her head.

"I'm going to get our girl. I love you."

She doesn't respond, not that I expected her to. I leave her behind as I head out to the waiting car.

I look at my phone, checking to see where each of the guys are going. Then I call my private investigator.

"How can I help you today, Mr. Williamson?" he answers.

"Drop whatever you're doing. I'll quadruple it. My mother kidnapped my daughter. Use your underground contacts and find her. I'm sending over all the information I have."

"Heard," he says before hanging up.

I send him her phone number, address, car information, and anything else I think can be helpful. When I get to the foundation here, I don't bother waiting for my driver to stop. I hop out and rush inside.

I ignore all the stares as I march all the way up to the operations officer's office.

"Mr. Williamson. How can I help you?"

"Where is my mother?"

"I have no idea. She stopped in here about a week ago, but we haven't seen her since. That's not unusual for her," she says with wide eyes, looking shocked.

I nod. "If she comes here, call me immediately. She kidnapped my daughter."

I hear the woman gasp as I head back to the car. Once inside, I check on the guys.

Max

She's not at home. Checking our hotel next.

Brantley

Not at the club. Will head over to her favorite shopping places.

Eli

Checked your place and the vacant rental you have downtown. Nothing.

My foot taps as I consider where she would go. My mother was never a sentimental one. She doesn't have places that would hold any meaning for her. Hell, Brantley is checking her favorite stores. He's grasping at straws there. She would be a fool to take a kidnapped child shopping.

She might try to get her on a plane, though.

Me

Eli, head to the airport and make sure our plane is grounded. Let security know what's going on so she can't get on a commercial flight either.

I know the cops likely flagged her already, but I'd rather be safe.

"Where too, boss? Want me to drive around and see if we can spot her car?" Thomas asks.

I am about to say yes when my phone pings.

PI

Her phone is pinging at this address. I'll keep looking.

Looking at the address, I can't believe it. She's at my ex-girlfriend's house. The same woman I warned not to cross me.

Sending the SOS out to the guys, I tell Thomas, "Step on it."

Within ten minutes, I'm standing at the door, knocking like I'm the police. As soon as it opens, I can hear my little girl's screams echoing through the halls.

"Finally. I told your mother to leave, but she refused. That little brat refuses to shut up."

I growl at her. "Take me to my daughter."

She looks shocked by my reaction. "Your daughter? Christ. I told your mother I didn't want to be involved. I never wanted to be involved, but she wouldn't stop. I'm leaving. Do whatever you have to. Try not to get blood on the new carpet."

With that, Victoria leaves the house. Not giving her a second thought, I run down the hall to where my daughter is screaming.

What I see has my vision turning red.

There, in the middle of the room, is my mother. She is standing so regal as if she were queen. In one hand, she has a glass filled with a brown liquid. The other hand is buried in my daughter's hair as she screams and cries.

"Look, your father is here," my mother says to my daughter.

Ari looks over at me, tears streaming down her face. "Daddy. Please. She's hurting me."

I go to step closer, but my mother shakes her head, pulling Ari's hair tighter, making her cry out.

"No, it's not going to be that easy. I got the little brat for you. Now I want you to cut that skank out of your life and marry Victoria. She's gone to get the minister now."

It becomes clear that my mother is completely delusional. I have no idea when it happened, but she isn't all there anymore. She really thinks by kidnapping my daughter that it solved all her issues. That I will fall into line and marry Victoria.

"What if Victoria doesn't want kids?" I ask her.

"She will do what I say. She only wants your checkbook. She will care for the little twat while you keep building the empire."

I want to rip this woman's throat out. I want to hurt her the way she is hurting my daughter. The problem is that she is unpredictable. Unstable.

Taking a deep breath, I force a smile.

"Of course, Mother. Now that my daughter is here, we can do this. How about I take Ari to the other room so she doesn't interfere with the wedding?"

"Do you think I'm daft? This is a big house. You would likely walk out the front door and never return. That hooker has you mesmerized by her pussy. No, we will wait until Victoria is back."

"Mother, I will not have you stand there hurting my daughter." I try for the stern tone my father always used with her. "Now I will marry the woman you chose, but will you at least let me take my daughter to another room?"

She blinks a few times before conceding. "Very well. Let's go, brat."

I walk behind them as she takes her to a cellar door. She opens it and waves Ari in.

"It's okay, honey. You go down there and find a really cool place to hide. I'll come find you soon."

Ari nods, rushing down the stairs into the dark. I say a little prayer to keep her safe. I'm just thankful we are at Victoria's house. That cellar is likely much nicer than any average person's whole house.

With Ari hopefully safe, I turn to face my mother.

"Now let's go have a chat."

I gesture for her to go ahead of me, but she narrows her eyes, indicating I go first. I do as she asks and head back into the main living room. Moving to the bar on the side, I turn to her.

"Would you like another drink, Mother?"

"Yes, dear."

Turning my back to her, I slip my phone from my pocket, dialing 911. I wait until it connects before I start talking while making the drinks.

"So you kidnapped my daughter, Ari, and brought her to Victoria Silverton's house to try to force me to marry her?"

"I took the girl so you would stop blathering on about her and that terror of a mother of hers. Did you know that I had her convinced you wanted nothing to do with the kid? Had she not walked through those doors again, you would be happily married to someone of my choice. Victoria wasn't the first option. Not after the unusual circumstances that her first husband died, but you left me no choice. Not many of my upstanding friends wanted to trust their daughters to a man who had already spawned children. Women don't want to raise their husband's bastard children, dear."

I grit my teeth as she speaks. I never thought I could hate my own flesh and blood, but I do. I hate this woman with every ounce of my soul.

Turning, I force a smile. I walk to her, handing her the glass of whiskey.

"So what were you planning to do with Ari?"

"She's your wedding gift, dear. Victoria will hire a nanny to raise the girl until she's old enough to go to boarding school. Then you will see her when it's time for family photos and things of that nature. No one would have to know she wasn't Victoria's. Since you wanted her so bad, I got her for you. It's what any good mother would do."

Deciding the police have already gotten enough, I end the call.

Then I look straight at my mother.

"By now, the cops are almost here. You are a vile woman. If I could get away with murder, I would kill you for touching my daughter. You don't deserve the solace of being dead, though. Instead, I'm going to strip you of everything you love. Olivia and I will press charges to the highest degree that we can, and then I'm going to publicly state that you have suffered a psychotic break and are no longer fit to run the foundation. I will sell off your house, your car, everything, since it was never in your name anyway. Even if you get out sometime in this life, you will have nothing to get out to. I will ensure that no one will ever look your way again."

Her hand is on her chest now, the one holding the glass is shaking. "How dare you say that to your mother? All I'm doing is taking care of you. You don't have to be so nasty. Besides, I didn't kidnap the girl. I merely picked up my granddaughter, and that is what I will tell the police."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Now you try to claim her as your granddaughter? I don't fucking think so. You can try to buy yourself out of this, but just know it's not going to work. I have more money and better motivation than you. As far as I'm concerned, I've already won the war."

The front door bursts open then. In seconds, we are surrounded. I hold my hands up, glaring at her.

The police do their job, securing us both while they work through what is going on.

"My daughter is in the cellar. I'm not sure she will come out to one of you." I let one of the police officers know.

He talks to the lead officer on scene, who agrees to let me go.

I rush down to the cellar, calling out for my girl. It takes a few moments, but when she comes out from behind a rack of wine, I finally take a full breath.

"Daddy!" she cries, running into my arms.

I pick her up, hugging her to me tightly as she wraps her arms and legs around me.

"Is she okay, sir?" one of the policemen asks.

"Are you okay, Ari?"

"I want Mommy."

"I know, baby. We are going to see Mommy. Are you hurt, though?"

She shakes her head against me.

"I think we are fine. We can take her to the hospital to be sure, but she's not going to leave my arms right now."

"Understood."

I ride with Ari in the back of the ambulance, grateful my mother had been put in a police cruiser before we had gotten out of the house.

It's not until we get to the hospital and see Olivia that I feel like everything will be okay. As she runs toward us, crying, I make a vow. I will never let anything hurt these girls again.