Chapter 23

23

RIOT

I lay awake unable to find sleep. I hug my otter to my chest, trying to breathe. He's not switched on, but just having him close — and that Halo got him for me — is a comfort in itself. I've been sleeping well with Halo the few nights we've been together, and that's a relief. The last thing I ever want is for her to wake up with me thrashing around.

Today was shit. I mean, it was good in parts when Halo told me about the conversation with her dad — it was more than I ever expected. I'm happy that at least someone in her family came to their senses. As for her mom? There's probably no hope for her. Women like her are set in their ways and their beliefs. As much as I'd like for Halo to indulge in the idea that her mom could come around about us, or just treating Halo like a decent human being — or better still, a daughter — remains to be seen.

As for her brother, I didn't get the chance to tell him what I think of him. Clearly, he takes after his mother. Upsetting Halo isn't on the top of my priority list, nor should it be his. In all honesty, I don't know what to do in this situation, but letting things lie low for a while is probably best.

If her mom and brother want to be assholes, so be it. She can choose to disengage with them just like she has been doing. I wanted to give her mom the benefit of the doubt at first, but now I can see this is all about control and how other people see their family. It's not about Halo or what's best for her.

A million fuckin' dollars?

It's a nice sum of money, but you can't buy what I have. I turn on my side to face Halo, Cookie asleep by our feet on the bed and my heart pounds in my chest so loud, I'm scared it'll wake them up. This is what I've always wanted; a family of my own.

My hands start to shake. My throat thickens. I feel the panic attack coming on. I don't want to lose them. I can't lose them. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to comprehend what life would be like without Halo in my arms. Without Cookie there to greet us and my heart constricts a little tighter. So this is what it feels like to love. Really love. Not just the love that I have for my sister, or for Charles; that's different. This is me making choices to benefit someone other than myself. This is me giving my girl anything she wants because that's the type of man she deserves. I want to give her the world, and I'll die trying. But losing her? I turn, hugging otter a little tighter to my chest. If I don't do something, this panic attack will take over and then I'll wake Halo up. I squeeze his stomach to turn him on, and just like magic, he starts to breathe. I hold him to my chest, trying not to do what I always do when I'm like this; picture my mom. What would she be like now? All these years later. Would she still hold me in her arms like I was her little boy? Tell me how proud of me she was, how much she loves me. That I'm her soldier. So much lost time. Time I can't ever get back.

I try not to think about if I ever told her I loved her. Did I? I'm sure I did, but the memories are fading.

I hold Otter close to my chest and breathe my way through it. It may not work. Most times I just close my eyes and hang on — then again, I'm usually asleep when the hold takes over.

I think about all the good things in my life and where I am now. How far I've come.

My club.

My girl.

My dog.

My sister and Charles; their continued love and support. Charles doesn't say much, but his actions say everything. He's been a father to me like I never would've known.

My sled.

My home.

Okay, shitty things happened to us, but my mom's spirit will live on. I swallow hard, rubbing the spot where I have my mom's name inked across my chest. I miss her, but she'd never want me to feel like this. She would only ever want what's best for me and to be happy. Her love was unconditional.

Slowly, my breathing calms and I push past the anxiety attack. I close my eyes and breathe with my Otter, loving the idea that my girl thought about me and did this for me. The way her face dropped when the damn thing fell out of her purse. How she thought it was a dumb idea or I'd laugh. I'd never laugh at her. She's a queen. My queen. And it's that thought that sends me off into the deepest slumber of my life.

I wake with a start to hear Cookie barking and growling. He's by the bedroom window, pawing at the wall.

"Hey, bud?" I whisper. "What's up?"

Turning off Otter, I slide him onto the side table as Halo stirs, rubbing her eyes as she yawns.

"What's going on?" she whispers.

"I don't know," I say. "Somethin' spooked Cookie, I better go take a look."

I don't hear anything, but there are deer, squirrels and the occasional bobcat around here. Let's hope it's not the latter.

"Riot? Be careful."

I smile. "Go back to sleep, it's probably nothin', babe."

I slide my jeans on and my t-shirt, giving Cookie a pat as he still whimpers. I bend down. "It's okay, bud. Dad'll go check things out, wait here with your mama." I kiss him on the head. He tries to follow me but I pick him up and put him on the bed.

"Riot? Take your flashlight." Halo points to the side table.

I lean over and kiss her forehead. "Got it." I swipe it off the table and pull my boots on once I'm at the door.

I check outside the window, but the security lights are all off. Probably a damn skunk, knowing my luck. I turn on the flashlight and close the door firmly behind me.

If some asshole is out here, however unlikely it is in this sleepy town, then I'm not leaving anything to chance.

The yard is fenced, hence the reason I booked it so Cookie could be outside. The side gate swings open, and I realize that with the wind picking up tonight, the latch has come loose. This is what Cookie would've heard swinging and creaking. Man, he has good ears. I secure the latch, muttering under my breath about being woken from such a good sleep, when I hear a sudden movement behind me.

I turn and the blow comes before I can even react. It hits the side of my head and my flashlight falls from my hand as I stumble. "Fuck!" I yell.

Then I get hit again, this time I fall sideways and break my fall with my arm, but my head is foggy from the blow. The next hit, I don't see anything at all. Just blackness.

And then I hit the ground.

Halo

I sit upright in bed. Did I just hear Riot?

Cookie whimpers, scratching at the bedroom door. Then he lets out a loud bark.

Shit.

I jump out of bed and pull my sweater on. There was a storm brewing tonight when we went to bed, and we could hear the rain earlier on the roof.

I pat his head on the way by as he shoves his face into my hand and panic rises through me. I open the door and call out, "Riot?"

He doesn't answer. Double shit.

I slide on my sneakers and turn to Cookie. "Wait here, big guy. Mommy will be back in a second." He whimpers in response, pawing me with his bandaged leg and I lean down and kiss him.

I use the flashlight on my phone so I can see where I'm going, and I realize the security lights aren't coming on.

I shut the door behind me and creep out onto the pathway that leads to the side gate. "Riot? Riot, you're scaring me. Where are—" I stare down at the flashlight on the ground. It's still lit. Oh, God, is that blood? There's a trail of it leading away toward the gate. I pick his flashlight up and shine it right in front of me. The gate is swinging open in the wind and then I see the taillights of a car leaving the driveway like a bat out of hell. I can't make out the make or model, it's too dark. I don't even think. I start to run.

"Riot! Oh, God, no! Riot!" I run to the end of the drive, crying his name over and over, but the taillights disappear.

Holy fucking shit. Did Riot just get kidnapped? I turn back to the house. Stumbling over the keys of my phone to dial him, but I hear it ringing from the inside… He didn't take his phone with him. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit!

I run inside, bolt the door and stand there motionless for a few moments.

My boyfriend just got kidnapped. There was blood.

I press a hand to my heart as Cookie nudges me, mewling in a tone I've never heard before. He's crying. He's crying because I'm crying.

I need to call the police. I need to call the club. Holy shit, what do I do?

Breathe, Halo, breathe!

With shaky hands I dial 911, give them my address and briefly tell them what happened. Then I call Nevada. It rings half a dozen times before he answers.

His voice tired from sleep. "Hales?"

"Oh my God, Nevada!" I start to pace. "It's Riot… He just went out, and then there was a noise and I heard him shout and now he's gone?—"

"Woah, woah, slow down, babe. Tell me what happened."

"We went to bed, and Cookie woke us up barking and he went outside to see what it was, and then I heard him shout and I got up. When I found his flashlight on the ground, there was blood, Nevada. Now he's gone, there was a car… I didn't get any details and he left his phone."

"I'm gonna call you right back, okay? I need to make some calls."

"Okay. I called the police."

"That's okay." I can hear Star in the background asking what's wrong. Nevada tells her briefly, the phone muffled, then he comes back to me. "Star's gonna call you right back, honey, got me?"

I'm shaking as I slide down the door, landing on my ass. "Does this have anything to do with Chicago?"

"I don't know," he says honestly. "Sit tight." He hangs up and I stare at the wall, hardly daring to believe it.

Who would kidnap Riot, and what for? I mean, the Parish is so quiet. So harmless. And this was premeditated. They weren't just trying to rob us. They took Riot.

Cookie pushes his way into my space and licks my face. I wrap my arms around him as my phone rings. It's Star. My hands tremble as I try to steady my breathing. My blood runs cold when I think about what they could be doing with Riot, or why they would snatch him. Is this what shock feels like?

I can't stop the tears. Blood. They made him bleed. Then another thought hits me; is he still alive? Then again, would they even take him if he wasn't?

I cry into my dog's neck as he lets me hold him, whimpering softly as I cry for Myles.

I don't know how, but I'm going to get him back. If it's the last thing I do, I will fight to the death for him. For what he's given me, for all the support and love and respect and for what he did, in spite of my family. I will find him.

I slide the screen with my finger as Star sounds down the line, and I cry all over again.

Riot

I wake up, my head feeling like it just got pounded in. Then I remember, it did.

I don't know where I am, but we're moving. I can hear the sound of the engine, and the rain pelting down on the roof.

What the fuck happened?

I went out to check the gate… Then I got jumped. My vision is still blurry and I've no doubt I have a concussion. I can't focus and I feel like I'm gonna throw up.

I can hear voices coming from the front, but I can't hear what they're saying. As far as I can tell, I'm in the back of a van.

My throat feels hoarse, like I need water. My hands are tied, my feet, too.

Fuck .

My girl. Cookie… Halo will be beside herself. I've no fuckin' clue what's going on, but this has to have something to do with Chicago. I know Halo's mom is a pill, but I can't very well see her hiring someone to kidnap me. Then again, maybe she really is that delusional. It also means somebody has been following us and I had no goddamn idea. I've been complacent and that makes me angry. I can also taste blood. My head pounds, and I can feel my ribs hurting. Fuckers probably beat me while I was out because they're too fuckin' gutless to do it to my face.

I don't have my phone, and I've no clue how the fuck anyone is going to find me. I've gotta find a way out of this, but when the van comes to a stop, I close my eyes again and resume the pretense of still being unconscious. Let's just hope the goons that took me don't look too closely.

A few moments later, the van doors open and someone climbs in. He gives me a shove with his boot. "He's still out," he grumbles.

"You sure?" another voice sounds behind him. "Give him a kick to find out."

Fuckin' great.

The dick does exactly that, landing a kick to my stomach that doesn't fuckin' tickle. How I manage to keep it together, I'll never know. But aside from my labored breathing, I don't make a sound.

"He's out. Lucky for me he's even breathin'."

"Fucker's cost us too much time already. She won't be happy."

She?

"I know that, but we don't get paid unless we deliver him alive, numb nuts. Could've got more if we'd nabbed the woman. She was fine."

My anger boils and I want to leap up and smack his face in until he's no longer recognizable. Realizing I can't do that, I keep my breathing as normal as I can. They want me alive, that's something. And they left Halo and Cookie alone. I should be grateful.

"Yeah, she had a fine set of tits on her. Could've gone back in there and fucked her like a real man," the asshole — who I plan on killing later — says with a sick chuckle. "Fuckin' damn dog."

Cookie. Our baby. His bark must've scared them off and for that I'm glad. As long as my baby is safe, that's all that matters.

"Got that right. At least we'll finally get paid, if that bitch doesn't say we took too long."

"We've got him, don't we?" asshole number two mutters. "Let's get goin' so we can get the hell outta dodge."

"You know Lafayette ain't that far."

"Yeah, but we gotta stick to the speed limit. We fuck this up, we're dead."

Lafayette. Jesus fuckin' Christ.

"I'm hungry, we need to stop for grub." The dick who kicked me leaves the van, slamming the doors closed behind him.

I groan as soon as I hear them both outside. Fuck man, that kick hurt. Who the fuck wants me in Lafayette? I don't know anybody there.

This is becoming weirder by the second. I don't have any disgruntled exes that would want me dead. Then again, Nevada didn't think so either, and he almost got shot by his crazy stalker.

I need to free my fuckin' hands and feet, but they're bound so tight. I can feel the rope burn and the sting as I try to move them to test if I have any leeway. Goddamn assholes are also good with knots. I blink again, trying to open my eyes fully as my head sways and I roll into a seated position. Granted, it takes me three goes before I get upright. My head pounds worse now that I'm sitting, and I know they fucked me up good because one eye won't open fully.

I'm complacent. I should've had a prospect or two with us. Now I've left Halo and Cookie unprotected and alone, and if these assholes weren't in such a hurry to get paid, they could've done God knows what to my girl. I can't even form words. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to her.

There would be no Hell on earth they could escape from where I wouldn't find them, that I know for certain.

The pain rages on through my body. I think I have a cracked rib, and as my head sways with the movement of the van, I know I'm in some serious fuckin' trouble. I can't seem to keep my eyes open. The pain and the haziness seems to sweep through my body simultaneously, rendering me a fuckin' mess. I fight hard, but the cloud surrounding me only strengthens. Everything I've ever wanted was right there, under my nose. So close that I lived it for this one blissful week. I met the woman I want to spend my life with. Start a family with and live a happy life together where she's protected and safe. And I had it in the palm of my hand. Now that's gone.

The danger I've put us both in constricts my heart. I can't forgive myself. I won't.

The darkness wins out once more as I slide sideways and my head hits the ground.