67. Chapter 67

67

Wren

F uck, I'm five minutes late. Lenny's probably having a goddamn aneurysm.

I race up to room 207, glancing around to make sure I'm not being followed. My eyes dart left and right, every sense on high alert. I rap my knuckles against the door, five quick, hard knocks. The door swings open in a flash, like a trap set and sprung.

Lenny's standing in the doorway, phone clutched in his hand, face contorted with anxiety. "Jesus Christ, Wren! Where the hell—?"

I shoulder past him into the room, cutting him off.

"It's okay, Lenny," I say, my eyes flicking over his shoulder to where Alex is blissfully unaware, lost in his toys. "I've got what I need. Everything good here?" My voice is steady, like I haven't just sprinted through a goddamn war zone to get to them.

Lenny follows, shutting the door with a soft click. "I was about to call… you know who," he whispers, waving his phone.

I stand in front of Lenny on my tiptoes to reach his hair, giving it a playful ruffle. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" I joke. He lets out a long sigh, his eyes meeting mine as he pockets his phone. I shrug off my jacket, feeling the Glock shift slightly against my back.

"Everything good here?" I ask, shooting a look at Alex. He's got a block in his hands, making engine noises and zooming it through the air like an airplane. His little hands grip the block tightly, like a mini-pilot in training. His cheeks are rosy, his eyes gleaming with imagination.

"Yes, but Em and Dad…" Lenny whispers, his words hushed. Before I can answer, Alex spots me and comes barreling over.

"Mommy!" he yells, his tiny feet clomping across the floor. His face lights up like the sun, arms stretched out for a hug.

I bend down and scoop Alex into my arms, grinning ear to ear as he giggles and wraps his arms around my neck.

"Hey, buddy!" I say, planting kisses on his chubby cheeks. "Have you been helping Uncle Lenny?" I ask, tickling his belly as he squirms with delight.

"Yes! I read story!" he says with a huge smile, wiggling his fingers at Lenny, who, with his lips pursed tight, can't help but return the smile, albeit half-heartedly.

I glance at him, silently telling him that we'll be finishing this conversation later. "And was it a good story?" I ask Alex, giving him a little boop on the nose.

"It was good."

Alex's short, to-the-point answer makes me laugh. "Typical boy," I tease, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "That's great, squirt. You hungry? Almost time for dinner."

Alex nods enthusiastically. "Can we get pizza?"

"Sure thing," I say, forcing a smile. "Why don't you go wash up while Uncle Lenny orders?"

As Alex scampers off to the bathroom, Lenny steps closer. "Did you get what we need?"

I nod, pulling out the burner phones. Lenny's eyes widen as I set them on the rickety table.

"Jesus," he breathes, his face going pale. "What about Em and Dad?"

I swallow hard, the image of them bound and gagged flashing through my mind. "They're alive. For now."

"Fuck," Lenny whispers, running a hand through his hair. "What's the plan?"

The sound of running water stops, and we both tense. I glance at the bathroom door, then back to Lenny.

"We've got till midnight to figure that out," I say, voice hard. "But one thing's for damn sure. Nobody's touching our family."

The bathroom door opens, and Alex emerges, hands still damp. "Is pizza here?"

I force another smile. "Uncle Lenny's ordering it now, right?" I give Lenny a pointed look.

Lenny catches on quick, fumbling for his phone. "Yeah, yeah. I'm on it. Pepperoni good for everyone?"

Alex nods enthusiastically, oblivious to the tension crackling in the air. I ruffle his hair, my fingers lingering a moment too long. "Why don't you find us something to watch on TV while we wait, squirt?"

As Alex grabs the remote, I sidle up to Lenny, keeping my voice low. "Make the call. But keep your eyes on the parking lot. We can't be too careful."

Lenny nods, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows hard. He moves to the window, phone pressed to his ear, his free hand twitching the curtain aside every few seconds.

"Momma?" Alex's voice cuts through my thoughts. He's sprawled on the bed, remote in hand. "Can you watch with me?"

For a moment, I hesitate. Every instinct screams at me to stay vigilant, to keep moving, planning. But the hopeful look in Alex's eyes breaks me. "Sure thing, baby."

I settle next to him on the lumpy mattress, pulling him close. He smells of cheap motel soap and innocence—a scent I want to bottle and keep forever. On the ancient TV, some kind of wacky game show blares to life. Contestants in garish outfits are tackling an obstacle course, falling into pools of green slime.

Alex giggles as a guy dressed like a superhero face-plants into a foam pit. I force out a chuckle, trying to lose myself in this moment of normalcy. But my body refuses to relax. My eyes keep darting to the door and the windows, cataloging potential threats and escape routes.

My mind's on overdrive, wheels spinning out of control. Em's in trouble, John's in deep shit, and now Alex is mixed up in this clusterfuck. I just want us to be safe, but how the hell are we gonna pull that off? Fucking D.

Lenny ends his call, pizza apparently ordered. He settles into the chair by the window, his leg bouncing nervously. The ticking of the cheap wall clock seems to grow louder with each passing second.

"Did you see that, Momma?" Alex points excitedly at the screen. "That lady just hop inside of water!"

"Yeah, she did a backflip, didn't she?" I say, tightening my arm around him. God , he feels so small, so fragile. The urge to protect him, to keep him safe from the shitstorm that's brewing, is almost overwhelming.

As the contestants on TV navigate some kind of giant hamster wheel, Alex's breathing starts to even out. His body grows heavier against mine, eyelids drooping. I stroke his hair, marveling at how he can drift off so peacefully when our world is about to implode.

That's when I hear it. Soft footsteps outside our door, barely audible over the TV's inane chatter. My entire body goes rigid, every nerve ending on high alert. Lenny's chair creaks as he leans forward, his eyes meeting mine in a silent question.

I shake my head minutely, willing him to stay put. Alex shifts in his sleep, burrowing closer to me. The footsteps pause right outside our door.

My fingers brush the cold steel under my pillow. Fuck. This is it. I ease away from Alex, praying he stays asleep. Every muscle in my body's coiled tight as I slide off the bed and walk toward the door.

A knock. My heart slams against my ribs.

"Who is it?" I manage, surprised my voice doesn't shake.

"Room service!" Cheery as fuck.

I flick off the safety, sucking in a sharp breath. One look at Lenny, a quick nod. Get Alex, bathroom, now. But the universe has other plans. The door explodes inward with a sound like a bomb going off.

Alex wakes screaming, tears already flowing. "Momma!"

I plant myself in front of my family, gun up, ready to paint the walls red.

"Well, well," comes a voice that turns my insides to ice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Wren. Not unless you want your boy to see his mommy's brains splattered all over this tacky wallpaper."