Flicking my gaze to the car, I watch as the two front doors open and two men unfold from the vehicle. They’re closer to my height and about thirty years younger than me. I’m not out of shape by any means, but it’s obvious these two are the senator’s personal goons.
The goons are here for intimidation, for me to have that fear that he talks about, that terror that gets his dick hard. He’s obviously never come face-to-face with a real man, with a beast. He’s used to scaring poor little girls that he’s purchased and other weak-ass men like him.
“I’m not nervous, not of them and certainly not of you, so now what?”
He doesn’t say a word, one of his brows lifts, and then before I realize what’s happening the two men rush me. I lift my gun and fire off one round, but those fucks are fast and they take me down to my back without even breaking a sweat.
Letting out a grunt, I try to jerk out of their grasp, but I can’t. One of their knees is pressing against my chest on each side, the other is digging into my gut. Walsh appears in front of me, his smile full-on fucking maniacal, and he leans down, lifting his hand, and I notice that he’s got a syringe in his grasp.
“‘Night, ‘night, fucker,” he growls just as he pricks my skin and injects me with whatever the fuck he’s got inside. I open my mouth to say something, to tell him to fuck himself, but nothing comes out.
“This is going to be fun.” He chuckles. “You’ll be able to see, to watch, everything. You’ll be completely aware of the world around you, but you won’t be able to move. So when I fuck her, when I torture her, all in front of you, you’ll be helpless to stop me.”
I try to speak, but nothing comes out. He’s fucking right, I’m goddamn helpless. I realize now that it was me being the cocky one. Worm was right, this fuck is locked down tight. His men pick me up like a fucking rag doll and carry me toward the car.
The trunk opens and they toss me inside, then slam it closed. It’s pitch black and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay in here without oxygen, but I supposed none of that matters, nothing does anymore. I can’t do a damn thing to help myself out of this situation.
I’ve never felt weak before, not like this. I felt like a weak man when I left Trista, when I walked away and never came back. When I didn’t get rid of Savanna and stay in Eagar and raise my own fucking kid. That was when I was weak. Walking away from her was weak.
Not giving Avah what she needs, what she wants, when I really do fucking love her. Not telling her how I feel, not willing to make her happy. That shit is weak too. We get out of this and I’m going to rectify everything with Avah. I’m going to plant my baby inside of her, I’m going to make her my Old Lady.
I’m going to keep her.
AVAH
I thank the prospect for the glass of water and make my way back to our table, or what I’ve dubbed as ours since it’s the same one next to the pool table that we sat at last night. Setting the water down in front of Trista, I smile as I sink down into my own chair across from her.
“I tried to call him,” she announces. “His phone just rang.”
Taz clears his throat from beside us, a pool cue in his hand. “Babe, he took off on his bike, he’ll be back soon, it’s starting to get dark,” he says. “Probably just wanted to go for a ride, get some fresh air.”
Pressing my lips together, I can’t help the bad feeling that flows through me. Trista and I had a great day. Not only did I get enough outfits to last me a good seven days, we got Trista some maternity clothes for the upcoming months, and even bought a few cute little neutral baby things.
Going into the maternity store and the baby stores, it made me realize that I can’t give that dream up for myself. For years I was resigned to never having a family. Mine was such a nightmare, then I became an escort and I thought I would just stay single and never have a lifestyle that I could bring children into.
Things are different now. The path that my life is taking now, I want to settle down, I want to have a baby. I want to have a life. I don’t have to just breathe in and out all day, every day anymore.
I can really live.
I want that.
I want it with Hawk, with Orson.
My heart aches at the thought of not having it with him, of having to settle for someone else. I would be doing just that, too, I would be settling. I continue to sit and stare at the front door, waiting for Hawk to walk through with his broody anger.
I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
All the while people around me chat and drink, the party grows louder and more and more people fill the room. The evening grows later, so late that when I finally glance down at my watch, it’s well after midnight.
“Taz,” I call out as I shift my gaze from the door to meet his. He stops, the pool cue still in his hand. “He’s not back.”
Taz’s brows snap together, his gaze shifts around the room, then I watch as he takes his phone out of his pocket and taps on the screen a few times before he lifts it to his ear. He waits, and waits, his frown deepens and he shoves his phone in
