I lifted Davey up in my arms, hugging him close while he sobbed on my shoulder. I kept the gun trained on the chick.
She had her hands up just like I told her to.
“Explain yourself. What are you doing here? How did you get Davey out?” I growled.
“I…work for them. I worked for him. But I wanted to leave. I couldn’t keep doing the stuff they wanted me to do, and when they brought Davey in, I knew I had to save him. I couldn’t stand watching a little boy being held against his wishes for the sake of some war between two mafia families.”
As the girl spoke, I heard footsteps behind me.
It was Rosalie and Tristian.
Rosalie had clearly escaped Tristian’s grasp and she came running to us now. She saw Davey in my arms and broke into tears.
Davey wriggled out of my arms. I helped him slide down and he went running to his mother. They were both crying. Tears of joy. Sadness. Relief.
I turned back to the girl who seemed to have tears in her eyes too.
I didn’t know if we could actually trust her. I had no means of corroborating her story. She stepped towards us.
“Please, you have to help me. They’re looking for me. If they find me they’ll make me pay for escaping, for taking Davey away from them.”
I looked over at Tristian.
“Handle this. I’m going to take Davey and Rosalie back,” I said and he nodded.
Rosalie and Davey were stuck to each other. She was whispering and apologizing to him while he clung to her. He still didn’t know who I was. This was my son. My own flesh and blood. I had helped to create him.
And now he was safe.
I was never going to let him out of my sight again.
Rosalie sat in the backseat with Davey. It seemed like she didn’t want to let go of him or let him out of her sight either.
“Are you hurt, honey? Did they hurt you? Did they do anything to you?” she asked as I started the car.
I looked in the rearview mirror. Davey sat with his head on his mother’s lap, looking tired. She stroked his head tenderly and at that moment I knew he was lucky to have her.
I couldn’t have asked for a better mother to my kid. Rosalie was perfect and she deserved everything she wanted. I wasn’t sure she wanted me. Why would she want to be associated with me especially now, after everything that had happened to her and Davey because I came into their lives?
“No, they played games with me. I had cookies and milk for dinner,” Davey replied, and I was relieved to hear that.
Rosalie smiled at him and kissed his forehead.
“Were you scared, honey? It’s okay, you can tell me how scared you were. I want to hear everything you’re feeling.”
“I was scared, Mommy. I just wanted to be with you and Brendan,” he replied.
I felt an ache in my soul somewhere.
This kid actually liked me. He trusted me. It was like he knew through some sixth-sense that we were connected somehow. That I had the responsibility of protecting him.
“I know, Davey. They were bad people, the men who took you. It never should have happened. I should have kept a closer eye on you. But you’re safe now, honey. You’re with us.”
Davey nodded, hugging his mother harder. It looked like he was ready to fall asleep. I didn’t even want to imagine the fear he would have experienced, the uncertainty and helplessness.
“I’m taking you guys back to my place. I don’t want you staying at that apartment,” I said.
I caught Rosalie’s eyes in the rearview mirror and she nodded.
I didn’t want them to spend the night alone. I didn’t want them to spend any night alone. Whether Rosalie decided to be a part of my life or not, I would make sure they were watched by someone from the family at all times.
My son’s life wasn’t one I would ever risk again.
By the time we got to my apartment Davey was already asleep. I carried him up to my place while Rosalie followed close behind.
I made sure all the doors and windows were locked and then I sent a text to Killian to tell him to send someone over to keep an eye on the apartment building.
Davey would never be taken away from us again.
We tucked Davey in the spare room’s bed that had never been used by anyone before. I didn’t exactly entertain guests regularly.
Rosalie had the presence of mind to bring the teddy bear from her apartment when we went to pick up Davey.
I was worried he’d feel uncomfortable or strange in a new apartment, in a room he had never been in before—but either he was too exhausted to care, or he was just happy to be with us.
Davey fell asleep quickly while Rosalie told him a few bedtime stories. We didn’t have any books to read from but it didn’t seem to matter. Davey held both our hands on either side of him as he drifted off to sleep.
Rosalie and I sat there by his side for ages, neither of us were saying a word.
I knew this had been a nightmare for her. One she never wanted to relive. To me it had felt exactly like I had relived my own nightmare from the past.
Eventually, we slipped our hands away from him and left the room. He needed sleep and we needed to talk.
Now that he was finally safe and home with us, we could focus on the things we’d brushed under the carpet so far.
“Do you think he’ll remember this when he grows up?” Rosalie asked as we made our way to the living room.
“Tristian barely remembers the night he was kidnapped, and by the sounds of it, Davey was treated well by Aldo and his men.”
“I just hope he doesn’t feel any long lasting effects after tonight,” Rosalie said.
I grabbed some beers
