“I’ll fucking ki–” Aaron released me and began to charge Sam.
“Not here, bro.” Joshua and Carter stopped Aaron, leaving the man I knew as Brutus and another one of his security guards holding Sam.
Joshua and Carter both had trouble holding Aaron back. He managed to free himself from them, taking a swing at Sam, landing a fist to the side of his face. He went for another one but his brother’s were there again.
“Aaron, not now,” Carter tried to reason.
“Get the hell off me!” Aaron yelled.
“Aaron, I swear on my life, you’ll get the chance to handle this piece of shit. You have my word. But right now Patience needs you,” Joshua stated in a stern voice. He moved closer to say something low in Aaron’s ear. I couldn’t hear what he said but after a few heartbeats, Aaron took a step back and moved to me, scooping me up in his arms and carrying me to the front of the cottage.
More security greeted us, holding the door of a large, black SUV with tinted windows open. After placing me in the back, Aaron climbed in, pulling me into his lap. I leaned against his shoulder as he frantically freed my wrists from the restraints.
“Hsss!” I hissed then the rope rubbed against my skin for the last time, revealing the cuts and bruises left behind. I flinched when Aaron’s big hand lifted to my face.
“It’s okay,” he cooed, using the softest voice I’d ever heard from him. “You’re safe.” He pushed my locs away from my face and through my one eye I made out the ticking in his jaw as his eyes skimmed over the bruising on my face.
“I-I’m okay,” I lied, trying to reassure him. I wasn’t okay, though, and he knew it. I was petrified.
“I got you,” he crooned.
I lifted my head as the car started moving. “The kids,” I said, suddenly. “H-he said he would hurt them. Are they…are they…” I couldn’t even say it.
“They’re home. Safe.”
“Are you sure?” I asked with force.
Aaron didn’t respond. Instead, he shifted, digging his phone out of his pocket. He pressed a number and waited. “Mother, put the kids on. Patience wants to speak with them.” He handed me the phone.
“Hi, Mommy!” Kennedy’s voice yelled.
“Mommy!” I heard Kyle’s voice in the background.
The vision in my one good eye blurred as tears filled it.
“H-hi, my loves,” I croaked out.
“Mommy, you were scared. I told Daddy,” Kyle’s concerned voice pushed through the line.
“Mommy’s okay. I’m not scared anymore.”
“We’ll be home soon,” Aaron stated, taking the phone again.
I watched as he hung up.
“They’re safe. And so are you,” he reassured, cupping my face. His hand moved down my body to my stomach. “And the baby,” he stated, his voice lowered.
I didn’t even have time to register how he knew about the baby. I was physically and mentally drained. I needed his warmth. I moved impossibly closer, lowering my head to his shoulder. When his arms around me tightened, the few tears that had already begun to trickle, evolved into a geyser. I released all my pent-up emotion on his shoulder, dampening the dark shirt he wore. He held me through it all.
****
Aaron
“Mr. Townsend, we need to examine her.”
I watched at the doctor’s hand yet again made a move for my wife, who remained on my lap, her head buried in my shoulder.
“I’ll kill everything you love if you try to touch her again,” I informed him through gritted teeth.
