“Yes, baby?” I answered TJ but I couldn’t take my eyes off Falcon as he slipped that long, thick middle finger past his lips with a moan.
“Go play?”
I tore my gaze away from Falcon and focused on my boy’s hopeful expression. I wanted to tell him no, that it wasn’t safe even though he wouldn’t understand, and I opened my mouth to do just that.
“You know what I think,” Falcon started, his voice louder than mine. “I think that’s a good idea.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “You do?”
He nodded, his smile bright as he bent to pick up TJ and the stuffed dog that was Chopper’s twin clutched to his chest. “Yeah. There’s two of us and one of him, I like our odds.”
My smile matched his and my shoulders relaxed. “I agree, a day in the park sounds perfect.” A day in the sun with the two men who owned my heart sounded absolutely perfect.
***
The park was sun drenched, filled with the sounds of squeaky swings and laughing kids, ripe with the scent of fresh cut grass. TJ ran towards the sandbox as soon as Falcon put his little feet to the grass and buried his arms elbow deep with an amused giggle. He showed off his sand-covered hands with a proud smile. Falcon joined him, and the sight of father and son together wove itself together around my heart and the rest of the park, hell the rest of the world, fell out of focus around me.
But in the next second everything sharpened.
A movement at the edge of the trees and a flash of metal appeared in my periphery. I gasped and spun around but it was too late, a man in a black coat stood right behind me with a gun aimed at my chest. “Don’t cause a scene. Or else.”
I swallowed down the scream in my throat and nodded. “What do you want?” I asked, my voice just loud enough to draw Falcon’s attention.
“Viv!” he exclaimed before I heard the distinct click of a gun.
“Don’t fucking move,” the man with a thick Russian accent ordered.
I turned quickly and what I saw stopped me cold. Another man stood with his gun pressed against Falcon’s head.
“I’m okay Viv.” His gaze darted to where TJ played in the sandbox, barely aware of the tension around him.
I knew what he was saying but I also knew the risks. If I took even one step forward they could shoot us both and take TJ, or they could shoot all three of us in broad daylight and walk away.
But I had to try.
It was my job, my purpose in life to protect TJ at all costs. “Fuck it,” I growled and lunged for the sandbox, scooping my son against my chest and pressing a kiss to the top of his head before I could second guess my actions.
“That wasn’t very smart,” the man said.
“Well, it’s done,” I whispered, ignoring how my voice wavered.
He nodded once, short and sharp. “Don’t do anything else stupid and everyone will live through this.”
“What do you want?”
“Your woman doesn’t know when to shut up,” the guy with the gun against Falcon’s head growled. “Get a handle on her.”
Falcon laughed. “Mywomanhandles herself. Tell her what she wants to know.”
The man with the gun now pointed to my side nodded. “We want the kid, that’s all.”
“That’s all? You might as well ask for the fucking sun.” My laugh came out brittle and tinted with fear. “I’m not giving you my son.”
“If you don’t, we will take him.” The threat was clear and real, but just to drive his point home the man pressed the gun harder against Falcon’s head. “The choice is yours.”
I shook my head. “You’re not taking my son,” I growled. “That just isn’t going to happen. Forget it.”
“TJ is the priority, Viv.” Falcon said the words in a loud, harsh tone meant to intimidate. “Always.”
