“Penny, wake up. Come on, baby,” Declan says softly.
My eyelids flutter open, and panic instantly ensues. “Autumn. Where’s Autumn?”
Declan’s yellow-green eyes pierce mine, and I can tell from his expression that it’s not good. “The cops are on their way. And Lucas met Jordan down at the school to check the security cameras.”
I’ve somehow ended up on the couch in the sitting area of the tattoo shop, and Declan helps me sit up.
My eyes start to burn, and Declan wraps his arms around my shoulders. “We’re going to find her, I promise.”
A sob escapes me, and I bury my head in his chest. This is literally my worst nightmare come to life. “He did it, didn’t he? He fucking took her,” I state.
“I’m pretty sure,” he confirms with a grim expression.
A moment later, the police show up, and the chaos starts.
The police ask me question after question. What was Autumn wearing? Can they have the most recent photo of her? And why would Bradley Elias take Autumn?
They nod and jot down notes as I tell them everything, but I feel numb to their questions. I want to know where the fuck my daughter is.
“We’ll have officers look into him,” is all they tell me. By the look on their faces, I can tell they don’t believe that the senator’s son would kidnap my daughter.
Lucas and Jordan finally arrive back from the preschool, and I can tell it’s not good. “We’ve got him on tape,” he tells me and the cops, confirming that the person who took my daughter really was Brad.
Lucas shows them the tape, and that’s when they start to take me seriously. Putting a BOLO out not just for my kid but for Brad as well.
Jordan wraps me in a hug while we listen to the cops relay information over their radios. “She’s going to be okay. He’s the senator's son. He won’t do anything to hurt Autumn,” Jordan reassures me.
“Why would he do this, though? Why? How did he even figure out Declan was approved for the pickup list?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know. But considering he’s the senator’s son, I think he has ways.”
If he does anything to hurt my kid, I’m not sure I’ll survive it. I knew Brad was narcissistic, but I didn’t realize he was also a psychopath. You have to have some screws loose to kidnap a child. Did he really think he was going to get away with this?
Once my parents finally show up, I break down once more. If I had just told them who Autumn’s father was, maybe I could have avoided this whole situation.
I don’t know how much time passes before the cops start to trickle out, and only two officers are left to hang around while we wait for more information. The officers stay down in their car, and the rest of us file upstairs to the apartment while my mom makes a platter of food, all of which makes my stomach turn. I don’t let go of Declan’s hand the whole time and can’t stop thinking about the worst-case scenario.
Eventually, there’s a knock at the door, and my head instantly snaps to the sound, hoping it’s the cops with good news. My mom swings the door wide, and two men I have never seen before stand there with Becca. She pushes her way through the door and comes to the couch to smother me in a hug.
“That fucking asshole will get what’s coming to him. I swear to God, Penny. I will make his life a living hell. He doesn’t get to talk about you like that.”
“I don’t understand. You weren’t at the shop. Why are you here?” I ask with confusion but am also grateful to have her support.
“You didn’t hear?” She furrows her brows and looks to Declan. Declan shakes his head, and she looks back at me. “That Brad guy pressed charges against me because I punched him in the face yesterday. The cops picked me up earlier, and Declan’s fancy-ass dad and lawyer came to my rescue just a little bit ago.”
My eyes widen in shock, and I look to Declan. Why would he call his dad? I vaguely remember him saying something on the phone before I passed out, but as far as I knew, he didn’t have a relationship with his father.
He gives me a strained smile and plants a kiss on the top of my head before greeting the two men.
Now that I know who they are, I can tell exactly which one is Declan’s father. He stands just an inch shorter but has the same yellow-green eyes and complexion as Declan. His saltand pepper hair is expertly styled back, and he’s wearing an expensive black suit with a white button-down. He looks like he has money. Lots and lots of money.
“Dad,” Lucas says, and reaches his arm out for a handshake from both men.
“Son.”
They give each other terse nods, and the two gentlemen step inside.
Declan comes over to me and takes my hand to help me stand. “This is my father, Phillip, and his lawyer, Carlisle,” he tells me. “And this is my wife, Penny,” he turns to his father to tell him.
