I stare, staying silent for close to five minutes before asking again.
Nothing.
“How did you and your associates know where to look for Candice?” I ask, calling Charlotte by her real name.
McCarthy closes his eyes, resting his head against the wall.
This is going well.
“Why send so many of you to bring in one woman? Does she have some type of training that would make it dangerous to send a two-person team?” At this point, I’m just goading him.
Several more minutes pass, and he continues to ignore me.
“Is there a financial reward available if someone turns Candice over to your boss?” I ask, quirking an eyebrow.
The lump of potatoes has nothing to say.
I’m sure he thinks he’s being exceptionally tough considering his circumstances.
He’s not.
By this point, anyone with any intelligence would be trying to bargain for their life. Perhaps he does have unwavering loyalty to his MC brothers.
Our standoff continues until I grow bored of it.
This fucker is of no use to me in my quest for the night. I’ll have more luck by simply guessing what Charlotte might like when it comes to courting gifts.
I push to my feet and cross the room, swiping the peanut butter crackers and beef stick off the floor.
He can keep the dirt-like protein bar, only because I need to ensure he keeps up his strength. He needssomecalories to do that, but he’ll be extra hungry when I check in on him tomorrow.
Once I make it back inside, I spend several hours searching for gift ideas and purchasing them with rush shipping. My brothers had better be damn grateful that I’m forward-focused.
It’s late, but I’m not ready to turn in just yet.
I stop to check on Lucky, who sleeps soundly in his new room. I’m not sure if he’ll wake up throughout the night, but someone left the nightlight on for him. He’s nearly too large for the toddler bed, but I’ll wait to purchase a larger size in case Charlotte would like to select the frame and mattress type.
Squatting down, I pull his blanket up around his shoulders, tucking it tight.
He looks so small and peaceful.
I can’t even begin to imagine how Charlotte must have felt, knowing she was being hunted while trying to protect them both with no resources.
My stomach tightens.
She went through all of that alone for years.
My only solace is that she has us now.
I would do unimaginable things to keep them safe.
I run my fingers through his soft hair and give his head a pat before standing and making my way downstairs.
I’m unsure where everyone is, but I’d like to spend some time cuddled up to Charlotte.
We’ve broached physical intimacy, but I’d like to work on building emotional intimacy. Based on what she described about her relationship with Lucky’s father, I believe it’s important to show her that I want more than just sex.
I want a true life partner.
