"What are you saying?"Lucas asked.
"I think Roderick has him."
"Wait right there, I'm on my way."
The call ended, and Prince didn't relax.He brought up Finn's location and received a message that it could not be found.His hands shook as he refreshed the screen over and over, getting the same message.Prince growled in anger, went to throw his cellphone, then it rang, and this time, a name he should have erased from his contacts flashed on the screen.
"Where's my family?"he demanded.
"Safe for now," Roderick said, in a voice far too calm for how Prince was feeling.
"If you hurt one hair on his head..."
"You'll do what?"Roderick shouted."Take away my livelihood?You've already fucking done that.I know it was you.I'm not sure how you found the information, but that's no longer relevant.All that matters is you make things right, or I will kill your boy toy and the brat in his belly."
Prince covered his mouth to hide his gasp.He couldn't break down, not now.Not when Finn and his babies needed him.Roderick had him by the balls, so to speak."What do you want?"
"One billion dollars and safe passage out of the country.Don't try to tell me you can't come up with that kind of cash in a short time.I know how much you Sullivans are worth.Why do you think I tried so hard to get into your bed?I'll get back to you in an hour with further instructions.Oh, and don't call the cops.I have people watching you."
"Ro..."
Roderick hung up before Prince could say more.He tried calling Roderick a few times, but his cellphone was shut off.Prince felt something he'd never felt before, the kind of anger that made a man capable of killing.But he promised himself he'd make sure Roderick never lived long enough to see the inside of a prison if anything happened to Finn or his babies.
Finn groaned,coming awake, but couldn't see anything.It wasn't just his eyes that were covered, but his entire head.He tilted his head to the left when he heard a noise from that side, and he was glad he could move part of his body.He hissed when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach.The babies were awake, but restless, no doubt feeding off his emotions.
He tried to rub his belly to reassure them, but his hands were tied behind his back.Finn blinked a few times when whatever was covering his head was pulled off, and was surprised to see Roderick Ashford standing in front of him.Before he could open his mouth to say a word, his head snapped to the right and then to the left when Roderick landed two hard slaps to his face.Finn glared at Roderick, licking the drop of blood at the right corner of his mouth.
"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?"Roderick said, rubbing the palm of his hand.
Finn didn't speak.Roderick was in the mood to chat.
"I bet you're wondering why you're here.This wouldn't have happened if you'd just taken the money and left Prince alone, but one little insult and the bastard brought my entire family down.It's not like I said anything that wasn't the truth.You are low fucking class."
Finn had no clue what Roderick was talking about, and honestly, he didn't care.His main concern was his babies; the pain in his stomach was intensifying, and he was fighting to stay quiet.Finn was trying his best to stay calm; he couldn't lose his babies, not when he had everything he wanted in life.
Roderick grabbed Finn's face, leaning down but keeping his distance, as if Finn might contaminate him.
"I hate people like you.Born poor and meet a rich man who gives you the Cinderella treatment like you deserve it.You fucking don't.Your kind should remain in the fucking gutter.Never getting a piece of the pie.How dare you steal what belongs to me, and I'm going to ruin you just as Prince ruined me."
Roderick roughly released Finn's face and stepped back, and punched him in the jaw.Finn didn't scream out; he remained silent, and he didn't even shed a tear, no matter how badly he wanted to.He kept thanking the gods that Roderick wasn't focused on his stomach.The bruise on his face would heal, but losing his children would break his heart.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"Roderick screamed.It seemed Finn's silence angered Roderick."Where's all your snark?Why aren't you begging me to stop?"
He punched Finn twice more.He felt blood pool in his mouth and swallowed it, refusing to let Roderick see him damaged in any way.But he knew his silence could only last so long.Roderick grabbed the front of Finn's shirt and ripped it open.Fear engulfed him.
"What are you doing?"Finn growled.
Roderick grinned, and it reached his eyes, which looked so manic that Finn thought he was seeing things."Oh, so you can talk.For a minute, I thought they'd cut your tongue out before bringing you to me."
He pulled a knife from behind him, and Finn's entire body went still when Roderick trailed the pointed tip from Finn's sternum to his round stomach, pressing it in, breaking the skin.
"Don't," Finn whispered, closing his eyes.
"Don't what?"Roderick said.
"Please, don't hurt them."He opened his eyes and looked into Roderick's eyes."I'm begging you."
Roderick didn't move the knife; he simply stared at him for a long time, and when Finn thought he would press it in further, he stood and spoke to someone else in the room.
