Three fucking days.

 

Three fucking days Eva and Caleb had been missing. No not missing, taken and it was because of me and my bullshit life.

If Eva and I didn’t have that stupid argument, she would be here, with me, by my side where she belonged, but she wasn’t. Caleb, shit they took him all because he worked for me and was helping me become a straight-laced man.

Guilt consumed me, right to my very core. I fucked up real bad. As soon as I got my hands on that motherfucker Anton, I was gonna kill him and his nephew. But who the fuck was he because my source still couldn’t find any information on him, it was like he didn’t exist, I knew he did, my gut told me, and I always relied on my instincts, usually they were right.

Three days, I hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten and barley drank. I’d been going around my old suppliers and associates searching for any old information they could give me and so far, I’d come back empty handed every time.

My phone rang from the desk in my office. Grabbing it without looking at the caller ID I answered. “What?” my voice sounded harsh, I just wasn’t in the mood anymore.

“Boss,” Mike said, “I have some information for you.”

“What is it?”

“I found out the identity of Anton’s nephew, man you won’t fucking believe who it is.”

“Just tell me already,” I blew out air through my nostrils, I felt frustrated.

“Shit yeah sorry, one minute,” I heard him click and tap away on his computer. I started to pace the length of my office, dragging a hand down my face. Shit I was beyond exhausted, but I wouldn’t sleep, not until I had found Eva and Caleb. Mike was one of the best investigators I knew, both for legal and illegal work. I knew he could help, shit he was my only hope and I owed him big time for this.

“You there?” he asked.

“Yep here.”

“Anton’s nephew is Ben Stewarts, he has been attending Grove college this last year and been posing as Eva’s friend, I’m guessing you know the lad.”

“I fucking know that shit alright.”

“He only recently moved to London a year ago. His mum died of Cancer when he was twelve years old and lived with his Uncle ever since, he was there when you raided Anton’s compound with your Uncle Nick, that’s probably why the little fucker is working with him.”

“What do we do now?”

“I’m searching for any properties that Anton or Ben owns, either under their name or his sisters, I’m looking to see if he has any close relatives around just in case there involved somehow. Once I find out more I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

“How long will this take Mike?”

“A few hours maybe more, shit Kaden I’m working as quick as I can.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I know man, I know. Thanks for this, get back to me as soon as you can.” I hung up and threw my phone on my desk. I dragged both hands down my face and shook my head. I needed to get my shit together.

Word got around that I had put a target on Anton’s head and if anyone had information they would come to me and would be highly rewarded, I was fucking desperate.

Damn it, I better ring Melody, Eva and Caleb’s mom. She needed to know about Ben, scratch that she had every right to know. Melody and her sons have been out of their minds with worry. Callum even punched me in the face, I deserved it and I took it.

Melody didn’t blame me, I thought she might had once I explained the whole story, but she didn’t. That woman was by far the most forgiving woman I had ever met, because if I was her I would hate me, shit I already did.

Callum and Josh have demanded they be there when I found out where Eva and Caleb are being held, and they will be, because I owed them that much.

I grabbed my car keys from my desk. Leaving the club. I jumped in my car and drove over to Melody’s house.

I tapped the steering wheel anxiously with my thumbs, wondering how they’d react. I knew full well Josh and Callum would want to rip Ben’s head off. Shit, I wanted to annihilate him. He was under our noses this whole time; how could I not notice he was Anton’s nephew. I knew there was something off with that boy, but I could never put my finger on it.

“Where the fuck is Ben?” Callum roared in Eric’s face, his nose was a bloody mess as Callum held him by the collar of his shirt.

Elaine whimpered in the corner of his room. Josh had his arms wrapped around her body to restrain her, Josh tried to calm her by saying soothing words into her ear.

“I d-don’t know,” Eric stuttered. “I haven’t seen him for weeks he’s been AWOL.”

“You better not be lying to me,” Callum said through clenched teeth.

“I’m not I swear,” he cried almost.

“Let him go,” I demanded. Callum shoved Eric away like he was a piece of dirt. I moved across the room and stood in front of Eric. “How long have you known Ben?” I ask.

“About a year, why?”

“Been told he’s known you since childhood.”

“Fuck no,” he told me. “I’ve only known him a year, he’s always been a little off.”

“What do you mean by that?” I questioned.

“He lied a lot, he hardly ever turned up to college. I don’t know where he lives, he would never tell me. Whenever I would ask about his childhood he would snap, go fucking nuts.”

“Ok,” I told him. “That’s all I need to know.”

“What’s Ben got to do with Eva and Caleb missing?” Elaine sniffled, I turned around and faced her.

“He’s the one who took her.”

She covered her mouth gasping in shock and shook her head. “No,” tears fell down her cheeks. “No this isn’t real, he was her friend. I don’t understand this.” Josh turned her into his body. Elaine buried her face into his chest and cried.

I hung my head as guilt consumed me once again. Callum patted my shoulder in assurance, turning my head to the side I nodded at him. I was barely holding it together, but I wouldn’t tell them that.

“There’s a house out in the country side under Anton’s sisters name. Fucker has been smart about this, the place is in the middle of know where, no other house around for miles. Unfortunate for him he wasn’t smart enough, I’m certain that’s where your girl and mate is being held,” he told me. “I’ll send you the address now, but you need to think smart Kaden, don’t go in there alone.”

“I won’t,” I said. “Thanks again Mike I fucking owe you big time.”

“You don’t owe me shit just make sure you get your girl and mate back in one piece alright?”

“Don’t you worry about that. I fucking will,” I told him my thanks again and hung up. Flicking through my contacts, I made a few calls for back up and then rung Callum and Josh informing on what I had just been told. Finally, we were getting somewhere.

They tell me there on their way over as I spoke.

“How long will it take us to get there?” Callum asked.

“A couple of hours,” I replied.

“A couple of fucking hours, we don’t have a couple of fucking hours,” Callum growled.

“Bro, you need to chill the fuck out,” Josh placed his hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get there, Anton needs them alive otherwise there’s nothing to negotiate over. He’s made his demands and he ain’t getting a fucking penny, remember Kaden owes him shit.”

“Too fucking right, I don’t,” I muttered under my breath.

Callum, Josh and I are driving in my car and couple of Mikes guys were following behind in case shit hits the fan. There good guys, I trust them with my life, we couldn’t go in just the three of us in case Anton had a bunch of men with him, we wouldn’t be able to take them all out, without one of us getting hurt.

We had been on the road for thirty-minutes now, and the more distance we covered, the more my anger rose. I was boiling over; my anger was barely contained.  If I got there and saw that Eva and Caleb had been harmed. I didn’t know what I would do, I didn’t think I could stop myself from killing the motherfuckers, hell they deserved it, no one would give a shit if they died, they were scum of the world.

Shit. I put the two people who meant the most to me in my entire life in harm’s way, I placed them in the line of danger. I knew I shouldn’t have gone there with Eva, I knew it would’ve put her in danger and one day she may be harmed. But fuck if I couldn’t help myself. I’d had a crush on that girl since we were kids, I remembered the first time she had broken down my walls and forced her way into my heart, she stayed there, I couldn’t get rid of her.

Caleb, Josh and Callum had gone to the supermarket with Melody.

I came over to hang out with them and found Eva all by herself, so I opted to stay and kept her company. We were chilling in her back-garden drinking soda, well that’s what I called it, Eva thinks I’m a dummy for calling it that, but like I had told her many times before, I’m American and we Americans said things differently to Brits. She liked the way I talked though it made her laugh and I loved to hear her laugh, it did all kinder shit to my heart, made me feel all fuzzy and tingly. I wouldn’t admit that aloud to anybody though, I would get called a pussy if I did.

“Kaden,” Eva said breaking my trail of thought.

“Hmm.”

“Why do you think my Dad left me?” she sighed sadly. “Am I not good enough, did I do something wrong? I know I shouldn’t be upset mum tells me it’s silly because he’s a waste of space, but I would have loved to have met him.”

It broke my heart knowing this beautiful girl blamed herself for her father’s absence, but I agreed with her Mom, her Dad is a waste of space and a no good for nothing man, for leaving his children behind. He didn’t deserve to know how beautiful and smart his daughter was or how protective and loyal his sons were. As far as I’m concerned there better off without him.

“Hey,” I grabbed her around the shoulder, pulling her to my side. “Don’t be sad Eva, your dad’s an asshole for leaving you behind, he doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“And what’s he missing?” she looked up at me with those pretty, blue-green eyes, they were so bright, so blinding, they always mesmerised me.

“He’s missing out on your beauty, your smile, your laugh,” I paused, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears. “He’s missing out on everything about you. And he is a stupid man because of that, he doesn’t get to see just how smart his little girl is. Know this Eva, he’s a coward for not wanting you and your brothers, he’s no man in my eyes. He’s weak and you’re better off without him.”

She nuzzled her head into my shoulder, “Thanks Kaden.”

“For what?”

“For being you. For being my brothers friend and for being mine. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

I didn’t reply. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, I could say plenty but because, this girl right next to me, was making me feel things I’d never felt before. She had a place in my heart that I would hold forever and cherish with my life. Eva always made me smile, even if you were the one comforting her, she was a good person.

“Dude,” Josh broke through my trip down memory lane. “You even listening?”

“Shit sorry man,” I said, “I was thinking, what’s up?”

“What’s the plan of action when we get there?”

I took my eyes of the road and looked at him in the review mirror. “We go in there in stealth mode, we don’t get caught, we stay quiet and we get them the fuck out of there. We do whatever it takes,” I told them both, my tone was calm. But on the inside, I was a raging storm.

“Fuck yes, I’m all for that,” Josh and Callum agreed. They knew what they were in for and they knew what they wanted, they wanted their brother and sister back and if it meant taking lives in the process, we would do just that.