“What’s that?” I mutter to myself as loud bangs fill the warehouse. “What’s going on?”

For a moment, I thought I heard someone shouting too but me yelling back didn’t get me anywhere. I guess I have to presume that it’s something to do with Bryan rather than someone here to rescue me. I can’t keep relying on Jayden coming here to save the day. He might not even know where I am. He’s sure to know that I’m missing but there’s little chance of him finding this location. Knowing Bryan, he’s probably managed to convince everyone that I’ve run away with him. He’s got such a power over the world, he might even have convinced him.

“What do we do, Mommy?” Peter mutters and nestles into me. “What’s that noise? I’m scared.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” I kiss him on the top of his head, trying to keep my shakes to a minimum. “It’s going to be okay. Mommy is here to take care of you now. I love you, sweetie. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” His little arms wrap around me. “I have missed you, Mommy.”

All I want to do is remain in this moment, I want to stay here with my son and hold him forever more. We’ve only just gotten back together I don’t want us to separate again, but this might be the moment. To save his life.

“Right, Peter. It’s time to play the game we were talking about earlier, do you remember?” He nods and I feel his head tilt towards the window. “It’s time to play hide and seek, so shall we get going?”

He clutches to me tightly but nods. It’s hard for me to rip away from him, but the further away I get him from Bryan, the better. I force myself to rise into a standing position, and I walk over towards the window. I hate that I have to do this, I honestly don’t know what I might be sending him into, but it’s for his sake.

“Okay, so what you need to do, baby.” I bend to my knees and clutch onto his shoulders so I can stare deep into his eyes. “Is run, okay? I don’t quite know what direction to go in but just keep on running, okay? Find a house or a shop or something. Someone nearby and ask them for help. You need to find Pippa Hewitt, okay? Whoever you find will help you find her. Then you’ll be safe.” It’s hard to keep the tears inside but I don’t want Peter to think there’s anything to worry about here. “Then I’ll come and find you, okay?”

“But how would you know where I am if I’m with Pippa?”

“Oh, no, you tell her that you’re playing hide and seek with Mommy then she’ll help, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy. If you say so.”

I pull him back into me and let one single tear leak out. I brush it away quickly. I can’t cry now. This is the right thing to do. All I need to do protect my son, he’s always been my main priority. All of this has always been for him. It might hurt to pull away, but that’s a selfish pain. That comes from love. My momma bear protective side is stronger and it needs to push Peter free. As long as he’s away from Bryan, it’s okay to be away from me.

“Right, baby.” I lean back and kiss him again. “It’s time. You promise me that you’ll take care of yourself.”

He doesn’t look certain but I don’t know how much time we have. Something or someone has Bryan distracted at the moment and I don’t know how long that will last. I lift him up onto my shoulders and I push him towards the window. Because he’s so little, Peter climbs through it with ease, and he’s soon on the other side.

“I’m out, Mommy. What now… oh wow, look I can see grandad!”

“Gr… grandad?” I demand, but he’s already gone. He’s run straight towards the first face he recognizes, which unfortunately is my father. My heart hammers against my rib cage as I think about what this might mean. I don’t know who’s side my dad is on at the moment. What if he takes Peter all the way back to Bryan? He might, then he’ll know that we’re trying to escape and it might be even more dangerous.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I mutter while scrabbling around the room like a mad woman. Panic coils and darts through me, I feel wild and out of control, the need for myself to get out too almost consumes me entirely. I didn’t want to leave myself, not without working out what’s really happening here, but I can’t leave my son in my father’s arms. There isn’t anything to help me reach the window, so I jump like I mental person. “Peter!” I cry out, desperation making me act stupid. “Peter, don’t go to Grandad. You need help, he might not help you…”

I rake my fingers through my hair, knowing that it’s hopeless. He’s run to him now, it’s already far too late. I’m screwed. What I need to do is get my sorry ass out of this room before anything bad can happen. I run towards the door and slam my body against it, almost feeling the bones in my shoulder shatter. I wiggle the handle, desperately shaking it, needing it to open, but of course it doesn’t. He isn’t dumb enough not to lock the door. As I lean against the door I can hear the yelling outside getting louder and louder. It’s definitely a fight, this isn’t a positive conversation, which I suppose fills me with hope.

If there is someone here to fight with Bryan then maybe there’s a chance that my dad is here to help them. But I don’t think I can trust him which leaves me nervous. I can’t be sure that my father is the good guy in all of this.

“He… hello?” I cry out and I lean against the door frame. “Hello? Who’s there?”

No one’s paying any attention to me, right now this moment has anything to do with me, so it’s up to me. I slam against the door over and over again until every inch of my body hurts. The tears are free flowing down my face now, I can’t stop them. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stop them again. I can feel blood tricking down my arm but I don’t even bother to look down. I don’t care about the damage to my body…

“Savannah?” All of a sudden, I hear a familiar voice on the other side of the door. “Is that you?”

“Tommy? Fuck, is that you? Oh my God, you’re here. Can you get me out, please?”

“Step back. I’m going to knock the door down.”

I move backwards but I’m not convinced. “I’ve been trying, but I don’t know if it’ll…”

The door flies to the ground with an injured looking Tommy on top of it. He’s got bruises on his body, blood on his face, but as he looks up at me I can see that he’s just about alright. And he’s saved me again.

“Oh fuck, Tommy, oh my God.” I grab him and help him get up. “Thank you so much, I can’t believe you just did that. You’re so strong. Are you alright?” He nods silently. “Who are you here with? I got Peter out but he’s run to my dad and I’m scared because I don’t know if he’s going to be safe with him or not…”

“Your father came with us. Pippa is with us too; your boy will be okay.”

I blow out a breath of relief, letting the stress flow free from me. Thank God. If Pippa is there then I have nothing to worry about. She cares about Peter as much as I do. If she has my boy, I’m okay.

“I came to get you out before it gets out of control out there. I can’t do anything to stop it. It’s getting wild. The cops should be on their way but I’m afraid that Jayden will be beaten to death by then. He’s not much stronger than that husband of yours, but Bryan is a fucking sneaky asshole. He’s knocked me out already.”

The idea of Jayden being in pain causes me physical agony. I need to do what I can to save him. “I’ll do what I can. I’ll separate them. Even if it means that I have to sacrifice myself.”

Tommy grabs my arm hard and spins me to face him. “No, you cannot do that. You have no idea what Jayden has done for you, he won’t accept you sacrificing yourself. All of this will be for nothing.”

“No, it won’t. My boy will survive. That’s what all of this has been for from the start.”

“So, what’s your plan?” I shrug helplessly. “What do you think we should do here?”

“We need to stop them fighting.”

“I know, I get that. But the more time we spend here talking, the more beaten he gets.”

I grow ice cold. All of a sudden, I fear that I might get my son back but I lose the man I love. I want him too, the image of hope that I’ve been giving myself is an image that involved everyone. I need him too.

“Okay, so we need to get out there, you agree? We need to save Jayden?”

I stare deeply into Tommy’s eyes seeing a glaze there. He’s more hurt than he’s made out and now I’m concerned about him too. I don’t think we’ll just need the cops but an ambulance too.

I tuck my hand under his arm pit and carry him through the building. He barely leans on me because I’m sure he wants to appear strong but he has to fall on me a bit. I don’t mind, I want to support him, but I’m also growing increasingly nervous about Jayden too. I need to see him already.

“Right, Tommy.” I finally find somewhere he can sit. It’s a chair in a hallway that doesn’t really belong. But beggars can’t be choosers and we don’t have time to worry right now. “You wait here, I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Don’t do anything stupid…” he begs, but his voice is weak and strained. I can tell that he’s having a really hard time. “Please look after yourself. Jayden loves you, I can’t get you get hurt.”

Jayden loves me… that’s the one thought that I need to drive me forwards right now.

“I won’t do anything stupid. I promise you.”

I race away at the speed of light, heading towards the sounds of the fight. This warehouse is massive, it’s a twisting, turning mess but I know where I need to go. My heart thunders, sickness swirls, I don’t know what I’m going to find. If Tommy is this worried then it must be bad. Jayden must be in real danger here.

“Bryan!” I scream out, terror shredding through my voice. “Bryan, whatever the fuck you’re doing, stop it. Stop hurting him, it’s me you want. It’s me and I’m here. Do whatever the fuck you want to me.”

Okay, so I’m going against what I just said to Tommy, but it is what it is. I will sacrifice myself for Jayden because he’s done so much for me.

“Stop it, Bryan. Stop it right now. I don’t want you to do this.”

Then, I turn a corner into a room and I see them both. The man that I’m married to and the man that I love. I haven’t ever seen so much blood in my life and it makes me feel sick.

Shit… this is it.