“No,” Kane muttered under his breath, as his fingers pressed into Angeline’s quaking arms. “He… he can’t have found me. Not this soon.”
A low whine started in the pit of her stomach, and as her trembling deepened, an anguished wail consumed the nursery. She had to grip the crib’s rails to keep from falling. However, it was no use; her legs gave out, and she was on the floor as Kane fought desperately to fold her into his arms.
“It’ll be okay, Angel,” he promised. “We’ll find him.”
Just minutes ago, she had wanted nothing more than to linger in his embrace and rest her head against his broad chest. But now his arms were an extension of an enemy that had returned to tear away the most precious thing in her life.
And even if he promised, Kane couldn’t snap his fingers and make it right.
“Angel, I—”
“Let go of me!”
Pushing away from him, Angeline crawled to her father’s side. She cradled his head with her shaking hand as she helped him to sit up.
“Angie,” he groaned through his bloodied lip. “I tried to stop them. I swear.”
“I know, Dad,” she said, as tears streaked her face. “And was it Noel?”
He nodded angrily. “That’s what he said. Had… two others with him. Big dude and a black guy.”
“Ben?” Kane asked. Immediately, he was with Angeline, trying to keep Brent talking, but Angeline could not bring herself to meet his eyes.
“I don’t know,” Brent said. “Assholes weren’t exactly giving out names.”
“Where is Theo?” she demanded. “Where is my son?”
“They… they just took him, Angie. Said something like they were taking him to make up for what they lost.”
Kane formed a fist and pounded it into the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kane seethe; but, for the first time, she almost wished that he hadn’t darkened her door again—not if his presence meant that Noel would sell her child or harm his innocent flesh.
“I’ll kill him,” Kane said. “I swear to God—”
“Just stop!” she screamed.
What could he do? Kane hadn’t even been able to save himself from the worst of Noel, so how could he bring Theo back? What if it was already too late and Theo…?
No. She couldn’t think like that.
Brent groaned again, and Angeline righted the rocking chair. She didn’t ask for Kane’s help, but he was right there helping her father off the ground. When she touched his ribs, he flinched. Feeling his sides quickly, she couldn’t be sure if anything was broken, but she knew that he needed help.
So did she.
“I’m calling the police,” Angeline said.
Running from the nursery, her mind kept Theo alive, but her soul wrenched at the thought of him crying out for her, his arms reaching into the air only to be met by Noel’s cold fingers. What if Theo’s cries provoked him to shut her sweet boy up with a slap? He would only cry harder, and Noel might not quit until he was quiet…
I’ll kill him myself if he hurts him.
She started to dial the phone when Kane ripped the receiver from her hand and turned her to face him.
“Angel, don’t,” he pleaded. “Cops’ll just spook him.”
“I don’t care!” she said, as she tried to break free of his hold and make the call.
“He just wants him as a bargaining chip,” Kane said. “He’s after me.”
“Theo wouldn’t be that if you hadn’t… if you…”
Her eyes locked on his. Kane’s stare was sympathetic, but she didn’t need his pity or his empty promises that they would get out of this. She needed her son back, and her rage erupted.
“Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? Why?” Pounding her fists into his chest, Angeline hit him hard, spitting in his face as his body absorbed her blows. Kane made no effort to shield himself from her assault, and she started tugging at his hair and slapping his face wildly. “You should have gone somewhere else! Anywhere else!”
“Angel.”
“You know what he is! And you led him here! You bastard!”
She kept hitting him, and soon she had him backed against the wall. As Kane took his beating, she watched his eyes close. Even in her frantic state, she suddenly realized that she was doing the one thing that she had sworn would never happen to him again. She was hurting him. And it wasn’t his fault. It was Noel’s. And it was for hers for dealing pills all those years ago. And for believing the monster when she had to know… when she should have known that Kane would never leave her.
“Oh my God!” she wailed.
Her fists came to a stop, and she collapsed into his chest. Kane had sacrificed everything for her, and this was how she was paying him back. She had it right last night. He should run from her at the first chance. If Theo was still here, she would have placed him in her father’s arms and demanded that he do the same.
“Angel?”
She was on the ground, shaking and crying, and when he seemed sure that her blows had ended, he took her into his arms. She tried to back away from him, but he was not taking no for an answer. “It’s okay,” he whispered as he stroked her hair. “I want to hit someone, too.”
Her voice was muffled as she moaned into his chest. “But not you,” she said. “I just… I just…”
Lifting her eyes to his face, she blinked back tears. He sadly smiled down at her and steadied her face in his massive hand.
“And we’re going to get him back,” Kane said. He kissed her head, and his lips found their way to her ear. “We’ll find him,” he promised again. “But no cops. That’s not the way.”
“But what are we supposed to—”
The shrill ring of the phone cut into the room, and they looked together at the spot where the receiver had landed. Kane kept his arm around her shoulders, as he reached across her and answered the call.
“Hello?” he said in a voice that barely masked his rage.
Angeline gripped his arm and brought her ear close to the phone, hoping to hear some sign of Theo alive—even if he was crying.
There was nothing but silence for what felt like an eternity, but finally the most unwelcome voice broke through the line, as she heard Noel say, “We made quite a baby, Angel.”