Chapter 20
Lincoln
“He’s hung up on me,” Andrew exclaimed and put the phone down.
I was able to hear the entire conversation on the phone. I couldn’t do anything but stand by as I heard Charlotte screaming for help over the phone. My blood was boiling under my skin. My bear was angry and all he wanted to do was save our mate. I had to clench my fists to stop myself from breaking something.
Andrew looked up at me, fear stricken and wild-eyed.
“What is going to happen to her? What is he going to do to her?” he asked.
“I’m going to find her. We’re going to be there when you hand over the cash to the guy. In the meantime, we’re going to find out who he is and try and get Charlotte back before the drop off. Either way, I’m going to save her.”
I was speaking through clenched teeth, and the more I spoke, the wider Andrew’s eyes became. He could sense something else was going on. I wasn’t reacting in the way I should have been reacting to a client being kidnapped. He could sense there was something more personal involved.
“Yes, I trust that you will save her,” he said, in a hollow sort of voice.
We stared at each other and I breathed in deeply.
“You and my daughter…you know each other, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes, we do,” I said.
Andrew clenched his jaw and made a slight nod of his head.
“Are you…are you the baby’s father?” he asked.
I had no idea how he’d figured it out, but now that he was asking me the question directly, I wasn’t going to lie to him.
“I didn’t want to tell you like this. Charlotte wouldn’t have wanted it to happen like this either. But yes, I am the father. I love your daughter, Mr. Williams.”
Love…I hadn’t thought about that word till now when it came spilling out of me. When I heard Charlotte over the phone, now that I knew her life was in danger, I also knew that I loved her. I was going to do anything to get her back.
Andrew sighed and nodded his head.
“You should call me Andrew,” he said and I gulped. This was not the reaction I was expecting from Charlotte’s father.
“Do you really love her, Lincoln?” he continued.
I stared at him, hoping he would be able to see I was being honest.
“I have never loved a woman the way I love your daughter. She is my one true mate. She means everything to me. So does that child. I’m going to find her and I’m going to keep her safe,” I said.
I could see that Andrew’s eyes were filling up. He was getting emotional over this kidnapping, just like I was furious.
“I’ve been cruel to her these last few months, Lincoln. I couldn’t forgive her for getting pregnant, for keeping the name of the father from me,” he said.
“She didn’t want to tell you because she knew you wouldn’t approve of me,” I replied. Andrew fixed his eyes on me and then embarrassedly looked down at his desk.
“Well, she wasn’t wrong,” he said. “I have had a biased image of shifters since they came out in the open. But seeing how much you care for my daughter has made me start to change my mind about them.”
It was a relief to hear him say that, even if it was in the absence of Charlotte.
“I want you to save her, save my daughter. I will give you anything you want in return,” he continued.
“I don’t need anything from you, Andrew. I’m going to save her because I love her,” I told him and he nodded.
“Then go, and do it. You have my blessing. You are the man she deserves and you deserve her.”
I turned from him and ran out of the room.
My brothers were waiting outside, on the phones, trying to get a hold of their contacts so they could figure out who this asshole was.
I rushed towards them.
“Any news?” Ink asked.
“He called. He wants a hundred thousand in cash tomorrow.”
“So that’s where we’re going!” Grant exclaimed.
“Find out everything you can in the meantime. If we can get to her before the drop-off, it’s even better.”
The others were about to walk away, get in their cars and go, but I stopped them.
“There’s something else,” I said, calling out to them. The others stopped in their tracks and turned to me.
“She’s pregnant. Charlotte Williams. She’s pregnant,” I said.
They looked at each other. I knew they could sense something was going on.
“Yeah, we know. We saw her at the charity auction thing on stage,” Jackson said and I ran a hand through my hair.
“It’s mine. The child is mine.”
They were staring at me in disbelief. I hadn’t given them any clues about her and they had no idea until now.
“You are the father of Charlotte Williams’ kid?” Grant asked. He was smiling now, because he still didn’t believe me.
“You banged that ass?” Jackson asked and I threw him a look of warning. I didn’t want them talking about Charlotte the way they usually talked about other chicks.
“How did this happen, Lincoln? When?” Ford said and I drew in a deep breath.
“When I went camping in April, to scout out new shifter clans in the area. I met her there. She was there with her friends. Her parents didn’t know where she was. I didn’t know who she was until I saw her at the charity auction. I didn’t know she was pregnant.”
They stared at each other again, still confused.
“I need to find her. I need to get her back here and keep that baby safe. She needs to stay alive. Do you understand me?”
It was the most I could tell my brothers to communicate to them how I felt about Charlotte.
“Yes, we understand, Lincoln. We’re going to find her and bring her safely back home,” Jackson said.