The UN Series Complete Box Set (161 page)

I try to cry out from the force but there’s nothing there. Panic sets in as I try to breathe and can’t. I reach up and scratch his arms but he holds me back effortlessly.

“Let her go,” I hear Laura cry. The other man grabs her with a wicked smile on his face. He looks familiar but I can’t place him.

“Always were the victim,” Jonathan says to her and sighs. “He won’t come for you. Tate knows you for the pathetic bitch you truly are.” He then looks at me and smiles down at me. “But he’ll come for you.”

I try shaking my head as I dig my fingernails into his wrist. He won’t come for me. He doesn’t love me.

“He will.” He nods and lets go of me.

I fall to my knees as I grab my neck and cough. I suck in air as he grabs a handful of my hair and yanks my head up to look at him.

“Please,” I whimper and close my eyes.

“Begging for your life already?” he asks with a chuckle. He jerks on my hair again, dragging me to my feet, and I scream out.

I try to take a deep breath as my heart pounds in my chest. “No.” I choke on the word. “Please don’t hurt him,” I beg and his blue eyes darken.

“He deserves it,” he shouts in my face.

I try shaking my head to get his hand out of my hair. “Tate didn’t do anything to you,” I shout as I shove my hands into his chest.
Fight Missy!

His hand releases my hair, and he slaps me across the face. He hits me so hard that I fall back down to my knees as tears spring to my eyes. “His name is Jonathan,” he shouts before he kicks me in the side.

I roll over holding myself as a cry of pain leaves my lips. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes tightly. I open them to make sure he’s not gonna kick me again and I watch him go over to the table that Laura and I were sitting at earlier and he picks up my cell.

“He won’t come,” I say trying to catch a breath.

He smirks. “Oh, he’ll come. My son is nothing like me. He’s weak.”

I don’t argue with him because I don’t wanna get kicked again but I’m afraid he’s wrong. Tate is anything but weak.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

TATE

I stand in my living room watching Parker’s stupid cat rub up against my duffle bag.

“So you’re just gonna leave without telling her goodbye?” Parker asks from the couch. Sam never came back out from her bedroom when I told them what I was gonna do. The guys didn’t even try to talk me out of it, either. I was thankful.

I nod. In a way I already told her goodbye. I couldn’t have been clearer that I didn’t want what she wants. Why call her up and say goodbye?

“This is the best way,” I say with my back still toward him.

“What about me?” he asks, and I laugh.

“What about you?” I finally turn to face him.

He spreads his arms out wide. “You’re leaving me and Puss Puss.” He frowns.

I laugh. “You can stay here for as long as you want,” I say. I had bought this house when I first moved here. I don’t plan on selling it.

He sighs. “I couldn’t care less where I live, Tate.”

I have always been a person on my own. Until Marie died—I showed up on her front porch in Tulsa to see how Sam was doing after the death of her mother.

I stand on the front porch of Marie’s house as I watch Sam walk into the entryway. It’s hard to even look at her. From her long dark hair to bright green eyes, she’s a spitting image of her mother. The woman who I wish had been my mother. Marie practically raised me. Then when she found out she had cancer she pushed Sam away. Left her to fend for herself.

“Can I help you?” she asks as she comes to stand in front of the door.

I look at her boyfriend, Slade, who comes to stand beside her. I wish the dick wasn’t here. I look back down to her and give her a small smile. “Sam.”

“Do I know you?” she questions, tilting her head to the side.

The smile drops off of my face. Of course she doesn’t remember me. I clear my throat. “I, ah, need to speak to you,” I say not taking my eyes off of her.

Slade comes to stand beside her. “She asked you a question!” His voice is hard.

“Yes.” I nod, still looking at her. Trying to ignore the prick. “You know me. You just don’t remember me.” She just stands there and looks at me but her eyes have gone from comforting to concern. “Sam,” I begin, placing my hands behind my back. I don’t want to frighten her. “I won’t keep you long. Holly said you were busy packing. I just needed to come by and see that you were okay.”

“I’m fine,” she says, unsure of me.

“Look,” I start off. My eyes shift to Slade then back to hers again. “I don’t mean to keep you guys, I just came to see you, Sam. I need to have a conversation with you. I need to tell you some things.” I understand this may not be the best time, but she needs to know the truth. She needs to know that her mother loved her.

She stiffens. “What do you need to tell me?”

“Do you really not remember me?” I frown. I really thought she would recognize me after all those times we played together. All those times I stayed over.

She shakes her head.

I take a deep breath. “It’s me, Tate.”

A small smile instantly creeps across her face, and I smile to myself. “Tate?” she whispers. I don’t know why I expected her to remember me. She was ten last time I saw her. I was thirteen. That was over thirteen years ago.

“What are you doing here? I thought you lived in Alaska,” she asks before she steps into me and gives me a hug. I gently wrap my arms around her knowing this reunion won’t last long. She’s gonna hate me once I tell her why I’m here.

“I wish Mom was here to see you,” she says with a sad smile.

If only she knew the truth. I look over at Slade for a second and then back to her. “How did you find out that my mom had passed?” she asks.

“Well….” I pause trying to find the right words. “That’s another reason why I’m here.” I inhale deeply. I’m here to rip your heart out. Forgive me.

“What is it?” she asks cautiously.

I stay quiet for a few seconds just looking at her eyes. I wanna see how bright they shine before I take that away from her. Before another person in this world hates me. “I was helping take care of your mother.”

“What? When?”

“Sam, you have to understand, it was what she wanted,” I start, defending Marie. She’s gonna hate her as much as she will me once this conversation is over.

“What are you talking about, Tate?” she snaps.

“She wanted me to make sure you were safe.”

“Just say what you came to say, Tate,” she says stiffly.

I keep my eyes trained on her and inhale deeply. “I was the one who kept her informed on how you were doing.” I take a step toward her but she pulls back. Marie had called me when she found out she had cancer. She hadn’t spoken to Sam in years, but she wanted to know how she was doing. If she was in love or happy. And I did it. I owed that woman my life. She practically raised me, I couldn’t tell her no. No matter how much it killed me to be that close to Sam.

“How could you?” she whispers as tears start to fill her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Sam. I want to explain it all to you.” I shoot a nervous glance over at Slade and then to Holly, neither of whom have spoken. “But I think we should do it in private.” There’s so much more she needs to know. Not only about Marie but also about me—I’m your half-brother.

Slade takes a step toward me, but she places her arm out to stop him.

“That’s not necessary. I’ve heard enough.” Her voice cracks.

I expected that. And I’m not one to beg. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a card. “Call me. I want you to know.” Then I turn around and walk to the curb, slide my dark sunglasses over my eyes, and climb onto my motorcycle.

I never knew that one day would lead me to where I stand now. Not only do I have a sister, but I also have a brother-in-law. A beautiful niece and a handful of friends. A woman who loves me. Too bad I don’t deserve any of them.

“Maybe Puss Puss and I could come down to visit?” Parker offers. “You can show me around the town.” He rubs his chin in thought. “I bet there are some country hotties in Oklahoma.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

I chuckle as I hear his phone ringing.

“What’s up, man?” he asks smiling. “Yeah. Tate and I are at home. Why, what’s up?” He nods his head to himself once and then the smile drops off of his face. He looks up to me and his dark brown eyes harden. He doesn’t say anything else. He just pulls the phone away from his ear and places it on his lap.

“They found Jonathan,” he says, and my jaw tightens.

“Where is he?” I question, ready to get this shit over with him.

“At the bakery.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Why is he there?” What would he be doing up at the bakery?

Parker swallows. “Well…that’s where Missy is.”

“How does he know that?” I demand as I take in a deep breath. He’ll kill her if he gets his hands on her. I should have left long before now.

“Slade said he had got a notification that the alarm had been disarmed at the bakery. He looked over the surveillance cameras. And fifteen minutes in, two guys walked in. The cameras showed that your mother and Missy were taken but he’s just sitting in there as if he’s waiting on something.”

Me! He’s waiting on me.

I spin around and run into my room. I get into my nightstand and grab my gun out of it.

Parker walks in on his phone once again. “Okay…Yeah. He’s on his way.” He hangs up and looks at me.

“The camera got a license plate number. I’m going to locate the car. Slade is gonna meet you up at the bakery.”

I nod as I walk by past him and he speaks. “I’ll call backup in. They should beat you there.”

I spin back around. “No. I don’t want backup.” The bastard is mine!

He sighs heavily. “Tate. I can’t do this again. I am a cop. I can’t hide this.”

I walk up to him and speak. “You have to. Don’t worry about me. Put everyone you have on that car to find Missy. She is the one who needs you, not me.”

He runs a hand over his head nervously. “We both know it’s not about Missy. This is about you wanting time alone with him,” he says gritting his teeth.

I grab him by his shirt and yank him towards me. “This is about Missy. Do you think I want her getting hurt?” I snap. I release him and take a deep breath. “I do want it.” I’m not gonna deny it. “Now make it fucking happen,” I snap.

I stand there and dare him to argue with me. If I have to, I’ll knock his ass out so he can’t say a fucking word.

He sighs, giving in. “Okay. But I can only hold them off for so long.”

******

There’s a time in your life when you decide to quit fighting. You just wanna give up. And that’s not always a bad thing. When you finally let go—it frees you. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be free of the pain. The memories. The world that has so much hate.

When I broke Missy’s heart for the last time, I told her I was tired of fighting. I was tired of trying to love her. And it was true. Every day I had to fight that feeling. No matter how tough I acted out or how much rage I felt—she was able to take it away with a few simple words or a simple touch of her soft hand. She brought me to the point where I wanted to fight the demons. But then I would think of what weak meant. Weak meant that you had something someone else could use against you. Missy was that someone for me—I needed to fight that.

I needed to quit pretending that I was good. So I fought that as well. But what else did that leave me with? All I’ve even known was the part that fueled my hatred. The devil in me that wanted to see the angel fall. Bring it to its knees at my feet. Everyone wants to know that kind of power. I crave it.

And I have never found it—‘cause I fought it. Until now. It took my weakness to make me find the darkest side that I have. And if you ask me? That’s not being weak. That’s being unstoppable.

“You shouldn’t go in there alone,” Slade says as he grabs my arm.

I look down at it. “He wants me,” I say, yanking away from him. “Missy is already in harm’s way. No one should have to be,” I snap.

“Parker is going to find her,” he says. “Let me go in with you. He’s sitting in the back part. I’ll just stay in the front in case something happens. That way he can’t see me,” Slade offers. “We can catch him off guard.”

I tighten my hand around the gun. “Fine. Come on.” I turn around and start to walk toward the front door of Angel’s Dream as I tuck the gun into the back of my jeans.

I come up to the door and yank it open. I’m not worried that he’ll kill me right off the bat. The fucker likes to make his punishments slow. And right now I’m pretty sure he could shoot me five times and I would still run at him head first. Nothing could stop me! Not until I save her from the monster. He wants to make me pay? I’ll pay alright—with my life if it comes to that.

I reach over and flip the light switch just to see if it works. The front room is empty, but there is a table over against the wall that is knocked over and a chair lying on its side. “What happened over there?” I ask Slade. I know he knows. He saw the tape.

He looks away from me. “Missy.” His voice is clipped.

“He put his hands on her?” I growl. Why else would the shit be knocked over?

He nods his response, and I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart and need to destroy something. “Stay here,” I whisper harshly.

I take another deep breath as I push the door to the back open. I come to a stop by the fridge when I see Jonathan sitting at the table that the guys and I have sat at so many times before. He’s sitting there laidback and relaxed as if I invited the bastard over for tea.

I look around the room just to check for Missy—Nothing! But her cell sits on the table in front of him.

“Where is she?” I ask grabbing the gun form behind my back and pointing it right at his head.  What if Parker can’t find her? I’m not willing to take that chance.

“It’s been a long time, son,” he comments, not answering my question.

Just the sound of his voice makes my skin crawl. “Jonathan,” I growl.

He finally looks up at me. “That’s no way to greet your father.” His voice is calm and he even smiles.

I take a deep breath trying to calm my rage. I’m so furious my body is shaking and I don’t wanna miss.

He stands. “You know that saying that men prefer women who remind them of their mothers?” he asks. I don’t speak as I hold the gun trained at his head. “Well, that statement holds true for you.” He smiles. “Missy? Is that her name?”

“You know her name, you son of a bitch,” I snap shouting.

He chuckles. “Yeah. I suppose I do. Well,
Missy
is just like your mother.” His blue eyes look into mine and they shine with delight. “She begged.”
She begged? Did he kill her?
“She’s much stronger than your mother, though.” He claps his hands once. “I’m proud of you, son. I picked a weak one. I like that you prefer the challenge.”

“Where is she?” I scream as I tighten my trigger finger.

“Ah,” he says as in thought. “She’s not here,” he says as he looks around. “A friend has her.”