AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nolan. Nolan. Nolan.
It chanted through my mind and surged through my heart. This child. My son. He was alive. Part of me still hesitated to believe it. To accept it. As if it were too magical a concept to put my faith in it.
The other part thought I’d known it all along. Had known that I’d felt it—this familiarity that had ached. The longing that had struck me like a blade.
I couldn’t stomach the idea of him succumbing to this fate. Couldn’t fathom the idea of that sweet, sweet child being torn from the love of River and Raven and given over to Frederick.
Sickness roiled. I wasn’t delusional. Frederick Winston was powerful. His influence was great, and his reputation was spotless. I didn’t know how we were going to manage this.
But we had to.
We had to find a way to end it.
A short gasp left me when I saw a black Navigator sitting on the far side of the lot in front of a large metal building, though the back-building was maybe half the height of the main building in front.
I slowed the car, creeping across the space until I came to a stop about fifty yards away from the SUV. Rays of sunlight slanted in from over the roof of the building, obscuring my vision, but in it, I saw shadows move.
I fumbled out, and it felt like my heart got ripped out of my chest when I saw an unknown man held Nolan. The little boy’s back was tohis chest, his feet and hands bound, a blindfold over his eyes. Though he seemed…limp.
Incoherent.
Oh God.
“Nolan.” I whimpered it, wanting to race across the lot and pry him from the man’s cruel arms.
But I held. Trying to stick to the plan to draw Frederick out so there would be time to assess the situation. The plan would need to be formed in a blink, and there was no room for error.
My gaze scanned. I spotted two more men, one on each end of the building. They were armed and standing guard, each of them wearing suits.
But it was the man who slipped out of the backseat of the SUV that made my knees wobble. Old wounds and a vat of fear dumped out in the middle of me, and in an instant, I was drowning in memories of the torment he’d put me through.
The suffering.
But the greatest suffering had been what he’d stolen.
My parents.
Lilah.
Levi.
Nolan.
My soul thrashed, and the tremor of fear that threatened was displaced by obstinacy and conviction.
Frederick shoved a casual hand into his suit jacket pocket, always the good guy when he was twisted with inhumanity.
A sadist to the core.
I’d never forget the glee he’d felt when he made me scream.
I tried not to shiver as his vile gaze raked over me, his blue eyes that were the same color as Nolan’s gleaming in the type of greed that made me nauseous. “After all these years, and still so beautiful. How I’ve missed my Sweet Pea.”
Revulsion crawled over my flesh, but I attempted to keep it at bay as I demanded, “What did you do to him?”
Frederick cast an easy smile, as if I were ridiculous for worrying. “The little brat wouldn’t stop crying, so I decided we should put him down for a nap. But don’t fret…it’s only temporary. At least, for now.”
A warning edged into his voice on the last.
