For what feels like the millionth time, I look over at Melissa, her body curled tightly around her legs, much like the last nine hours. She looks so small sitting here in the stark hospital waiting room. With both her legs pulled up tight against her body, and her arms constricting them in place, she hugs herself, her eyes staring off into the distance, but not seeing anything. I’m not even sure if she is emotionally still here in the room.
Maddox and Coop just left with news I did not want to hear. It looks as if Simon Wagner has reach, even from the grave. The monitoring system that I had installed at Lilly’s house is the best of the best. We had learned a valuable lesson after what we’d gone through with Izzy’s ex-husband a few years ago. Now, there’s a camera on every entry point to her house. When it comes to my family, I won’t take any chances.
Maddox pulled the security footage, and when he found out what happened to Cohen, I was the first person he called. It seems that Susan Wagner hasn’t gone away quietly as we had originally thought. He explained that in the film she is walking up with an unidentified man, and after a few minutes of working on the door, makes her way inside. Things are quiet for about five minutes before he sees her running back out with Cohen in her arms. He doesn’t have to say it but I can tell by his tone that it hadn’t been pretty. I only know that Cohen was awake, alert, and appeared to be unharmed.
That little reassurance is all I have to go on right now.
The man that had entered the house with Susan Wagner had spent another ten minutes or so inside before coming back out. Best guess was that Susan had hired him to take care of Lilly while she snatched Cohen. Coop is monitoring the police scanners but so far, there haven’t been any sightings of them. There is an Amber Alert going out as we speak but we all fear it’s too late to stop her from crossing state lines.
Before they left, they let me know that, after looking into Susan’s background, their best guess is that she is heading west to the Vegas area, the last known location of her sister, Ann.
Lilly has been in surgery for the last eight hours and it isn’t looking good. When Izzy arrived a few hours ago, I set off to get some information on Lilly. I had hoped to offer Melissa some hope, but that thought quickly vanished when I learned how grave the situation was.
She suffered not only a blow to the head, but also multiple stab wounds and several vital organs had been affected. It wasn’t looking good, but I couldn’t give up hope, and I damn sure couldn’t show how much I was dying inside when I needed to be strong for my girl.
The only thing I can do now is make sure I got our boy home.
I walk back over to Melissa and kneel in front of her. Her eyes meet mine but she doesn’t focus until I call her name a few times.
“Beauty, I’m going to make a call right now. Izzy’s going to stay right here with you okay?”
She just looks into my eyes; all the light that is normally shining back at me is gone. Her eyes are flat and her expression locked tight in grief.
“Okay, baby. I’ll be right back.” I lean forward and kiss her forehead, holding my lips there for a few moments before standing. I squeeze Izzy’s shoulder and walk out into the hallway.
There is only one man that can possibly help me now. If Susan Wagner has taken Cohen, threatened my family, and possibly taken my woman’s mother from her life, I will stop at nothing to make sure that I not only get Cohen back, but that Susan fucking Wagner won’t ever be a threat to my family again.
It takes me a few seconds to control myself enough to dial a number I haven’t used in years.
“Breaker.” I hear snap through the line.
“It’s Cage. Break . . . Neck. Fucking breakneck.” I wait, choking down the ball of worry that threatens to escape. After I lost Grace and took off, I hooked up with Braxxon Breaker out west. His MC club had been on a charity ride and we just happened to cross paths at the right time. After a night of partying, I decided to stick with them for a few days and enjoy the benefits that come with a bunch of bikers. To this day, I know I have a brother for life in Braxxon Breaker, and just because it’s been years, that doesn’t mean he won’t come running with one word.
“Cage, brother. What’s up?” He doesn’t sound pissed that I cut into his time now. Curious maybe, but not angry.
“Cuts me fucking deep needing to make this call, Braxx. Got a situation and it isn’t a situation I can take care of.” There isn’t anything else that needs to be said. He knows what I’m saying without actually saying it.
“Name it, brother.” He says. I hear some shuffling in the background so I wait a second to respond.
“My girl, fuck . . . there isn’t enough time to explain the six degrees of fucked up I’ve found myself in. My girl’s nephew. The other grandparent took him, snatched him right out of bed, and did not leave anything pretty behind. Her mother is critical and questionable. Best I can find is she took him your way. Braxx, I won’t let anyone hurt what is mine. Never again. This ends.” By the time I get it all out, my control is slipping even more. I manage to sound a whole hell of a lot calmer than I actually am. I can’t lose it, not here, and not before I have Cohen locked tight in my arms.