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“I can get you whatever you want. You know why? Because you’re my son, and I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. With a single sentence about a seemingly innocuous thing, Miguel had won Charlie over. Thankfully, in his excitement, my son forgot all about the active phone call in his pocket.
Miguel lifted his line of sight to me. “Let’s go.”
He held his hand out toward the suitcase, but I moved it out of his reach. “I can carry my luggage.”
“Fine,” Miguel said with a roll of his eyes.
I purposely meandered out to the car at a slow pace. Miguel opened the trunk so I could put the suitcase in there. I closed the trunk, and he opened the passenger side door for me.
“I’d prefer to ride in the back with Charlie.”
Miguel slammed the door shut. “Suit yourself.”
I matched his glare with one of my own as Charlie and I got into the back seat of the grey sedan. I helped Charlie with his seatbelt as Miguel started the car and backed out of the parking space. I sat in the middle and hugged Charlie.
“Excuse me, mister?” Charlie piped up.
Miguel smiled a genuine smile for the first time, and I had to remind myself that the man behind it was the devil, and not the man I’d once fallen in love with.
“Charlie. You can call me dad, you know. Because that’s what I am.”
Nothing was more terrifying to me.
“Where are we going on the plane?” Charlie asked.
“To a place called Cartagena. It is a beautiful coastal city in Columbia. I have a very big house in the mountains beyond the city. You’ll have a wonderful life there.”
“But I already have a wonderful life.”
Bless his heart. I wish I could have focused more on the conversation, and I probably should have so I could gain as much information as possible. But inside, I was beginning to panic. I wasn’t sure which airport we were heading to, but I knew the closest one was only half an hour away. The closer we got, the less chance Charlie and I had of escaping. I’d never see freedom or Emmett again. I’d never know happiness, compassion, or true love, and my son would be groomed into a monster exactly like his father. I wanted Charlie to be a good man like Emmett, not a lying, murderous, and controlling drug kingpin.
Miguel looked at me through the mirror, but I didn’t bother hiding my distress from him. What was the point? He knew how I felt. He glanced at me again, and then again. I averted my gaze and took comfort in my son.
Miguel switched lanes and overtook another vehicle and gunned the car. “Shit,” he hissed.
I frowned, but he wasn’t paying attention to me. He swerved in and out of lanes and when I glanced behind us, I noticed a few cars keep pace with us.
Holy shit.
We were in a car chase.
I held Charlie tighter and whispered, “Hold on, Charlie.”
Miguel passed a truck and clipped a motorcyclist as he fought to shake the tail. Police cars joined the unmarked cars, their sirens catching Charlie’s attention.
When he tried to turn around in his seat to have a look, I pulled him back down. “Stay.”
“Mom, I’m scared.”
“We’ll be okay.” I slipped my hand into his jacket pocket and slid the phone out. I glanced at the screen and was overjoyed to find that the call was still active. I shot a quick glance toward Miguel, who was still distracted by the chase, then pressed the phone to my ear. I made sure to hide it between my head and the seat so it was out of Miguel’s view. “Emmett, help us.” I kept my voice so quiet, I hoped against hope that Emmett could hear me.
I was rewarded with his beautiful, deep and compassionate voice. “Don’t you worry, baby. I’m on my way to get you and Charlie. Keep the call running.”
A single tear rolled down my cheek. The thought of never seeing him again tore at my soul.
“I love you.”
