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Tripp wraps his arms around my waist, hiding his face against my belly. She looks down at him and then at me, because I immediately wrap my arms protectively around him. “He’s not yours, you need to leave before Hank gets home and finds you here.”
I start walking backward and then freeze when I come in contact with a hard body. “Hey, baby.” Turning my head and looking up I find Austin standing behind me, with a scary grin. “We’re going to take a little drive.”
Something pokes me in the stomach and that’s when I see he’s got a gun pointed right at my belly. “P-Please don’t point that at my belly,” I say quietly, not wanting to spook Tripp. “I’ll do whatever you want, please just don’t point it there.”
Austin tucks it into the back of his jeans. His eyes are on Tripp while he does it.
My boy trembles as he clings to me, and I hug him tightly. “Brooke, I want Daddy.”
“I know, baby. We’ll be okay.” I look to Tracey. “Please, just go. He’s scared.”
She shakes her head. “Not a chance and maybe he needs to toughen up. What is he, like six or seven?”
This bitch doesn’t even know how old the child she gave birth to is. “He’s four. What is wrong with you both? What did we do?”
Austin grabs me by my upper arm, his fingers bite into my flesh. “Let’s go before that fucking asshole gets back. Trace, grab the kid.”
I begin to fight his hold on me. “No, don’t you touch him. Run into your room, lock your door,” I cry out to him, before shoving him in that direction. Turning around, I reach up, raking my nails down his face.
Austin curses and then slaps me hard. I shove him away from me and try to run down the hall to Tripp, but I trip over my own feet and catch myself before I fall. Tracey comes out of his bedroom with my poor baby boy, crying and reaching for me.
“Get the brat in the car. I’m right behind you,” Austin tells Tracey.
I lunge for her, trying to get Tripp away from her, but Austin stops me when his arms wrap around me from behind. Stomping on his instep, he lets me go long enough for me to run toward the alarm system, but before I can hit the panic button, he grabs my hair, spinning me around and punches me right in the face.
The pain is blinding, and I fight to stay conscious, but it’s useless. My head swims as I feel him lift me into his arms.
***
I blink and am suddenly hit with a wave of nausea that makes me bend over, vomiting on the floor and my heart feels like it is beating in my face. Pushing myself up, I look around and it looks like I’m in a basement.
Everything comes rushing back and I jump up, ignoring the wooziness. “Tripp?” I whisper. “Baby, where are you?” I look around and realize that he’s on the bed I was on, curled up in the corner.
I climbed back onto it, pulling the sleeping boy into my arms, and kiss his cheek. “I’m going to get us out of here, I promise.”
Thankfully he stays sleeping, but I still place my hand on his back just to feel his breathing, and let it soothe me. Carefully climbing off the bed, I make my way across the concrete room and to the set of stairs.
As quietly as I can, I make my way up to them. Austin’s voice can be heard the closer I get to the top.
“…we’re going to let him worry a bit, and then we’ll make our demands.” I hear the hiss of a bottle being opened.
There’s silence for a minute, and then I hear Tracey. “What are your demands? I only want cash so I can get away from this hellhole and start over somewhere else.”
“As far as I’m fucking concerned, he can have his fucking kid back. I only want her and I haven’t decided what to do with her yet.” I know I’mher.
I can hear her laugh through the door. “Do you think Hank is going to just let you have her? She’s fucking pregnant and every time I’ve seen them they’re all fucking goo-goo eyes at each other.”
“He took her from me.” Glass shatters and a chair scrapes across the floor.
I run back down the stairs and climb onto the bed, shielding Tripp with my body. The door flings open and in seconds Austin is down the stairs. He comes toward me, and I lean back, covering his little body.
“Don’t worry about him. He’ll go home as soon as Tracey gets her money. You and I have a lot of talking to do.” He places his fist on the mattress and leans in toward me. “I’m tired of hiding.”
I shake my head. “Leave, go. Promise to stay away forever. He won’t bother you anymore.” My heart races and my breathing quickens. There’s a whistling sound coming from my nose, and I’m almost certain it’s broken. It makes my stomach turn, but I power through.
Austin begins to laugh. “Yeah right. That’s the funniest fucking thing I have ever heard. Do you really think that douche is going to let me just walk away?” He leans in so his lips are almost touching mine. “We are far from over and even with that broken nose, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
I spit in his face, and he quickly grabs my face, making me cry out.
