Page 71 of Ky

“He’s taken them both,” I cry out as he holds both my hands in one of his. His touch a life raft to my swirling emotions right now.

“What do you mean, he’s taken them both?” he demands gruffly, his eyes searching mine, abject horror mirroring in his eyes what he sees in mine.

“Finn and Willow.” I can’t help the sob from breaking loose deep within my chest. “They were playing in the backyard, then suddenly they were gone,” I explain.

“What do you mean, they’re gone?” he demands again, as if he can’t believe what I’ve been telling him.

That’s when I show him the piece of paper.

He reads the note, and I see his jaw tighten and tick nervously. “Where did you find this?” he demands.

“Down by the side of the house. A fence paling was removed.” I'm hiccupping from all the crying and wailing I've been doing.

“How the fuck did this asshole take them if you were watching them?” He raises his voice, as Kick takes the note from his hands, balling it up in his fist. I look down, unable to meet his gaze.

“I left them to play outside while I went to have a shower. I was gone for all of ten minutes,” I cry.

There’s a commotion as the others head to our house, disappearing through the side gate.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” he speaks through gritted teeth, letting my hands go as though I’d burned him. “You left them alone to go take a shower?” He was full on yelling now, and I could feel fresh tears blurring my vision.

An arm comes around my shoulders, and I turn my head; through my tears I could see it’s Everleigh with Zoe standing close by.

“Hey,” she calls out, stopping Ky’s tirade. “Stop right now, before you say something you’re going to regret,” she tells him, her eyes narrowed at him. He stands there staring down at me as though I were a complete stranger, before shaking his head and storming across the street to our house to join his brothers.

“Come on, let’s go to my place. They’ll know where to find us if they need to,” Zoe offers, as both women help me off the ground.

The knees of my perfectly pressed white pants were now brown from the dirt, but I didn’t care. With both women’s arms around me, they lead me to the house next door, and I move my legs robotically, following.

Once inside the house, they show me to the couch, and I sit down, but nothing around me was registering. I know I must be in shock.

“I need to go look for them,” I say weakly.

“No, you need to stay where you are. You’ll only be hindering the boys right now,” Everleigh says. The look in her eyes and the sound of her voice brooking no arguments.

“What have I done? I thought they were safe in the backyard.” I sniffle, trying to brush away the tears, but they just keep falling.

“It could’ve happened to any of us,” Zoe replies, holding baby Bella in her arms.

“I told Willow that Ky was her father,” I blurt out, watching the shock on each of their faces. I didn’t bring any of these women into my confidence, even my best friend, Zoe.

But I knew that they already knew the truth, since it all came out while we were in Florida.

“I know you guys already know the truth, and it should have come from me. I’m sorry for not saying anything earlier. But I couldn’t.” I lower my head in shame. I should change the subject. I clear my throat, nervously playing with the hem of my shirt.

“Have you and Chains thought about what happens when Tiny and Sage decide they want to be the ones to raise Bella?” I ask.

Zoe taps the baby’s diapered bottom as she rocks her in her arms, giving me a small smile. “I’ve spoken to Sage,” her eyes cloud over with sadness as she speaks. “They would like to startthe bonding process with baby Bella once Tiny is better and out of hospital.”

I’d heard Tiny had woken up, but I haven’t been to see him yet to thank him for saving my life.

And now this happens.

“I’m sorry, I know you’ve already formed a bond with the baby,” I say.

I’m sad my friend has to go through this. I take her hands in mine and give her a small smile.

Zoe shrugs. “It is what it is,” she says, injecting nonchalance in her voice, but I know she must be hurting. “Sheishis biological child, so I’m happy for them.”