Page 29 of Kaya's King
“Mr. Specks, are you still there?”
“I’m here, Noah. Are you guys on your way?” While there’s no actual danger that we’re aware of, Canyon asked to go with them so he could help if it’s needed with Noah. Personally, I think there’s something there, because he’s always helping the young woman who’s Gia’s best friend and former maid.
“Yes, I’m so excited!” he whisper-yells. The laugh that bursts free over his enthusiasm for something as simple as a field trip doesn’t surprise me in the least. We’ve had a few bad days where he was tired of wearing the braces citing his legs were sore and hot, but overall, he’s handling it like a little trooper.
We continue our game as I forge through the mountain of tasks I have to complete. An incoming text makes me smile because Kaya replied rather emphatically if the exclamation points are any indication. According to her, I need to stay in my lane and letherdesign it.
I can hear Noah talking as they transfer him from the car to the wheelchair and know their first stop is the restroom. “Mr. Canyon is going inside to check it out first,” Noah whispers. I don’t bother telling him we all do this when we go out as a precaution. It doesn’t hurt to be proactive.
Long minutes pass and I know Chelsea is assisting him when I hear the water running. “Now Miss Chelsea is using the bathroom but I’m going to wait,” he again whispers.
Suddenly, I hear Noah, talking much louder than he was just a few minutes ago, ask, “Hey, who are you? What are you doing to Miss Chelsea? Stop, no!”
Then nothing.
Not a fucking peep.
Silence. It’s so damn quiet I could hear a pin drop.
“Noah? Are you there? What’s happening? Can you still hear me? Little man!” I call out, already sending a mass group text to my brothers. Despite the fear I’m feeling, I keep my tone neutral and calm, so I don’t scare him. I have no idea what’s just happened, but someone’s taken Noah and I’ll burn down the whole fucking country if I have to in order to get him safely back.
I’m pissed as fuck right now that I’m stuck watching my computers as most of my brothers ride out to the state park to see what they can find out. Brooks is using his bounty hunter contacts and we’ve got the other two prospects staying with the old ladies and kids. I bite back a grin thinking about how Shamus, when he heard what happened, called his own kids in to help search. Loki is still at the shop, so Poseidon has headed there to tell my old lady what’s going on.
Why am I here when I want to be out searching for my boy or hell, even comforting my old lady who I’m positive is losing her mind right about now? Because hopefully, Noah still has his tablet turned on and it hasn’t been tossed to the wayside so I can use the apps and find out everything possible so we can find and rescue him. I keep sending messages in the chat but so far, there’s been no response.
“C’mon, little man,” I urge under my breath as I start the process to get into the park’s security cameras. Any little crumb left behind could lead us to him and help me find our boy and I’ll leave no stone unturned.
Kaya
I smile when I see Loki and Poseidon standing at the door of my room. One of the things I like most about working here is unless we’re working on an area that’s more discreet, or the client is unwilling, we have an open-door policy. I’ve grown used to Loki watching as I lay down ink on someone, so I don’t immediatelythink anything of it, reloading my gun with a fresh needle and more ink.
“Kaya, we need to talk to you,” Loki advises. Something in his tone is alarming and has my stomach dropping as I shut my gun off, wipe down the spot on my client where I was working, and turn to face them, giving them my undivided attention. Although, surely, if it was something outrageous or major, Specks would’ve reached out to me, right? I hold onto that thought as I use all of my strength and grab onto my stool in an effort to keep myself upright.
“Sir, we need to reschedule you for another date and time to wrap up your tattoo,” Loki conveys to my client. “A family emergency has risen, and Kaya’s needed at home.”
“Alright, no problem. We got all the outlining done today anyhow. So, two weeks?” Elliott, my client, asks. “That’ll give this time to scab and heal.”
“Yeah, that works for us. We’ll get you on the books and schedule your next appointment. We’ll shoot you a text to let you know what day and time we can fit you in.”
While this conversation is taking place in the background, I keep my sole focus aimed on Poseidon. His gaze is steadfast, the sheer authority rolling off him letting me know he’s here as the club president not in the capacity of my friend. Once Elliott has his aftercare instructions, he leaves, and Loki locks up behind him. Loki returns to my room and both men stoically approach where I’m sitting.
Crouching down to where he’s eye level with me, Poseidon tenderly takes my hand in his and softly speaks, “There’s no easy way to say this, Kaya, so I’m just going to put it out there.”
“Okay…” I stammer out. The last time I had this feeling was the day I learned via the news stations’ broadcasts that the rig my husband was on had exploded. “Is it Specks? Granny? Noah?” I spit out each name in succession, my voice getting higher pitched and squeakier with each person I list off.
Loki takes a deep breath, exhales, and then replies, “Noah. Someone took him while he and Chelsea were in the bathroom at the park.”
My mind is in turmoil. Thousands of questions swirl around in my mind. But the top of that list is where my son’s guard is. He would’ve had to be hurt or worse, killed before outsiders would’ve been able to get their hands on my son. “What about Canyon? Where was he during all of this?” I question, knowing for a fact that the prospect had gone with my son and his teacher in case she needed help with Noah’s wheelchair.
The shakes coursing through my body have my teeth chattering as I wait for them to give me more information. In the meantime, thoughts of Noah are flashing like lightning through my brain, trying to comprehend why anyone would kidnap my child. What would they gain? He’s just a child. The only people we really know are those at the clubhouse who are members of the club itself. Oh my God. “Granny? Does she know?” She’s been by my side since mere hours after we learned of Foster’s death.
Poseidon nods then adds, “Rest of the guys are on their way to the park to see what the fuck happened. We haven’t heard from Canyon or Chelsea, but I do have some good news for you.”
I’m now clutching both of their hands, uncaring if my grip is too hard. “What? What good news is there?” I question, my voice breaking on a quivering sob.
Get it together, Kaya, you have to be strong for Noah. You can do this, just take deep breaths, I tell myself in an effort to calm my rioting emotions.
“He and Specks were playing their game online this morning,” Loki advises. “Now, initially, they were both wearing their headsets, which is a good thing because Specks heard the whole ordeal go down. Unfortunately, we think they must have taken his headset off of him because he hasn’t heard any talking since. But he’s trying to communicate with him through the game chat room, Kaya. He’s also checking into the security cameras at the park and scanning through them to see if we can get a lead on the perpetrators who took Noah and ascertain what make and model of vehicle they were driving.”