Chapter 19: Chapter Nineteen

“Gregg wants me back in the city. He said he has a plan.”

“Did he find the people responsible?” Annie asked, her eyes wide with hope.

Andy shifted Reon in his arms and looked at her. “No, but with the plan, we will get the bastard. He wants me to be there when it all goes down. This is my chance to fix things once and for all.”

Annie listened to what he was saying but, one thing kept repeating in her mind like a broken record: he was leaving her and Reon all alone. She knew he couldn’t take them with him. It was too dangerous, and she had no intention of putting her baby through that again.

He will come back!

“Okay,” she said, not looking at him for she didn’t want him to notice the fear brimming in her eyes.

“Gregg wants us to use the money as a trap.”

“Um... Andy I…”

He didn’t give her a chance to reply; he continued.

“I think this might work. No… I believe it will. It has to.”

Annie's shoulders sagged. She wanted whatever they had planned to work, but she was so scared. What if something happened to Andy? Could she bear it? Could her heart suffer another devastating blow?

“W-when do you have to leave?” Her voice cracked. She willed herself to be strong. To be positive. She didn‘t want to let her fear discourage Andy.

“I have to leave today.” Andy reached across and took her hands into his large ones. “Everything will get better; I promise, okay?”

She blinked up at him, his face lined with hard-set determination. “Okay, Andy, I trust you.”

“Annie, you and Reon are my life. I love you with everything in me. I have to do this—for us—we can‘t keep running for the rest of our lives.”

“I love you too, Andy,” she managed. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes.

She felt Andy moved closer to her.

“No, baby don‘t cry. Please don‘t cry. You’ll make me cry, too, and I hate crying. Makes my nose run.”

A smile teased her lips. She looked up into the eyes of the love of her life. “I want you to stay safe.”

He eased Reon onto the couch between them before cupping her face. “I will.”

Carmel colored eyes searched hers for a split second before his lips met hers. His tongue invaded her mouth so fast, her head spun. He deepened the kiss, almost stealing her breath away. She inhaled and swallowed up his essence. The kiss was pure magic, and she loved every moment.

He pulled back, forehead pressed together, their noses bumping, he breathed hard. Andy’s warm breath washed over her doing nothing to help her equally pounding heart. Her lips tingled while butterflies campaigned in her stomach.

“When I leave here today, I want you to stay indoors as much as possible—”

Annie pushed away from him. “I—” she protested.

“Shh, hear me out. It’s not that I don‘t think you’re safe here, I’m not trying to scare you, baby. Please don’t look at me like that.”

Annie couldn't help the flash of fear that reflected in her eyes.

Andy kissed her forehead. “I’m saying these things as precautionary measures. And my way of making sure you stay safe.”

“Okay, I understand.” She smiled at him.

“I’ll go get ready now. Oh, I’ll leave my phone with you. If you need me, call Gregg’s number.”

Annie distantly recalled her phone falling to the floor in her apartment. She never got the chance to find it.

“Ow!” Andy cried.

She jumped. “What happened?” She looked from him to a giggling Reon.

“This baby shark bit me.” Andy pushed his abused hand in her face.

Two bright red teeth marks adorned his pinky finger.

Andy burst out laughing, “Are you sure those are teeth and not fangs little man?”

Reon giggled uncontrollably as Andy tickled his stomach. Annie loved seeing them like this; it did wonderful things to her heart.

********

One hour later, Andy walked out the door.

“Lock up after I’m gone.”

“I will.”

He kissed her hard then placed a kiss on Reon’s head.

“Baah,” Reon squealed waving his little arms.

Andy chuckled. “I love you guys.”

“We love you too.”

“Call Gregg’s phone for anything, okay?”

Annie nodded.

“I’ll return soon.”

“Be careful,” she whispered.

He winked at her. “Always.”

Annie listened until she couldn’t hear the vehicle anymore.

After a hot bath and lunch. Reon was fast asleep. With nothing more for her to do, she joined him.

*************

ANNIE WOKE WITH a start, her mind cloudy. She wiped her palms over her face to rid herself of the veil of sleep. She’d fallen into a deep sleep uninterrupted by dreams. The sleep that has you waking up wondering where you were and how long you had slept.

Then she remembered she was alone. Just her and Reon. No, Andy. All her breath slipped out in a long exhale, her shoulders sagging as she drew the blanket tighter around her son. Reon had woken up for his feeding and gone back to sleep.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Annie pulled herself into a sitting position. Something had woken her up, she knew it wasn’t Reon because he was still fast asleep.

A knock sounded in the distance and her heart thudded against her ribs. “Andy is that you?” Maybe he’d come back, she thought.

She whispered an urgent prayer as she shakily pressed her feet to the cold floor. Please, please let it be nothing.

Silence.

A shiver overtook her.

Annie knew something wasn’t right. She could feel it in the air. Her heart pounded, she couldn’t take any chances, knowing all that had been happening lately. Annie couldn’t see anything and the knock didn‘t come again. But, she knew something was wrong.

She mumbled. “Andy where are you, I need you.”

The phone.

Hands trembling, she reached for the phone under the pillow.

Shit!

It was dead, the red light flashed steadily while the screen stayed pitch black.

Annie wanted to wail. She’d forgotten to plug in the portable charger.

The floorboards creaked somewhere in the house. Her breath escaped in soft pants as fear crashed through her body. She went tense and her fingers curled tightly around the phone.

Did somebody break-in?

She glanced at her son before she got off the bed. Annie tiptoed to the door, she cracked it open to a slit and peered into the hallway.

She saw nothing. Then there was a scratching sound against the window. The window was closed, but she knew something was off and she didn’t like not knowing what it is.

Her heart raced as she thought: DANGER.

“Is anyone there?” she called out. Annie tried to ease the shaking in her voice but failed miserably.

Reon.

She had to protect him. Annie turned to move back into the room to go to him.

Should she call out for help? she asked herself. But there was no one else or house close by.

The bushes rustled outside, and it startled her.

Annie wanted to run and grab Reon. It‘s probably nothing, “Andy said it was safe here,” she reassured herself.

She was being ridiculous.

Annie bent to pull the blanket over Reon’s little legs. She brushed her hands over his hair and was about to mop the drool on his cheek when she heard it: A footstep.

Before she could turn around, someone grabbed her by her hair and yanked her back. White-hot pain laced up her scalp. A scream ripped its way up her body. She opened her mouth to scream but a large hand clamped over her mouth.

Oh God. My baby.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she struggled against the hold on her hair. Whoever it was, she was sure it was a man because his hand was thick and hairy.

The man jerked her head back then dragged her through the door. Agony compressed her chest and her legs kicked as the man pulled her further away.

Andy where are you?

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