Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty Four

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That annoying sound was about to send Annie raging mad. She shoved shaking fingers through her hair only to wince in pain. “Ow!”

Where in the hell was the sound coming from?

Jumping to her feet for the hundredth time for the day, she paced. “Hours!” she spat. “I’ve been in this hellhole for hours!” Her blistered feet ate the floor as she paced faster—potentially making the bruises even worse. She cast a disgusted look at the food those bastards slid under her door.

“What did they take her for? A dog?”

Green mashed potatoes. What the hell was that? Who in their right senses adds food coloring to mash? And don’t let her get started on the chicken. If she looked closer, she could still see the white feathers on the wing. Utterly disgusting. The gravy was an unhealthy shade of grey-black.

Annie jerked her gaze away from the hot plate of mess. One spoon of that crap and she would be on the toilet with explosive diarrhea.

You should be grateful instead of talking to yourself.

Releasing pent up breaths, she clasped her hands behind her head and looked up at the ceiling. Yes—she should be grateful. At least they’d sent bottled water and a tiny jar of baby food. Thank God the seals were intact. Her stomach growled.

Gosh, she was hungry. That water did nothing to subdue that hungry monster in her stomach. Keep it together. You’re strong enough. Reon’s depending on you. That mantra was the only thing keeping her from screaming her head off.

“Mama?” Reon called from the bed.

Squeezing her eyes close, she dragged her hands down her face before answering. “Yes, baby?” She opened her eyes and smiled at her sweet baby son.

He bounced on his knees and squealed, reaching out his little arms for her. She walked back to the bed and took Reon into arms. Annie laughed when the diaper slipped down his legs. The thing was two sizes too big. Whoever bought them misjudged Reon’s size.

Sitting back on the bed, she adjusted him in her arms then pulled the diaper over his navel and folded the top down. She cocked her head to the side and admired her handy work.  Reon giggled.

“Well, little man, congrats, you’re officially wearing adult pull-ups.”

Minutes ticked by and pieces of Annie’s sanity went along with every second. She had to find a way out. As for how—she didn’t know.

Her eyes went to the tiny window then to the door. She’d tried the door multiple times, but they'd locked it. Obviously. Maybe she could try it again.

“Baah.”

“Yes, baby, mama’s gonna get us out of here and back to your daddy. He must be so worried.” Annie sniffled. She didn’t have a clue where to search for an escape route. And the window was useless.

Reon yawned.

Annie was about to put him down for a nap when she heard it: voices. Heart in her throat, she waited as the voices drew closer. Automatically her arms grew tight around her son. Maybe they were just passing through.

Footsteps drifted closer and Annie held her breath; Never taking her eyes from the door. Please don’t stop. Her prayers were short-lived when she heard keys jingled.

Annie braced herself for when the door came flying open. Her mouth dropped open.

No freaking way. Oh, God please no.

“I-It can’t be,” she whispered. “Y-you...”

“Oh, yes Rayanna. It is.”

Annie didn’t know whether to cry or faint. Her situation just went from a hundred to a thousand in a matter of seconds. “H-how could you?” she stammered.

“Leave us.”

“Yes, boss.”

Annie jumped when the door slammed.

“It’s nice to see you again Rayanna.”

“I wish I could say the same,” she sneered. Her skin crawled at the way his eyes roved over her body.

“So much anger.”

“What do you want?”

“You know, I was very much happy on my way to see you. Now, not so much.”

“I don’t care if you’re happy or not; let me and my son go.”

“Why would I do that?” He walked deeper into the room.

Annie resisted the urge climb further onto the bed just to get away from that evil son of a bitch.

“This little man must be Reon. He has Andy’s eyes.”

He attempted to reach out to Reon, and she jerked away. “Stay where you are... you bastard.” She glared at him.

“I see. You’re still feisty,” he gave her a peculiar look, “just like a lioness. Hmm. You know I’ve always liked you even when you scorn me.”

Liked her? Oh, hell no. That was even worse. She had to get out of here—fast.

“How could you do this to Andy?”

“He did this to me! He made me this way. He betrayed our friendship.”

Annie’s eyes widened. Reon wriggled in her arms and she held him steady.

“Now he will pay.” His laugh was harsh and loud. His long legs clad in blue-black tailored pants paced in front of the locked door. “Andy knew I grew up poor; he knew I craved drugs and violence and yet—he still wanted to be my friend.”

He bared his teeth at her and her heart skipped a beat. Confused out of her mind, she stared at him.

“When you left him I was there picking up the pieces. Where were you Rayanna?”

Annie’s eyes filled with tears as the words speared her pounding heart. Words choked at the back of her throat as she tried to even out her breathing. From the look in his eyes, she knew he was holding back from striking her.

“Answer me!” he screamed.

Lips quivering, she stuttered, “I-I...”

“Shut up you lying whore,” he sneered. Disgust etched on his face.

He moved closer and Annie scrambled onto the bed, her foot banging against the wooden post. Bitting her lips from crying out from the fiery pain, she huddled Reon tight against her chest and folded her body over him, turning her back to the monster that stalked closer.

She squeezed her eyes closed as she felt his hulking presence against her quaking body. She held her breath and waited for his trashing. Oh, God please help her.

As if God answered her prayers there was a sharp knock on the door. Annie dared not look over her shoulder for his shadow still loomed close.

“Master?”

“What!”

A tiny breath of relief escaped her aching lungs when she heard him walking away. Easing up slightly, she glanced down at her son. Big brown eyes stared back at her as if he knew they were in trouble.

A tear trailed down her cheek hitting the spot near Reon’s head. She didn’t want this for her son. What mother does? She wanted to give him the best childhood. A year and few months old and he already endured what the most didn’t in their entire lifetime.

He smiled at her and reached up to brush her face. A sob escaped, and she closed her eyes just as a voice reached her ears.

“S-sorry, Master Tanker, I-I b-brought food and clothes for the little one.”

Annie peeked over her shoulder to see a robust woman with a head wrap standing at the door.

A nasty scowl took over his expression, and he slowly inched towards the stuttering woman. “You dare interrupt me!” he screamed.

The woman flinched and Reon whimpered. Annie absentmindedly smoothed his baby hair down to calm him. “Shh.”

“I-I’m Sorry, M-master.”

“You will be.”

Annie opened her mouth to let out a warning, but the woman was already faced-first into the wall, the little basket she held crashing to the ground and the contents spilling out.

“That will teach you not to disturb.”

“Y-yes, Master Tanker.”

The woman held onto her left cheek as she hurriedly piled the things back into the basket. Sorrow filled Annie’s heart when she saw the blood and tears trickling down the woman’s face.

“Take the brat from her and feed him; Rayanna and I have a lot to talk about.”

What? Annie held onto her son. The woman bowed and moved into the room with outstretched arms.

“No,” Annie shook her head, “you can’t take him from me.”

“I’m sorry, b-but I have to,” the woman whispered. Sad hazel eyes pleaded with her to cooperate.

“I said No! You can’t have him; you can’t have my baby,” Annie whispered.

The woman wrung her hands together. “I’ll keep him safe.”

Annie shook her head. Over her dead body would she hand over her son to a complete stranger.

The woman gasped, eyes wide as saucers.

“If you don’t hand him over, I’ll blow her brains out.”

Annie’s blurry vision zeroed in on the gun pressed at the back of the woman’s skull. “No, please don’t do it.”

He jerked the gun deeper into the woman’s head and she groaned.

“Give the baby to her.”

When Annie didn’t move right away he tapped on the trigger in a warning.

Reluctantly Annie turned around to hand Reon over to the sobbing woman. Heart aching and tears flowing.

“I’ll keep him safe. I promise,” the woman repeated.

Arms now empty, Annie felt her heart gave way to a dam of excruciating pain. The piercing sound of her son’s wail sent her into a ball of sobs.

“Now, that wasn’t so hard.” He slammed the door. “Mika will take good care of him—I think.”

Uncurling herself she felt blinding anger filling her body until it bubbled out into words. “I hate you, Kyle! I hate you so much!”

Kyle laughed so loud her ears rang. “The feeling’s mutual, sweetheart.”

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