Chapter 26: Underage.

Chapter 26

~Lucas’ POV~

It had been two hours since they left and the room was as quiet as ever. There were guards stationed strategically around the camp and a great deal in and around Carson’s quarters. I could hear them moving about outside.

Inside though, was gloomy at best and that was doing absolutely nothing to ease my tension over Adrian’s kidnapping. If anything it was making it worse.

Jessie and Laken had taken to filling the silence with weak conversation, and while Rivers and I had added our two cents here and there our hearts weren’t in it. Mine was with Adrian in whatever place they were keeping him and his was with Marcus.

As for Grady; his usual high spirits and incessant chatter was nonexistent. He hadn’t uttered a word since the men left. Instead, he sat in his corner, clutching his cell phone as if expecting Thomas to call at any moment.

The doctor had visited exactly once since they’d gone and I was at least happy for that. Jessie and Laken were doing enough mothering already.

“He’s worried about me and Adrian.” Rivers spoke up and we all looked at him. He’d been giving us a play by play of Marcus’ emotions since he left and it was about the only thing that kept us from losing our minds.

Not for the first time I found myself wishing I had such a bond with Adrian and I had no doubt the others did too.

“Do you think they’re there yet? Does this mean he’s found Adrian? Is something wrong?” Laken questioned him but he shook his head.

“I don’t know…I can only feel what he feels, I can’t read his mind.” Rivers replied testily.

“How do you know who he’s worried about if you can only feel his emotions?” Laken asked again and Rivers shrugged.

“I don’t know how I know...I just do.” He finished and Laken sighed.

We were all on edge. I sighed and adjusted myself on the narrow bed. I watched as Laken frowned before pulling up a chair and lowering himself into it.

“If we don’t find something else to occupy our minds, the next few hours are gonna be hell.” Jessie commented as she pulled a chair next to Laken.

“They’ll be hell either way.”Rivers said and no one had anything to say about that one.

“I just don’t understand. Why Adrian?” Laken said.

“Maybe an opportunity presented itself and they took it.” I answered

“You don’t seem very worried.” Rivers accused and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“Everything isn’t always as it seems.”

“I’ll never understand your relationship.” Rivers continued, “You guys seem more miserable than happy to me.”

I thought about it for a second. “It would seem that way wouldn’t it?” I began, “It’s true that Adrian and I don’t have the typical relationship. If we’re not having problems then we’re on the verge of having problems.” I chuckled

“I suppose you’d call us dysfunctional and I guess we are, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love him and I know he loves me. We’ll never be the typical couple; hugging and kissing and going on picnics or to the movies…that stuff works for you, it doesn’t work for us and frankly if I had to choose between how we are now and a life where we’re just like you guys I’d choose what we have now.” I concluded, then, “No offence” I was quick to add.

“No it’s fine, I guess I get it. Every relationship is different and just because you don’t show your love the way we do doesn’t mean you don’t love each other with everything you’ve got.” Rivers summarized and I nodded.

“If it worked for you then why’d you leave him?” Jessie asked.

“Because that particular situation was less about our relationship and more about his lifestyle. It’s wasn’t something I could live with.” I told her.

“And now you can?” Jessie again.

I took a breath, “I don’t know.”

“What if something happens to him, what will you do?” Rivers asked next and this time when I looked at him I saw concern etched in his face.

I offered a tentative smile. “If Adrian doesn’t make it’ll hurt but I’ll know that he fought with everything he had to come back to me because he’s not one to give up. Ever.” I told him.

“If Thomas dies I’m going with him.” Grady spoke for the first time. He was glaring my way as if accusing me of something and as I looked around at the others I could tell they were all in agreement.

They’d all be following their partners to the grave and despite what I’d told them I knew without a doubt that if something happened to Adrian out there it would kill me.

…………………………………………………

~Adrian’s POV~

Twenty-four hours.

That’s all I was giving him. Twenty four hours for Marcus to come get me and if he failed, then a lot of people were going to die tonight. It wasn’t the way I wanted this to go down because something told me a lot of these guys were simply following the orders of their alpha; they didn’t deserve to be hurt for it but Lucas was still bedridden and I needed to be by his side so if it meant ripping apart anyone who got in my way; that’s how it would go down.

Twenty-four hours and then these people would see a side of me they’d wish they could unsee.

…………………………………………………

Something was wrong with the guy.

The thought ran across my mind for about the fourth time that day. Adrian Corsetti, the guy we were stuck with instead of Carson simply because our men were dumb enough to grab the wrong guy.

I had drilled them over and over again on Carson’s appearance; his skin tone all the way down to his shoe size and they still managed to nab the wrong guy. Their ineptitude was beyond me. Next time it would be wise to get my hands on a photo of the target. I could only pray there would never come a next time and it would all end here.

My wife was, unfortunately just like her deceased father. I’d hated the man with every breath I took, it was a wonder I’d come to love his offspring and now here I was carrying out her revenge scheme like the doting husband that I was.

Grab Carson, end his life, then take over his pack. It had all sounded so simple in the beginning but as we’d followed through with it? not so much. Carson’s pack, as expected, had been

unyielding but despite our preparation and even with the inside help it had been a tough one and now we were stuck with one of the most ruthless drug lord’s in the UK.

Just my luck.

I looked over at him again from where I sat as far away from the cage as I could get. He was sitting crossed legged in his cramped space, looking as at home as ever. His nonchalance made me just a little uncomfortable and I found myself biting the inside of my lip as I watched him.

“Isn’t this the part where you tell me your diabolical plan and laugh maniacally in my face at your success?” he spoke up.

His voice smooth and sure in the silence of the room and the smile he threw me was tinged with amusement.

I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. “This isn’t some poorly produced action movie, so just sit there and shut up.” I told him and the man didn’t even bristle.

Instead he looked up at me, tilting his head to the side slightly as if pondering my words. I hated him for his confidence. It made me feel less in control of a situation I was to have full control of.

“Judging from your annoyance and obvious frustration I’d say I wasn’t the guy you were aiming for.” He said and I fought hard to ignore him.

I should have instructed the guys to tape his mouth shut before they’d thrown him in.

“It’s a bit pathetic though, don’t you think? you have one primary objective and you’ve gone and fucked that up. Who planned this anyway?” he continued, even going as far as to chuckle in the face of my discomfort.

“And don’t you think it’s a bit pathetic that a supposed big shot like yourself was nabbed by a couple of inept guys and locked in a cage like a dog?” I shot back, feeling proud of my comeback. His next words ripped the smile from my face.

“So you admit that you are all a bunch of inept, blubbering fools? It took three of you to take me down. Three people for one man? You must be a very proud captor.” He said; the sarcasm dripping from his voice and I fought the urge to reach into his cage and beat the shit out of him.

“Shut the fuck up before I find an even smaller cage to stuff you in.” I ordered.

That’s when I finally got a reaction out of the guy. The smile that had previously graced his face turned into a thin line. His eyes tightened and narrowed and before long I was staring into his murderous eyes.

“You shouldn’t have fucked up; I don’t have time to sit here wasting my breath on a boy who couldn’t even orchestrate the preparation of his own meal.” He said menacingly, “Either you make yourself useful and let me out of this sad excuse for a cell or you get the fuck out of my sight so I can enjoy the rest of my brief stay here.” He finished, then exhaled and leaned back against the wall; his expression shifting back to mildly amused and I glared at him imagining the moment I could rip his eyes from his cheeky little head.

…………………………………………..

~Adrian’s POV~

The next time someone else came into the room that housed my cell I was shocked into silence.

“You’ve got company.” The guy from earlier said. He was flanked by two guards and two more stood just behind him.  The heavily armed body guards weren’t what surprised me. The guy was a flake; he needed all the help he could get.

What floored me was the prisoner they held with them. One of the guards opened the cell door and shoved her inside and before I could even form another thought, the little girl, who could be no older than two years old was running towards me and wrapping her tiny arms around my neck.

…………………………………………….

~Lucas’ POV~

It was the scream that woke me up. It pierced through my mind disrupting my dream and pulled me from its strong hold. When I opened my eyes it was to see Jessie and Laken on the floor with an anguished Rivers. Grady stood close by looking down at them in concern.

“Something’s wrong.” Rivers whispered and my heart plummeted.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

THIS CHAPTER IS A BIT DISJOINTED BUT DON'T WORRY THE NEXT CHAPTER SHOULD EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

I'LL BE DOING SHOUTOUTS ON THE NEXT CHAPTER...I'LL BE PICKING SOMEONE FROM THE COMMENTS SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT.

-DoUbLe.A

unedited.