***LONDON’S POV***
I really shouldn’t have involved Zane. I don’t fucking know what I was thinking handing the phone to Zane, but damn if I had any resistance when it comes to this man then, I am fucking lying.
That’s what this marriage is about, right? Honesty and devotion.
As much as I have my love to give Zane, I need him to know that I am honest. Oh, yeah! He could trust every version of me starting with the honest one.
“What are we going to do now?” I inquire my brows drawing upward in a frenzy manner.
A long breath was drawn and I stopped breathing, waiting for the other pair of slippers to fall.
“You need to act like everything is okay, London. This is nothing but a plot for that son of a bitch to have you in his claws again,” Zane says.
If he thinks that is going to make me feel good, well, he has a long time coming.
“Oliver has the upper hand here, Zane. He has my brother. How would you feel if it were one of your brothers that was being held hostage right now?” I demanded staring up at him.
I know this man is trying hard to make me trust him, but dang it if it’s working.
My heartbeat is fucking just accelerating. I can’t help it no matter how hard I try.
“Hey, baby, Don’t say that because you know I will fight as hard for Micah as I will for the rest of my family,” he states.
I gasped in shock.
Nodding, Zane’s ever-brown eyes stared at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the time I trusted him or not.
“Are you sure about that?” I asked holding my breath.
He nods, saying nothing more.
My chest constricted, I knew this was going to be a situation where one person died, and if that person wasn’t Oliver…
“I don’t want you to die, Daddy,” I sob gently in Zane’s chest.
“I wouldn’t die, baby, I promise you that,” he says crossing his hand over his chest for proof.
This only softens my heart and I cry harder. This, when the shocks came, I was grateful Zane could wrap his massive hand around me and provide me with the fucking warm I needed to be brave.
**
It was the night before the party when I woke up at exactly eleven p. m. Feeling really strange.
Looking around, I felt a surge of nervousness filled my chest as my phone started vibrating.
“Shit!” I murmured as I grabbed it, trying hard not to wake Zane up.
He had his guard down for the moment, but I didn’t know how long that was going to last. Walking into the bathroom, I clicked the door before swiping rights and answering the call.
“My sweet little, London,” the familiar voice of my best nightmare came through the speakers and I closed my eyes, knowing how bad of a situation I was in right now.
“Fuck you!” I screeched out so loud before I even considered lowering my voice.
When that had happened, I reeled in quickly, trying to calm down.
“Today, London, at the mid bridge. You will see a discreet black van waiting for you there. In case you don’t show up, a piece of your brother’s leg will be sent to your doorstep before the end of your son’s birthday party, I bet you don’t want to ruin baby Dante’s party, do you?” he asks chuckling darkly.
My stomach churned. I felt the need to poke but when I bent down over the toilet pot, nothing came out of me. I was so frustrated.
“I will tell Zane,” I threaten.
“Look at the video I will send to you before you try anything stupid,” he muttered out fiercely before ending the call.
The house wasn’t hot but I was sweating profusely. When my phone dinged, I opened it and gasped with shock, my eyes watering.
Micah’s eyes were swollen, and his upper lip had a bad cut but what shocked me was where the pliers hung on each of his fingers. Oliver was playing with it, struggling to take out nails from his fingers.
The howls coming from Micah made me feel uncomfortable. I wanted to block those sounds out but it wasn’t working. I hated the fact that he was going through all this.
When the video blacked out, I knew what I had to do then. To take things into my own hands.
Splashing water on my face, I looked into the mirror at the woman I didn’t even believe was staring back at me.
I creaked the door open and walked out of the bathroom, my face down.
Zane was still sleeping but the moment I slipped into bed beside him, his eyes snapped open, and I saw judgment in them.
“Oh, you are awake,” I stutter looking anywhere but at his face.
I didn’t want him to see the guilt in them.
“And I didn’t find you in bed when I did. Who were you talking to on the phone?” Zane questions his gaze darkening against mine.
‘Shit! He saw that’ I cringed out.
My mind was thinking at a crazy minute, hoping that I would find a reply before he judged me.
“My stomach hurt, Daddy. I went to potty,” I say, hoping that my little voice was convincing.
I didn’t see Zane wake up, just the flash of him as he grabbed my wrists, turned me around, and slammed himself over my body.
Zane’s huge body was over mine and he was breathing heavily.
“Don’t fucking lie to me,” he grits out, his teeth slicing against the other.
I gulped severally, working my throat that was so dry. It wasn’t working, Zane’s weight was pressing me down.
“Get off me, Zane,” I cry out my eyes wide with fear.
“I wouldn’t. Not until you tell me what that call was about,” he threatens.
I saw the determined look in my husband’s eyes and knew I had to comply before he hurt me.
“Fine, but you will have to get off first,” I stutter.