Aiden’s pov
I’m not sure how many times I fixed and unfixed my tie. I wasn’t counting.
“Man you’re sweating buckets.” Ryland jokes and smacks me on my shoulder.
I scratched my neck.
“They’re late. Think she has changed her mind?” I asked ner-vously, feeling my throat close up by the thought of her having cold feet.
Austin snorted. “They’re like five minutes late. You know how women can be.”
He’s right. But Sophie was always on time. She wasn’t like those other women.
Last night even though our friends suggested that we spent one night apart, the night before our wedding to be more precise. I couldn’t do it. She too.
We were fucking running on nerves and excitement and the last thing we wanted was to be apart before our wedding night.
So last night we slept in each other’s arms knowing in just a few hours well be husband and wife.
“You’re probably right.” I murmured to try to coax myself to relax. I didn’t want her to see me sweating like a pig.
“Aiden Xavier. Finally getting married to the love of “And how many years will it take for you to finally confess to Mila that you like her? You’re so fucking whipped you’ve never had a girlfriend.” Austin joked.
Ryland coughs and Austin and I laughed.
“You’re no different than me man.” I tapped his back.
“Fuck off.” He pushed me away and all three of us chuckled.
He sobered up after a while and scratched the back of his head.
“I’m thinking about asking her out tonight. You know, have a date before I leave for college again. Think she’ll want to do that long distance shit?”
He sounded genuinely afraid.
Austin snorted. “To answer that, she might actually have to say yes to going out first.” He smacked his hand on Ryland’s shoul-
der.
Suddenly the door burst open and Mila’s red face and Ria’s frightened face came into our vision.
I turn to them, my eyes darting around for Sophie and my son. I don’t see my world.
I don’t fucking see my world.
“Where are they? What happened?” I rushed out as I stalk to them. My heart jumps in my throat.
“Speak dammit!” I roared when Mila and Ria didn’t respond as quickly as I wanted.
They flinched.
“They-
“Masked Mila swallowed and then finally spoke up. “Mask men took them away. There were too many for us to fight them off. Your mom, Ingrid and my aunt went to the police station. The men took our phones so we couldn’t call you. Since we were a bit close we-
I fall to my knees, my hands going in my hair.
They took them.
I let out a yell.
Fuck.
This was my fault.
I should’ve secured them first. I thought the Muralo’s had finally backed off. It had to be them.
It had been fucking two months!
Who would kidnap Sophie and Ashton if it were not those sick fucks?
My heart hurts.
“Aiden man, calm down. You can’t think of a way to get them back if you’re not calm enough to think.” Ryland comes over to me and squeezes my shoulder.
“Ryland’s right. And your mom has gone to the cops. They’ll get them.”
“What’s going on here?” Dad’s voice made me snap my head up. He sees my state and rushes over to me. He kneels in front of me, concern deep in his gaze.
“Son?” He utters, the concern growing in his gaze as he noted the look in my eyes. “What’s going on? What happened?” He looks over at the girls and his brows furrowed. “Where is Meredith, Sophie…
His eyes flashed with understanding. “They got them? Ashton?
Sophie? Meredith?”
“They got Ash and Sophie Mr. Xavier. Meredith and Ingrid and my mom went to the cops. They took our phones so we couldn’t call sooner. ” Ria says shakily, her eyes still wide in fear.
“Shit.” Dad cursed and looked at me. “Are you okay enough to think of somewhere they may bring them?”
I shook my head, clutching my hair in my hand harshly. I was going insane.
I wanted my little family safe and beside me soon.
“There must be something we can do. Cops aren’t much help here. Not if they couldn’t get those three before.” Bernard grumbles.
“He’s right. We need to act now.” Ingrid’s husband utters.
“Yeah get your shit together man, so we could get them before something bad happens.”
They’re right. I need to get my shit together to get my world back.
Those fucking psychopaths can’t succeed.
Suddenly my phone buzzes, I quickly take it out of my pocket, hoping it was Sophie who escaped. But the name that flashed on the screen was the devil incarnated.
Fury made me want to hurl the phone at the wall. But I knew that wouldn’t be a good idea.
If it was her and her brother who took Ash and Sophie, it would be best to answer them and play along to whatever game they were playing at now.
Why else would she be calling right now if it wasn’t her?
“Lillian.” I growled through the phone. “If you do not give me back Sophie and Ash-
“Dada,”
The sound of my son’s voice broke me and I crumbled. “Ash.
Baby boy. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s going to take you away from that horrible lady okay?”
“Dada,” Ash giggled.
He didn’t know his life was in danger, which made me feel helpless even more.
God I was supposed to protect the two of them.
The cops promised me that the Mural’s were banned from entering America.
Fuck!
I should’ve known to not put my full trust on those damn cops.
“Lillian, I know you can hear me. Where is Sophie!? Where is my wife!” I snapped.
My heart starts beating wildly in my chest when Ashton’s voice fades into the background.
Panic sets in and I looked at everyone in fear. They all mirrored my expression.
“Where are you taking my son?! Where is my wife Lillian?
Goddamn you! Answer me!” I roared, veins in my neck pro-
truding.
“Don’t be so angry baby. I’ll keep our son safe,” Her sickly sweet voice giggles on the other end and makes the hairs on my arm stand up.
“Come home. We’re waiting for you.’