The morning had barely broken, casting a pale light across the cramped apartment. I was on edge, holding my son close, but there was a strange sense of calm knowing we’d made it through another night safely. Harrison was still weak from his injury, but his gaze never wavered from me. Each day seemed to weigh more heavily on him, the strain of protecting us and dealing with Adrianne’s manipulations evident.
“Emma, I need to go out for a bit,” Harrison said, his voice low but determined. He glanced at Rachel, who stood near the window, her eyes scanning the street below. “Rachel and I should check in with a few contacts. I want to make sure no one has figured out where we are.”
I felt a flicker of worry, but I nodded, trying to stay strong for his sake. “Be careful, Harrison. We’ll be waiting here for you.”
He managed a small smile, giving me a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
With that, Harrison and Rachel slipped out of the apartment, the door closing softly behind them. I held my son tightly, sinking onto the couch and trying to distract myself with his playful giggles, but a nagging feeling gnawed at me. The apartment felt too quiet, the walls pressing in as if they were waiting for something terrible to happen.
The minutes ticked by, stretching painfully as I glanced at the door, willing Harrison and Rachel to come back quickly. But instead, a different sound caught my attention-a series of faint, hurried footsteps in the hallway outside our door. My heart leapt in panic, and I instinctively pulled my son closer, backing up slowly toward the bedroom. Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones.
Then, the doorknob rattled, and I froze, barely daring to breathe. Suddenly, the door burst open, slamming against the wall, and two men stepped in. They wore dark clothing, their faces obscured by caps pulled low. I took a shaky step back, clutching my son protectively, but there was nowhere to run. They were blocking the only exit.
“Stay back!” I shouted, trying to sound braver than I felt. My voice wavered, betraying my fear.
The men exchanged a glance, one of them smirking slightly. “We don’t want any trouble,” he said, his tone mocking. “Just come quietly, and no one has to get hurt.”
I backed up further, my mind racing. They were Adrianne’s men I was sure of it. She wouldn’t dare come here herself, but sending her thugs to do her dirty work? That was exactly her style. I glanced desperately toward the window, but we were three stories up with no fire escape. There was no way out.
“Please,” I whispered, my voice breaking as I held my son close. “Just leave us alone.”
One of the men took a step forward, reaching out to grab me. I struggled, trying to pull free, but he was too strong, his grip iron-like as he yanked me toward the door. My son cried out, his small hands clutching at my shirt, his frightened gaze locked on me.
“Let go of her!” I shouted, my heart pounding as I twisted and fought, but the second man grabbed my arm, tightening his hold until pain shot up my shoulder.
“Quiet,” he hissed, his voice cold. “You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not.”
They dragged me out into the hallway, ignoring my pleas and struggles. I tried to twist away, to break free, but they overpowered me, hauling me down the stairs and out into the alley behind the building. A dark car was waiting, its engine running, the driver’s face obscured by tinted windows.
They forced me into the back seat, one of the men climbing in beside me while the other shut the door and got into the passenger seat. My heart raced, fear clawing at my chest as the car pulled away from the curb, leaving behind the safety of the apartment and my son’s cries echoing in my ears.
I felt a sickening dread settle over me, knowing that Harrison and Rachel would return to find me gone. I could only hope they’d be able to figure out what happened-and that they’d find a way to rescue me before Adrianne carried out whatever twisted plan she had in mind.
*************
Back at the apartment, Harrison and Rachel returned, each glancing around cautiously as they entered the building. Harrison was visibly weaker, leaning slightly on Rachel for support, but his eyes were sharp, scanning for any signs of danger. As they climbed the stairs, he frowned, noticing the silence hanging heavy in the air.
“Emma?” he called out, his voice echoing down the hallway. There was no response. He exchanged a look with Rachel, a creeping worry taking hold.
As they reached the door, he noticed the telltale signs of forced entry the lock was damaged, the wood splintered slightly where the door had been pushed open. His heart dropped, a wave of dread washing over him as he pushed the door open, revealing the empty apartment inside.
Rachel gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “She’s gone.”
Panic surged through Harrison, his hands shaking as he stepped further inside, frantically looking around for any clue as to where Emma might have been taken. He went to the bedroom, hoping she might have hidden with their son, but it was empty. Only the faint echo of her voice seemed to linger, a painful reminder of what he’d lost.
“They must have taken her,” Rachel said, her voice tight with anger. “Adrianne’s goons must have figured out where we were staying.”
Harrison clenched his fists, the exhaustion and pain of his injury forgotten as a surge of rage took over. “She won’t get away with this,” he snarled, his gaze dark. “Adrianne wants to play games? Fine. But this time, she won’t win.”
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. “We need to find them before she… before Adrianne does something we can’t undo.”
Rachel nodded, determination sparking in her eyes. “We’ll need help, though. If Adrianne’s going this far, she’s probably got people watching us. We can’t just storm in alone.”
Harrison’s jaw tightened, and he reached for his phone. “There’s only one person I trust to help us with this.”
Rachel’s brow furrowed, but she nodded as he dialed a number, waiting as the phone rang. After a few tense seconds, a familiar voice answered on the other end.
“It’s Harrison,” he said, his voice cold. “We need your help… Adrianne’s crossed a line. She’s taken Emma.”
He listened, his face grim as he explained the situation. When he finally ended the call, he looked at Rachel, a fierce determination in his eyes.
“They’ll meet us in an hour. We’re getting Emma back.”
Meanwhile, in the car, I fought to keep calm as we drove toward an unknown destination. My hands were shaking, my mind racing with fear and anger.