“Tessa, Tess, look at me Babydoll,” I urge as I roll her onto her back. My emotions roiling between fear and fury. My fingers search for a pulse and I nearly let out a sob of relief when I feel it, steady, even.
Thank god, ok, she’s fine. Wait, why is it so quiet in here? Shit! Evan!
I rush into the nursery to find the crib empty, the diaper bag gone, and the dresser sacked. “FUCK!” I scream, frantically searching for something that I know I won’t find. “No, come-on buddy, where are you?” I look everywhere, stupidly thinking he’s playing a game. I find his turtle Lovie cast aside near the closet and tears break free. “No. No. No. No. No.”
He’s gone, and someone took him. No way he went without this. I slide down the wall facing the crib, our little toy plane is snapped in half and laying under the crib.
“FUCK!” The scream rips out of me uncontrolled, my hands pulling at my hair.
“Hnmh…”
“Tess! Tess, Baby are you there?” I turn, seeing her stir in the hall. I rush to her side as her eyes flutter open. I pull her into my arms.
“Tess, honey. I’m here, I’m right here. I’m sorry,” tears streaking down my face as she looks at me.
“Sawyer?” she blinks, her eyes coming into focus. “Sawyer, what happened? What time is it?” she starts to look around and winces as her eyes catch the light coming through the nursery window. “Sawyer, where’s Evan? Did Betha come get him for the day already? Ugh, I have the worst headache, did we overdo it?”
“Shh, it’s okay Tess. It’s ok,” I choke out, unwilling to admit to her that I’ve not only failed her but her son as well.
“Sawyer, where’s Evan?” she asks again. Her eyes focusing and her body tenses as she sits up.
“He’s not here Tess,” I look away, I can’t watch this. I can’t see the pain I know is coming. She bolts up to her feet, swaying against the door frame and takes in the scene in the nursery. I can only sit there, wallowing in my guilt for my failures.
“Evan? EVAN!?” she frantically starts searching the room, snatching up his Lovie and holding it to her chest. “EVAN! Sawyer where is he, what’s happened!? Tell me what the fuck…” she breaks off as she turns to the side and vomits.
Shit, concussion. God I’m an idiot. I have to get some help.
I stand up and rush to her, grabbing her before she can fall to the floor. “Tess, come on, let’s get you to lay down before you make it worse,” I gently guide her to the bedroom, away from the chaos of the nursery.
“Sawyer… they took him, they hit me, and then they fucking took my baby,” she cries between dry heaves.
“I know, babe, I know,” concern for her replacing my guilt.
I can deal with myself later. I need to take care of her first.
I take her to the bedroom and lay her down on the bed, propping her up a bit and grabbing a glass of water for her from the bathroom.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back. I will not leave you again. I promise,” I make my way back to the hall and look around, seeing some of the tell-tale signs that I missed at first: dirty boot prints in the carpet, scuffs on the walls, and a dent in the nursery door. I make my way downstairs, fury bubbling back up.
Whoever the fuck did this to my woman and boy will pay in ways they never imagined.
I pull my cell from my pocket and call the compound, “Hey, it’s Sawyer,” I say when Kiki answers. “Get me King. Now. I don’t care what he’s doing, get him on the phone,” I growl, my voice seething with anger.
“The fuck Sawyer?” King says, clearly annoyed when he takes the phone a few moments later.
“Prez, get to Tessa’s. Fucking now. Bring one of the SUVs and tell Bones I have incoming. Tell Tink to get his fuckin’ laptop,” I bark, knowing there’s a smack down headed my way for taking that tone with him, but I really couldn’t care less right now. I need my Brothers here. Now.
“On it. Trouble?” King says the sound of slamming doors and running echoing in the background. King knows me, knows I would never call like this unless shit hit the fan.
“There will be,” I bite out before cutting off the call. I don’t have time to sit and chat. Knowing King will be here within five minutes since we are only three minutes from the compound, I force myself to take a breath. Reinforcements are coming, they are on their way. In the meantime, I need to check on Tess.
I grab an ice pack and a few towels from the kitchen and make my way back upstairs. Tess is still awake, thank God, but is sobbing into her hands.
Damn it, how do I fix this?
She is hurting because I wasn’t here. The beautiful boy who only had smiles for everyone is gone because I wasn’t. Fucking. Here. Again. History fucking repeating itself. This is why I disappeared in the first place, this is why I kept to myself, kept everyone at arm's length. Everything I touch eventually turns to dust. I should have fucking been here, I should have stayed last night instead of taking the chicken shit way out and running. I failed her, failed him; God damnit, I am going to make this right.
I start by wrapping up the ice pack and placing it behind Tessa’s head. She provides no resistance; all strength seems to have left her and it almost breaks me.
“Here Tess, let’s get that bump to calm down,” I hold the damp cloth to her temple. She curls into my arms, sobs wracking her small body. “I know, I know,” I soothe; nothing else comes to mind that will mean a goddamn thing to fight this pain.
I hear the slam of car doors out front and the pound of boots on the porch steps. Leaning her back on the pillows I tell her, “The Brothers are here, I’ll just be downstairs.” getting to my feet, I ready myself to face King and whichever of the Brothers he brought with him; I meet him in the kitchen. He races into the small kitchen with Tinker, Gage, and Tully hot on his heels.
“What happened?” King barks, eyes searching the room, looking for any reason to be called here this way. Raising my hands in a placating gesture I quickly explain.
“Tess is upstairs, she needs Bones,” I say, watching King’s face go from pissed to thunderhead.
“What the fuck happened,” he insists, edging close to me, anger radiating off him in waves.
“I’m not sure. I left around 2 this morning and everything was fine. I got a call from Alice about half an hour ago saying Tessa was late for work, so I came over to check on her,” I stop, my throat catching. “Prez… Evan, he’s gone. Someone fucking came and stole the baby,” I say, my anger rising with each word. “They god damn knocked her out and stole the fucking baby!”
“Fuck,” King growls. “Tink, get on the security, find out why the fuck none of the alarms tripped. Tully, Gage- search the house. Every fucking inch. Go next door and search Betha’s place too, don’t forget the alley. Sawyer, grab your woman and get her to the car. Put her in the back and I’ll get you both to Bones.” King clips out. His detached demeanor leaves zero room for argument or questions, exactly why he’s the Prez. As he heads for the front door, he throws over his shoulder, “and Tinker; I want to know everything by tonight. No stops, use the network.”
I head back upstairs and as carefully as possible I gather Tessa up in my arms, cradling her whimpering form to my chest and bring her out to the car. The last time I tried to pick her up she threw an unholy shit fit and made me swear never to pick her up again, I wish she was okay with this for a different reason.