Page 49 of The Fight For Survival
Family.
That word sounds alien on my tongue. I hadn't had a family for a long time, and when I did, it was just Evie and me. At the time, that was enough. Now? I don't think I could be without them. My family. "We should go and help Cade and Kane deal with the Christmas fairy," I say with a smirk.
Mia chuckles, sitting up and trying to tame the wild curls that is her hair. Huffing, she gives up when they don't want to listen. I grip her hair in my fist and pull her into a quick wet kiss. She looks at me, a blush creeping up from her neck to her cheeks, surprise in her eyes.
We haven't gone any further in our relationship since the night I made it clear that she was mine now too. It's a learning curve for all of us. I am still reticent to show my affection to Mia in front of Cade even though he has expressed his feelings on the matter multiple times in the last two weeks, adamant that it doesn't bother him.
"What was that for?" Mia asks shyly.
"Does there have to be a reason to kiss you, sweetheart?" She fiddles with the blankets around her waist. "no... It's just that I thought maybe you were having doubts about... you know--us," she mutters.
I sit up straighter in the bed, my eyes widening in stupefaction. "Sweetheart, what the hell are you talking about?" Her cheeks redden further, and she shifts in place, clearly uncomfortable now.
"Well, we haven't reallydoneanything else since that night, and I guess I just thought maybe you didn't like it?" She moans and facepalms. "I can't believe we are talking about this," she mumbles.
"Mia," my use of her name snaps her out of her humiliation, and she stares at me. Good, I have her attention.
"The only reason I haven't fucked you within an inch of your life is that I was waiting for you. I wanted to ensure you were ready to move forward in our relationship. And if you are wondering why I don't kiss you in public and show you how deeply in love with you I am is only because I worry about Cade.Notbecause I don't want you." Her smile lights up her face, and relieved tears gather in her eyes.
"Really?" She checks softly. Gathering her in my arms, resting my cheek on her head, I murmur, "really."
"Mia, have you seen Cade?" Kane comes to the door, His jaw ticking as he takes us in. Ignoring his accusing stare, she says, "he went for a run... he should be back by now," her tone shows her worry. "I tried his phone. It's off," Kane replies, voice wavering.
I'm out of bed, slipping on my jeans before anyone else speaks. "Why the fuck would he decide to go on a run Christmas morning?" I mutter in concern and irritation.
Damon comes to the door, distress on his face. "Damon, you stay here with Mia just in case he returns. Kane, you're with me. You know your way around here." I order. "Where would he go?" Mia's soft, sad voice whispers. Grabbing her by the face, I sigh, "I don't know. Maybe he is just enjoying the quiet morning and is sitting on a bench somewhere. But we will find him." I promise her.
Kane is already out of the house. I kiss Mia's head, squeeze Damon's shoulder, trying to supply some comfort to him, and then stride out the door on a mission to find my best friend.
Cade
Theburninmylungs as I run at full force renders me to suck in hard fast breaths, but I keep going until my thighs weaken, and I need more oxygen. I love running. It clears my head of everything but chasing the high I get at the end of my workout. The loud heaving of my breaths as I stop and the pulsing in my ears from how fast my heart is racing is probably the reason why I don't hear somebody approaching me.
Pain explodes behind my eyes as I'm hit over the head with something hard, sending me to the cold ground in a slump. I let out a groan as I feel blood dripping down my face, and I try to make out the person above me through the dots dancing in front of my eyes.
"Get him in the van." The voice is cold, detached, and unfamiliar. I grunt as two sets of arms take my upper body, picking me up from the ground and wrestling me to the van. Thrashing out an elbow in my attempt to escape, I hear a muttered curse and then... nothing as I'm knocked unconscious.
"Will this be enough to get him back?" I wake to a man's voice. The motion of the van rocks me heavily against something solid, making me grit my teeth in silent misery as the pain inside my head intensifies with every movement. What the fuck happened? One minute I was chasing the high of my run, and the next explosive pain and a piss poor attempt to escape whoever these people were.
shit shit shit, Mia must be going out of her mind.
"We wanted the girl, but I guess he'll do. I think it will be enough," A second man says smugly.
We wanted the girl.
Was he talking about Mia? My hackles rise, and I growl out in anger. I'm suddenly really fucking happy that they got me instead.
Who are these people?
My arms are tied behind my back, and my legs are taped together, making it so I can't turn to see who is in the back of the van with me. "Oh, look, blondies awake," I hear mocking in the man's voice. "He's looking a bit worse for wear. Do you think we'll make it back to Seattle with him in one piece?" The other man asks with zero concern in his tone. So there are two in the back with me, meaning there has to be at least one in the front driving. "Doesn't really matter either way. As long ashecomes looking for him, the end result will be the same."
"What happens when he turns up? The plan before was to watch and wait."
"The plan now is to kill him. We can't risk him talking."
All this talking in riddles is only making my head ache more. "Who are you?" I rasp out, straining my neck to get a look. The van is dark, making the silhouettes of the men hard to get a description of their faces. "Enough talking from you," one of the men answers. The detachment of emotion in his voice sends dread to my gut, and then I feel a hit in the head and blackness once again.
The uncontrollable shivering wracking my body is what wakes me again. My hands are still tied, but something feels different.