Page 64 of Waiting For A Girl Like You (Haven House #4)
“ H ow long?”
She asked the question as Michael carried her up the stairs. On the second floor, he made a quick right, leading into a narrow hall. The upper level didn’t have a landing like Haven House, coming off as more of a suburban home than a grand estate.
Or maybe that was the drugs talking. Her senses were overloaded the second they entered the house. Someone had been blaring music, the bass shaking her brain while Michael carried her through the insanity.
“Damon tried to take Claudia and Madison with him when he ran off with Emily,” Michael explained. “Parker told Taylor where they were going, and when you guys thought you would be cute and snatch Kris, I returned the favor. Taylor was ecstatic to begin her bullshit plan.”
He turned down another hall, taking them deeper into the house. “Honestly, I expected more effort from you guys to find them.”
“We didn’t know they…” Her head fell back, dangling mid-air when she could no longer hold it upright. “…were gone.”
“And that’s something you need to take up with your family,” Michael said, slowing as they neared the end of the hall. “I made sure their parents knew they had been taken.”
A door closed in the distance. “I’ve got them all together,” Bruce said as he approached. “Claudia’s calm. I gave her something that will help her relax, and that’s safe for the baby. ”
“The next time they lock her up, make sure they don’t do it for more than an hour,” Michael ordered as he paused to speak. “We can handle most things, but a feral Claudia will take off more than someone’s ear next time, and keeping her crated for long periods only makes it worse.”
Jamison gasped, which made both Michael and Bruce chuckle.
“Relax, Jamison. Bruce and I know never to fuck with a Fairweather woman,” Michael said. “But Claudia is a whole different kind of demon.”
“I told her she could have time with Madison tomorrow if she behaves,” Bruce added. “That took the fight out of her, and she sat on her mattress without much prompting.”
“How could…lock…pregnant…cage?” Her mouth didn’t work again, and she stiffened her body in protest. “Hurt.”
“It’s to protect her more than anything. She could hurt the baby, and we don’t have proper medical care here. Not yet, anyway.” Michael jerked his chin at Bruce. “Taylor’s father wants to see her in Tulsa tomorrow.”
“Tulsa?” Bruce frowned. “Why the hell in Tulsa?”
“Sounds like he was chewing her ass out about that plane, and she blanked when he asked where she was.”
“Does Taylor even know where she is?”
“Probably not,” Michael sighed. “My guess would be that she just went with the first big city she could think of that might be near here.”
It was Bruce’s turn to sigh while Jamison dangled helplessly.
Those two freaky women were back again and listening to the conversation.
One stood at her head, the scent of vanilla and patchouli overtaking her as it floated in the air.
Jamison knew the scent because it was the same smell that drifted on the wind at Haven House.
She always assumed it came from a bloom in Ty’s garden, but never figured out which one.
It was strongest whenever it rained or when a full moon shone bright in the sky.
Once, when she was a little girl, she asked Simone which flower held the smell, and all Simone would say was that no flower in the garden produced that particular scent.
Tears pricked her eyes at the thought of Simone, and she moaned.
A knowing—a cruel realization—hit with acute clarity.
This house. No matter how strong she convinced herself to be, she had to accept that she might never leave it.
These people were going to use her and then kill her.
They couldn’t very well let her go. Perhaps Claudia, Emily, and Damon had been unconscious when they arrived, but she hadn’t.
And Michael knew this. He would know she had paid attention. She belonged to Liam and would have noted the dips in the road, counted the seconds between turns, and memorized the small details down to the emblem on the outhouse looking building at the end of the rural airstrip where they landed.
Michael would understand that if she were free, she would relay the information to the authorities, and this house would be found.
“Kill me,” she breathed. “You kill me.”
Michael shushed her with a grin. “We’ll get to the fun stuff soon. Promise.”
“Are you done with me for tonight?” Bruce asked.
Michael grunted with a nod. “Go see Kris.”
A surge of adrenaline hit, and Jamison swung her legs violently. “How?”
“How did I get Kris? Don’t worry about the details. Just know that I have loyal friends anywhere and everywhere I go.” Michael tilted his head to the right. “She’s in there, Bruce.”
Bruce knocked softly on a closed door. It opened a fraction of an inch, and the angry, pale face of a boy on the cusp of becoming a man appeared. When he saw it was Bruce, he opened the door more, revealing a woman sitting on the bed in the room.
The look of relief on Bruce’s face spoke volumes. “Hey, Kris.”
The woman pushed off the bed and flew directly into Bruce’s waiting arms. “You’re so stupid. So, so stupid,” she blubbered. “Both of you. You are both so unforgivably stupid.”
Bruce buried his face in Kristina’s hair, his hug lingering long enough to solidify the fact that this was more than a simple friendship. After a second or two, Michael’s sister saw her in his arms and released Bruce.
“This is her?” she asked, adjusting her glasses as she peered at Jamison’s slack face. “Well, now what?”
“I have it under control.”
Jamison didn’t care for Michael’s tone, and neither did his sister. “And just how do you have it under control?” Kris asked through gritted teeth. “Because what’s happening here is anything but under control . ”
“Trust me.” Michael grinned, looking almost human instead of the monster that he actually was. “Go back inside and lock the door. Bruce will be in soon to talk.”
With one final glare at her brother, Kris returned to the room while the men waited for her to close and lock the door. “What exactly do you want to talk about with Kris?” Bruce whispered. “There’s nothing to discuss. She and Colton are getting out of here.”
“Yeah, but I need you to prepare her a little more,” Michael whispered in return. “Taylor knows how valuable Kris is, and that if we truly wanted this all to work, I wouldn’t allow her to vanish. We’ve come this far. I can’t trip things up now.”
“So, what do you suggest?” Bruce all but growled. “I don’t want them here, Mike.”
Michael went quiet, and the dark-haired woman moved closer.
Threading her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck, she whispered in his ear, and the longer she spoke, the more Michael regained focus.
“I have an idea. God knows we’ve laid enough breadcrumbs for the fucker. Get Kris back out here.”
Bruce knocked on the door again, and this time, Kris opened it. “I need you to track lover boy’s phone,” Michael said, lifting Jamison higher. “Taylor arranged a van decoy, but I guarantee you that smart bastard didn’t fall for it.”
Kris disappeared into the small bedroom, returning with a tablet in hand. “Mississippi.”
“North or south?”
“North.”
“Just as I thought. He’s coming to us,” Michael said, sounding pleased. “I’m guessing it’ll be Parker taking Taylor to see her dad since she refuses to drive that far alone.”
Bruce shrugged. “That would make sense.”
“Whatever car Taylor takes, we need to be able to track it. She’s known to shut off her location, and if she’s meeting with Bryan, he could have a block that’ll wipe any cell transmission. The main point is, I want to know when she’s headed back here.”
“What the hell does that have to do with William Cohen?” Kris asked. “Damn it, I told you we should never have gone up against these people, Mike. You should have ended this months ag—”
“I want you to track Cohen and give the coordinates to Bruce,” Michael cut her off with a whisper. “When he takes the car Taylor is driving out to get gas—”
“Why the hell would I do that?” Bruce interrupted.
“Because you’re a good little soldier doing something nice,” Michael replied. “While you have access to the car, you can set a tracker on it and magically appear in front of Cohen, who will then follow you all the way here. Boom. Two birds. One stone.”
Bruce and Kris gaped at him, and Jamison used all her energy to thump Michael’s chest. She didn’t want Liam here. Zanmi would kill him on sight. She understood her purpose, but Liam was a liability the group wouldn’t risk, and he would be murdered outright if he came anywhere near the house.
“Why on earth would you want that man here?” Kris asked, echoing Jamison’s thoughts. “And don’t tell me to trust you. I do trust you. I trust both of you, but you have to tell me what is happening.”
Michael adjusted his grip. “William Cohen is your ticket out of here without attracting attention. He won’t wait for anyone. Not where Jamison Fairweather is concerned. He’ll march in here alone. I know I would.”
“So?” Kris hissed. “He’ll come here alone, and he’ll die here alone.”
“That’s not the point.” Bruce grinned with a nod. “He’ll have a car. An unmarked one. I watched as we sped off. That fucker yanked an old woman out of her Honda to chase after us.”
Kris rolled her eyes. “There are a dozen cars and vans here already. Why take his?”
“Those cars would be noticed if one went missing and if someone realizes I’ve rescued you, but then let you run off without helping their cause first?” Michael shrugged. “These people are stupid, but not that stupid, Kris.”
“It’ll work.” Bruce wrapped an arm around the woman, staring down at her with genuine affection. “I’ll make it work.”
“On the edge of the property, way out on the other side of the lake, there’s an access road.” Michael signaled for his sister to go back inside the room. “Tomorrow, Bruce will lead Cohen down it, and I’ll take over from there.”