You watched what I went through in that hospital when we almost lost Landon. You saw what it did to me. How could you think this would be okay? Why, Mav? Why?” he asks, staring daggers into his brother. “If I lose my daughter, I’ll never forgive you. We will be done.”
Maverick staggers back, looking utterly wounded, like he’s just taken a knife to the stomach.
“Max, there was no way of talking her out of this. I tried,” Beau explains gently, bracing himself.
Max’s chin drops to his neck, his shoulders sagging. “I can’t lose her. I can’t. We can’t. This will kill my wife. She’s only just recovering from Landon’s scare,” he whispers brokenly.
“I’m so sorry,” Maverick rasps, his watery eyes on his brother. “I’m truly sorry.”
“Dad?” Liam and Landon call out, running over to us through the rain.
He startles, scrubbing the rain off his face before looking up at his sons. “What are you doing here?”
Landon shares a look with Liam before turning to his dad. “We aren’t sure. We both felt like we needed to get to Hayden. We tried calling her, but she didn’t answer, so we rang Mum, knowing Hayden goes to see her most Friday’s after work, and Mum said you were coming to look at Hayden’s car, but that she didn’t believe you.”
“You lied, didn’t you?” Liam asks, looking distraught. “Something has happened to our sister.”
Landon casts him a sharp look. “No, it hasn’t. Don’t talk daft.”
Liam shakes his head, his eyes dropping. “Yes, it has. This is the same feeling Hayden and I got when you were in the hospital. We just knew.”
“She’s a fighter,” I remind them, hating the dread in their expressions. It’s like they’ve cast her off already.
“Why are you even here?” Landon barks, eyeing me with disgust.
Max’s phone rings and we all turn to him, watching as his brows pull together while he looks down at his phone.
“Hello? Hayden? Where the fuck are you? Are you hurt?” he rushes out, moving under the shelter as he puts his phone on loudspeaker.
Beau races off to the back of the van, while Landon, Liam and Maverick step under the shelter, crowding the phone.
“Hayden, where are you?” Landon asks, but Max slaps his chest.
“Shut up, let her speak.”
Hayden groans, and in the background, it sounds like rain is hitting a tin. “Dad, I really need a favour. I’ve been kidnapped and I need you to come and get me.”
“I fucking know you’ve been kidnapped. I’m your dad; I know everything. Tell me something I don’t know,” he barks, yet the relief pours over his expression at the sound of her voice.
“In the boot of a car,” she fires back. “I cannot believe you are having a go right now.”
“Whose phone are you on?” Maverick asks, glancing at Max hesitantly.
She groans. “Please tell me the whole family isn’t there.”
“Hayden,” Max growls.
“Alright, alright. I don’t know whose phone this is. There were three or four of them. I pinched it out of a pocket when they were struggling to get me in the boot. Fuckers knocked me out.”
“Are you okay?” I rush out, stepping closer to the phone.
“This is not happening,” she moans.
“Of course you robbed it. I didn’t raise a stupid girl. But lose the attitude, Hayden. I’m so pissed at you right now,” her dad warns.
“Dad, don’t make me regret choosing to memorise your number in case of an emergency. This is an emergency, and if anyone can get me out of this, it’s you. I don’t need you losing it on me now. You promised you’d always be there,” she tells me him, her voice shaking a little. “And I don’t want you attacking everyone around you because you’re scared and being a drama queen.”
He snorts, rolling his eyes at the phone. “I’m the only one keeping it together. Do you have any idea who took you, where they’re taking you?”
“No, I… shit, they’re slowing down,” she whispers. “Dad, you need to tell Beau it’s—”
“I’ll have that, you bitch,” a deep voice vibrates down the phone.
“Hayden,” Max yells, his eyes wide.
She screams as a struggle is heard over the phone. “I’m going to kick your balls so fucking hard you’ll be spitting them out,” she yells, causing us all to wince.
It takes everything for me not to protect my own balls.
“She always goes for the balls,” Liam rasps, his face a little green.
“Hello? Hayden? I swear to God, if you touch my daughter, I will hunt you fucking down,” Max roars,