For the rest of the day it was as if Ellis couldn’t do enough to make sure all of my needs were taken care of. He called his assistant on the phone to say that he would be at the villa taking care of me for the next several days and only to bother him if it was important.He made sure I took my medicine on time and even insisted on spoon feeding me soup so I didn’t have to worry about my shaking hands spilling it. He smiled at me lovingly throughout the day and even held me until I fell asleep that night.I dreamt again of me, Ellis, and Ken as a family. In my sleep I knew that I was missing Ken terribly, But I also knew that I was closer to bringing his father back home with me. I woke in the middle of the night to find he was still holding me and snuggled even deeper into his embrace.Ellis woke me up the next morning with breakfast in bed.“How are you feeling?” he asked, helping me sit up. He kissed my forehead and used his hand to check for fever. His face showed a little concer
**Ellis POVThe last thing I expected to hear when I walked up to the villa was Brenda and Olivia exchanging heated words.It seemed I had returned to the villa just in time. If I’d known Brenda would be stopping by, I never would have left. I only had a moment to wonder how she found this place before I hurried through the door.I was stunned to see that Olivia was being backed up and confronted by Brenda. She looked very worried and scared. That is the only thing that registered to me. I barely made out what they were saying.I could see the volatile way that Brenda’s body was trembling in front of Olivia as she stepped closer to her. The aggressive pitch in her tone and the threatening clench of her fists were something I’d never seen from her before, and I knew that I needed to intervene.I was just grateful that I was able to grab her arm before she struck Olivia. But her arm was trembling. When she turned her eyes to look at me I could see the anger that burned inside, but quic
**Olivia POVI could see the regret in his eyes as Ellis shook his head.I felt my rising hopes fall to the ground and turned my look of disappointment to my plate. I took a deep breath in and let it out.“Why did you end things with her?” I asked quietly.“Because… it just felt like the right thing to do,” he told me, and I looked back up into his eyes.Although the disappointment was there, I knew that it would still take time for him to remember everything. I knew all the lies that his supposed fiancée said to him. So of course, I knew that he would be relatively confused as to what and whom would be telling the truth.But to prove everything sure would be rather tricky. But just knowing and seeing him there with me made me give him a small smile.It only took a few moments of smiling at each other before I got up and leaned over him. I gave him a hug. Giving a friendly hug felt rather harmless. A hug showed compassion and I had love in my eyes, and I knew he needed that right n
The driver’s strong arms caught me from falling as I continued to stumble behind him down the stairs. I heard him chuckle. I didn't find any of this funny. I yelped loudly as I stumbled again on the last step.He continued to drag me into the club."Klutzy loser." The driver chuckled some more while he dragged me toward a man who stood behind the bar.“Excuse me? You try walking down the stairs while someone else drags you. I bet you would trip too. This isn’t funny in any way shape or form.” I hissed at him.I heard the driver laugh at my comment. But he stayed silent. As I got closer to the bar, I could smell cigarettes and alcohol. It stunk, in my opinion. I could see condoms, beer bottles, napkins, and tissues all over the floor around one of the tables.I could only imagine what and why those things even lay there. My mouth dropped as I saw a young woman slide past me wearing a bikini. I also saw another woman that looked only partly dressed.I realized that this must be an un
**Brenda POVI hung up the phone. My heart raced as I was just informed that the love of my life just figured out all of his d*mn memories. My heart sank at the thought of losing him once again. I knew I couldn’t let that happen. Not this time. I hurried to dial Joan. The phone rang twice before I heard her familiar voice.“Hello, Brenda,” she answered.“We have a problem,” I said instantly. There was no reason to sugarcoat it or not get right down to the point.“Let me guess. He recovered his memories and knows who Olivia really was to him,” Joan said without hesitation.“Correct. He figured it out. What now?”“I told you he would figure it out. I didn’t think it would be that quick though. I told you that you were too impatient.” Joan rubbed it in Brenda knowing all too d*mn well of how Brenda was.“Oh, shut up. Don’t you dare tell me the phrase ‘I told you so.’ I don’t need to hear it. So, any suggestions?” I asked her.“Well, we will think of something. Just give me a minute to thi
**Olivia POVI was kept waiting in a locked room until a burly man who looked like a bodyguard came to collect me. I bypassed people in the strip club, who were giving me curious gazes as I asked for help or someone to call the police. No one moved to help or seemed concerned about what was happening to me.I was pulled along until we were outside in front of a town car that I recognized. A moment later, Bennett Klein emerged from the car and took me by the hand to guide me to take a seat inside. I began to relax, the softness of the leather seats comforting me as my racing heart began to slow and stopped pounding so heavily.Bennett made his way to the other side of the car and took the seat next to me before the driver pulled off. I sat still in a daze from being kidnapped and sold, but sitting in the back seat of this town car, I was feeling much safer than before.Sitting next to Bennett had me still on edge, but it felt better than where I imagined I could have ended up, especi
Seeing Bennett wave and get into the car helped with the anxiety that I’d felt over the last several hours.Once he pulled out of the parking lot and sped away, I felt even better. I breathed a big sigh of relief as I continued to hang on tight to Ellis. I enjoyed feeling his arm around my back. Feeling the light breeze around Ellis and me made me feel calmer too. The small breeze kept me cool too, considering how I sweat when I get nervous sometimes.“Go ahead and go back to the estate. I will be there shortly. Wait for me there,” Ellis instructed his bodyguard.I saw the bodyguard nod and head back to the car. Seeing the bodyguard take the driver out of the trunk did make me feel a little better as well. Whether someone did something wrong or not, I didn’t believe anyone deserved to be inside a trunk.I saw the bodyguard push the driver into the back seat and then he got into the driver's seat. The car drove off rather quickly. I could hear the wheels peel out and a mark could be
**Ellis POVRelief washed over me as I watched them take Brenda away. Just knowing that she would be gone and also face justice for everything that she has done to my family made me feel better. A long sigh escaped me as I turned and kissed Olivia on the cheek. I could see that she too felt better and safe once again.As I turned my face back around, I saw Joan's face become pale white. Like she just saw a ghost. Her eyes looked wide like a deer in headlights. Her mouth dropped open and she put her hands to her face.I could see her start to shake with fear as she stood near the door. She looked like she didn't know what to do or what to think at this point. Maybe she felt that she just lost her only friend and the battle. But I didn't know for sure. At least not yet.I cleared my throat and spoke once again. "So, let's talk about you, Joan. Have a seat." I pointed to the couch."Me? I don't know what there would be to talk about. I've been here the whole time. I just wanted what's b
Ellis POVI sat in the executive chair in the office, getting work done as well as I could under the circumstances. Even with the new legal troubles, some things never changed. “And tell them if they don’t they will have to answer to me,” I said. “Got it,” my project manager, William, said, looking a little shaken. Handling contractors came with the job, and was mostly a matter of patience, and being commanding. Much the same as handling a child having a tantrum. I relaxed a little as the call went away, taking more of the immediate problems with it. There were other problems hanging over my head that I didn’t like to think about. A little annoyed and very tired I loosen my tie, which had come to feel like a noose. After the house arrest, theoretical as it might have been, I hardly wore one anymore.I felt Olivia’s absence in my chest, like a weight. One I tried to lighten with another drink. Sipping lightly from the tumbler of rum, careful not to get drunk. I wanted to be alert
**Olivia POVI woke up still groggy, the world going from a dark blur to a light blur. Everything that had happened slowly rearranged itself in my mind.Pain came back along with the memories, if in a reduced form. With a wince, my head turned just right, and I saw Ellis seated by the bed, where he’d always been before getting arrested and would always be if I had anything to say about it.Ellis looked troubled, something I rarely saw. He was always so capable and in control of himself if not the situation. I reached out to him instinctively, and Ellis took it tenderly.“Can you be here?”“Of course,” he said.“No, I mean your house arrest.”“That is taken care of. Even if it wasn’t, I think this counts as compassionate grounds.”I relaxed a little, letting out a breath. Then I remembered what happened with the baby.“How is she?” I asked.He squeezed my hand, letting me know something was wrong, no matter what he might say.“She will be fine,” he said, “I’ll take you to the NICU to se
**Olivia POVI’d always heard bad things about hospital food. Fortunately, this proved not to be true. Everything Amber brought was great. I started to feel stronger just from the diet alone.If it wasn’t for hospital policy, I probably could have walked on our twice daily outings onto the hospital grounds. The baby seemed better too, moving even more than before.I started to suspect Nurse Anderson might have cooked the meals at home and smuggled them onto the hospital plates.I was near the end of my bacon and eggs, when a familiar face peeked in through the door.“Mom!?” I asked, more delighted to see her than I had words to say.“Hey, baby.”Mom came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek, like she used to do when I was little and feeling sick.“Me or her?” I asked, patting my belly.“Both of you, really,” mom said with a rare smile.Mom put her hand on my belly and felt it as the baby moved again.“Hello, little one, it’s Grandma.”I was surprised to hear her use the term. Something
**Ellis POVI paced the hallway, resisting the urge to hit something. The control I showed in most situations was carefully built up over years. There were times I worried about Ken and his potential impulse control. Then again his mother was so patient and gentle, except when truly riled, it could be her genetics that might win out. I went to the door again, just to see if I could hear what was being said. The wood was too thick and all I could hear was muffled hums. “You know you could just go in right? You’re on the list.”Spinning on my heel, resisting the urge to yell in fright, I saw Nurse Anderson with a food tray. “I can’t actually.”“Why? Is the door locked?” she asked, testing the knob. “Yes, but that is not the biggest problem.” “Oh, how so?” Nurse Anderson asked. “It was locked from the inside,” I said.“Yes, that is how it works.” “By someone else, on purpose I mean.” “Who?” “Some Fed, I think he said his name was Smiley.” “Agent Smiley?” Nurse An
**Olivia POV Ken came out of nowhere. The only warning of his arrival, an excited shout echoed down the hall. He still hadn’t got the hang of his ‘inside voice.’ Like a shot he was in the room, shattering the quiet solitude. I couldn’t have been happier. Kevin was more subtle, coming in behind and waiting to be beckoned before coming forward. There was something about hospitals that made him less than comfortable. “Mommy,” Ken cried, up on the bed like a shot. “Hey, baby,” I said, as he took me in a near-choking hug. “Hi,” Kevin said, quietly, keeping his wheelchair near the door.. “Get over here,” I said. Kevin came up beside the bed, not needing to be told twice. From my bed I hugged Ken and held Kevin’s hand tightly, tears started to roll with little choice. “Mommy?” Ken asked. “Happy tears, baby,” I said. “Oh.” The room felt smaller all of the sudden and all I wanted to do was go outside with my boys. Pressing the button to page her, Amber appeared in no
**Olivia POV Day came again even as I was sitting on the plane back to New York. It had been a dream, and Ellis was still there, looking deeply worried. “How are you doing?” he asked with a smile that once melted me. “Fine and only getting better. As soon as the doctor gives me the all clear I’m going home with Ken.” “Ken is at home,” Ellis said. “Not your home, my home,” I said. I could see the words cut deep, and almost felt sorry for him. Second thoughts were just coming up when the doctor came in, his expression grim.I instinctively reached for Ellis’s hand. Bad news no doubt on the horizon. “It can’t be that bad,” Ellis and I blurted at once. “It can actually,” the doctor said, looking at the chart. “How so?” Ellis butted in. It didn’t really concern him anymore, but he was the sort to think he needed to be the center of attention in any situation. He must have been a joy at funerals. “You are severely dehydrated, Mrs. Peterson. The amniotic fluid is mu
**Ellis POVI held her hand in the back of the ambulance, never letting her go again if I had anything to do about it. I had gotten far too close to losing her. “We’ll be there soon,” I said, minding the volume. She flinched at the smallest noise if it was unexpected. God only knew what the sick f*cks had done to her, and it was best not to think about it. Anytime I did, the urge to kill them rose. I didn't want to kill Carl, no matter how much of a f*ck up he was.No matter what he did he was still my son. People like us had other ways to deal with our kids when they got off the track. Military service was one popular option, as well as “career opportunities” in another country. Olivia stayed silent, her head lolling to the left before she closed her eyes. “Everyone is excited to see you again,’ I tried, “especially Ken and Kevin.”Olivia winched at the mention of their names. It was probably a touchy subject, after she’d been away for so long, not sure if she’d ever get ba
**Olivia POV“How are you doing, honey?” I asked, rubbing my belly. The baby didn’t move, but she could have been asleep. Apparently, they did that a lot. Resting up for the rest of their life. Bethany and Carl were down there for a few hours. Mostly quiet but with the occasional argument. Things shifted and I heard steps coming towards the attic. I held my breath hoping everything would be okay. I wasn’t sure I’d done the lock up right, and hoped they wouldn’t notice if they came back. It would be an obvious sign of what I’d done, and the punishment could be awful. There was no telling what Bethany might do. She could be merciful and just break my ankles. Or my wrists, to stop me from getting the lock picked again. It would make Ellis really mad, but it didn’t sound like they were planning to stay around, after everything. The clock clicked open, making me flinch and the baby move. I nearly cried to feel her again but had to hold it together. If we were going to get out of
**Olivia POVI felt a thrilling chill run over my body and the baby moved in response, celebrating in my womb. The door was open and we were close to freedom. I rubbed my belly, calming her down. I would need all my focus for the next part. Carl and Bethany could have been back at any time, and I had to be gone before then if there was going to be any chance of getting back to the boys and Ellis tonight. I cracked the door open slowly and I listened to the deafening silence. All was dark but I could just make out the staircase below the door. There was no light from below, so I had to try to get down blind. A little at a time, always sure to hold something, down I climbed. Getting one foot down on the stairs and then the other. Holding the sides of the steps in a death-grip, I finally reached solid ground. The floorboards down below creaking like the ones up above. There was another door at the base of the steps and my heart sank to think that I might have to work to pick another l