HOPE

15.

Milo.

Have you ever been at the lowest point in life not knowing what to do with yourself, so you immerse yourself in work and making a better future for your kids.

That has been my life for the past five years after grandma and grandpa left for Greece and I had to face the world alone.

When I got the twins I never thought life could get better but now I think differently, meeting Ken has been the best thing that has ever happened to me and I'm grateful for it.

He has been by my side never forced me to do anything beyond my comfort zone, I was happy with that. I was currently at work in my office, at Roe Inc, a normal work day.

My phone rang and I hesitantly answered the unknown number. "LaNoir how may I help you?" I spoke on the phone.

"Dad help! Some men came to school and tried to take us but we hid in the principal's office, dad we're scared come get us!!" My babies were scared crying no one went to pick them up  except Larry, Mia, and Emmy.

"Don't worry babies, I'm on my way, keep hiding." I was desperately panicking, my hands were sweating. I couldn't take the fear. "Ken!" I yell barging into the boardroom, I knew I looked crazy but I didn't care.

"Ken the boys someone's trying to get them, Ken help me please." He took my hand and we ran to the private elevator. I dialed Emmy and it wouldn't go through, I was terrified, I couldn't handle losing my kids.

Ken put a hand around my wrist and sprinted to my car, he took the keys and we got in, he reversed like a maniac and drove past red lights and the afternoon traffic at full speed.

He knew where he was going, he had taken the boys to school one time. My phone rang again. "Emmy where are you? The boys are in trouble get to them." I was crying and my heart felt as if it was being used for target practice by an archer.

"I can't Milo we were ambushed, half the guards are on the ground sedated, Mia is missing along with Amir." I was stunned into silence, who would do this and why.

Ken took the phone and put it on loud as he drove, "Find Mia and Amir, I'm almost at the school and tell Caleb." He instructed and cut the call.

He kept his cool all this while demeanor on the outside but I knew on the inside he was a mess, he loved the boys and so did they.

We arrived at the school it seemed normal, too normal until I saw the men in black from head to toe. I snatched the phone from the blue tooth holder, I dialed Daryl's number because Lyra also went to this school, he picked up instantly.

"Daryl Code SE hurry!" I yelled into the call as the tears welled up. "Security and lolice are going to be there in a minute, I'm on my way. Make sure my Lyra is alright Milo." Ken took the phone

"We will Daryl but hurry." He cut the call, we couldn't walk in because the men inside would escape and the two of us couldn't fight them all so we had to wait.

A few minutes passed my security team came they had to track me, the security sent by Daryl along with the police came and encircled the school.

Men clad in black came out holding guns and to a little boys head. "Let us through or else." One spoke pressing the gun even further in the little boy's hair.

We now stood outside and the next thing I saw was the man on the ground bleeding, the little boy ran to me and Ken, I took him in my arms holding him reassuring him he was safe, hoping my kids and Lyra were too.

Ken immediately covered me and the little boy, my mind had not registered the open shots being exchanged.

The security team wore bulletproof vests and moved in. A gut wrenching scream made me turn. "Dad!" It was my babies and Lyra surrounded by the security team. They put us in the middle as well and walked us to their van.

I hugged my boys as they cried, Haden wanted Ken and I took Lyra the little boy that had been used as bait was in Ken's arms. I was relieved that my babies were safe but I couldn't stop crying, I almost lost them.

"My house please there is better security." The security team backed out of the school and one of them was driving my car behind us.

The boys were not crying anymore."Call Daryl tell him Lyra is with us and we're heading to The House he will know where we're going." I told Ken and he obliged.

"Hey babies how do you feel about going to see grandpa and grandma, for a while?" They nod and I knew they were still scared.

Some time later we arrived at the house, it was built in case something like this happened. It was a safe house, all the guys if ever there was trouble they had the code to it.

The security checked us in and I punched in the code. The little boy we had, was given a phone and dialed his dad's number, he was Cody Terra's child.

"Hey Cody, we have him don't worry, I'm sending the location so you can come here, I suggest you bring the rest of your family." I spoke to the restless man.

"Milo thank you so much, I was so worried, thank you, I'm so grateful. I'm on my way." He replied afterward cutting the connection.

I designed the mansion myself, it wasn't huge but it had multiple safe rooms if ever there was trouble. We settled in and put the boys in one room they were still shaken up especially little Miles, so they slept together in the huge bed.

Cody and his other son Mickey who was a freshman in high school along with his husband came running in behind them were Daryl and a crying Gabe, he was still emotional like me.

He hugged me and we cried all over again, we had almost lost them."Thank you so much, Milo, so very much." He cried harder as I hugged him. Cody's husband joined the hug and we stay like that for a while until we were calm.

"They're asleep right now, they were so shaken up and so afraid. I haven't seen my boys crying so much it hurt watching those tears." I explain to the couples, Ken rubs my back as I cry in his chest.

After I calm down again we walk to the room. Gabe cries seeing Lyra tangled with the boys clinging to Haven.Cody's husband cries as well and comes to hug me.

"You saved my baby, thank you." Cody hugged me yet again. We head to the kitchen and Ken, Cody, and Daryl sat in the lounge trying to relax, Mickey follows us to the kitchen.

"Anybody up for chamomile?" I ask and all the people in the house say yes. I get to making it with the help of my two other fellow dads. I don't know how we had divided ourselves our partners the brooding businessmen and us the ever supportive partners.

After serving the tea each of us sat with our partners and Ken still feared I was going to cry so he put me on his lap.

"Dad, Papa!" I was surprised with the boys calling Ken papa, I wasn't opposed to the idea but it implied a lot and I had my reservations about it.

When they saw us they ran to us, Miles to Cody and Ed and Lyra to Gabe and Daryl. They cried all over again but Ken held us reminding us we were safe but I wouldn't feel safe if we weren't in Greece.

That's why the moment Mia and Amir were found we were leaving. The question was who had done this? and where were my best friends.

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LMJ