G A B I ' S P.O.V
"Yeah, she's getting better. The Doctor said just a few more days. No, she's still not awake. I'm getting worried. Yeah, that's true. She's strong of course she will. Yeah, no. Wait, really? You think you've got it? Okay, carry on looking. I'm coming to help." My eyes fluttered open, expecting to find myself wrapped in the cozy blankets of mine and Ryder's bed, but instead I'm still in the hospital.
I don't how long has passed by but I do know that my baby has been with Sergio for way too long. Ryder's phone call was a wake up message. What was I doing? Curled up in bed resting, whilst my baby is suffering with that mad man.
No, I need to help. I need to find him, otherwise I'll go crazy.
"Ryder," I managed to squeak out. His head shoots up and concern washes over his face. He rushes over to my side and immediately places his hand on my soft cheek.
"Baby, what's wrong? Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Do you need the Doctor?" So many questions leave his mouth, that I don't even know what answer first. Despite feeling a little sore, my body was overall fine and I just wanted to get to work looking for Kieron.
"I'm fine Ryder. Just help me up." Hesitating he simply stands there, my hands in his, but once I start moving on my own, he snaps out it.
"What are you doing?" He asks, despite knowing the answer. I pull off my hospital gown and throw on a simple black shirt, light blue jeans and a pair of white trainers. I pile my hair into a messy bun and then walk into the bathroom, to splash some cold water on my face.
I look like a complete wreck. Greasy hair, that hasn't been washed for ages, dark rings circling my eyes, excess body weight from the pregnancy. At least when I huge, I could blame it on the baby but now I just feel like a walking blob of fat. I don't knew why Sergio, or even Ryder wants me.
"Gorgeous, what are you doing?" His voice is tense, like he already knows he's going to hate the answer I'm gonna give him.
"You know what I'm doing." I focus on packing everything back into my hospital bag, but Ryder is quick to take out everything I'm putting in.
"Ryder stop! I can't just lay here and be useless. I want to help. I want to find out son, and you can't help either if all you're doing is sitting beside me. He needs us, both of us. I'm helping Ryder, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." With that he stops unpacking and just freezes. I push past him to retrieve the items he took out and put them back in the bag.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I failed you. I failed him." Arms encircle my waist and he nuzzles my neck. My hand delves into his soft hair, that's a little longer than I like, and I press a kiss onto his temple.
"No you didn't. Sergio is crazy, he's a lunatic. The only way we're going to fail Kieron is if we give up trying to find him, which will never happen. I want to help Ryder, and I know you want to as well. Come on, let's find out baby together." He gives me a nod and sad smile that brings literal tears to my eyes.
"I love you." He whispers, and I feel my breathe hitch in my throat. It's been too long since I've heard those words.
"I love you too." I say with absolutely no doubt or hesitation. He's my love. My only love.
Slinging my bag over his shoulder, he grabs ahold of my hand and we walk towards the main exit. "Wait, you need to sign these forms!" I hear a woman shouting out, behind us, but we both ignore her and climb into the black Range Rover waiting for us.
The minute we get back to the house, we get emerged into all the chaos. The place is a complete mess. Papers and files are scattered everywhere, more than fifty men are either on the phone, a lap top or reloading guns with ammo.
There's so much noise, I wonder how one could one could even think, and there's so many empty takeaway boxes, soda cans, that the place looks like a rubbish dump. Ryder looks just as shocked as I am, making me wonder how long it's been since he went home.
"Shut the fuck up!" He screams, earning the attention of every single person in the room.
"I want this place cleaned up and organised. Trash in the bin, papers and files picked up and sorted so people can actually read them, I want a station over there for information we know and another over there for possible leads. We are a mafia, the strongest in all of America and possibly the world. Act like it." With that, he stormed out of the room, with me scurrying after him.
We walked into the main office to join Damon, Maddox, Danny and Antonio. Maddox was busy, typing away on his computer, whilst the others looked like they were having a heated debate.
There was a huge board with multiple pictures, snippets of information and clues all tied together using string and pins. Sergio's face was in the middle of it all and I had to stop myself from grabbing one of the several throwing stars in front of me, and launching it at his face.
"What did you find?" Ryder growled out to Maddox. I could see his exhaustion, just by looking at his face. His eyes were red, probably from crying, and he looked like he'd lost weight. I couldn't even begin to imagine how much pain he must be going through, knowing Kira is in a coma, and there's nothing he can do about it.
"I don't know for sure, but I managed to track a chopper going over the North Atlantic Ocean. If I'm right, it should be one of Sergio's. It departed from a helipad in Miami, which we already know is the home for one of Sergio's main bases. It's a hunch, but I'm pretty certain it's him." I looked over at Ryder, who had the same glimmer of hope twinkling in his eyes, as mine.
"Wait, I think I may be able to intercept their headsets so we can listen in." His fingers work magic on the computer, and he cranks up the volume on the speaker.
" Hello, this red bird to station 17, requesting permission to land at Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport in approximately three hours." Static blurred out the sound a little but it was still quite clear.
"Permission granted red bird." We all looked at each other with relief.
"Madrid. They're going to Madrid." Maddox repeated.
"That son of a bitch. Wanting to finish this where it all started." Damon muttered under his breath.
"Okay, Danny, I want you get the helicopters ready. Antonio, inform we're leaving in twenty minutes and start packing all the weapons you can find. Maddox, keep trying to find all the information you can. Dad, start working on the plan of attack. I'll join you once I've finished helping Antonio." Everyone quickly dispersed, and Ryder quickly grabbed my hand, pulling me out with him.
"Dad? When did you start calling Damon, dad?" The last time I saw them interact, they're were screaming in each other's faces, cursing like sailors. A small formed on his face, as if remembering a distant memory.
"It's a long story. I'll tell you one day, but for now I need to get ready."
"Right, so what should I do?" He stopped in his steps and turned to face me.
"Baby, I love you. I love you to the moon and back, you're one of the most important things in the world to me." I smiled at everything he said. He could be so sweet when he wanted to.
"That's why, you're not going." My smile dropped.
"What! I'm not going? Are you crazy? Are you stupid? Of course, I'm going. I'm helping you." I noticed Antonio and a few other men, starting to load up the trucks and decided to join them. I didn't get very far, as Ryder yanked me back into his arms.
"No, you're not. First of all, you nearly died at the hands of that bastard. You really think I'm going to let you go back to him. Second of all, I'm not risking your life again. You can stay here." Oh no, this was not happening. No way!
"Excuse me? You want me to stay in this house, all alone when Sergio's men could just stroll over here at anytime and take me again. Also, don't you think I'll be more safer with you and Danny and Damon and Antonio and Maddox and the other fifty trained criminals with you." He sighed in frustration and began tugging on his hair, letting me know I've already won the argument.
"Fine, you can go, but you're staying with me the whole time." I gave him a great big smile and planted a kiss onto his lips.
"I love you, baby." He smiled against my lips and then grabbed my ass, to pull me further into him.
"Uh guys, are we going or you going to fuck first?" Antonio blurted out as he leaned against the doorway to watch us. We both laughed and then quickly made our way towards the truck.
My legs were bouncing up and down with anticipation the whole journey to the helicopter. Every mile we travelled was another step closer to Kieron. I couldn't even begin to fathom how scared and terrified my baby must be right now.
"It's okay. Relax." Ryder whispered into my ear, rubbing soothing circles on my thigh. I leant my head against his shoulder and cuddled up to him. A yawn left my mouth and Ryder whispered the word sleep to me, sending me off into a deep slumber.
"One more! Come on, Gabi." The midwife yelled, as I felt another contraction hit me. I screamed out as I poured every last ounce of my energy into this one final push.
Cries of a newborn baby filled the air, and I let out a breath of relief as all my pain quickly disappeared into nothing and my baby boy was placed onto my chest. Ryder hovered over the two of us and pressed a kiss onto my forehead, before doing the same to our baby.
"Have you got a name?" The midwife asked, and me and Ryder both gave each other a bright smile.
"Kieron." I whispered.
"He's perfection." Ryder said with a smile and he leaned down to kiss me. Our lips were mere inches apart, before I decided to open my eyes. I screamed out in horror as the man who plagued my nightmares took Ryder's place. He gave me a wicked smirk and I quickly glance down to see Kieron, only to be greeted by an empty blanket.
Panic begins to set in and suddenly my hospital room starts to morph into a dirty dark dungeon. I'm trapped between metal bars and I slam my hand against them, trying to find someone to save me from this horrible.
A dark figure emerges from the shadows and I take a quick step back. Sergio stands there, his menacing eyes narrow down on me, and I felt my heart stop as I see Kieron in his arms.
Sergio pulls out a gun from his back pocket and aims it straight at Kieron's head. I grab onto the bars and beginning pulling at them, as if I had superhuman strength, but I didn't. I couldn't help my baby's, because I am weak. I failed him.
The gun fires twice. I scream at the first one and I become numb to the second.
My sweet bundle of joy, killed by a monster. And I couldn't save him.
"No! No! My baby, no!" I scream out, tears streaming down my cheeks. I feel arms wrapped around my waist and I'm brought into a tight hug.
"Shh! Shh! It's okay, I'm here. He's not going to hurt you." Ryder whispers and just the soothing sound of his voice, is enough to make the tears stop but not silent sobs that leave my mouth.
"It hurts Ryder. It hurts."
"I know," He whispers, the strong tone in his voice faltering slightly.
I notice that almost everyone is staring at me, either with a look of panic or fear, in their eyes. I buried my head in Ryder's chest, but my eyes couldn't help but flicker over to the window.
We were in the air. How long have I been sleeping for?
"I picked you up and carried you into the helicopter. You've been asleep for almost two hours." It was then that I realised I accidentally asked my question out loud.
"It's okay baby, we'll get him back. Nothing bad will happen, everything is going to be okay." And for the first time in our relationship, I didn't believe him.
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A/N: I'm so excited for the next chapter!! Prepare yourselves!!
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