“I’m so happy for you, Holly, and you look happy,” she notes after a few minutes of eating in silence.
“And you are glowing.” I smile back, loving that this is our life at the moment.
“Do you think? I feel so tired and fat,” she replies, once again making me laugh.
“Well, you don’t look fat. How’s your bump coming along?” I ask, concerned about her scarring and what the specialist has told her.
“We’re just keeping an eye on it. If it gets too much in the next few weeks, we will look more into it.” She doesn’t look worried.
“Good, now you just need that husband of yours to lay off the bubble wrap.” I laugh at Nix and some of the stupid shit he has done since they found out Kadence was pregnant.
“Oh, God. Don’t remind me,” she laughs. I know she says it’s annoying, says she hates it, but I can see she secretly loves it.
“Excuse me, ladies.” A tall, well-dressed man approaches our table.
“Hello.” Kadence smiles up at him. His ash-blond, tailored haircut is disheveled and unkempt, like his hands have run continuously through it in frustration.
“You don’t mind if I sit, do you?” he asks, pulling a chair from a nearby table. The question is void when he pulls up a seat, but I keep my opinion to myself. Something is off about this guy. I just don’t know what.
“Umm, sure,” Kadence says, looking at me, trying to gauge if I know him.
“I was just watching you from across the diner,” he says, looking smug like he has a secret and is ready to share it.
“Yes?” I prompt him when he stops for some reason.
“And you are absolutely glowing.” His lips thin, attempting a smile, but failing miserably. Insincerity oozes out of him.
“Oh, well, thank you,” Kadence awkwardly replies.
“Yes, definitely glowing,” he repeats, reaching out and stealing a fry from my plate. Is this man for real?
“Excuse me, we’re enjoying a lunch date here, so if you don’t mind…” I try to be diplomatic and not come across as a bitch, but this guy is seriously starting to creep me out.
“I wonder what your husband would do if you just went missing one night? Perhaps not make it home from Rushford Primary,” he questions with a high dose of threat.
“I beg your pardon?” I exclaim and go to stand, but I don’t get far when his large grip is thrown out, squeezing tight around my upper arm to get my attention.
“Sit down, bitch. I’m not done,” he sneers, his grip tightening when I try to kick him under the table.
“Let go of her, asshole,” I hear Kadence say, and for some reason, I can’t help but get thrown back into a memory.
“Don’t fucking touch her, asshole,” I yell out to Zane.
“Don’t worry, Holly. You can watch. Then you’ll be next,” Zane taunts and the bile I had been holding down since being thrown in the van, slowly starts to rise.
“Don’t,” Kadence pleads with him. “You can have me, but please don’t touch her,” she says, giving herself over to him.
“What the fuck is wrong with her?” I hear someone ask, but it comes from a distance and I feel myself slowing starting to fade into the black. The threat of this man is pushing me back to that day in the shed.
“You're fucking scaring her, asshole,” Kadence says, her voice laced in concern. Breathe, Holly, my mind tells me, trying to take back control. I shake my thoughts clear, not letting myself get pulled back into the past. My eyes come to Kadence and her body relaxes when she realizes I’m not about to have a meltdown in the middle of the diner.
“I’ve got a message for your husband, Kadence,” the man spits out her name, which concerns me even more. Who is this man? His hold on my arm tightens when I try to pull out of his grasp. A whimper leaves my lips, his fingers digging deeper. I should shout out, lash out, but I still feel like I’m in a daze; like I’m watching the moment happen but have no control over it.
“You tell him if he doesn’t tell me where my wife is, he’ll know what I’m feeling real soon.” He releases me, pushing me back with such force my head hits the back of the high booth seat. And as quick as he was there, in our space, he’s gone.
“Are you okay?” Kadence reaches for my throbbing arm, her soft touch soothing the dull ache.
“Yeah,” I say, still not believing what just happened. “Are you okay?” She doesn’t reply, already dialing out on her cell.
“Nix?” she says, looking up at me. “Some asshole just approached and threatened us.” She stops to listen to what he says. “We’re fine. Yeah, Happy Chef,” she confirms before hanging up.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks again looking down at my arm.
“I promise. Just give me a moment,” I tell her, trying to grasp the reality that I’m sitting in a diner and not back in that awful barn.
“Nix is on his way down,” she informs, her hand moving to mine, offering me a tight squeeze.
“Is everything okay here?” The waitress comes up checking on our meal.
“Yes, can we have some cold water?” Kadence asks before dismissing her. “Wanna tell me what’s happening?” she asks after a few more minutes of me trying so hard not to be dragged down into the dark part of my mind. I have fought day and night these last few months not to be held hostage in those memories, and with one touch, I’ve spiraled back into it. Enough is enough.
“I’m good,” I finally say, coming out of the moment.
“Okay, good. ‘Cause Sy was with Nix and even I know he’s going to be pissed with what’s happened.” She points to the outline of the five-finger death grip the asshole just left me with.
Oh, shit.
***
“Tell me exactly what he said,” Nix asks, sitting next to Kadence, his temper rising by the minute. Three of them walked in thirty seconds ago, exactly ten minutes after Kadence called out the SOS. Sy, Nix and Hunter.
“He said to tell him where his wife is or you’ll know what he feels like,” she relays the message back but I don’t hear his response. I’m too lost in Sy’s stare.
“Sy?” I ask, hoping he doesn’t lose it. I’m trying to let him work out whatever is going through his mind, but I can see him struggling.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” he growls his first words since walking in to the diner.
“No one is killing anyone. You both need to calm down,” Kadence says, trying to be the voice of reason in this cloud of anger.
“I might not kill him, but I’m gonna fucking try.”
“Sy, I’m okay. I promise.” I reach out to soothe him with my touch.
“You don’t look fine.” He comes in closer and searches my face. “Did you have a panic attack?” he asks, seeing what I hoped he wouldn’t.
“Just a small one, but it’s okay, Sy. I’m fine,” I try to reassure him. I feel good I was able to bring myself out of it; that I didn’t let it take me completely. In the past when I’ve had them, they drain me, but right now, I’m feeling good. Strong.
“You haven’t had one in a couple of weeks.” He shakes his head like he’s still working it out. “I’m gonna fucking kill him,” he says, working himself up again.
“Okay, well, this is getting us nowhere. Nix, talk some sense into him. This guy is the mayor’s son, right? You can't kill him.” Kadence tries to reason with Nix, giving up on Sy.
“I don’t give a fuck if he is Gandhi, Kadence. This fucker has been messing with us for three weeks now. Shutting down the bar with licensing dramas and harassing the boys, we can deal with that, but this is going too far. Threatening something that is mine, my wife, my child, the fucker is going to be in a world of pain.” Nix looks to me, then to Sy and I see it in their eyes: this is serious shit.