Page 49 of Aaric
“Jump out, honey.I’ll get Eve.”
My wife unbuckles her seatbelt and yanks her door open, obeying me immediately.
I quickly hop down from my seat and shut the door.I don’t want to take Eve out on this side, so I round to the tight shoulder.
And then I freeze.All the blood drains from my face.
Presley Vanguard has Hannah.He has one arm around her chest, pressing her back against his front.In his other hand is a gun, which he presses against her temple.
Hannah’s eyes are wide.She’s not making a single sound, but tears are already running down her face.
“Presley… You don’t want to do this.Let her go.”I inch closer.
He backs up, moving away from the truck.“Stay out of this, asshole.You fucking Gallants think you own this damn mountain.Well, you don’t.And you certainly don’t ownmywoman.”Spittle comes out of his mouth as he rants.
The man is probably fifty.He looks closer to seventy.Hard living, bad hygiene, and alcohol will do that to a man.
The truck door is closed, but I can hear Eve screaming in the back seat.
I’m going to need to reason with Vanguard.I have more than one weapon in the truck, but I can’t exactly stop and open the glove compartment right now.I used to carry a gun on me, but I stopped doing so when Eve was born.I won’t take that kind of risk with her.What if one of my guns went off and hit her?It will never happen because they are all securely locked up now.
Except I wish I fucking had one in my hand or the back of my jeans.Fuck.
I hold up both hands, making myself look harmless.“Let her go, Vanguard.You don’t own her.”
“The fuck I don’t.I bought her.She works for me.”
Works for you?You mean she’s your slave.
“The world doesn’t work that way, Presley,” I say, hoping to appeal to him by using his first name.
“It does in the mountains, asshole.We make our own laws out here.I paid her father good money.She needs to be reminded of her place.”He continues to back up.
I keep inching forward.Vanguard isn’t playing with a full deck.
Eve cries louder.
“The baby needs her, Presley.”
“Fuck that stupid bastard.I told Hannah she couldn’t keep it.I warned her.I’m not paying to feed this harlot’s baby.You can find it a home or leave it in the woods for wild animals to tear apart, for all I care.Noisy fucking nuisance.That’s all babies are.”
Fuck, this jackass is cracked.Eve is his granddaughter.In fact, he’s the only grandparent Eve has.Not that I’d ever let this fucker anywhere near her.
I glance at Hannah, praying she’s able to stay relatively calm.I don’t want her accidentally getting shot.The way Vanguard is waving his gun around makes me nervous.He’s a loose cannon.
Where the hell is he planning to take her?I don’t see his truck or any other vehicle around.And then it dawns on me.He put something in the road to blow out my tire.He knew I would end up pulling over.He was waiting for us.
It’s going to be at least ten minutes before my brothers arrive.I left my phone in the truck.I’m going to have to diffuse this situation myself.
“It’s cruel to separate a mother from her baby, Presley,” I tell him.Mostly, I want to keep him talking.
He shakes the gun again and aims it at me this time.Good.That’s better.I’d much rather he point that fucking weapon my direction.“Shut the fuck up, you dickwad.I told her she couldn’t keep the baby.She knew.It’s not my fault she spread her legs for my son.God is going to punish her for her slutty ways.One of her punishments is that she will never see that stupid screaming baby ever again.”
Eve is getting louder.It breaks my heart, but I need to ignore her cries and get my wife back.And hope to fuck no one comes around the bend and rear-ends my truck in the meantime.
I tell myself Eve is safe in the middle of the truck.She’s secure in her car seat.Even if someone hits my truck, she should be fine.
Hannah is being so brave.She’s stiff, but she’s not fighting him.Good.That would only make things worse.I know she’s not resigned to her situation.I can see the fight in her wide eyes.Those same eyes are also pleading with me.
