Page 95 of Finding Us
I almost walk back out, but I really want those place cards. They’ll look cute on the table with the lolly bags and cupcakes. Plus, it will allow Blake to choose who he wants to sit near him. I can also place Tristan at the far end of the table. Although he’s had no more trouble with that kid, I don’t want to take any chances.
“Stand at the entrance,” I tell him. I’ll have a constant view of him from there. “I’ll only be a minute.”
“Okay, Jazzie,” he mumbles, through a mouthful of donut.
I head straight for the sales desk, letting the staff member know what I’m after. My attention is constantly moving back to the door as I do. My eyes are on Blake when she returns. “We have two different types,” she says, holding out the dinosaur place cards.
“These ones.” I point to the green T-Rex, they’re perfect.
“There’s twelve in each pack, how many were you after?”
“Three packets will do.” I turn my head towards the exit, and my heart drops when I see Blake is no longer standing there. “I’ll be right back,” I tell her. My immediate concern only escalates as I approach and see his spilt milkshake on the ground, and his half-eaten donut a few feet away. “Blake,” I scream as I run out of the store, with my heart hammering in my chest. This is so unlike him. Coming to an abrupt stop, I look to the right and see nothing, but when I turn my head to the left my stomach drops. “Hey!”
A blonde lady has him by the arm, dragging him along the tiled floor. “Jazzie!”
“Stop!” I call out, breaking into a sprint. Blake starts to thrash around in her grip when he sees me chasing them, which is stopping her from making a hasty getaway. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins. I catch up to them, bend and wrap my arms around his tiny waist, lifting him off the floor. Although I have him in my grasp, his upper body is still tilted in her direction because she’s yet to release him. “Let go,” I shriek.
“He’s my fucking son, you let go.”
It takes a second for her words to sink in.Her son?My eyes dart down to Blake, and the terror I see on his little face tells me what she’s saying is true.Shit.
One of my arms keeps a tight grip around his middle, while I use the other hand to try and pry her fingers from him. “Save me, Jazzie,” he cries, choking on a sob.
I’m trying, sweetie.
When I finally manage to free him, I bring his body protectively against mine, wrapping my free hand around the back of his head. The blonde reaches for my hair, tugging hard. “Give him back.”
She can rip my hair from its roots as far as I’m concerned, there’s no way I’m letting him go. Especially for her, she’s hurt this little boy enough. Her other hand comes out, clawing at my face. There’s nothing I can do to stave off her attack, because keeping Blake safe in my arms is my only concern.
“Jazzie.” Blake is openly sobbing now, and I can feel his small body trembling beneath my hands.
“I’m okay, sweetie … everything is okay. I won’t let her take you away.”
Thankfully, security shows up, pulling this psycho away from me. “She has my child,” she screams.
“He’s not her child,” I retort. She may have given birth to him, but she doesn’t deserve that title.
“Yes, he is, you lying cunt.”
“Is this your mummy?” the security guard asks Blake, pointing to the blonde. I hold my breath as I wait for him to answer, because if he says yes, she may be able to leave with him and for now, there’ll be nothing I can do to stop her.
I can feel the trickles of blood from her attack on my face, running down my neck, but I ignore it. That is the least of my worries right now.
Relief floods through me when he shakes his head no, before burying his face in my chest. He’s still in my arms because I’m afraid to let him go.
“She tried to take this lady’s kid,” a bystander adds. “I saw her dragging him away.”
“That’s true,” another voice says from behind me, and when I turn around, I find the sales assistant from the stationery shop standing there. “I didn’t see her take him, but the boy was definitely with this lady. They were in my shop a few minutes ago.”
“Come with me,” the guard says, pulling her off to the side. She’s thrashing around in his arms, but she is no match for his weight or height. He pulls out his two-way, “I need assistance on level two … we have an attempted kidnapping.”
Chapter26
Mason
Ishove my key into the door, rushing inside. Connor called me when Jacinta and Blake were at the police station giving their statements and gave me a brief rundown on what had happened. I can’t believe Annalise would try something like this. What was her motive? She didn’t want him a year ago. Is she after more money?
This time, I’ll definitely be pressing charges. I’m not giving that woman a chance to try something like this again.
