Chapter 98 MADE ME CRAVE

Chapter 98 MADE ME CRAVE
Leah

Freya tilted her head toward Roman, a thin smile spreading across her face. "Hello, sweetheart."

Cold rushed through me as I stepped in front of Roman immediately.

"What are you doing in my house?" I demanded, fighting to keep my voice steady.

She laughed softly, "Waiting for you, obviously."

"I don't remember us being that close."

Her smile widened as she slowly stood, checking the magazine of her gun like she had all the time in the world.

"Your words wound me, Leah. I thought we were closer than that, especially after everything we survived together in the past."

She started walking toward us, and I backed away, pulling Roman with me until my back hit a wall of muscles. 

"Miss me, princess?" the familiar terrifying voice murmured against my ear as his hand slid around my waist.

Julian.

My stomach twisted, and I tried to move away from him, but he held me in place as he brushed his disgusting lips over my neck.

I wanted to crawl out of my skin as his hands got bolder.

"Get your hands off me!"

"Let my mummy go!" Roman shouted, and before I could stop him, he sank his teeth into Julian's leg.

Julian cursed and shoved me away as he tried to jerk away from Roman, who refused to let go. Then he kicked Roman so hard his small body flew backwards and crashed against the couch.

"Roman!" I screamed, running to him.

I dropped to my knees and pulled him against me, checking him frantically for any injury.

"Are you hurt?"

He didn't answer but clung to me while shaking.

Julian marched towards us, fuming when Freya stopped him.

"Behave yourself, Julian," her voice turned sharp and dangerous.

I saw him flinch before he muttered, "Sorry."

"Take the boy," She ordered.

My heart slammed violently against my chest as I tightened my arms around Roman and pressed his head against my chest.

"Don't you fucking touch my son."

Julian grabbed Roman's arm, but I held on tighter.

"Let go off him you fucking bastard!" I cried, my nails clawing at his arm.

"Let go, you fucking bitch!" He roared as his boot slammed into my side.

I screamed from the pain exploding through my ribs but refused to loosen my grip.

Roman cried, clinging to my neck. "Mummy!"

Julian finally ripped him out of my arms, and the sudden emptiness felt like it was my heart that was ripped out.

Roman twisted wildly in his grip and bit him again.

"Son of a bitch!" 

The sound of Julian slapping him tore through me. "Bite me again, and I'll break all your teeth."

"Don't hit him!" I screamed, forcing myself to my feet when something slammed into the back of my head.

White exploded across my vision as I turned slowly to see Freya's gun still raised.

Then, the room tilted and the floor rushed up.

As my unconsciousness began to slip, I saw Julian walking toward the door with Roman, who was thrashing in his arms.

"Mummy!"

"Roman..." I choked, my hand lifting weakly toward him before darkness swallowed me.



Aiden

"Call everyone," I ordered one of my men through the phone as the elevator started moving down.

"Yes, boss."

Once the call ended, I slammed my fist into the wall, the impact echoing through the small space.

I should have killed her the moment I discovered she had people following Leah. Instead, I had shown her mercy she clearly didn't deserve. A mistake I wouldn't make twice.

If she had escaped alone, it would have been one thing, but she just had to take Laura with her.

My jaw tightened.

If she so much as touched a hair on my daughter's head, I would make her death slow and painful. That's a promise.

Storm was waiting beside my car in the parking lot when I reached downstairs.

He had the nerve to show up here after the mess he made.

He stood still, his eyes lowered, and his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for his punishment.

My fist crashed into his face the moment I got close, blood splattering on the concrete.

He spat a mouthful onto the ground and slowly straightened. I hit him again before he finished rising, and this time, the punch sent him staggering back a step. He recovered immediately, standing upright again like he didn't feel anything.

My chest heaved.

"How the fuck did Freya escape?" I growled.

He wiped the blood from his mouth before replying, "she wanted to see Laura."

My fist curled again. "And you let her?"

"Didn't it cross your mind she'd pull something like this? Or do you want to pretend you didn't know how she treated Laura before now?"

Strom finally lifted his gaze to meet mine.

"So what should I have done?" He asked quietly, then raised his voice,"You were gone for two weeks. She waited for you but you—" his eyes glistened with tears as his stare turned deadly.

"You only kept promising you would come but you never did. Her supposed father had her mother locked up while he was off with his OTHER FAMILY!"

A cold, deadly silence fell between us as his words sunk.

"So it's my fault?" I asked, stepping closer.

He shook his head. "We should be looking for Laura."

"There is no We," I said jabbing a finger harshly against  his chest before shoving him off and heading for my car.

"Julian escaped too."

His words stopped me cold.

My vision turned red as I turned, lunging at him again, and this time, I didn't stop. My fist rained down on him until he collapsed to the concrete.

"I don't want to see your fucking face right now."

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

Something about the way he said it made my stomach tighten. It sounded like an apology for something worse he hadn't told me yet.

I got into the car, ignoring the uneasiness crawling up my spine and drove away. 

I had gone a good distance away when my phone rang.

A cold knot formed in my stomach the moment Leah's name flashed on the screen. I answered, waiting a beat before speaking. 

"Leah?"

A soft laugh drifted through the speaker. Not Leah's but Freya's.

Every muscle in my body locked as I spun the wheel hard, making a dangerous U-turn. My car clipped another vehicle with a loud scrape, but I didn't stop.

Freya's amused voice filled the car. "There's  no need to rush back, Aiden. We already left."

"If you touch her, I swear—"

"Oh please," she interrupted lazily. "Spare me the death threats. You might make me nervous and I could accidentally do very bad things to her."

My grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Put Leah on the phone," I said coldly. "Now."

"That would be a little difficult. Right now she is taking a nice nap."

"Freya!" I growled, my body shaking with rage.

She moaned softly, "Fuck. You know, I get turned on when you say my name like that."

"Where are you?"

She laughed. "You're going to have to find me."

My jaw clenched as I slammed my hand against the steering wheel three times.

"But before you start looking," she continued, her voice bright with excitement, "let me explain the game we're about to play." Then added quickly, "In case you were actually worried, Laura is safe all thanks to Storm who followed my instructions."

My grip tightened further.

That fucking asshole.

"So that leaves your bastard and Leah."

A pause before she continued. "Since they aren't in the same place you'll  have to save one person while the other dies."

"I can't wait to see who you choose,"her voice turned almost giddy. "But considering you never even asked about him... he is the one that dies, right?"

My vision went red.

"I'm fucking shaking thinking about what I'll do to you when I find you, Freya," I gritted. "You'll beg for death, but I won't get it to you."

"Shit," she laughed. "Now I'm shaking in my boots  imagining it." 

"Here is a clue. Julian is with your boy and I'm with Leah."

That's hardly a clue and —

"Why the fuck would you leave him with Julian?" I roared. "You know what he's capable of."

"Well," she said almost sweetly, "I guess that means you'd better find him first."

Then the line went dead.