" Give her the baby." He says.
I don't answer nor make a move to give Riley the baby.
" I said, give her the baby." He repeats, pressing the gun harder against my back.
" Give me the baby Mrs Salvatore." Riley says, holding up her arms as she takes a step closer, only stopping when I narrow my eyes at her.
" Oh shit, so you're the lady of the house, even better." I can almost hear him grinning proudly but I choose to ignore him, my eyes trained on her while I pull Bella close to my chest.
" Do you really think I would give her over to you, with a gun in hand?" I question her.
" I'm the mother, I have right over my child."She says, her eyes wide and nervous.
" I don't deny that, but do you look like one right now?" I arch my brow at her.
" Okay enough, enough - just give her the fucking baby and let's get down to business shall we?"
" Let's talk. What do you want?" I don't know where I'm getting this confidence from, but I'll stick with it.
" Lady just bloody - ." The telephone ringing cuts him off.
" Walk." He says.
Without another word, I walk over to the telephone, him behind me with the gun. I glance over my shoulder, noticing his features for the first time.
Long blonde reddish hair, crooked nose with a nose ring, in his late twenties and brown green eyes. There's a long scar along his right side of the face.
The ringing stops before starting up again. He nods to it, I sigh and answer the phone, balancing Bella in my other arm.
"Hello." I try sound as normal as I can.
" Kea baby, are you alright?"
" Keith." I breathe out. It feels so good to hear his voice.
" Are you okay, tell me." He presses.
" I'm okay, have you done it, the statement I mean?"
" No - look sweetheart, Joe is already in, I'm right outside the gate, waiting for you. I can't wait to hold you in my arms." Tears threaten to spill when I hear him say this. I can get all emotional just from the sound of his voice.
How did he know? I want to ask."Okay, well I can't wait to see you too, I love you." I say.
" I love you too baby, it'll be all over soon. I promise." He tries reassure me, making me smile despite the situation I'm in.
I place the telephone back in its place, turning to face the guy. Before either one of us can speak, a sound comes from inside the house, snapping us to attention.
It must be Joe. Thank the Lord.
" What was that?" The guy asks, averting his eyes else where.
" What?" I try act oblivious.
" Don't act stupid, you heard it, all of you." He points his gun between Riley and I.
" The only person hearing things is you, now are we going to talk business or what?" I arch my brow.
" Jason listen to her, we might not have much time," Riley adds.
Jason sighs before nodding.
" Pull a chair over." He orders.
Riley obeys, coming back with a stool from the kitchen." Sit." Jason orders, pointing a gun at the chair.
I do so, keeping my eyes on him.
" What do you want?" I finally ask.
" Isn't it obvious, money. Lots and lots of it, I know very well that you people have it. I've basically hit a jackpot." He waves his arms aimlessly, pacing back and forth in front of me.
My eyes flicker to the ceiling, where there's movement. I almost sigh out loud seeing Joe peeking from it. Didn't even know that this house has secret doors. Either way I'm grateful.
" Well I'm sorry to tell you that I don't have with me, everything goes through my husband." Bella starts getting a bit restless, so I have to glance away from Jason and pay attention to her.
" Oh no, you aren't going to play that game with me, you have it, I know."
" And how would you know, you don't live with me, you don't know my everyday activities. Look, my husband is the one who usually does all transactions, I just notice money present. Sorry that you came all the way for nothing. "
He stops pacing and walks over to stand right in front of me, blocking my view from the ceiling, where Joe is peeking.
His eyes are crazed over and wild.
" She's right, Mr Salvatore- ."
" Shut the fuck up, I'm trying to think!" He snaps, turning to her with the gun pointing, making her take cautious steps back.
" Weren't you the one who told me that you met her only once, so how would you know all she's saying huh?"
" I also said that she's pretty cool and doesn't look or act, like the usual snobby plastic rich wife." She responds, stepping aside and into my view.
Emotion is in her eyes when she looks at me.
" Boo- hoo no one cares, just let me do what I'm good at and you sit back and keep guard. I don't want anymore interruptions, or you know the consequences." She quickly nods, settling down on the couch.
" Now you!" He turns to me. "We are going to call your husband and you ask him for the safe."
" Safe?"
" Yes, now get up." I rise to my feet and walk over to the telephone again, glancing over my shoulder a few times.
" Hurry up, we don't- ."
" Haa!" A scream sounds behind us before there's a hard smack. I jerk around to see Jason's eyes big as saucers, surprise in them, right before he drops to the floor, revealing Riley, who holds a vase above her head.
The gun is out of hand, but on the floor.
None of us move for a while, both of us looking at each other.
The vase drops from her hand, smashing into pieces on the floor, knocking us back to our senses.
Oh gosh, there's an unconscious guy on the floor and Riley, who I'm still not sure if I should trust ,is standing just a few feet away.
I watch her eyes begin to moisten, emotion breaking out on her face. She takes a step forward but I take one back.
" I'm so sorry. Kea, it wasn't- ."
" Stand back Riley. Don't take another step!" Joe's authorative voice comes through, warning laced in his tone.
Riley tenses up, her eyes moving to Bella who's asleep in my arms.
" Bella." She whispers, tears streaming down her face.
" Listen to Joe, Riley."
" But what about my baby?" My heart clenches at her whimpers.
" Nothing will happen to Bella, I'll have your aunt fetch her while you go to the police station to give a statement."
" You have to believe me, I didn't - ."
" Riley, step back." Joe demands and this time she does listen, moving back to give us space so I can also move away from an unconscious Jason.
Joe comes over to me, still keeping an eye on Riley.
" Are you okay?" I nod.
" I'm fine." He walks over to Jason, pressing his fingers against his neck and telling us that he's still breathing. He rises up, walking over to us .
" You should get out, They are parked close and I'm pretty sure he must be going out of his mind right now."
" Yeah."
" He almost took my place but I stopped him, go. Look, we've already contacted the police and Mrs Davies." I nod, already heading for the door.
" Kea, I- ." A loud bang shocks me out of my skin and back again, my eyes grow wide, but not as big as Riley's, who wears a look of shock.
That's when I see it, there's a wound on her right shoulder.
Another bang sounds, and this time Bella is wailing, terrified out of her mind. Riley drops onto the floor with a thump and tears, flow down my cheeks out of shock.
" Kea go." My head snaps to Joe, who's kneeling beside a shot Jason. He was just shot on the chest." He's barely hanging on."
Multiple footsteps thud outside the house till they enter into the house." Kea!"
Oh my gosh, the voice I'd been longing to hear.
I whip around to see Keith rushing over to me, while Alex rushes over to attend to Riley. The minute I'm pulled into his arms, I feel safe and I just want to stay there forever.
" Come on." He guides both me and a now whimpering Bella to the kitchen.
" I'm sorry baby." I coo, trying to calm her down.
I'm too in shock to do or say anything.
Everything after the arrival of the police happens in a blur. I don't know when Riley and Jason were taken to the hospital. Mrs Davies came over to fetch the baby and I had to give a statement. It's like things were moving but I was stuck in the same position the whole time.
I just hope Riley is okay. I know that she wanted to say something and didn't really get the chance to. I just hope she's okay.
So many questions yet no answer, I'm just tired.
" Baby." Something soft touches my shoulder and I flinch back in reaction.
His scent wakes me from whatever trance I just was in. I turn to look at Keith, who already has his eyes set on me, as he lays on his side.
" Have you heard anything about Riley?" I ask.
" The bullet just grazed her shoulder, she's resting now. She's going to be okay." I nod.
" And Bella and Mrs Davies?"
" A bit shaken up. Bella is with a relative while Mrs Davies watches over Riley. " I nod again, staring up at the ceiling.
His fingers brush hair away from my face, making me sigh.
"Baby talk to me." He pleads softly.
Earlier events replay in mind, causing my eyes to moisten and tears to run down my face.
"I'm sorry." I murmur.
" Kea." I'm pulled into his chest and that's when I start to really cry.
" I'm sorry." I repeat.
" What are you sorry for?" He asks above my head.
" I don't know but I am." I sob, burying my face in his shirt, while my hands clenches it.
" Don't be. I'm so relieved and happy that you're safe, mad that you had to go through this but overjoyed to have you in my arms." He tightens his hold around me.
I can't even speak but just listen to him talk.
" You know what, we're leaving tomorrow." He suddenly says.
I don't say anything, but cry myself to sleep.