The Law of Motion (Law Series) (31 page)

             
“
Tia
..." he almost squealed, but I placed a finger to his lips and pointed to Kris.

             
He nodded quietly, reaching for me and I pulled him down into my lap, wrapping myself around him. He hugged me just as tightly as I was hugging him, and I reveled in the feel, the smell of him. I wanted to talk to him, make sure he was okay, so with one more look Kris's way, I scooped him up and carried him in the bathroom, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet with him firmly in my lap.

             
"Hey handsome," I whispered, unable to stop my tears. "You have to be quiet, okay?"

             
He nodded, planting kisses to my face, his little face beaming. He reached up to wipe away my tears, giving me another kiss to my cheek.

             
"I missed you
Tia
, but I knew you’d come. I want to go
home
," he requested quietly, but sweetly.

             
"Oh,
Juanito
," I groaned, holding him closer and allowing more tears to fall. "We missed you so very much!" I cupped his face, kissing his forehead, his nose, and finally, his adorably puckered lips. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

             
"No, Tia," he whispered back. "but they aren't very nice...except Kris."

             
"That one?" I verified, pointing back towards the room. Little did he know, it was the little boy’s words that was going to determined who died, survived, and would wish for death.

             
"Yeah," he answered with a nod, and I was proud he  could stay quiet. "Kris gives us doughnuts for breakfast and keeps the mean man away. Myles hates us."

             
"What does Myles do, baby?"

             
"Yells, calls us names, takes away our food if we make him mad," he rambled, playing with my hair, probably trying to make sure I was real.

             
"What about Zoe?"

             
"The lady?" he asked, and I nodded. "She doesn't like us, either, but she stays in the other room."

             
I snorted, shaking my head. "But no one has hit you, touched you?" I asked him, and it was the most important question I needed answered.

             
"No," he huffed, shaking his head. "I told them not to."

             
"Good, handsome. Really good," I sighed in relief, kissing his forehead again and trying not to squeeze him too tightly.

             
I jumped when a slamming sound came from my left, and I looked up at the window.

             
"It's just the loose window,
Tia
," He soothed, pointing to the window. "It bangs when the wind blows."

             
"Really?" I asked, setting him on his feet and climbing into the tub.

             
I pulled the screen away, setting it by my feet, and pushed open the window. It was only a few feet to a planter below, and then down to the ground. I studied the thing, thinking I would never fit, but Juan and Cedrick could. But I wasn't sure just how brave my godson could be and for how much longer.

             
I took a deep breath, stepping out of the tub and kneeling before him. "I need you to be so brave for me," I said, my voice catching, because despite how much I wanted him with me, I needed him to get away. I needed him safe and back with his parents.

             
"Okay, Tia," he whispered, his little brow furrowing as he tilted his head at me.

             
"Stay here, and don't move," I ordered him. He sat down on the edge of the tub as I backed away.

             
I snuck back into the room, thankful that apparently, Kris was the deepest of sleepers. I grabbed Mr. Bear and the clothes that I'd thought to bring. I took a pen and a piece of paper, jotting down a quick note, and tucked everything under my arm, kneeling beside Cedrick, who had rolled to the edge of the bed in Juan's absence. With soft caresses to his face, deep, dark brown eyes opened up to me.

             
"Shh," I told him, smirking at his little smile and bending to his ear. "Bathroom, go," I whispered.

             
He clambered off of the bed and tiptoed into the bathroom, with me following behind him.

             
"I
told
you they'd come," Juan whispered, and I couldn't help but snicker at the little guy.

             
I set the clothes on the lid of the toilet, picking up two little sweatshirts. "Arms up, both of you," I told them, tugging the sweatshirts over their heads. It was freezing outside, so I tucked their heads in the hoods as well.

             
The last thing I did was pick up Mr. Bear, feeling around in his ear. With a firm click, I activated the GPS tracker. A small, red, LED light glowed dimly through the material.

             
"Juan, look at me. You're going to get Uncle Adrian, okay? But I need you to do
exactly
what I tell you." I waited until he nodded before I continued. "I'm going to lower you both down outside. You take Mr. Bear, Cedrick's hand, and
don't
let go of either, understand me?"

             
"Yes,
Tia
," he sniffled, because he'd just realized what was happening. "Come wif us," he urged, big tears filling his eyes.

             
"I can't fit," I told him. "you have to go help Uncle Adrian, okay? He needs you to help come get me."

             
He nodded solemnly, but looked up at the window and back at me.

             
"Once you're outside, I need you to run,” I told him. "Can you both do that for me?"

             
"Yeah," they both said, nodding slowly.

             
"You hold Mr. Bear, hold each other's hand, and run. Got me?" I verified, before standing up. “Do you have your inhaler?” I double checked.

             
“Kris gave it to me.” He promised pulling it out of his pocket.

             
"Where do we run to?" Cedrick whispered, wide eyed and scared.

             
"Doesn't matter. Just run. If one of these people follows you, I want you to hide," I told them, stepping into the tub. I reached for Cedrick. "Be brave, and Mr. Adrian will get you home to your Mom, okay?" I asked him, and he nodded. "Okay, stiff legs, and I'm going to shoot you out the window. Hold my hands."

             
I held him tight until he was just mere inches from the planter, and then I let him drop. He wobbled a bit, but held steady, looking up at me.

             
After telling him to stay there, I scooped Juan up, who was now full on crying.

             
"I wanna stay wif you," he sniffled, gripping my shirt in two tight fists.

             
"Shh, baby," I soothed him, rocking him a bit. "I really need you to be brave, handsome. Please?" I begged, wiping his tears away. "Mr. Bear will help you find Adrian and your Mommies, okay? So don't let go of him, and don't lose Cedrick." I kissed his cheek, wiping at more tears. "You have to do this for me. Now...tell me," I urged softly, trying not to cry with him.

             
"D-Don't l-lose Mr. Bear, h-hold Cedrick's hand. R-Run. Hide if s-someone ch-chases us," he rattled off to me perfectly, still sniffling. Finally, he whispered, "Go find Uncle Adrian."

             
I knew that the second I'd activated Mr. Bear's GPS, Tink was on it. I also knew that Liam would never have taken everyone back to D.C.; he would have left someone close. And if I knew my him and my guy, it was Adrian out there waiting.

             
I took the note I'd written and tucked it into Juan's hoodie pocket, whispering, "For Adrian, okay?" I asked him.

             
"A love note,
Tia
?" he snickered softly.

             
"Yup," I said with a grin. "Make sure he gets it. Now..."

             
"I love you, and be safe," he sang in a whisper.

             
"You, too,
Juanito
," I sighed, kissing him one last time, before easing him out the window. I poked my head out and pointed to my right. "Love you. Go!" I hissed.

             
Once the boys were out of sight, disappearing into the darkness, I pulled myself back in and replaced the screen in the window. I stepped out of the tub, gasping when I realized Kris was leaning in the doorway.

             
"They gone?" he asked, but I didn't answer him. "
Seriously
, did you get them the fuck out of here?"

             
I nodded, unsure of what he'd do. Juan had said he was nice, and he did save Juan’s life, but still, I was in his captivity, and I could see the gun in his waistband. My gun.

             
"Come here," he sighed, holding up the handcuffs. "We gotta make this shit look good," he whispered, grabbing my wrist. "I never understood why they wanted those kids," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Their fucking nuts.”

             
He put the cuffs around my wrists, but I noticed that he'd left them fairly loose.

             
I smirked up at him. "You're done with their shit," I guessed.

             
"Like
weeks
ago," he snorted. "but I have to protect my Mom... These pieces of shit aren't exactly trustworthy. I have a job to do, and as soon as soon as I repay my debt Myles and Terry will leave my mom and sister alone.”

             
And with that his involvement made sense, he was just as much prisoner as I was in a way. "Okay," he sighed, looking like a huge weight was lifted from him. "Now...let's make this shit look like you tried to get away. As soon as we do this, they'll move you to the mountain cabin. They'll try to find those boys first, but we have to send them on a wild goose chase, because you're really who they wanted. Ready?" He smirked, giving me a wink, and I nodded, liking him instantly. "Okay...hit me!"

             
I spaced.

             
"Hit me!" Kris said again. His grin was infectious.

             
I huffed an incredulous laugh, shaking my head, and brought both my hands up. "Are you sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

             
"Yes, hurry!" he hissed, looking back into the room, and then back to me. "Make it good, and then we're going to pretend I caught you outside, okay?"

             
I gave him a warning with my eyes before swinging on him. I made sure to clip the spot by his brow, causing the skin to split and bleed.

             
"Shit," he hissed, doubling over. For a moment I froze, thinking I’d hurt him too much, and that wasn’t even full force. When he stood back up, he looked in the bathroom's mirror and fucking grinned. "Perfect. Let's go."

             
He grabbed my wrist and tugged me out behind him, quietly opening the motel room door that led out to the parking lot. He urged me to the end of the property, and then turned me around. My bare feet slapped the pavement, and that was the only sound that could be heard in the darkness.

             
"Now, fight me...and be loud about it," he snorted.

             
I stopped him, just for a moment. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" I asked him, and surprisingly, he met my gaze.

             
"Adults can fuck with each other all they want, but it pissed me the fuck off when David, Terry, and Myles showed up with two babies," he grunted, rolling his eyes. "I have a little sister. That shit would not be cool if it was her, you know?"

             
"I get it. Juan said you were nice to him." I told him.

             
He smiled, fondly, I noted, and said, "He's something else. Brave little thing. Wouldn't let no one touch him without permission, and even then, it was limite
d

picking him up, putting him in a car. Kept reminding me not to talk with my mouth full," he chuckled. "The other one was scared to death. That shit wasn't right." He paused and sighed. "Besides, I hate Zoe...David...and Myles...fuck that. Terry is just an asshole. I'd let you go, but I can’t risk my mom and sister. Without me there, they have no protection.”

             
I studied his face for a split second, and then nodded. I knew that I could escape cuffed or not with just him, but I wouldn’t risk is family after he already risked them to help me get mine back. "Okay...let's do this."