Page 24 of Wistful Whispers

“You have to work on your mean mama look,” he smirks and reaches for a little elephant. He found it two weeks ago when we were here last and I managed to get him away from it with the promise of sex, but I’m not sure that will work today given that the elephant seemed to have been his main mission.

“She needs to have him!” Slowly, he places the cuddly toy in the trolley, his eyes never leaving mine. He’s moving with the cautious, deliberate pace of someone trying to back away from a bear without provoking it.

“Promise me this is the last.”

“I promise…,” he raises is hand to swear, “…for today.”

“Jake!”

“Come on Hanny-bee, let’s head to the checkout before you buy more stuff,” he laughs. The cheek! I mean it when I tell him he shouldn’t spoil her, but I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t also filling me with so much happiness to see him so excited about the baby.

He keeps teasing me whilst we store the three bags full of stuff in the boot of his BMW.

“You laugh now but when she gets picked on by her friends because she’s a little Veruca Salt you won’t be laughing,” I sigh as I slide into the passenger seat.

“Veruca who?” Jake laughs as he buckles up and starts the car.

“Veruca Salt fromCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, have you never—"

“Don’t move,” a deep voice hisses from the backseat. Cool metal is pressed into my neck.

Jake and I are both frozen in our seat.

“Who are you?” Jake asks carefully. I turn my head and see that Jake is staring at the rearview mirror.

“Don’t turn around,” the man hisses at me.

“Don’t touch her!” Jake’s voice is threatening and doesn’t sound like him.

“Or what? You’re not in control here, arsehole. We’re going to go for a little drive now.”

“Why—” Jake tries to get more information out of him.

“Grant warned you,” the guy laughs coldly. Subconsciously I knew that this had to be because of Grant but hearing it out loud makes panic race through my body. I want to pull the door open and sprint away but I know I won’t get far, especially not with a gun, or what I assume to be a gun, pressed to my neck.

I can’t hold back the tears streaming over my cheeks. This can’t be the end for us. Please, not when we’d just found our happiness.

Chapter 11

Jake

My knuckles are whitefrom gripping the steering wheel. I can see the wanker in the rearview mirror, but with his gun trained on Hannah, I don’t dare turn around. He’s wearing a black balaclava leaving only his mossy green eyes visible.

He looks skinny and physically I could easily take him, but not as long as he has a weapon on us and he knows that. Hannah slowly reaches for her handbag but the guy sees her.

“Hey, hands up.” She freezes and lifts her hand. “Come back here—”

“No!” I interrupt him.

“Hey Jackie, let me remind you again that you have no say here! Girlfriend, move your fat arse back here.” My blood is boiling and I look at her helplessly. Her eyes meet mine and I see the fear. She releases her seatbelt slowly and reaches for the door.

Maybe she can run off and get herself to safety. Maybe this is a way for her to get out of this situation. I try my hardest to send her these thoughts telepathically even though I know that it won’t work. I will her to be brave and make a break for it.

“Don’t get out. Just climb back here,” he shouts before she can open the door. Hannah bites her lip nervously before placing her bag on the floor. She carefully climbs up onto the passenger seat so she can squeeze herself through the tiny gap.

The wanker slides behind me to make space for Hannah to take a seat next to him. As he does she places her hand on my chest and lets something drop into my lap. The panic button the police gave her!

“Hurry up!” he barks at her.

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