Page 84 of Allison

“I don’t think she is,” Tex argues. “She’s asked several questions on a single mother’s support group.”

“What kind of questions?” He asks, not knowing if he wants the answers or not, but can’t stop himself from asking.

“She has asked for advice on how to tell the father when he doesn’t want to be one, and how to co-parent when you aren’t in a relationship with the father.” Worm closes his eyes. He has just taken a direct hit to his heart. He made her feel like he wouldn’t want her, wouldn’t want their child.

Worm knows he has to make this up to her, to find a way to get her to forgive him, to show her how much he cares for her. This isn’t just about their baby, but about him and her, too. He loves her and he needs her to know just how much. Baby or no baby, Allison is his. The fact she’s carrying his child? That just makes it even better. Now if he can only get her back safely.

He moves up to peer out the windshield at the limo speeding down the highway. Allison turns in her seat, looking right at him. The fear and uncertainty he sees in her eyes guts him. He speaks to her hoping she can read his lips. He gives her as much reassurance as he can when she confirms she can understand him. Her response to him boosts his resolve to have her back in his arms, safely.

“I have them in sight,” Wallace announces, pulling Worm back into the present. “How do you want to play this?” Wallace glances at Hawk, then Worm. “We could use all three vehicles and try forcing them off the road?”

“No! You could hurt Allison!” Worm exclaims. “You can’t risk it with her in the car.”

“Then what do you propose we do?” Wallace asks, clearly frustrated at Worm’s change, from ‘let’s get those fuckers’ to ‘we need to wait’ attitude. “Why the sudden change? You just told Virus and Bull to take them out?”

“Allison is carrying my child. We can’t put their lives in danger.” Emma gasps, staring at Worm with wide, disbelieving eyes. Silence reigns. No one knows what to say to that.

52

ALLISON

The silence in the limo is deafening. Allison’s ears are ringing and she wonders if she’s about to pass out again. She sucks in a deep breath, realizing she’s been holding her breath in the aftermath of Bruno’s threat. The men continue to stare at one another without uttering a word.

A car horn blares along with the squealing of tires in the opposite lanes. “Uh, boss?” The driver of the limo speaks up as he lowers the divide between him and the back. “I think we have company.” Bruno, Senator Claymore, and Allison all turn at the same time to look behind them. A large black SUV is fishtailing across the grassy divide between the lanes of the interstate.

Disbelief and hope flare in Allison’s chest. Russell is coming for her. He knows where she’s at! A frown forms on her face, but how? Her hand rises up to finger the sapphire hanging around her neck. Ever since, he gave it to her. Allison has found comfort in the necklace Russell had placed on her in Denver. When she concentrates really hard, she can almost feel his lips on the skin of her neck where he’d kissed her after clasping it into place.

The necklace! Maybe the earrings, too! Allison remembers Emma saying that after her abduction by the man who’d raped her, Curtis had given her jewelry to wear that contained a GPS tracker, so if she should ever go missing again, he’d be able to find her.

Ordinarily, Allison would be pissed to know Russell had basically chipped her like a pet, but right now? She could kiss him for his insight and thoughtfulness. He might have pushed her away, denied what they shared by his words and actions, but he’d been lying to her and likely himself. He wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of getting her something so expensive, so personal if he didn’t care for her.

“Damn!” Bruno exclaims next to her. “Another vehicle has joined the first. Get us out of here!” The driver glances back with a nod, then presses down on the gas. Allison is pressed into her seat as the vehicle speeds up, but the limo is no match for the SUVs that have come up on either side of them. Allison looks back again noticing a third SUV is behind them. She narrows her eyes, noting Curtis is driving with Hawk in the passenger seat. She’s about to turn her attention to see if Russell is in one of the other two vehicles flanking them, when she sees him lean up between Hawk and Curtis.

Their eyes lock. The look of determination and devotion she sees in his eyes takes her breath away. How can he look at her that way, do all the things he’s done to keep her safe, but not want to have more with her? She can’t understand it, but in this moment, she isn’t worried about their relationship or non-relationship. She just needs him to be her savior.

“Boss we are about to be jammed up in traffic,” the driver informs them. “How do you want me to play it?”

“I said, get us out of here!” Bruno yells. “I don’t care what you have to do. Just make it happen!”

“We can’t be caught with the woman!” Claymore chimes in. “It would be a career ender for me!” Bruno ignores him, focusing on the vehicles that are keeping pace with them, even at the high rate of speed and increasing traffic. The limo swerves to the right, going onto the shoulder of the road, to go around slower moving cars.

Allison winces when the SUV on their right drops off into the grass along the highway bouncing roughly. Fear for Russell and his teammates fills her. These men are insane and have way too much to lose to allow themselves to be caught.

She looks back at Russell. His eyes are still on her even when their vehicles weave around other cars. Her mouth drops open when Russell mouths, “Sugar, can you understand me?” Allison nods. “I’m coming, sugar. Just hang on for me and trust me.” Allison nods to let him know she understands. He gives her a weak smile in return. Without overthinking it, Allison mouths back, “I love you, Russell. I’ll be waiting.” If she’s going to die today. She needs him to know how she feels.

Russell’s mouth drops open in a huge ‘O’ before snapping shut with a firm nod. She thought she’d seen determination on his face before? She hadn’t seen anything. His expression becomes so intense, she can feel the weight of it despite them being so far apart.

Russell turns slightly speaking to Wallace, but never takes his eyes off her. She can’t read his lips from this angle. Russell’s SUV and the vehicles flanking the limo suddenly slow, letting the limo pull away from them.What’s happening? Why aren’t they forcing the limo off the road or making them stop?

Allison shakes the fear and disappointment away. He’d asked her to trust him and despite how much he has hurt her; she does trust him. She knows he is doing what he thinks is best to get her free as quickly and safely as possible. Claymore and Bruno are arguing back and forth about the best options to get away.Please Russell, hurry!

Worm

“Allison is pregnant?”Emma questions, having recovered from the shock. She looks at Worm, then to Charlotte, who drops her eyes, biting her lip. “Charlotte!”

“I can’t confirm or deny,” Charlotte answers softly, looking up at Worm and Emma with a pleading look. “Don’t give me that look, Emma, you know this!”

“I do, but…” Emma sighs heavily. “It doesn’t matter right now. Getting her back safely is most important.”

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