Page 32 of Flame

"He looks just like me, and he's perfect. He's the sign you need, Star, to know we're meant to be.

I love you, my Firefly."

I hang up, taking a deep breath before looking at the time. I'm going to check this place out for some food and clothes, and then I have a plan to make.

It's time for a plan to bring my family home.

Chapter 16

Star – Age 21 – Two Months Later, Present Day

I sigh before wiping the last table and taking the dishes to the back. I'm the only one at the café closing up. I'm so tired. Theo has started teething, so he wakes up a lot, and trying to watch Hairy with Zayne in town has not been easy.

I never thought I'd see the day when Zayne puts the club second.

He has Theo most days when I'm working or picking him up from nursery when he has to speak to his dad about the road maps for the club, and today was one of those days. I took my boy, who is now crawling, to the nursery; Zayne should have already picked him up. I haven't said two words to Zayne in two months. He still leaves me messages, one truth a day, but I will not cave. I don't care if he was the one servicing my old Jeep all these years or the one paying for my art supplies instead of an investor, and I certainly don't care how he looks holding our son; he hurt me and he deserves to be punished, plus the trust isn't there anymore. Don't get me wrong, I trust him with our son and, most likely, with my life. I just don't trust him with my damn heart.

Why can't I just hate him? It would make things so much simpler!

After switching off all the equipment in the café, I leave out of the backdoor, locking up, before rushing to my car, fully awarethat Hairy has been watching me. According to Zayne in one of his rambles trying to fill the quiet, Hairy has been following me everywhere, but what he doesn't know is that I've been following him fully aware of his obsession with me, with the daughter of the man he has captured just a street over from my flat. I welcome the danger he thinks I'm in. I have my pistol and my knife. If Hairy comes within two feet of me, then I won't hesitate.

I climb into my car and sigh. I want to go to the abandoned house that Hairy has my dad in, but I can't without backup. I finally caught a sighting of him last week, which means it's time to raid the place. Plus, I've been waiting for a day when Hairy will be there, and it's time to speak to the club for help.

Finally.

I start the car and smile as I drive away from the café. Zayne will be happy because I'm finally about to speak to him.

I get home within ten minutes before rushing inside. I climb the stairs to the second floor before heading to my cream door, which I think must have been white at some point. I unlock it before heading inside, shutting the door behind me while I throw my keys in the bowl on the stand to my right. I can't wait to see my baby. I've missed him, and I must admit, I'm a lot more relaxed knowing he's with his daddy.

I guess Zayne's being around hasn't been all bad.

I start my trek into my small living room smiling when I see a sleeping Theo in his car seat about to walk over to him when a hand comes into my vision holding a glass of wine. I give Zayne a small smile before taking a large gulp, sighing after a busy day. It's become my routine to have one glass a night. I take another look to see my boy when I suddenly feel tired, and I look at Zayne with a furrowed brow. He gives me a small smile, guilt-lacing his raspy voice.

"I'm sorry, my love, but I can't live without you anymore. Time to go home."

That son of a... my thoughts disappear as my world goes back.

I feel sick, and my head feels fuzzy. I blink my eyes and see we're in the car. I groan, making Zayne quickly pull over on the side of the road. It looks like we're about an hour out of town, and everything comes straight back to me, the selfish... "Shit, Firefly," he rasps, stopping my thoughts before opening the passenger door. I see Theo in his car seat in the front, and I get out, my head dizzy but not dizzy enough not to remember the idiot who drugged me. Anger overrides me as he comes into view.

"YOU MOTHER FUCKER, YOU DRUGGED ME!"

He winces, knowing I hate cursing, and I screech before trying to rush around the car to my boy, getting the hell away from him. He rushes after me, and I turn around, swinging a right hook and hitting his nose. "FUCK!" he shouts before I knee him in the balls, making him bend a little, coughing, and I quickly rush to the driver's side of the car, intending to leave his ass here. When his hand appears around me, a cloth is placed over my mouth and nose. I struggle before a needle is jabbed into my neck, and I start to see black, hearing Zayne apologize over and over in the background as he catches me from falling.

Mother….my world goes black.

I wake up to voices,

"Better. Her guilt has dimmed in her eyes, and she's finally gone back to work. Doc's been with her every day, which has helped her anxiety."

Hmm, that sounds like Slicer.

"That's good, brother; that's really fucking good." I start to feel sick, and I groan, catching Zayne's attention. "Fuck, she's waking up."

Slicer chuckles. "I'm guessing you only gave her a little sedative?"

Zayne clears his throat while I drop my head into my hand. I'm going to kill him. "Nah brother, I uh, I’m driving back in her car towing my bike behind us, which is why I won't be back until tomorrow. That's the second sedative I gave her after she woke up screaming at me and tried to run, which was after she kneed me in the balls and gave me a bloody nose. Tell me again why we taught her to defend herself."

Slicer bursts out in laughter while I growl, "I'm go-going to-to kill you, Flame!"

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