Captured

“Earthquake!”

Still screaming I shot awake, ramming my head into something hard.

“Ow! Matty! What’d you do that for?”

Blinking the sleep from my eyes I stare at Maria, who was now rubbing her forehead.

“Maria, hurry! There’s an earthquake-”

“There is no such thing!”

I frowned, “Then why was I shaking?”

“Maybe because I was trying to wake you?”

“By shaking me?”

“Well, when I was calling your name you didn’t answer.”

“Oh,” my shoulders slumped, “I thought there was an earthquake…”

“Apparently.”

My frown deepened as another thought grabbed my attention, “Why were you waking me?

“Because we need to leave,” Maria got up and walked to the door.

“Oh,” she turned back to me before she left, “Pack as fast as you can.”

~*~

“Why are we leaving?”

Kaden sighed once again, probably frustrated with all my questions, “Do you want to be here when your father comes?”

“No?”

“Then we have to leave.”

I followed him to the car, watching as he tossed my bag into the trunk, “But shouldn’t we finish this? Maybe arrest him? Something?”

“I will,” Kaden walked around the car and held the passenger door open for me, “But not until I get you and Maria to another safe house.”

I stopped halfway in the car, staring up at him, “Just me and Maria?”

He nodded and pushed his hand against my head, forcing me to duck into the car.

“Yes,” he muttered.

Then he slammed the door shut before I could ask anything else.

I glared at him through the windshield as he walked around the car, waiting to talk until after he got in the car.

“Why won’t you be there?”

“Because I’m the one who has to take him down. You buckled in, Maria?”

He look at the rearview mirror, making sure Maria was secure in the back seat before turning back to me, “Buckle up.”

I ignored his command, instead asking, “What do you mean you’re the one who has to ‘take him down’?”

Giving another frustrated sigh, Kaden reached over and yanked on the seatbelt, making sure it clicked into place before he turned the car on and shifted into drive.

“Kaden, what do you mean when you say you’re the ‘one who has to take him down’?” I repeated, my patience wearing thin.

“I’m the only one who can get close enough to kill him.”

I stared in silence as he pulled onto the street.

“Kill him?” I whispered.

Kaden remained silent, even Maria wasn’t saying anything.

“You mean my father, correct?”

The silence continues.

“Kaden.”

I waited until he glanced at me.

“Are you going to kill my father?”

The silence that followed was so thick I felt I was going to suffocate in it.

~*~

It took us over eight hours to get to the new safe house.

I don’t know where we are since I never really paid attention to where we were going.

I was too upset about what Kaden said.

Or, to be more specific, what he didn’t say.

“You shouldn’t have to stay here long, three days tops, but don’t try to contact anyone.”

I glanced over to Kaden as he retrieved our bags and walked into the house.

Guess I have to follow him in.

Stepping into line behind Maria I enter the large two story house.

It was an old Victorian style house, the hardwood floors lined with vintage rugs.

“Hey.”

I look up from my scrutiny of the rugs to see Kaden standing in front of me, “Yes?”

We locked eyes and I felt myself melt from the pain I saw.

“This is my old associate, Mark’s, house. He has safeguards in place so you will be safe here.”

He placed his hand against my cheek and slowly leaned in.

But when I thought he was going to kiss me he turned and instead placed his lips on my cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered

Then he just walked away and shut the door.