“COLEE!”
I jump awake and sit upright, panting into the darkness. I reach over and turn the night lamp on, blinking till my eyes adjust to the light. I look back when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and close my eyes, biting my lip.
“You okay, baby?” I heave a sigh and turn my head to look at my beautiful wife blinking up at me sleepily. I pull her into my arms and hug her tight.
I sigh, closing my eyes while I inhale her scent. “Thank god. I just had a horrendous nightmare that you and Alaia were kidnapped, and you were crying, pleading for me to save you.” I exhale, and Shayla pulls back a little, looking at me with those gorgeous green eyes of hers.
“It was just a dream, baby,” Shayla assures me, her hand stroking my face lovingly. “I’m right here, and look—our daughter is asleep in her bed.” She says, looking over at Alaia, who was indeed peacefully asleep in her crib beside her. I take her face into my hands and kiss her again and again.
“Th
That's all it’s been, but to me, it feels like four years. This house is too quiet without them, the silence is deafening, and I feel like I’m drowning slowly. My phone suddenly rings, and I jump and snatch it off the coffee table—an unknown number. I press the green button and answer it hurriedly, my heart pounding. “Hello?”“Good Morning Mr Hoult. I’m calling from the Chatham police station.” My heart rate accelerates. Oh, God. “We need you to come down to the station immediately. We found a baby, and we believe it may be your daughter.” The man on the other end says, and I feel a flood of relief wash over me.“Are you sure?” I ask, my voice barely an octave over a whisper.“Yes, sir, there's a note here to call you. If you could make your way down to the station, and you can identify the baby.”I stand up and nod, “Oh my God, I’ll be right there.” I grab my keys and run out the door. I stop when I see photographers at the gate. They start shouting and
I carry Alaia to the car and strap her into the passenger seat beside me. I kiss her hand a couple of times and close the door. I get into the car and sit there, staring ahead. I bite my lip hard, and in a rage, I punch the steering wheel a couple of times; choking on a sob, I press my head to the wheel and cry forlornly. God, please protect her, please bring her back to us safely. I don’t want anything else. Just get her back to me.Once I pull myself together, I drive back home. Alaia asleep in the car seat beside me. I sigh when I see the photographers were still camped out outside the house. The police officers usher them out of the way as the gate opens, and they snap photo after photo of me as I pull Alaia out of the car.“Tristan, is there any news on Shayla?!”“Tristan, where did they find Alaia? Where is Shayla?! Is it true that she’s been killed?!”“Get them out of here!” I shout angrily at the officers, who nod and start ushering them away from
“Cole.” I lift my gaze and look at a teary-eyed Josh and shake my head from my position on the floor. We were at the mortuary, and I had to go in and identify the body. As soon as I see a body on that table, covered with a white cloth, my back hit the wall, and I slid to the floor with my head in my hands.“I can't do it.” I sob uncontrollably, shaking my head. “That can’t be her lying there, Josh. it can't be!” I cry, covering my face with my hand as I weep. “I don’t want to remember her like that. I can’t do it.” If I see her lying there, lifeless and cold, that’s how I’ll remember her. That image will haunt me forever.“Cole, you have to. I know it’s hard, but she’s suffered enough. Let’s do this so we can put her to rest if it is her.”His words wrecked me. Put her to rest. I don’t want to put her to rest. I want her to wake up, so I can take her home with me, back to our baby girl who misses her terribly, back to her family who needs her.“I can’t, J
“What is it?” He asks quickly, and I push the door open and run across the street toward the church. I push the door open and walk inside. I’m not a religious man, but she was, and if anyone was going to help her right now, it was God himself. I walk down the aisle toward the prayer desk and look up at the statue of Jesus Christ staring down at me. I fall to my knees, lace my fingers together, and close my eyes.“God, I wasn’t raised to believe in anyone other than myself. I know, I probably have no right being here and asking you of anything, having no faith— but my wife has always had faith, and she prays and is a good person. I'm desperate, and you're the only one I can turn to for help and guidance right now. I’m begging you. Please help Shayla, please keep her safe and give her the strength to keep on fighting and find her way home to me and our baby girl. I’ll do anything. I'll come to church every Sunday. I’ll donate more money and time to those in need. I'll give up e
“Oh, sweetie, she will be,” Sophie assures me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “It’s going to be okay. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask. I’m here for you always.” I sigh, closing my eyes, and wrap an arm around her waist. I open my eyes and turn my head when a familiar smell hits my senses. I know that smell. That floral...perfume. The scent on Alaia. I pull back from the hug and look at her for a long moment. No, Cole, stop being stupid. Sophie would never do something this crazy. I blink and clear my throat.“I’m going to use the bathroom. Why don’t you grab yourself a drink? I’ll be back in a second.” I tell her, and she nods, smiling a little. I watch her as she walks over to the fridge as I walk out of the kitchen. “Josh,” I call out, and he looks at me from the sofa. I gesture for him to follow me, and he gets up, following me as I run up the stairs to the bedroom.“What’s wrong?” Josh asks, watching me as I rummage through Alaia’s laundry basket
*Content warning*This chapter contains sensitive content (abuse/assault) that some may find triggering or upsetting. It's not graphic, but I advise you to skip this chapter or read it at your own risk.“I’m going to ask you one more time.” Detective Scott sighs tiredly. “Where is Shayla Hoult?” I watch behind the glass as Sophie rolls her eyes and shrugs her shoulder.“I don’t know. How many times do I have to keep repeating myself? I don’t have anything to do with her kidnapping. Those people are all crazy, and they’ve poisoned Tristan against me. If anyone should be arrested, it’s him. He was trying to kill me. They all were!” She shrieks, sitting forward in her seat. “I’m going to press charges on every one of them.” She mutters, touching her swollen lip.“Miss Turner, I don’t think you’ve quite comprehended the gravity of the allegations and charges you’re facing here. You had an innocent woman and her baby kidnapped and helped captive.
“Get the fuck off me. I have to go to her.” I hiss, trying to break free, but he holds me tight. I stop when I see the two men being brought out in cuffs. Josh lets go of me, and I race over to them. “Stop!” I shout and look at the men that held my wife captive. They were tall, built, covered in tattoos and scars. The taller one looked me in the eyes, and a slow dark smirk appeared on his face. “You son of a bitch!” I punch him so hard across the face, I felt his jaw crunch and dislocate. He turns his dark gaze to me and winks before they haul them into the van. I push aside my anger and run into the house, followed by Josh. I look around and almost threw up. The place was disgusting, and there was a putrid smell. I push through the police officers to the back of the house.“Get me something to cut these! And get the paramedics in here now!” I hear Detective Scott's voice shout, and I push through the officers and run into the room and stop. I saw her bloodied feet first, and
“I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I’m a huge fan of both you and your wife. I used to see your pictures in the papers or social media all the time and always wish to find someone to look at me the way you’d look at each other. I could just feel the love through the screen of my phone.” She states with a smile, and then her face falls when she looks at Shayla. “Then I read about her being abducted and now seeing her like this...”I look at her, frown and, sit up straight. “Please don’t say anything to anyone about what she’s suffered. I don't want the papers to find out about what she’s gone through and have it all over the internet. It would destroy her even more.”Her brown eyes go wide, and she looks at me, surprised. “Oh, no, I would never. I’d have to be completely heartless to do such a thing. I’ve always idolized her and hoped I’d meet her one day, but I obviously didn’t ever dream it would be like this.” She replies woefully and shakes her head.“I wo