Ever since we came back from the hospital and found out I was pregnant, Atticus has spoiled me silly with gifts and attention. He would not let me do anything even as simple as walking just like what he was doing now.
“Babe, put me down.” I laughed so hard when he leaned to bite my neck softly “I can walk to the dining table, you can’t keep carrying me everywhere” My hands were wrapped tightly around his neck as he made his way down the stairs.
I knew he wasn’t going to drop me but I held on tight out of instinct. I could see the amusement in Nathan and Justin’s eyes as we descended.
“You’ll fall if I let you walk down the stairs on your own” He insisted and I burst out laughing at the silly excuse he was giving.
“I’m sure I’ve been going up and down these stairs on my own and I am yet to fall” I mused but he had none of it.
“Accidents happen and I won’t wait till they do” He finally descended the last stairs and walked to the dining table where Nathan was already holding out my chair for me.
“Thank you Nate” I told him with a smile which he returned before leaving the room. I turned to my husband with a fake angry look on my face “I go up and down those stairs when you aren’t at home” I deadpanned.
“That’s when I am not at home, when I’m home, you have to deal with me carrying you everywhere” This man was so stubborn and I felt like hitting him so hard he would feel it for days.
“You are so fucking stubborn it’s annoying. I hope our baby doesn’t turn out to be like you”
“Well too bad you are stuck with me forever and our baby will have some of my attributes”
“Just not your stubborn and annoying streak. Keep those away from my baby and we won’t have any problems”
“Yes ma” He threw me a mock salute making me roll my eyes. We watched as Lorenzo placed the meal on the table before retreating to the kitchen.
“What are your plans for the day?” Atticus asked me as we began eating.
“Nothing all thanks to you. Everyone is busy and I should be too but you won’t let me go to work today” Atticus insisted that I stay home today since I have been going to work all week but he chose the wrong day.
All my friends were working today as well which meant I had no one to hang out with. I pleaded with him this morning to let me go in today and I promised to stay at home for two days since Jennie would be around to hang out with me but he refused saying he didn’t feel
right about me leaving the house today.
“I’ll be back on time to keep you company, I promise” He stood up and kissed me before heading out.
I pushed my plate aside, no longer feeling like eating. I walked out of the kitchen and was about to climb the stairs when I was suddenly craving cookies from the bakery Danielle gets for me. It was about a ten-minute drive or less from the house.
I looked around and saw Justin was nowhere in sight before snatching the car keys hanging on the wall and dashing out of the house before anybody, especially Justin, would see me because if he did, he would insist on getting it himself which I didn’t want because I needed to get fresh air.
When I successfully reached the parking garage I squealed in pride. I can’t believe I was able to escape Justin. I started making my way over to my car when I noticed eyes on me and it made me freeze.
I halted my steps to look around the parking lot but it was empty. The place was very large so there was no way to tell if someone was hiding somewhere, watching me.
I know I should have turned back and headed back into the building but because I had been living with Atticus for so long now, I inherited some of his stubborn streak so I cautiously hurried across the parking lot over to my car.
I whined in protest when I saw the car keys I had picked without paying proper attention. It was a Kia car that we barely used so it was packed further away from the building which meant I had to walk longer.
I was almost in the car when I heard footsteps behind me. I wanted to ignore it as another resident but I decided to look back and that was when I saw a strange man walking towards me.
The vibe coming from him didn’t feel right and it didn’t help that he was covered in the cliche all-black and was also wearing a black ball cap and a nose mask. He was walking towards me like he had an intention and that made me hurry as fast as I could to my car.
I’ve watched so many documentaries so I should have known better than to look back at him and instead pay attention to where I was headed. I made the mistake of looking back and when I saw the man so close and reaching out his hand to catch me, I stumbled and lost my footing making me plant face flat on the floor.
Instinctively, I placed my hand in front of my belly to protect it as I fell. Pain shot up my ankle and I groaned as the pain shot up my legs disarming me temporarily. I forgot for a minute that I was supposed to be running and that was all the time the man needed to grab me.
“Got you” was all the warning I got before I was yanked by my hands up and turned to face the unknown man. His eyes were scary up close but I recognized him.
“You’re the man from across the street” I Whispered in fear as my legs froze at the recognition that I was in batshit danger.
“Told you she was going to recognize you” Another voice spoke from behind me making me turn in shock at how I failed to see that there were two of them. Just like the man holding me, this one was also dressed in the exact attire.
“That’s not important. We need to get out of here before her bodyguards notice she is missing” The man replied and I began to struggle against his tight grip.
“You better stop struggling so much, I don’t want to hurt you so just shut up and come with us”
“Please leave me alone, who are you and what do you want from me” I kept twisting my hands so that they would come free but it was useless because his grip was too strong.
“The only way you can help yourself is if you keep quiet. You don’t want to get hurt, do you?” The cold tip of the gun that was pressed into my back was enough to make me keep quiet but now I had broken into cold sweats.
The terror that gripped me was like none I had ever experienced. I knew better than to scream if I didn’t want that gun close to my child. With my shaky hands, I hugged myself in my lower abdomen.
“Move" The man with the gun instructed and the one holding me pushed me forward so I could start walking. I let him guide me to a black car that was parked in a hidden part of the lot. The screens were dark so no one outside could see inside.
“Please don’t do this. I’ll pay you twice as much. Five times more if you let me go” I cried when I saw the one with the gun unlock the car door.
“Sorry lady. We feel bad for you but we’ve been instructed to bring you in and our client is a crazy person you don’t want to anger”
“Hazel!!!” Someone shouted from across the elevator and I recognized the voice as Justin.
The men looked at each other in panic and the other one tried to make me get into the car forcefully but I resisted and tried to escape.
They caught me before I could even move. The man holding me wanted to say something but my name rang across the parking lot again.
"Miss Hazel!" This time it was Lily and they were closer than before so I wanted to take a risk and shout that I was there but before I could reply, something struck me hard at the back of my head and everything went black.