They’d been gonetoo long.Sixteen minutes.Her knee bounced.Anxiety sang a high-pitched tune in her head.Here she sat, waiting to be reunited with her son.If he was even alive.If Brick made it out of the building...
It was torture of the highest form.
She couldn’t take another minute.
Wouldn’t.
As she reached for the door handle, ready to bolt for the building, movement in her peripheral vision made her freeze.The blood rushed from her head to her toes.An audible gasp tore from her lips, followed by a choked cry.
Brick strode across the parking lot with a little boy in his arms.He was close to a hundred yards away, but she’d know those curls anywhere.The shape of his sweet head and little body.The way his arms curled close to his chest while he snuggled something.
My baby.
She shoved open the door of the SUV and stumbled onto the garage floor.After she clambered over the low cement wall, her feet hit the pavement running.
The wind whipped against her face, sending her hair flying.Brick picked up his pace.The closer she got, the more she could see of her beautiful baby boy.
Her chest ached.Low, sharp cries sounded from her throat.She’d never acknowledged the deep, shaking fear that she might not see him again.That he might have been permanently taken from her.
That he’d have died just wanting the comfort of his mother.
She ran faster.The distance between them closed.Brick’s face was tight, his mouth firm.He was probably unhappy she’d left the SUV, but to hell with that.
“Bray,” she called.
Her son spotted her, and his eyes shone.“Momma!”
Brick’s stoic expression loosened into a lopsided smile as he passed Bray to her.
Bray closed his arms tightly around her neck and wrapped his little legs around her, squealing, “Momma, Momma!”
Tears coursed down her cheeks.Her eyes burned with more emotion than she could contain.She held Bray tightly to her chest.“I’m so sorry, honey.Mommy missed you so much.”
“Missed you, Momma.”
She kissed his cheek over and over and stroked the curls she’d sworn never to cut.
Brick’s hand landed on her back, and he turned her toward the parking garage.“We need to get out of here now.”
Icicles of fear touched her neck.She nodded and let him lead her across the parking lot.Taschen fell in step behind her.Her hackles rose.The men surrounded Bray and her like a shield.
She was barely aware of her footsteps.Her body vibrated with disbelief as she continued to stroke her son’s back.She inhaled the scent of shampoo lingering in his hair from his bath after their swim yesterday.
Had it been only thirty or so hours ago they’d hung out at the pool?Yesterday felt like years away, each minute without her son as long as an eternity.
As her perception returned, she noticed that her arm, which was snuggled under his legs, was damp.His pants were wet.The scent of pee reached her nose and sadness engulfed her.Keetan hadn’t even taken care of him in the most basic ways.Bray had been potty-trained for months, so going in his clothes had probably been confusing and upsetting for him.
I’ll kill Keetan.
When they reached the SUV, Brick hustled to open the back door for her.She climbed into the very back so she’d have space alone with Bray to change him.Luckily Brick had suggested she pack extra clothes.
Brick got into the middle row, and Taschen settled himself in the driver’s seat.
“Where’s Zain?”she asked, glancing out the window.
“He’s having a chat inside.”He looked at Taschen.“Let’s loop around to the parking lot so we can pick him up.”
“Roger that.”
