Page 83 of Fractured Pieces

I don’t have the capacity to understand what the hell Hollis is talking about, I simply watch as he types away. After what has to only be a minute but feels like hours, he says, “I’ll go back and trace their steps, see what’s going on. Chances are I’ll need to replace some of the regular security cameras as they’re probably malfunctioning. Lucky for you, your suite is one of the places Leandro put cameras up—he might be an asshole, but he’s as protective of Cole as we all are.”

I tune Hollis out as I watch his monitor. He goes back to just after breakfast, then speeds it up until half an hour ago when lunch was brought in for them.

My knees shake and I grab the back of Hollis’s chair in order to stay upright as we watch Cole go from happily eating his food to passing out at the table.

A strangled noise escapes my throat as Hollis curses. He hits a few buttons and brings up another angle, rewinding the footage a little so we can watch as the nanny…the woman we trusted with our son, slips something into his drink.

Tears burn my eyes as rage and devastation take turns swirling through my veins. On screen, we watch as the woman puts Cole in a fucking duffle bag, his small frame the perfect size for it, and then she walks out, all the way to the front door.

None of the guards stop her, because why would they? She’s a trusted person, and there’s nothing suspicious about leaving with a bag of old and unused clothes, or toys, or whatever the fucking excuse she used was.

There’s a ringing in my ears, and everything goes fuzzy and dark. The sharp sting of being slapped in the face has megasping, and I look up at Hollis—how did I end up on the ground?

“Carter!” The hacker says my name firmly, and in a tone that indicates he’s been calling it for a while.

Looking into his intense dark brown eyes, I try to form a response, to let him know I’m okay, but everything in me feels as if it’s being crushed.

“Do I need to get Doc?”

I shake my head. “No…please…” I say in a rough voice. “Cole…no…”

Hollis’s expression softens. “I alerted the rest of the Council, and sent messages to both Keegan and Marcus, though I can’t get through to them.”

Fuck… Keegan and Marcus… My loves, the other parts of my heart…they’re going to be devastated. They’re…they’re going to hate me for losing their son.

Bile works its way up and I lean over, coughing and spitting as the acid burns my throat, nose, and mouth.

They trusted me with the most precious part of them and I lost him. Fuck…how will they ever be able to look at me again?

“Dad!” Roman’s voice makes me lose the battle with my tears, and I spit up again.

Gasping for breath, I’m distantly aware of someone touching me, trying to soothe my pain. I flinch. I don’t deserve comfort. Not…not when Cole isgone.

No, no, no, no… This can’t be happening. Not again. Not Cole…

Someone cries out my name, but as I lose my breath and the darkness overtakes me. All I can think about is how I failed. As a father, and a lover. I can only hope Keegan and Marcus—my heart and soul—kill me quickly, for their sake rather than mine. It’s the least I deserve for failing them.

Blinking, I open my eyes, not sure what’s happening. My tummy hurts, and so does my head. Peeking around, I can’t understand how I’m in a car. Not when I’m supposed to be making cookies with Papa.

“Daddy?” I whimper, unable to see the front seat. I’m not in my booster seat, and my daddies always make sure I’m in it.

“Shut up, brat,” a woman’s voice yells from the front seat.

Fear chokes me. It’s the mean nanny. I don’t like her. Shaking my head, I sniffle and scream, “I want my daddies!”

“I told you your daddies would get rid of you. You should have behaved better. Like keeping your mouth shut. Keep talking and you’ll regret it even more.”

I shake, pressing myself against the seat. I’ve tried being quieter. Why did my daddies give me away? Mommy left too. I press my hands to my face, trying to stop all the noises fromgetting out of me. Even though I don’t like the mean nanny, I don’t want to be left alone in a hole with spiders. She told me that’s what she’d do if I didn’t behave.

She turns up the volume of the radio while I try to cry silently. I have to pee, but I don’t say anything. I just want my daddies. I don’t understand this.

It feels like forever before the car comes to a stop, and I’m dragged out of the car as I stumble to keep on my feet. I hurt as I land in front of some man I don’t recognize.

“Here’s the fucking brat. You owe me double for even taking this job.”

The man doesn’t say anything, he just stares down at me instead. He’s scarier than she is. Even though he hasn’t said a word, I don’t like how he looks.

“You’ll get what’s coming to you,” he finally says, waving the woman away before looking down at me again. “And you…you’d better be on your best behavior. Because I know exactly how to take care of young boys who don’t listen.”

Suddenly, warmth spreads in my private area, and I shake as the man curses, jumping back. I go to say sorry, but I can’t speak. All the words are gone. I peed my pants like a little baby again. The nanny warned me. And now this man is too.

I don’t know what he’s going to do to me, if it would be the hole or not, but all I want are my daddies. Maybe they’ll come for me. Maybe if I’m good for this man, they’ll want me back.

I promise to behave, Daddies… I promise.

To be continued…