Cheat [MxM] (Carter Brothers Book 1)

Chapter 31

EZRA • POV

Ophelia's head jerked up as she startled when I thundered into the room towards her. She looked distressed and weary, her long brown hair tied up in an unkempt bun, her face pink with exertion, visible even beneath many layers of foundation.

The effort of restraining Ollie who was thrashing against her like a suffocating fish out of water desperate to survive, had aged her ten years in the perhaps half an hour they'd been together. Ophelia's eyes widened and she let out a gasp at the sight of my fuming expression.

She backed up into an expensive armchair, her calves sending it scraping backwards, but I was after her before she could find anywhere to run to. Storming right into her space, I ripped Ollie out of her arms and into mine. I didn't bother being gentle, didn't give her a chance to hold onto him, just tore him from her, taking advantage of the shock that made her slack. 

Ophelia seemed too terrified to fight back, and scurried away, much to my pleasure.

Ollie didn't see me, not at first, continuing to scream and kick his legs wildly. I pulled him up to me so he could see my face, desperately calling out to him, begging him to recognise my voice. It was hard to hold onto him and I tightened my grip so that he couldn't thrash his way out of my arms.

It pained me deeply knowing that I was hurting him, but I had no other choice, not while he was so irate and inconsolable.

"Hey baby! I'm right here, daddy's right here! Ollie! Look at me, baby!"

The moment it finally registered, Ollie seized, freezing up in my arms. His little swollen, purple face crumpled and his screaming turned into broken sobbing. His green eyes were pink, face caked in saliva and tears, but I saw everything he couldn't tell me. How scared he was, how confused he was, how utterly betrayed he felt.

He looked so vulnerable and fragile, naked aside from a diaper, pale skin blotchy red, stomach heaving. I immediately tore off my jacket and wrapped it around him, both to warm him, and to add another layer of protection between his little body and harm.

Then I hugged him to my body so tightly, neither of us could breathe.

Ollie clung to me as though I was the only safe thing between him and death. His short little fingers were white-knuckling my shirt, his chubby thighs squeezing around my ribs. He dropped his sweaty face on my neck and cried there.

The sounds were haunting. I didn't think I'd ever be able to sleep again without hearing my son's terrified sobbing.

God, I'd let him down.

"Shhh, shhh, you're okay," I cooed, trying not to let regret and guilt consume me. Instead, I tried to focus on the relief of finally having him back in my arms where I knew he was safe. I let it overwhelm me until it became easier to breathe.

I kissed Ollie's sweaty forehead and dishevelled curls. I squeezed him to me, making sure he knew he was secure in my embrace, then I ran my hands over his body, checking for injuries I couldn't see beneath my jacket. I was going to take him straight to the hospital after we got out of this place.

"I'm sorry Renee, I swear I was trying my best after Pete brought him here, but he wouldn't stop crying," Ophelia said, looking genuinely upset as she addressed my ex-wife who was standing behind me, hands on her stomach, caressing the small bump there.

They were in the doorway, blocking the only exit to the room. Evan had followed me inside and was close by, waking over to stand beside me, gaze fluttering over his nephew, grey pupils intense as the storm within began to intensify.

"And why do you think that is?!" Evan's loud rumble echoed around the room, startling both women. "You think he'd be okay after he was kidnapped by people he doesnt even fucking know, and brought here?!" He whirled on Renee.