Dreamscape

Chapter 5

"Did you get someone pregnant?" Dani asked.

Jax frowned, "Is that the only reason you think I'd marry someone?"

"No. I can also think of blackmail and being held at gunpoint as reasons."

"Very funny Panda Eyes. Very funny," Jax muttered. "Don't you want to know who I'm going to marry?"

"You're not joking?" Dani was waiting for Jax to start laughing but when he didn't, she felt a bit uncomfortable. She couldn't speak. As if cotton had been stuffed down her throat, making her feel like a limp rag doll.

"Do you see me laughing? She's another officer, which means we have a lot in common. You don't know her but maybe I'll bring her by for you to meet. Her name is Sally."

Dani took a step back, removing her hand from Jax's, "I think you should take me home now."

"Are you sure? I told you we could-"

"I want to go home. Besides, I don't think your fiancee would like you being with another woman this late at night."

Jax chuckled, "She won't mind. Besides we're just friends."

Just friends? He was right of course. Dani had said the same thing not even hours ago. She still believed that but for some reason it hurt to hear Jax say it out loud. She stepped into his vehicle and buckled her seat belt, "Still...it wouldn't be right."

Jax bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. Her reaction was more telling than she realized. He sat behind the steering wheel and released a dramatic sigh, "I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to make her jealous. I'll bring her by the diner tomorrow so you can meet her."

"That's okay...you don't have to."

"No, I want to. As my friend, you should meet her."

"I told you it's okay. I don't want to meet her."

"Why not?" Jax asked.

"Why should I?"

"Are you jealous Panda Eyes?"

"No, Jaxass...I'm not."

"Then why don't you want to meet her?" Jax grinned. "If you're not jealous, tell me why."

"Fine, if you must know...I don't want to meet her because...because-"

"Because you're jealous."

"No! Because if I meet her, then I'll have a face to the name of the woman I'll pity for marrying an arrogant Jaxass like you," Dani crossed her arms and looked out the window.

Jax smiled and leaned closer to Dani, "You sound hostile right now. Usually when I'm around a hostile woman, I offer to give her a kiss. You know to calm her down."

"I don't want a kiss!"

"Don't worry. I wasn't offering. I'm a taken man now Dani."

Dani could feel her teeth clenching together, "Take me home Jax."

"Sure thing Panda Eyes. Sure thing."

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Meanwhile, Tammy Owens was rubbing her stomach singing a soft lullaby in a broken voice. Her throat was sore from screaming for help and her eyes hurt from crying so much. She had to be logical. She had to be strong. Most of all, she had to be brave. Whoever had taken her clearly wanted her child. She was still a month away from giving birth so she had to figure out how to escape before then. Her abductor had taken her cellphone and her shoes.

The small panel that covered the window on the door was open.

"Are you hungry?" the voice asked. It reminded Tammy of an ogre she had seen once in a cartoon. Its raspy voice low and calculated.

"Who are you?" Tammy asked.

"Are you hungry?" the voice asked again.

"Are you going to kill me?" Tammy asked, panic bubbling up in her throat.

"Kill you?" laughter followed the question. "Kill the mother of my unborn child? Do you really think I'm that cruel?"

"Are you?" Tammy asked, hoping she would be told that her life was still safe.

"What do you think?" the laughter taunted Tammy, who covered her ears. When she opened her eyes there was a tray of food left for her. She was given a ham sandwich with some chips and a bottled water.

"Let me go!" Tammy cried. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!"

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. Don't worry though. I just used your phone to text your boss that you quit and your family that you're going out of town and will be unreachable for a few days."

"They wouldn't call me anyway," Tammy whispered to herself.

"I'm not letting you go," the voice said.

"Why not?" Tammy asked.

"Your baby is very special to me. I need him. He's what's going to make our family whole again. You know, I always wanted a son."

"This child isn't yours. It never will be!"

"What do you mean it won't be mine?"

"I won't let you have my baby! I won't. You're a monster! You abducted me to steal my baby. You're sick. A sick monster!"

"A monster? Now that isn't very nice. I guess I should warn you to be on your best behavior. I want to set a good example for my son."

"Go to Hell!"

"Hell?" the voice laughed and something that reflected against the dim light caught Tammy's eye. "Do you see this?" the voice asked, referring to a large butcher knife. "Do you know what it is?"

Tammy didn't respond.

The voice continued, "To some it might look like a knife. A cold sharp knife. Do you know what I see when I look at it?"

Still, Tammy didn't respond.

"I see a key. It'll unlock that stomach of yours when my son is ready to meet me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Tammy felt the tears falling down her cheeks, "Please...please let me go."

"Eventually, I'll let you go...but the baby stays with me."

Tammy could hear someone screaming at the top of their lungs. It wasn't until she felt dizzy and keeled over that she realized the screams had been coming from her.