DONOVAN (Book Three)

THIRTY-ONE

I pat my cheeks after a refreshing cleanse on my face. I rub the moisturizer and pause when I hear a noise hoping it is Don opening the door.

I sign.

Don left a few days ago to meet with his special ops friends. They have something important business about Eddie. Before coming here, the kids and I had to change our names to hide.

The boys still asked us about this so-called vacation, and Don and I were running out of excuses.

Don wasn't supposed to leave us, but something came up. At least the house has heavy security to keep us and others out. But I want Don here. I need to tell him. I feel so much pressure for not telling Don about his child.

I hear the noise again and wonder if Don or one of the boys has snuck their way to the kitchen again for a midnight snack.

I grab my robe and head out of the room. I lead down the dark path of the hallway and turn on the light in the kitchen.

"Leo?" I call out. "Chris? Are you boys here again?"

There was no answer.

I walked around the island counter to see if they had hidden themselves, but there were no little boys. I walk away, confused, as I turn off the light and check on the boys' room.

I slowly open the door just a little bit to see two little boys sound asleep. I could see because of the galaxy night light Leo had brought with him. Stars sparkle above the ceiling. It was one of his birthday gifts from Chris.

Closing the door, I found it odd that there would be noises in the house. Of course, there'll be noises because of the nightly creatures making noises outside, but inside was rare. Every inch of the house is locked and secured, so not even a bug can get in.

I hear back to my room, and once I enter inside, I suddenly feel a presence behind before I can turn, something is poking my back. The nerves in my body start to pulse, and my heart rate racing. I

"Scream, and I will shoot," says a man in a raspy voice, his accent from the deep side of England.

My breathing is palpitating, matching that of my beating heart. Fear overcome me as I raise my hand.

I swallow hard. "Eddie sent you?"

"I don't reveal my client's name."

"How did you get in?" I ask, hoping to stall a little longer for Don to return.

I pray for him to come back before I do something risky.

The man chuckled at my question as if it was a stupid one. "It's easy, love; they don't call me a genius for nothing."

God, this guy has a huge ego.

The security here was built by Tech himself; all the gadgets and things inside and out are the future for any burglary, trespassing, and more. There is no way this guy can get himself inside unless.

"You went through the underwater passage, didn't you?"

That's the only place that doesn't have a security system. It was a way for Don to go back and forth secretly without being seen whenever he went into town for groceries.

The hit man stayed questioning, aggressively grabbed my neck, and pulled me back hard.

I wince in pain.

"You're lucky I'm keeping you alive because he wants to see you."

"Tell me how much he's paying you, and I'll double it," I croak with his hand gripping around my neck. I can barely breathe.

He laughs. "Like yours, a little princess. I heard from him that your daddy ain't got shit because of his family's debt."

"Debt?" I gasp. "What debt?"

"That you have to hear it from him." He let go of my neck as I gasp for air. He kept poking my back as I heard him rustling something, and he had my hands pinned behind my back and locked it right with handcuffs.

"Please, let me go." Tears already fall from my eyes. "I have a son. If you kill me, he will look for me."

The man ignored me. I bit my lower lips.

"Please...I'm pregnant." I say in sobs. "Please don't hurt my baby.

"Don't worry," he whispered as I cringed. "Just play along. This place is bugged."

"Who are you?" I whispered.

"A friend of Don."

Don?

Who is he, and how does he know Don?

"Just play along. Nod your head that you understand."

I nodded, wishing I didn't want to believe this guy who was about to kill me, but what choice did I have?

The hitman pauses and then snorts. "Wow, I was wondering why. I thought you were fat. If he knows about that, he wouldn't like it."

I avoid the fat remark and fear about Eddie learning of my pregnancy. If this man tells Eddie, I'm afraid something horrible will happen.

"Please don't tell Eddie."

"I'm not working for you." He says.

"I'm not saying as an order. I'm saying as a favor."

"I don't do favors."

"If Eddie learns that the child I'm carrying is not his, he will kill me," I say in panic. My mouth keeps me going to keep him here for Don to return home. "Please, don't tell him. My baby is innocent. You have a family. Do you have children? What happens if someone kills your child? What will you do? The man didn't answer, and I said, "Please, don't kill my baby."

"Alright! Shut up!" He groans and is annoyed. He turned me around, and I finally saw this man's face. He looks in his early thirties, has a roguishly shaved chin, wears all black, and looks as if he hasn't slept in weeks. to tape my mouth. "I will kill you if you rerun your mouth."

I mumble a scream as he covers my face with a black bag.

I struggled and wanted to break free, but the hitman grabbed me and poked something in my neck, making my whole body numb from head to toe. My head feels light as I drift off, and the last thing I remember is myself getting carried off and worried about the boys and that Don will come back learning of this kidnapping.

All I see is darkness. This bag is keeping me from seeing where this man is taking me. He wants me to stay where Eddie is. I knew Eddie was this hitman's client. I mean, who else is he referring to as "him"?

That son of bitch has found me, and I couldn't protect myself.

At least he's not taking Leo and Chris. I don't want the boys to experience a traumatic event. It's better for me than for them.

My vision becomes blurred as I can't fight this drug he induced on me. I fought with my eyes to stay awake, but the drug was too potent. My eyes finally won and made me fall into a deep slumber.