Caged

15

"Harrison."

Kaiden's voice was calm, and I watched as Caleb rushed back towards us, pure disbelief and shock clear all over his features as he took in what was happening.

My entire body was trembling as the man tightened his grip around me, pressing the gun harder against my temple.

Harrison, which I figured out was man holding me because Kaiden's eyes were on him, laughed and adjusted his arm around my waist.

"Can't believe I caught one of you off guard. You know, Kaiden, I always dreamed of this day," he drawled behind me and I cringed as I felt him speaking right against the back of my head. "The day I'd have leverage over one of you."

I met Caleb's eyes and his had something similar to fear in them as he stared back at me, his eyes flickering to the gun beside me and then back to my face.

Kaiden didn't look at me once, his face blank, as his eyes drilled into Harrison and the men with him.

"Get to the point," Kaiden said.

The man chuckled deeply again, I felt it against my back. We were near an alleyway, where there was not one person or car in sight, so no one else was around to help or call the police.

"You're just like Elijah," I perked up at my oldest brother's name. "Except that man..." he laughed again. "That man, that brother of yours – hell, I can never catch that manipulative son of a bitch off guard. He ruined my entire life because of one goddamn mistake I made. He took away my wife, my job, my home, my whole fucking family."

I was too busy focused on the gun pressed against my head to process his words. I was shaking so hard, I thought I'd collapse as it remained solid against my temple. Reminding me how one move could mean life or death.

"He's fucking heartless, I tell you. Don't know how he does it. And I've done some horrible, horrible things. So, that should say a lot coming from me, huh?" He sounded amused as he rambled on. "He'd never even let me get close to you. So I guess all of you aren't the same, after all."

Kaiden clenched his jaw, his eyes darkening as Harrison ran a hand down my cheek, stroking the skin. I cringed, trying to jerk away, but his arm tightened around my waist while he brought the gun down to rest it against the side of my neck. I froze, my heart fluttering against my ribcage.

"How about this one? Does she know the truth? Does she know what happened?"

He spoke right against my face, his lips brushing the skin and my eyes welled with tears. I shivered in disgust, trying to push him away, but he didn't let go. Instead, he jostled me once more and I flinched again as he dug the gun deeper so it was more painful this time.

"What about what you did, Kaiden? Does she know?"

My eyebrows furrowed as I took in his words. They didn't make any sense and I looked at Kaiden for answers, but he refused to look back at me. Caleb also looked confused as he stood behind Kaiden.

"I'm gonna take that as a no," he chuckled dryly again, and his head moved away from the back of mine, but he kept a tight grip on me.

"Should I tell her what you do, what you did,  Kaiden? I'll let you decide."

Kaiden gritted his teeth."Tell me what you want already."

"Ah, but wouldn't that be too easy?" I didn't know what the man really looked like since he'd snatched me before I could see, but I could hear the smile in his tone. "How about this? You tell her what you do for a living, what all of you do, and I'll give her back to you. How does that sound?"