Bad Seed

“My son,” I said. “We get my son, then we get the hell out of here.”

“We? As in, you and me?” she asked, her eyes growing a little wider, as if she hadn't even considered the idea.

“Not gone like forever or anything,” I said quickly. “I just want to get us out of town and figure out our next moves from there. Once you're safe, you'll be free to go. But, I made a promise to protect you and I mean to keep it.”

Kara walked across the room, and I thought she would take the couch on the other wall, but instead, she sat down next to me with our legs touching. She took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, running her thumb across my knuckles, a thoughtful look on her face.

“Alright, what's the plan?” she asked.

“The plan?”

“To get your son back?” she said. “I want to help, anyway I can. The sooner we get him, the sooner we can get the hell out of here.”

“I don't think it'll be that hard, honestly,” I said. “I just have to go over to my brother's house when he's not home. His wife has no idea what he's caught up in or what kind of monster he really is. She'll give me my son if I ask for him.”

“Fine. Let's do it,” she said. “Let's get your son back.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

KARA

We drove from the little farmhouse back to Chicago, mostly in silence. The radio provided us with some background noise, but it seemed pretty clear that both of us were lost in our own thoughts and not really hearing it.

Instead of being bound and thrown into the back seat this time, I was allowed to sit in the front seat, next to Declan. It was a little bit comforting not confined to the back with the doors that only opened from the outside. I guess Declan trusted me, or maybe he knew I trusted him. Who knew. He even offered to let me stay back at the cabin by myself while he went and got his son, just to keep me out of harm's way if something went sideways.

He'd considered it until I mentioned that if any of Killian's men came back, I'd be a sitting duck. He hadn't considered that, not to mention the fac that it made better sense to get the hell out of Chicago as soon as we had Jack, rather than have him drive all the way back out to the cabin to pick me up.

We stopped off and picked up a car seat first, along with a few other baby supplies. We needed to be ready for anything. Declan seemed clueless when it came to babies and what the needed, and it wasn't like I had much experience either, but somehow we'd managed to figure it out.

After that, we also made a stop at his old place. Declan picked up a few things, grabbed some extra cash and made a trade with his friend Seth – Killian's BMW for Seth's rundown, but operable, Toyota Camry. It didn't seem like an even trade in any logical universe, but Declan explained that Seth knew what to do with the BMW to get rid of it. Taking the Camry would mean we couldn't be tracked down as easily.

Everything was happening so fast, and before I knew it, we were sitting outside of a large house in one of the fancy suburbs of Chicago. It was a beautiful home with a white picket fence and everything the picture-perfect family would need or want.

“I'm just going to knock on the door and tell her I’m taking Jack,” he said. “Killian is at the bar, it's just Meredith and the kids. I’ll be back in a minute.”

I nodded and Declan climbed out of the car. I watched as he walked the short distance to the door. Sitting in the passenger’s seat, I watched as a woman with beautiful, long red hair opened the door. I strained my ears to listen and managed to hear their conversation from where I sat.

“Declan? What are you doing here?” she asked.

She peered past him, staring right at me, then turned her attention back to Declan. I could hear it well enough to hear Declan lie through his teeth.

“I've got a place now, so I decided to come back for Jack,” he said. “Listen, I appreciate all that you've done for him, but – ”

“Killian told me you left town,” Meredith said. “For good.”

I cringed. This whole thing might not be as easy as we thought.

“Nah, just a misunderstanding,” Declan said. “We must've got our wires crossed or something.”

“I don't know why, but he told me to call him if you came by,” she said. “Just give me a second and we'll – ”

She started to close the door and Declan placed his hand on it, keeping it open. My heart raced as I watched

it all unfolding, terrified by the thought of what might go down. Without thinking, I opened the car door and stepped out, and Meredith looked at me, giving me the once over as I approached the door, a smile on my face. I stood next to Declan, looking as normal and non-threatening as possible.

“Meredith is it?” I said, smiling as I stood there before her. “Thank you for caring for our son. It means the world to me that you took him in and treated him like one of your own. Declan told me how amazing you've been and I can't say thank you enough.”

Declan side-eyed me but didn't say anything.