Caveman (Wild Men 1)

The kids are scared and not much help.

Cole is glued to his dad’s side, sucking on his thumb.

Mary sniffles, wedged between Matt and myself. At first, she refuses to speak, then she reconsiders.

“He said grandma was here,” she whispers, and the sadness in her small voice breaks my heart. “That she wanted to see us.”

Matt closes his eyes, pain etched in his features, and I know he’s blaming himself for not calling his mom again, for not giving the kids what they clearly need in their lives.

He’s so hard on himself. I put a hand on his shoulder, then lean in and kiss his cheekbone, over the beard.

John crouches down in front of us, his gaze on Mary. “Was his hair blond or brown, Mary?”

But she shakes her head. “He was wearing a hood.”

Matt curses under his breath.

“He didn’t tell you his name?” John presses. “Or anything else?”

“He took Cole’s rabbit.” Her lower lip trembles. “Said to kiss it goodbye.”

Matt is shaking. His cheeks are flushed, his eyes glittering. He’s furious, and he looks like he’s about to explode.

“You’d better catch the cunt who did this,” he finally manages. “If I get to him first, I don’t know what will happen.”

“Calm down, Hansen.” John stands up, nods at his men. “We’ll catch him. Until then, you’ll have a guard outside your house and police patrolling, so you and your kids will be safe.”

“That bastard has been inside my house. He’s written in one of my kids’ drawing books. He has managed to disable the security cameras and sneak my kids out while I was right there. You’d better post your goddamn best men, Johnny.”

“I will,” John replies, not rising to the bait.

Matt gives a tight nod, clearly not trusting the police to do anything right, obviously shaken. We’re all shaken, and it’s a relief to grab the kids and make our slow way out. More cops are waiting outside, and they flank us as we make our way back to Matt’s house.

Matt is carrying both his kids, and I walk beside them, stroking Cole’s hair from time to time.

I pull out my phone, hoping for a message from Merc, or at least from Gigi or Mom, telling me he came home okay. I shoot off a text to Gigi, asking her for news, and return my attention to the kids.

My heart is still pounding, adrenaline still humming in my veins. I know I’ll feel shaky later. But it’s quiet now, calm.

Until Mary says, “Daddy, what’s a cunt?”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Matt

My first concern is to get my kids home. I keep a lid on my fury

because that’s the last thing they need as I march home. Octavia fishes for my keys in my pockets as I refuse to put the kids down even for a moment.

Not yet. Too soon. I just got them back, and I still can’t fucking believe they’re okay. I half-think I’ll step inside and be back in the nightmare, searching for them, running in the dark.

Digging graves.

Fuck, no, I don’t wanna think. So Octavia lets us in, and I head straight to the sofa and sit down, cradling my babies to my sides, trying to catch my breath.

Everything’s okay. I should be able to breathe.

Her phone rings, and she answers immediately. Her face falls. Then her brows lift.