Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 51: Trapped in Suburbia

-Jacey-

“Oh my dear! Are you all right?!” Petra asked, scurrying over to me. “Roy, get something to clean this up!”

I stared at Leon, who grinned at me. I didn’t like the look of his grin.

Caleb put his arm around me, a fake smile plastered on his face. I knew it was a fake smile because I knew all his smiles. I also knew he’d heard what Leon said and come to the same conclusion.

I decided I needed to up my game, too. My smile shook, but I managed to put one on my face. “I’m sorry, Petra. It slipped right out of my hand.”

“Condensation,” Caleb added.

“Of course, my dear,” Petra said sympathetically. “Roy!”

Roy hurried over with a broom and dustpan. Once the glass was cleaned up, he came over with the hose to just wash whatever was left into the lawn. “Petra, get Ange another glass. Can’t have her dehydrating in her condition.”

“No, we can’t.” Gail quite rudely rubbed my belly.

“Please don’t do that without asking.” Caleb defended me.

I clutched the edge of his shirt, using my hold on him to ground myself.

Petra came over with another glass and patted Jacey on the back. “Drink up, dear. And don’t worry about the glass. I’ve always hated that set.”

“Hey! My mother gave those to us!” Roy protested.

“All the more reason to hate it,” Petra muttered and gave us a wink.

Caleb went back to cutting my steak, but I knew he was eyeing Leon and Gail. Were we in danger? Should we call Darren?

We’d been very fortunate in the fact that Darren had taken over overseeing our witness protection arrangements himself, not trusting anyone else to do it.

“Mark, do you think you should make that call?” I whispered. “The one to Dad? He’s not feeling very well.”

Caleb nodded and stood, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m sorry, will you excuse me a moment?”

“I think you should call your dad later,” Leon smiled, but there was a significant look in his eyes. “Pretty sure he’s not home right now on a lovely day like this.”

“Pretty sure he won’t be home for a while,” Gail murmured when Roy and Petra began bickering over the fruit salad.

Oh God. Had something happened to Darren?!

Caleb’s eyes slid to Roy and Petra. Satisfied they weren’t listening, he speared Leon with a glare. “What do you want?”

“Just to see the little bundle of joy is being well taken care of.” Gail trilled a laugh. But her eyes were hard, dead.

I wondered if these were hired mercenaries. Whatever they were, they felt dangerous.

Caleb must have felt the same way because his arm around me tightened. “The bundle of joy isn’t due for another two months. But he’s doing just fine, thank you.”

“Oh, we know. We’ve been keeping track,” Leon said.

I let out a low whimper, and Caleb went white with rage. “If you don’t leave us alone, it could hurt the baby,” he hissed.

“Mr. Masterson thought it was about time you came home. I hope you enjoyed your vacation,” Gail smirked.

“Where’s Darren?” I blurted.

“Who’s Darren?” Petra asked.

None of us had even realized the Hendersons had finished fighting.

“A mutual friend we just realized we have. Back in Minnesota,” Leon said easily.

“He’s been sick lately,” Gail lamented. “Laid up in the hospital, poor thing. He had a terrible accident. He might have even suffered a brain injury.” She looked at Caleb. “It’s so horrible when bad things happen to good friends.”

Leon was eyeing the Hendersons speculatively.

I dug my nails into Caleb’s thigh.

“It is horrible. Luckily, it doesn’t happen that often. In fact, I don’t think it’ll happen again for a long time,” Caleb said.

“No. Not for a long time. But you really should go visit Darren. We can make all the arrangements. We wouldn’t want to put any more stress on poor Angela here than we already have,” Gail replied, examining her nails.

“Oh, you need to go to Minnesota to visit your friend?” Petra asked.

Roy was frowning now. I think he was getting the idea that something was amiss.

Please don’t say anything. Please don’t say anything, I silently begged, hoping either Roy or God could hear me.

“Hey, is something going on here? You’re looking pretty squirrely, Mark. Are you guys upsetting Angela? She’s pregnant, you know. If you’re going to be doing upsetting things and having upsetting conversations, you can lea—” Roy began.

Leon pulled out a gun with a silencer on it and shot Roy in the forehead.

“No!” I screamed.

Caleb shot up to stop Leon, but Gail grabbed him by the shirt, and Leon quickly dispatched Petra as well.

“I wouldn’t mess with Leon, Caleb,” Gail said flatly.

To illustrate her point, Leon pointed his gun at Caleb.

I threw myself in front of him. “No, no!”

“We should get going,” Gail added in a bored tone while Leon winked at us and put his gun back in an arm holster under his Hawaiian shirt. “I’m sure Jacey is quite upset now, and since we don’t want her going into labor while we’re in Arizona, time is of the essence.”

“She shouldn’t fly,” Caleb said, sitting back down and embracing me. “Especially now that you’ve upset her.”

“Too bad. We’ve already got the doctor’s note. She’s only seven months along. That’s six weeks before they’d stop her from flying,” Leon snorted. He grabbed me roughly by the arm.

I squeaked in pain.

Gail rolled her eyes. “I swear, Leon, you have the delicacy of an elephant.” She swatted Leon’s hand off me. “You, get her ready to go,” she barked at Caleb.

Caleb glared at her but stood and helped me to my feet. He held me against him, rubbing his hands up and down my back. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered in my ear. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

I hiccupped a sob but let Caleb comfort me. I knew as long as I had him, everything would be fine.

Gail and Leon quickly spirited us away in a black sedan from the Hendersons’ house. I felt sick to my stomach over what had happened to them, and between the horror of it and pregnancy hormones, I couldn’t stop crying.

At the airport, I got several strange looks. Caleb just held me and pasted on his fake smile. “Hormones,” he said to those who asked. “What are you gonna do?”

Gail and Leon got us through the airport rather quickly and out to a private jet. I stumbled when I saw Mr. Masterson coming down the stairs to greet us, Will in his wake.

“Thought you could escape forever, did you?” Mr. Masterson asked pleasantly. Will just looked down at the tarmac. “Well, you were wrong about that, weren’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” I said quietly.

“What do you want, Masterson?” Caleb seethed.

Mr. Masterson raised an eyebrow. “Caleb, you’re not that dense. You know what I want.”

I put my hands protectively over my belly, and Caleb put a hand over mine.

“You’re not getting my son,” Caleb hissed.

“Oh, but it’s Will’s son. I made sure of that,” Mr. Masterson chuckled. “And yes, I am getting him. His name will be William Masterson as well. Traditions are important, you see.”

“So, in vitro fertilization on someone who doesn’t want to be pregnant, an eighteen-year-old girl, no less, is somehow a tradition?” Caleb said, glowering at Mr. Masterson. “And how do you know she didn’t miscarry, and we’re having my son?”

“Caleb, Caleb, Caleb. You try so hard,” Mr. Masterson tsked. “But you’re just out of your league. She’s a piss poor liar, and you’re not much better.”

Caleb held me close. “Leave us alone, Masterson.”

“And you and I both know that won’t be happening. Come on, now. Up on the plane you go.” Mr. Masterson motioned for us to follow him onto the plane.

Will could barely look at us. He limped onto the plane as well.

“Oh God, what did Mr. Masterson do to him?” I gasped to Caleb as we followed our captor and my baby’s father onto the plane.

“Nothing he won’t get used to,” Mr. Masterson said.

Gail and Leon followed us onto the plane and sat near us.

Will started to sit down by his father, but Mr. Masterson gave him a sharp look. “Tell your friends of your adventures, Will. Go on. Go sit by them.”

With a wince, Will hobbled over to us. He sat down across from Caleb, his eyes on the floor.

“Will?” Caleb asked.

“Father had my legs broken.” Will said softly. His eyes were swimming with tears when he looked up at us. “I won’t be able to help you again.”

I reached across the space between us and took his hand. “It’s all right. You tried. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”

Will shivered. “It was worth it,” he replied in a low tone. “Or at least it would have been if Father hadn’t found you. Darren… Darren is in the ICU. He held out for so long.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and Caleb rubbed the back of my neck. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t think so,” Will whispered.

I closed my eyes against the tears, but they still rolled hot down my cheeks.

“Jacey,” Will said, looking stricken. “There’s more.”

“How much more can there be?” Caleb grunted, but I patted his thigh to tell him to let Will continue.

“Father’s taken your father…” Will turned to Caleb. “... and your mother hostage. And… and the little one, too. Timothy.”

“Our little brother?” I gasped.

“Is he healthy?” Caleb asked.

“Timothy’s fine. Your parents are fine. They’re just living at the mansion, like you will be,” Will mumbled.

Caleb laughed mirthlessly. “One big happy family, then.”

Will looked at me, then back at the ground. “We’ll be having another after this one.”

“I-I sort of guessed,” I whispered.

“Great,” Caleb said angrily. “That’s just great.”

“Father doesn’t want to pay for in vitro again,” Will went on.

I felt the blood drain from my face. “What?”

“Oh, that’s not happening,” Caleb insisted. “That’s not happening at all.”

“Do you want to live?” Will asked.

Caleb scowled, but finally nodded his head.

“Father said it wasn’t necessary to keep you alive, but I’ve convinced him otherwise. I said you’d be good about it,” Will said. “Please, please don’t make a liar out of me. I don’t want him to have you killed. And I sure as hell don’t want you to end up like Darren.”

“When do I have to start being ‘good about it’?” Caleb inquired bitterly.

“After Jacey has our son,” Will responded. “Father doesn’t want anything to interfere with that.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t.” Caleb put his arm possessively around me.

Will hung his head. “I’m sorry I failed.”

“Hey.” Caleb bumped Will’s ankle with his boat shoe. “You did all you could. And so did Darren. Your dad’s just a bigger prick than anyone realized.”

Will smiled just a little at that. “I promise I’ll be good to her,” he vowed to Caleb. Then he blushed and turned to me. “I promise I’ll be good to you.”

“I know. You’re a good guy, Will,” I replied softly.

“I’m glad you think so. I don’t feel like a good guy. In two months, I’m going to be putting my dick in my best friend’s girl,” Will said gloomily. “I don’t know what my father’s obsession is with you. I really don’t.”

“She’s pretty, she’s available, and no one will miss her if something happens to her,” Mr. Masterson piped up.

“I’ll miss her,” Caleb growled.

“You are inconsequential. I think you’d better take a leaf out of Will’s book. Keep your head down and shut up,” Mr. Masterson advised.

Caleb’s hands balled into fists, but I gripped his thigh before he could say anything. “Let’s just try to get through this,” I breathed in his ear. “Please, don’t get yourself killed.”

“Yeah,” Will said. “Please don’t get yourself killed.”