Rivals

CHAPTER 74:

Rebecca

"Where's Adam?" I demanded as he snickered on the other end of the line.

"Right where I want him to be," he spat as I growled at his words.

"If you hurt him I'll—" I started but Lachlan cut me off.

"You'll what huh?" He taunted. "I have all the cards, Rebecca, so you have to listen to me now."

"What do you want?" I inquired with less confidence in my voice.

"I'm surprised you don't know seeing as I pulled this same trick to get my son back," he kindled and my body went hot with anger.

"You want me to trade myself for Adam?" I hissed as my jaw clenched and my lips pressed together.

"Precisely," he exclaimed in an excited voice. "You do as I ask and Adam goes on his merry way," he sneered.

"How do I know you'll keep your word? You have a tendency for killing the people I love."

"Well, you don't exactly love him do you? Or he'd be wherever you are kept up," he instigated, causing me to huff aloud.

I didn't know what to say.

I shouldn't have let him go.

"Let's just cut to it shall we? I want you to meet me at Central Park tonight at midnight. Come alone and unarmed," he hurried in a tone that made me believe he was getting bored.

"And if I don't?" I questioned.

He let out a short laugh and said, "If you don't, it'll be Adam's head on the line. If you really want me to stop killing the people you love, well, you better come. See you soon, Rebecca," he resonated before the phone line when dead.

My mind couldn't decide what to think or what I should do, so I fell to my knees in the kitchen and froze there, clenching and unclenching my fists.

I discovered a new feeling in the pit of my stomach, though I couldn't tell you exactly what it was I was feeling.

Regret?

Anger?

Regret that I couldn't save Adam from being taken? I just let him leave and never checked up on him.

Anger at my birth father for taking him and threatening the life of another person I cared about?

Or maybe it was too hard to explain, but the pain was prominent and clearly known to me.

His life was now resting in my hands.

The decisions I would make after this moment would affect the future greatly, good or bad.

I shot up from my knees almost too quickly, wobbling slightly and catching myself on the kitchen counter. As soon as I steadied, I ran to the stairs and took them two at a time, heading for my room.

Midnight tonight in the park—no weapons, and no one with me.

Contemplating it all seemed as though I had a choice to not go, but with Adam's life hanging in the balance of life or death, there was a dimmed part in the back of my mind that told me I was doing the right thing—even if it was wrong, it felt right.

I had to go, no matter the lies I had to tell to leave or the price I might pay afterwards.

I forced myself to stop at the door of my room when I heard voices inside.

What's the game plan?

If they know something isn't right, they'll force the truth out of me and Adam is going to die.