TENACITY

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Sunday, October 16, 2016
Location Unknown...

They went through the basement door together, a hand each on the handle of the babies' twin carrier. The little ones were still sleeping, and Nicolysse feared the moment they'd wake.

She hated babies, crying ones especially, and they seemed to detest her equally as much. If Carter didn't come soon to check on them, she might go crazy if they should start screaming.

"Careful," Ethan snapped in a low voice when Nicolysse's inattention made her jolt the crib. He paused to turn on the lights, and together, they descended the stairs to head further into the space.

"I can't believe you went through with it," a woman bound to the chair on the far end said.

Ethan sighed tiredly. "Who took the tape off her mouth?"

"I did, so she could eat," Nicolysse replied as they set down the carrier. Then she lifted her head to glare at the old woman who glared right back. "I forgot to replace it with another, and I definitely regret that."

"Shameless people as you are," the woman continued, as if they hadn't spoken. "You don't care about the pain their mother would go through, do you?"

Nicolysse walked up to her and backhanded her across the face, then pulled down on her hair so the woman was facing up. "How many times have I told you to keep your hands off her?" Ethan asked, sounding quite irritated.

Why not?

The chit couldn't adhere to the simplest of instructions. "She has nothing to do with our end goal; she's only here because we needed Carter to fill her spot and play her as an insider."

Nicolysse bared her teeth in a growl, then reluctantly let go of the older woman's hair. "She just gets on my nerves with her speeches. I did not get busted out of jail to listen to an old woman crone."

"We had her in custody before we went to jail," he reminded her as he pushed the carrier to one corner.

"You won't get away with this," Maya muttered, feeling her face burn with the sting from the hit.

Ethan turned to her exasperated. "I just saved you from getting killed for running your mouth. Yet there you are, doing it again. Do us a favor and shut up," Ethan continued as he settled in on a single couch.

"That's all I ask with this headache I'm sporting, and I might spare you. Nicolysse is all bark and a little bite, but I assure you that when provoked, I could be your worst nightmare."

She understood it could be dangerous, but now that the kids of the man she'd watched grow up were here, the least she could do was stay alive and make sure they were well cared for.

It wasn't like her abductors were particularly harsh; they fed her and allowed her one shower daily and that wasn't bad. "Can I at least ask one more thing?"

He turned to her, almost angry, then after a long silence, he said, "What?"

"I'll be quiet if you want," she began carefully because she could do that. "In exchange, I'd like to be able to care for the babies when they're fussy or need something."

Ethan shrugged. "I had planned on reeling in their mom as she's who I want anyway. But till then," he gestured towards the carrier, "be my guest."

Maya opened her mouth but he glared saying, "I'll untie you if anything happens. For now, honor your side of the deal and we'll get along just fine."