TENACITY

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

(⚠️mentions of abuse⚠️)

Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Trey's House

"Don't get ahead of yourself—" Carter began, only to be cut off by Jason.

"Don't bother complaining," he muttered with a sigh. "Once he has decided, nothing you do will change his mind. The only one capable of effecting change is Alexandra, and she isn't here either."

Trey smiled at the defeated look on her face. "We will call Ethan with your phone," he started, watching as Mitch searched her pockets for it. "Then, you'll talk to him normally, telling him we know where he is and that we're coming for him. Understood?"

"What if I don't?"

"I'll break your nail," he replied without preamble. "And if after breaking the nail you still refuse to speak normally like nothing's wrong, like you aren't in pain, I'll break another till we're out of —"

"Which kind of monster are you?!" she asked, frustration coloring her voice.

Trey tilted his head. "Would you like to know?"

She went quiet, and though she remained glaring at him, it was quite evident she had given up. Billy chose then to come in from the front door. "The location is pointing to somewhere in Miami, sir, which I doubt is correct. Something isn't right," he finished as he entered the lounge with his long steps.

Trey smiled wryly. "We know what isn't. She just told us the building they're keeping Lexi and the babies in distorts the functioning of trackers."

"I see," he replied as he seated himself. "Oh, and your father said he'll be here soon."

Trey gave him an amused look. "What exactly did you tell him?"

Billy smirked. "Just gave him the impression it was urgent—a life or death situation."

Trey threw his head back and laughed, Jason chuckling while, like Billy, Mitch merely smiled. Andrew could be stubborn sometimes, and they'd quickly learned that Billy could handle him the best—which was why they weren't surprised.

"I see only one contact," Mitch said, calling their minds back to the main situation at hand. Then he looked at the owner of the phone. "It's his, isn't it?"

Carter turned her glare on him. "And why would I—"

"It's settled," Mitch concluded, turning to Trey. "It's his contact number."

"Listen when people are talking!" Carter screamed, extremely pissed.

"We don't really need to if we've got what we want," Jason said in a 'matter of fact' tone.

"Are you all like that?! No wonder you're perfect for each other!" They smiled in synchronism, then turned serious.

"By the way," Trey muttered, rising from his seat as Mitch hit the call button, "I'm convinced now that you were the one who handed our babies to them. I'm choosing to believe you cared enough for those innocent babies to add their blanket. For that I'm grateful."

She snarled, but before she could answer, Ethan answered the phone. "Yes?" He snapped impatiently.

In the background, Trey could hear who he swore was Alexandra yelling, 'Let go of me! If you think I would stand by and let you play with my baby daughter's privates, think again! Let go of my hair you sick bastard!'

Trey's heart stopped for a second, his hands fisting by his sides, and it was all he could do to remain quiet. He wanted to touch his daughter there. How sick was he?