The Marine I Know

Chapter 24

Phoenix got Ryan strapped to a chair in the dining room as the rest of us stood off to the side.

"How did you find us?" I snarl, fists clenching at my sides. Parker is standing next to me, arms crossed over his chest and standing tense like at any moment Ryan is going to jump us.

"Now why would I spill my secrets?" Ryan smirks at me, which sends a shiver up my spine, causing me to shiver.

"Because I understand how much you hate me and my mom, which you should just tell us where she is because these gentlemen," I say, gesturing to the guys, "Are military and are not afraid to do what it takes to get information." That sure got his attention.

"Okay, fine she's at a warehouse where you were kidnapped." My legs buckle, and I collapse to the floor, and Parker rushes over to my side.

"What is it?" He asks me, pulling me into his arms.

"Brittney has to be behind it. She hates my guts and somehow found a way to get my mom." I lay my head on his shoulder and close my eyes for a bit.

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I wake up in the back seat of a car, and my head is leaning on someone's shoulder. I look up, and it's Parker. I snuggle up against him, and he wraps his arm around me, kissing me on the head.

"How was your nap?" He asks me.

"It was okay. Where are we heading off to?" I ask, looking around me. I was in the middle, and Parker was to my right while Quentin was to my left. Beckett was driving, and Lilly was in the front seat.

"It's a surprise." He says as we continue driving. There is something familiar about this area. We finally pull up to a gate with a guardhouse and Beckett flashes his ID, causing the gate to open and we drive through and find a parking spot. There's another car behind us, and the rest of our group climbs out of the truck. Clare goes straight for Quentin, causing him to wrap his arm around her shoulder. Beckett hands out visitor passes to each of us girls and we clip them to our jackets.

"Belle, you may remember this place," Beckett says and immediately, all the memories of that night storm back into my mind. I look at Parker, with tears in my eyes as he hugs me close to his chest.

"It's okay baby girl. I'm not leaving today." He whispers, and I sniffle and look at his outfit with relief to find that it was just regular clothes and not his uniform. I quickly wipe my face, and Parker lays his arm across my shoulders as I snuggle into his side as Beckett leads us into the base. We continue down the hallway into what looks to be a conference room.

"Parker, what's going on?" I whisper, and he squeezes my shoulder as a way to tell me it's okay. I hear footsteps down the hallway that we were in, and I start getting nervous, unsure of what's going to happen. The footsteps end in front of the door and then turn into the room. There are two men dressed in their military uniform, standing at attention and a lady is standing between them, looking frazzled, but it's gone when she sees me, and I immediately realize this is mom. I leap out of Parker's arms and run towards my mom, wrapping my arms around her, crying into her shoulder.

"It's okay, my dear. I'm safe, thanks to your fine boyfriend and friends." She says, and I face each of them, who has a smile on each of their faces.

"Y-you guys planned this?" I say, and Beckett nods.

"Someone on the base owed me a favor, and I figured this would be a good way to surprise you." I let go of my mom to give each of the guys' hugs.

"Thank you," I say, and then I stand in front of Parker. "I'm thankful to have you in my life, and for you and all of you guys to go the extra mile for me, you guys are the heroes." The last part I say towards the whole group. My mom moves to stand next to me, and together, we all walk out towards the trucks to go back home. Quentin moves to Phoenix's truck while my mom takes his place and Beckett starts the truck. "Mom, I'm sorry. I caught Ryan in our house, and he told me he kidnapped you and I thought Brittney was part of it as a way to get back at me." I ramble out, and she laughs, shaking her head.

"No, honey. Ryan just wanted to get back at me for what I did to him that fateful night." I knew what day she was talking about since I was in the living room when it happened.

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Seven years ago

"What do you mean you want to leave me?!" Ryan yells throughout the house. My mom and I were planning on sneaking out this morning since she told me Ryan was abusive to her. I had my bag packed, and mom was smart to not buy any furniture for me while I was here. He just caught us walking downstairs and lost his cool.

"I'm sorry, but my daughter and I don't feel safe here anymore." She says, not losing her cool. My dad passed when I was six, so for this to take place; I was roughly around eight or so.

"Just because I hit you?" I gasp at his bluntness. I pull my flip phone out of my back pocket and call 9-1-1, just like my mom told me to.

"Hello, 9-1-1, what is your emergency?" The operator said, over the line. I hide in the bathroom and answer the phone, silently crying.

"You have to help me, please," I beg to the operator.

"Hey, darling, what's going on? Can you tell me?" She asks.

"I took you in for all these reasons because I cared about you! You aren't thankful to stay!" Ryan yells, and I hold the receiver to the door since you can hear it loud and clear.

"I'm not putting my kid in harm's way because when you are drunk, you get abusive!" Mom yells, and I'm still holding the phone to the door.

"Darling, can you give me your address?" She asks, and I rattle it off just as the door gets ripped off its hinges and stares down at me is one angry Ryan. He grabs the phone and then throws it against the wall, while I try to get as far away from him as possible. He grabs my collar and lifts me, my mom sporting a black eye.

"Well, now, like mother like daughter." He sneers just as we hear sirens and someone knocks down the door.

"Police! Freeze!" The officer says, holding a gun to Ryan and I stare my frightened look at the officer. Ryan puts me down just as he gets handcuffed, and my mom runs towards me, scooping me up in her arms.

"Oh, baby girl." She says, sobbing, " I was scared I lost you." I snuggle into my mom's shoulder as EMTs tried to get me off her shoulder so they can tend to her eye.