The Stolen Wife.

chapter twelve.

When she woke up she could hear the rain still pounding on the metal roof above her, the room was dark other than a blue glow from one corner.

She rolled over and saw Rhys sitting behind a computer, staring at the screen not acknowledging her. She needed to go, shouldn't even be there but suddenly she felt frozen. Too afraid to move, unsure if he was planning to let her go.

She lay there a few long minutes listening to the keys clicking on the computer.

"I know you're awake," he said.

She felt her heart skip a beat when he spoke but slowly sat up in the large bed.

"I need to go, I...I need to get my kids."

"Nobody is keeping you here Elizabeth. If I was hellbent on holding you hostage I would have tied you down while you slept."

She gave a quick nod, grabbing her purse from the floor she hurried from the room. The main room was more crowded, men sat in several chairs all over watching the women gyrate on the stages and she kept her head down as she hurried outside.  She drove home aware that it was after six at night and her kids would wonder where she was.

As she parked her car she saw lights on in her home and Jordans BMW in the driveway, she glanced briefly at her neighbors wondering if Jordan had picked up the kids. She walked into her house and he met her at the door.

"Where have you been Liz?" He asked, his voice emotionless.

"Sorry, I was running errands."

"No, you weren't. Where were you?"

"I...."

"You were at the bank, I know you were!" He interrupted.

"I just wanted to check on the kids savings."

"Elizabeth...I have never cheated on you, I've never lied to you, I've never raised a hand to you. I expect the same from you. So, tell me...are you having an affair?"

She scoffed at first sure he was joking but the serious look on his face told her otherwise.

"No, of course not."

"Because you've been acting really strange lately and when I talked to the neighbor he said that you've been dropping the kids off an awful lot. That there's a man here when I'm not."

She paled realizing now he had picked the kids up but they weren't anywhere in sight. She glance around her heart rate speeding up.

"Where are the kids?" She asked.

"I sent them away, for awhile. Just until you get your head on straight."

"What? where? Sent them away? You can't do that!" She demanded.

"Yes, I can. I don't know what you're doing or where you're going but I don't feel they're safe with you. So they're staying with my parents until you decide to straighten up and be the mother they deserve."

"I'm going to get them, I won't let you do this." She said.

"You don't have a choice, call your boyfriend tell him it's over and maybe I'll bring them back in a week or two."

"OR TWO!?" She cried.

Her children had never been away from her for more than a few hours until, the though of her baby girl crying for her and getting a stranger broke her heart.

"You have no one to blame but yourself." He said calmly, arms crossed over his chest.

She was speechless, until now Jordan had never done anything cruel but this was downright evil and he knew the easiest way to break her.

"I'll do whatever you want just please please Jordan go get them."

"I will, when I'm ready."

Without another word he turned and went upstairs a few minutes later she heard the shower turn on, her purse slid from her shoulder to drop onto the carpet with a dull thud. The house seemed eerily quiet, empty and cold without her childrens laughter. She didn't know anything about his parents to even try and get them back on her own.

She reached into her pocket with numb fingers and shaking hands and pulled out the flip phone, Dialing Rhys number as she walked to the window seat in the dining room. Once her favorite place to snuggle Alex and read. She sank onto the cushions as he answered. She stared out the window at the empty backyard and watched the rain.

"What's wrong?" He asked after she was silent.

"I can't help you anymore, you can kill me if you want but I won't do it." She said her voice hollow.

"What did he do?" He demanded.

"He sent them away."

"Who?"

"My babies...he took away my babies. I can't help you again."

"He can't do that, Do you hear me? Elizabeth? He can't do that."

"Yes he can and he did." She said softly.

"Elizabeth."

"Don't call me again," She said quickly.

She hung up and then after staring at the phone in her hand a long minute and realizing he wasn't calling her back she took it in her two hands and broke it in half. She stood walking into the kitchen she threw it in the trash.