Ready or Not (The Ready Series Book 4)(77)

Rather than feeling relieved or happy, I just felt nothing.

Liv

I’d been instructed by the burly redheaded cop to stay in the squad car until they gave the all-clear. I had fully intended on following his directions to the letter of the law. He looked scary, and I didn’t want to screw up this plan we’d spent all night concocting.

After my father had arrived the night before, we’d made the hard decision to include the police. If Natalie got wind that we had double-crossed her, we would run the risk of possibly losing Noah forever, but it was one risk we had to take.

We were in over our heads.

Kidnapping wasn’t something to take lightly, and luckily, my father had been able to contact the proper authorities discreetly and without media attention. His untraceable phone had helped as well.

I didn’t even want to know how he’d gotten his hands on one of those.

The cops didn’t think Natalie had the ability to run surveillance or had anyone working with her, but with a child involved, they were taking extra precautions.

Everything had been planned carefully and with precise calculation. Every last penny had been withdrawn from my father’s bank account and placed in a briefcase for Jackson to use in the handoff. Even though we knew she’d never get farther than the hotel doorway, seeing him walk away from me with all that cash had still seemed like a dream—or rather a nightmare.

The plan was to wait ten minutes before following Jackson inside. We wanted Natalie completely occupied when the cops stormed the room.

When I’d been told to stay behind at the house, I had adamantly replied to the men in charge, “Hell no.”

Reluctantly, they’d allowed me to ride along in the back of one of the unmarked squad cars—as long as I agreed to behave.

Three minutes had turned into five…then eight as we stood by. I stared at the run-down motel as I waited for a sign that something, anything was happening.

As my mind lit off a hundred different scenarios, the men in the front seat prepared to go upstairs.

“You stay here, Ms. Prescott.” The burly cop said.

I nodded. “Please keep them safe.”

“That’s our job,” he said with little emotion.

I’d never been much of a religious person, but in that moment, I nearly fell to my knees in that backseat, begging any deity within earshot to please hear my silent plea and protect my family.

Within minutes, two of the officers were racing back out of the building toward the entrance. My head darted back and forth as I searched for any sign of Noah or Jackson, but neither were visible.

My heart raced frantically as I watched them storm the lobby.

Minutes later, the redheaded cop walked back out with his arms wrapped around Noah.

I leaped from the car and raced across the parking lot toward him.

“Liv!” he cried, tears racing down his cheeks, as he flung himself into my arms.

“Oh, thank God!” I sobbed.

My hands went everywhere, searching every single hair on his head and up and down his body, just to be sure he wasn’t injured.

“I’m okay. I’m okay,” he kept chanting.

“I was so worried,” I said, tucking him into my body. “Have you eaten? Were you scared?”

“Yes, and not all the time. I mean, yes, I was scared when it started to get late, and she wouldn’t take me home. I knew then that I’d made a bad decision going with her. But she was never mean to me. When she’d first shown up, we talked about me and school. I could kinda tell that she was distracted, you know?”

I nodded, urging him to continue.

“Then, when it got dark and we showed up here, she stopped talking and just began to pace—back and forth, over and over. That was a little scary. After a few hours, she calmed down and started asking me about my teachers and stuff. I think she actually listened then,” he said.

“But this morning, when she woke me up, she looked agitated and distracted again. She told me to go downstairs for the continental breakfast, and she made me swear I wouldn’t run off.” He looked frightened.

“You were brave,” I assured him.

The police officer escorted us back to the squad car where I’d promised to stay, but I obviously hadn’t. As he opened the door, I looked over and saw her.

Her hands were handcuffed behind her back while two uniformed officers were on either side of her. They swiftly walked her to the opposite side of the parking lot where a police car was parked and ready to take her away.

As she passed, our eyes met, and I saw the raw pain radiating through them. Her gaze quickly darted to Noah, and then she looked away as if it hurt too much to do so.

As I was pondering what the hell I’d just witnessed, Jackson appeared, and he was immediately covered by two sets of arms. Noah hugged his waist while I wrapped myself around his shoulders as I softly kissed him.

It was over.

“Let’s go home.” He breathed out a sigh of relief as he bent down and kissed Noah’s forehead.

“I’ve never agreed with you more.”





Jackson

“I should have known,” I said. “I should have done more—helped her.”

Liv’s hands trailed down my naked chest as we lay in bed, watching the moonlight dance around the room. Hours had passed since we sat outside of Noah’s room, waiting for him to fall asleep. We’d spent almost the entire day on the phone, assuring everyone that we were all fine and safe, and all I’d wanted to do was sit there and listen to him breathe.