Chapter 31

I was about to run back to help him, but someone grabbed me from behind. I gasped and saw that it was Jeremy.

"Let me go!" I yelled, kicking his shin. He cursed, but didn't let me go.

"Shut up and follow me. I'll get you out of here. These guys are crazy." He said, leading me to the other side of the pier. As I followed him, I frowned. Why was he helping me? Was he just going to bring me back to the others?

"Why are you helping me?" I voiced my thoughts. He rolled his eyes and looked around the corner before beckoning me to follow.

"I was never in on this bullshit. I just needed money to leave the country. And you just so happened to be kidnapped the same time I went to Daxton." He explained. Just then, a door slammed open and Lance walked out, smiling and pointing his gun.

"Going somewhere?" He asked, stalking towards us. Jeremy held up his hands and backed up, shielding me from Lance's weapon. I backed up too, not wanting to get shot. "Give me the girl."

"Dude, come on. You really think Dax is gonna give you a cut when he gets the code? He's just gonna kill all of you and keep it all for himself." Jeremy said and Lance laughed.

"You're wrong. Now move." He moved the gun to the side, gesturing for Jeremy to do the same.

"I'm not even a part of this. Just let me go and you can have the girl." My mouth fell open at his words. So much for helping me escape. Lance thought about it and shrugged.

"Sure. Why not?" He fired his gun, shooting Jeremy in the head. Blood spattered on me and I screamed as Jeremy's lifeless body fell into the water.

"Oh my god, why did you do that?!" I shrieked. Lance smirked, twirling his gun.

"Jeremy had nothing to do with any of this. He was only gonna get in the way." I backed up slowly, trying not to end up like Jeremy. I quickly turned and ran around the corner.

"Hey!" Lance shouted, running after me. I looked back to see how close he was and when I turned back to the front, I crashed into a hard chest. I looked up to see Daxton, with a large knot on his head. He grabbed my arms tightly.

"Perfect. Now, if you won't tell me the code, I have something that will convince you. Lance, the yacht." Lance brought down the stairs of one of the yachts and Dax led me onto one named The King. I stumbled when he pushed me and I started to panic, wondering what he was going to do to me.

"Dax, I swear I don't know that code! Why don't you ask my dad?" I tried to convince him, but he ignored me. He walked over to a door and yanked it up.

"Get up here." Daxton said and I hear feet walking up from the bottom of the yacht. My heart almost dropped when I saw my son.

"Axel!" I rushed over to him, but Daxton stood in front of him. "What are you doing, Daxton?" I asked. Axel peeked from behind his father, obviously scared. He seemed to be fine, though his hair was matted and unruly.

"I'll ask you one more time. What is the code?" I contemplated whether or not I should tell him. If I did, my father's empire that he started from scratch to build would be gone. If I didn't, who knew what would happen? I decided to go with the latter.

"I don't know!" I said for the last time. Daxton laughed and shook his head, grabbing Axel's arm.

"Guess we'll just have to do things the hard way." I was confused as to what he meant. He walked over to the edge of the boat and lifted Axel upside down, hanging him over the side of the boat.

"Mommy!" Axel screamed, wiggling to get back on the boat.

"Daxton! Stop it! What's wrong with you?!" I screamed rushing to the side the boat.

"Stop moving around or I'll drop you." Daxton yelled at Axel and Axel stopped, eyes wide with fear. "And you, come any closer and I'll drop him. Right below the water is a cage. In that cage are some sharks that haven't been fed in, oh, let's say two weeks. So I'd advise you to spill now or else he's lunch." I gasped, heart beating out of my chest.

"He's your son!" I screeched, not moving, scared that he would actually do something to harm Axel.

Daxton shrugged and moved his arm from side to side. "I'd suggest you hurry it up because my arm is getting a little tired."

"Mommy, don't do it!" Axel cried out. He was being so brave and tears kept streaming down my face.

"Daxton, I don't know it. Please, don't do this!" I pleaded. Daxton let Axel go, but caught him at the last minute and I screamed, clutching my chest.

"Oops, almsot slipped there. One more lie and he's a goner." He threatened. I swallowed and blinked multiple times, deciding to tell him for the sake of Axel's safety.

"It's--"

"Daxton King! Put the boy down!" A man yelled and I turned around to see that the pier was flooded with cops. One had Lance in handcuffs and was leading him to a squad car. I closed my eyes, not believing they were really here. How did they get here?

Daxton looked up to the sky and laughed heartily. "Oh man, I was so close. SO close!" He shouted to the sky and moved Axel back onto the boat. Gun were trained on him and he set Axel down before holding his hands up. "You got me."

Axel ran over to me and I brought him close, pressing my face to his shirt. I sobbed with relief and Axel patted my back. "Mommy, it's okay. I'm not hurt, see?" He stretched out his arms, showing me that he was okay. I smiled and kissed him repeatedly.

"I know, baby, I know." I said, cupping his face.

"I'll be back, Ari. Mark my words." Daxton threatened as the cops led him away. "I'll be back!" He laugh would forever be imprinted in my brain and I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about anything else but the fact that Axel was safe.

"Mommy, you have blood on your face." Axel used his shirt to wipe away the blood, staining his white shirt. One of the officers came over and knelt beside us.

"Hey, young man. You were the one who called us, correct?" Axel nodded, clinging to me.

"My name is Officer Downey. You must be Axel and this must be your mother, Arielle." They shook hands and I nodded at him.

"You called the cops, baby? How?" I asked Axel, bewildered.

"Daddy had a phone down there and I knew you were in trouble, so I called the number you said call when there is trouble. 9-1-1." He said proudly and I laughed, hugging him tightly. The office also smiled and looked at me.

"You have one smart boy. He called us saying that his father took you and he heard gunshots and that he was on a boat. When he described the pier, we knew exactly where you guys were. I'm just glad we got here in time." The officer explained and I nodded, feeling the same way. "Come on. We have to take you guys in to give your statements."

I stood up and grabbed Axel's hand, afraid to let go. We followed the officer down the stairs and when we walked past one of the doors, I looked in to see paramedics surrounding someone.

"Michael!" I let go of Axel's hand and ran inside, pushing past everyone. When I got to him, I fell to my knees beside him, mouth open. They were pumping his chest and I could see the wound where the bullet went through. His face was ashen and it didn't look like he was breathing. "Oh my god, is he dead?" I asked and they looked at me.

"Ma'am, we need you to move." One of the paramedics said.

"I wanna know! Is he dead?!" I yelled, wanting to touch him.

"No, but he's lost a lot of blood. I don't know if we can save him." I gasped.

"No! You have to save him! He can't die! You can't let him die!" I screamed, lunging forward. Someone grabbed me and I struggled against the person, wanting to stay by Michael's side.

"I'm sorry, miss, but we have to go. Let them take care of him." I let Officer Downey lead me away and I strained my neck to look at Michael one last time before I got into the squad car.