Chapter 28 | The captors

"Kidnap. You want me to help you kidnap a baby."

"No. Not kidnap. Save. We're gonna save him because he's suffering."

"Sounds like something Cara would say, Dom. Stop repeating everything she says like a dumb parrot!"

"...Parrots aren't dumb."

"You are."

"Lou."

"Dom—"

"Listen." Dom's voice this time was tinged with finality, forbiddance of further bickering. Words definitive like a king's (or Cara's), he continued, "Our baby is stuck in a basement. Suffering. I'm not letting him die there. I'm saving him, and you're gonna help us. Whether you like it or not, understand?"

Lou opened his mouth but was cut off by Dom's hand gripping his upper-arm. Something about the gesture was always tauntingly restricting.

"Understand?"

Lou didn't answer. Footsteps neared, coming from the left. Soon Cara was stepping in, each stride like prideful conquerer watching over his soldiers. It stung Lou's ego but he pretended it didn't.

"Dom, easy on him," she said. She waited until Dom backed off then took one step closer. She pursed her lips. "Lou, darling, I don't know what kind of monster you are to refuse helping a little baby." She angled her chin down, bottom lip almost, almost jutting out in a pout. Lou wasn't sure if the tears in her eyes were real or just a glistening reflection of sunlight. "My little baby. Our."

Cara neared Dom and pressed a palm against his chest, staring straight into his eyes whilst addressing Lou, "We can never have a baby. You know I'm infertile. Now that I found my baby—" she craned her neck just enough so she'd catch Lou's gaze, "—you don't wanna help us. How selfish is that?"

Lou sighed. "I don't mean—"

"You wouldn't care about our baby, Lou, would you? Because if you get married, you can easily have your own kid. But I had to suffer so much to find mine. And now that I did, you won't help. That's so selfish."

The way Cara worded the situation, twisting the truth into an ugly lie, always seemed to squeeze Lou's heart. Selfish. All his life, he'd been under Dom's wing. Cara had helped him through his addiction. Now he wouldn't help? If not for them, for the baby?

Selfish. Selfish. Selfish.

"Come on, Lou. I know there's some good in you. You wouldn't leave a baby in a basement, right?"

Lou lifted his gaze, setting it on Dom instead of Cara. The plea in his eyes was soft like a child's, begging guidance and help: I don't know what to do anymore.

Dom sensed it. The anger in him melted for a second. He mumbled, "If you don't wanna do it for us, do it for the innocent baby, Lou. Please."

When Lou noticed that Dom spoke of the baby with the same passion as Cara's, he knew he was a lost case. No backing out now, like a moth caught in webs.

"Alright," Lou finally said. "Alright. Now get away from me."

Cara smiled, slowly, mouth curving at only one corner. "Darling," she mumbled, "it's not like it's your choice. Remember you owe us your life. You'd be dead now without us. You have to help us. You can't back out."

Lou watched her. For the first time, he felt the full weight of the puppet-strings digging into his wrists and ankles. He glanced at Dom: blinded, tied with faux gold-encrusted rope. Breaking free meant cutting off a wrist. Breaking free meant breaking Dom's word.

And Lou knew he'd never have the audacity to break Dom's word again.

*_*_*_*_*_*

The arrogant part of Lou felt like a handsome badass right now, if it weren't for the purpose behind it. Dressed in black from head to toe like the starless nightsky condensed into a human shape, he could be mistaken for a thief.

The real thief was Cara. She'd stolen Dom and his wealth and what was left of sanity, greedy hand now grappling for Lou. And a baby, too.

"Lou do you need me to repeat the plan?"

"No," Lou drawled. "I get it. I'll drop you off behind the house. I'll sneak up to the backyard and wait for you to open the door for me. Because breaking into people's house is a lot better than drug addiction."

Cara's content smile dropped at his last comment. She shook her head, redirecting her focus. "Okay. Good. Great. You know you can't mess this up, okay? My baby is waiting for me to save him." Cara stopped speaking, green eyes wandering towards the window. "My little baby."

Dom came out of his room dressed like charcoal, an older version of Lou. "Come on," he said with a subtle nervous reluctance in the firmness of his voice. "We should go now."

Lou eyed Dom and Dom eyed Lou. Then without a word, Dom moved towards the door. Cara followed. She held the keys and turned to Lou, letting them dangle down her palm. The metal clattered.

"You're gonna drive, Lou."

When she jiggled the keys once more, Lou roughly snatched them and moved to the frontdoor, giving her a dirty look as he passed by her.

Lou walked to the car whilst Cara locked the door behind. He grabbed the door handle but he didn't find the strength in him to pull. Tonight, he'd label himself insane. All he'd ever done was shit on Cara but today he'd stand in her line.

A push on the back of his shoulder shattered his trance. He opened the door and hesitantly sat in the driver's seat, setting clammy hands on the steering wheel. His fingers shook slightly against the rubber. He leant back.

He only realized Dom and Cara had climbed in as well when he heard the sound of the doors shutting simultaneously. From his peripheral, he caught Cara beside him. He started the engine.

"Come on, drive. What're you doing?"

Lou didn't respond nor did he drive. He remained still, hand frozen. Selfish. He could be selfish if he didn't participate but at least he wouldn't be a criminal. "I... I—"

"Lou," Cara warned. "Drive the damn car right now."

"I can't do this."

"Oh my God." Cara sighed and leant an elbow against the door, face into her palm. "Can't you just do one right thing in your life?"

Dom noticed Lou looking at the door and he knew what he was thinking. "Lou," he said. "Don't. You can't back out now. You have to help us."

Cara's words. Lou frowned, twisting so he could face Dom. "Yeah? What can you do?" The question didn't sound as aggressive or threatening as he'd intended. An inquiry, because a part of him wanted to know what they'd do if he refused.

"You can't betray us. You have nowhere to go. The house is mine. The money is mine."

Lou's frown deepened. Ironically, he felt like he'd been betrayed. "The hell are you talking about? You can't do that. That's mine too."

"The paper doesn't say that. It says it's mine. As long as you're with me, it's yours as well. Stray away and you'll find yourself on the street." The words tasted like dirt in Dom's mouth. "But I won't even let you do that. Because you can't handle yourself alone, Lou. You can't do anything alone. You need me. You need me with you. The last time I left you, you ended up an addict."

And there again with the same rotten loop. It hurt that it was true. Lou sighed and leant against the backrest again.

He flinched as Cara's hand grasped his arm with force, nails digging in. The look in her eyes tore past his chest like a knife, hard and unforgiving.

"You owe us, Lou, remember," she said. "Drive. Now."

Lou stared at her for a second. Then, he hit the gas-pedal and drove—a silent agreement, a reluctant surrender. White flags up, and he knew he couldn't pull them down again if he tried.

As Lou drove, Cara's eyes on him were more efficient than a shotgun. Still, he feared Dom more. He feared disappointing him. He'd tasted all types of rebellion throughout his life but one against Dom was one he couldn't handle.

He parked at least half a mile away from Jayden's home. Cara's turn was first. She exited the car, but before shutting the door, she said, "Don't try betraying us last minute." Then she added, "Dom, remember. Someone and you strike."

She left then, keeping Lou and Dom alone in the car.

Lou kept staring ahead. From the backseat, Dom tried glancing at Lou. He scooted towards the middle and prodded him. Lou didn't answer.

"Lou?" Dom's serious expression faded. He frowned softly, leaning forwards between the front seats. "You know that I love you, right? I didn't mean what I said. I mean, I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I wouldn't kick you out."

Lou refused to look at Dom. The silence settled between them was eerily still whilst simultaneously pushing them further apart. "You wouldn't kick me out," Lou mused, eyes set on his finger as it fiddled with the keychains, "but you wouldn't let me go either."

"I know what's best for you."

"Do you?"

"Yeah. I know that if I leave you on your own you're gonna get yourself in some shit. You think I enjoyed it when you were addicted? It killed me, Lou. It killed me to see you in pain. I don't wanna lose you. I don't ever wanna lose you."

Lou clutched the door-handle and clenched his jaw with the strain of repressing tears. I don't wanna lose you either, he wanted to say. I don't wanna lose myself. But he knew that he'd already lost both.

Dom checked the time. Now it was his turn. As he stepped out of the car, he reached a hand forward and squeezed Lou's shoulder. The sorrow in the gesture constricted Lou's chest. It was like even Dom knew.

"Don't fail me."

It was the last thing Dom said before heading over to Jayden's house. The sky overhead matched his clothes: dark and effortlessly camouflaging. They'd picked the right time.

Cara was at the door, conversing with Amy. The target. Dom stealthily stepped over the fence and tiptoed across the lawn, back against the wall, beanie pulled down a bit more.

He kept scooting over until he was close to the door, to Cara's right. There was a shovel in his hand. His shoulders tensed, hand gripping the wood tighter, ready to commence.

"Is Jayden here?" Cara said. She glanced over her shoulder. "Because I thought I heard footsteps outside."

Amy frowned. "No, he's not. He told me to call him when you arrive."

"But I heard... Is someone—"

Dominic struck Cara's head with the shovel. She dropped. Amy gasped, frozen for a moment. "Cara!" She bent forwards to help her, but then Dom slammed her head.

Amy dropped as well. Dom pulled the beanie over his face, ran inside and turned off the electricity. The house drowned in a sea of black. He headed to the door.

Cara propped her torso up. Dom helped her to her feet then dragged Amy a bit more inside. He looked at Cara. "Was that too hard?"

"No, it's fine. I'm fine." Cara held the key up. "I got the key to the basement from her. We need to finish this fast. Jayden might come."

They hurried to the basement without preamble, fast-slipping time like a noose around their necks. As soon as they stepped down, Cara tried locating Leo while Dom locked the door. She said, "Quick, open the door for Lou."

Dom did. Lou came in, still disoriented because of the darkness. Cara knelt down in front of Leo and cast the flashlight against his face.

"There- oh my God, there's my baby. My poor little baby." Her lips parted, heart beating fast. So scared, so innocent. Finally. "Hold him down, I'm gonna inject. There's no time, we have to hurry."

Dom held Leo's arm, then quickly clamped a hand against his mouth. He felt vibrations of muffled screams clash into his palm and it vaguely reminded him of Lou through his addiction phase. He exhaled shakily.

Cara knelt down in front of Leo and held the injection close to his neck but Lou caught her wrist and tugged back.

"Wait," Lou said, eyeing Leo. Thin and frail, like a stick, one prod and he'd collapse. But he wasn't a baby. A teenager. "What- What the hell? That's not a baby, that's a teen. What—"

"What do you mean not a baby?" Cara asked with an accusing pitch. "I'm pretty sure this is my little baby. Right, Dom? Tell him. Tell him that's my baby boy. My little baby boy."

"Y-Yeah. That's our baby. Our baby boy." Dominic stared longer at Leo. Fragile, so fragile and delicate. Large blue eyes pleading for protection, for safety. He could give him that. He could keep him safe like he'd kept Lou and this time he wouldn't mess up. He wouldn't leave him for one second like he'd left Lou. "Don't be stupid, Lou. Let's finish this quick. We're scaring him enough right now. We need to take him home."

"No no no. Guys, tell me you're not hallucinating," Lou said, wide-eyed, unable to process. "I- I can't do this. We need to go back. That's a teenager, I'm sure—"

"Shut up." The calmness of being around Cara's baby faded. Lou was pissing her off. So blind, so dumb. "Help us with him." She directed the injection at Leo's neck.

"No, that's not a baby—"

Cara sighed. She closed the injection and shoved it in her pocket as she walked over to the corner where Dom had left the shovel. Metal scraping against planks, she dragged it over, then raised it and wordlessly slammed it against Lou's head.

Lou groaned, hand holding his head, then dropped.

"The hell did you do to him!"

"Shh, idiot! I had to. He was gonna get us caught." Cara nonchalantly stabbed Leo's neck. She heard a whimper, the slightest protest and it tore her heart. But there was no time, so she glanced at Dom. "You drag Lou to the car and come back for our baby. We don't have time."

"How—"

"If you mess this up, I swear to God, I'll make Lou pay for it. I don't care about anyone when it comes to my baby. Anyone."

Dominic's eyes blazed with anger that wasn't worth expression in front of Cara. He hooked an arm around Lou's torso and dragged him across the planks.

He struggled to get Lou past the fence, but when he managed, he carried him the rest of the way to the car.

Dominic placed Lou down on the asphalt, slumped against the car, as he opened the trunk. He leant down and picked him up again, this time shoving him gently inside. Dom only realized how taller Lou had grown when he had to curve his knees so he'd fit.

Dom stared at him. Oblivious. "I'm sorry," he mumbled and closed the door. "I'm so sorry." Halfheartedly, he hurried back to the house.

When he made it back to the basement, Leo had fainted. Cara was in the middle of standing, gesturing him to finish it. Dom lifted Leo worryingly effortlessly, cradling him bridal-style in his arms.

"Go now. And if Lou wakes up, drug him."

Dom frowned at the recollection "The hell were you thinking? You could've blinded him—"

"I said I had to. The idiot just now decides to back out. Don't let him wake up. I don't know what he'd do if wakes. Now go. Make sure you don't leave traces. I'm gonna go back inside."

He left with Leo without another word. Cara had to tie the loose threads of the mission up, and they'd be done.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Dom had waited in the car with two unconscious people until Cara finished with Amy and Jayden.

They hadn't spoken a word on the way back. Cara had constantly glanced back at her baby, admiring him, stroking his arm every now and then even though he was unconscious.

Now they made it home with Lou sprawled in his room and Leo on the changing table, surrounded by Dom and Cara. She curled an arm around Dom's, leaning against his side, smile brighter than the sun at noon.

"Look at my beautiful baby," she said, leaving Dom so she could hunch over Leo and kiss his cheek, lips lingering. She pulled back and watched him. Hers, all hers. "I'm gonna protect you, baby. I promise."

Dominic couldn't stop staring at the fading bruises along Leo's thigh. The idea made him sick, made him want to go back and kill Jayden, or Amy, or both.

Cara noticed where Dom was staring. Her hand slid down Leo's arm until her fingers intertwined with his. She brought it up to her mouth and kissed it. "Dom," she finally said, mindlessly tracing Leo's hand in hers. "Stop looking there. It happened. We can't do anything—"

"Yes we can. We can go back there and kill those—"

"Or, we can love Leo and protect him. We can make him forget everything he'd been through. We can show him that we won't use him. Killing them won't help Leo. Taking care of him will."

Dominic clenched his jaw. He'd thought Cara would be the one to hold the machetes and explosives and say: let's kill them for hurting my baby. But apparently the soft motherly tendencies in her overpowered.

Cara hissed when Leo's jagged fingernail scratched against hers. "Someone needs to trim your little nails, right?" she spoke to Leo like he was conscious, nuzzling into his palm. She reached for the nail-cutter and trimmed only one fingernail when she suddenly stopped. She remembered Lou. "Dom, you trim his nails. And toenails too. I have to check on Lou."

Cara handed him the nail-cutter and quickly headed to Lou's room without giving him a chance to protest. She pushed open Lou's bedroom door where they'd left them.

Perfect timing because Lou was just about awake, muttering under his breath, hand rubbing his head. His countenance screamed with confusion and disorientation.

Cara walked in with a sly smile and sat beside Lou, edge of the bed dipping beneath her weight. "Hi," she casually said.

Lou squinted at her until his vision cleared. Voice scratchy, he muttered, "Get away," and tried pushing her but Cara caught his wrist, pinning it down. "Get away from me you insane—"

"Shh, Lou. You've been a bit annoying. Now I need to teach you. Remember Leo? Who is he?"

"He's... He's a teen. A goddamn teen. You're... you're hallucin—"

Cara gripped his jaw, a bit too harsh. "Say that again. I dare you."

Lou tried freeing himself, but in vain. "This isn't normal—"

"Lou, I know one thing: Leo is my baby. And I won't let you say otherwise." She reached for the remaining chloroform and poured some into a cloth. She brandished it in front of him, blonde brow curved. "Who is Leo?"

Lou sensed the warning. He shook his head. "He's not—"

"Who is he?"

"You can't do this," Lou mumbled breathily, turning his face away as she neared the cloth. "You can't—"

She pressed the cloth over his nose, gently, and listened to his muffled protests. "Say that Leo's my baby."

"You insane bit—"

Cara pressed the cloth harder, making him sputter barely comprehensibly, "Stop, please." She released some of the pressure. Lou wheezed but realized that was a mistake with chloroform hovering above his nose.

"I'm gonna say this one more time: Leo's my baby. Your baby nephew. You can't run away from the truth."

At this point Lou was losing his consciousness again, muscles relaxing. "Baby," he absently repeated. "L-Leave me. He's your baby."

"That's right." Cara messed with a strand of his hair as he succumbed to the chloroform. "I swear I don't wanna hurt you, Lou," she said, voice soft and sorrowful. "You force me to do this. I promise I love you, but you annoy me when you don't wanna love my baby Leo—"

"Cara?"

Cara sighed then pulled herself off the bed and headed to the door, opening it just enough so she could partly slip through and speak to Dom, "What?"

He tried glancing into the room, at Lou. "What are you doing to him?"

Cara smiled, posture relaxing, one arm behind her back. "I'm having a tiny little session with Lou. Just teaching him to stop being selfish and accept our baby Leo."

"Don't drug him."

"No promises. Lou's stupidity led him here. I wouldn't have to do this if he just respects my poor little baby." Cara's voice was a challenge itself, borderline belittling. "And don't go around commanding me, Dom. Lou isn't the only one who owes me. You two are nothing without me. Now excuse me while I finish my work with Lou."

Cara closed the door in Dom's face, this time locking it. Even if it took till sunrise, she was gonna teach Lou his place.

*_*_*_*_*_*

hi. Hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it.

Thank you for reading/voting/commenting, it means the world to me <3

i'm still fighting for TB, by the way, but wattpad's not responding anymore. But i'm not giving up just yet. I'm trying my best.