While I Breathe: The Veiðimenn Mob, Book One

Twelve

"Willette Law, Paul Jacob's speaking," The voice of the other man echoed in the room.

It had been a few hours since the paperwork releasing his son back into his care were started. Hans took a steadying breath, "This is Hans Stevensson."

"Good evening, Mr. Stevensson," Paul replied. "My father took the afternoon off, but he asked me to let you know that all of the paperwork was sent to the hospital and to the provincial CPS headquarters. The firm received word just a little bit ago that everything has been settled without much ruckus. It was all signed off on by Judge Martin, Sir.”

“Great news. Thank’s Paul,” Hans said with a smirk.

“Happy to have been of service to such a highly-valued client, Mr. Stevensson. Have a good night, Sir,” the other man replied.

“Felix, go investigate the girl who lived with the family. I want everything about her and her family in my hands by tomorrow. David said that she tried to help Callum, and that means she's safe until my son says differently.” Hans looked down at the teen. His eyes were crinkled in paternal concern as he took in the various tubes and wires hooked up to his son.

The other man looked at his boss as Felix left and sighed, “His looks never changed, man.”

Hans had to agree with his friend as he looked down at the teen. Though battered, Callum had the same blond hair and dark caramel skin he remembered from eight years ago.

“He looks so much like his mother,” he replied. "Eight long years, Ross. We finally found him."

Ross nodded, “David is at the warehouse awaiting judgement. He wasn’t wrong about the girl. She flipped when she woke up, and wouldn’t stop begging to know that Callum was going to be safe now. What will you do?”

“I see. I want the phone records from every device, including the house line by tomorrow. David said she called in before, and I want proof before I make a final decision,” Hans said in a tone that told his men he meant business. Hans smirked, “I also want a list of names of everyone who dealt with my son directly.”

Ross grinned as he left the room. Hans was in full Don mode, and he pitied anyone who got in the man's way.

Angry that he'd missed out on so much of his son’s life, Hans couldn't wait to grill Michael about the screw-up. He watched wearily as Erik walked into the room with Mike Stone. The former was as calm as could be while the latter was sweating profusely. "Will that be all, Sir?"

“I want everything that belongs to my son out of that house. Including his motorcycle,” Hans told him.

“Is there anything you want me to grab for you?”

“Yeah, I'm hungry. Get my usual, and order something while you're at it,” the blond smirked at Erik as he handed over his credit card.

Erik left, muttering under his breath as Mike shifted his weight nervously. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again at the sight of the scowl on the other man’s face. It wasn’t as if Hans wanted to hear his excuses.

An auburn-haired woman in a nurses' uniform suddenly walked into the room. Giving Mike a glare, the woman snarled, “You are a disgrace to case workers everywhere. After what my daughter witnessed, your ass will be lucky to have a God damn job.”

Hans felt like her words sucked the oxygen out of the room. He watched the pair warily.

Mike took a step back, “I can explain, Mrs. Reyes-Hopewell.”

The woman scoffed, “Can you explain how my ex-husband managed to move an entire town away with my daughter after I explicitly told you it violated the court-ordered custody agreement? Or how a man with a criminal background was approved to look after children? Can you explain that to me? I warned you! I told you that he had to give his new address, and maintain consistent contact with me about Ambrosia. None of that happened, and now she’s home terrified that this poor boy might die!”

Hans had wanted to grill the man himself, but watching this red-headed lady tear into the other man was much more entertaining. He cleared his throat, “Can you explain what’s written in the medical report?”

“You’re the father?” At his nod, she sighed heavily. Flipping over the sheets, she listed off what was written in the medical report. Her face contorted angrily, "He’s got four broken ribs, and multiple lacerations on his back ranging from roughly six months old to recently. Rest assured, Justin will be sent away for a very long time.”

Hans nodded. He was trying to stay calm, but his emotions were running rampant. He bit back harder on the violent beast that was inside him.

She sighed, “My daughter told me Justin would beat him regularly. They also tried to starve him, but Amber would get food to him when they weren’t paying attention.”

So far, David's story checked out, which meant the younger man got to live a little longer.

Hans cut a scathing glare to the other man in the room who shook where he stood. His only child had been placed in a medically induced coma to help his body heal because he’d been beaten to within an inch of his young life. The new knowledge had the monster within, the darker side of himself that he kept tightly leashed, clawing to get out. It was demanding to be appeased for the innocent blood spilled.

Michael began pleading, begging for mercy he would never get. The excuses were poor, full of holes, and not believable at all.

Hans glared in a way that would have made in-season flowers wilt, silencing the other man without a word. He'd heard enough to know that the girl had no part in Callum's abuse. He had her to thank for all she did to keep him alive, though. Wanting to rip the other man apart in the most painful way possible, Hans scrubbed his hands over his face. “Did anyone bother to look in on him after David left him in that house?”

Mrs. Reyes dropped the medical report back in its place and crossed her arms. “I can tell you now the answer is a solid no, Mr. Stevensson. Some came, but no one spoke to either your son or my daughter.”

Hans arched a blond brow.

Callum’s only salvation had come in the form of a teenaged girl. His ice-blue eyes slid closed. He wanted to wake up from this nightmare. He didn’t want to believe that his son, his pride and joy, was lying in a hospital bed. The steady beeping of the heart monitor only served to drive home the fact that it wasn’t an illusion.

“Mercy does not exist in this situation,” Hans muttered.

Michael groaned, falling to his knees on the floor. "Please, I beg you, Mr. Stevensson. Please spare me, Sir."

The woman sneered at him, “Had it not been for my daughter stepping in, risking her life for that boy, he would have died.”

Gaze darkening slightly, Hans levelled the other man with a look, “Luckily for you, Stone, my son is still alive. He is far from well, but he’s alive. However, I highly doubt things will be going well for you.”

He watched as the other man paled, “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that I'm going to sue the system, and everyone who was directly involved in Callum's abuse,” Hans said as he leaned against the wall. He slid his ice-blue gaze to the woman, “Do I put your name down? They did fail your daughter.”

She shook her head, “Ambrosia’s been through enough. I don’t want to have her suffer through something like a lawsuit while she’s going to be put through the wringer when she testifies against her father.”

“She’s testifying?” Hans raised his brows, looking at her in surprise. That was news to him.

Hannah returned to the bedside, her manner turning worried. “She said she wanted to make sure Justin paid in full for what he did. She told me that Callum was always good to her, she wants to make sure he gets the justice he deserves.”

Hans swallowed as he nodded. David was right to defend the girl and defy the kill order. As if he could sense her curiosity when the chain around his neck flashed in the dimmed lights, he smiled sadly. “If you’re wondering about the ring, his mother passed away a week before our wedding. I was raising him in tandem with her family when he was kidnapped. We managed to keep it quiet, since I’m quite the successful businessman back in Ontario."

"I see," the woman said.

“I can compensate your daughter for her trauma,” Hans said.

“That won’t be necessary.” Hannah turned to leave the room but stopped as though she suddenly remembered something important. “Ambrosia told me to tell you that he never believed for a minute you gave up trying to find him."

Without taking his gaze from Callum, he thanked the woman as she left the room. Now, at least, he understood that his son trusted the girl. She’d been the one to truly save his life. “Don’t worry, my young King. You’re going to be safe from now on.”