Black Rose Revenge

Chapter 5

SIERRA POV

I met up with Mack in his living room and was greeted with an ice-cold beer. “Is she finally asleep?” He asked, genuinely concerned. “That poor child has been through a lot today. Have you heard from Xavier?”

After gulping down three quarters of my beer., I finally answered the questions Mack was firing at me. I don’t think that she will be asleep for long, she keeps having nightmares about what happened. I hate the sons-of-bitches that terrified my little girl! I haven’t heard a peep from Xavier, I’m really worried about him. I can’t even think about if anything happened to him!” Before she could succumb to tears and despair, Mack interrupted her thoughts.

“We will find out who the men were and why they took Xavier. Xavier is a very wily guy, I have no doubt he found some way to escape.” Mack brought a couple more beers for them to relax with. “You might have to take Chancey to a therapist to help her cope with this incident.”

“I will think about it, we just need to take this one day at a time.” Before their conversation could continue, it was interrupted by chilling screams. “CHANCEY!” We both screamed in unison as we made our way to the stairs.

“MOMMY!” Chancey screamed in terror.

I ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time and barged into her room. “Baby, mommy is here, it’s okay now. SSHH, it’s okay.” I whispered into her ear when I scooped her up into my arms to ground both of us that Chancey is safe right now. I was rocking Chancey when Mack came into the room. Our eyes met and in that moment I remembered about our earlier conversation. “Do you have the phone number for an excellent therapist?” Mack nodded and headed back downstairs to retrieve the number.

“Mommy, can I ask you a question?” Chancey asked even though she looked both physically and emotionally exhausted.

I ran my hand from the front of her head to her back. “What is it baby?” I was trying really hard to be as calm and collected that I need to be for her but my heart was breaking at the terror on my daughters face.

Chancey snuggled closer to me before she spoke again. “Is daddy…are we going to see daddy…alive again?” She choked out the last part.

I hugged my little girl tightly. I wish that I could take the memory from her so she was her carefree self again. “Oh baby. I promise you that we will see daddy again, alive!” I brushed Chancey’s hair behind her ear as I stared into my daughter’s hopeful gaze. “Your father is very resourceful and a very capable person, he would never leave you to live life without him around.” I hugged my daughter as I quietly hoped I didn’t just lie to her.

“Hey, do you want me to take over here so that you can get a bite to eat to keep up your strength?” Mack asked as he stood next to me.

I looked over at Mack and nodded my thanks. “That would be a good idea.” I then pulled away from my daughter far enough so that I could look into her face. “Hey, honey, do you mind if Uncle Mack keeps you company while he reads you a story and I will make you some warm cocoa and something light to eat?”

Chancey looked like she was deep in thought for a minute then spoke. “That would be fine, he can read one of my favorite stories. Besides you haven’t eaten all day either.” She looked up at me with that innocent look on her face as she threw me under the bus to Mack.

I looked at Mack to see a very grumpy looking scowl on his face. I rolled my eyes at him. “Thanks baby for reminding me to eat, in front of your uncle.”

She smiled at me. “I love you mommy.”

I glared at her, playfully, and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you too sweetheart. I’ll be right back with your snack and cocoa.” I then headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. I was making something simple to eat, cucumber and turkey pinwheels, and cocoa that I had not been aware that my mind hand wandered into the ‘No-Go’ track. I was getting more anxious the longer Xavier took to reach me. I had to keep hanging on to the promise that I made to my daughter that Xavier was still alive. I needed to keep positive thoughts so that I can be here for Chancey. She will need her mama sane and level-headed.

“I figured that I would come down to help you carry the snacks.” Mack said from right behind me.

I let out a loud startled scream. “OH s**t! Damn it Mack, you scared the s**t out of me!” I then place my hand over my still raging heart rate. I felt embarrassed that he was even able to sneak up on me in my own home! I need to keep from making these same mistakes again or next time it won’t be Mack behind me. I handed Mack the tray of food. “Thank you for helping me.”

Mack just smiled then headed up the stairs as I grabbed the cocoa. I followed him into Chancey’s room and placed the mug of cocoa on her nightstand, noticing that she was starting to nod off. I placed a kiss atop her head. “Good night baby.”

I then watched Mack get comfortable and continued to read to Chancey as per their agreement. I smiled that she is adjusting quickly but she shouldn’t have to endure what she did. I closed the door behind me and left just a crack. I walked down the stairs, entered the kitchen and poured myself a glass of Chardonnay and walked into the living room. I sat down on the sofa and waited for Mack to finish his story and join me in the living room. It felt like hours before he finally came down the stairs but in reality it was about 30 minutes. I quirked an eyebrow in question.

“She conned me into another story.” He explained as he grabbed a beer from the fridge before joining me on the sofa. He took a generous sip before speaking. “Sierra, you have a wonderful little girl and I feel terrible for what had happened. No child should have to endure what Chancey has today. Is there anything that I can do to help?”

I took a sip of my wine as I thought about what he just said. “All I need you to do is exactly what you are doing right now.” I looked at him. “Tell me, honestly, do you think Chancey will be okay?”

He sighed. “I hope to hell she will be okay, but having to watch her dad be forcefully taken away might traumatize her for a while. Only time will tell how much she was traumatized.”

I was afraid of that, I was just about to tell him so when my phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of me. I picked it up and opened the message and let out a sigh of relief, then all the anxiety, worry, helplessness all crashed back to the surface and I began to cry.

Mack set his beer down in front of him and was in front of my face. “What is wrong? What can I do?”

I hugged him tightly. “That was a text from an unknown number, Xavier escaped!”

Mack was frozen, momentarily, then he hugged me back. “I am so glad that he didn’t make a liar out of me. Do you want me to go tell Chancey?”

I shook my head no. “I’m going to let her sleep and wait so that her daddy can tell her himself.” I can’t believe that he was able to escape quickly enough. I knew that he needs to give his statement to the authorities but that could wait until tomorrow. I planned to show Xavier just how much I missed and worried about him, all night!