Mannat's P.O.V.

"Mahi can you call mommy?" Gia asked sliding into bed with me, she was feeling a little under the weather and Ruby hasn't been answering her phone for the past two days...Gia hasn't talked to her since she left her here. Forcing a small smile on my face I nodd dialing her number but it went straight to voice mail. What the hell? "Did she answer?"

"She probably is busy," I say half-heartedly, I was starting to get worried too, she had said that the divorce proceedings were going to keep her busy but, this busy that she hasn't even checked in with Gia?

Gia sniffled a little snuggling up close to me, "Can I sleep here tonight,"

"Of course," I whispered pulling her close to me, "Mommy is going to come soon alight?"

"Mhm," She hummed nuzzling her head into my chest she threw her arm over my waist, "Good Night," 

Furrowing my eyebrows I look up at the ceiling,  I wait for Gia to fall asleep before slipping out of the bed propping up pillows against her as if I was still there before sneaking out of the room to call Ruby again, this wasnt like her..this wasnt like Ruby she could even go two hours without talking to Gia and now its been two days. Inhaling sharply I dial her number again, but this time it went straight to voice mail...something was definitely wrong.  Trying one last time, I decide to call Gage.  It rings a couple of times before he answers, "Hello?" He answers roughly, 

"Where's Ruby, Gage?" I ask tiredly, "I have been trying to contact her for the past three days, where is she?"

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?"

"Gage." I say firmly, "Gia is with me, and she is getting anxious. Tell me where the fuck she is right now."

I heard him shuffle around, "I think I might know where she is,"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll call you back in a few minutes," He answered shortly hanging the phone up, 

Sighing I lean against the wall waiting for his call, it was an hour later, "Hello?" I say quickly, 

"Mahi," Ruby gasped, "Mahi, help me." 

"Shut the fuck up," Gage snapped, "Don't make noise,"

"Hello? Ruby, what the hell is going on?"

She coughed violently, "They have me trapped, Gage knows where I am, please Mahi, take care of Gia."

I began shaking, "Ruby, where the fuck are you! What the hell is-"

"Gage! What the fuck are you doing down here?" I heard an unfamiliar voice snap, "I told you no one was allowed  here."

"Our daughter wants to talk to her," Gage snapped back, "I have told you thousands of times, Ruby doesn't know anything, she isnt involved in anything." He was protecting her surprisingly, "I think it's time you let her go back to our daughter."

"Since when did you start giving a fuck about her and Gia?"

"Please," Ruby begged, "I don't have anything, I don't know anything...I need to go back to my baby."

"Tell us where the necklace is.' He said, "We will let you go." His voice...actually I had-

"I don't have it." She snapped through her tears, 

"Gage, send me the location.' I whispered hoping he could hear me so I could call the cops. "Gage." I heard a loud thumping sound, "Gage send me the fucking location!"

"Gage, get out of the way otherwise I will have to kill you too." The voice snapped, 

"No." Gage said firmly, "Ruby doesn't know anything, I couldnt do anything yesterday in front of Boss, but enough is enough. I am divorcing her, our daughter needs her."

"So you decided to have a death wish too."

My heart was pounding, rushing out of the apartment I make sure to lock the door, before running downstairs quickly getting into my car towards the police station, so they could track Gage's phone. He wasnt telling me where they were, but if I could just... "Gage stays on the phone, please don't hang up." Praying that he could still hear me, I kept hearing screaming and yelling, I was driving like a psychopath. I know I shouldn't have left Gia alone like that, but I needed to save Ruby, she couldnt leave Gia like this. 

"Please," I heard Ruby scream, "Please, don't hurt him!" They got Gage. 

"Tell us where the fuck the necklace is!"

"I don't have it." She snapped, Necklace? Wait...Wait, are they talking about the necklace she had given to Gianna before she left. The rose...my eyes widened in fear...swerving the car around back towards the apartment I hit the pedal harder. Gia, she's in danger...she has the fucking necklace.

"Don't come here," Ruby whispered tiredly through the phone "Go to Gia." I sob escaped from my mouth, "Take care of my baby, Mahi...please..." Ruby gasped, "Gage is dead...they killed him in front of me, and-"

"Who the fuck are you talking to bitch?" The voice snapped, Ruby gasped, quickly turning off my phone, I try to go faster but my car starts to make weird sounds. Not the fucking time....not the fucking time.  Cursing, I scream "FUCK!" Aggressively punching the steering wheel... I step out of the car, throwing my phone away from me as far as possible, I open the hood of the car black smoke pooled into the air as I backed away coughing, and to add on top of everything it was raining. Hitting the car a couple of times I slide down against it sobbing, Ruby was gone...how the hell was I supposed to tell Gia? How am I supposed to keep her safe from the psychos looking for the fucking necklace she has around her neck...

Gulping I stand up shivering, I walk around the car finding courage I try to stop the car, but no one was helping me, I kept walking further and further away from my car praying someone would stop...I didn't even have my phone, all I had was ten bucks and a gold chain...the chain my mom had given me when I was just born wrapped around my wrist. 

What if they got to my apartment before I did...what if they took Gia? Worse, what if they killed her too? No, think positive Mannat, Gia is fine. Gia will be fine...just get to Gia. Walking down the highway, I tried my hardest to find a ride but no one was stopping, finally fed up I shut my eyes and stood in the middle of the street, they had to stop if I was standing in front of them...they had too. 

Licking my lips I shut my eyes, walking to the middle of the road, I pray that a miracle is sent to me, suddenly I hear tires screeching to make a stop followed by a bunch of horns, the bumper of the car slightly touching my shins. Breathing heavily I open my eyes, my vision is blurry from my tears and the rain dripping down my hair, "What the fuck?! Do you have some sort of death wish, if so not in front of my car." The blurry figure walked towards me angrily, "Hello? I am fucking speaking to you!" Flynn Cloud was standing right in front of me, and my heart skipped a beat, "Dad, why did you stop the car so abruptly? I almost crashed into you..." Hunter...

Flynn's eyes flashed with an unknown emotion as he recognized me, "Mannat?" Hunter came to stand beside him, "Why were you standing in the middle of the road?"

"I need help," I say desperately, "I tried stopping many cars, but no one was willing to help me...I am sorry but this is the only way I could think of. My car broke down a few miles back, please, I need to get to my apartment, I have a kid waiting there for me and my friend-" I stop myself, should I tell him? He waited for me to go on, "I just really need to get back home." 

Hunter looked at me suspiciously but didn't say anything, Flynn nodded, "Come with me," Grateful I rushed behind him getting into the car, quickly telling him my address I thank him. 

Flynn smiled as Hunter began to follow us..."Can I ask you something Mannat, if you don't mind?" I lick my lips nodding, "What are you doing out here at 2 in the morning? I mean the weather is horrendous and as you said, you have a kid at home...so I am just curious."

"There was an emergency," I say shortly avoiding eye contact, "And the kid..."

"Take care of my baby, Mahi...please..." 

"She's mine."

. . . 

The rest of the ride was quiet, Flynn kept looking over at me...but the only thing that was going through my mind was Gia...I needed to get to her, even if it meant that I had to get help from the man who killed my parents. Flynn quickly put the car in park, I didn't give him a chance to ask me anything as I bolted out of the car to the main gate, asking the security guard to let me through I rushed upstairs, and I gasped seeing the door broken down.

My heart dropped, swallowing harshly I tip-toed towards the entrance of my apartment, quietly speaking through I covered my mouth, the apartment was ransacked, "Gia?" I call out, "Gianna, baby where are you?" Please say she still is here, please...

Entering the apartment I scan everywhere, "Gia!" I call again in hopes I would hear a sound, biting my lip I went into her room, "Gianna," I heard a small sob, relief washed over me, it was her...but where was she? "Gianna, it's me Mahi."

I heard a sound from the bathroom, squinting my eyes I walked towards her bathroom gently opening the small cupboard on the side of the door I see her hiding in the crawl space, "Gia," I say quietly, she sobbed, "I am so sorry, baby," Gia crawled out quickly diving into my arms, sobs racked her body. "I am sorry."

"I was so scared Mahi,' She cried, "They mean people, they came here too...Momma said she would make them go away, but they found us here too." Ruby...she taught her how to hide.

Hugging her tighter, I lift her up walking outside of her room, but I had nowhere to put her, sighing I looked up to my shock Flynn and Hunter were standing in the doorway with their arms crossed staring down at us. Flynn raised an eyebrow at me, "What the hell is going on?"