Chapter Fourteen
Allen held Hazel's limp, cold right hand in his own, all the way to the HCA Houston Emergency Hospital. He tried to rub her palm to warm her, "Hazel you're safe darling, I've got you now," he comforted her as hot tears fell from his eyes, seeing her unconscious form.
"I love you, come back to me Hazel. Please wake up," he whispered but she couldn't hear him.
It took them one hour and 10 minutes to reach the hospital. Allen and Gary escorted Hazel to the room which was assigned to her. Jon went to the reception to complete the formalities.
They stayed in the lobby outside her room as the doctors checked upon her. The whole day, she didn't regain consciousness which was weird since the injury wasn't very serious. She should have gained consciousness hours ago. The doctors conducted more tests and found out the psychological shock that she had gone through. They started treatment for trauma.
Axel waited the whole day for his dad. He couldn't understand why his dad wasn't bringing his mum home. He restlessly fidgeted around till he could take it no more.
It was evening and he was desperate to see his mum and since the hospital wasn't far away, he decided to take Annalise's help to go there.
"Anna, can you take me to see mum, please? I will do whatever you ask me to do, for a whole year," he said. Annalise thought for a moment. It was too good an offer to reject.
"Sure, let me check what everyone's doing. Then we'll sneak out. Ok?" She said with a smile.
They sneaked out in Annalise's bike. Halfway down the road, Annalise's bike had a flat tyre. "Oh gosh, now what do we do?" She asked Axel.
"Don't bother, Anna. I will walk down to the hospital. It's just a 2 minute walk," said Axel, smiling at her and walking away. Annalise dragged her bike back home, irritatedly.
Axel walked excitedly to meet his mum after so many days. Little did he know that Nicholas King was waiting, bloodthirsty and angry, ready to take his revenge.
Nicholas King was angry that his whole mafia empire crumbled to dust just because of some Allen McAllister. How dare the man come between him and his woman? She was forbidden to any other man. He would have impregnated her and got his heir.
One of his men, Igor, spilled everything to the Interpol and all his empire was destroyed overnight. Angry and revengeful were small words compared to the storm that was brewing up inside him.
He couldn't believe that Hazel tried to take her life because of him. He was hurt by her actions as he stood in an alley thinking of what he would do.
That was when his eyes fell upon a happy and excited Axel, walking towards the hospital all alone. Seeing his way to avenge his father's actions he crept up towards Axel from behind. He quickly covered Axel's mouth with one hand and picked him up with the other. He then half dragged and half carried him to his car. He tied Axel up and held chloroform to his nose to make him unconscious.
Then he climbed into his car and with a malicious grin, drove Axel towards the suburbs where he had rented a small log cabin on a deserted road.
Axel opened his eyes cautiously. He had been awake for nearly ten minutes now, but he dared not move. He knew Nicholas King had abducted him. He had checked his pictures many times on his mobile when his mum was abducted. He had to think of a strategy. He knew that it would be quite sometime before anyone would realise that he was missing.
He couldn't outdo Nicholas King in terms of strength or power. He couldn't escape from Nicholas's captivity. So, somehow he had to touch Nicholas's heart, he had to break Nicholas King with his innocence.
He remembered that all Nicholas King ever wanted was an heir, a son. He could use that as a tool to break him.
He opened his eyes to indicate that he was awake. He saw all around him and his eyes fell upon a tired Nicholas King, sitting at the foot of the bed where Axel was lying. He had a revolver in his hand that he was fidgeting with.
Axel's eyes widened innocently, "Will you kill me uncle?" He asked, trembling with fear.
Nicholas looked at him and grunted a "No."
"Then why did you bring me here, uncle?" He asked innocently with wide brown eyes.
Nicholas stared at him hypnotised by the young boy in front of him. He couldn't kill him. The boy reminded him of his dead son Frederico, his Freddie. If he would have been alive he would have been of Axel's age.
"Please don't kill me, " Axel begged with folded hands as tears fell from his eyes.
"My mother left me when I was born. I grew up without a mother's love. After thirteen years I've found my mum. My Hazel mum. Please uncle, let me go. I want my mum's love," said Axel as more tears spilled from his eyes.
Nicholas stared at him dumbfounded. His heart broke for the boy who was just like his Freddie.
"I can't kill you," Nicholas said in a hoarse voice. "You are like my Freddie. "
"Who's Freddie?" Asked Axel with round eyes.
"My son, " said Nicholas with a painful expression.
"Where is he?" Asked Axel curiously.
"He's dead," said Nicholas with a painful expression on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry uncle. I didn't know, " he said, trying to comfort Nicholas.
"It's not your fault son. It's all my fault. A rival mafia gang killed him to take their revenge. Freddie was just 3 years old. After that my wife, Fiona left me forever and went back to Italy. She wanted me to leave the mafia world," He said, with a heavy sigh.
"Why don't you leave and go and get her back? She loves you," said Axel.
"You think she loves me?" Nicholas asked him in disbelief.
"Yes, even you love her. Don't you?" He asked Nicholas.
"Yes," answered Nicholas.
"If you love your wife why do you want to marry my mum?" Asked Axel in confusion.
"Hazel looks like my Fiona," said Nicholas, staring at his hands. "Fiona won't accept me back and I want a son like Freddie."
Axel stared at him in disbelief. "Leave the mafia world uncle. Fiona will accept you. Then you can have another son like Freddie," Axel said as Nicholas stared at him with his mouth open wide.
This little boy's simple, innocent words opened his eyes. He didn't have anything left as it is. He would go back to Italy to his Fiona and start afresh. A normal, simple life.
He smiled at the boy. A smile that relieved him for the first time in ten years.
