Running (baby daddy series #2) {COMPLETED}

| 11 | Missing

Damien POV

Leaving Paulina behind is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It doesn't matter to know that we're going to see each other again soon; it still hurts me badly. That woman is always inside my mind, either I want to or not, she's there. Laughing, dancing with Fiona, and smiles at me.

I can't understand how much she's given me. She carried our three strong little boys and my sweetpea, and she did it all by herself. Not once did she call us to ask for help. The strength inside that woman is remarkable. She doesn't stop for anything thrown her way.

I'm home again, and the silence is killing me. I got used to hearing the children laugh, talk and play with each other during the times I met them. Once upon a time, I enjoyed the silence, and now I suddenly despise it. I want Paulina and our children here with me.

There's room for all of them in my apartment, but she would share bedrooms with me and wake up in my arms every morning in that fantasy. Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Instead, Paulina struggles hard for every dollar she earns, and even though I admire her fighting spirit, I would not say I like her work role.

If she were my woman, she would never have had to work a single day more in her life if she didn't want to. I have millions in the bank that I am more than happy to share with our little family. If only she would allow me...

It's not my style to tell a woman how to live her life or what to do with her body. But the information that she works as an exotic dancer can easily be spread out and can affect how others look at her. The city she lives in is small, and everyone knows everyone in principle.

Which makes her a target if it comes out; in other words, it's social suicide. It will affect not only her, but also the children when they are in school and kindergarten. Other parents will start talking, and the children risk being ejected because of their mother's profession.

Now I know Paulina very well and know that she would have kindly asked their parents to go to hell. She does not take s**t from anyone, least of all, from someone who doesn't know her. And therefore has no right to judge her for how she chooses to support her children.

She told us that she chose to work at the club because she knew we probably wouldn't be looking for her there. On that point, she was absolutely right. However, the small detail she was not prepared for was that Brody hangs a lot at the strip clubs in the cities, because it's much easier to do business there, no one asks any questions.

More belongs to that story; it has to. Brody said she got scared when she saw him. She's hiding from someone else, and I'm more than happy to know who or I can't protect her. It doesn't matter if Paulina doesn't want to be protected, she's my children's mother. She belongs to the package deal.

Right now, I'm lying on my couch with my brothers and Adrien. None of us know what to do now that no one has anything new to tell or talk about. That's what is simple with the children; they always have something to say. Suddenly, Adrien's phone vibrates, and he accepts the call.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Brianna, we-. What? When? I'll be there as fast as I can!" he disconnects the call and looks at me with a worried expression.

"What is it?" I ask anxiously, thinking that something has happened to the kids.

"That was Brianna. We need to go there to get the kids."

"What! Why?"

"Because Paulina is missing."

It became so quiet that you could hear a pinfall. Is she missing? No! My baby can't be gone; I need her. Adrien is pacing back and forth while both my brothers take out their phones to call for help. My whole crew knows about Paulina and the kids they are prepared.

"What do you mean, missing?!" I exclaim with slight anger.

"Brianna said that Paulina went to work after we left and never got back."

"But that's two days ago!"

"Exactly. Paulina wouldn't leave Brianna with the kids for so long without calling. Paulina doesn't like to ask her to babysit, and she never disappears just like that. Certainly not for days!"

Oh baby, what s**t did you drag yourself inside?! We all hurry inside the car, and Brody is driving like a maniac, zig-zagging through the busy streets. Jaxon is working hard on giving out orders to the crew; we need them if we're going to find her.

An hour later, we're there. I run up the stairs and knock on the door silently, because I don't know if the kids are sleeping or not. Brianna opens it and lets us in. She has worry wrinkles on her forehead, and there are toys everywhere.

"I don't know where she is. I've been trying to call her thousands of times, and I even talked to her boss. Apparently, she had been behaving strangely at her last shift before she disappeared into the night. Her car isn't there anymore, and no one has seen her since." she explains while pacing.

"What have you told the kids?" I ask.

"I said that she had to work extra and stay there but that she would come back home when she's done. I didn't know what else to tell them! Fiona, Darby, and Noah didn't make any fuss about it. But Caleb... He's a very mature boy for his age, and he knows that something's wrong. I talked to him earlier this evening, and he told me that he knows something is wrong with his mom. He can feel it in his tummy, and I think he's right." she says sadly.

"Are they still awake?"

"No, they've been sleeping for an hour or so. I want to take care of them, but I can't do it like this. My body is fragile, and I can't look after four children longer than a couple of hours at a time."

"I understand that completely. Thank you for your help. We'll stay here tonight and take the kids back with us in the morning; you can go home to get some sleep."

She looks thankful and squeezes my shoulder, but she doesn't leave. It almost feels like she's studying me carefully to solve a mystery. Do not take it wrong, Brianna does not look angry or so, rather the opposite. She smiles at me.

"You truly were the love of her life, you know that right?" she asks with a sad smile plastered on her tired face.

"What?"

"Paulina, she loved you with all her heart. I don't know the whole story, and I don't know what you did. But whatever that was, you have to make it right again. The poor girl couldn't even date, no matter how hard she tried. Her heart is still lying at your feet, waiting to be picked up. She hasn't let you go, and I fear that she never will be able to. You're her drug." she says and walks out the door.

She loves me still? I had hoped that would be the case, but I couldn't ever believe that it would come true! Paulina is the woman of my dreams, and she still loves me. And then I remember what I've done to her... I made her leave, in one way or another. How will I get her back?

"You should try to sleep a little, brother. We'll wake you up if someone calls." Brody says and looks out the window in search of something that's not there.

I nod my head and move towards Paulina's bedroom. My eyes wander around the room. Her small vanity only has one perfume bottle and a small amount of makeup on it. I take a look in her closet, curious about what kind of life she lives. Three dresses, two pairs of jeans, three pairs of sweats, one tanktop, four t-shirts and one pair of shoes is all there's in there.

I've seen the kids wardrobes, and they are filled to the brim with quality clothing. That's Paulina for you, always thinking about others before herself. She never treats herself with something she wants if she can treat someone else to make them happy. If I get her back, I'll spoil her rotten and make her mine.

I take off my clothes and crawl down the covers. The pillow smells like Paulina, and that makes me inhale the scent deeply. Tears pool in my closed eyes when my mind wanders towards the thoughts I've been trying to suppress. What if someone has hurt her?

"Daddy, wake up!" my little princess giggles in my ear.

I instantly open my eyes and look at Fiona's smiling face. She truly is an image of her mother, just as beautiful. I grab her and bring her down beside me while she continues to giggle. That sound is just as perfect as her mother's laugh.

"Good morning, precious. How did you sleep?" I ask here and smile.

"It was good. I didn't dream anything bad!"

"That's wonderful! Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No, Uncle Adrien is making pancakes."

"Where's your brothers then?"

"Darby is helping Uncle Adrien, and Noah is coloring with Uncle Jaxon."

"Where's Caleb?"

"He's in his room. I think he's sad, daddy," she says with a pout.

"Why is he sad?"

"I don't know, daddy. No girls except mommy is allowed to go in there."

"Okay, go and play with Uncle Jaxon. I'll talk to Caleb."

"Okay!" she says and jumps away into the living room.

I put on my clothes and walks into Caleb's room. My boy is sitting on his bed, watching the rain pour down outside his window. He's hugging a sweater that looks like the one Paulina wore the same day we drove back home.

"Hey, buddy. Are you alright?" I ask and sit down beside him.

He looks up at me with the same sad expression Brianna had when we got here. Tears threaten to fall down his cheeks. Dear God, don't make him cry in front of me. He buries his face into my chest, and I put my arms around him, hugging him close. This boy is anxious about his mom.

"She's hurt, I just know it!" he sobs while I caress his hair.

"What makes you say that?"

"Mommy never works for this long; it haven't happened before. Brianna looks worried all the time, and now you're all here. Something is wrong."

My son is to mature for his own best. He understands the situation entirely, and all I want is to make him forget all the things that could've happened to his mom. We probably are thinking the same thoughts. He's much like me and if he has the same mindset as me... Then there's trouble.

"I will bring your mom back to you, I promise."

"How?"

"I don't know that yet, buddy. But I'll make it happen, no matter what!"

That made him feel a little bit better. Since he's wiping the snot and tears away from his face, he even tries to smile at me, which I return with delight. At that moment, when we're sitting here beside each other, it feels like he knows I'm his dad.

"What do you say about pancakes? Adrien is cooking some for all of us right now."

He nods and stands up. Before he walks out, he turns back to me and takes my hand. We walk to the kitchen together, which feels like the most normal thing in the world. Except it isn't, because his mom might never come back home, and if she does, it can easily be inside a coffin.