Phoenix

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“My wife is here. I came to take her home.”

“How did you get in here?”

““Are you serious? Did you really think junior would be able to keep me away from you? Come on, Livi. You’re smarter than that, baby. I told you no one can keep us apart,” he said. “I’ve missed you so much! I miss coming home to you and telling you about my day and hearing about yours, and just talking to you period. I miss looking into your beautiful eyes and holding you in my arms and kissing your lips and making love to you. I miss everything about you. Don’t you miss me too?”

Alivia sat frozen with her eyes glued to the gun not saying another word, afraid of what might happen if she gave the wrong answer. Vince noticed the fear in her eyes and tried to calm her down.

““I’ll only use this if I have to,” he said as he put the gun away and held out his empty hands. “Come on. I packed your things while you were sleeping. Get up and get dressed so we can get out of here.”

“What happens if I say no?” Alivia asked.

“I don’’t think you’ll do that,” he said as he pulled the gun back out.

She got up with her eyes again glued to the pistol, and was moving toward the closet to get dressed when Camden knocked on the door.

“Alivia, are you ready?” she asked.

“Get rid of her, and don’t try anything stupid,” Vince whispered.

“I’ll be down in a little while,” Alivia said to Camden.

““We’re supposed to be leaving right about now. You’re about to make us late,” Camden said. “How much longer is ‘a little while’?”

““Tell her to go ahead without you. You’re not going to work today,”” Vince said.

“What do you mean I’m not going to work?”

“Just do what I said.”

““Camden, just go ahead without me. I’m not going to work today I’’m feeling kind of funny,” Alivia said.

““Feeling funny? Ok I’ll call Bruno and tell him we can’t make it today. I’m taking you to the hospital in case something’s wrong with the baby,” Camden said.

““No. It’s ok. I just need to lie down and rest for a while. I’ll be fine. You go to work.”

““Right. So Jason can come home and find you sick, and you can tell him I wouldn’t help you? I don’t think so. You’re going to the hospital, and I’m taking you.”

Vince got fed up with the back and forth and decided to take matters into his own hands.

“Can’t you take a hint? Go away!” he said to Camden as he opened the door.

““What the hell are you doing here?!” she asked. “Alivia, you brought him here? What the hell is wrong with you?!”

““Don’t be stupid. Of course I didn’t bring him here. He must’ve followed me from work or something.”

““Well, Vince, however the hell you got in here, the cops are about to take you out. That is if my husband doesn’t get here and do it first,” Camden said.

““I don’t think so, sweetheart. Why don’t you come on in and have a seat,” he said as he showed her the gun that he had been hiding behind the door. Her eyes went wide with fear as Vince pulled her into the room and threw her to the floor.

“Vince, this is between us. Leave her out of it,” Alivia said.

“You shut up and get dressed,” he said.

When she was dressed they all walked downstairs to the door with Camden at gunpoint. “Listen to me. Don’t try to run when this door opens. I’ll put a bullet in both of you before you can get out of the driveway,” Vince told them.

“Vince, please. I’m asking you to leave Camden out if this,” Alivia said.

“Since when do you give a damn about her?”

““I don’t, but I do give a damn about her little girl upstairs. Kennedy needs her mother.”

““I can’t risk it. If I leave her behind I know she’ll just call the cops or junior or probably both. Then we won’t have time to make it to the airport.”

“Airport?””

““Yes. That’s where we’re going. Since you called off the wedding we’re getting married in Las Vegas today. My jet is fueled and waiting for us as we speak.”

“Are you crazy?” Camden asked.

““Actually, I think you’re the crazy one talking to me like that when I have a gun in my hand and a very short fuse. Now shut up and walk,” Vince said as he opened the door.

He put Camden in the back seat then put Alivia in the passenger’s side which gave them a few seconds to discuss a game plan before he got in himself.

““Listen to me,” Alivia said. “I’m going to get Vince to let you go and when I do you call the cops and Ali, and get them to the airport as soon as possible. Got it?”

““Wait. I can’t just leave you. If anything happens to you Jason will never forgive me,” Camden said.

““We don’t have time to argue about this all right. He won’t hurt me, not the way he’ll hurt you. You’re a liability at this point he’ll kill you before we get down the block. I won’t have Kennedy growing up without a mom because of me.”

“What about you and your baby?”

““Don’t worry about us. Just take your opportunity to get out when it comes.”

Vince got in and started the car and just as he was about to shift the gear into drive Alivia grabbed his hand.

““Vince, I really think we should go alone, just you and me, why don’t you let Camden get out of here,” she said.

““I told you I don’t trust her. She’ll go straight to junior and ruin everything. She stays,” he said.

““No she won’t. Don’t you get it? You’re answering her prayers right now taking me away. She won’t do anything to stop you.”

“What I don’t get is why you care so damn much?”

“I told you because of her daughter.”

“I don’’t care about that brat.”

““Well I do. I really do. She needs her mother, Vince. She’s all alone in that house right now and who knows how long it’ll be that way if Camden leaves. Think about our baby. Would you want him left alone for God knows how long?” Alivia said as she put his hand on her stomach. “I’m giving you what you want; I’m going with you, please just give me this one thing in return and let her go.”

“Camden, get out of my car,” Vince said.

“I’m not going without, Alivia,” Camden said.

“You have about 10 seconds before I change my mind. Get out now!”

“Not without Alivia.”

“Camden, don’t be an idiot. Go!” Alivia said.

Camden finally got out of the car and started walking back to her door but before she got inside Vince had a few last words for her.