Always Been Yours (Tessa and Nicholas) novel Chapter 127

Chapter 127
The kidnapper didn’t see this coming, and he was annoyed by the boy’s crying. He roared, “Stop crying or I’ll kill this woman!”
Shocked, Gregory stopped crying, and he whispered through his sniffles, “Miss Tessa…”
Tessa tried to stay awake. “Don’t cry, Gregory. I’m fine. I’m fine.”
Once the commotion died down, the kidnappers’ leader turned around and kicked his lackey. “You trash! You didn’t even know you were followed! Did I hire you for nothing?”
The lackey tumbled backward, and he quickly got up just to kneel before his boss. “What should we do, boss? She’s already here, so…”
“What else? She probably already told Nicholas. Take them away and tell the guys to split up!” the leader ordered quickly.
“Yes!” The kidnappers quickly came to separate Tessa and Gregory.
Tessa knew Nicholas was on his way. She was his greatest lead, and she would not allow them to quash it. Tessa hugged the boy as tightly as she could, and she whispered, “Hold onto me, Gregory. Do not let go no matter what.”
Gregory held her as tightly as he could after he heard what Tessa said. “I won’t let you go.”.
She was an injured woman, and the boy was raised in a loving and rich household. Anyone would think they could be easily separated, but the kidnappers were finding it tough to do so.
Tessa kept holding onto Gregory, and the boy wouldn’t let her go. The kidnappers tried hard to split them up, but they still couldn’t do it.
They could feel their boss fuming, so they stopped and reported carefully, “We can’t split them up, boss.”
Infuriated, the leader pushed the kidnappers away. “You useless sh*ts. We already kidnapped the boy. Just beat her up for Pete’s sake.” He raised his rod and smashed it down on Tessa’s back.
Tessa grunted, and she could feel her insides getting moved. However, she didn’t scream, for she was worried Gregory might be scared. She swallowed her scream and told the boy, “It’s okay, Grégory. I’m fine. Do not let me go. Your father will be here soon.”
Even with her assurance, the boy still cried. “Miss Tessa.”
The kidnappers thought they could finally split them up, so they tried to pull her away, but she still wouldn’t let the boy go. One of the kidnappers decided to push down on her injured shoulders to make her let him go.
Tessa could feel her wound getting torn, but she had held on for so long, and she was not going to give up now. “I won’t let you do it.” Nicholas isn’t here yet. My boy still isn’t saved. I can’t give up. She was starting to panic, however. Why isn’t he here yet? She kept holding on. I must protect him at all costs. / cannot let them take him away again. I have to hold on until Nicholas is here.
Enraged by her persistence, the leader raised his rod and aimed it at Tessa’s head. “Fine. Don’t blame me for this.” He swung his rod down, but someone stopped it before it could hit Tessa.