by G N Wright
"Are you done being reckless and stupid." He asks in exasperation.
I struggle against him, "How could you?" I shove him off me, “how fucking could you let them go?”
The beeping of the gates startle me as soon as the last word leaves my mouth. Heart pounding, my head whips round as it opens, and headlights shine brightly across us both. The van speeds inside before the gates even fully open and stops a few meters from the porch.
I inhale a sharp breath as the back door opens, Jace steps out first, followed by Liam and Elijah. Max climbs out next and then stops to help Logan with a pale looking Lincoln, and then finally, Marcus.
I don't hear anything, see anything, feel anything, until the small bundle of blankets in his arms moves, and the top falls down, revealing a small mass of blonde curls.
As soon as she feels the cool air brush through her hair, she whips her head around, her gaze finding mine with ease. Then I hear a sound I have been praying to hear every second since I walked back into the house after the ball.
"Mommy!"
Chapter 20
ELLE
She’s here, she’s really here. I fall to my knees at the sight of her wriggling free from Marcus’ hold as she rushes to get to me. She doesn’t look hurt or traumatized, only tired and happy. The impact of her body slamming into mine is a feeling I won’t ever forget. I wrap my arms around her, and it feels like I inhale the first real breath I have taken since she’s been gone. The grogginess from whatever Ash gave me and the anger I felt at the whole situation just moments ago, now completely forgotten. My baby is home.
I can’t hold in my sob as I snuggle her tight into my arms. I don’t even know what my tears are for right now, happiness at her being back, fear of what could have been or relief that she seems unharmed. The truth is, it’s everything. I never should have become a Mom at fifteen, but there isn’t one second since the day she was born that I have ever regretted her. She fixed my broken heart and has held it together every day since. Every moment in the last week that has passed without her felt like a lifetime. Nothing would have ever healed my severed pieces if I didn’t get her back.
All I can do is hold her and cry. Her tiny hands gripped around my neck and her little legs curled around my torso. I bury my face into her curls and inhale her sweet scent, allowing everything about her to overtake my whole being and soothe my crushed soul. I haven’t stopped fighting, surviving, barely hanging on, just to try to get her back, and now she’s here.
Asher drops to his knees beside us and pulls us both into a crushing embrace. I feel his deep exhale as he lets himself have a moment of raw love with us. She’s here, she’s safe. We are still a family. We came so close to losing everything, that I thought I would never have this again, not without giving myself over to the enemy. But we are here, together, and safe.
Cassie finally pulls back, looking between the two of us with a tired smile on her face, “I missed you so much Mommy Daddy!” She exclaims and it just causes me to cry more.
She frowns, then reaches out to wipe my cheeks to get rid of the tears, “It’s okay Mommy don’t be sad, I’m here now."
I take a deep breath as I force the words out that are locked in my throat, “I’m sorry, baby, I just missed you so much.” I try to stop, but my emotions are getting the better of me. It’s like I have held them all in until this very moment.
“Mommy is just so happy to see you little angel, we both are. We missed you.” Asher replies as I continue to cry. I can hear his own emotion lacing his words and I see a lone tear track down his cheek. The only time I have ever seen him cry is the night I woke up in the warehouse. At least his tears are for better reasons this time.
I try to force myself to stop crying, but it just starts a fire in my throat, but I don’t want her to see me upset. I want her to know how happy I am that she is here and safe.
“Grandpa Elly said you’d come get me and he was right.” The smile that follows her words is big and bright. I force one onto my own face, even though her statement chills me to the bone. Grandpa Elly.
I take another deep inhale as I look at Ash briefly, before focusing on her again. I don’t want to ask my next question; I don't even want to think it. “Did Grandpa Elly hurt you baby?” The words taste like poison on my tongue, and I’m not sure I want the answer, but I have to know.
She scrunches her nose up in confusion, “No,” she says sweetly and then smiles, “he gave me ice cream and candy and let me play every day.” Her words as usual are rushed and slightly mispronounced, but the tension eases in me ever so slightly.
How? How can she have survived a week in the Devil's mansion, and be here now unscathed?
“Are you sure baby? Did he…” I pause as the bile rises in my throat, “did he touch you; did anyone touch you or hurt you, it’s okay, you can tell Mommy.”
The smile drops from her face and my blood runs cold as I prepare for her answer. “No everybody was nice. I played with Elly and Greggy and a nice lady named Sarah came by, but she was sad.”
The mention of my mother’s name jars me, I dread to think of all the things she must have been told. “And what did they say to you about why you were away from Mommy.”
She smiles again, “they said you were having a little think about what you did.” She pauses before asking, “what did you do Mommy?”
Not enough. That’s what I want to tell her, but her innocence would never be able to comprehend it, so I settle on, “I trusted the wrong people and got a boo boo.”
“Oh no, are you okay?” She reaches out to touch my forehead as if to check my temperature and my heart bursts with love for her gentle kind ways.
Tears continue to coat my cheeks, “I’m all better now that you’re here.”
“Greggy said you were coming soon. That you are his queen and soon we would all be together.” Her childlike wonder makes it sound like a dream when in fact it’s my worst nightmare. A nightmare I almost allowed. A nightmare I almost walked right into and would have if the guys didn’t get to me first. So fucking close.
I go to ask her another question when she casts her gaze over my shoulder and her eyes widen in delight, “Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Zaaaa.” She screams, struggling to wriggle from my arms. I don’t want to let her go, I don’t want to ever let her go, but I know I’m not the only one who has missed her.
I release my hold on her and Ash and I watch as she rushes towards Zack who has Arthur, Helen and Lily standing behind him. I didn’t even realize they were here; they must have been sleeping. I guess that this is the safe house Max put them all in from the start. She does the same thing I did and dives into Zack’s arms without a care for his injuries, then again, she doesn’t know anything about them. He doesn’t seem to care as he pulls her in tight and looks as if he never wants to let her go. Every time I see them together, I am thankful to have Zack in my life, even more so, now I almost lost him.
Zack reluctantly let’s her go as Helen steps towards them and Cassie leaps into her arms for a cuddle. I don’t hear what she says, but it causes tears to pour down all their faces as they bask in her presence. I pull my attention away from them, but only so I can keep my own tears at bay.
I turn to Ash first, “she’s back.” I whisper, still in disbelief and he pulls me into his arms.
“She's back.” He repeats back to me, “we did it,” he adds in a soft exhale like he still can’t quite believe it himself. I know I can’t.
I pull back and wipe the tears from my cheeks again as he does the same. I reach out and squeeze his hand and take comfort in the strength of his grip in mine. We are still here, still fighting.
My daughter is back, and my brother is alive. The Donovan’s came for me, again, and failed, again. This time they got too close to my utter destruction. I should have never come back here, never given them the chances they’ve had, but then who would make them pay? I have my family back together. Do I run and never look back, or fight harder than ever before?
> Chapter 21
MARCUS
She’s here. My girl is here, and more importantly, our girl is here too. We did it, we got them both back and managed to do it relatively unharmed. We all risked our life to rescue the princess from the twisted castle she was being held in. Elle turns from Ash towards me, and our eyes collide, but only for a second. Her gaze drops instantly, like she doesn’t want to look at me before it comes back a second later. I think she is going to say something, but then she looks at my brothers and her frown is instant.
She moves slowly towards Lincoln who is being held up by Logan, “Oh my god what the hell happened.”
He tries and fails to shrug considering the knife poking out of his back, “I got stabbed.”
She huffs slightly, “I can see that. Are you okay?”
He smiles, “Elle, I appreciate that you care, but I’m fine honestly, go be with your girl, she needs you more than I do.”
“Don’t sweat it sis, I got him. Go give the little monkey extra cuddles from me.” Logan adds and I can hear how genuine he is. I know it must be killing him to have Cassie back and not immediately go to her, but he knows she doesn’t need anyone but her mom and dad right now.
She pauses, taking in his words before she accepts them with a slight nod. She turns to walk away before turning back and stepping forwards to engulf Lincoln in a tight hug.
“Thank you.” She whispers on the verge of tears again. Pulling back, she glances between all of us still not lingering on me, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters to me is that her and Cassie are both here and safe. “Thank you, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” She chokes a little on her words and I feel the emotion pouring from all of us at her vulnerability. Elle King isn’t someone who needs people to rely on these days, but she has to know how many people love her and have her back.
Max steps forward, “You don’t say thank you to your family.” He says with a small smile and ruffling her hair.
She glares at him and then out of nowhere punches him in the stomach. “That was for your stupid fucking plan.” She grunts flexing out her fist.
He takes the hit silently and then moves past her and gestures at his guys to follow
She takes one last look at the four of us left standing here before she turns and heads back towards the house, scooping Cassie back into her arms and going inside. Asher remains in front of us watching her until she is inside and it’s only us guys left outside
He turns, locking his eyes on Lincoln first, “how are you really?” He grills him with the hint of worry in his tone and it sounds weird coming from him towards anyone that isn’t Elle or Cassie.
Lincoln smiles again and honestly, it’s the most I’ve ever seen him smile, it’s weird. Maybe he's delirious with blood loss. We really need to get him inside.
“You worried about me, dark prince?” He asks him with a teasing glint in his eye. When Ash doesn’t respond he adds more seriously, “I told you I’d die for her if I had to.” Even in his struggling state I can feel how much he means that. We all would.
Asher huffs a laugh, “Yeah well, I never knew you meant that so literally. Thought you’d be better at handling yourself.
“I handle myself just fine,” Lincoln jokes and it’s clear that Ash doesn’t know how to respond, but thankfully Logan is happy to jump in.
“Does it take almost dying to get your attention my little psycho, if so, somebody fucking stab me.” He teases, lightening the awkward tension that was beginning to build. It just shows how much comfort those two girls inside bring us all. We’ve barely been able to take a breath without snapping at each other in the last week.
Asher just shakes his head at him, before turning to me. “Marcus,” he takes a deep breath, pausing like he isn’t really sure what he wants to say. “I don’t even know what to say man, just thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He offers me his hand and I stare at it bewildered at first, but then I realize he wants me to shake it. I put my hand in his and he grips it in his own
It feels silly and awkward to just shake his hand after everything we have been through, with everything we still need to go through. I use the grip of his hand to pull him into a one-armed hug and pat his back with my free hand. “You don’t ever have to say thank you to your family.” I say, repeating Max's words, pulling back, squeezing his shoulder slightly before letting go. We have come a long way in the last few weeks, and I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do know he is an important part of my girl’s life, therefore he’s an important part of mine.
“Now go inside and be with your daughter, she’s missed her dad.” I add with a content smile. He nods, casting one last look at the others before turning and heading inside.
I watch him go before turning to the guys, addressing Lincoln first, “You go get that seen to before you die of blood loss.” I’m only half joking and I’m glad he doesn’t fight me on it, but he doesn’t really have a choice.
“Come on, let’s go find my dad and get him to fix you up.” Logan adds and they both move inside slowly as he supports Linc.
I turn to Jace, having not really spoken to him all night and see the grimace on his face. I know exactly how it felt to be inside the devil’s house and not stay and kill them. I felt it so I know he did. For what they did to Elle, Rachel, Cassie and all the other nameless girls we know nothing about but deserve just as much justice.
“You okay brother?” I don’t know why I even ask when I know the answer.
He looks at me and offers me a tight-lipped smile, “I’m okay, tonight was just…” he pauses slightly trying to find the right word, “a lot.” Understatement of the century. He killed someone tonight. That someone might have been our enemy, but that is still a line you can never return from once you cross it.
I nod knowing exactly what he means, what he feels. “Come on,” I throw my arm around his shoulder in a side hug, “let’s go grab some food and sleep and enjoy just a few hours of peace. The girls are here and they're safe, we’re all safe.”
“Yeah, for now.” He whispers.
“Now is what matters most.” Is all I respond before we head into the house.
Once inside, everyone seems to have scattered. Max and his guys are debriefing in the office, Lincoln has gone with Logan and Arthur to get fixed up, and Jace grabs a bottle of Jack and heads to bed. Elle is sitting on the sofa with Cassie curled up in her lap, Asher to her right and Helen and Lily to her left. They all look beyond exhausted, but content enough to just be sat there. I should shower, eat, change, do anything that isn’t just standing here staring at them, at her. But I can’t help it. She left. We came so close to never seeing her again and the feeling that’s left inside of me will be with me forever.
They all talk back and forth, telling Cassie, tales of happier times until she falls into a slumber. Once she goes, it isn’t long before Lily says goodnight and then Helen too. It’s just me, Elle and Ash, now left with a sleeping Cassie. We all sit in silence just watching her sleep. Like just her presence alone is curing us all, I’m sure it is. Eventually Elle falls asleep with her and Ash and I continue to watch them. Just completely zoned in on them and what we came close to losing. So fucking close.
Ash is the first to speak, “we should get them to bed.” He says quietly and I nod, standing up and stretching out my limbs. He gently pulls Elle’s arms from around her and softly lifts Cassie into his own, protective embrace. Once he has her, I lean down and scoop Elle. She shifts in my arms until her head lands on my shoulder, her scent drifts up to me and I finally feel like home again
I follow Ash until he gets to the room they set aside for Cassie and he places her in the middle of the bed and then I put Elle in next to her. We both stare down at them and then Ash sighs slightly, as he starts to move away, but I stop him with a hand on his arm.
“You stay.” I say quietly
“No, Marcus, it’s fine.” He starts to argue but I lift my hand halting him
“Ash, that’s your daughter, she’s been gone, and she deserves a night with her Mom and Dad, so just stay okay.” I want him to know how okay I am with this whole situation. He will always be Cassie’s dad, no matter what is happening with Elle and me. Do I wish things were different? Of course, I do. But if they were then they wouldn’t have Cassie and that is something I would never wish for them. That girl is the light in both their lives, and they need it. Hell, I need it too. Now more than ever.
He looks at them before turning back to me and he nods, “thanks man.
“Anytime.” I say turning to leave, but then he speaks again
“I will always look after our girls.” He replies and the way he says our girls hits something right in my gut because that’s what they are. It may not be normal or conventional to love someone this much, this young. But I do and with her comes her daughter, her daughter’s father, and I wouldn’t want to share them with anyone else.
I turn back and offer him a smile, “then I know they will always be protected.” I reply before leaving the room and closing the door behind me
It’s not that I don’t want to be in there, near them, near Elle, but they need each other more than they need me right now and I’m man enough to admit to that. They have endured trauma together before and it brought them closer. They know how to lean on each other without question and without words. That’s what they both need right now
I head back into the main part of the house and find myself at the door of the office. I go to speak but a phone ringing stops me. I look at the couple of people left in the room. It’s just me, Max and Elijah. The latter is the first to speak as he picks up the ringing phone which I recognize to be Elle’s from before she went rogue.
He grimaces, “It’s Greg Donovan.”
I move before I even realize it, snatching the phone from his grip and answering before he can protest, but I notice he immediately starts tapping away on his computer