by Addison Jane
She lifts her hand slowly. “Just down there past the kids’ ride-on airplane.”
I’m already moving before she’s finished explaining. “Thanks!”
My feet move quickly, but my body is aching and protesting. I spot the women’s sign and push the door, looking around behind me before slipping inside. Sweat drips from my brow, and I take the moment to stick my head under the tap over the basin and suck as much water into my body as I can possibly consume.
I look up into the mirror, a woman eyes me warily as she steps out of the toilet stall and rushes to wash her hands. I look like a wreck, I don’t really blame her for being nervous. She turns her head to me for a second, her mouth falling open like she wants to say something but thinking better of it and shaking her head. She grips her handbag to her side and rushes out of the room.
I take a deep breath, bracing my hand on the basin and allowing my head to hang between my arms.
Should I hide in a toilet stall?
What do I do?
Do I need to go looking for Kace?
I decide that hiding inside one of the small toilet stall is a good plan. Standing here in the open is making me nervous. I spin to pick a hiding space and jump back.
“It’s usually the first-floor bathroom, but I figured he might change it up this time,” Luca says, his eyes watching me in amusement. “This as much fun for you as it is for me, Lily?”
I sneer at him. “Yeah, I fucking love being shot at.”
He smirks, moving his body so it’s positioned between me and the exit.
“I meant more along the lines of you getting your kicks out of making Kace fight his own team, his damn friends.” His face switches instantly into one of annoyance. “Happy with yourself that you’ve come between us? You think it feels good to be hunting down my best friend?” The tone of his voice is slowly becoming louder, angrier.
“I’m not the enemy here, Luca,” I say, trying to keep my head together.
“That’s not what the file says,” he counters. “The file says—”
“I know what the file says, Luca,” I snap. “But it’s not true!”
He steps forward, but I refuse to retreat. “I liked you, Lily. This ain’t personal.”
“Fuck you,” I snap. “I take someone trying to kill me, very personal.”
He clenches his fist. “It’s orders. Orders that Kace should have followed in the first place.”
“And yet he didn’t, did he? And here we are…” I point my finger at him. I know Luca has the power and skill to kill me within a second, but I feel this need inside me to protect Kace, to defend him. “Kace is your best friend, and yet you’re hunting him down like an animal. You ever stop to ask why he chose to keep me alive? Why he’s fighting so hard for me? Or are you just some emotionless robot who does whatever bidding is asked of you, no matter who you hurt?”
He slams his fist into the mirror, it shatters upon impact, his face heating and his eyes burning holes in me. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he growls before finding his composure again.
“He ever set you wrong yet, Luca? He ever done anything but fight for you and the team? Maybe you should wake up and trust him, just like you’ve done every single day before now.”
I can practically see his mind working through my words, sifting through them, taking them in one by one. The door to the bathroom slams open, Luca spins around, but he’s too slow. Kace’s already bloody fist connects with its target sending Luca sprawling into the basin.
I move backward, pressing myself back against the wall.
Luca picks himself up and throws his body at Kace, his head low, plowing into him with his shoulder and pushing him until his back hits the wall with a thump. Kace’s eyes meet mine for a second before he raises his knee. Luca blocks the blow and throws his fist in return. Kace smacks it away, leaning back and throwing his head forward, connecting with Luca’s. I gasp as they both stumble, stunned from the blow.
Luca clenches his fist for another round, but Kace simply raises the handgun in his hand and presses it against his friend’s forehead. I see Luca pull his jacket back, to reveal an empty holster at his side.
Kace moves toward me, his hand never wavering.
“I know you’re not gonna shoot me, asshole,” Luca says, rubbing his forehead where a bright red mark is blooming.
“Lily,” Kace orders and I immediately rush to his side. He looks me over and grasps my hand in his before turning back to Luca.
“I didn’t touch her,” Luca tells him through narrowed eyes. “And will you put the fucking gun down already.”
“I’m telling you right now…” Kace says, his voice firm and dark, “…I will fucking shoot you if it means protecting her.”
Luca’s eyes flash to me, his lip curling in disgust. “So that’s it? You’re choosing her?”
“I’m choosing the fucking truth!” Kace snaps before taking a deep breath. “You dig deeper, you’ll figure it out. But I don’t have time to hold your damn hand on this one. We’re leaving. This time, you won’t find us.”
Luca’s face seems to sink, his anger dissipating. “Thought we were brothers,” he says, almost sounding broken. These guys aren’t just best friends. Luca looks up to Kace—admires him—that much is becoming obvious.
“She’s mine,” Kace states, clearly feeling the change in the room. “You come after her. You come after me.”
I turn and look up at him with wide eyes. He catches the movement, muttering, “Not now, Lily.”
Luca steps back, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Kace, don’t do this man. Come back, we’ll figure this shit out. What if she isn’t who you think she is?”
Kace doesn’t hesitate. “I know exactly who she is, just like you know exactly who I am.” His muscles clench tightly all over his body. “Axel is probably going to need the hospital now, because of fucking me. You think this doesn’t fucking kill me? Fighting my own men? My brothers? But I’m doing it because there’s something going on here that’s bigger than this, bigger than us.”
His fingers lace through mine, and he glances down at me. “I won’t see her hurt because she got caught in the middle. She’s innocent, and we protect people who are innocent.”
The room’s quiet for a moment, the two men sharing silent words as they stare each other down.
Kace slowly begins to move us to the door, his gun still on Luca. He pulls the door open and holds it as we back out. “Dig deeper, brother. There’s gotta be something there.”
Luca frowns but doesn’t answer.
“And for God’s sake… protect your weapon next time, douche bag.”
Thumping footsteps of people running has Kace pushing me out into the mall again. And then the chase begins afresh. I run with him, my body screaming in protest.
“Stand down,” I hear Luca shout. And Kace and I both slow, pulling to a stop and looking over our shoulders.
Elijah, Noah, and Luca stand outside the bathroom door, watching us.
Kace nods his head and tucks the gun away. “Let’s go,” he says, pulling me from view.
We jog in the opposite direction of where we left the car, breaking out into the daylight. Kace’s pace slows, but I still scurry to keep up with him.
“Why are we running?” I ask, breathlessly. “Aren’t they letting us go?”
“They’re giving us a head start,” Kace tells me gruffly. “They still have their orders. There’s only so much time they can give us before they have to come after us again. Just hoping Luca can stall enough to actually figure this out.”
“And what are we going to do?” I ask, my body shattering. Lack of sleep, physical exhaustion—I’m on the brink of having a meltdown.
Kace pulls to a stop, turning to me and gripping my face in his hands. He stares down into my watering eyes, the gentle promise in his eyes just enough to stop me breaking down in the middle of the street. “We’re going to do some digging of our own. We’re going
to figure this out.”
I nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat. He dips his head, pressing his lips to mine, ever so softly. My hands go to his waist as he pulls me against his body.
I inhale him, drawing strength from him into my own body. Allowing it to fill me, empower me, remind me that he’s here, and there’s nothing that will stop him from fighting for me. For us.
Kace made quick work of finding us a new car. Although I wouldn’t call this new vehicle a car as such, I’m pretty sure it’s a painter’s van. Definitely not something I would have picked for a quick getaway. But he seems to think it’s something the Seven wouldn’t expect him to choose either, so they probably won’t know to look for us in this clapped out heap of junk. Which makes sense. Keeping off their radar is totally fine by me!
“So, now that I don’t have my cell, and we’re on the move again, it should be harder for them to find us, right?” I ask and his jaw tenses, the vein in his neck protruding.
“Hopefully, but they’ll still be looking and using every piece of surveillance equipment they have available to track us.”
Sighing, I sit back into the seat lined with an old sheep skin seat cover, the fluff only comforting me slightly. “Where are we going now then?”
He clenches his jaw tighter and shakes his head slightly. “I don’t know. I’m going to keep driving, maybe head to the coast, find somewhere out of the city and away from civilians who could be dragged into this.”
Sinking back further into my seat, I clench my eyes shut thinking of all the people and children that could have been harmed back there in the mall because of me.
This is crazy.
“Kace, this is bad. Are we going to have to run forever? I don’t know if I can do that.”
He turns looking into my eyes. It worries me briefly that his eyes aren’t focused on the road, but when he looks deep into my soul, the tension leaves me quickly.
“Lily, as soon as I find the answers I need, I’m going to bring down those responsible for this. I don’t know why this is happening, but I’m going to find out. We will be free again, but it might take some time. We just have to keep moving, and I need you on board.” His deep, gravelly voice soothes me instantly as his intense stare sends a shock wave straight to my core. I never knew just looking at someone could make me a little hot under the collar, but looking at Kace right now is making my thighs press together, hoping for a repeat of what happened in the hotel room. Feeling his tongue on me, his lightly spattered beard pressing against my thighs—I want to feel that again. He seems to notice my switch in thoughts as a slight smile touches his lips.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find somewhere nice for us to rest soon. Somewhere remote where no one will be around.” The edge in this voice as he turns back to look at the road makes my breathing hitch. The promise of us being alone again tonight makes my stomach flip with giddy happiness, and even though everything about this situation screams danger and disaster, I can’t help but get caught up in the excitement and lust of it all.
The drive was quiet and we didn’t talk much, but there was a definite sizzle through the air. A tension that crackled and popped with a connection so profound I can’t put my finger on it. Whether it’s from the adrenaline of his team catching and releasing us, or from something more sinful, I’m not sure. But either way, something’s pulsing through us, something exciting, something magical, and I know we both feel it.
The sly glances he sends my way aren’t going unnoticed either, and the way his breathing hitches every time I gently caress his hand. Things are intensifying for us, our relationship is changing and moving at lightning speed, but I like it. I like that even through the fog and haze of this adrenaline filled chaos, there’s still him and me in our bubble.
The van pulls up a slight hill, the grass so green that even though the sky outside is a dark midnight black, the silver shards of light the moon is sending down on the ground shows how beautiful the foliage is. The slight sound of waves crashing against the shore soothes my tired body and calms my nerves as the van drives up the incline.
Then I see it.
A giant lighthouse pulls into view.
It stands so high, and its pure white façade glows in the night sky. The beacon of light blisters out through the top of the dome shining out to sea, and I smile at the sheer beauty of something so architecturally sound.
“Wow Kace, this place is beautiful,” I murmur sitting up taller in my seat as he pulls the van up to the side of the lighthouse.
He turns to me and smiles. “It is, and it will be quiet. No one will find us. They won’t even think to look for us here. Right, let’s get inside before the wind picks up.” He smiles then ducks out of the van quickly.
Taking a deep breath, I slide out and walk around the back where Kace has the side door open and is rummaging around. He grabs two blankets from inside. They have dried paint splatters all over them, but hey if they’re going to keep us warm tonight, who cares about some dried up paint.
“Will there be a lighthouse keeper inside?” I ask.
He smiles at me as he slides the door shut with a bang, and we start to walk the path toward the lighthouse.
“No, most lighthouses aren’t manned anymore. I’m sure the guy who maintains it isn’t far, but mostly they’re run electronically these days.”
Nodding with a slight grin at the confirmation that we will be alone, I chew on my bottom lip as we reach the black door. He grips the handle turning it but it’s locked. I slump my body and Kace looks at me raising an eyebrow like he’s disappointed with my reaction.
“We’re getting in, Lily. Don’t worry,” he says, then he looks to the ground, smiles and reaches down grabbing a small stiff piece of wire and inserts it into the lock. Reaching down he grabs another piece that looks the same. He jiggles them both in the lock for no longer than two seconds before it clicks into place. Smiling up at me, he tilts his head toward the door handle hinting at me to open it. I giggle, shaking my head and turning the handle. The door opens with ease as he puts the wires in his pocket and ushers me inside.
“Have I told you how hot you are when you’re all badass and breaking the law?” I tease, he grins rolling his eyes and looks toward the spiral staircase.
I head for the stairs as he closes the door behind us. My body is sore and stairs have never been my friend, but to spend the night alone with Kace, I would step up a thousand of them. I start heading up, our footsteps the only sound echoing through the eerie silence. My heart is hammering in my chest as the stairs spiral and continue up and up, so high I’m worried about altitude sickness. Not really, that’s dramatic, but we are going quite high—at least four flights.
Finally, it opens up into a small round room. In the center is the beacon surrounded by a glass wall where the light is shining, circling in an even tempo.
I smile at the sight, it’s beautiful as I walk around the edge of the circular room. The windows are floor to ceiling glass looking out over the sea and even though the night is dark, the view of the ocean is vast. The horizon is etched in blues and silvers with the small rise and fall of waves. It’s a sight to behold, and I wrap my arms around myself just to feel my own presence and to make sure I’m really here and not dreaming. Everything in my life over the past twenty-four hours has seemed like a weird reality, but this… this seems more like a dream.
There’s a buzz in the air, a spark, a fizz that’s making everything around me hyper aware as I stare out to the ocean. This would be super romantic if it were a date, but it’s not. We’re running from a government agency that’s trying to bring us in for possible torture for stuff I have no idea about.
How is that even slightly romantic?
The atmosphere is super quiet between us, and as Kace puts the bag and the blankets down the tension is rolling off his muscles in waves. I know he’s hurting having the people he cares about hunting him down, trying to hunt us down.
The night is brisk and being up so high and o
n the coast the chill factor is noticeable and is sending goose bumps along my skin as a shudder runs along my spine. A slow shiver covers my entire body and I shake on the spot. Chewing on my bottom lip as my breathing becomes short and stuttered Kace moves in beside me. A charge fires off at the closeness of his proximity making my hairs stand on end. He doesn’t say a word but slowly moves his arm out, wrapping it around me. His hand smooths up and down my arm in a comforting gesture, which warms me up as he presses the side of his toned body against mine. My core clenches with delight and my breath catches at his touch. We don’t say anything as we stare out at the crashing waves, watching as they smash against the shore with my inner thoughts of his mouth slamming against mine racing through my brain.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you.” His deep voice breaks through the deafening silence.
I turn slightly to look at him, his face full of pain and hurt. “I’m sorry this is happening to you,” I reply.
He shakes his head. “I’m okay, I’m more concerned about you.”
“I’m fine. I guess I just don’t know what happens next.”
He turns looking me straight in the eyes. His deep blue pools sinking right into my soul making me want to melt into a puddle on the floor. A surge passes between us, making my breath catch as he tenses his muscles apparently feeling it too. We’re shifting again, moving with the force of the gravity that’s taking a hold of us.
“Seems like it would have been a lot easier to just do your job,” I murmur.
His jaw tenses as the vein in his neck pulses and protrudes. “I’ve never been the one to take the easy way out.”
“Why do you risk your life to do this?”
His harsh stance softens, and his shoulders relax slightly. “Because I feel like I’m changing the world.”
Furrowing my brows, I curl up my lip. “But how is coming after innocent people changing the world?”
He stiffens again and shakes his head. “But they’re not innocent?”