Freedom

by KC Kean

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Thank You

  About the Author

  Also by KC Kean

  COPYRIGHT © 2020 KC KEAN

  All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  No copyright infringement intended. No claims have been made over songs and/or lyrics written. All credits go to the original owner.

  Cover Designer: KC Kean

  Dedication

  This one's for you, Nuts.

  Almost twelve months since we saw your smile and heard your laugh.

  We miss you more than words can say.

  Forever in our hearts and memories.

  Our Queen.

  Epigraph

  Her lips are the gun, her smile is the trigger, her kisses are the bullets. Label her a killer.

  - West Morgan

  Lost and alone.

  The darkness is blacker than black, deeper than deep.

  I don’t know which way is up or down or how to get out.

  But I seem to care less and less as I let the black hole in my mind consume me.

  Washing away any remnants of who I am.

  Leaving me with nothing more than my willpower.

  There is only one thing to do in this world, and I’m finally realizing it.

  I have to be more than this.

  I need to break free...

  If I want to survive.

  Maverick

  The phone is still pressed to my ear, crushed in my hand as rage consumes me. But it’s no use. He’s no longer on the line. Yet his words still rattle around in my mind, wiping away any other rational thought.

  “I have something that belongs to you.”

  “You’ve spent a long time wanting my attention. Now, you have it. Be ready for my call, Maverick Miller. Tell Featherstone I say hi.”

  Frozen in place, I can hear chatter around me, but I’m sinking into myself.

  Picturing Jessica’s smile and bright blue eyes helps calm the fury inside me as I loosen my grip on the phone.

  At least until I picture her being held captive.

  If Frankie or any of his associates move a single piece of red hair out of place, I will cut away at their flesh. One slice at a time, piece by piece.

  Motherfuckers are going to pay for this.

  “Rick! Rick!”

  I can hear West calling my name. I just can’t see him. My vision is red, and my jaw aches from the unconscious clenching. Frankie Winters has my girl, and I’m stuttering like a damn bitch.

  “Hey! Maverick, I need you to fucking shake it off, right now.” The sudden sound of Rafe’s voice grounds me a little, making me release the breath I’d been holding and quickly suck in another, filling my lungs.

  A rough shake to my shoulders gains my attention a little more, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut tightly before opening them again. I’m thankful I can see what is going on around me a little clearer. I take another deep breath, trying to relax my body as the phone slips from my grasp. I watch as it seems to fall for an eternity, but I can’t move to stop it. Just before it hits the gravel beneath my feet, a hand lunges out, catching the phone before it smashes into pieces.

  Aiden’s grey eyes look up to meet mine. A mixture of anger and sadness laced his expression. I'm actually grateful for the little shit, even if it is just for a moment.

  “What the fuck is going on, Mav?” He murmurs up at me instead of shouting like everyone else, and the calmer approach allows my brain to process and respond.

  “He has her. Frankie Winters has Jessica.” My body stands rigid while my fists clench at my sides. Hearing the words pass my lips only adds to the physical strain I feel as my heart pounds rapidly and sweat gathers on my brow.

  “Who the hell is Frankie Winters? And why the fuck does he have Red?” Luna hollers, stopping all the chatter around us, and I feel everyone’s eyes on me. But it’s Rafe who answers.

  “He’s a wannabe mobster down in Petersburg. Maverick has been down there trying to infiltrate their crime syndicate on a Featherstone assignment.” Silence falls around us again as Aiden stands, holding my phone. I don’t want to take it from him yet, unsure of my stability. Instead, I look around at the group surrounding me.

  Luna stands on my right with the Aces: Roman, Parker, Oscar, and Kai. While West and Aiden are to my left, Rafe stands in the middle separating us, as if he thinks we will break into a fight again. Like there aren’t more pressing matters right now. But instead, every single person around me has a mixture of fear and anger in their eyes, and I’m glad. We all need to be on the same page.

  “Why the fuck would he take Jess?” Roman growls, and I feel the distress in my chest.

  “His exact words were, ‘I have something that belongs to you. You’ve spent a long time wanting my attention. Now, you have it. Be ready for my call, Maverick Miller. Tell Featherstone I say hi.’ We need to regroup and figure this shit out,” I grunt, cracking my neck. “We need to search every second of surveillance on campus. I want everything on this fucker so that I can get Jessica back.” I refuse to let the panic seep into my body this time. My petal needs me to be strong and focused right now.

  “Rafe, what’s going on?” Bryce calls from behind me, and I turn to see him walking towards us with Juliana. I don’t have time to repeat myself. We need to get moving. I notice Juliana shiver, and it reminds me of the cold air the winter brings. I don’t feel it, the adrenaline keeping me warm.

  A glance at my watch shows it’s a little after eight in the evening, but the blackness of the night sky makes it feel closer to midnight. I take my phone from Aiden, my brain trying to process what to do and where we go next.

  “The SUVs are parked around the other side of the building. Let’s move. I have all my tech set up in my room back at Ace. It’ll be the quickest option. I have a little on my phone right now, but not enough,” Kai says, heading in the direction of the SUVs with everyone instantly falling into step behind him.

  “Maverick? Get in the SUV with Kai. Being close to the tech guy will probably calm you a little. I’ll explain what’s going on to the others," Rafe murmurs, and I nod in agreement, appreciating his help. Seeing Kai and the others slide into the closest vehicle, I move with them.

  There won’t be enough space for West and Aiden, but they nod for me to go when I look over to them. I know they’ll be right behind me with the others.

  As soon as the do
or closes behind me, I find myself in a small space with the dick of the hour. Oscar fucking O’Shay-Steele. He sits across from me, in between Roman and Luna. While Kai and Parker are sitting to my right.

  Roman presses the dome light switch, illuminating us with a low-glow. Oscar’s glare matches my own as we stare each other down, while the others glance cautiously between us. If he hadn’t walked in the hallway screaming for answers when he saw my lips touching Jessica’s, we wouldn’t have been in this situation.

  “How old are you anyway? Thirty?” He suddenly grinds out, his mind clearly going back to the hallway like mine did. I scoff in response. This guy is fucking laughable, and I don’t need his childish shit right now.

  I sit hunched over, my leg bouncing beneath me as I lean my elbows on my knees, hands grasped together. I stare him down.

  “I have no idea where she is or what they’re doing to her. Anger and fear are clawing at my insides, and you want to discuss how old I am?” My voice sounds haunted, and it’s likely because I’m letting them see my vulnerability. Jessica always showed me hers, but I never offered it in return. Fuck.

  My chin drops to my chest as my head falls into my hands. My face feels tender from Oscar’s punch during our little fight. My ribs will probably hurt later too, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins makes me numb to any pain.

  The words I spoke to her not so long ago come to mind. "I'm an asshole, I know that, but I will protect you and get to the bottom of whatever this shit is. Okay?"

  Yet here we are.

  “That doesn’t answer my question though, does it?” Oscar retorts, but before I can rip into him, I hear someone smacking him on the head. Flicking my eyes to them, I see Roman shrug.

  “Sorry, he isn’t trained yet,” he grunts, and I almost smile when Luna nods in agreement.

  However, I can see the question on everyone’s faces. They’ll want answers for what went down back there, and they can have them when I’m ready. I won’t shy away from Luna. This was all under wraps because that’s how Jessica wanted it. I didn’t want anything with her, but the pain in my chest tells me that’s a lie. I didn’t want to want anything with her, but I am hers. Wherever she is.

  “It’s a simple question. You didn’t see them, he had…” I glare at him again, but this time it’s Luna he’s looking at as he trails off.

  “Oscar, my best friend has been taken, which typically links to a job for Featherstone. This isn’t Maverick’s fault. It’s not our fault, but we are going to kill this fucker, so we need to focus.” She sighs heavily as I stare out of the blacked-out window, watching the campus whirl past us.

  Did Jessica see any of this? Did she get to see where she was going? Or did they have her out cold already? The thought sends a shiver down my spine, and I’m surprised to feel Kai squeeze my shoulder.

  “She means a lot to you, huh?” It’s not a question, it’s a fact, and I nod once in agreement.

  “To us. She means everything to us, and I plan to get Jessica back by any means necessary,” I respond, steel laced in my voice as I meet his gaze. My hands squeeze together in my lap as my emotions rise to the surface again.

  “We’ll be with you every step of the way, man,” Parker adds, and I love how much she means to the others, how we are all here willing to go to bat for her. To risk our lives for her.

  The SUV pulls to a stop outside of Ace, and I’m stepping out in an instant. The other vehicle parks behind us, and Aiden and West are quick to follow. Along with Juliana, Bryce, and Rafe.

  “Wait, you said ‘us’?” Luna questions as she steps from the SUV, just as West and Aiden come to a stop beside me. “Ahh, this is ‘the us’?” She asks, pointing her finger at the three of us, and I refrain from rolling my eyes.

  Looking at Kai, I hold my hand out towards the entry to Ace, encouraging him to lead the way, and I’m thankful when he does.

  “What’s ‘the us’?” Aiden asks behind me, entertaining their curious questions as the elevator doors open. I don’t hear Luna’s response, but our relationship is obviously not a secret anymore. “Luna, I told you there was someone else after we checked out Kai together before the party, remember? She’s my beautiful, and we’re her suckers.”

  Stepping away from them, I don’t hear a response, but I’m sure I hear Oscar snicker.

  Moving into the elevator with Kai, Rafe, Luna, and Roman, I give up waiting and slam the button panel for Kai’s floor. Nobody protests as the doors close, leaving the others to either take the stairs or wait for the elevator to come back down. The doors open, and we all step out to see a panting Oscar running out of the stairwell, pointing his finger at me as he glares.

  “Ha! Didn’t get you anywhere any faster, did it?” he calls out, and it takes everything in me not to punch him square in the face again. I can see the bruise forming on his cheek from our brawl earlier, and I’d quite happily give him another.

  I can hear Luna whisper-shouting at Roman as she walks in front of me. Anger laced in her words, but I can’t feel or see anyone else’s emotions except my own.

  Ignoring his shit, I follow Kai to his door, which is the first in the hall. The one beside his is Jessica’s, and seeing it makes me ache for her even more. As everyone is about to step inside, I notice something flutter near her door, and my feet move on their own accord. The closer to her door I get, the slower my footsteps become.

  My fingers feel weighted like they’re cased in stone as I reach my hand out in front of me. My lips are murmuring for West and Aiden before I even realize it. There sits another note written in thick black ink - a final threat, which ultimately links them to her whereabouts.

  Ripping it from the door, I turn to my right, finding West and Aiden have stepped towards me while everyone stares at us in confusion. Turning the paper to them, I let them see what this motherfucker had to say.

  BYE, BITCH

  West

  My hands clench at my side as Aiden squeezes my shoulder and directs me into Kai’s living room. Who do these people think they are? Kidnapping our girl. Our girl who is so sweet, and light, who doesn't deserve any of this shit. How does she find herself tangled in this mess?

  “So, does someone want to explain the note, too?” Luna asks, confusion etched all over her face. My moon is not doing well with all of this, and I can feel her tension as thick as mine.

  “Why don’t you take a seat, moon? While Kai gets everything up and running, we’ll explain everything. Maybe recapping the night might help us.”

  She offers a single nod in response, taking a seat on the sofa in front of us, Parker, Oscar, and Roman following her. All of them staring in my direction. Kai and Rafe start pulling laptops out of thin air, setting everything up on the coffee table. This room layout is the same as Jess’s and the Morgan room on the floor below. I’m just glad the living room is big enough for all of us.

  Juliana and Bryce take a seat on the other sofa, Rick and Aiden remain standing with me. Solidarity. With these fuckers, who would have thought?

  I want to scream at Maverick. Beat the shit out of him for exposing Jess further into this world. If she hadn't gone to Petersburg with him, Frankie would never have known about her. Unless he had men following Maverick before then? If so, they would have seen them together, but that would have only been on campus because we haven’t been anywhere else.

  It’s fucking with my mind. Aiden is giving nothing away with his poker face, but I can see it is destroying Maverick, so he doesn’t need my comments too, not when I have my own fucking part in this. That’s not going to help us get my sunshine back. What’s done is done, and we need to be a team. Jess needs us to stick together to get her back.

  Aiden is the first of the three of us to walk further into the room, standing by the television on the wall opposite us. He glances between Rick and me for a moment, assessing us from head to toe before glancing at the others. He is the epitome of calm, on the outside at least, but the darkening of his eyes shows his anger boili
ng within.

  With a sigh, he places his hands on his hips, turning his gaze back to us. “Okay, I got this. I’ll explain while you two meatheads try to calm your alpha fucking tendencies for a minute. But we are going to discuss how you call Luna ‘moon’ and Jess ‘sunshine’ in the future, cos that shit’s ironic.” He gives me a pointed look before staring at his feet, likely trying to gather his words.

  His jokes and a calming, rational voice actually cut through the thick tension in the room, reminding me why the three of us are the perfect balance for Jess.

  “Is this where the ‘us’ bit comes into it then?” Parker asks, glancing around at the three of us, and it’s getting on my fucking nerves that they’re using a stupid fucking way to describe what we have with Jess. As if sensing my annoyance or feeling his own, Aiden glares at Parker.

  “She’s ours, yes,” he grunts, raising an eyebrow at the Aces, who don’t budge under his glare. But when he gets no argument back, he continues. “The threats on her door started the day after she moved into Ace. I’d already snuck into her room, so I didn’t…”

  “You snuck into her room?” Roman shouts, but Aiden just rolls his eyes.

  “Believe me. It was definitely worth her while. She’ll tell you so herself.” He winks, and even I’m questioning him right now. “Besides, she already lectured me on it, and I haven’t done it since.” That’s my girl. “The other notes were all referring to someone she was seeing. They wanted her to take their warning,” he continues, waving his hand in our direction as we step closer. “They continued while we were all at Maverick’s, but this is the first one I’m aware of since then.”

  “You were all at Maverick’s?” Oscar interrupts, glaring at the three of us, but Aiden simply sighs.

  “That is completely beside the point right now, and we don’t have time to get off track.”

  Maverick grows tired of listening to Aiden explain, walking over and crouching down next to the laptops with Rafe and Kai to get everything moving along quicker. I wish I had some kind of clue what they did with all that tech shit because I would help if I could.