by Addison Jane
Opening my eyes wide, my entire body tenses as I duck down like somehow that’s going to help. “Kace… Kace!” I call out sternly, but he’s gone before I can protest any further.
I’m stuck. I can’t do anything or go anywhere because my knee is too injured for me to travel too far on my own. Breathing harshly in annoyance as I hide behind a tree, I watch as Kace makes his way down out of earshot. He’s way too far away from me now and I’m completely on my own.
Shaking my head at the absurdity of this moment, I grit my teeth. I’m actually pretty pissed that he’s left me here. I know he wants to know what’s going on, but Luca is in charge for a reason—so Kace can protect me—and he’s not doing such a great job of that right now. He’s left me here, on my own, with nothing to protect myself. Sure no one but the SO7 knows I’m here, and I’m hidden by lush greenery, but still this is pretty fucked up in my books. It’s not like I can run if anything happens.
Glancing down the hill toward Kace as he stalks Camilla and the blond’s, something catches my eye. A movement to my right startles me, my head snaps around to catch sight of a man walking through the trees. He’s wearing blacks like he’s an Operative and he’s checking the perimeter.
Fuck!
Backing up abruptly to try and move away from him without him seeing me, I twist a little too suddenly, jerking my knee in the wrong position. I wince in pain trying to keep my moan silent as I grip onto my knee. The man looks right in my direction as my eyes open wide and my breathing hitches. My body overcompensates and falls back as I scramble trying to get away. As far as I can tell he hasn’t seen me yet, but he can hear something in my direction and starts rushing toward me.
Fuck! Shit! Fuck! I have no way of getting out of this!
Suddenly a dog starts barking and I glance up in my panic to see Daisy. Furrowing my brows, Daisy grabs the man’s attention while Molly chases after her frantically. I tense up even further hoping like hell Molly isn’t about to get herself into some trouble. Daisy rushes up past the man toward me, and I shake my head trying to make her realize to not come too close to me while Molly calls out to her making the man turn to face her. Molly looks to Daisy then past her to spot me. Her eyes widen, glaze then harden as she steps in front of my body so the man can’t see me and holds her arms up like she’s shielding me.
“Do you mind? She really needs to pee you creeper. Is that how you get off?” Molly calls out to him.
He shakes his head looking around to see if anyone heard and talks into his wrist, turns, and heads off back down the hill. Once he’s completely out of range Molly turns back to look at me, sitting on the cold moss riddled forest floor, shaking like a leaf. Her face is red, puffed out and stern as her nostrils flare and her eyes bulge.
“You!”
“Molly, I can explain—”
“You better not be a fucking stunt double or some fucking weird biological twin I didn’t know about. Are you a twin? Are you, huh?”
Furrowing my brows, I shake my head. She groans and throws her hands in the air. “You’re not dead? Or wait… am I dead? Shit, did I just die? Did he kill me and now I’m here with your ghost?”
I half-laugh. “Molly… no, you’re alive. I’m alive—”
“Oh, so you are alive and you’ve been what… hiding out? Pretending to be dead? ‘Cause that would be fucked up, Lily. That would be sooo monumentally fucked up I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’m going to punch you in the tit if that’s the case.”
“Molly, there’s so much you don’t know.”
“Well, duh… captain fucking obvious!”
“You’re angry—”
“You bet your ass I’m fucking angry. I thought my best friend in the whole world was dead, Lily. I thought I’d never see you again. I thought… I thought you died a painful, horrible, slow, torturous, agonizing death in a ball of fire and that your last moments on earth were absolutely…” she pauses taking a breath as her eyes fill with tears and her bottom lip quivers. “Lily, I love you, like you’re my fucking sister, and thinking you died like that... I can’t… I… fuck!” she gasps, and a fat tear rolls down her cheek.
My chest tightens and it’s hard to breathe. I hate this. I knew it would be hard for them. Camilla made my death so damn terrible and I hate that as well. I can’t even imagine what they’ve been through.
“I’m so, so sorry, Molly—”
“Why?” she interrupts, wiping her face. Her steely resolve is back as she puts out her hand to help me from the ground.
Placing out my hand, she grabs it and hoists me up. My knee pinches and I wince as I stand, but now I’m eye to eye with Molly I can see the utter despair in her face.
It’s killing me.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Bullshit, Lily. Why?” She raises her voice and I flinch ducking down in reaction trying to keep my anonymity.
“Molly, it’s complicated and bigger than anything I can give you—”
“Lily, no. Tell me why?” she almost yells glaring at me and I flinch at how loud she’s being.
Suddenly, someone sweeps in grabbing Molly around her waist and pulling her further into the trees. She bucks against him and goes to scream when he turns her to face his stern look.
“Molly, stop making a scene. You’re drawing attention. Cut it out,” Noah says, his voice has a harsh tone.
She grunts glaring at him and breaks free from his hold. “Don’t tell me what to do, you sexy mother fucker!”
He jerks back raising his eyebrow at her and smirks slightly as she huffs at him.
She turns back to look at me. “You… you should have told me. If you love me you would have told me,” she says in a much quieter tone.
Slumping my body, I reach out grabbing her hands and looking into her eyes. “Molly, it’s because I love you that I didn’t tell you.”
She exhales and shakes her head looking me up and down like she’s taking me all in. “You’re actually here. Alive?”
I smile weakly and nod. “I am.”
Her bottom lip trembles again and she breathes harder as she fights back her emotions. I look at her and know she’s having trouble holding it together. I know because I am too. So I fight through the pain in my knee and lunge forward grabbing her, pulling her to me, embracing her so tightly I hear the breath leave her lungs. Molly hugs me back and I smother myself in her as she finally lets her walls crumble and she bursts into tears. I cuddle into her as much as I can while hot salty tears fall down my cheeks too. A nuzzling on my leg lets me know that Daisy’s cozying up to my side joining in on this reunion too.
“Oh God, they’re both crying,” Noah murmurs to no one, but I ignore him as Molly reaches out punching his arm. “Ouch.”
“Don’t be a dick, we’re having a moment,” Molly says even though her face is nuzzled into my neck.
“What the fuck?” Kace’s voice is low but harsh as it echoes from behind me.
Molly pulls back from my hug as Daisy rushes off toward her master.
“What the fuck happened?” he asks glaring at Noah who glares right back at him.
“Nothing would have happened if you fucking stayed at your post. One of the goons just about found her. If it weren’t for Molly, Kace, Lily would be outed right now.”
Kace tenses his jaw, clenching and tilting to the side. “Fuck! Okay, I hear you, but we can’t stay here. Not now. Lily your knee is swelling.”
I glance down to see it is, in fact, swelling.
Great!
“I pulled it a little trying to get away from the goon.”
He clenches his fists by his sides. I’m not sure if that’s in anger at me or more at himself? He rushes forward and swiftly hoists me up into his arms effortlessly. I wrap my arms around his neck as Daisy gathers by his feet.
“Molly you have to come with us.”
She scoffs. “You think now that I know you guys are alive, that I’m just gonna walk away without an explanation? Umm… fuck yeah I
’m coming with you!”
“C’mon, we gotta head now, you guys have made too much ruckus as it is and Lily’s hurt. I heard enough from the blonds anyway, I need to sort some shit out. Let’s go, Noah,” Kace states turning and heading us back up the hill through the forest. I look over his shoulder down the hill, as we all walk away from my funeral just in time to see my coffin being lowered into the ground. It’s an eerie feeling watching it. A sharp pain radiates through my chest as I watch my mom fall to her knees at the edge of the grave. I let out a small sob as I watch my dad place his hand on her shoulder in a sign of comfort, then Liam wipes his cheek, but suddenly looks up right in my direction as if he’s looking straight at me. A sense of calm washes over me. I know he can’t possibly know I’m here, but somehow having him looking this way as we go over the hill sets me at ease. He’s the last thing I see before the trees become the only thing left in my vision.
The mood is pretty tense as we sit inside the cabin. Noah is with us and we’re waiting around for Luca to arrive with a progress report. There’s a weird buzz between Noah and Molly, and Lily is unusually quiet, but that’s understandable. She did just witness her own funeral and was almost found by one of Camilla’s goons all because of me.
The sound of tires on the drive doesn’t go unnoticed and Noah stands up looking out the window. His stature shows of ease, so I’m not alarmed knowing it’s more than likely Luca coming to give me an ear bashing. I’m expecting it, I’m ready for it.
The door slams open and Luca storms in, his face red and his nostrils flaring like he’s beyond pissed. “Seriously? What the fuck were you thinking?” he yells not stopping his fast pace as he races up to me reaching down grabbing my shirt and pulls me up from the sofa.
I smack his hands away from my clothes, glaring at him and shaking my head. “I fucking wasn’t, okay!” Swallowing hard, I glance at Lily, to make sure she’s okay. It’s fucking hard to admit when I’m wrong but I was, and knowing Lily could have been hurt today is doing my head in.
Molly sends a death stare at me as her arms are wrapped around Lily tightly not letting go of her for anything, while Daisy rests her head in Lily’s lap.
“You fucking left her by herself,” Luca declares almost like he’s clarifying the intel he received as well as stating the facts.
Turning, I groan and pace the floor. “I know.” I scrub my hand over my face. “You think I don’t know that. I’m a fucking idiot. There, you happy you son of a bitch?”
Luca smirks. “Well… yes, actually.”
I glance to Lily thinking about how easily I could have lost her because the fire in me burned hotter for vengeance, it took over every morsel of common sense I had left in me.
I feel so betrayed by my mom.
I desperately want answers, but I’m not willing to risk what I have with Lily in order to get them. Lily’s more important. She’s the reason I’m still here and the reason I’m fighting. The reason I’m not killing innocent people anymore. I think I realize now that the fight is for Lily and me, and I need to trust my team.
Fuck! I need to hand over the running of my team to Luca if I’m to be around to protect Lily.
“I’ve got your back, you need to trust that. I saved your life once before… trust I can do it again,” Luca says.
I nod even though my chest sinks at the thought of not being the one in charge.
“I still want to be involved with how this all goes down, but you need to take the reins from here, Luca. Lily needs to be my top priority here on out. I failed her today. I won’t let that happen again.”
“Damn fucking right you won’t,” Molly calls out.
It takes me a second, but I glance around the room remembering it’s not just Luca and me in here talking about me handing over the SO7—my team, my life. Molly, Lily, and Noah are here too, to witness my surrender and fuck if I don’t feel inferior, like less of a man. I just hope Lily doesn’t see me as less, I hope she knows I’m doing this for her. She looks at me and half-smiles with a slight nod. It sends my heart back into a normal rhythm. Lily seems to know me so well and gives me encouragement at just the right times. No wonder I fucking love this woman!
“Now that’s sorted, we need to talk about what you heard,” Luca asks.
I nod. “We should go outside, boys,” I say and subtly look toward Molly.
They nod, and Noah stands up as we all head toward the door. We make our way to the rickety wooden chairs and take a seat.
“So? Who the fuck are the blond men?”
Gritting my teeth, I shake my head and sigh. “I’m still not sure on that, but I heard some weird shit that’s for sure.”
“What do you mean?” Noah asks.
“The older looking one of the two… he seemed to be the one in charge, I guess. They seemed like they were in the industry or something similar.”
Luca exhales. “Shit really? You think they’re on her side?”
Rubbing my chin, I shake my head. “I don’t think so… Fuck! I really don’t know. I didn’t get to hear much, but I did hear them say, that they did this and that they need to pay for the people they’ve hurt.”
Luca jolts his chin back and furrows his brows. “What the fuck? That’s some pretty interesting words right there.”
“I know, I wanted to hear more but then I looked back and saw what was happening with Lily and left.”
“Well, what was Camilla saying in all of this?” Noah queries.
“Just that I have a proposition for you… and that’s all I heard before I had to leave.”
“Fuck me, what’s the witch up to now?” Luca asks, and I shrug.
“I have no idea. But Luca, I need you to find out who they are, and what the fuck Camilla wants with them.”
He nods and looks to Noah. “Hacker genius here can help me.”
“Yeah, I have a feeling it’s going to be all hands on deck for this one,” Noah says.
“All except for mine,” I murmur and Luca slaps my shoulder.
“You have a role, Kace. Keep Lily alive. You can’t get much more important than that,” Luca says.
“True. Thanks. Speaking of Lily I should check on her, make sure Molly isn’t making her spill the beans.”
Noah chuckles and nods. “Yeah, that Molly, she sure is… something.”
Luca and I both look at him raising our eyebrows but say nothing as we head for the door. Molly and Lily’s voices echo through the air and it’s actually nice to have someone here for Lily. I know she’s missed her best friend. Through the door I hear Molly talking to Lily, but her tone is clipped and harsh.
“He rules over you. You never used to let a man make decisions for you. Why the hell are you starting now, Lily?”
Grunting, I open the door walking in and the girls’ heads snap up to look at us while we walk through. Lily glances at me with her brows creased and a frown on her face, her eyes pleading with me in a look that screams ‘help me.’
Looking back to Luca, he’s smirking and I figure he’s in charge now so I’ll see how he likes the authority. “Luca, seeing as you’re in charge now, how should we handle this?”
Molly stands up and opens her eyes wide shaking her head. “No. No. No, no, no. You’re gonna tell me what’s going on, and you’re gonna tell me right now!”
Luca winces and sighs. “Okay, I don’t think we really have an option here, Kace?”
Running my fingers through my hair, I simply nod. “Okay, yup, let’s fill her in.”
“You might want to sit down, Molly,” Noah says.
She purses her lips and creases her eyebrows at him. “Don’t tell me what to do. Just because you’re so fucking hot it’s illegal doesn’t mean you can wave your eight-inch wand around and magic me into your bidding.”
“Sit. Down. Molly,” Noah says with a harsher tone.
I raise an eyebrow to him as Molly grins and tilts her head.
“Okay. I like you a little demanding... you’re still a fucker though.”
>
Noah rolls his eyes as Molly sits down, Luca takes a seat next to Lily. Noah next to Luca, and I sit on the coffee table in front of Molly. Technically, I guess, Luca should be doing this seeing as he’s in charge, but old habits die hard and Molly knows me best, so this should come from me.
“Molly, Luca, Noah and I… we work for the government.”
Molly rolls her eyes. “Pffft booooring.”
Lily giggles and shakes her head.
Smirking, I grin and take a deep breath trying not to let that offend me. “Well, boring not so much. We work for a Top Secret division of the government.”
She sits up a little taller and her eyes open a little wider. “Ooh, not as boring.”
“Our section is called The Agency and our division… the team Luca, Noah and I work for… are called SO7—”
“Oh my God, you’re fully like secret agents aren’t you?” Molly asks her eyes opening wide as her smile beams on her face.
We all nod. “Yes.”
“Holy tittie fucking Jesus… Lily you bagged your very own Jason Bourne,” she says, and I roll my eyes as she nudges into the side of Lily who grins. “So wait, why are you two dead?”
We all frown. “The Director of The Agency is corrupt. When she saw that Lily and I were getting close, she decided to wipe Lily out of the equation so I would get back on track.”
Molly jolts her head back in shock. “Ahhh… excuse me? What the fuck? Why would anyone want to hurt my Lily and how were they going to take her out exactly?”
Noah shifts uncomfortably. “They put out a waste order on her—”
“A what now…”
“A kill order.”
Molly swallows hard as Lily looks at her and fakes a smile. “I don’t know what to say? So you faked your own deaths to get away from this… waste order?”
Lily huffs and I shake my head. “No, if only it were that easy. The waste order was sent, but luckily Daisy was at Lily’s that night when the Operative came through.”
Noah shifts again not looking at Molly or Lily. “And who was the fucking dirtbag who tried to kill my best friend? Obviously, Daisy got him real good…” She pauses and recognition dawns on her face. “Oh wait! Daisy got the guy in your apartment and Noah was in your apartment that time…” Her eyes go wide. “What the fucking fuck? Noah, were you there to kill Lily that night?” Molly almost screams the last part standing up and glaring at him, her chest heaving like she’s a rabid dog about to attack.