Liberate (The Vindicated Series Book 2)

by Addison Jane

  “Camilla wants to take over, and there’s no doubt in my mind that given her history and dedication to The Agency, the Board will vote in her favor,” I explain, unable to keep the disgusted sneer off my face.

  Lily licks her lip. “So what does that mean? She’s going to take over?” I can hear the fear in her voice. I maneuver my hands underneath her and pull her petite body onto my lap.

  “It means we need to get our foot in that open door before she slams it in our faces,” I try to reassure her, but she just frowns at me like her mind is elsewhere. “We need to get the proof to take her down, and put it before the Board before your brothers get their hands on my team.”

  Luca clears his throat dramatically. “Ahem… my team.”

  I raise my middle finger. “Fuck off, Luca. I’m just lending them to you. Don’t bring them back broken.”

  He rolls his eyes, leaning against the wall with his shoulder. “The Board convenes in four days, so we need to get this shit sorted and now.”

  Lily snuggles in against my chest, the warmth of her body settling the angry demons that are raging inside me.

  “What do we do?” she asks, her face tucking in under my chin.

  “Get Noah started on the files for the Sinclair brothers, tell him to dig deeper. We need anything that’s helpful or relevant… criminal records, associations… anything that we can use to show that they aren’t on the good side of the law.” I tap my fingers on Lily’s leg as my mind runs through all the possible points that may help our case against Camilla. “Pictures of her with them at Lily’s funeral, too.”

  Luca nods and Eli and Tanner both push to their feet.

  “Work fast, but be safe. We don’t want to give these guys any kind of opening to hurt us,” I tell them, worry settling in. I hate that I can’t be with them and that I have to watch from afar. I’ve always been there, had their backs through every shit-storm that’s been thrown at us.

  It eats at me.

  Lily presses her lips to my neck and I relax.

  No, I have to remind myself where my priorities lay now. They’re with her, with us.

  I can’t screw this up again because next time it might end up deadly.

  “Where the hell did I put the sugar?” I mumble to myself as I my eyes scan the counter top. It’s covered in baking ingredients and bowls and other crap. A sad attempt at forgetting what the hell my life is right now and doing something to try and feel normal.

  I hear the front door open and Kace calls out, “I have a present for you!”

  I look over just as Molly waltzes in, strutting her shit like she’s on a runway. Noah rolls his eyes as he follows her in. I can already feel the tension ease from my tired body and it actually makes me smile.

  Molly sees the state of the kitchen and she freezes mid-step with a look of horror on her face. “Oh God, she’s resorted to baking?” She spins around and in a low voice I hear her say, “Don’t eat it.”

  I instantly laugh. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that since I’m so happy to see you.”

  She grins back at me and I can tell she feels the same. Even with having her here for just a few minutes, I already feel like the air is lighter and I can breathe a bit easier.

  Kace winks. “I’m gonna have a chat with Noah for a bit.”

  I nod and he and Noah head back outside, pulling the door closed behind them.

  Molly walks over and takes a seat at the counter on a stool. “How’s everything going?”

  You don’t have to be a Boston lawyer to hear the suspicious undertone in her voice. She knows I hate baking—despise it actually. But when I’m stressed it’s my go to.

  I spot the sugar finally and snatch it up before turning back to my bowl. Molly has this strange ability to pull out emotions that I’d rather smother beneath a fake happy face. It’s always been my downfall. It’s hard to keep a smile on my face as I pour an unmeasurable amount of sugar into the bowl and start mixing. “It’s okay.” I shrug.

  She narrows her eyes at me. “Why are you doing this?”

  I look down at the gross concoction and grimace. “Because we need food to eat and I wanted something sweet?”

  Molly leans forward, placing her palms flat on the creamy bench top. “That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it.” Her face softens dramatically. “Why did you let it get this far? Why are you still here?”

  I sigh, placing the bowl on the counter and brushing off my hands on my shirt. “Because there is no other option, Molly.”

  A dark laugh bursts out, surprising me. “You could go to the police, you could tell someone!”

  Anger flares inside me. Does she think I haven’t considered every possibility?

  “You don’t get it, you have no idea how deep this goes,” I protest.

  She settles back into her seat with a heavy sigh. Suddenly, she looks so old, so worn down.

  Am I doing this to her?

  “Then tell me,” she pleads. “Please…” Her eyes are bright and watery.

  I feel my own emotions begin to rise, my throat clogging. “I love him,” I whisper, pulling my arms around my body and cradling myself. “I’ve never felt this way before. It might look like a mess, but it’s this damn situation, not mine and Kace’s relationship. When it’s just him and me…” I can’t help but smile, “… it’s so perfect, Molly. I have to stick by him and do what’s right because it’s not just our lives on the line if they fail.”

  “You have to think about your own life,” she replies, standing and walking around to position herself in front of me.

  I smile through the blur of tears. “But without him, I wouldn’t actually be alive. I see something in Kace that tells me I’m meant to be by his side. It’s hard and painful and dangerous as hell, but we need to make things right, and this is the only way.”

  Molly shakes her head, reaching out and pulling my hands into hers. “And have you ever thought that maybe you’re just so used to fixing broken animals, and that because Kace is so dark and scarred, that part of your heart just wants to fix him?”

  I freeze, my breath catching in my throat.

  Is that what this is?

  Am I doing this because it just comes so naturally?

  I’ve pulled him out and helped him find the truth, to fight against the hell he seemed to be sinking into. He found the light inside of me and now he’s fighting for what’s right.

  And now I’m the one sinking.

  I think about the bird that I rescued, the barbed wire keeping it from flying. It was so satisfying, so empowering to know that I could help it break free of the restraints that held it captive. Watching it fly away filled my heart with joy, knowing that its life wasn’t over, that it could flourish and fly again.

  My mouth goes dry.

  No, that’s not what this is.

  I may have rescued Kace and helped him spread his wings again, but watching him fly away to rescue the world and leave me behind would not fill my heart and make me happy.

  I would be devastated.

  I’ve learned so much just from being in his presence. He gives me strength I never knew I had, makes me fight for what I want after a life of just settling.

  I push my chin up and smile. “No, that’s not what this is. Kace isn’t some project animal where I make him better and then walk away. I may be petrified, but at least I’m feeling something.” Molly looks at me with wide eyes as I continue, “I’ve spent too long just going day by day. Work, home, television, Chinese food night, repeat. You and my parents were the only ones I spoke to or saw on a regular basis. It was all so sad, a sad existence.” I laugh and shake my head, thinking about what my life actually became. “The moment Kace walked in, he made me want more. He was scary and new. I couldn’t help but need to know more about him. It made me feel alive!”

  A smile twitches at the side of Molly’s mouth, as though she can feel the emotions surging through me, as though she can relate. Her smile grows, but when tears begin to tr
ickle down her cheeks my eyes widen. “I thought I’d lost my best friend, I thought you were gone.”

  My throat tightens and I reach out, placing my hands on her shoulders and staring her in the eyes. “I’m still here. You can’t get rid of me that easy.”

  She laughs, but it comes out more like a gurgle as the tears continue to pour, and I soon find myself in the same way trying to see her through the blur.

  Molly isn’t a crier.

  Ever.

  I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her tiny body and rocking back and forth.

  “Don’t leave me again,” she sobs softly into my shoulder. “I can’t do it again.”

  My hands run up and down her shuddering body. Over her shoulder I see Kace push the door open and I shake my head. He raises his eyebrows in question and I mouth, “Not now.”

  He gives me an understanding nod and pulls the door closed again before Noah can get inside, leaving us alone. I know Molly wouldn’t want others to see her this way. She’s self-conscious when it comes to expressing what she would call weakness.

  We stand like that for a few minutes until she starts to laugh, wiping her snotty nose on my shoulder.

  “Ew!” I laugh, pushing her away and screwing up my nose.

  She smirks. “Okay, I’m done being a wimp.”

  “You’re not a wimp,” I tell her, still staring at the snot smudge on my shirt.

  “Sure,” she says sarcastically. “In other news, I have something to tell you.”

  I grab her shoulders and shake her. “Tell me, I need someone else’s life to focus on. Give me anything that doesn’t involve conspiracy theories and government plots… please!”

  Molly grins. “I met someone.”

  I jolt back in shock. “What? Like actually met someone?”

  Suddenly a horrified expression comes across her face and I hear the door creak open again. “Oh God no… as in I’m fucking someone but on a regular basis.”

  Kace clears his throat loudly and we both look over to see Noah glaring at Molly. “It’s time to go,” he announces harshly.

  Molly shakes her head. “But—”

  “You can’t be here too long. We don’t want to draw attention,” Kace tells her sympathetically.

  She huffs, blowing a stray hair away from her face. “Fine.”

  She wraps me in a tight bear hug and I giggle, laying a wet kiss on her cheek. “Be safe,” she whispers.

  I smile. “Always.”

  She heads for the door and Noah steps in behind her, placing his hand on the small of her back. She swats it away, turning to glare at him before storming out. Kace walks toward me, shaking his head with a smile.

  “What?” I ask, tilting my head curiously.

  He pulls me in, pressing his lips to mine with a grin. They’re so soft, and he tastes like mint from the gum he’s chewing. I resist the urge to pull him in again, the taste addicting and soothing. When he pulls away he shakes his head. “Nothing. I’m going to get some wood.”

  “‘Kay.” I turn back to my cake, staring at the mixing bowl and screwing up my nose. “Maybe I’ll add more butter.”

  I move around the kitchen aimlessly, the sounds of Noah’s car heading out the driveway doing nothing to soothe my crazy mind.

  She’s going back to her life.

  Her normal life.

  Jealousy starts to rear its ugly head and I feel so confused. One moment I’m happy, the next I can feel myself sinking again. I just need to keep fighting and keep my head above water because if something doesn’t happen soon, I know I’m going to drown.

  Lily’s trying hard to swallow some of her burnt cake that she tried so desperately to make while I grin and watch. She chews on it smiling overly wide as if to say she’s enjoying it and nods for me to take a piece. It looks terrible and I know from the wince on her face that it truly is bad, but for her, I will eat it and I will fake love it. So I take a piece and move it to my mouth when I hear tires moving up the drive. I throw the cake to the table, standing abruptly, and rush to the window as Lily spits out the cake and ducks down.

  “Who is it?” she whispers.

  Drawing the curtain back slightly, I pull up the sniper rifle cocking it ready to take aim through the fly screen. My heart races through my chest as I glance at the black SUV speeding down the drive, but a hand comes out the passenger side window waving a white rag. My shoulders slump and a puff of relieved air flows from my mouth.

  “It’s okay, it’s just the team.”

  Lily visibly relaxes too, while I place my rifle down and open the door to step out onto the porch as the car pulls up. Blair, Luca and Axel hop out.

  “You okay, man? You look a little… on edge?” Luca asks and I roll my eyes.

  “You were driving like a mad man, I thought you were a problem.”

  Luca chuckles looking to Axel. “Axel told me I couldn’t get to fifty miles an hour down the drive. I told him I was the best at short distance high speed, and I was right of course. So where’s my Ulysses S. Grant, biker boy?”

  We all look to Luca and raise our eyebrows at him while Axel shakes his head pulling out his wallet. “No one ever calls a fifty dollar bill that, you freak,” he says pulling out a wad of cash and handing Luca a note.

  Luca snaps it up from Axel and grins. “Well, that’s why I’m so uniquely awesome because I don’t play by the rules—”

  “Okay, enough. I love you guys and your banter, but there’s a reason you’re here… right?” I ask.

  Blair nods. “Yeah, let’s go inside. It’s too open out here.”

  I check around with my eyes. It’s open and he’s right, the cabin is far safer. I tilt my head toward it and we all walk up the porch and inside to where Lily is waiting on the sofa patiently.

  “Lily!” Luca calls out loudly and she smiles warmly at him.

  “Hey, I made some cake, want some?” Lily asks with a little more gusto than needed.

  Luca looks down to the round cake that’s burnt almost black on one side and the other somehow looks raw and he exhales and nods. “Sure do. Gimmie that shit, I haven’t eaten in at least an hour.” Luca walks over to Lily as she cuts him a slice. He grabs it, shoves it in his mouth and doesn’t even flinch, grinning the whole time as he eats it groaning like it’s the best thing he’s ever fucking eaten.

  Gotta give him credit, he’s good to my girl.

  “Daaamn Lil, can you give me some of that to go? It’s frickin’ awesome,” Luca says glancing at me and winking.

  “Really?”

  “Hell, yeah.”

  She stands up and hobbles to the kitchen to grab some plastic wrap as I look over at Blair. “So talk to me.”

  “Okay, so a date’s been set for the Board to convene. We need to do something now. We need something we can use against Camilla. So far we have the terrorist stuff and the like against our country… that they were using them to fund the businesses who then profit from the losses in the economy.” He takes a quick breath or two before continuing, “Also that Luthendale and her were in on it together and using us to ensure the families of the terrorists go along with The Agency plans. Do you think that shit will be enough? Because Noah found that the brothers have records and are classed as a group of interest.” He uses air quotes around the words. “Noah also found that the Syndicate are selling weapons to questionable overseas countries. So if we have proof that Camilla is talking to the Syndicate, at least that could be something else we could table against her?” Blair states.

  I exhale and shake my head. “Has there been any sign of the brothers? It’s been rather quiet for someone who should be hunting you guys down?” I ask as Lily sits down drawing into herself like she’s disappearing right in front of my eyes. The spark and light she had from Luca praising her is slowly dissipating and I know it’s all my fault.

  We all turn toward the drive as we hear a car speed down the graveled path. We all jump to our feet taking up our defensive positions as Axel runs over to the windo
w and shakes his head like he’s annoyed.

  “It’s Molly,” Axel calls out.

  We all slump while Lily tries to hold back her smile and I grit my teeth in annoyance. “Is she fucking stupid?” I ask as we all rush to the door.

  Pulling up, she rushes out of the car toward us looking panicked.

  “What the fuck! Are you mental?” I almost yell at her.

  “They came to my house,” she yells frantically.

  “Who?” I ask.

  “These guys… they said you killed Lily. That you’re all a bunch of infidels and that if I knew where you were it would be in my best interest to tell them…” fear crosses her face, “… that I had a limited time to tell them. Otherwise, I’d be in trouble… I mean what the fuck does that mean? Trouble? Fuck!” she continues to rant.

  I look to Luca as my jaw clenches realizing she’s talking about the brothers.

  “What’s their motive? What are they going to get out of telling Molly what happened?” Axel asks.

  “This is why,” he states waving his hands around in the air, “… because they knew she’d run right to us,” I say as we all look toward the bushland that surrounds us.

  Luca jumps up grabbing Molly and pulls her toward the door as we all start bolting inside. Axel throws me his bandana that he wears when he rides his bike, and I wrap it around my face under my eyes. I move to the rug’s position to the middle of the floor, yank it back, grab a lever and pull it up then snatch the guns from the safety of inside the floor. I throw one each to Axel, Blair and Luca.

  “Molly? You’re here?” Lily asks as she takes in the chaos around her.

  “Lily, not now! Luca take the girls to the forest out the back. Call Noah, get him to meet you and bring Eli and Tanner for backup. We’ll stay here and sort out the brothers.”

  Luca grabs Lily and Molly and starts rushing them out the back.

  “Kace!” Lily calls out, concern etched in her voice, but I don’t have time to console her right now. They will be here any second and I need her in safety. That is all that matters.