Liberate (The Vindicated Series Book 2)

by Addison Jane

  They nod and each brother takes a step back.

  I take them in, their hair is blond, a little darker than mine but it still has the same feel to it that mine has. They look like me, which means I must look like him…

  Oh God, my chest tightens slightly as I gnaw on my bottom lip.

  They’re a little older than me, they look worn like they’ve seen a lot of trouble in their lives. It’s obviously not been an easy road for them, but it’s in their eyes, the pleading in them, the desperate way they’re looking at me like all they want to do is hold me that’s the most confusing for me. It’s a look of love, of a brotherly love, and I don’t understand it.

  They don’t know me, not the real me, how could they?

  We’ve never met…

  “Lily, take a breath,” one of them says and I hadn’t even realized I was holding it. I gasp as I take in a deep lungful of air and they both seem to relax their shoulders slightly. He seems like the older one of the two, the bossier one, so he must be Ares.

  “You’re Ares?” I ask.

  He half-smiles and nods. I turn to my other brother who looks similar but different in his own right. “Ezra?”

  He nods and does a slight wave through his handcuffs. I wince slightly seeing that they’re both cuffed and then the chains from the cuffs are attached to the walls behind them. I want to try and make this a little less tense, so I slide down the wall and sit down against the opposing wall looking inside the room. My knees come up in front of me and I wrap my arms around my legs for comfort as I observe my brothers. They both exhale and seem to follow suit, taking a seat on the ground from where they both stand in plain sight of me.

  “I’m glad you came to see us,” Ares says while I continue to gnaw on my bottom lip.

  “Why would your mom care about protecting me? Why did she ask you to do that?” I ask wanting to get straight to the point.

  Ares looks to Ezra and he nods to him then they both look back to me. “Because young girls in our industry don’t fair too well. We’re lucky, our mom had boys. The men sell their daughters for business deals in our line of work, Lily,” Ares offers.

  A cold shiver runs over me and I tense up, almost working a hole through my bottom lip. “Why are you there if you hate it so much?” I ask.

  Ezra tenses up and shakes his head as Ares tightens his fists into hard balls flaring his nostrils. “When our dad, Gael, died, our uncle took over everything including taking care of our mother… so much so that they got married. Our uncle is far worse than Gael ever was. Our uncle was instrumental in making Gael who he was. We wanted to take Mom and get out of the life, but Uncle Luis told us if we ran he’d find us and he would kill our mother painfully and slowly right in front of us. We couldn’t risk our mother’s safety. She’s too scared to leave. While she’s there she is treated okay. But if she were to leave, who knows what torture would await her. We stay to keep her alive and safe. It’s against our will… but there is… no other way,” Ezra says a slight break in his voice letting me know this isn’t some mind game he’s playing. He’s being completely serious, and his mother’s life is on the line here. He’s only stayed there for her. I was judging them for being horrible people when really they’re just looking out for family.

  I’m softening toward them, but I don’t want to. Internally I’m struggling, I shouldn’t feel compassion for them, but I guess that’s my damn personality.

  “So after all of this, you’re just gonna go back… to them?”

  “We don’t have a choice. Our Mom is out there… with him,” Ares replies.

  “There’s always a choice.”

  “What about your choice?”

  “What do you mean?” I shake my head slightly confused.

  “Your choice was taken away from you.”

  Jolting my head back in shock, I furrow my brows. “Again, what do you mean?”

  “Kace… you didn’t want this life, did you? The running… the fake death… all this?” Ares waves his hands through the air, his chains rattling as they go.

  Furrowing my brows, I purse my lips together in a tight line. “You don’t know what I want.”

  “You were happy before…” Ezra suggests.

  “Was I?” I ask honestly.

  “Well, are you telling me you’re happy now? At least you were safe,” Ares jabs.

  “But what is safety if you’re not really living. Who cares if you’re safe, you can go through your entire life and not actually live it.”

  Ares and Ezra both open their eyes a little wider.

  “People don’t jump out of airplanes because they want to play it safe. If they didn’t then they would never get to experience freefalling. It took meeting Kace for me to realize that that was what I needed. I needed to fall to live.”

  “You’re comparing your relationship to throwing yourself out of an airplane?” Ezra asks.

  “Sometimes it’s nice to live a little dangerously… don’t you think? I might be freefalling, but Kace is the wind keeping me afloat.”

  They both raise their eyebrows as thumping footsteps echo down the hall and I notice Kace walking toward me.

  “You okay?” he asks looking down at me.

  I nod and he smiles at me, then looks into the room where my brothers are watching him closely. “Lily can you gave us a sec.” He looks to my brothers. “We need to make a deal with you two.”

  My team has Lily’s brothers secured, but we’re packing them and their shit into two cars. Axel, Eli, Tanner, Noah, Luca, Dad and the brothers are all getting in the cars while I take a minute to calm down a raging Lily, who’s obviously been informed of us all leaving and is now storming toward me. The rage is clearly evident as her nostrils flare, her beautiful face is beetroot red and her fists are clenched tightly by her sides as she storms with fierce intent up to me.

  “I’m coming with you!”

  I stop packing tactical gear into the car and look right at her shaking my head. “No, you’re not.”

  “Screw you! I’m a part of this, too.”

  I reach out grabbing her shoulders and force her to look right at me. “This is the end, and I’m not going to risk losing you right when we’re going to get our lives back.”

  “I’m not gonna sit here and watch you leave not knowing if you’re gonna come back.”

  Dad walks up to me and rests his hand on my shoulder. “Kid, we gotta go.”

  Nodding, I look back to Lily taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry, this is a non-negotiable, Lily. I love you.” I lean in kissing her quickly and then turn getting into the car before she can react.

  Lily screws up her face walking up to the car window as I close the door and she slams her fist on it. “Kace!” The pain in her face is evident as her eyes begin to sparkle, but not in a good way. She bangs on the window harder and leans down to my height trying to gain my attention continuing to call out my name.

  I finally turn to look at her, she stops shouting and glares into my eyes. I take her in, all of her. She knows, like I do, that this could be the last time we look at each other, so I want to memorize every inch of her. Watching her eyes well up, I exhale hating that my last memory of her could be seeing her cry, but I have to do this, I have to try, for us.

  I put the car into gear and turn to watch the first car with Luca, Noah, Axel and Dad drive off ahead of us. They take off just as I turn back to catch one last look at Lily who’s stern-faced and gone from looking sad to utterly pissed.

  The sound of squealing tires alerts me, and I glance up to see a car chasing off after Luca’s and another one headed straight for us. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as the car pulls up right next to ours. I don’t have time to think let alone act before I see Ares and Ezra’s Uncle Luis stepping out of the car with some Syndicate henchmen aiming their guns right into the car.

  Ares and Ezra start laughing in the back seat and I tense up clenching my hands on the steering wheel and glance up at Lily. She’s stock still and glarin
g at the uncle who looks so much like her biological father, Gael.

  “We want Ares and Ezra. Everyone out of the car,” Luis says.

  “You guys are in so much trouble,” Ares says with a little chuckle.

  I roll my eyes as I reach down for the door handle.

  “Uh-uh… slowly guys,” Luis says as he opens the back door letting his nephews out. “You too, sweetheart. Out you pop,” he says waving his gun at Tanner.

  She exhales exasperatedly and slides out of the seat to stand next to Ezra, and he winks at her as she rolls her eyes at him while I slide out of the car. Eli jumps out of the front passenger side and looks to me sideways. I shake my head slightly, letting him know to just let this ride out… for now.

  “Take off their handcuffs,” Luis demands of Tanner. She looks to me and I nod once giving her the okay.

  She leans in taking off Ezra’s handcuffs and he reaches out grabbing her hand once he’s free and she glares at him fiercely. “Keep those for next time we meet, sweetheart,” he says with a wink. She curls up her lip yanking her hand free but says nothing due to the gun being pointed at her head.

  Ares chuckles as Ezra smiles at her as she moves to Ares and undoes his, but says nothing as she takes them off then moves to behind the car. I glance over to Lily who’s holding herself, looking scared as hell from behind the gate.

  “I know who destroyed our ship. Just know, we’ll be coming for them,” Luis says.

  I nod matter-of-factly, and I glance toward Lily again.

  “You shouldn’t be so obvious with your affections, it gets people hurt,” Luis says turning his gun to aim right at Lily.

  My entire body tenses, aching to make a move to protect her but knowing I’m not as fast as a bullet. Gravel crunching behind me draws the attention of everyone and my eyes flick around to find Falcon leading all his men out into the parking area, carrying heavy armory.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you,” Falcon warns Luis as he raises the shotgun to his eye, the target directed straight at Luis. His men follow suit. “I could fill you and your little dirtbag nephews with so many bullets right now that you’ll look like Swiss fucking cheese.”

  I glance back to Luis, seeing that his jaw is clenched tightly and his eyes are flicking between Lily and the heavily armed men wearing leathers advancing on them.

  He doesn’t lower his gun, but he slowly backs away. “Another day, another time.”

  Ares and Ezra slowly move with him as do the two goons as they head for their vehicle.

  “We’ll see about that,” I grunt as I rush toward Lily. My eyes meet with Ares for a brief second and Ares gives me a subtle but sharp nod as I pull Lily behind me while they all climb in the car and it speeds off down the road without any casualties. My heart races in my chest at how that could’ve played out if Falcon hadn’t shown up when he did.

  Suddenly, Lily’s hand is wrenching on mine pulling me around to face her, her eyes wide in horror. “I thought they were on our side? I don’t understand!” She’s clearly distraught thinking that her brothers had lied and turned their backs on us.

  “Baby, that doesn’t matter right now. We need to stop Camilla, that’s the main goal right now so we can get our lives back. Trust me, things have a way of working out,” I tell her to try and calm her.

  “I have to go with you, Kace. You can’t leave me here, not now, not after that.”

  I can see she’s clearly scared and vulnerable right now and I hate this. I wish I could help her more, and I’m trying I really am, but I need to sort this Camilla shit out so I can give her, her life back. Give her, her family back. But she can’t come, it’s too dangerous.

  “Did you just see what happened? If it wasn’t for Falcon and his boys then, he could have hurt you or killed you right here. So I can’t risk taking you somewhere that’s even more dangerous where the MC aren’t at our back,” I tell her.

  “I’m scared,” she yells at me, so I grab her face yanking her to me and kiss her hard. She softens and her panic settles slightly as I let her go and look into her eyes.

  “And it kills me that I can’t make you feel safe. It kills me that you’re constantly afraid because of this bullshit. But right now… I have the chance to change that and give us back a life where we don’t have to run and hide any longer. You need to let me do that, and I can’t if you’re beside me walking into danger.”

  “Then go,” she snaps, pulling away from me. “I’m going to turn and walk away because I just can’t watch you leave another time, not knowing whether you will come back to me. When are you going to understand that I don’t care about all of this? I don’t care about the danger, or about this crazy shit dragging us down, as long as I’m with you. Come hell or high fucking water, I would rather go to hell beside you than sit in heaven alone.”

  “This is my job, Lily! It’s what I do. We risk our shit so that people like you can have a better life. It’s what I’ve always done, and once we take Camilla down it’s what I’ll always do. I can’t change that part of me. It’s who I am.”

  “And I’m starting to think that who you are isn’t willing to make sacrifices for the fact that it’s not just you anymore. It’s me, too.”

  I grab her hand and try to pull her to me but she shoves me hard.

  “No!”

  “Lily,” I demand as she turns and walks away, the line of bikers separating to let her pass through.

  Tanner comes up and places her hand on my shoulder gently squeezing. “If we’re going to finish this, we need to go, now.”

  I turn back to watch Lily’s retreating form as she disappears inside the clubhouse. “I need her to understand, damn it! I am doing this for us.”

  Tanner nods. “She knows that, but sometimes the fear of losing the one we love makes us think irrationally. Just let her cool off, let her think things through.”

  I don’t wanna leave her, especially not like this. I don’t want to go out on a sour note, but I have no options here. I have to go, and I have to go now. I just hope this isn’t the last conversation I ever have with the absolute love of my life. Turning around, I climb into the car with Tanner and Eli and try to catch up to Luca and the rest of the guys.

  I pull up the car to where we were told the Board meeting would be taking place. We found it strange that it was being held in a suburban street house, even though it’s a well maintained and upmarket suburb, it’s still a little on the odd side. But the Board are never ones to do things the conventional way.

  As I look out the window, I notice a huge mansion with vast gardens and lawns. It seems reasonably quiet, no one is around, but that’s expected. It’s not like we wanted attention drawn to us. We all slowly slide out of the car and I check my cell seeing a message from Luca.

  Luca: Things are good and almost set, you need to hurry.

  Nodding my head, knowing they obviously made it past Luis’ men and that’s a good thing. Our plan of getting to the Board before they’re able to get to Camilla is our main priority. We leave the car in the driveway of the house bordering the property, and make our way around the back and over the high fence. The garden is vast but lush as we make our way through the foliage watching for any signs of movement inside the house, although knowing Luca and the others are inside the house sets my guard at ease slightly.

  I glance over to Tanner and Eli and gesture with hand signals for us to move forward. We all rush toward the porch and the back door. Our backs hit the hard brick wall beside the back door waiting for something to happen.

  Nothing does.

  So I brace myself and give the signal for ‘on three.’ I count down with my fingers and once I reach one, I grab the door handle and force the door open, jumping out of the way in case anything flies out.

  But again… nothing.

  Eli nods to me as he darts across the other side of the door, we all take a deep breath then I dash through the door, followed by Eli, then Tanner. The second we enter—I know, I can feel it—my adrenaline kicks
in, the hairs on my arms stand up straight like soldiers while I grit my teeth as I turn my head slightly. Then I see them—men, three of them, with guns aimed right at our heads. I recognize The Agency attire and my stomach sinks. I swallow hard as we all stop on the spot and raise our hands in the air.

  “Move,” the really tall, bulky one says. He kind of reminds me of a Greek style Eli.

  “Are you here with the Board?” I ask.

  The Hulk of a man shoves me hard and pushes me toward the next room. “No questions, just move.”

  I glance over to Tanner as she eyes the other two guys nutting them out. They’re a lot smaller than the Hulk and I know she’s trying to sort out an action plan in her mind. The three guys move us through the kitchen into an open expanse which is kind of like a living room and dining room all in one. The area is large and has enough room to move about unlike the kitchen we arrived in. Tanner is in front and as we move past a dining table she suddenly stops. I know she has a plan. Eli and I both stop walking too.

  “Keep moving,” Hulk demands shoving me forward, but I hardly budge.

  While making eye contact with Tanner she slyly smiles letting me know she has something in mind, so I look down at Hulk’s grip on his gun and decide to make a move. I turn pushing into Hulk’s side, twisting his arm and grabbing for his gun in one swift movement so he can’t fire. Eli reacts at the same time picking up a chair from under the dining table and swings it around, taking out the man next to Hulk. He drops his gun and Eli picks it up faster than anyone I know can. Tanner moves at lightning speed across the room in front of me grabbing two wine glasses off the table, smashing the top glass section and proceeds to stab Hulk and Eli’s guy in the necks simultaneously. Blood squirts from their jugulars as they both gasp for air. I bring Hulk’s gun up aiming it at Tanner’s scrawny guy who’s standing there mouth agape like he’s just an intern and has no idea how to handle the situation unfolding in front of him.

  The two guys with glass stems embedded in their necks fall to the floor as Tanner smirks and wipes her hands on her jeans.