by Sadie Jacks
Nico, Mas, and Rafe were huddled together having their own private conversation. Nico the hot headed lawyer with his piercing butterscotch eyes. Mas and his broken voice with the dark eyes to match. Healer Rafe—the most outgoing and affable—was even subdued as we waited for the rest of our group.
That left Tali, although she fit in the lineup directly after Turo. She was more than able to take over the family business someday. Nothing bothered her—unless it was related to family. That Nathaniel, one of her closest men at the foundation, had betrayed her had to have killed a small part of her.
These people were my family. They lived lives outside the acceptable limits, played hard, loved harder, and never once made me feel less than or that I was encroaching on their time or affection. So much better than the family I’d been born into.
A legal discussion filtered from the hallway that led back to the control room. I turned and saw Ryker, Nik, and Wright coming back. The DA’s IT expert followed behind, burdened under bags and bags of equipment.
“I’m telling you right now that I’m not pressing charges. You’re all free to leave. Just be aware that the powers that be might have some extra questions for you,” Wright said. He ran a hand through his brown hair. He looked like he’d aged years since I took my little nap.
They finally reached us. Ryker pulled me into his arms. Pressed a kiss to my head. “Then you can find both of us at my home. I’ll keep you updated if we change locations.”
Wright nodded. He turned to look at me. “Ms. Chase, I’m glad you’re feeling better.” He flicked his gaze at Ryker, back to me. “I’ll give you the same warning I gave the others. This is an ongoing investigation. No mention of what happened here should be spoken of with anyone not currently in this building.” He gave me a squinty eye until I nodded. He smiled. “Wonderful. We’re going to need to sit down and take your full statement re the bodies and what happened while you were in the same house with Errington.”
Ryker’s low growl against my chest settled my heart before it could start to race too quickly. I leaned against my own personal hero. Nodded at the District Attorney. “I can do that. Do you have a time preference?”
Wright blinked rapidly for a couple seconds, his face a little slack. He shook himself. “I was willing to bet you’d try to put me off for a couple weeks.” He smiled. “No. I don’t have a time preference, but honestly, the sooner the better. I’ve told Ryker,” he stepped back, addressed the whole family, “and I’ll tell all of you. A case like this…there’s no possible way to keep it out of the media. Most of you won’t be affected as your association is secondary or even tertiary. However, you all provided respite and refuge to Ms. Chase. That makes all of you involved in some way.”
Momma stepped forward. The warm familiar heat of her enveloped me from the left side. “Then we will be ready for the questions and the stares. My girl won’t be punished?”
Wright smiled at our matriarch. Shook his head. “No, ma’am. We have enough evidence of Errington’s own making that Ms. Chase will not be questioned as anything but a victim.” He winced as he said the last word. Sent me an apologetic look.
I smiled. Nodded. I had been a victim. But I wasn’t any longer. I’d escaped. Not once, but twice. People could call me whatever they wanted. I knew my identity. And it didn’t include the word victim in it.
Momma squeezed my arm. “Then we will weather the storm.”
I cleared my throat, pulled Wright’s attention back to me. I pushed the words out before I could chicken out. “Will my parents be punished?”
Wright’s brow furrowed. “On what grounds?”
Ryker pulled me closer to him. “Errington mentioned that they paid him ten million dollars to take her off their hands in one of his videos to her.”
I swallowed the scream of rage. Pain. Betrayal. With effort and no small amount of willpower, I kept my gaze steady on Wright’s.
He returned my gaze. “I was under the impression that you were…otherwise occupied while those videos were playing.”
I shook my head. “I heard that one. I dissociated after hearing that my parents gifted not only me, but an obscene amount of money, to the man who would torture me for the next five years.” I stiffened my spine, raised my chin. I refused to feel guilty for what had been done to me.
Wright seemed to take a minute to process my information. After a bit, he nodded. “If any of those funds can be linked to the implementation of the kidnapping, torture, and killing of these seventy-three females, then yes, they will be punished.” He paused. “Is that going to be a problem?”
I shook my head before he finished asking the question. “No. They should be punished. Ethan said he wouldn’t have been able to start his experiments if it weren’t for the sudden influx of funds from my parents. So I have no doubt the money they gave him for me—,”
My voice broke for the briefest moment. I closed my mouth. Swallowed. Cleared my throat “The money they gave him for me was used in no small part in his experiments and set up.”
Wright nodded. “If you are the actual recipient of his last will and testament, those assets won’t be available for a long time. Even in a case this open and shut.”
I nodded. “Completely understood. Whatever money is left is going to the families of the victims or to setting up a shelter for homeless or trafficking victims.”
Wright smiled. “You won’t be able to give the victims any remuneration. That could muddy the legal waters in a criminal case unless the judge orders it. You can certainly set up a foundation or shelter for trafficking survivors, though.” He nodded. “I’ll have the forensic accountant get started right away. Get that ball rolling as quickly as possible.”
I nodded, felt the tears back up in my throat. I couldn’t say thank you. Didn’t want to hug the man. But I was so grateful, so fucking thankful, that justice would actually be served. For me. For the seventy-three women and girls that had lost their lives to the travesty that was Ethan Emery Errington.
We would finally be heard.
We would finally be free.
We walked up the stairs to the catwalk. A single file line of somberness and heavy hearts. The things that had happened down here…I shivered. I hoped Ethan hadn’t actually bought this place. I didn’t want the job of getting rid of it. Getting rid of any of his estate, really.
Ryker was waiting for me at the top of the stairs. He reached out. I put my hand in his and let him help me up the last few steps. He pulled me into his side as we walked down the next hallway to our freedom.
“You’re quiet,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Just thinking about hiring someone to get rid of all the crap that Ethan left me. I don’t want to deal with it. Can I hire someone that does that kind of thing?”
“We’ll find someone, cupcake. You won’t have to worry about it at all.” He pressed a kiss into my hair.
A dull roar that sounded as if an entire flock of Canadian geese was grazing at the door sounded the closer we got to the entrance to the bunker. I chuckled as I imagined all of them taking to the air in an almost solid screen of black, gray, and white feathers.
I looked down at my shoes. Glad I wasn’t wearing nice ones. I could only imagine the goose poop was going to be inches thick up there.
Once again, we queued up at the base of the stairs. A couple of the officers went first as they helped lift the bodies of the fallen traffickers out to the coroner office’s people. Papa was the first of our family to breach topside. Momma followed him.
A few more officers were sprinkled in amongst our numbers. I stayed at the back with Ryker and Nik. While I wanted to feel the sunshine on my face and breathe non recycled air, I had this sinking sensation that absolutely everything in my life was about to change.
Considering my life up to this point, I shouldn’t have been surprised by the feeling. But as long as I had Ryker by my side and Ethan was finally gone forever, I figured I could handle just about anything else fate may throw m
y way.
Chapter 4 – Willow
I was wrong. On so many counts, but so very, very wrong on at least one important fact. The Canadian geese I’d heard weren’t even animals. Unless I counted those of the two legged variety.
“MS. CHASE! MS. CHASE. OVER HERE!” a woman yelled, a microphone in her hand. A man at her back with a huge camera settled on his shoulder.
I think I would have been okay had it only been the one reporter. But I just wasn’t that lucky. No. There were at least two dozen of them.
I huddled into Ryker’s shoulder as he bulldozed his way through the crowd. The police made a small tunnel for us to escape through. But even then the reporters shoved their cameras and microphones in my face.
I took an elbow to the temple as one of the rowdy newscasters tried to topple an officer. Ryker’s roar of outrage brought everything and everyone to a grinding silent halt. His face was red as he turned on the offending person.
He reached out with one hand, caught the man around the neck, and shook him like a rag doll. “Don’t ever touch her again. Do you hear me?” He threw the man to the ground like a used cigarette butt.
I barely hip checked Ryker out of the way from grinding his toe into the idiot’s chest and crushing his non-existent heart. “Come on, hero. Take me home.” I grabbed Ryker’s hand. Wrapped both of mine around it. “I want to go.”
I looked up into his face. Waited for a moment for the fury to ease from his hard green eyes. When I saw my Ryker looking back at me, I wrapped my arm around his waist and forced him to keep walking. “Home, Ryker. We’re going home.”
He nodded. He wrapped his arm behind my back. I was almost swallowed against his side, but I didn’t mind in the least. I felt the minute trembling of his muscles. The willpower he was exerting to keep from ripping these nosy assholes apart, limb from limb.
Finally, after what felt like an obstacle course that stretched for miles, we arrived at the cars we’d left the night before. Ryker helped me into the front seat of his Range Rover before he darted around the front and got behind the wheel. Nik, Nico, and Jessa crowded in the back seat.
“Let’s get the hell out of here, bossman,” Nik said. Something I couldn’t identify quavered in her voice.
We waited for a few brief moments while the rest of our family got settled in the vehicles scattered around. Then the police escort, complete with sirens and lights, led us from the field of horrors.
As we merged back into traffic, I finally felt my belly unclench. My heart thawed. My soul reached for the sun and light of the living. Reaching across the console, I grabbed Ryker’s hand in mine. Hungry for his touch in the broad light of day.
“How are you feeling, babe?” Jessa asked.
I startled at the sound of her voice. Chuckled as I turned back to look at her. “You scared me.” I nodded. “I’m good, actually. Feel better than I have in a long time.”
Her gray eyes twinkled in the late evening sun. “Good. And I didn’t mean to scare you. What do we do now?”
I shrugged. “Go home. Try to have a normal night?”
Nik snorted. “I’m going to BJJ. I need to burn some energy.”
My brow furrowed. “BJJ? I’m assuming that’s not something sexual. Unless you’re a horrific speller.”
Her laugh was a bit strained. “Gods, no. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I’m a second degree black belt. I’m ready to kick some ass.”
I twisted around in my seat. Eyed the younger woman. I raised a brow. “You don’t look old enough to have studied anything that long. And certainly not Jiu Jitsu.”
Her smile was all teeth. “Surprise.”
I laughed. “Where do you practice?”
“Gym on Fourth and Grand.”
“Do they have a beginner’s class?” I asked. “Tali wants me to take Krav Maga, but that sounds…hard. At least with BJJ, I could amuse myself with the idea that I was learning BJs.”
Ryker growled. “Krav Maga it is.”
Everyone but Ryker laughed.
“I could stand to learn some moves,” Jessa said. “For someone terribly uncoordinated, which do you suggest, Nik?”
Nik sighed heavily. “It truly depends on what you’re wanting. Self defense classes can teach you a blend of Krav Maga, BJJ, and MMA styles. If you’re wanting to protect yourself in the easiest way possible, Krav Maga is the way to go. If you’re wanting the discipline, learning ways to expend the least amount of energy while getting into the dominant position, then BJJ is the route you want to go.” She smiled. “For getting yourself out of a jamb, take a structured self-defense class that gives you a little bit of everything. Get a taste for the different styles. If you decide you want to take it further than that, follow one particular discipline that suits your personality, training style, and time investment options.”
I eyed Nik. “Seriously. How old are you?”
The IT expert smiled. “How old do you think I am?”
“From your looks, very early twenties. Maybe even nineteen. From your skills and the words that keep coming from your mouth? Mid-forties,” I said with a nod.
She laughed. “I just turned twenty-five a couple months ago.”
I whistled long and low. “Damn, girl. Making life your bitch. Yes, queen.” I raised my hand.
She leaned forward, slapped it. “I make it call me Mistress Nik.”
We all laughed.
“No, really. I do,” she said with a straight face.
“Am I letting everyone off at the lofts?” Ryker asked after the laughter died.
I nodded as I turned back around. “I need to get my stuff.”
He smiled. “Damn right you do.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I honestly can’t remember where most of my life is at the moment,” Jessa said. “I feel like we’ve moved places so much that keeping track just wasn’t a top priority.”
I looked at her. “You can stay in my place if you want. I’m obviously staying with Ryker.” I jabbed my thumb in his direction. “So my place is free. You can use or wear anything that will fit you. Eat the food in my fridge.” I winced.
“What? I can’t eat the food in your fridge?” Jessa asked, a smirk on her face.
I shook my head. “I just remembered that Nik unplugged all of my appliances. The apartment is going to wreak to high heavens.” I could feel the bile backing up in my throat at the idea of soured milk and rotten eggs. Hell, everything that had been in the fridge was going to be stinking up my apartment.
“Ew. No. I’ll find somewhere else to stay,” Jessa said, a look of disgust on her pretty face.
Ryker chuckled. “Did the rest of the family unplug their appliances?” he asked as he looked pointedly in the rearview mirror.
Nico sighed. “Yeah. We did. When we upgraded the lofts, we followed Will’s lead and got the same ones she did. When we went dark, everything got pulled.”
I gagged. “We’re going to need a professional cleaning crew.”
Nik chuckled. “You guys will. I don’t live on site and I don’t need the protection of living in Penn Tower. I’ll head to the gym and go home.”
“I expect you to call me when you do get home. I don’t care what time it is, either,” Ryker demanded.
“Sure, bossman.”
We bumped over the entrance to the apartments’ garage. Surprisingly there weren’t any reporters stalking the grounds. Ryker slid to a smooth stop at the elevator doors. “Get in, get your shit together, get out. I’ll send someone over tomorrow.”
Nico snorted. “Maybe for Will’s space. I’ll take care of our arrangements.”
Ryker nodded. “You do you. I want to be back in the car in no more than twenty minutes.”
As if the car were sinking like the Titanic, we bailed and rushed into the elevator. I was running through everything I wanted to pack. Had most of it already mentally in my suitcase when the elevator came to a gentle stop.
The door opened.
And a gun was pointed right at my
face.
Chapter 5 – Ryker
Before I even knew what I was doing, I had Willow crammed into the side of the car, the gun knocked to the side, and the intruder up against the far wall. Nico helped me hold the person down as we shouted for Jessa and Willow to run to the apartment.
A blurry picture of black hair, beard scruff, dark eyes, and a snarling mouth were all I saw before I slammed my knee into the attacker’s balls. He curled down and over my knee as I caught the gun.
Wrenching it from his hands, I had it pointed at him before he stopped gagging. “Who the fuck are you?” I demanded as I laid the barrel of the gun against his temple.
Nico shook his head. Gestured for me to give him the gun.
I wasn’t going to get into a pissing match with the man. I handed him the gun. Watched as he backed up out of striking distance. “Answer the question or you die and absolutely no one notices or cares.”
Nico jerked his chin at me to back up.
I shuffled a few steps to the side.
Nico nodded. He looked back at our uninvited guest. “I won’t be asking again.”
“Cavendish sent me,” the man gasped as he stood upright again. One hand still clutched between his legs as he glared at me. “But this isn’t worth the ten grand.”
I laughed. “I’m almost insulted. Ten grand? That’s all a hit costs these days?” I shook my head. “Are you here alone or you got some backup?”
The man sneered at me. “I wasn’t splitting my ten g’s with no one.”
“Go check on the women, Penn,” Nico said. His voice was ice cold.
He slid towards me, his back coming off the wall just enough for me to slide through behind him. “Give me a signal if it’s all clear.”
I nodded. Hurried to the apartment door. I knocked on it. “Cupcake, it’s Ryker. I need to know if anyone else is in there with you?”
The door swung open immediately. Willow threw herself into my arms. “Don’t ever do that again, hero,” she snarled against my neck. Her body shook and trembled in my arms.