by G N Wright
When she picks up a small blue box, she scrunches her nose up and I know she is wondering what is small enough to fit in it. My eyes flare wide when I spot Tiffany's packaging. I have no idea who it’s from, but then Marcus speaks up.
“That’s from me, princess, it goes with this one for your Mom.” He says pulling a box from behind him and passing it over to me. I almost choke on my breath as I take it from him, and I can feel every eye in here on us.
“You’re not planning on proposing are you, because I still think she is still too young for that.” Zack jokes and Asher snorts a laugh. I give them both the death glare as Marcus looks at us in confusion.
I don’t have time to explain as Cassie squeals, “same, Mommy!” She pushes through paper so she can come sit by me on the floor. I look at Marcus and smile and then hesitantly start to open the box as Cassie opens hers.
What I find brings tears to my eyes. Inside is a delicate silver chain with a little star pendant that has the words ‘make a wish’ engraved on it. I swallow trying to clear the lump in my throat but it’s no use.
“Wow, that’s beautiful honey.” Helen says as she leans in on my left to admire it.
I look back up at Marcus, “River, I don’t know what to say. It’s beautiful, thank you.”
He smiles, glancing at Zack quickly, before looking back at me, “just something to remind you I’m always with you.” I smile and just for a moment, I wish it were just the two of us so I could tell him how much this means to me, but he seems to understand.
“Wow!” Cassie gasps and I bring my attention to where she is holding a small, roped bracelet with a little star hanging off it. The only difference is hers is engraved with the words ‘pinky promise’.
“Marcus you really didn’t have to do this.” I say in awe at how much these must have cost him.
Cassie isn’t of the same attitude as she runs across the room and throws her arms around his neck, “thank you, River.” She says into his neck and he pats her back in response.
“Anytime, little one. Yours is to remind you that I will always come for you.”
She smiles, “you’re a superhero just like Daddy and Linc.” She beams at him and his smile is so carefree and easy towards her that it reminds me of when we were kids.
“Wow, burn little rascal.” Jace replies and we all laugh.
“Don’t worry, Conrad. We are just too pretty to be superheroes.” Logan offers him with a wink, and I roll my eyes.
The rest of the day is just as perfect, all of us eating and enjoying the most amazing dinner. It’s the best Christmas I’ve ever had and tucking in my girl is the icing on the cake. She’s snuggling a brand-new orange unicorn from the guys and an embroidered blanket from Asher. She doesn’t realize how protected she is going to be, even more than before. After staring at her for a while I give her one last kiss and turn to leave only to find Lily standing in the doorway.
When she sees me, she smiles awkwardly like she didn’t want to be caught here. We’ve always had a weird relationship, she isn’t an incredibly open person and is not someone that is easy to get to know, but we found common ground in Cassie. I know she would have been distraught when she was gone.
“You okay, Lils?” I ask.
“Yeah, sorry. Didn’t mean to barge in, just wanted to check in before I go to bed.” She rocks from foot to foot, and I can sense her anxiety.
“How about I kick the guys out tonight and you have a sleepover with us.” I ask hoping she will give in and accept.
She scrunches her face up and it reminds me of how Cassie does it, it’s probably where she learnt it. “A sleepover? What are we twelve?” She snorts a laugh.
I roll my eyes, “no, we’re sisters and that's what sisters do. Besides Cassie would love to wake up next to her aunt Lils.” I see straight away that my words impact her, she loves the Roytons, always has, but she still always lingers on the outside. Like she doesn’t deserve to be happy after what happened to her parents. It’s such a familiar feeling, one I know well. I want us to be better than we are now, especially with everything that is going on.
Her face softens and I know the mention of Cassie is what will have persuaded her. “Yeah, alright then.” She smiles before adding, “but you better tell the guys, because if I wake up with Ash’s dick against my ass, I’ll be the one getting stabby”. She huffs and we both laugh.
“Did someone say Ash’s dick?” Logan pops his head in and then Lily and I both laugh even more. He looks confused having never seen us share a joke, “everything okay?”
“Yeah, we are just arranging a little girls’ night.” I say.
“Right,” he drags the word out, “well don’t start now, the adults have all retired to their rooms for the night so I thought us kids could play a few drinking games.” He waggles his eyebrows at us, and I can see he's hiding his own anxiety just like Lily was. She just needs some comfort, and he just needs some fun.
“Sure, sounds great Lo.” I reply and he beams at me before holding both his arms up for us to grab.
“Well let's not keep the little psycho and the Rebels waiting ladies.”
An hour later we are all relatively buzzed as we sit around the huge corner sofa just laughing and having fun. It’s the perfect end to a perfect Christmas and I thank every star in the sky for how this week has turned out.
I’m practically sitting in Marcus’ lap as he curls his arms round my waist from behind, occasionally nuzzling into my neck and kissing me there. Lily and Jace are sitting on the floor looking moody as they pass a bottle of whiskey between them without speaking. Logan is sitting next to Lincoln where I see him keep whispering stuff into his ear, causing a slight smirk to tug on Lincs mouth. I don’t know if they are becoming a thing, but they do seem to be getting closer and I know I’m not the only one who has noticed. Ash keeps glaring at them which just makes Logan do it even more. I have no fucking idea what that means.
Eventually Ash slams his glass on the table and stalks away. I see Lincoln frown and looks as if he is ready to follow him, but Ash soon comes back holding a black box in his hands. He walks right over to me and places it on the table in front of me, before sitting back down.
“Erm, this for me?” I am confused because we already swapped Christmas gifts this morning. He nods, “Ash, you got me enough already.”
“Trust me, you will want this more.” He says and I feel Marcus tense slightly behind me. I frown and then move forward until I am sitting on the end of the sofa. I reach out and pick up the box, it feels light, like it might be empty, and it only adds to my confusion.
I slide off the lid and inside is a small black envelope with a card inside, I pull out the card and there are just two words on it ‘never again’. I frown looking at Ash, but he is just staring at the box. The tension in the air thickens as everyone seems to sit up to try see what’s inside. I put the card on the table and then pull apart the tissue paper and find two human fingers.
“Christ, Ash!” I startle at the sight and then gag at the smell, “Who the fuck do these belong to?” I don’t even want to ask how he got them.
“Ken Andrews and Adam Kirkland are dead.” He says and I watch his eyes flash to Marcus before he adds, “I couldn’t find Brett, but I will and when I do, I’ll kill him too.” I sigh and go to speak, but he holds his hand up to stop me. “I know you’re done Hells Bells and I understand why. Just like I know you’ll understand why I can’t be done. Not until they’re all dead.”
I sigh because I do know. I know that he can't be done just like I know I can’t be done. This won’t be over until they’re all gone. I sigh, “Brett is already dead.” His eyes flash to mine and then he smirks with a glint of pride in his eyes. “I shot him three times.”
“Of course, you did. I’m sorry I didn’t bring those two to you, but I needed to do this,” he looks at Marcus again, “we needed to do this.”
I turn to Marcus and see him looking right at me waiting for my reaction, “you helped h
im with this?” He nods slowly and then picks up the card that Asher left in the box, smiling as he reads it.
He passes it back over to me, squeezing my hand as he does. “Never again, Ells.”
“So now what?” Lincoln asks and I want to laugh. Superman is always swooping in and needing the answers to everything. I look at the rest of them and they are all looking at me. I know they will go along with whatever I decide, even Lily has a determination on her face like never before.
“They won’t stop.” I start, “I know Greg, more than I’d like to and I know he won’t give up, he will just keep coming, even if I do run.” I turn the card over and over again in my hands just to settle my nerves. I keep thinking about the danger I put Cassie in by coming back here, but even if we left now, she wouldn’t be safe.
“This is more of a game to him now.” Ash agrees. “I knew the moment I saw the look on his face that night, that things had changed. He wanted more, craved it.”
I nod at his words, he's right. “Look at what they have done.” I shake my head as memories assault me, “they raped me, beat me, shot my brother, stabbed my friend, kidnapped my daughter and that's just the tip of the iceberg.” I list their crimes against me, reciting it like it’s nothing but a grocery list. “That doesn’t even include every other crime they have committed. How many girls have there been? How many were raped, or killed?” I look at Jace and see the glisten in his eyes as the tears for his sister threaten to fall.
I think of her and Rebecca O’Sullivan. I know they are just two of many girls, but they aren’t just nameless pawns. It’s too late for Rachel, but not Rebecca. I can’t forget her. If I ran, her face would always be in my mind taunting me.
“I can’t leave. Not while they stay.” My words aren’t much louder than a whisper, but their impact is felt by everyone in the room. All of them nodding and sitting up a little straighter. Like they are readying for our next move.
“Where do you want to start?” Ash asks and I start to tell them everything I did while I was away. How I killed Joseph Kavanagh, my run in with the HCMC and the full story of what I did to Brett. They all listen and none of them seem surprised, well apart from how I handled the Crows.
“Where did you sleep?” Marcus asks, and I have to smile, all of the dark and twisted things I have just told him, and his main concern is where I laid my head.
“I didn’t really,” I don’t want to admit how little I was looking after myself, “I did spend one night in our old tree house though.” He smiles in wonder and then I remember what I found there, “oh shit, hold on a second.” I rush from the room and dig out the jeans I was wearing that night from the bag I still haven’t emptied and pull out the note I found.
I walk back into the room and hand it over to Marcus, “I found this in our spot, I’m pretty sure it’s from your dad.”
Marcus scrutinizes it closely, “yeah that’s definitely my dad’s handwriting, but I have no idea who he’s talking about. I don’t remember anyone named Beth.”
“Beth?” Ash questions with a gasp holding his hand out for the note. Marcus reaches out passing it to him and he snatches it up, reading and rereading it multiple times.
“Ash do you know who the note is talking about? Do you know Beth.”
He drags his gaze up to mine and exhales, “Yeah, I know Beth.”
Chapter 26
ELLE
Ihave no idea where we are going. Ash is driving, I’m sitting next to him and Marcus is in the back. Max and Elijah are following in the car behind us for extra security, but none of us have a clue where we are heading. Asher has been cagey ever since he read the note from Michael last night. He said he knew who Beth was and then he got up and left the room. None of us knew what to do and I didn’t see him again until this morning when he walked in the kitchen with Max and Eli saying it was time to go. It’s the first time we have left Cassie and I didn’t want to go, but I could tell from the look in his eyes he needed me. So here we are.
We drive for about two hours and when we pull into a gated community, I sit up straight, knowing we must be close. Asher shoves a wad of cash into the hand of the security guard, and he waves us right in. Money really can buy fucking anything. We stop in front of a beautiful white house lined with trees and a big blue front door. I turn to ask Ash more questions now we have finally arrived, but he is already getting out of the car. I look to Marcus who mouths ‘what the fuck’ before we both get out and follow him.
We have to rush to catch up to him and by the time we make it to him the door is already swinging open. It’s a woman who looks to be in her early forties. Beautiful and blonde, dressed in a casual pair of linen pants and a denim shirt. She’s got a pair of oven gloves folded in her hands like she just took them off and when her gaze lands on Asher her face falls.
She looks like she has seen a ghost. “Asher?” Her voice is barely audible as she chokes out his name.
“Hi, Mom.” He replies.
My eyes nearly pop out of my head. Beth is Elizabeth Donovan, Asher’s mom. She has never been in the picture and I didn’t dig up anything about her, I just presumed she was dead. Nobody ever spoke about her, especially Ash, yet here she stands. I have never been more confused and when she swings her gaze to me and Marcus, I see recognition flow through her.
“My god, you look just like them.” She looks between us, “you both do.” That’s when it hits me that she means our parents. She must have known Michael and Sarah.
“We’re not here for a trip down memory lane, we need something. Can we come in?” Asher snaps and his shortness is even sharper than usual. The tension between them is thick. The bitterness in his voice cuts me deep.
She looks at him hesitantly, before looking over our shoulders and no doubt eyeing the guards we came with. “Where is your father? Does he know you’re here?” She asks and I can hear the undercurrent of panic in her tone.
“Elliot knows nothing about where I am.” He bites back and she softens slightly and nods. She steps back and welcomes us into her home.
I look over my shoulder and offer a nod to Max and follow the guys inside. She leads us to a living room and gestures for us to sit on the sofa there. The room is decorated in soft creams and golds with plants giving it a pop of color. I notice there are no pictures or personal effects anywhere, and when I bring my gaze back to her, she is staring intently at Asher. He is still standing and gazing around the room with a scowl. I can’t imagine what is going through his head right now. All I can think is why did he never talk about her? Has she been here all this time? Why did she leave? And more importantly why didn’t she take Asher with her when she left?
“Can I get anyone a drink, some iced tea? Coffee maybe?” She's standing in the entrance which I guess leads into the kitchen, looking like she would rather be anywhere but here.
“How did you know Michael Riviera?” Asher barks at her, not wasting any time to get to the point and she sighs, coming into the room fully and sitting down. She looks at him until he sighs too and comes to sit next to me and Marcus.
“Michael and I grew up together, before my family left Black Hallows. We lost touch for a while, but he was always there for me and Sarah.” She looks at Marcus, “how is he?”
Marcus grimaces slightly, looking at Asher before admitting solemnly, “he’s dead. Almost four years ago now.”
“Elliot murdered him. Shot him right in the head in the foyer of his own home. Leaving Marcus to find his body.” Asher bites out in disgust, and I see her thick swallow as she fights against her emotions. A lone tear tracking down her cheek.
“I’m so sorry. He was a good man. The best man.” She whispers.
I reach into my bag for the note, “He left this behind, we only just found it.”
She takes it and inhales a deep breath as she reads it. She stands on shaky legs leaving the room and then returning a few minutes later with a big brown box. It’s slightly worn, like it has been used or touched multiple times. She sets i
t on the coffee table in front of us.
She puts her hands on top of it, gripping it like it’s a lifeline before she locks eyes with Asher. “I know I should have taken you with me, I regret that decision every day.”
“I’m not here to cry about why Mommy left me,” he spits bitterly, “I’m here to protect my best friend and our daughter.”
The words cut right through her and she stutters out, “you have a daughter?” She looks between me and Ash and then takes in Marcus’ arm around me and I see the confusion. She has no idea of the dynamic here.
When Asher doesn’t respond I jump in, “her name is Cassie, she’s three.” I pull my phone out and show her a picture.
“She’s beautiful.” She hesitates and I can practically hear the questions she wants to ask so I answer them before she has to ask.
“When I was fourteen, I was kidnapped and raped. The result was my daughter.” I pause reaching out to clasp Ash’s hand in mine. “Our daughter.”
“It was Greg.” Ash adds in a cold tone, “in case you were wondering.”
She closes her eyes like she’s in physical pain. Putting her hands on the box again. “Your father is an extremely sick man. Always has been. I didn’t see it until it was too late. By that time Greg was already following in his footsteps.” She shakes her head, “I didn’t know what to do. There had already been so many girls that I’d missed.”
Her admission should shock me, but I think I am numb to anything I learn when it comes to the Donovan’s.
“So, what you did nothing?” Asher snaps in disgust.
