by Ella Miles
“I need you to listen to me carefully, Rose.”
“Okay,” she says quietly.
“I have to go back to where I came from now. I have to tell your father where to find you.”
“You’re not coming with?”
“Not right away. I’ll meet up with you both later, but I need you to keep crawling as quietly as you can in the ducts here. You can go straight or to the right, but try not to go to the left or back the way we came unless you have no other choice. Your dad will know where to look for you.”
She nods slowly, her eyes big and yet so strong. She’s the strongest little girl I’ve ever seen.
I smile at her, trying to reassure her. “You’ve got this. Your dad is the smartest man in the whole world. He’ll find you no matter which way you go.”
My hand reaches out before I realize what I’m doing. Her small hand reaches back, and I give it a squeeze of encouragement. Or maybe she’s giving me encouragement. Either way, touching her small hand flips a switch inside me. I thought I was protective of my kids before. But now, there is nothing that will stop me.
“You’ve got this, Rose. Trust your instincts and try to be quiet as a mouse.”
“Mice aren’t quiet,” she laughs.
I chuckle. “I’ll see you soon, Rose. And your dad will find you sooner.”
I wink and then watch as she starts crawling again before I turn around and head back to the bathroom.
I’m not as graceful returning to the bathroom as I was climbing up. I fall to the floor.
“Ow,” I say, trying to rub my sore neck as I get back onto my feet.
Quickly, I run out of the bathroom, hoping I run into Langston before the next round starts. As I exit, I see the other men walking leisurely back into the game room. My time is up.
I head to the entrance and poke my head inside, but I don’t see Langston.
“Where have you been?” Langston says from behind me.
I exhale, my eyes closing in relief.
I turn and face him as his eyes search mine, trying to understand why he couldn’t find me for the last twenty minutes.
“Lose the next game. Don’t complete the debt,” I say as quietly as I can between clenched teeth. Hoping to god no one else hears me.
“Why?” he asks.
“If you will all take your seats, the game will resume.”
“Search the ducts on the east side. I’ll keep playing and give you as much time as I can.”
Then I turn and head inside, hoping Langston got my message loud and clear.
13
Langston
The ducts?
What the hell?
Liesel walks away from me back into the room. I follow after her calmly, even though I actually want to run after her and force her to tell me what the hell that was all about.
I don’t have too much time to think about it before I’m sitting back at the table, and cards are being dealt out again.
There are only two other players left at my table. We are nearing the point where they will combine us all to one table.
I glance at my hand. It’s mediocre at best—one face card and the rest in the single digits.
Liesel wants me to lose on purpose and then quit when I get to the stage. She wants me to look in the ducts on the east side of the building.
Why?
Did she find where they are holding Rose? If so, what do the ducts have to do with it? Is that the only way to get to the room where they are holding Rose? Or is this some elaborate way to convince me to quit so she doesn’t have to see me in pain anymore?
I peer at Liesel over the top of my cards at the next table. She is looking right at me, not bothering to look at her own cards. Her eyes are wild and desperate.
Trust me, she mouths.
Trust her.
I close my eyes, trying to listen with my heart. My heart wants me to throw Liesel over my shoulder and run as far away from this place as my feet will take us. My heart wants me to save Liesel and then find another way to save Rose.
Trust her.
I love Liesel. I know that. Part of loving her means trusting her. It’s not something I’m good at, but if I love her, maybe I should start trying.
I’m the first at my table to bet. I bet everything, which only gets me to nineteen points. It won’t be enough.
It’s not.
Liesel wins her hand, knocking another person out of her table.
My eyes lock with hers as I stand up and walk to the stage area. They never leave hers. That’s not unusual; my eyes are always on hers when I’m suffering.
This time is different, though. This time I look at her to make sure she hasn’t lost her damn mind. Or she’s not trying to sacrifice herself to save me. I look for any sign that she’s changed her mind.
But she looks completely at peace when she sees that I’m going to do what she asks.
I don’t know what my dares are, but I feel a slash land on my already ripped apart back. I usually try to keep the pain inside, but this time I let out the wince. Then another, louder groan with the second beating.
I fall to my knees on the third.
The fourth—tears are falling down my face.
And by the fifth, I’m holding my hand up in surrender.
The room gasps as I give up, collapsing in a heap on the floor, completely defeated.
The room is silently watching and judging me. Then they turn their attention to Liesel. I lift my head enough to see tears falling down her face.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Each drip is a mark on my soul. I feel like I failed her, even though I’m doing what she says she wants.
The room may think the tears burning down her cheeks are a sign of defeat, fear, and heartbreak.
Only I can see the truth behind the tears. I see the absolute relief and the hint of a smile she holds back, so the others don’t get suspicious.
Eventually, I’m lifted onto my feet by two men. I’m walked off the stage and led out of the room, away from Liesel.
That’s when my heart starts losing its shit. I just left her in a room full of dangerous men to fend for herself while I go in search of our daughter that she thinks I’ll be able to find if I use the ducts. Liesel’s lost it. What the hell was I thinking leaving her?
I should go back, change my mind. I can’t leave her.
The men continue to drag me by my arms. I don’t know where they are taking me; I just know they need to turn around and take me back to Liesel.
Suddenly, I’m falling face-first onto a tiled floor. I catch myself at the last second.
“Here, clean yourself and get dressed. You can either wait in the bar, or we can call you a car ride home,” one of the men says before the door swings shut.
I realize I’m in a bathroom, and the heap of fabric that was tossed at me is a towel, pants, and shirt.
I quickly stand up and use the towel to wipe some of the blood off. Without a shower and closing some of my wounds, nothing will get rid of the blood.
I put the plain clothes on. They are a little big, but the pants stay up when I walk, so they’re good enough. Then I go in search of the ducts on the east side of the building. I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to find, but I hope I find Rose. Rose is the only thing that would be worth me leaving Liesel alone in that room.
I exit the bathroom and assume those idiot guards are going to be waiting for me. They aren’t.
There is no one in the hallway.
I glance up, sure that there are cameras monitoring me. People who work for the Browns are watching me and will attack me if I go somewhere undesired.
I move quickly, headed toward the east side of the building. My ears perk up, and my eyes glance around every turn, trying to figure out where Rose might be.
The ducts?
Rose must be a floor above us, but still, why would Liesel tell me to search the ducts? Is that the only way to get to the second floor?
>
There is another bathroom on this side, so I decide to duck inside, hoping there aren’t any cameras in here while I figure out a plan.
I pace inside, trying to figure out what Liesel isn’t telling me.
I hear a clank, and I look up.
“Shit,” a soft voice curses through the vent.
My heart—my heart leaps at that sound, a sound I wasn’t sure I’d ever hear again. My precious girl is in the ducts.
“Rose?” I say hesitantly.
“Dad?” her voice returns.
Oh my god.
The ceiling is low, so I jump with everything I have and grab hold of the vent cover. It falls off easily with my weight. Then I jump again and pull myself up the sides of the vent. I poke my head inside to see my favorite smile in the whole world staring back at me.
“You came for me, just like the woman with the funny name said you would.”
I smile. I don’t think I’ll ever stop smiling.
“Liesel?”
She nods.
“Did she help you get in the ducts?”
“Yes, she told me to crawl straight or right, not left. To be as quiet as possible and that you would find me. I’m so glad you did.”
“Me too.”
I feel myself slipping. I can’t hang on much longer.
“Rose, I’m going to drop back down. After I do, I’m going to need you to jump down, and I’ll catch you. Can you do that?” I already know my adventurous girl will have no problem jumping.
“Of course, I can do that,” she says in her sassy little voice.
I let go and land back on my feet.
“Okay, Rose, I’m ready.”
I watch as her feet scoot to the opening, and then she falls down into my arms.
I squeeze her tight to me the second she lands in my arms. I’m never letting her go again. I hold her tighter against my body.
“Dad, you’re squeezing too hard.”
I chuckle, but don’t let her go. Based on how tightly she’s squeezing back, I don’t think she wants me to let her go.
Liesel found her. She protected her. She knew she couldn’t get Rose out of here safely on her own, so she sacrificed herself to ensure Rose and I could escape.
How could I have ever hated Liesel or thought she was a monster?
“I need you to climb onto my back, Rose.”
She nods, and I help her onto my back.
I don’t have a gun or any other weapon, but that won’t stop me from getting Rose out of here.
A part of my heart grieves as I leave Liesel behind, though. It’s the right thing to do. Liesel chose to make this sacrifice, but it feels wrong to leave her behind for any amount of time.
“I’ll come back for you,” I whisper, and then I get Rose out of this hell hole.
14
Liesel
There’s a shift in the air. Goosebumps form on my arms. My heart stops. My breathing slows. The world changes for the better.
I purse my lips and let out a long exhale as my entire body relaxes.
Langston found Rose.
“If you will all move to the table in the center,” the hose says.
There are only three of us left, so we’re moved to the final table.
Rose is safe.
But what about the others?
I thought I only had one child to worry about, but now I know I’m a mother of three. My heart is split three ways, trying to ensure they are all safe. I’m not going to survive worrying about all of them.
I wish I had a better connection to them so I would be able to feel the shift like I did when Langston found Rose. The only reason I felt it is because of my connection to Langston, not my connection to my children.
Our dealer starts handing out cards, and I try to focus. It doesn’t matter now if I win or lose, but I need to protect Rose and Langston by giving them as much time as possible to get away. And if I win, they’ll have no reason to go after her. She would belong to me either way.
So I’ll win—to protect her.
Whatever pain they want me to endure now is nothing compared to the pain I’ve felt in my lifetime. Now that Rose and Langston are safe, there is nothing they could do to me here that could hurt me.
Cards are dealt one by one, and I feel an icy chill curl around my spine, taking hold. I stare at the extra card that was passed out. Why is there an extra card?
I hesitate to pick up the cards, knowing that whatever is on that card is about to change my fate once again. For once, I’m desperate to know what my own future holds.
The other two men at my table have both picked up their cards. They scan them quickly before staring me down, trying to intimidate me.
I’ve come this far. I won’t be intimidated.
I grab the cards and slide them toward me before picking them up. I scan the first five cards quickly before getting to the new card—the card that will change everything, as usual, with my life.
‘The Sacrifice Card’ the top reads.
I smile; how ironic. My whole life is one big sacrifice. My life has never been my own. First, it was about protecting Langston. Then, it became about saving my kids. And after this is all over, it will always be about Langston and my kids. That is my entire purpose for living—to protect them.
I read the card quickly, knowing it doesn’t matter what the words say. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect those I love. I always have.
The words sink in. They envelop my body. The sacrifice I will have to make. It’s the same one I always make.
The first two men bet.
I look down at my cards. Without the sacrifice card, I’ll lose. I can’t lose, so I do the only thing I can. I sacrifice everything to protect those I love.
15
Langston
I got Rose out. I only had to punch a couple of guys and shoot another, but I got her out. I was afraid she’d be traumatized when she saw me with a gun. Instead, she beamed like I was a freaking superhero or something.
I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve any of my kids. Still, once this is all over, I’m taking them somewhere safe. I’m quitting the business. I don’t want to have to look over my shoulder every day for the rest of my life wondering if today is my last day or not. My kids deserve better.
Enzo met me about thirty minutes after I left. Thank god, he’d been monitoring my location and started driving as soon as he saw us leaving. He took Rose somewhere safe. She fell asleep as soon as I put her in his arms. I don’t know what she’s been through, but she looks physically safe. Psychologically, who knows what she went through? She’s tough, though, and I’ll do everything I can to help her heal and move on from this.
Until I can get back, I trust Enzo and Kai to keep Rose safe and to keep her away from Phoenix. I don’t know what we are going to tell Rose and Atlas about Phoenix, but for now, keeping them away is for the best.
Now, I’m driving like a maniac to get back to Liesel, to get her the fuck out of there.
I run every red light. Take every turn too sharp. Speed as fast as the car will go through the straightaways. But none of it is fast enough. Every second that I’m away is another second of pain for Liesel. Another second of agony that she has to heal from. Another second something could happen that she won’t be able to get over. It’s another second of me hating myself. Another second that could be our last together.
A tear springs to my eye just thinking about life without Liesel. Our entire life has been about each other. I can’t lose her now that I’ve finally gotten her. Now that I’m so close to getting her to love me like we should have all those years ago before life fucked us both.
I slam on the breaks as I pull back up at the club. I open my door and jump out, running to the entrance. Nothing can stop me now, except…
“Liesel.”
She’s standing in the doorway in gray sweatpants and a loose-fitting white T-shirt, an angel casually walking away from hell. Blood clings to her skin, littered with cuts and bruis
es. She actually doesn’t look much, if any, worse than the last time I saw her.
And she’s alive.
She’s free.
She’s mine.
I pause for a second before my brain works again, and I race to her. I force myself to stop just in front of her, my hands reaching out but not touching her. Just because I don’t see any new injuries doesn’t mean she wasn’t hurt worse. And it doesn’t mean the injuries I saw happen don’t still hurt like hell. I won’t make her suffer more.
“You got Rose?” she asks.
I nod.
A happy tear rolls down her cheek as she smiles and then jumps into my embrace.
Once she’s in my arms, I can’t help but hold her tightly. My arms extend around her and hold onto her like vice grips. I’m never letting any part of my family go again—never.
Her head nestles into my chest, and her tears soak through my shirt.
“We need to leave,” I say, wanting to get her as far away from this vile place as I can. Once we are safely away, we can talk more.
She nods as I lead her to my car. We both jump in, and I drive just as hard and fast as I did to get back to her. My hand finds hers, and we hold hands, not speaking, letting the car engine do all the talking.
After speeding away and seeing no cars following us, I pull over into an alleyway and park the car.
Then I look over at Liesel.
“What happened?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I won the game. I told them I had already taken my prize and then I left. They have no reason to come after Rose now. I won.”
I nod. There’s a heaviness in her eyes. What isn’t she telling me?
“Rose is safe with Enzo and Kai. I didn’t see any injuries, and her spirit hasn’t changed. I don’t think they hurt her.”
“Thank god.”
I grab the base of her neck and rub my thumb over her swollen cheek. I want to know everything that happened, and yet I’m not sure my heart can take it. She can’t keep putting herself last. She can’t keep taking all the pain while shielding the rest of us. She has to let some of us take on the danger too.
