by Ella Miles
“Ready?” he asks with his hand on the doorknob.
I nod.
He kisses me one more time, opens the door, and we walk back to the plane’s main cabin.
Rose is talking animatedly to Enzo and Kai, who just nod along, encouraging her.
“Much better, now you don’t look all icky anymore,” Rose says as we sit on either side of her.
I yawn.
“I think it’s time for us all to sleep,” Langston says, giving Rose a stare that warns her from arguing with him.
She yawns. “Okay, fine.”
“Is it okay if Liesel sleeps with us too?” he asks.
Rose nods. “She saved me. I don’t want her to be afraid if she sleeps alone.”
Langston motions for us all to stand, and he converts the couch into a small bed. Kai gathers some blankets and pillows for us.
“We’re going to sleep up front,” Kai says, and then she and Enzo leave.
Langston climbs into the bed in his fluffy robe. Rose climbs in next. I’m slow to move, too busy watching the beautiful sight.
“Liesel, get in the bed. I’m cold, and your robe will keep me warm,” Rose says.
I climb into bed and snuggle up next to Rose. Langston’s arm wraps around us both. My eyes grow heavy, but I fight sleep as long as I can, wanting to memorize this incredible moment forever. I can’t wait to have this moment with all of my children.
17
Langston
The plane lands with Rose and Liesel snuggled up against me. We slept the entire flight, and it still doesn’t seem like enough. I feel like I could sleep a month, and it wouldn’t satisfy me. That’s why we are all going to my private island—to rest, recover, and end our enemies once and for all.
Snuggling with my two girls was amazing, but my heart isn’t full. It won’t be until Atlas and Declan are both here.
We have a lot to figure out. How do we introduce Liesel to the kids? What do we tell them about Phoenix? How do we ensure the Browns and the rest of our enemies don’t come after us? What are we going to do about the treasure?
None of that matters right now, though. In a few short hours, we are all going to be together. And once we are together, nothing will rip us apart again.
Kai walks into our section of the cabin, carrying a pile of clothes. “I found these for you guys to wear.”
“Thanks,” I say before waking Liesel with a kiss on the forehead. I can’t bear to wake up Rose.
Liesel stirs and takes the clothes wordlessly back to the bathroom to change while Rose sleeps.
I put on the T-shirt and then slip into my pants while Rose continues to sleep. Carefully, I shift my arms under her body and then carry her off the plane to one of the waiting cars my staff drove over.
Rose murmurs something but stays asleep as I lay her in the backseat of the car. Liesel is right behind me. I motion for her to climb into the front seat as I jump into the driver’s seat.
Enzo and Kai ride in another car with the staff behind us.
We don’t speak as I drive us to my house. But I know we are both thinking about the last time we were here—me taking her, making her hike through the forest, threatening her life.
“I’m sorry,” I say, knowing it’s not enough.
“Me too,” Liesel says back.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I say.
She smiles thinly at me and then looks out the window, not responding.
As soon as we stop in front of the house, a switch flips in Rose, and she pops her head up.
“We came back here! This is my favorite home!” Rose says, throwing the door open and racing out.
“Her happiness is infectious,” Liesel says.
“It is, but she knows how to use it to get what she wants,” I say, raising my eyebrows as Rose throws open Liesel’s door, grabs her hand, and drags her into the house, excited to show her around. She doesn’t realize that Liesel has already been to the house before, back when I was a jackass, married to the wrong woman, and thought Liesel was the devil.
Kai and Enzo walk up behind me. “Our kids and Siren and Zeke’s son are getting flown here as well. We want to be all together.”
“Good,” I say, gripping Enzo’s shoulder. It’s about time we were all together as a family.
Then I walk inside to look for my girls.
At first, I don’t hear them, just the eery silence of a house that I haven’t lived in for months, but then I hear Rose’s giggling from upstairs followed by Liesel’s laughter.
I decide to head to the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast, letting them have time to bond.
Rose is a good judge of character and outgoing, so it doesn’t surprise me that she instantly took to Liesel. She knows Liesel is a good person instinctually, but Atlas isn’t so trusting, and Declan is a mystery. We have no idea what he’s been through or where he’s been his whole life. Whatever has happened, we will figure out how to heal together.
Enzo walks into the kitchen as I start filling the coffee machine with grounds.
“Siren and Zeke’s plane will be here in thirty minutes. The kid’s plane about twenty minutes after that. And Beckett’s plane will land in about an hour and a half.”
“Good. After everyone is settled, we can all talk about what to do next.”
Kai enters the room. “I have most of our fleet surrounding this island, protecting us. No one gets through unless we want them to.”
“Thank you,” I say.
She nods stiffly. “Phoenix is being held on one of the yachts just offshore. Just tell us what you want us to do with her.”
I let out a long sigh. Deciding what to do with Phoenix is going to be difficult. Instead of thinking about it, I make coffee, eggs, bacon, toast. I mindlessly cook while people come in and out of the kitchen.
Rose, eventually drawn by the smell of bacon, brings Liesel down from playing tea party in her room.
I hand Liesel a cup of coffee, knowing she needs it to regain her energy after what we’ve been through. To my surprise, Liesel also makes herself a plate of eggs and bacon.
I smile, happy to see her finally eating something.
“Can I have some of your coffee?” Rose asks Liesel. I watch from the door as they sit out on the back deck, looking out at the ocean. Rose is an expert manipulator, and I want to see how Liesel handles her.
“Are you allowed to have coffee?” Liesel asks her.
“I am if an adult says I can,” Rose bats her eyelashes.
Liesel tries to hide her laugh, but she can’t. “You should ask your dad.”
“But I don’t want to run all the way inside,” Rose whines.
“You can have some,” I say as I walk over to them. Although I wish Liesel would feel like she can decide for herself what Rose can or can’t do, she is her mother after all.
Liesel holds her cup up to Rose with a sly, knowing grin, but she doesn’t say anything as she lets Rose take a drink. Rose, being Rose, takes a sip, doesn’t like it, but won’t say she doesn’t like it because she wants to act like a grown-up.
“Do you like it?” Liesel asks.
“Dad doesn’t make the best coffee. I like it better from Starbucks.”
I frown. “When are you drinking coffee from Starbucks?”
She shrugs. “It tastes more chocolatey from Starbucks.”
I laugh. “That’s because I order you a hot chocolate from Starbucks, not coffee.”
“Oh, well, I like that better.”
I shake my head at her.
“So, do you live here now?” Rose asks Liesel.
Liesel looks to me for help, but I’m not going to help her.
“Would you like that?” Liesel asks her.
Rose pulls on the end of her shirt and decides to change the subject. “When is Atlas coming?”
I glance at my phone to check the time. “Any minute now.”
“Good,” she says, closing her eyes and letting the sun hit her face.
We re
lax, enjoying the sun and watching the road until two black SUVs roll up. We all jump up and run to the driveway as the cars come to a rolling stop.
Rose gets to the SUVs before Liesel or I do.
She throws open the back door and sticks her head in to find Atlas.
“Atlas!” I hear her happy cry as she wraps her arms around him.
“Okay, Rose, let him breathe,” I say as I step up behind her.
She doesn’t listen. She lifts him out of the car, still hugging onto him.
I shake my head, but I feel the same urge, so I wrap my arms tightly around them both. There was a time that holding them both in my arms made me feel whole, but not anymore.
Not without Liesel.
Not without Declan.
Right now, I feel the parts of me that are missing.
I don’t know how to introduce Atlas to Liesel. He’s more timid and cautious than Rose, and this is all a lot for Liesel.
“Liesel, come here,” Rose says in a frustrated tone.
Liesel rushes over. “What’s wrong?”
Rose lets Atlas go long enough to take his hand. “Atlas, this is Liesel. I know she has a funny name, but she saved my life, so she’s one of us now.”
Atlas falls into Liesel’s arms, shocking the hell out of Rose and me. Liesel collapses her arms around him. They don’t speak; they don’t need to. Apparently, they already have a strong connection.
Finally, Atlas lets go of Liesel.
Rose’s jaw has dropped to the floor. “How did you do that? Who are you?”
Liesel brushes Rose’s cheek. “That’s a question for another day.”
Rose blinks rapidly and then takes Atlas’ hand again. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“No, I’m not hurt. Uncle Zeke and Aunt Siren saved me. Are you hurt? I should have been there to protect you,” Atlas says.
“No, I’m good. And that’s okay; Liesel saved me,” Rose says.
The two run off toward the house hand-in-hand.
We should get them some therapy and make sure they don’t have lasting effects, but for now, they seem like they are going to be okay.
Zeke and Siren are both standing to the side of one of the SUVs. Liesel and I walk over to them.
“Thank you,” we both say at the same time. We both hug each of them.
“Are you okay? We can never repay you for what you did,” Liesel says.
Siren opens her mouth but doesn’t speak.
Zeke is staring at Siren like he’s trying to read her thoughts.
They both look like we do—exhausted, worn down, bruised, and cut up. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are slow to answer or process what we are saying, but they aren’t talking at all. Something’s wrong.
I walk up to Siren, my eyes searching for an answer. I touch her arm. We’ve always shared a connection that I don’t understand.
Somehow all three of our families are connected through a bond different than the ones we have with our spouses. My connection is with Siren. Zeke has a connection with Kai. Liesel has a connection with Enzo. It’s a strange circle, but it’s our family.
When I touch her, I know something is wrong. My eyes search hers; I can feel loss inside of her.
“Siren lost her voice. I lost my hearing,” Zeke says.
Siren nods, once again, not speaking.
I grab her head and pull her tightly to my body, needing to comfort her in some way. Once I’ve tried to take away some of her pain, I look to Zeke.
“Explain,” I say as slowly as I can, mouthing my word to him.
He knows what I’m asking, though, even without looking.
“The game. In order to win and save Atlas, we both had to play a sacrifice card. The card made us sacrifice something. They poured liquid in my ears and Siren’s throat, burning my eardrums and her vocal cords. We think the damage is temporary. My ears are already starting to ring, but we should have a doctor see if there is anything they can do to speed the healing up,” Zeke says. His voice is shaky and tentative as he speaks since he can’t hear himself talk.
“You shouldn’t have given up your voice or your hearing,” I say, completely speechless at the sacrifice they were both willing to make.
Siren tries to speak, but I can see how much pain stabs into her throat when she tries. She frowns and shakes her hand at Zeke, who pulls out a pen and paper from his pocket and hands it to her.
She starts scribbling furiously and then holds it up to me. Liesel looks at it over my shoulder as well.
It was our choice. We wanted to make the sacrifice to save Atlas. He’s like a son to us. It was just my voice, just Zeke’s hearing. Both can heal, and even if they don’t, it will still have been worth it. Saving Atlas’ life was worth it.
She’s scribbled three lines under the last sentence.
“I’m going to find a way to heal you,” I look at Siren, then Zeke. “Both of you.”
Siren rolls her eyes and huffs.
“I understand that it’s not about that. Thank you. You did your part though, let me do mine,” I say, hugging Siren again.
I’m so consumed by my concern for Siren and Zeke that it takes me a minute to realize what this means. To win his game, Beckett also had to sacrifice something in order to save Declan. What did he have to sacrifice?
And then my heart drops even further as I look at Liesel; she’s watching me carefully. She said she won her game to ensure they wouldn’t have a reason to get Rose back.
What did she sacrifice?
18
Liesel
Langston figured it out. He knows that I sacrificed something; he just doesn’t know what.
Langston looks at me as Zeke rests his arm around Siren’s shoulders, and they start walking together toward the house.
I freeze. I’m not ready for this conversation. I’m tired of lying to Langston, but I’m not ready to tell him the truth yet either.
He walks toward me, presumably to ask me what I sacrificed. Instead, he kisses me tenderly on the lips.
The kiss tells me everything I need to know. He’s here when I’m ready to tell him. I take his hand and let him lead me back inside the house.
“I’m headed back to the airport to get the kids,” Enzo says.
We are so close to all being safe, so close.
“I need to make a phone call,” Langston says, kissing my hand before stepping away.
I notice Rose and Atlas watching me closely from the living room. They both have their suspicions about me, about this whole situation. They deserve answers, but we need to wait until everyone is here before we talk. There is no use in having this conversation twice.
So instead, I walk into the kitchen, open the freezer and pull out a pint of ice cream. I grab three spoons and walk over to where the kids are sitting on the couch and hand them each a spoon.
“More ice cream?” Rose asks incredulously.
“Atlas didn’t get any the last time.”
We sit together and eat ice cream. They deserve to know who I am. They deserve the whole truth. Honestly, I’d just be fine if I was the ice cream lady to them.
Enzo returns with his twins and Cayden, Zeke and Siren’s baby.
The twins run to Kai, and Enzo joins them.
Siren scoops up Cayden, who has just started walking. She goes to speak to him, then stops herself when she realizes that she can’t. She catches me watching her and smiles before kissing Cayden all over his face, which makes him laugh hysterically.
“We missed you, little man,” Zeke says, grabbing him up and swinging him around, making him laugh more. Zeke smiles brightly at him, not showing any outward sign at all that he’s upset he can’t hear his child’s laughter.
But it breaks my heart.
It shouldn’t be this way. Their family shouldn’t pay because of something my father did.
“We’re going to fix it,” Langston says, coming up next to me.
I look at him.
“I called some doctors that sp
ecialize in hearing and vocal cords. They will be out here tomorrow. We are going to get them fixed.”
I nod, hopeful but unsure if it’s as easy as that.
We hear another car pull up; Langston and I exchange worried glances.
The last car is here, early.
Beckett.
Declan.
“Kai, watch Atlas and Rose, please,” Langston shouts as he tries to catch up with me. I’m already running outside.
We don’t know the tortured state Beckett could be in. He already went through so much when he lost his arm. I can’t imagine what else he could have lost.
More importantly, I need to see Declan with my own two eyes. I need to know that he’s alive and that he’s here—safe.
Beckett throws open the passenger door. He walks over slow and steady to us. He’s covered in blood. His shirt and pants are ripped like he was just attacked by a mountain lion. And his hand has a shirt wrapped around it.
But none of that is what has me concerned. My heart is beating a thousand miles a second because of the look in his eyes—complete sorrow.
“I’m so sorry,” Beckett says.
“You lost?” Langston snaps a little too harshly.
I put my hand on Langston’s shoulder and shake my head, trying to remind Langston that even if he did lose, it’s not Beckett’s fault. He did the best he could.
But I don’t think that’s what Beckett is saying.
It’s clear he fought.
He played the game and did the dares, based on the injuries he has. He played the sacrifice card, and from the looks of it, he sacrificed his other hand. He already told us that he won.
“Corbin didn’t give you Declan even after you won, did he?” I ask.
“He gave me a child, but that child wasn’t Declan. I’m sorry.”
“How did you know he wasn’t Declan?” Langston asks.
“I know Rose and Atlas. I know their features, their mannerisms, their size. This child was bigger, older. His skin was tanner. He didn’t share any of Rose, Atlas, or Liesel’s features. I have some of his hair if you want to run a DNA test, but the child isn’t yours, Liesel.”
