Liberty

by Kirsty Dallas

  “Why the fuck would we want to work with Jebediah?”

  “Because we’re stuck here… with him. Maybe we could benefit from the situation somehow. Maybe if you stopped fighting him for a moment, you could come to some sort of agreement.”

  “He’s killed our people. Slaughtered Viviane and strung her up. He’s threatening to gift our women to his men, I don’t want any sort of agreement with the sick fuck.” Trigger growled and moved toward Ink, his threatening posture taking me by surprise.

  “They wouldn’t be dead if you’d only work with him instead of against him. The blood being spilled is on you.” Trigger shoved Ink in the chest, and without a single moment’s hesitation, Ink swung and punched his friend in the face. “Fuck!” Trigger shouted, spitting blood out into the snow.

  “The blood that coats the ground of Liberty is on one man, and one man only… Jebediah. I don’t know where your head is at, or who you’ve been talking to, but you need to shake it off and get yourself together. I can’t have a man who I don’t trust on this run.”

  Trigger was breathing heavy, but Ink remained calm, though his posture stiff and his fists clenched at his sides.

  “We found Skye,” I murmured, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as I tried to think of something that might interrupt this argument and break the tension. I wasn’t used to seeing Ink and Trigger fight like this. The extent of their disagreements in the past was usually a little yelling and male posturing before they turned their backs and walked away. They never came to blows, not serious ones anyway.

  Trigger’s gaze snapped to mine. “What?” he asked, the rough word forced from his lips with disbelief.

  “Hadley found her outside the compound walls when she was doing a run for water. She’s been beaten pretty bad,” I answered.

  The color seemed to drain from Trigger’s face, and he wiped away the blood trickling from his mouth as he took a step away from Ink.

  “Did she say what happened?” he finally asked.

  “She’s in a coma,” I whispered, once again remembering Ashlynn’s medical terminology for her constant sleeping.

  “Fuck!” Trigger spat out, his hands rubbing his tired face. “Everything’s so fucked up.”

  Ink’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “When was the last time you slept?”

  Trigger shook his head. “I don’t know, I was up all night packing Jebediah’s shit. Twenty-four hours… maybe longer.”

  “You need to get some rest, I need you sharp for this delivery.”

  “You still want me on it?” Trigger’s voice was filled with surprise.

  “You got my back?” Ink countered. Trigger nodded his head, a sure and definite movement. “Then I want you with me.”

  Another nod and Trigger rubbed his jaw. Without another word, he turned and walked back down the path leading away from my cabin. Sighing, Ink turned to face me, giving the fist he’d hit Trigger with a little shake.

  “You okay?” I asked. He grunted, which I assumed meant he was. “Do you think Trigger’s okay?”

  Walking to me, Ink stopped at the step beneath mine, putting our eyes level. “I think Trigger is tired and shit is getting to him. Having a mission to focus on will help pull him out of his head.”

  “I hope your right because if he doesn’t have your back and anything happens to you out there, I’m going to kick him in the balls.”

  “I like that you worry about me, buttercup… shit, sorry.” He winced when he slipped in my nickname. After finding out his reasons for calling me that, my feelings toward the name had softened.

  “It’s okay. Buttercup isn’t… sooo bad.”

  His eyes searched mine, and I took a moment to soar under his close inspection. I liked having him near me like this, the warmth of his body reaching for mine. Feeling emboldened, for the first time in a long time where Ink was concerned, I moved my hand until my fingertips traced my name on his sharp cheekbone. His lids drifted closed for only a moment, and I marveled at the look of pure rapture filling his features. I wanted to kiss him, but I was also terrified he’d reject me again.

  “Can I kiss you?” His roughly spoken words took the fear away, and I nodded.

  Leaning into my body, his movements were careful and slow, while his gaze dipped to my mouth. His rough hands cupped my cheeks before he brushed his lips against mine. It was more a whisper of a touch rather than a kiss as he moved to one corner, pressing another gentle kiss there, then one to my cheek.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful, Gracie.” Slowly his mouth came back to mine and he kissed me again, this time with a little more pressure, his lips tasting with exquisite tenderness. With each savoring touch the kiss became firmer, Ink’s tongue slipping into my mouth and retreating just as fast. As far as kisses went, it left me trembling, my mind in a foggy haze of lust and my lips were tingling from the touch. “I could spend all day doing that,” he confessed, and I opened my eyes not even realizing I’d shut them.

  “I need you to come back to me,” I gruffly confessed.

  I didn’t think it was possible, but Ink’s gaze softened even further.

  “Nothing can keep me from you, Gracie. Promise me you’ll stay safe.”

  My head was clouded with the memory of his lips on mine, my heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird as I pulled on his neck, urging him to come close again. Rather than kissing those soft lips, I gently kissed my name inked along his cheekbone. “I promise,” I whispered.

  Resting his cheek against mine, he continued to hold me.

  I’d never been a praying girl. Somewhere along my journey in this life, I assumed whatever god might exist had abandoned me. Right now, though, as Ink and I stood in the icy embrace of the forest, I sent a prayer to the heavens.

  Keep him safe.

  Bring him home.

  CHAPTER 12 – Ink

  The truck was ready to go, the NIM hidden in the plastic asthma inhalers, as Trigger had said. If I weren’t so appalled by what we were about to do and worried about Gracie, I would have given a moment to admire the ingenuity of Jebediah’s hidden drugs. The truck was an old army issue vehicle, colored in camouflage, the back tray hidden behind a thick, canvas cover.

  Trigger glanced my way as he walked by, a nervous look on his bruised face. I lifted a chin in greeting, and he didn’t hesitate to nod back. Although I was worried about him, I wasn’t worried he’d have my back. We’d been through so much shit together, our bond was unbreakable.

  Henry, another of the Liberty soldiers I trusted implicitly, was already sitting in the back tray of the truck, his long legs outstretched around one of the containers packed with NIM. He glanced my way, deep-set, dark eyes caught mine, and he called out an “Evenin’ boss.” He was armed with only a small knife hidden in his boot. As were myself and Trigger.

  The tall and wide man who sat across from Henry was Jigger, one of Jebediah’s soldiers. He was a barrel of a man with a wide, square jaw, close-cropped crew cut and pressed fatigues. Definitely military. He was armed, a rifle over his shoulder and I had no doubt more weapons hidden on his body. He was an unyielding beast, his facial features set in a permanent scowl as he watched Henry with distrust. I hated having one of my men so close to the enemy while we were so defenseless.

  When I climbed into the front passenger seat of the truck, I hesitated when I found Jeze already sitting between Trigger and me. She was dressed in her standard too tight camos, and a form-fitting zipped up jacket. Her long, dark hair was pulled into its usual tight ponytail, making her sharp cheekbones seem more defined. She completely ignored me as I sat beside her, which was fine with me, the bitch made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I hadn’t yet worked out her deal, and I wasn’t sure on the dynamics between her and Jebediah. It was clear Jebediah was running the show, but Jeze had some sort of power, I just didn’t know what it was yet.

  Trigger started the truck and glanced my way.

  “Let’s get moving so we can get this shit ove
r and done with.”

  He nodded and put the truck into gear pulling away from the barracks and navigating around the garage toward the large open steel doors at the front entrance. Grace stood a safe distance away from Jebediah’s men, Fury hovering not too far behind her. She didn’t wave, we’d agreed we weren’t saying goodbye because I was coming back to her as fast as I could. We simply watched each other as the truck rolled through the gates. The compound doors began to close behind us and the feeling of dread I’d been battling for days grew more intense. I felt anxious and sick.

  Something was off.

  Deep in my bones, I knew this would be a trip I’d live to regret.

  ***

  The drop off spot for the NIM was as Jebediah had described, a shitty old truck stop that a strong wind could easily blow over. Smashed glass windows ran the full length of the long, narrow structure before us, the building no doubt raided by terrorists or American citizens in the early days of the war for Freedom. Part of the roof had been torn off. The sign which had only three visible letters left on it was partially ripped from its foundation, swinging ever so slightly in the breeze, making an eerie as shit creaking sound as it swayed from side to side. There were four petrol bowsers, two of which were lying on their sides in the dirt. On all the trips we’d made out to Nelson, the closest town to Liberty, we’d never come along this road. There was nothing here for us, there was nothing here for anyone except a truck full of NIM.

  As I stood beside Trigger, feeling naked with only a switchblade shoved in my boot, I watched as Jeze, Henry and Jigger helped three scruffy looking fuckers unload the containers of NIM from the back of the truck. A back-pack of what I assumed was full of money was strapped to Jeze’s back, and there were six large boxes of supplies waiting to be loaded back into our truck once the NIM was moved. Money and goods, just as Jebediah had promised.

  Two more disheveled, scrawny men stood before us, watching Trigger and I with distrust—the feeling was fucking mutual. Neither of them carried a visible weapon, but I was confident they’d be armed in some way. If they so much as blinked at me wrong, I’d take them out. I knew several ways to kill a man, armed or not.

  The morning sun was resting above the tree line, and I enjoyed its warmth. It hadn’t snowed during the night but it had been pretty fucking cold, and I’d sat comfortably within the heated cabin of the truck. Henry the poor fucker was practically blue when we finally stopped.

  My gaze moved back to the dirty thugs standing alongside our vehicle. Their faces were covered in thick beards, their clothes tattered and torn. I wondered how these ratty looking fuckers could afford to purchase NIM. The bulky looking one who talked with Jeze was dressed a little better, but they weren’t what I’d been expecting. A fact that was laughable because I genuinely had no idea what to expect.

  Once the exchange had been made, we watched a bus with blacked out windows, followed by two roaring bikes leave the demolished truck stop, the sound of their vehicles fading into the distance. The tension in my body didn’t leave, but it certainly decreased the further away the drug dealers drove.

  I needed to talk to Jebediah. If we were doing this again, I’d be doing it with a gun. Or better yet, there would be no next time. I’d take the insane prick out before next month was up. I’d gut the son of a bitch and make his crazy sister watch, then I’d take her out too. We had begun to work on a plan to take over the barracks that housed all of Jebediah’s men, not to mention the weapons and drugs he’d stockpiled in the basement. But we needed more weapons to carry out any sort of plan to take back our compound, and some way to keep the people of Liberty safe while we executed it.

  Turning my back on the men who had finally vanished from sight, I found Jeze standing before me with a brilliant smile on her face. It was the first sign of emotion I’d seen from her, and the vision caught me by surprise. It made her look softer, although the crazy glint in her eyes couldn’t be washed away by something as simple as a smile.

  “We need to talk, you’ll ride with me in the back,” she said, her voice a husky murmur.

  What the fuck was she up to?

  Glancing at Trigger, he shrugged, clearly as confused about this as I was, but headed toward the cab of the truck, Henry and Jigger following him. Guess I was riding with the crazy bitch. Jeze nimbly climbed into the back, and I followed, taking a bench seat directly opposite her. The truck came to life, vibrating like a beast under me as we began to move. Jeze’s face was once again a picture of stoic perfection, no emotion playing across her features.

  “What does Jebediah want with money? There’s no use for it out here.” Figured if I was stuck with her for the next several hours I would get some answers.

  “There is a use for it in the cities. New York, Washington and California are beginning to prosper again, infrastructure is almost back up and thriving. Buildings have been rebuilt. The money that vanished with the war is gaining the power back it once had.”

  I was surprised she answered me and also surprised at the advancements the cities had made. Seven years in the wilderness, hearing nothing but rumors and hearsay had me well out of the loop. While I knew progress was being made, I had no idea they were that far ahead.

  “So, what’s the plan? Jebediah’s going to sit out here and make his money off NIM then move to one of the cities? Maybe buy a Cadillac? Live in a penthouse suite?”

  The corner of Jeze’s mouth quirked in what I think was supposed to be a smile, though more like a tight grimace.

  “He’s going to sit out here and make money off his NIM, then he’s going to buy the New York Underworld. The newly formed government is looking to privatize the prison system in the not too distant future.”

  The revelation slammed into me hard. No wonder he had a fixation on the Underworld, he wanted to own it, literally. Under his leadership, the brutality that had been extinguished with the removal of Kinsley Duke would be back in play. Harrigan was the leader of the rebel forces, and I wondered if he knew what the government had planned.

  “He thinks he’ll be able to buy the Underworld from a few sales of NIM?” I asked incredulously.

  “Jebediah and I already come from wealth. We have the money to purchase the Underworld, and he’s already put in an offer. This… ” she said pointing to the bag, “… this will go the government officials we need to bribe to make this happen.”

  Fuck, the wheels were already in motion. I needed to get word to Harrigan, and soon.

  “What about you, Jeze? Are you just along for the ride? Or do you have big plans, too?”

  Her stony façade cracked a little with another tug on her lips.

  “Jebediah needs someone he can trust at his back. No one loves him more than I do. Jebediah may be the king in this plan, but trust me, Ink, I am the king’s blade.”

  I didn’t doubt that for a second, the woman was dangerous. She was one of those ‘seen but not heard’ types you didn’t want to fuck with. If I wanted to take Jebediah down, I realized I needed to take Jeze down first. There were plenty of other questions sitting on the tip of my tongue, but my mind was still trying to wrap around Jebediah’s plan to buy the Underworld prison system.

  Exhaustion was also pulling at me since I’d stayed alert the entire night in the cab of the truck. Falling asleep in front of Jebediah’s sister was not something I planned on doing, and while the rocking of the truck didn’t wholly relax me, it helped take the edge off. Jeze sat across from me, her eyes shut, arms crossed over her chest and ankles linked on outstretched legs. Her defenses were down, and she knew I wasn’t going to attack her. I couldn’t, not while they had Gracie back at the compound. They had me on a leash.

  “Relax,” Jeze murmured, not opening her eyes. “If I wanted to kill you you’d be dead already.”

  Her arrogance fucked me off, but I wasn’t about to be drawn into an argument about who’s dick was bigger. Crossing my arms, I watched the passing scenery. With each mile under our tires, my eyes grew heavier. My mind
began to wander, and I thought about Gracie. I hoped she was okay. Knowing Fury was watching her, and that she had her own skills to defend herself, was the only reason I wasn’t a nervous wreck. Fury would lay down his life for Gracie, he’d protect her with everything he had, which was a lot of violence and brutality. That’s if Gracie let him. She was an independent woman who balked at the idea of having a babysitter while I was gone. Explaining it was for my sanity rather than her protection was the only way I’d won the battle to have Fury stay with her. Her stubborn nature and fierce independence would frustrate the heck out of Fury.

  I could just see her standing up to him, arms crossed over her chest, eyes flaring with anger as she told him she didn’t need protection. It wouldn’t matter, she could argue until she was blue in the face, he was officially her shadow while I was gone. The thought brought a smile to my face. Unexpectedly, I felt the warmth of a body standing too close, and my eyes snapped open as something was jammed against my face, a sharp, tangy odor invading my nose.

  “What the fuck,” I shouted, as I jumped to my feet and pushed Jeze away with a hard shove which sent her tumbling to her ass.

  In her hand she held an asthma canister, a sick smile playing on her lips. Taking a step in her direction, my vision swam, my head spun, and I stopped, my arm reaching out to grab the bar that ran around the truck’s tray.

  “What did you do?” I spat out.

  My pulse was racing, my skin tingling. I knew she’d hit me with a shot of NIM, but for the life of me I couldn’t understand why.

  “It’s all part of the game, Ink,” she murmured as she stood and took cautious steps toward me.

  The movement of her body caught my attention. Her slow, calculated steps were seductive and beautiful. As my eyes prowled over her features, I noticed a soft sheen of light glowing from her skin. She looked like an angel, and the light dancing off her was an ethereal beauty which had me completely entranced. I itched to drive my fingers through the long hair that had fallen over her shoulders. That long hair reminded me of someone who remained just outside the fringes of my suddenly foggy memory.