Descend: Book Three (The Bloodline Trilogy 3)

by J. P.

  “Great. I’ll keep you updated.”

  “Please do,” Marcy says before she hangs up.

  The man walks back into the living room slowly, and he smiles at me. “I would tell you what my phone conversation was about, but you already know.”

  I feel a blush cross my cheeks, embarrassed that he knew I was listening.

  “If you have an advanced hearing ability, you should use it,” he says with a warm smile, no trace of anger in his voice towards my invasion of privacy.

  “I’m sorry,” I say anyway. “I just don’t know who you are, and I don’t trust you yet.”

  The man holds up his hand. “After the last few weeks that you’ve had, I don’t blame you.” He then laughs. “How rude of me, I never even introduced myself.” He holds his hand out to me. “I’m Elliot.”

  21

  “Elliot?” I choke out.

  He frowns at my reaction. “Yes. Are you alright?”

  This is Elliot? The Elliot? I cannot believe it.

  A series of giggles erupt from me, and I cover my mouth quickly. “Yes. I’ve heard about you before. You’re friends with my dad.”

  “I am,” he affirms. “We have known each other since we were teenagers.” His eyes glaze over as he travels back into the past. “We joined Chrome together, went on missions together.” His eyes suddenly get sad, and he shakes his head. “I’m sorry about your mother.”

  I flinch, not expecting him to say that. “That’s okay,” I blurt out. I clear my throat. “It was a long time ago.”

  “Regardless.” He bows his head to me. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you,” I say in a quiet voice, not sure what else to say.

  “Did your father tell you stories about me?” he asks with a questioning look on his face.

  “What?”

  “You laughed when you understood it was me.”

  “Oh,” I say with another laugh. “No. He actually never spoke about you.” I realize how harsh that sounds. “No offense.”

  “None taken. We agreed that we should try to forget about each other until it was safe again.”

  “What do you mean safe again?” I ask.

  “After your mother died…” He shakes his head. “I told your father about Termin. I thought Ethan would never find him here. Turns out, I was wrong.” Elliot sighs. “It took him seventeen years, but he found you guys.”

  “I never knew that.” I shake my head, remembering what I was saying before. “I was laughing because that’s how Ethan gained our trust at first. He had his own son pose as your son. He said he was looking for you. My father took him in to try and help him, but he was just here to make us trust him before he betrayed us.”

  Elliot’s entire body goes rigid. “What!” he snaps.

  “It all kind of worked out in the end. Luke turned out being one of the good guys.”

  Elliot drops his head into his hand. “I cannot believe this. How dare he say that.” Elliot lifts his head and lets out a deep breath, immediately calming himself. “Not telling each other anything was a disservice to us,” Elliot thinks out loud.

  “It’s okay. Everything is okay now, mostly,” I remind him.

  He smiles at me. “You’re right.” He studies me for a moment. “You’re just like your mother.”

  I feel my stomach sink as I straighten my back, not prepared for his statement. I clear my throat and try to recover. “Thanks.” I focus on his face again, and I can’t take it anymore. “You look really familiar to me. We’ve never met?”

  Elliot shakes his head. “I knew your father had three kids, but I had no idea of your age or names. We never met,” he says with certainty.

  “Then how—” I’m interrupted by the door opening. Elliot and I spin towards it, and I spot Tyler walking into the house.

  “I finally got her to calm down,” he says to me as he shuts the door behind himself.

  Suddenly, something in my head clicks. I look from Tyler to Elliot. At that same moment, Tyler explodes.

  “What are you doing here?”

  I turn back towards him to find that his fists are clenched at his sides, and his face that was relaxed a moment ago is now twisted with pain.

  Elliot blinks a few times and then squints at Tyler. “Tyler? My Tyler?”

  They are the spitting image of each other. The dark hair, the friendly smile, the strong jawline. I’m an idiot for not putting it together sooner.

  “Do not say that to me,” Tyler snaps. “I am not your anything. You were relieved of your parenting duties the second you left us.”

  “If you would just let me explain—” Elliot holds his hands up.

  Tyler interrupts him with a laugh. “You’ve been gone for my entire life, and you’re about to give me an explanation now? Go ahead. This should be good.” Tyler crosses his arms over his chest.

  “I—”

  “You’re a coward. A coward and a lousy father. You don’t even deserve the title.” Tyler is shouting so much, his face is turning red. He has always resented his father for leaving. This is probably the speech he’s had ready since he was ten. He told me back then he knew exactly what he was going to say if he ever saw his father again. “You’re nothing to me.”

  Elliot’s face crumbles. “I know I’ve made some difficult choices—”

  “Difficult choices,” Tyler repeats with a laugh. “Do you even hear yourself? You abandoned your wife and son. We had to live alone with no one to help protect us or help with the bills or help when mom falls apart.” His voice cracks on the last part, and tears spring in my own eyes.

  “Tyler—”

  “Get out.” Tyler has fire in his eyes.

  “But I—”

  “Out!” Tyler roars.

  Elliot turns to me. “I will be back in an hour to make sure you’re both okay.” He glances at Tyler. “If you would like to speak to me then, I would love to talk to you.”

  Tyler ignores him as he spins away from him and walks further into the living room.

  “I had no idea that he was your son,” I say, still in shock as I follow Elliot to the front door.

  Elliot lets out a sad laugh. “I figured.” He stops at the door and turns around to face me. Elliot shakes his head as he places his hands on his hips. “His mother called me, which she hasn’t done in eighteen years, and told me that he was missing. I dropped everything and came back here to find him.” He laughs again. “Figures he’s been the Chrome Soldier that everyone has been talking about.” He glances up at me. “Did you meet when he was put on your case?”

  “No. We’ve been best friends since we were three.”

  Elliot laughs and, finally, some happiness travels to his eyes. “It’s funny how things work out that way.” He glances at the living room, where Tyler is sitting on the couch, facing away from us. “I’ll be back soon,” he reminds me before he walks out the door.

  I slowly make my way into the living room. Tyler is sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. My heart breaks for him. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling right now.

  “Hey,” I say, breaking the silence. I sit next to him and wrap my arms around him.

  He turns towards me and snakes his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. I rest my head on top of his as I brush my fingers up and down his back.

  “This is fucking nuts,” he mumbles. “Why was he here?”

  “At the mall, after you left, Will attacked. He saved me from Will.”

  “What?” Tyler pulls back from me fast, his eyes wide. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. He only took a little—”

  “He bit you?” Tyler roars.

  “I’m fine,” I repeat. “I promise.”

  “Why was Elliot around?” Tyler asks.

  “Your mom called him when she thought you were missing.”

  “Shit.” Tyler frowns. “What a mess.”

  “He offered to stay and help us—”

  “Absolutely not.”

 
“Tyler—”

  “I don’t want him here.”

  “I think we need him.”

  “No, we don’t. We have Marcy’s men as our protection.”

  I think about it from his perspective, and I guess it isn’t fair for me to demand that his father stays.

  “Okay. When he returns, I’ll ask him to leave.”

  Tyler nods once. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “No.” He calls from over his shoulder before the front door shuts.

  I sigh, frustrated that I couldn’t help him. I pull my phone out of my pocket and try calling my dad for the second time. It goes straight to voicemail again. I try Luke, but I get his voicemail too. Ugh, I need someone to give me advice on what to do.

  I plop down on the couch and throw my head back onto the cushions. I shut my eyes for a moment and take some deep breaths. It’s all going to be okay, no matter what. We are safe now, and that’s what matters.

  “Hey.” Olivia’s voice echoes through the house. “I thought I heard shouting.”

  I open my eyes to find her making her way over to the couch across from mine. “You did. It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got time,” she says with a grin as she bounces on the couch, her long, blonde ponytail bouncing with her.

  I explain everything that just happened, exhausted from reliving it all over again. “I don’t know what to do. I feel like we could use the help, especially someone like Elliot. He knows what he’s doing, but not if it’s going to hurt Tyler.”

  “Hey! I know what I’m doing,” she says with a smirk.

  “You know what I mean. I doubt your brother would want you to be fighting with Will when Elliot could take care of it for you.”

  Olivia laughs. “Will. He’s a pain in my ass. I can take him. I taught him how to fight.”

  “Regardless,” I say, trying to ignore Olivia’s pride. “We need to figure out what to do.”

  “We?” Olivia asks with a laugh and a sarcastic smile. She presses her lips together as she squints her eyes, thinking.

  “Olivia?” an adolescent voice calls out.

  “Down here, Tate!” Olivia shouts back. “I can’t believe this poor kid lost both her parents,” Olivia mumbles to me.

  Tate walks into the room a moment later, rubbing her eye with her small fist.

  “How was your nap?” Olivia asks, her voice sounding odd. It’s like she’s trying really hard to be sweet, but it’s just not in her nature.

  “Good.” Tate’s eyes find mine, and she smiles. “I like your house.”

  “Thanks.” I smile back at her.

  “Are you hungry?” Olivia asks, and Tate nods. “Let’s go find something to cook.” Olivia holds her hand out for Tate and motions for me to follow.

  As soon as we enter the kitchen, the smell of rotten food hits my nose, and from the look on Olivia’s face, she smells it too. I get to work, throwing almost everything away as Olivia tries to find something for Tate.

  “This pasta is still good,” Olivia says, holding up a box. “Is that okay, Tate?”

  She nods her head vigorously as she tries to climb up the barstool to sit on the island, and it makes Olivia laugh before I jump in to help her up.

  Olivia starts rummaging through cabinets, and I watch her pull out a saucepan. She looks between the pan and the box of pasta a few times before she pours the pasta into the empty pan.

  “What are you doing?” I ask her with a laugh.

  “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m cooking.”

  “Here,” I say, holding out my hands for the pan. “I’ll do this, you clean out the fridge.”

  Olivia gives me a grateful smile as she hands me the pan and makes her way over to the fridge.

  Tate asks a million questions as I cook for her, ranging from my favorite color to why the kitchen is painted white.

  “I don’t know. I actually moved here when I was a baby. The kitchen was always white,” I tell her as I strain the pasta.

  “You were so young,” Olivia says from the spot next to Tate. She abandoned cleaning the fridge ten minutes ago.

  “Yeah. I don’t remember much of it.”

  “You probably blocked it out,” Olivia says, a sad look in her eyes. She notices that I’m putting food on a plate and turns to Tate. “Look, Tate, Nina made you dinner. What do you say?”

  “Thank you!” Tate shrieks as I place a dish in front of her.

  “Be careful. It might be hot,” I warn her before she picks up her fork.

  “Hey, Nina?” Olivia says as I start to wash the dishes.

  “Hm?” I ask as I look at her from over my shoulder.

  “I’m sorry my dad ruined your life.”

  I let out a sad laugh. “Thanks.”

  The three of us jump when the doorbell rings.

  “That should be Elliot,” I say as I dry my hands on the dishtowel. “I’ll be right back,” I tell Olivia and Tate as I hurry to get the door. I almost bump into Tyler in the foyer.

  “I can handle this,” he says, reaching for the doorknob.

  “Tyler,” I say as I reach out and touch his forearm. Immediately, he freezes. “Wait. Maybe we should hear what he has to say.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We’re in a situation where we can’t afford to turn away help.”

  “We’ll be just fine without him.” Tyler goes to open the door again.

  “We don’t know that.”

  Tyler freezes. He sighs as he shakes his head. “You’re picking my dad over me right now?”

  “No! That’s not what I’m doing at all. I’m trying to make the best decision for all the people in the house. We could all use an extra hand.”

  “Fine,” Tyler snaps before he storms away.

  I rub my face with my hand, already feeling a headache coming on. I’ll have to figure out a way to talk to him about it later. I jump, remembering Elliot is waiting on the other side of the door, and I pull it open. I gasp when I see the two faces staring back at me.

  22

  “Did you miss us?” Sean asks as he pulls me into a hug.

  “What are you guys doing here?” I ask with a laugh as Mason waves to me while Sean still sways me from side to side.

  “Your dad sent us as soon as he heard that Ethan was dead. We’re here to help.” Sean finally separates from me and scans me up and down. “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I’m okay.” I smile at Sean and Mason before I reach behind me and open the door wider. “Come in.”

  The boys step into the house and look around.

  “This is where you grew up?” Mason asks me as we walk through the hall, into the kitchen.

  “Yes. We fled a few months ago and had to leave this place behind,” I explain. I find Tate finishing her food as Olivia finishes the dishes for me. I’m about to thank her when she turns around and drops the pan in her hand, causing a loud crash to sound in the room.

  Olivia’s jaw drops as a blush appears on her cheeks.

  “Olivia, this is—” I start to introduce.

  “You’re Mason Adams.” Olivia stares at Mason, a smile creeping up on her lips.

  Mason gives her a dazzling smile. “Yes.”

  Olivia clears her throat and shakes her head slightly. “I’ve heard of you before.” She peels her eyes off of Mason and looks to Sean. “And you are?”

  “I’m Sean, Mason’s brother.” Sean holds his hand out to her.

  Olivia slowly shakes Sean’s hand before she bends down and picks up the pan she dropped. “Why are you guys here?”

  “Nina’s dad sent us,” Sean explains as he keeps glancing at Tate. “Who’s this?”

  “Tate,” she answers in a bold voice. Sean holds his hand out to her, and she shakes it, causing him to laugh.

  “Wait a minute, you’re Will’s brothers, aren’t you?” Olivia asks as she throws a dishtowel over her shoulder.

  “Ho
w did you know that?” Sean asks, skeptically.

  “Nina mentioned that Mason Adams was Will’s brother,” Olivia explains.

  “You know Will?” Mason asks Olivia.

  “Yeah, he’s an asshole.” Olivia rolls her eyes. She jumps when she glances at the three-year-old next to her. “Sorry, Tate.”

  “How is he?” Sean presses.

  “You know who would know better than I would?” Olivia crosses her arms, leans against the kitchen sink, and nods her head in my direction.

  “You met Will?” Sean asks me.

  I slowly nod. “Yes. He kind of attacked me.”

  Sean and Mason both flinch, and their eyes get wide. “What?” they ask at the same time.

  “That was some freaky twin stuff,” Olivia says with a laugh.

  “We aren’t twins,” Sean says as he rolls his eyes.

  “He attacked you? Are you okay?” Mason asks.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I don’t think he’s giving up, though. He wants to kill me,” I tell them.

  “No,” Mason blurts out. “That’s not Will. He wouldn’t want to do that.”

  I press my lips together, unsure how I could prove to him that Will must’ve changed since they saw him last.

  “Hey,” a voice says from the hallway. Tyler walks into the kitchen, and some of the tension in the room disappears.

  “Tyler!” Sean shouts as he pulls Tyler into a hug. “I didn’t think we would see each other again.”

  “It’s nice to see you guys,” Tyler says once he finally escapes from Sean’s arms. He shakes hands with Mason and then looks around. “Where’s Ben?”

  “He’s staying behind. Aaron wanted someone to stay in California just in case anyone came looking for you guys,” Mason explains.

  “Did Mr. Blair come back too?” Tyler asks as he checks over his shoulder for my dad.

  “Nah, he’s waiting another few days. He has to do something with that Jeremy guy first. He’s such a dick.” Sean wrinkles his nose.

  “That sucks. I want to know the plan now, not in a couple days,” Tyler mumbles as he leans against the wall.

  “Well, at least you’ll have school to occupy your time,” Sean says, and all eyes turn to him.