by K. L Hart
“it's good to see you, Kassi," Ash says. "don't call me Kassi, you have not earned the right." I snarl at him, a brief flash of hurt sweeps across his face before his mask reappears. "ok, look we all missed you and Kaden has been cut up ever since you left that meeting". I laugh as we pull into Ramone's diner, I park next to Ethan's car and turn to Ash "he should have thought about that before he let our father hand me to a complete stranger. Ash this talk we are about to have is not going to go as you think, I'm not the stupid defenceless little girl anymore". I say my tone softer. "I Know your not a little girl anymore" he rakes his gaze over my body "definitely all grown up" he snaps his eyes back to my face and he cups my cheek with his huge hand. "you were never stupid Kassidie but you are not equipped to defend yourself alone". Rage takes over me and I hit his hand away from my face, "you want to bet arsehole". I get out of the car and slam the door. I storm past the others who are waiting in the entrance, I find a booth in the back and slide in. Ash sits beside me, Kaden, Brix and Ethan sit opposite us. We all give our orders to the waitress and sit in silence until she returns with our drinks coffee for me and Ash, Diet coke for the others. "wow, Kassidie you have grown up, I hardly recognised you". Ethan says "your fucking hot" Brix grins at me. I roll my eyes "right thanks, Brix. This is how it is going to go down, you four are gonna shut the fuck up until I have finished speaking, I will tell you where I have been and what I have been doing, got it". "bossy much" Brix mutters, I shoot him a glare and they all nod in agreement. "as you all know nine years ago we attended a little meeting, where the four boys I grew up with and thought were my family let me get taken away by a complete stranger, while my father disowned me because I was a girl." they all looked guilty, too fucking bad. "Iwas given a choice in the car after I cried and cried, one I could stay with you arseholes who will never let me be trained the same or be treated fairly because of my sex, or two I could be sent away and become the best. You failed to protect me once and I decided I would never be hurt like that again, I would grow up and learn to defend myself, and be better than you fuckers." Ash looked like he was going to laugh and the others just stared mouths wide open, I rolled my eyes and carried on. "I have spent the past nine years on a private island near the Maldives, I lived alone, tutors and trainers would stay until I had mastered their specialised subjects. I spent everyday training and studying I worked harder than you can imagine, and I have spent the last year of that time doing storm assignments across America." Kaden looked like he was going to cry "you have been all alone". I glared at him "I was alone In that fucking meeting, why care now" they all looked shocked. "you have always been one of us and now your back we can be a family again" Kaden's voice breaking as he spoke. I laughed "I have no Family, you lot are definitely not my family especially you Kaden we shared a fucking womb and you let me be taken from you without even acknowledging I was there. Fuck you all there is no us. This is the last time I will be meeting with you arseholes outside of storm corp. business". I get up fury radiating from my pores. "sit down Kassidie, we are not done until I say so" Ash growled "make me" I snarl "don't do it Kassi" Brix laughed. I headed for the door when Ash grabs my arm, I smirk "let's dance big boy" I spin around lightning fast and smack Ash with an open palm in the throat then nose which made a god awful crunch. He dropped his grip from my arm and ran towards me "what the fuck" Ash booms. As he lunges for me I duck under his grasp and end up behind him one swift kick to the back has him on the floor, I kick his side so he turns over and dig my heels into his throat. "fuck you Ash, do not ever fucking touch me, this is a warning." I take my heel from his throat and bend down so we are face to face as he sits up. "I can end you, remember that". I walk out of the diner not looking back to see their expressions at me taking down their leader. I know Ash held back but even at full force, I reckon I could take him.
I'm in my baby singing to perfect strangers by Jonas blue as I drive out of town towards the storm compound. The rest of the school day was just like this morning except the boys gave me weird looks all afternoon. Through the car stereo, a call from Buckley came through. "Hey Mr B What you need?" Kassidie the other heirs have called in that you are back, they were pissed that storm knew and didn't tell them." I laughed "its fuckall to do with them, why should they be told". He chuckled "anyway, everything's ready for you at the house it has been refurbed to how you wanted and I have moved out everything is yours now, I will give you everything you deserve princess". "thanks Mr B, you didn't have to do all of this you know". "I Know but someone should treat you like the best gift God could have given them, you may only be my daughter through paperwork, but I will always be there for you". I bite my lip to stop the tears "thank you, Mr B, at least I can count on someone, not that I need too". He chuckles "damn right, you show them bastards you don't need their asses". "I think I did that when I dropped Ash to the ground" Mr B laughs harder "you didn't waste no time" I laugh too "why wait" "bye princess, try not to have too much fun" "bye Mr B"
Chapter two
I pull up to the first gate which Is guarded by four armed men who check my car and picture and let me through, I drive up the long road and take the second lane on the right which leads to my gate that surrounds my house, when I say house I mean fucking mansion its huge and I have only been here the once before the refurbishment started. I enter my code into the gate and speed down the lane until I reach the house I park my baby and head towards the entrance. I step into the main foyer where I am greeted by my staff, I didn't want staff but Mr B insisted that they stay so I agreed. Victor my head of staff introduces himself and gives me a rundown of their jobs and what they will do. After I have dismissed them I take myself on a grand tour. The foyer has white marble floors with light and airy walls in the middle is a large glass table with a huge bunch of roses in a marble vase on top of it. Two sweeping staircases meet in the middle of the foyer floor. There's a room to my right which I know is the formal living area, I will not be using that often. The door on the left is my huge cinema room. I walk down the corridor to the left of the staircase which leads to the huge open plan kitchen diner. I go upstairs where I have 5 bedrooms all with en-suites there used to be eight bedrooms but I knocked three of them down to join my master bedroom I don't need eight bedrooms when only I will ever be here. I also have an office up here which is light and airy the desk is a clear glass with an iMac sat atop of it. There is a white leather couch and a bar on here. I walk to the very end of my hallway and open the double doors to my bedroom. The big super queen size bed sits against the back wall in the middle of the room, the bed is white with white and silver bedding. The futon is white leather with silver cushions, the carpet is more like a full room rug white and fluffy. There is glass chandelier above the bed, glass bedside tables with lamps on them. Opposite my bed is a grand white fireplace with a 60-inch tv attached to the wall on top of it. Next to the fireplace is a small white unit which encases my PlayStation four and games, necessities obviously and some ornaments. There are two doors on the left side of my bedroom, one is my huge bathroom it has the biggest shower with nine high powered shower heads in. the claw foot bath big enough to fit two huge men in is placed in the middle of the room the toilet is in the far right corner, along the left-hand wall is a marble unit that fits the length of the wall it is packed with bath bombs, shower gels, wash stuff, candles and whatever else I would need. There is a mirror that is on top of the unit and a sink built into it. I walk into the next door and my dreams have finally come true. the Space is huge, floor to ceiling units on each side encase, designer shoes, clothes and bags. I have more clothes than necessary but I love them too much to not buy them. There is a vanity desk with a huge Hollywood mirror at the end of the room that has white floor to ceiling drawers that cover the back wall filled with every bit of makeup and hair stuff I could order. In the middle of the room is a marble island that has secret drawers throughout the sides where my vast amount of sunglasses, jewellery and accessories are kept. To say I spent a fortune buying ever
ything in here is an understatement but hey I am insanely rich and I can spend it if I want. I do give everything I don't wear or have had my use out of to women from homeless shelters and victims of domestic abuse I'm not a stuck up bitch and I don't necessarily flaunt my wealth but I'm not going to be ashamed of it either. On the right side of my bedroom is a smaller room which has a security code to get into this is my surveillance room which lets me see every inch of my house from the cameras I had installed. This is where my extensive collection of guns and weapons are kept. There is also a little red button under the large wooden desk that locks my whole bedroom down as a panic room.
I'm laid on my bed, elated with how the house turned out when my phone buzzes next to me I grab it and find a text from a number I don't recognise.
Dude its Brix, don't be mad I hacked Buckley's phone to get your number. Can I speak to you alone?
Me: fuck no did you not understand my clear warning earlier I want nothing to do with any of you.
Brix: come on baby doll, look let me come to you now and have a chat and I won't give Ash your digits.
Me: for fuck sake, fine Brix but you best not start else I will hand your ass to you.
Brix: ok, I wave the white flag for this causal visit, where are you staying.
Me: my house.
Brix: which is where?
Me: Buckley mansion, its mine now.
Brix: you're on the compound? Ok i'll be there in ten.
Right on time Brix buzzes to be let in, I press the buzzer and the gates open for him, I can see him drive down the large drive as I open the front door. He gets out of the car and walks toward me cocky grin plastered on his face. "Hey, baby doll". I groan "do not call me baby doll or any name other than Kassidie". "don't be so stuck up Kass, it's only me". "fuck you, Brix." I walk through the foyer and into the kitchen and grab two beers out of the fridge and chuck one to Brix, we sit on the bar stools at the breakfast bar. I stare at Brix for a moment taking in how much he has changed. He is tall but not as tall as Ash and he is mega built. He has buzz cut his dirty blonde hair and his light brown eyes bore into me as he is staring right back. I can see his tribal tattoo creeping up his chest. He's wearing a white tank and low hanging jeans paired with Nike's. His arms are covered in tattoos some tribal some Chinese like there was a mix and match deal at the tattoo parlour, it suits him though. "so why do you want to talk to me so badly? won't your leader be mad your here?" I say sarcasm dripping from my words. "Ijust wanted to see you on my own for a minute, I've missed you, we all have." "yeah right". Brix looks sad "we looked for you, we tried everything to find you, when you didn't show up we assumed you were dead". "you knew I wasn't dead, if I were Buckley would be kicked off the board". "that's what we thought, but we came to the conclusion he hid your death so he could remain in his seat". "your point is null and void anyway, you should have never let me be taken!" I feel a pang of sadness. "us boys were warned before the meeting, kade included, we knew what was going to happen to you, but we were told you would still live with your mother and brother and just carry the name Buckley, that's why we didn't intervene." I shook my head "you know as well as I do that was never an option for me". "only after the meeting did we realise that was lies, but you choose to move away for nine years". Brix's face flashes with hurt. "and I'm glad I did, I would have never been equal to you in training if I stayed, I don't regret going, I was hurt by my father, mother and brother that day not to mention the three other boys I grew up with and thought would have my back." a tear falls from my eye and I swipe it away quickly. "Kass I know we hurt you, we thought we were doing the right thing, don't forget we were all the same age as you except Ash who was nine. What could we have done to stop it". He looks at down at his lap. "Brix I know full well you couldn't have stopped it but you could have said something or even looked at me, you all completely ignored me and my cries for help, like none of you, gave a shit." "baby doll". He grabs me and pulls me into a hug, I just stand there refusing to hug him back. "we love you always have and always will, we do not care if your some big badass bitch assassin or a sweet girl who needs us to protect her, like it or not we are not leaving you alone again and you need to accept that". I pull away from him "Brix I don't know if I can, I can't trust any of you." "we will earn your trust again but don't push us away completely". He gets a stack of what looks like letters from his back pocket "these are proof of how much we all love you, read them then call me ok?" "ok". He gets up to leave and when he gets to the kitchen door he turns "oh and Ash is reeling after you put him on his ass, good job baby doll you really are a badass". I laughed "bye Brix".
I have been in bed for the past two hours binge-watching insatiable on Netflix, funniest shit I have ever watched, but I have a hundred and one emotions whirling around inside of me the letters from Brix are sitting at the end of my bed taunting me, I thought they never really cared but it's becoming more obvious they did. If I read them letters will I let them back in, I can't do that I cannot give them anything that can hurt me. My phone buzzes with a text
Brick: read the goddamn letters woman!
I laugh, I know I have forgiven them already I did years ago knowing they couldn't have done anything to help me but why shouldn't I let them all suffer for a while.
Me: ok, ok, I'm reading them now.
Brix: good girl.
Me: fuck off.
Brix: feisty one aren't you
Me: do you want a beating
Brix: hell no, my face is too pretty to break.
I laugh again and shake my head “arsehole”.
I Grab the letters small stack of letters. The first on the pile looks old and worn as if it was written years ago.
25th December 2011
Dear Kassi.
We miss you, we're all sorry that we didn't speak up, we knew that you had to take Buckley's name but we didn't know you would be sent away. We would have stopped them I promise.
You are the other half of me and I promise you now and forever that every Christmas present and every birthday present of mine will be stored away with yours until you return. I will not celebrate anything I know you're out there and I know you hate me but I love you you're my twin and I'm struggling to survive without you. I will not have any happy moments until I see you again, I don't deserve your forgiveness or your love but I will lay on the floor and dye before I give up on you.
I love you, Kassi, please come back it's been six months I need you.
Love you forever
Kaden.
Ok, now I'm crying. I am going to have to forgive them after this but I won't ever forget, I will keep the shield around my heart forever and always but maybe just maybe I can have my family back. I go to the next letter
18th August 2015
Hey Kass
it's my 12th birthday today and we have not celebrated it, we all refuse to celebrate anything until your home, please come back its unbearable without you, Kade has gone into a deep brooding depression and doesn't talk to any of us, Brix just wants to punch everyone and everything all the time and Ash, Ash just sits in his room staring at your picture every night. We let you down, I promise we won't again. I don't even know if your alive and that kills me so I won't believe it.
If I ever see you again I promise to give you 100 bunches of flowers and I will sit watching Disney princess movies with you for 24 hours straight. Anything you want i'll do forever
love you
Ethan.
I am so making him keep the promise of a Disney fest.
8th May 2016
Kass
come home
we are slowly dying without you.
I'm no good at letters
please know we love you.
Brix.
Really, I roll my eyes. Grabbing my phone I shoot out a text.
Me: your letters pathetic is that all you could come up with.
Brix: I know, sorry baby doll I don't have a great way with words, especially when they're serious.
> Me: hmmm, I can see that.
Brix: love you.
I throw the phone next to me and chuckle, “bonehead” I mutter to myself.
The last letter
14th February 2017
I know you're alive, I refuse to think otherwise.
I hate not knowing where you are
KassIalways remember that you were, I mean, are the light in our world, you are the glue that keeps us upright. We need you. I'm not going to apologise because you deserve so much more than how we treated you.
Do you remember when you were six and you made me be your valentine because you wanted a card? I begged my mother to let me buy you all them flowers and presents and I made you the biggest card in existence. I didn't do that because you made me, I did it to make you happy. I will spend eternity making you happy if I ever find you and I will never give up looking.
You are our princess and one day you will be our queen. Your the strongest person I know
please forgive the others they need you. I can live with you hating me as long as your home.
Ash.
I smile at the memory our front garden was full of flowers and presents it took me hours to get through them all. I'm crying uncontrollably now and it takes me twenty minutes to calm down.
I run to my bathroom and clean myself up, I grab my phone and call Brix.
"Baby doll did you read them all?" "Yeah, I did" I pause for a moment "I don't know if I can fully forgive you all just yet but I suppose I can try". "fuck yes, we will take whatever crumbs you wanna give us". I can hear his smile over the phone it makes my heart squeeze just a little. "we have something for you, meet us at Ash's in twenty minutes".
