by Ella Miles
The second picture fills me with a rage I didn’t know was possible until I became a father.
It’s a picture of a young boy, around three years old, I would guess. His eyes are big and puffy from crying, he’s in a small dark closet, and the bastard had the audacity to tie his little wrists together.
The child is my brother, well my half-brother, as every man and boy in my life turns out is related to me in some way. And that cuts me even worse, I not only didn’t know of the boy’s existence but failed in protecting him from a monster.
* * *
Me: Return the boy to his parents. Liesel is enough to get us to come.
* * *
Felix: Oh, but, Liesel is his parent. And I think I’ll be keeping him. Better motivation. One week. Meet in Miami where your house once stood. Both of you. If Kai doesn’t show up, I’ll kill the boy.
* * *
I chuck my phone hard against the wall as tears stream down my face. My little brother. Liesel, my sister, for all purposes, both taken by a madman because of me. I should have protected them, like I protected my own children. Instead, I was selfish. I put my own happiness above everything else. I could have attacked Felix any time during the last couple of weeks. I could have stopped this before he resorted to taking Liesel and her son.
Now, I failed. Again.
I stand and pace, my anger flowing through my veins, pumping me with so much hate and frustration. How could I have failed?
“Enzo,” Kai says cautiously, as she puts both babies in Beckett’s arm. He's sitting in the bed watching us. She stands, and our eyes meet.
While my eyes are filled with pain and hate, her’s are filled with love and compassion. I don’t understand how she could feel that way at a time like this.
“This isn’t your fault,” she says.
“Yes, it is. I failed.”
“No, you didn’t. You haven’t had a chance to fail. You didn’t know Felix would take them. And you were doing everything you could to protect your family. To be there for your kids. You were keeping your vow to me and putting us first.”
She strokes my cheek. “Now, we can fix this.”
I grab her hand. “I can’t lose you. Any of you. But—”
“I know. You won’t. We have a week to figure out a plan. But we are not losing Liesel or that boy.”
I close my eyes as tears replace my anger. Finn’s cry stirs me deep in my soul. I have to do this for them. I have to do this for the boy Felix has trapped in a cage. I have to do this for Liesel, Langston, Beckett, Zeke. I have to do this for my mother. For Kai’s birth parents. For her father.
I never wanted this, any of this. But this is what life gave me. A chance to change the Black organization forever. A chance to stop the evil that has been going on for generations.
I look from my children, to Beckett, to Kai. I couldn’t pick a better army to help me.
“Let’s destroy the evil once and for all,” I say.
Kai smiles.
Beckett nods sternly, gripping the babies closely to his chest, like his arm alone is enough to protect them.
“One week,” I grin. “That was Felix’s mistake. Giving us a week to get ready.”
We all nod.
“What are we going to do with the babies? Before I can discuss any attack plans, or how to destroy Felix and his army, I need to know our children are going to be safe, no matter what. I need to know if something happens to us, the babies are going to be taken care of and loved,” Kai says.
“I can’t—”
“No, we have to have a plan in case we both die fighting for them. They have to be safe,” Kai says, not letting me think otherwise. We do need a plan, as much as it hurts me to think of Kai dying. Of our children growing up without a parent.
We both look to Beckett. He already loves our children. He would make a great substitute parent to our babies if it comes to that.
He looks down at the two bundles sleeping on his chest. “You know I love your children and would give my life for them. And I would be happy to raise them if anything happened to both of you. But you are going to need my help. I can’t stay back and watch them while you go running off. I’m not the safe choice anyway. Felix knows I’m alive. He knows I flipped sides. If he wins, he’ll come search for me—for us.”
Beckett is right; I want him with us when we take on Felix. We need all the allies we can get. And Beckett is only a good choice if Felix and his men are dead along with us. Only then would Beckett be the safe choice to raise our babies.
I look at Kai, and we both have the same idea at the same time—“Langston.”
“But where is he? How do we get in contact with him? Does Felix know he’s alive?” Kai asks.
“I have a general idea where he might have gone. And yes, I can find him if I want to.” I turn to Beckett. “Does Felix know Langston is alive?”
Beckett thinks for a moment. “I don’t think so. He knew Liesel was alive. He saw the security footage of her crawling away from the car after the explosion. But he had no reason to suspect Langston lived. But if he suspects…he’s good at finding people.”
“We will make him think the twins are with my father,” Kai says.
We all turn and face her. “He might have had footage of your father’s death,” I say.
“It’s impossible to know for sure. There was so much smoke and debris. There would be no way for him to know for sure. We will tell him the twins are with my father. That way if we all die, and Felix is still alive; he’ll be searching for a dead man, not Langston,” Kai says.
We have a plan that at least ensures the twins will be safe. Now we just need to find Langston and get him somewhere safe with the twins. Then we can figure out how to kill Felix, without losing any more people we love.
24
Kai
“Are you sure you contacted him?” I ask Enzo for the millionth time in the last three days. Time is running out for us to leave to go to Miami. And Langston still hasn’t responded to Enzo’s email.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Enzo answers.
I pace the small two-bedroom cottage we bought with cash in New Zealand. We’ve been arguing for days about the best place to hide our babies with Langston. Ultimately, no place was safe enough. So we settled on a small town in New Zealand. It has no connections to us or Felix. It feels like a million miles away from Miami, and Enzo is pretty sure Langston is in Australia, so it will be easy for him to travel here.
We decided on a simple cottage to purchase. Although, we only put a modest down payment down, and we know that Langston has enough money to continue to make monthly payments on it. We decided against purchasing a large house outright or even paying off this mortgage. One of Felix’s first moves would be to track down any large home purchases in the last week, assuming we would buy a house for whoever is watching our kids. So we decided against buying any house for them. Anything to make it harder for Felix to find them.
But we’ve been here for two days now, and Langston still hasn’t shown up. I pace the room as I pump breast milk, and the babies sleep in a crib side by side. They each have their own crib, but it seems they sleep better when they are in the same crib. Side by side. Close together.
My nipples are sore and cracked from me pumping basically non-stop these last three days. I’m hoping to have enough breastmilk for my babies while I’m gone a couple of days. But if I don’t make it, Langston will have to change to formula. Just one of the many ways my babies’ lives will be different with me gone.
There is a light rapping at the front door. And we all freeze.
Is it him?
We all walk to the front door. Enzo looks through the small peephole, while Beckett grips his gun at his waist, and I stand behind them both hoping and praying it’s Langston.
Enzo lets out a deep breath and opens the door.
Langston.
“Thank god,” I say, running past Beckett and pushing Enzo out of the way as I take Langston into my arms
.
He puts his arms around me carefully. “You’re alive? How?”
I cry against his chest, the breast pump still doing its thing against my chest.
Langston grabs my shoulders and pulls me from his chest so he can look at me. His tears say more than words ever could.
“How are you alive?” and then he spots the breast pump. “You had the baby?” His eyes light up.
“Babies, actually,” I say with a broad grin.
Enzo grabs Langston and I. “Get inside, you two, and stop making a scene for the neighbors.”
We both step inside, and Enzo shuts the door behind us.
“I saw you die in the explosion. I was on the beach near your car. I watched you and Liesel die. How are you alive?” Langston asks.
“That would be me. I pulled her out of the car before the explosion,” Beckett says.
Langston looks from me to Beckett.
“I’m Enzo’s brother,” Beckett says.
Langston’s eyes go big. “You're Enzo’s brother? How many brothers do you have, Enzo?”
Enzo frowns. “Four half-brothers. One biological brother. Two friends who I count as brothers. Probably more I’m not aware of. So a lot,” he tries to laugh it off, but it is ridiculous how many men in his life are related to him.
Langston studies Beckett.
“He’s one of the good guys, trust me,” I say.
Langston smiles gently at Beckett. “If she trusts you, that’s good enough for me.”
“Would you like to meet the babies?” I ask, hoping he says yes, since the reason we brought him here is to take care of them and be their guardian if the three of us were to perish.
“Yes,” he says, his face lighting up. But I can see what Enzo warned me about. Langston’s eyes are tired, like he hasn’t slept in months. His hair is longer than I’ve ever seen it. His usually clean-shaven face is scruffy. And although he has a nice tan from being out in the sun, he doesn’t look healthy. He looks worn down and exhausted. I’ve never seen him like this.
But it doesn’t make me doubt he’s the right man for the job. If anything, the babies will help him heal faster.
We all walk into the small nursery I set up for the babies. It contains two cribs, a dresser, and a rocking chair.
I pick up our son and hand him to Langston. He takes him a little awkwardly in his arms at first, not sure exactly how to cradle his head, but after a moment he seems more at ease.
“This is Finn Beckett Black,” I say.
He smiles at him and then registers the name. He looks at Enzo. “Finn? Really?”
Enzo nods proudly. “I named him after you and Zeke.”
Langston tries to blink back his tears, but one escapes and slips down his cheek, landing on Finn’s chubby cheek.
“Finn Black, nice to meet you,” Langston says, now rocking him a little, seeming more natural as he holds my son.
“Would you like to meet our daughter?” I ask.
Langston nods.
I pick up Ellie, and Enzo takes Finn from Langston. I hand Ellie to Langston.
“Meet Ellie Liesel Black.”
Langston closes his eyes in pain as I say her name, and I realize my mistake. Langston still thinks Liesel is dead. He doesn’t know the truth. That Felix has her and is using her as ransom to get me and Enzo to finish the game.
“It’s the perfect name,” Langston says, staring down at her, already in love with our daughter as much as we are.
After rocking her a minute in his arms, he looks up. “Is Liesel…” he can’t ask if Liesel is dead.
I open my mouth to speak, but Enzo jumps in.
“I’m sorry,” is all he offers.
Langston nods, turning his attention back to Ellie.
I frown as I look at Enzo. Why didn’t you tell him Liesel is alive?
Enzo looks me in the eyes. I understand his intentions. Langston needs to stay and take care of the babies. He’s not fit enough to try and rescue Liesel. He would get himself killed. And if we aren’t successful in saving Liesel, he won’t survive learning she died all over again. This is for the best.
I bite my lip, not sure if my husband is right or not. Langston deserves to know Liesel is alive. But I trust him to know how Langston feels right now more than I do. And besides, if things work out, we will be bringing Liesel home with us.
“So we have something to ask you,” I say to Langston.
Langston takes a deep breath looking from Ellie to Finn, then up to me. “I will protect these babies with my life.”
25
Enzo
Beckett drives up in front of the beach that once was the site of my house, and is now the site of my pain.
This is where I thought I lost Langston and Liesel. This is the site where I thought I lost all my men. This is the site where I lost Kai and the babies.
I grip Kai’s hand tighter; this is the site where I get it all back. This is where I protect everyone I love. This is where I get my revenge.
Beckett puts the car in park, and we all sit for a moment in silence, knowing once we step out of the car, there is no going back. We will fight Felix to the death. That is the only way to keep our family safe. Even if it means our deaths.
I look from Beckett to Kai. “Let’s do this.”
We all step out of the car ready for whatever tricks Felix has planned. And as we walk up the hill to where the remains of my house sit, I know we are in for a big fight.
Over a hundred men stand in the basement of my house, now exposed to the sun. Most are standing in a semi-circle around Felix. Others are off to the side, not really making it clear if they are behind Felix or not. All of them are men and women who used to work for me. Now, I don’t know whose side they are on.
I resist the urge to draw my gun. I want to kill Felix immediately, but that would most likely be a death sentence. No matter how strong we are, the three of us can’t take on a hundred men by ourselves.
“So happy you could join us,” Felix says as we take a step onto the cement ruins. I loved this house, and Felix destroyed it.
I grin though, knowing I destroyed his home too.
Felix looks at Kai, “Already had the baby, I see? Too bad, I was hoping to be at the birth.”
I step forward, needing to be between Kai and Felix, even though I know Kai is fully capable of taking care of herself.
“Have you run the DNA test yet? Have you determined which of my brothers is the father?” Felix asks, with a smug grin, thinking his words can hurt us. They can’t.
“I already know who the father is,” Kai says, gripping my hand. We have no doubt those babies are mine. They’ve always been mine. A DNA test won’t prove anything other than what we already know.
Felix looks at me with a light in his eye. “Too bad, Milo was the better brother. Any child of his would have been amazing.”
“Where is Liesel? The child?” I ask, tired of Felix’s games, and we only just got here.
Felix whistles and a car door opens. Liesel is sitting in the back of an SUV, still tied up. She looks exhausted but not hurt. Felix didn’t physically touch her, thank fuck.
He nods, and the door slams shut.
“And the child?” Kai asks.
Felix grins. “This isn’t any place for a child.”
She moves to attack him, but I grab her arm and hold her back. I don’t like that we don’t know where the child is either. But once we kill Felix, we will have all the time in the world to find him. Although, I suspect the child is here somewhere. Felix would want to be able to use him as leverage if things don’t go his way.
“Now, for the reason we are all here. The game,” Felix says, looking to his left.
One of the men pushes a scrawny man forward—Archard. He stumbles forward, holding onto his glasses and a piece of paper. He looks like he’s been tortured and beaten. He's lost a lot of weight. And I realize now Felix has tried to get him to pass on the Black power to him. I don’t know exactly what that ent
ails, but I’m guessing the passwords to the vaults and bank accounts. I’ve never needed the access to run the company, as my father left plenty of his personal money to me to run the company with. But it appears no matter how badly Archard is tortured; he won’t give up that information to Felix.
Maybe I was wrong about Archard after all. Maybe he is on our side.
“Read the rules of the final game,” Felix yells to Archard.
Archard tries to stand tall and proud, but he can’t. His body is too broken and hurt.
“The final game is simple. The participants will battle in twenty-minute increments to the death. Each round will involve deadly and deadlier weapons until a victor has been crowned,” Archard reads.
Felix grins. “Can the rules be amended to include more participants?”
Archard frowns and reads the fine print of the contract. “Only with a unanimous vote from the crew present at the final game.”
Felix’s eyes light up—he’s going to join the game. He finally found a way. Most of the men here think he’s a better leader. They will vote for him to enter. And even those who think Kai or I would make a better leader, will vote to allow Felix to enter. They won’t cross Felix. And they will want me to kill Felix. This will ensure that that happens.
“All those in favor of allowing other participants who are blood-related to the Black or Miller line to enter the final game, raise your hand,” Felix says.
One by one, each hand goes up as I knew they would.
“Unanimous,” Felix says with a grin.
Archard sighs, but nods.
“To enter, you must prove you are blood-related and be able to name a blood relation as your heir. Other than Enzo and Kai, are there any other blood relatives who would like to throw their name into the battle to become the leader of the Black organization?” Archard asks.
