War Bringer (27 page)

Fiona didn’t answer him.

“I heard you fought back at the shack you were kept in.” He grinned at her. “From what Kelan says, you were fucking epic.”

Fiona tilted her head and looked at him. “They weren’t expecting that. Took four guys to get me.” She rubbed her nose. “But it didn’t change my fate. They still took me. And my resistance didn’t do anything for the girls whose only way out of the house was into the jaws of dogs trained to kill them.”
 

“We’ve talked about fighting. You know that leaving the situation is always your first best option. You run from an assailant when possible, fight when it’s not. Self-defense is a tool, like anything else available to us. You used it in the ways you were taught.”

“But it did no good.”

Angel shrugged. “Maybe. You don’t know that. The girls you were locked in there with, I bet they’d never had another person—much less a female—fight for them before. What courage did your bravery inspire in them?”

Fiona’s eyes watered. She squeezed them shut. “I can’t see an end to it, Angel. I can only see the dark.”

They sat in silence for a while. It was uncomfortable and long, and Fiona really just wished Angel would go away. As if he heard her thoughts, he stood. “I want to see you at practice tomorrow. It’s good for the body and mind, even if it’s useless in real life.”

He started up the steps. She felt bad hurting his feelings. All she’d done was pass her hurt on to him. Really, he should have left her alone.
 

He paused at the top step. “Fee, maybe you should talk to Rocco. He’s lived in the dark a lot longer than you. He might know some things he can share.”

Fiona thought about that. Yeah, maybe it would help. “Where is he?”

Angel’s lips folded against his teeth as he looked off into the distance beyond the house. “He’s working on something in the bunker for now. Later you might find him over at Mandy’s. Sometimes he likes to hang out in her old barn.” He lowered his head, then looked back at her. “If you go there, make some noise so he knows you’re there.”

Like the whistling Angel had done as he approached. Fiona’s eyes watered again. She nodded. “Thanks, Angel.”

* * *

Fiona walked back into the house a little while after Angel left. Ivy was in the living room, putting some papers in her briefcase.
 

She looked up and smiled. “Hey. I wasn’t sure if you were still here or if you’d gone back to school.”

Fiona didn’t smile. “I’m not sure I’m going back to school.”

Ivy nodded. “I understand. Look, if you wanted to get out of here for a little while, you could come with me. I have a bit of work to do at the diner, then we could go for coffee or grab Selena and head down to Cheyenne. Maybe we’ll throw caution to the wind and spend the day in Denver.”

Fiona nodded. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Good. How soon can you be ready?”

“Fifteen minutes?”

“Sounds perfect. Come down when you’re ready. Bring a book to read so you have something to do while I knock out a few things in the office.”

Fiona met Ivy in the foyer a few minutes later. “Should we tell someone we’re headed out?”

“Selena knows.”

They went through the garage and down to the small parking lot that was off to the side. Fiona slipped her arm through Ivy’s. “I feel like an escapee.”

Ivy laughed. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“To get out, yes.” The thought of leaving instantly brought Kelan to mind; leaving him did not feel good. “I don’t think I’d feel so cornered if”—she caught herself before complaining. There was nothing she could do about the man who’d fathered her—“things were different. I just don’t know where I fit. How I belong.”

They split apart as they went to their sides of her car. “Then I’m glad I got you out of the house for a bit.” They got in and buckled up. Ivy looked over at her. “Things will be easier for you once you get back to school.”

“I’m not sure I’m going back.” Fee shook her head.

“Are you afraid that there’ll be repeat of what just happened?”

“Maybe.” She looked at Ivy. “I’m King’s daughter. I’m a liability to anyone near me. People die when they get close.”

“Oh, Fee. I’m so sorry this is happening. Have you thought about switching to online classes?”

Fiona sighed and shifted her gaze to look out the window, watching the soft hills slip past as they headed toward town. “The thing is, I’m not even sure that I want the degree I’ve declared anymore. Why does the world need another business admin anyway?”

“Ah.” Ivy flashed a look at her. “The whole existential conundrum. I just went through some of that myself. It sucks.” She smiled as she gave Fiona a sympathetic look.

“What did you do about it?”

“Spent a lot of time thinking about what’s really important to me. To Casey. To Kit.” They pulled into town. “If you don’t want to go into a business field, what else interests you?”

“I don’t know. Seems there are other things that matter more than getting a business degree. Like helping the girls I met over the past few days—the ones stuck in the sex-trafficking ring or ones from the Friendship Community. Seems like there ought to be a way I could help people rather than harvesting money from them.”

“I’m in business here with the diner. I don’t think of what I’m doing as harvesting money from my customers. If I’m successful, I’ll earn an income, true, but I provide a valuable service to my community in the process. Employment—with benefits—for a dozen people in an environment that cares about work and home life balance. The diner’s a hub for our neighbors. And we provide reduced-cost meals for seniors. I think we’re a positive addition to the town, and I like being a part of that.”

“I didn’t mean—”

Ivy smiled. “I know. Sounds like you want to go in a different direction than you did when you started down your degree path. That’s okay, Fee. That’s part of what college is about.” She pulled up outside of her diner. “You know who would be a good person to talk to about this? Remi. She’s found a way to work with niche, at-risk populations. Maybe she can help you identify your next steps.”

They got out of the car. “I’ll talk to her,” Fiona said as Ivy came around to her side.
 

“You know, there are many ways of helping people, even with a business degree. Maybe a little time off to figure things out isn’t a bad thing.”

Fiona nodded. “I hate being lost.”

Ivy laughed. “Welcome to the human race.”
 

They parted ways inside. Fiona settled into a booth. One of the waitresses brought her a slice of apple pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and a cup of coffee. She opened her e-reader and flipped through a list of books she’d wanted to read. She sampled several different ones, but couldn’t seem to get into any of them.

Kelan had asked some good questions last night at the firepit. If she did decide to go, how was she going to survive? How could she keep King from finding her? She’d need a job. A place to live.
 

The thought of leaving cut to the quick. Maybe there was a way of doing it in steps. Maybe Ivy had an opening for a waitress. And didn’t she have an empty apartment on the third floor of this building? It was sort of safe here, given all the surveillance that the team had put in to protect Ivy. And Ty’s dad worked here.
 

If she could work here, then at least she would be making her own way, not living off the charity of the team…and Kelan.

But would he let her go?

Fiona brought her dishes to the kitchen, then went to see Ivy, who was in her office doing some paperwork. She looked up from her desk and smiled. “Getting bored?”

“No.”

“I’m almost finished. Five minutes, max.”

“I was wondering…do you have any openings for a waitress? If I’m going to sit out a semester, I need to earn my keep.”

Ivy took a long time answering. “Have you talked this over with Kelan?”

Fiona fought tears. She didn’t want to go, even in these small steps. She just couldn’t see any alternative. “Some. I kind of want to have things organized before I tell him more. And I was also wondering if you would rent one of your apartments to me. That way, I can get my feet under me before deciding what’s next.”

Ivy gestured toward the side chair next to her desk. “Fee, do you love Kelan?”

Fiona blinked her tears away and swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“You know I told you about my crisis a little while back? I learned something going through that, something unexpected. Our guys love us in a deep and abiding way. We aren’t just adornments to them; we’re essential to their lives. I can’t, in good conscience, agree to something that would hurt Kelan and negatively impact the team. I’ve been there. I did that. I know what that cost is.”

The tears did fall then. “King will never stop, Ivy. I’m a danger to them if I stay.”

Ivy teared up, too. She took a set of keys out of her desk drawer. “Ace has the apartment on the second floor. Go take a look at the one on the top floor. I’m not saying I agree to this. I need to hear that this is okay with Kelan—not because he’s the boss of you, but because you’re a couple now. You need to do things as a couple. Really, really, think this through, Fee.”

Fiona took the keys and stared at them in her hand. Every instinct she had screamed it was a bad decision. She looked at Ivy. “I will. Thank you.”

Chapter
 
Twenty-Five

Fiona walked up the two flights of stairs. There was only one apartment on each of the floors above Ivy’s diner. She unlocked the door. A wave of stale air swirled around her. The windows were closed, trapping in the heat of the September day. Flies buzzed at the front window. There wasn’t any furniture, but there wasn’t any debris from the last occupant, either. It had the standard complement of rooms: living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and two bedrooms. It was a big space for just one person.

Fiona heard the stairs creak. She’d left the front door open. Someone knocked on her door then popped a head inside.
 

Ace.

Her purple hair was shaggy. She wore big hoop earrings with half a dozen littler rings in the cartilage farther up her ears. Her makeup was perfect, like she had a crew of makeup artists at her full disposal.

“Hi,” Ace said. “I heard someone up here and was curious.”

Fiona smiled. “I was thinking of renting this place.”

“I thought you lived up at the big house with Ivy.”

“I do.”

Ace folded her arms and stepped deeper into the apartment. Her perfectly sculpted brows lifted. “That’s kind of an odd arrangement.”

“I guess so. It’s like a sorority house on campus…except it’s different.”

“What are they doing up there? The guys?”

Fiona looked at Ace, measuring her interest in the team. “I don’t know. It started out as a team retreat. I guess they liked the area and decided to stay longer.”

“But what do they do? I’ve heard the gossip, and I’ve seen the pictures of them and their guns the time the deputy pulled them over.”

Fiona shook her head, feeling uncomfortable with the direction of Ace’s questions. “I don’t really know. I’ve been preoccupied with school.”

Ace nodded toward the bruise on her face. “Do they keep you there against your will?”

Fiona touched her bruise. “No. Not really. It’s complicated.” She looked out the window to the town’s main street, avoiding Ace’s intense and pale green eyes. “You ever wanted to just disappear, Ace?”

“Yes.”

“How would you do it?”

“Why do you want to disappear?”

Fiona felt ill. “I’ve recently learned I’m the daughter of a crime lord. He wants me under his control. I’m a danger to anyone I’m around.”

Ace seemed preternaturally still. “Who’s your father?”

“A bastard named King.”

“Shit.” Ace tore her eyes from Fiona and glared at the wall.
 

“Do you know him?”

“I can help you disappear.”

“Do you know King?”
 

“He sounds like a power-mongering sonofabitch. I know his type.”

“He’s everywhere. He knows everything. I don’t know how I could slide under his radar.”

“I do.”

Fiona met her eyes, held them in silence for a long moment. “Will you help me?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know about disappearing?”

“I’ve had some experience doing it. Do the guys know you’re King’s kid?”

Fiona nodded. “In fact, they helped me get away from him recently.” She pointed to her chin. “Hence the bruise.”

“It isn’t easy disappearing. Everyone you meet or talk to or accept help from becomes a target of those after you. If you’re in a controlled situation now, might be best to hang tight there a while.”

“What were you running from when you disappeared?”

“Some bad people.”

“Are you safe now?”

“For a little while.”

“You should come to the house and talk to the guys. They would help you.”

“That’s what Val said.”

“Maybe you should listen to him.” Fiona couldn’t help but grin at the irony that she was giving this tough girl survival advice.

Ace returned her smile as she followed Fee to the door. “Maybe I will. I tell you what. I’ll come talk to the guys about my issue, if you’ll rethink leaving the big house. For a while, anyway.”

Fiona busied herself locking the door. Before she could answer, Ivy called up to them. “Fee! Come down here. I have something to show you.”

Fiona looked at Ace, then both of them hurried down the stairs. Ivy met them at the main level. Her face was tense, her eyes bright. Fiona frowned. “What is it?”

Ivy turned and walked into the back door of her diner. The girls followed her. She stopped at her office and pointed to a box sitting on her desk. It was a shiny red decorative gift box about six square inches.
 

“This just showed up. The label says it’s for you.”

Fiona stared at the box. How did anyone know she was here? “Where did it come from?”

“I don’t know. I went to the restroom, and it was here when I got back. I asked the crew out front, but no one saw anyone bring it in.”