Freedom Read online

  No one responds to him, but Rafe quickly leans over the back of the sofa, his hand tightening around Reece’s neck as he pulls him back into the cushions.

  “I want Jess to have a phone call with her father. Prove he is still alive. Otherwise, any of us will happily kill you.”

  “Okay,” he croaks, a little fear finally flashing in his eyes.

  “I want it by the end of the week, or you get nothing but my blade in your gut.” Nodding, Rafe releases him and turns for the door, the rest of us slowly rising to follow after him.

  “Man, I know her pussy is sweet, man, but this is a lot of—”

  He doesn’t get to say another word as Oscar punches him square in the face, beating the rest of us to it. Maybe Aiden was right. I’d happily let the Aces get in trouble with Jess if it means this fucker will get what he deserves.

  Now, we need to figure out how to bring Jess back to us.

  West

  “Oh my god, this is not a gangster movie. If you don’t hold the fucking gun right, I’m kicking you out,” I growl, losing my patience as I repeat myself the same way I do every lesson with some of these fuckers.

  The little asshole from Diamond grunts in response. But the students won’t pass this class if they don’t fucking listen, and they should know by now what happens if you fail. Their parents won’t even be sad if Featherstone kills them. They’ll be more embarrassed than anything else. They always are.

  Glancing at my watch, we’re only a few minutes before the bell will ring, so I decide to call time now.

  “Okay, pack up and get changed. We’re done for the day.” Nobody argues, but I see the way Roman looks at me, acknowledging my shitty attitude, and I just don’t care.

  Walking over to them as they pack their weapons away, I stand frozen in space as I realize they’re exactly where Jess was when she showed us her gun skills. God, it feels like yesterday, but so long ago, all at the same time.

  “Hey, moon. How’s she doing?” I ask, unable to stop myself from asking.

  We pushed Reece back, made him agree to leave her alone, but it didn’t bring her closer to us as I expected. If anything, I feel like she put another barrier in its place.

  I’m losing my mind over it. I just want to hold her, be with her however she needs. She’s my sunshine, and I don’t have any light without her.

  “Red is doing okay. She has slept a little better the past few nights knowing she doesn’t have to deal with Reece for the time being,” she admits, and I’m glad we were able to help her with that at least.

  I nod in acknowledgment, rubbing the back of my neck before I ask my next question.

  “Spit it out, West. You make me antsy when you do that,” Luna murmurs, pointing at my neck, and I quickly drop my hand to my side.

  “If I don’t get my bloodline tattoo done, I fear my grandmother will come down here and do it herself, and she can’t even draw a straight line,” I joke, rolling my eyes. “So, I am hoping you would help me out?”

  I watch her eyes light up with the opportunity to get her kit out and spend some time doing what she loves.

  “For sure, we could do it now? Red has a class, and I have some free time. I don’t want to leave her alone right now outside of classes, so this would be better for me.”

  “I can do now,” I respond, a little overwhelmed with how much she cares and protects Jess. Jess needs that, especially when she is pushing the rest of us away. They both deserve someone in their life that the other offers — the perfect sun and moon.

  “You just made her day,” Parker mumbles with a smile, patting my shoulder as he passes.

  “Perfect. Give me five minutes,” she calls out, heading for the locker room, the rest of the Aces following behind her.

  Thank god she said yes. Otherwise, I’d have to make the trip to Inked and have Rafe do it. I can finally appease my grandmother too.

  I’d never really understood the importance of connection to the bloodline tattoos people have. The whole marking yourself to link you to your family, a connection blood itself already did. Then, I see the Aces all take Luna’s bloodline tattoo, and I felt it. The extra connection it gave them, how in sync they all are with each other, and I want that.

  But to have something similar, I need to have mine done first.

  Making sure all the weapons are safely locked away. I wait outside by my motorcycle.

  “You are just teasing me. All ready to go on your bike while I take a car,” Luna calls out, gaining my attention.

  “You say that like it isn’t a fucking Rolls Royce, moon.”

  Rolling her eyes at me, she climbs inside, Roman right behind her. That’s my cue to move. Throwing my helmet on, I hit the gas, speeding past the line of Rolls before they even begin to pull away.

  The quicker I get there, the better. I’m wearing grey sweats and a hoodie, but it’s still fucking freezing out here.

  The second I pull up outside of Ace, Thomas spots me and opens the garage door from his desk inside. Leaving my helmet on the bike, I head into the lobby just as Luna and the Aces step in through the main doors.

  Following them into the elevator, the Aces remain quiet. Not even Roman has anything shitty to say, which makes for a positive change. It almost feels awkward, like they pity me. Not anymore than I pity myself that’s for sure.

  Stepping out, Luna unlocks the door to her room, and I follow her inside.

  “I’ll grab your ink case, princess,” Roman murmurs, kissing her temple before he steps into her room. Taking a seat on the sofa, she waves me over.

  “Coffee, Sakura?” Kai offers, but he’s already moving towards the kitchen before she even answers.

  Oscar and Parker sit on the sofa opposite us, feet up on the coffee table as they set some video games up. I love how comfortable and natural it all is between them, all while they dote on Luna too.

  I want this with Jess. All of this. I need her to see how right it is.

  My thoughts are interrupted as Roman places Luna’s suitcase between us.

  “How are you doing, West?” Roman asks, taking a seat on the other side of Luna, and I glance at him with my eyebrow raised. When did we care enough to ask each other how we were doing? “Don’t look at me like that. I know what it feels like to have the woman you want push you away because we omit information.”

  Sighing, I watch as Luna organizes her equipment. “I feel like I can’t breathe properly without her.” Swiping a hand down my face, I distract myself from the conversation proceeding any further by pulling my phone from my pocket and finding a picture of my bloodline emblem for Luna.

  Handing her the phone, her jaw drops a little, and she nods in appreciation.

  “Where?”

  “Not his dick,” Oscar chimes in, making Roman grunt, and I laugh along with Oscar.

  “Down the center of my chest, if that’s okay?” I ask, indicating with my hand exactly where, and Luna nods in agreement.

  “Give me two minutes to get the stencil together, and we’re good to go.”

  I watch as she draws the tattoo as if it is her design. Completely effortless and intricate as always.

  “Hoodie off, and lay on the floor,” she murmurs, and I lift it over my head, rolling it into a cushion for myself as I lay as she asks. Glancing at me, her ink gun poised above my chest, I nod for her to go.

  My eyes settle on my chest as I watch her do her work. The needle scratches across my skin as I lay still, watching as the red freedom rose comes to life on my skin. The Aces chat around me, but I don’t pay enough attention to get involved. Happy to just be in my own head.

  “She misses you,” Luna mumbles, her focus still on her work, and it takes a minute for me to realize she’s talking to me before I even figure out who she’s talking about.

  “What we have is too special for you not to miss each other,” I respond, and Luna’s lip tilts up in a sad smile.

  “I’ve tried talking to her, but Red shuts me down every time I try. Which is proba
bly because she knows I will talk some sense into her, chipping away at the imaginary barriers she’s placing around her heart.” Her gaze meets mine, and I can see the sincerity in her eyes.

  “I wish I knew how to fix it. To take her fear away, eradicate the memories of what Frankie put her through, and take back the fact I omitted such an important piece of information,” I admit, not caring how vulnerable I’m being in front of the Aces.

  “Do you promise to make everything right?” Oscar demands from his seat on the sofa, his gaze flickering from the video game on the television.

  I frown. “That’s the kind of promise I make to Jess, not you. No offense.”

  “Right answer.” He grins, winking at Luna, who rolls her eyes, and just like that, he goes back to the game.

  “What just happened?” I mutter, looking past Luna to Roman, who meets my gaze.

  “It means we’ll help.”

  They'll do what? I don’t question it. Whatever they’re willing to offer, I’ll take because Rick, Aiden, and I need all the help we can get.

  As the last splash of color fills in the final petal, my phone vibrates from where Luna placed it on the coffee table. Roman grabs it as Luna starts to clean my new ink, holding it out for me to take.

  Rafe.

  “Ah, shit. Hello?” I answer, knowing full well what’s about to come.

  “Hey, we need to move out. The Russians are back on the map, and they need us to be involved,” Rafe says, and I can hear the car engine in the background.

  “Damn it. There is stuff going on here right now with Jess,” I argue, but I know it won’t stop the order.

  “I know, West. I argued that, but this is what we get for being the best. The jet will be there in thirty minutes, and I’ll meet you there.” He ends the call, and I sigh in frustration.

  “Assignment?” Luna asks, and I nod.

  “Yeah, and now I get to lie on my stomach regretting the placement of the tattoo the whole time,” I answer, standing from the sofa and carefully pulling my hoodie over my head. “Thank you for this, Luna. I really appreciate it.”

  “You know I love any excuse to pull this stuff out. It’s no stress at all.”

  Hovering for a moment, I glance between them all. “Take care of my sunshine while I’m gone, yeah?”

  “Always,” Luna answers, and just like that, I’m pulled away to deal with Featherstone’s issues instead of my own.

  The jet bounces slightly as it hits the runway. Landing on the small private strip of tarmac at the side of the busy international airport, I sigh as we roll to a stop.

  It’s the last-minute jobs like this that have me storing weapons in the trunk of my car in a fitted safe, just like the Rolls Royce’s do at Ace. Lifting my duffel bags over my shoulder, I head for the door.

  A little over an hour-long flight, and I find myself in Atlanta. Rafe should be here anytime since he was back home in Philadelphia, it made sense for us to travel separately.

  I guess that’s one thing I liked about this job. The fact that it requires two men, so I am never really alone. We work well as a team, even if he is a bossy asshole ninety percent of the time.

  The flight attendant offers me a kind smile as I take the steps down from the jet. Dust kicks up off the floor with the propellers still turning, green fields all I can see, until I turn to my right and see the bigger terminal. The cars and trucks that fill the highways circling the airport sound like a distant hum.

  Glancing at my phone, I don’t have a message from Rafe yet, so I head for the small hangar to wait for him there. I hate coming to Atlanta. It’s one of the only places where Featherstone doesn't have their own airport or hangar. So, we always have to be extra cautious.

  Two jets fill the only available space inside, with three guys fixing a few parts on one of them. I can barely hear the sound of the larger commercial airplanes in the distance since they’re welding pieces of metal together in the far corner. The shrill sounds from the machine are already giving me a headache.

  Spying the waiting area, I step inside and drop down into the brown leather sofa that faces the rest of the hangar. I’m alone in here as the old television plays in the corner of the room. An old war movie in black and white filling the screen.

  Come on, Rafe. I want to get everything done here so we can get back.

  Spinning my phone in my lap, I watch as a few of the guys keep looking over in my direction. What’s that about?

  Trying to act casual, I open the camera app on my phone, pretending to pass the time when I’m actually recording my surroundings. Slipping my hand into my duffel bag, making sure no one can see the movement, I pull the sensitive earphone out that Luna gave me ages ago.

  Something isn’t right. I can feel it.

  Leaning my arm on the back of the sofa, I rest my head in my hand, placing the device in my ear. I fucking hate this thing. It picks up the smallest of noises and amplifies them by one hundred, giving me a migraine by the time I’m finished.

  Closing my eyes as if I’m tired and wanting to nap, I focus my energy on the sounds. My prayers are answered when the machine making the most noise is shut off, allowing me perfect access to their conversation.

  “How much longer do we have to wait?”

  “We leave one at a time, so it doesn’t look obvious.”

  “I don’t know how I feel about this, man.”

  Guilt and worry play in his voice, my gut telling me to move, but I can’t draw attention to myself just yet because I know whatever they’re talking about involves me.

  “Fuck how you feel, Roy. They offered too much money to not do as they say.”

  “Besides, they said he dies, or we do. There’s no in between.”

  “Okay. Okay.”

  Slowly opening my eyes, I divert my gaze, glancing at my phone. But my heart pounds in my chest as I try to remain calm and figure this shit out.

  I watch out of the corner of my eye as one of the guys walks from the hangar, and I know I don't have much time for whatever is about to go down here.

  My phone buzzes in my hand, Rafe’s name is flashing across the screen. I answer but don’t raise the phone to my ear.

  “Rafe—”

  “West, get out of there right now. It’s a motherfucking set up.”

  “I know, but I’m sitting in the waiting room, and I’ve just overheard the guys who work here talk about being paid to do a job,” I mumble, watching as a second guy walks from the hangar. “I need to leave as casually as possible. Right now. Where are you?”

  “Get up and walk. We just landed. I’m trying to get them to open the fucking door. I’m on my way. But West, the Russians flew in, stayed for barely twenty minutes, and then flew out again. Something tells me there’s a device planted in there.”

  “On my way,” I answer, rising to my feet and grabbing my duffel bags as I head for the door. Placing my phone in my pocket, I focus on what I can hear from the earpiece.

  “He’s moving, guys, he’s moving,” the last guy in the hangar murmurs, heading for the runway.

  “Shit. Do it. Do it now,” one of the others panics.

  “No, wait. I’m not far enough away. The explosion will kill me too!”

  Fuck.

  Picking up my pace, I start to run, ducking under the wing of the jet blocking my exit. And that’s when I hear it. The click amplifies in my ear before I hear one of the guys scream for the other to run, and I see Rafe charging towards me as I get to the opening of the hangar.

  Before I can take another step, an explosion rings out, my head screaming as the noise intensifies in my ears. The boom of the blast lifts me off my feet, my duffel bags gone as I smash into one of the closed shutters.

  Pain rips from my body as I slump to the floor, my vision blurring as I try to get my bearings. My head falls back on the shutter behind me as my eyes fall on the waiting room I was just in. Every inch of the surrounding space is in flames as smoke fills my lungs.

  “West! West!”
/>   I can hear Rafe, but I can’t respond as I feel my body shutting down. But the pain feels numb compared to the way my heart bleeds. I’m going to die here, and I never got to make things right with Jess. My sunshine.

  Maybe this was a sign she was better off without me.

  Jess

  “You will sit your ass down and eat with me,” Luna says sternly, glaring at me until I sink into my seat.

  Apparently, I’ve been hiding away in my room too much, and the best way to get me out is to bring me to my favorite Italian restaurant on-site. The first place Luna and I chatted properly. Where I showed her how vulnerable I truly was, and she vowed to help make me stronger.

  “Thank you.” She sighs, taking the seat across from me as the Aces sit on the other side of the room, pretending to give us privacy.

  “They can just sit with us you know,” I murmur, and she rolls her eyes.

  “Of course. I know, but they don’t have the required vaginas to sit in on girl time.” I chuckle lightly and watch as her shoulders relax. This is all for me. Her attempt to lift my spirits, so I have to try, even if she is being a bossy bitch.

  Glancing over the menu, I try to decide what I want as Luna orders two sweet-iced teas. I have to admit, it feels nice wearing something other than my yoga pants and a hoodie.

  Wearing the black knitted turtleneck Juliana sent me with a pair of black skinny jeans, and black heeled boots with silver studs lining the soul, I feel like a badass. Jessica Watson version 2.0.

  Luna’s phone vibrates on the table, but she flips it over instantly, continuing to browse her menu. No sooner has it stopped does it start back up again, but she continues to ignore it.

  “You can answer your phone, Luna.”

  “I know, but we’re having a fun meal together. I don’t want any interruptions.” Well then. I nod in acknowledgment, but the second hers stops my phone starts. Pulling it from my pocket, I show her the screen.

  Rafe.

  Frowning, she glances at her phone, and the two missed calls were from him, and he clearly needs her with this many calls in the space of a minute.