Darkness Falls (The Darkness Duet #2)

Chapter 44

Callie

A fter the revelation of Avery being my sister, we fell into silence for the remainder of the drive to Mary Wayfeather’s farm. It’s not a place many people frequented due to how secluded Mark liked to keep his family. I think one of the only reasons I was ever able to come here was because of my family’s standing within the society.

Everyone is tense with Damien being in the back. This wasn’t really a pit stop that we had planned for, but it’s necessary. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle seeing all the women at the farm. They’ve probably seen the smoke and possibly heard the explosion from Rogue. They must have questions, and I can’t leave them wondering what happened.

“Take the next right,” I say as we pull onto the farm’s road. A long, gated, driveway comes into view, and I curse under my breath. “I forgot it’s gated.”

“This is where I shine, princess. Give me a few moments to work my magic.” Barrett smiles over his shoulder as we pull to a stop in front of the gate.

He steps out of the car with his phone in hand, and I catch a glimpse of him pulling up some app before the screen moves out of view. I look over at Avery to see her biting at her fingernails. That’s not like her at all.

"Are you okay?" I ask while tapping on her shoulder.

“I’m fine” is all she says, which has me worried about her.

Barrett slides back into the front seat not even two minutes after getting out, and he looks at me with a silly grin. “Want to do the honors?”

He holds his phone out, prompting me to press something on it, and when I look down, I see the word ‘disengage.’ I tap it, and the gate in front of us slowly opens. He really is a genius when it comes to anything electronic.

When the gate opens fully, we drive up toward the house. The closer we get, the more people come into view. Children stop running and stare at the car. It’s hard for them to see who we are because of the tinted windows, but we don’t stop until we make it to the very end of the driveway, where a large group of women all stand.

“I need you guys to stay in the car,” I state plainly, not leaving it open for discussion.

“Callie,” Seb tries, but I shake my head.

“You need to stay in the car, and you need to trust me.”

“What if something happens? What if there are members of the guard here that weren’t in attendance at the trial?” Seb says.

“No. I’m not having this discussion with you an-”

“Payment?” he interrupts, and I already know what he means. If that’s what it takes to keep his controlling ass in check, then I’ll pay it .

“You can have your freebie back,” I offer, and he raises a brow. Nobody else in the car has anything else to say; they just sit silently as Seb and I work out who will be taking control of how this all goes down.

“Are you sure you want to give that up, trouble? It’s not something I’m ever going to offer again now that I’ve had you.”

“It’s what I have to offer. Will you take it and trust me or not?” I wait for him to answer, knowing the gravity of what I just gave back to him.

If I’m being completely honest, I don’t want to have control in bed anyway. It’s the one time when I like having the power taken away. I know he’s going to accept because it’s too tempting not to.

“I’ll give you ten minutes before we get out to check on you,” he counters, but I’m not having it.

“You’ll give me all the time I need because what I’m giving back to you in return is worth exactly that, and you know it,” I state firmly.

“Fine,” he reluctantly grits with a nod.

I look over to Barrett next, and he nods. Then, I look to Ky, who leans in to press a kiss on my cheek and wishes me luck.

“Avery, if you’re up to it, I’d like you to come with me. These people are technically your legacy, as much as they are mine.”

“I never thought about it like that.” She tilts her head in consideration before nodding.

“Just stay by my side and follow my lead, please. They’re going to wonder who you are because we aren’t supposed to let outsiders have knowledge of us. I know that you have a blood link, but they don’t.” I grab her hand reassuringly and, with that, push open the door of the car.

The two of us walk to the center of Mary’s porch while whispers all around us wonder if our presence here is a good or bad thing. I look around and notice there are several other groups of people spread out on the grounds of the farm as well as inside, and I decide it’s best to call a meeting so I only have to talk about it once.

“If we could get all the adults into one space so we can have a discussion, that would be ideal. I have a lot to say, and I want to make sure everyone hears it directly from me.”

Mary steps to the front of the group in front of me to speak. “What’s going on, Callie? Why is there smoke near the compound, and where are the men? You were supposed to be on trial.”

“I will touch on all of that, I promise. I just need everyone here first.”

She eyes me warily before finally speaking. “We will put the children inside, and the adults can talk out here to ensure they are all safe.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Mary, thank you.”

It takes them a few minutes to round up their children and get them settled inside with popcorn and a movie. My heart breaks a little over some of the things these kids had to go through just by being born into Rogue .

My hope is that most of them are still too young to remember the bad things. Some of the older ones might remember more, but luckily, there aren’t a lot of children within Rogue in general. The lack of children was a more recent problem the society was facing. Maybe it was the universe's way of not letting the cruelty of these men spread to another generation.

Everyone finally settles outside. Avery, Mary, myself, and the wives of the council members stand on the porch while the rest of the women gather in the grass in front of us. My anxiety kicks in, and panic threatens to overtake me. How am I expected to tell them that their husbands are all dead because of me? How are they going to react? Will they be happy? Will they want me to die? Why the fuck did I think this was a good idea?

Avery grabs my hand reassuringly and looks over. She knows I suffer from panic attacks, and with the way my heart is beating in my chest right now, it’s a wonder I haven’t let it fully take over. I close my eyes and dig my nails into the palm of my other hand, grounding myself as I take a few deep breaths.

When I open my eyes again, everyone is staring at me. They’re waiting for me to begin what I’m sure will be one of the most important conversations these women have ever had. Today, we won’t have any men making decisions for us.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you. I understand this is not customary, so I’ll get right to the point. Rogue as you knew it is no more. There are some serious things to discuss, and my only request is that you hear me out entirely before asking questions. ”

I glance around at the group of women to see them eye one another before they start nodding in my direction. My eyes land on the women on the porch, and they also look cautiously, but every single one of them shows me nothing but grace as they let me proceed.

“You all know me as Callie Ashford, the daughter of Gabriel and Natasha Ashford. Unfortunately, it’s more complicated than that. This woman next to me is my full-blooded sister Avery.”

I pause for a moment to let the first truth sink in fully. They mutter things under their breath, but nobody interrupts me.

“Avery was born and raised by two very well-known members of Rouge, Elizabeth and Martin Stone. Gabriel stole me from them as a baby and burned their house down. He believed they were dead, just like all of you, and they believed I died in the fire. They took on fake names to conceal their identity and moved on to build a successful life outside of Rogue. My beautiful sister is proof of that. There is so much more to tell you, but I’m going to give you a moment to ask whatever questions you may have so far.”

I glance out to the crowd, and a woman with short brown hair raises her hand before asking, “Where are the Stones now? If what you’re saying is true, then why are they not here with you?”

“My parents were killed by Damien just a few days ago,” Avery says with a heavy heart .

“When and how did you find out about this?” another woman asks.

“My mother, Natasha, told me about the Stones being my biological parents when the two of us ran from the compound the day after I was forced to marry Damien. I will explain that in more detail as well.”

“Callie, it may be beneficial for you to tell us the rest of the facts before we continue with our questions. There may be more questions that come from the ones we ask if we don’t know everything first,” Mary suggests, and I smile at her.

“My father was cruel. The man that he portrayed himself to be to society was not the same man my mother and I faced at home. He would beat us, torture us, and ridicule everything we did.” I lift my shirt to show the fresh burn scar on my stomach as proof. “Just before I turned eighteen, I ran from Rogue because I was being forced to marry Damien. I thought I was free of him, but he tracked me down and dragged me back here. He needed me married to Damien so he could secure his legacy again.”

I look over at Avery, and she nods, urging me to continue.

“My father threatened the people I love, and I had to marry Damien to protect them. My mother did everything she could, but her hands were tied. As you all know, being a woman in Rogue doesn’t grant you very many opinions. After the wedding, my mother and I ran with the assistance of people I love and trust more than anything. She told me the truth about everything. Gabriel burned down the Stone’s home and stole their baby to raise as his own. My mother was given a choice. Raise me or watch me die. Obviously, Gabriel knew what he was doing because nobody in their right mind would choose anything other than raising the baby.”

I take a breath before continuing, remembering the way my mother told this part of her story, and I feel terrible for giving her a hard time about it.

“You may remember she struggled with infertility, so she saw me as a blessing in disguise. She was always kind and tried to protect me, but my father had no problem being cruel because I was never his to begin with.” I take another moment before getting to the real point here. “I am still your legacy, the first-born child of one of the founding families of Rogue. However, the only part of Rogue that still exists is on this farm right now.”

“What does that mean, Callie?” Mary questions.

“As you all know, I had to come back to the compound to be put on trial for my father’s murder. I did kill him,” I lie because they don’t need to know Sebastian was the one to actually carry out the task. “Before I came back, I found a secret cabin my father used to house blackmail. He had folders compiled for every single one of your husbands, along with a long list of non-members. When I came to trial, I presented this evidence to the men of Rogue, and chaos ensued. I—I blew up the compound. They’re all dead.”

There are a few gasps from within the crowd and a lot of voices muttering amongst one another as the women process the news of all the men from Rogue being dead. Well, all the men except Damien, who is very much alive in the trunk of the car in the driveway. I give them the time they need to talk amongst themselves and stand there quietly, waiting for what’s to come next.

A council member’s wife, Adrianne, steps up next to me and extends her arm, shushing the crowd. Her husband was a guard-elected member of the council, and she doesn’t seem hurt by the news of his death at all. That leads me to believe she lived a similar life to the one my mother and I lived.

“We will be civilized about this and move forward with the information that’s been presented to us. Our husbands are dead. Rogue is no more. I don’t know about all of you, but I suffered at the hands of my husband for years. I’m not upset he’s dead.”

“I’m with you,” one woman speaks out.

“Me too,” another says.

“I’m glad my husband’s dead,” a third chimes in.

Hope begins to resonate in my chest. This may all be okay after all. I glance around with trepidation.

“We will put it to a vote then,” Adrianne suggests, and I find myself confused. This is all going much better than I thought it would.

“All those in favor of requiring some type of punishment for Callie’s involvement in Rogue’s men dying, please raise your hands.”

I glance around, and to my surprise, I don’t see any hands raised .

“All those in favor of moving forward with what has been presented to us without implicating Callie in the process, please raise your hands,” Adrianne says, and nearly every hand in the crowd raises.

They don’t say anything, but they don’t have to. I know without a doubt in my heart that most of these women have experienced some kind of struggle, and my heart breaks for them. It’s sickening that things within Rogue went on for as long as they did. I’m proud of myself for being the one to bring them down for good.

“Majority has decided. Callie will not be punished for her actions,” Adrianne says before stepping backward and letting me have the sole attention of the crowd again.

A woman up front raises her hand, and I nod my head at her. “What will we do now? Many of us depended on the incomes of our spouses to survive. We were, umm, not allowed to work. Who will lead us?”

“I’m going to be honest. I didn’t expect you to all be this understanding. I have no desire to lead you, and I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but I’ve never wanted that sort of life for myself.”

I look over at Avery, and then my eyes trail to the car with my men impatiently waiting inside for me, and my heart swells. They are my future, and as much as I would love to be the one these people turn to, it can’t be me.

“If you’re willing to stay on the farm for the next few days to allow me time to go back to Braxton Falls, I will talk with my mother about coming back to Tennessee and putting together a game plan for all of you. I believe that my mother would be the perfect person to lean on during this transition. She has been there for all of you at some point in your lives, and I know for a fact that her heart holds nothing but genuine kindness. She doesn’t have a vicious bone in her body despite everything she’s been through. I don’t know all the details now, but we can absolutely have more information ready to give you in a few days.”

“If you all want to stay, I would love the company,” Mary says, taking the next question right from my lips. “It’s always so quiet on the farm, and I’m sure the children would love to play with the animals.”

Adrianne steps forward again and looks out to the crowd. “Who all is in favor of staying on the farm until Natasha returns with additional options for us? Please raise your hands.”

Every single person raises their hands, and it almost brings tears to my eyes. These women are so fucking strong. It's honestly the most admirable thing I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life.

“It’s settled then. I will bring my mother back in a few days with the intention of figuring out how all of you choose to move forward. There will be a few options, so I think you should take the time to consider what you want out of life. Money will not be a factor. My father had a large chunk stashed away in secret accounts that we have access to. We have enough money to ensure each family has what they need, should that be what they choose. ”

“We will take your words into consideration,” Adrianne says.

“Thank you all for being so understanding. I really wish I could stay and socialize a bit, but I need to get back to Braxton Falls. There’s one more thing I need to take care of.” I glance over at Avery to see her bite her bottom lip. We need to make sure this Reese person is okay.

“We will be here when you come back.” Adrianne smiles and nods, and when I look out to the crowd, none of them seem upset, only relieved and apprehensive about their futures.

Tears well up in my eyes as I lean in to hug Adrianne, Mary, and the others on the stage before I make my way through the crowd, hugging others and saying my goodbyes. Avery stays by my side, looking more proud than I’ve ever seen her before. When we slip into the back seat of the car, I feel the most profound sense of accomplishment.

“Let’s go,” I tell my men while leaning my head on Avery’s shoulder.