Chapter 27
Kiera
If it wasn’t for James stroking his thumb along Willow’s thigh while she sat in his lap, I would have thought my brother had turned into a statue as I repeated the events of the worst night of my life for a second time.
I had expected him to fly off the handle, to storm out of the house and straight to the Rivers’ house to murder Ethan.
But he didn’t.
He listened.
And silently plotted.
His gaze kept lowering to where my hand was clasped in Jackson’s, his jaw subtly clenching, and I couldn’t help but believe that if it wasn’t for Willow sitting in James’ lap, keeping him calm, he would have ripped Jackson’s throat out for touching me.
Because Jackson was his best friend or because it was his father who raped me, I didn’t know, and I could only hope that when Billie was home, and the dust had settled, James and Jackson didn’t lose their friendship.
“That’s it,” I said, reaching the end of the story, bringing him up to speed with why my face was battered and why I needed his help. “Now you know the truth about Billie’s father.”
James remained silent, his thumb pausing its path over Willow’s skin. I stared at my brother, waiting for him to explode like dynamite, and somewhat bemused by his affection for Willow.
The first time I met her at dinner a few weeks ago, I hadn’t been convinced of their marriage.
She seemed like a sweet girl, far too innocent for someone like James, yet it was clear as day as she snuggled against his chest, and he refused to release her from his embrace, that the two of them were in love.
An affectionate smile wanted to lift my lips. Good for James, he deserved love. As did Jackson, and now that he knew the truth and hadn’t run a mile, I had hope that we could have a future together.
But Billie came first.
“You’re kinda freaking me out, James,” I blurted, unable to take the thickened atmosphere filling James’ office.
A snarl contorted on his face before his angry glare snapped to Jackson. “What do you plan on doing about him?”
“What do you think?” Jackson replied, his body tensing as he held James’ challenging eyes.
James’ head tilted to one side. “You got it in you to kill your father?”
“For what the cunt has done? Yeah, you fucking bet I have.”
My brows shot up as alarm worked its way through me. “You can’t kill your dad!”
Jackson squeezed my hand. “You think I’m gonna let him live to see another day after what he’s done to you?”
An invisible hand wrapped around my throat. Legion rules dictated that one member couldn’t cause harm to another without serious repercussions. Serious repercussions, meaning death. If Jackson or James hurt Ethan, they’d be killed too.
“Jackson, you can’t! Legion rules-”
“Legion can go to hell.” His tone softened as he met my panicked gaze. “Kiki, he hurt you. He ruined your life. I couldn’t help you ten years ago, but now I can.’”
“But-”
“But nothing, Kiera,” James barked. “Besides. Ethan broke Legion rules first.” I raised a brow, glancing curiously at my brother.
“You were a child of Legion when he raped you. You were protected by Legion rules, something our father should have acted upon as soon as he found out that Ethan attacked you. Jackson is right. He, nor I, could help you ten years ago, but we can now.”
“We call a meeting,” Jackson chimed in. “We present the evidence to the others on the board, just like we did when you had the evidence against your father, and then we vote.”
I looked between James and Jackson, wondering what evidence they’d found against my father, especially as it had resulted in my father’s death. A question for another time, though. I wasn’t sure I had the brain capacity for any other bombshells.
“Look, I get that Et…” I closed my eyes, acid burning my throat at having to say his name. “I get you have to deal with him, but he can wait. Billie can’t. I need my baby back.”
The hole in my heart that had been present since learning Alec had taken her was getting deeper with every passing minute that she was out there somewhere, probably scared out of her mind.
“What have you found?” James asked, his question directed at Jackson.
“I managed to get into his computer, but it was as clean as a whistle. His car is fitted with GPS, but when I hacked into it, it looked like he had abandoned his car shortly after collecting Billie from the school. Same with his personal phone, and the one he used to contact Kiera yesterday, neither of them are on the network any longer. He hasn’t used his bank account, and I’m running facial recognition software across the country, but so far, there’s been no trace.
He’s gone to ground. Where, though? I don’t know. ”
I gaped between Jackson and James, fascinated by how the two of them had gone from plotting murder to full business mode to track someone down. I’d always known the two of them were involved in contract killings on behalf of Legion, but I’d never witnessed them at work.
Until now.
James focused back on me. “You said something about Dad having plans for Billie. Did Alec say anything more?”
“No, that was all.”
Nausea roiled in my stomach at the insinuation in Alec’s words. My father was an abhorrent man, capable of unspeakable evil. Not for the first time, relief rolled through me that he was dead, and I wouldn’t have to constantly worry that one day, he’d take Billie from me.
But even in his death, my worst fear had come true.
“How long do we have until he makes contact again?”
I glanced down at my watch. “Six hours.” Six hours left out of my twenty-four-hour grace period, and I still felt just as hopeless as I had when I first hung up on Alec. “Please, James. Give him what he wants so we get Billie back.”
“Kiera, you know Legion doesn’t work like that-”
A powerful rage swept through me, propelling me to my feet. “Fuck Legion, James! I don’t give a damn about your fucked up society, I want my daughter back.”
“You should care about Legion,” James replied, his tone cool despite my obvious anger toward him. “Like it or not, your daughter is an heir to Legion.”
The wind was knocked from my sails. “What?”
“He’s right, Kiki.” Jackson stood, grabbing my hand and turning me to face him.
“As much as I hate it, my father is one of the heads of Legion. His children, regardless of how many he has or who their mom is, become heirs. Billie might never sit on the board, not if I have my own children, but if something were to happen to me, she’d be expected to take her place. ”
My lip quivered. Not solely at the thought of Billie being involved with an organization responsible for murder and who knew what other crime, but because of what Jackson had said. If I have my own children.
Something I couldn’t give him.
“I don’t want Billie being a part of Legion,” I hissed, ignoring the painful way my chest had constricted.
“You’re looking at this all wrong, Kiera,” James said, sliding Willow—who hadn’t said a single word this whole time—from his lap as he stood, and crossed to where Jackson had pulled me into his arms. “Legion failed you because of our father, but think of the protection it could offer Billie. Who helped her get on the medical trial? A Legion member. If, and hopefully it won’t happen, but if she gets sick again, she’ll have access to the best medical care in the world because of her links to Legion.
She’s at a good school now, but as part of Legion, she could go to the best fucking college and get an amazing education.
Kiera, Legion opens up a whole new world to Billie.
I know the society failed you, but it could help Billie. ”
I scrubbed a frustrated hand down my face. “How does that help her now, James? We can discuss all this shit when she’s home and safe.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw as he glanced at Jackson, unspoken words passing between them.
Before I could ask what, though, James sighed.
“If Alec was in contact with my father, there’s a possibility that whatever device they were using to communicate is still at my father’s house. We start there.”
Jackson nodded his agreement. “We also need to get into Alec’s office in the city. His computer at home was clean, but his work one might not be.”
“Agreed. Let’s go.”
“I’m coming with you,” I said, standing in front of Jackson with my arms crossed as James turned to head to Willow. From my periphery, I saw him pull her into his arms, cup her face, and slam his mouth against hers, almost as if he were angry with her.
Jackson swiped a stray tear from under my eye. “Stay here, Kiki. You need to rest. Plus, you’re safe here, James and I will be able to get through things quicker if we’re not having to worry about you.”
“He’s right,” James added, stomping past me toward the door. “Stay here with Willow.”
He disappeared before I could even attempt to argue, but they were both right. Not only was I exhausted, having been awake for nearly thirty-six hours, and my body ached worse than anything I had ever felt before, but there wasn’t a single thing I could do but get in their way.
The two of them were good at their job; I just had to trust them to bring my daughter back to me.