Chapter 20
Damien
The Next Day
The moment the plane door opens, I can breathe again.
Flying has never bothered me before now, but my nerves are in full throttle, reminding me of what I have to lose.
It was a good day. I did exactly what I said and held my wife until I had to pull away.
Well, apart from her having to pee so often, but I found it endearing—no matter how annoyed she got with herself.
I took every moment and made the most of it, studying her features like it was the first time.
There are only so many freckles and eyelashes to count, and I’ve admired every inch of her facial structure a thousand times, but it’s never enough.
I even ran the pad of my index finger over the bridge of her nose, just so I would get the curve right when I think of her.
There isn’t a single part of her that I don’t adore, and I miss her the moment I avert my eyes.
Being this far away is already driving me insane.
We went over the plan a few times, making sure she understood where I would be and what I would be doing.
I tried to give her as close to a timeline as I could, but we both know that it won’t be exact.
She settled for steps instead, more like a checklist, as a way for us both to cope.
The first objective was getting here, and I texted her the moment we landed.
So, we can cross that off, but there was one thing I forgot to add.
Seeing my cousin again.
“Oh, my God! Damien!” Danielle runs up to the boarding stairs, not even allowing me to step on the ground before she throws her arms around me. “I’m so happy to see you!”
“Yeah. You too, Dani.” I hug her back, squeezing just a little before pulling away and walking with her to the car. “I really appreciate you being here. I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to business.”
She just shrugs and flicks my arm, messing with me.
“Oh, it’s been fine. I just took it as a little vacation. Are you doing okay?” she asks not-so-subtly. Her elbow nudges mine, like she can’t resist touching me in some way, and I can already feel the annoyance coursing through my veins.
“Better.” I keep it vague, not wanting to worry the cousin with the loudest mouth.
The rest of the family would be in my inbox in a matter of minutes if she knew the truth, and I’m not ready to open that chaotic door yet.
I almost forgot how talkative she is, and while I have missed her, I’m trying to keep my eyes on the mission.
“What about Ashia? I’ve texted her a few times, but she didn’t answer. How is she doing? You know, me, Lauren, Mel, and Sarah were all trying to plan a shower for you both, but we weren’t sure if Ser—”
“Dani.” I turn sharply and hold her shoulders in my hands, barely able to stop myself from snapping. “I love you, but I need to focus right now. We can talk about it on the plane ride home.”
“Oh. Oh, yeah. Got it.” She smiles a little too wide and then hops into the SUV’s driver seat.
I get in the back with Zeke and Alex, hiding my face behind tinted windows while Carter starts up his laptop.
It’s crucial that he cuts the security at just the right time, giving us the ability to get in without alerting them to our presence.
That’s if he can get into it, of course.
“How long is the ride from our location to the mansion?” Alex asks, already looking out of the windows like they’re watching us.
“Thirty minutes with the route we need to take. It’s only twenty if you want main roads, but I figured you guys wanted to stay away from that,” Dani answers and pulls off. “You’re driving back, right? Just in case?” She glances at Alex and he nods.
“Yeah, Dani. I’m on it.”
“It’s a good thing we’re doing this tonight,” Carter interjects, sounding shocked. “Guess who just booked a flight from D.C. to Seattle for tomorrow?”
“By that tone, I’m going to assume the Senator?” Zeke doesn’t bother to mask his attitude.
“Yep.”
“So, they were planning on taking her early, anyway,” I point out.
“If they haven’t already,” Carter interjects. “They could’ve grabbed her and that’s why he’s coming back?”
“She was still there before I came to pick you all up,” Dani points out.
“Plus, if Avery really was there when he gave Victoria up, I’m assuming he would need to be there to do the same to Elizabeth.” Alex crosses his arms and leans back against the seat, clearly deep in thought. “Maybe we should wait him out.”
“No,” I butt in. “This doesn’t change anything.
We still need to get her out as quickly and quietly as possible.
There are too many of them, and we have to get back with Elizabeth unharmed.
” I grit my teeth, hating the need to wait, but I need to keep my promise and come home in one piece.
Patience isn’t something I’m used to, but it’s about time I start practicing.
“Avery’s time will come, but it’s not now. ”
The car falls into charged silence, allowing the anticipation to creep in.
We’re going in mildly unprepared, with little to no room for mistakes, and have a four-year-old’s life to protect.
There’s no way to know if she will come with us willingly, and I’m sure she’ll be scared out of her mind.
It’s not like we could warn them, since it’s obvious they know of the cell phones they use to stay in contact.
We couldn’t have the Society or anyone else in that house learning of our plan, and the uncertainty will be our downfall if there is one.
We pull the SUV off the road and into the forest, swaying side to side as Danielle drives it through the terrain.
She mapped this out herself, so I’m assuming it’s safe enough to tread.
If anything happens to this car, we’re fucked.
It’s as plain and simple as that. Since this is unfamiliar territory and the airport is over twenty miles away, the getaway vehicle is essential. Surely my cousin didn’t fuck that up.
This rocky ride makes me question that, though.
The undercarriage clinks and bangs, only increasing my worry.
One of the tires bounces back harshly after we run over what I’m assuming is a gaping hole, and even Alex lets out a breath of relief when we keep going.
Once faint lights from the mansion glimmer through the trees, she stops the car and parks, and we all get out so quickly that we practically pile up on one another.
“You guys are so dramatic!” she whisper-yells and hops out of the driver’s seat, immediately pointing towards the house. “Elizabeth’s window is on the third floor, fourth from the left. There’s no balcony or ledge to hold on to, but the window should be big enough for you all to climb in and out.”
“How long is the rotation inside, again?” Zeke asks her.
“About ten minutes, but the outside is only five. Which is why I have this…” She steps around to the back of the car and lifts the hatch before we can step up beside her. A large case lies across the entire trunk space, looking almost exactly like our other sniper rifles.
“You’re going to kill one of them?” Alex’s tone is surprised, and I can’t say that I feel much different.
I’m not sure Dani has ever killed anyone, and I don’t want today to be the first. The overprotective urge I tend to get with my family comes barreling in, but she stifles it with a shake of her head.
“Not kill, tranquilize. It’s quieter, and as long as I hit him at the right time, it’ll give you guys a few more minutes.”
“Are you sure you can hit him?” I ask her cautiously, because I’ve never taught her to shoot a pistol, much less a rifle.
“Please.” Her eyes roll. “You boys aren’t the only ones that get to have fun with all the toys.” She winks at me, trying to play it cool, but I cross my arms and stare down at her, because I know she’s full of shit.
“Danielle.”
“Damien?”
“Who taught you how to shoot that thing?”
Her gaze is completely unmoving now. She doesn’t even blink. Her mind is jumping from one idea to the next, trying to come up with something to say.
“Uncle John,” she lies, and my eyebrow immediately lifts.
“My father taught you, one of his nieces, how to shoot a tranquilizer rifle?”
It’s dead silent again. Her eye twitches ever so slightly before she groans.
“Okay! Alright, fine. He taught Zander, then Zander taught Kelsey, and Kelsey taught me, okay? Just let it go, D.” She huffs and pulls a harness out of the trunk, then slips it over top of the harness I already have on.
“This is just like a baby carrier, but it’s strong enough to hold her.
She’s a small little girl. So, just make sure you tighten it enough before climbing back out of the window, okay? ”
“Don’t let a kid fall three stories to her death. Yeah, I got it.” I give it a good tug to test its hold.
All I can think about is holding my own little girl in something like this—or better yet, in my arms. Elizabeth is Victoria’s little girl.
We need to do whatever it takes to get her out and back to her mom, because that’s exactly what Victoria is to her.
She doesn’t have to keep justifying their relationship.
I’ve noticed how every time the word sister leaves her mouth, it hurts her a little more.
That shit stops tonight, and I never want to hear it from her mouth again.
Dani pulls the rifle out of the back and throws the strap over her shoulder like she’s done this a hundred times.
It makes me realize how much has changed.
I’ve always been so careful about what my family does in this organization that I never thought to consider what they could do.
Dani’s proving that it’s about time I start thinking differently.