Chapter Thirty Three
Amelie
A knock at the door has me dragging my ass out of bed. I’d not long gotten into it because I had a hard workout with the guys. They all decided to show up and practice with me. I think now we have somewhat defined our relationship, they all want to find their place with me.
“What the hell, you creeper?!” I cry when I open the door and Baxter is an inch from my face. Normal people generally knock and take a step back. But not him. Oh, no, Mr right in your face and evil.
He gives me one of his signature smirks and walks into my room without waiting for an invite, so what choice do I have but to close the door and join him?
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I ask, but he doesn’t answer, he just glances around like he’s searching for something.
When he seems to have found whatever it is he’s looking for, he grabs my computer chair to stand on and unhooks the fire alarm, pulling something out.
He drops it to the floor and stands on it, crushing it under the heel of his boot.
I open my mouth to say something, but close it again. I’m not sure how to explain that I knew the camera was there but was having some fun teasing the guys, or more so Onyx, with little strip teases and sexual noises.
“Here,” he says, pulling out a yellow envelope. “I don’t usually do favours for free, but for some reason I like you and would even go as far as saying you’re a...friend. I don’t have many friends because that adds complications.”
“I knew you liked me,” I tease, taking the envelope from him.
“Don’t push it,” he warns in a serious tone, but his smirk gives away his uncharacteristic playfulness.
“What’s in here?” I ask, waving the envelope around.
“Something everyone in your life should have told you a long time ago. I found it in your file.” I didn’t even read my file, I gave it to Baxter on the USB drive, along with all the others. He agreed to destroy it when he was done.
“Okay, thanks.” I don’t know what else to say. Baxter nods and leaves without another word. I shake my head at how weird he is.
Taking a seat on my bed, I open the envelope and pictures fall out.
I sort through them – they mostly seem to be of the same woman I don’t really recognise – but there is a group picture with people in it that I do recognise.
My dad and Monty, and I swear an older, faded version of the twins and maybe.
..Sawyer? What the hell is this? My father and Monty never mentioned that they knew each other.
I check the envelope and see that there’s a sheet of folded paper inside. I pull it out; It’s a birth certificate.
It drops from my hands and I watch, numb, as it floats gently to the ground – like it’s simply an innocent, harmless piece of paper, rather than a bomb threatening to detonate my entire world.
I frown, trying to comprehend what I just read. Laura isn’t my real mother. That means she…and my father have lied to me my entire life. Why?
I can’t breathe.
The rapid beating of my heart has me gasping for air. My door flies open and Jasper comes running inside. Everything starts to fade, my vision blurry.
I need to call Smalls. There’s no way he and Aadi knew about this...right?
Jasper is at my side, but whatever he is saying doesn’t register in my brain. I pull my phone from my bra and speed dial Smalls. I don’t even know what time it is there, nor do I care. It rings a few times and the call goes through.
“Is it true?” I force out between gasps, my voice barely a feeble whisper.
“Is what true, what’s happening?” Smalls asks, worry in his voice.
I pull my legs up close to my body, the world around me fades out. “That bitch, Laura. Is she really not my mother?” I manage to get out. Smalls goes quiet.
“Shit,” Smalls curses under his breath. “AADI!” he yells.
Did everyone know except me? I hear whispering, as if Smalls has covered the speaker. I drop the call, throwing my phone against the wall. Annoyingly, it just bounces, which isn’t satisfying at all. I want to break...something.
All those years she hurt me, all the heartache I suffered wondering why I wasn’t good enough, wishing I had a proper mum around.
..it all could have been avoided. If everyone knew, then why did they send me here, to her?
How much reach does this Order have, for me to be hand delivered to my abuser?
I can’t believe my father would do that to me. Why?
I rock as these thoughts swirl around in my brain. Nothing makes sense.
“Amelie,” Slate says, placing his hand on my arm, bringing me back to the room. I jerk and when I look around I see that everyone is here. Everyone except Sawyer.
“Don’t touch me,” I warn, scooting myself backwards. “You all knew! You promised no more lies!”
“Actually, we promised we would tell you everything we could. You just need to connect the dots,” Onyx says and I glare at him as I get to my feet. I refuse to cry in front of them. Not over another betrayal. Anger. Anger is good. I can use that.
“And how is Laura not being my real mum something I didn’t need to know?”
“It’s complicated,” Slate adds, concern in his eyes. I scoff. What a cop out.
“That’s another thing! You lied about her too. You said you would help me get rid of her if I stayed!”
“Hear us out please,” Kalen begs.
“I’m listening.” I fold my arms and glower at all of them, while trying to take some deep calming breaths. They’re not getting off the hook for this one so easily.
“I wish Sawyer was here, he could explain better than us, but this is why we need you to get into The Order and fulfil your birthright.”
I frown at Kalen’s words, watching as he runs his hands through his hair in agitation. “We weren’t aware of this until we knew why you were here. We know our grandfather and father have a different agenda to us, but we were ordered not to tell you.”
“She dies,” is all I say. I’m mad at them, for sure, but all I can think about right now is that bitch. I will deal with my family when I’m more level headed.
“What?” Kalen asks, thrown by my statement.
“I’ll do it – join – as long as she dies. You swore you’d help: those are my terms. Besides, I’ve worked a few things out on my own, and you can’t tell me that The Order is an organisation that is on the right side of the law.”
“Deal,” Onyx says before the others have a chance to reply. “I’ll do it myself, if that’s what it takes.”
“I’m still mad at you. All of you. And I still want answers, but I need to deal with one thing at a time,” I tell them.
If it is all wrapped up with The Order, I need to get in so my father can speak freely to me and explain what the hell is going on.
I’m presuming he was in The Order since he knows Monty.
I’m also presuming he owed Monty big time if he managed to get me here; I’m sure my father wouldn’t have let me go willingly.
“Well, look at us all adulting and being mature and shit,” Kalen jokes and he is right, usually I would overreact, throw a tantrum and do something stupid, but that is the old me, and the new me needs answers. I know how to get them, I just have to bide my time.
Anyone who has wronged me will pay. I know I’m important to The Order. I just don’t know why, yet. Now I know Laura isn’t my mother, Debbie must have been from an important family. It clicks.
“There has never been a child born from two important families, has there?” I ask, though I’m mostly thinking out loud and don’t expect an answer.
“I didn’t see a connection before because I thought that woman was my mother.
Holy shit! That old guy from breakfast was Dirk Kessler.
He had a tattoo too! Shit. He has to be on the board if your grandfather is… ”
They all stare at me and I keep rambling.
“So there must be Kessler, Rossi, Knox, Branson as important families. But I have a feeling Slate, Onyx and Sawyer’s families are important too. They’re Oldham and Montgomery, right? But why would Monty adopt you if you already had ties to The Order?”
“Beautiful and smart,” Sawyer says entering the room.
“There are seven founding families, and a heap of other important ones, which is why we have legacies this year. There is so much you don’t know.
All of you in fact. But all will be revealed after Amelie initiates.
I need all of you to trust me. I’m working behind the scenes to get everything ready for us. ”
“Yeah, well, I’m mad at you too, Mr late to the party,” I scold, pointing my finger at him.
“You don’t mean that, love.” He smiles indulgently at me and I almost melt. Almost.
“I do! In fact, all of you can get the hell out!”
“Even me? I just got here!” Sawyer complains.
“Even you. I want time alone. I need to digest.”
I expect them to put up a fight – especially Kalen, but it’s actually him who ushers the others out.
He can’t resist planting a wet sloppy kiss on my cheek as he goes.
He’s incorrigible, but I really am reeling over all of this.
Why would Baxter show me this now? He obviously had my file since I pulled my little leaving stunt, so why didn’t he show it to me at the airstrip?
I’m pulled from my thoughts by my bedroom door reopening.
“Kalen, I said no,” I warn.
“It’s not Kalen,” Onyx says harshly.
I spin round to stare at him, his dark eyes blazing with fire.
“What—” I don’t get any further than that though because Onyx grabs me and presses me against the nearest wall.
“Look, I know you’re mad as hell at us right now, and I don’t blame you, not really. But I have to warn you.”
“Warn me of what?” I frown. He places his hand over my mouth hurriedly.
“Shush! Listen,” he whispers urgently. “Your initiation is going to happen any day now. The Order has a habit of abducting people for their test. You have to make it believable and don’t let on that you knew it was coming.
I’m not supposed to tell you, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you panicking. ..after what you went through.”
He looks so anguished, my heart pangs. It’s actually really sweet of him to come back and warn me.
He’s right, I would have done more than just panic.
I would have freaked the fuck out. I swallow past my fear, intending to thank him, but I end up launching myself at him instead.
My legs wrap around his waist, my arms around his neck, and I kiss him passionately.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his lips, my tears finally falling.
“I meant it when I said I’d never hurt you.
I’ve been killing myself watching your back, trying to protect you.
I barely sleep unless you’re with one of us.
I don’t even trust my brothers to watch you on the cameras.
Will you carry the goddamn pepper spray I got you! ” he growls back at me, biting my lip.
It clicks into place. The pepper spray, rape alarm, various other self-defence items..
.All Onyx. The cameras watching over me.
The dark eyes watching me when I got beaten up.
How all the threats seemed to disappear.
I thought they had just got bored and moved on, but I know now that it was Onyx.
It makes perfect sense, given his history of trying to atone for Slate’s past. He’s been my tormentor. ..now he’s my fiercest protector.
“Thank you,” I whisper, kissing him again, meaning something else entirely. “Thank you so much.”