53. Epilogue
Olivia
4 months earlier
Sucking in a deep breath, I key in the code to the gate I’ve passed through countless times.
The one where I’d slip in and out unannounced, thinking that no one knew I was coming and going, only to find out that every move I made was only because they allowed me to make it.
I didn’t want to come back; hell, when I left, I told everyone that they’d never see me again.
Except, that’s not an option, not when my very existence puts the people I love, the only ones I care about, in danger.
You see, in this compound, the only thing scarier than the men who run it are the men who pretend they’re the good guys, the ones who don’t touch the willing women who come here for a wild ride or release.
The ones who indulge openly are explainable, stereotypical bikers who ride fast, fuck, and then drink themselves into oblivion.
The ones who feign disinterest are the dangerous ones.
The ones who hurt when least expected.
Closing the gate behind me, I take one last look at the road to freedom and sigh, turning to face the collection of buildings that were once my childhood playground.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Liv?” Ajax, or Adam, as he was known in a different life, appears beside me, the only good thing—good person—in this place. “You were not supposed to come back here.”
“How could I not when everything and everyone I love is in danger?”
“I had it covered, Liv. We had an agreement—”
“Did you protect Seraphina from Fade and Slash?”
“You know I did.” He sighs, running a hand over his blond hair.
“Thank you. Keep an eye on her—on all of them, okay? I need to make sure they’re safe while I’m here.”
“Olivia,” he warns, stepping in front of me to prevent my descent into madness. “It’s not too late. They don’t need to know you’re back.”
Swallowing the bile in my throat, I shake my head, clearing the lies and cobwebs in my mind. I didn’t lie to Seraphina about what happened at the summer camp all those years ago. I didn’t lie about the culprits or the aftermath—everything changed for me.
But I did lie about where I came from.
I lied about knowing one of the boys who hurt me.
I lied about my last name and how the fire wasn’t to harm Seraphina or Bianca but was a calling card for me.
A reminder of who I am and where I came from. A warning to come home.
Because, like all treasures, I was found.
“Tell my dad I’m home. I’ll meet him outside Church.” I step around Ajax and move toward the compound’s main building before stopping. “And tell Fade…” I pause, swallowing at the thought of the monster. “Tell my cousin that if I see him, I’ll kill him myself.”