Chapter 30 #2
Tears, for the millionth time this month, swell in my eyes. The emotions are running high, and I’m not quite sure how to put everything in words. They die out in my throat, my hands trembling. Yes, I’m proud of myself, too. I’m fucking happy I killed him.
Kaya tortured him in ways I never knew possible, and the fact that he died such a miserable, painful death adds to the satisfaction in my chest.
Arlo notices my expression, and he’s by my side when I blink the tears away.
He pulls me into his chest, holding me tightly.
The size difference between the two of us is not something I paid attention to, but when I see how I fit in his arms, how his bigger build wraps around me like a shield, all the insecurities wash off, replaced by a sense of safety and security.
“It’s okay,” Arlo mutters, kissing my temple. “You did well, butterfly.”
“Did I?” I swallow the tears. “Because I threatened his son and wife, Arlo. I’m no better than him.”
“You don’t have to be better than him,” he murmurs into my hair, inhaling the scent deeply. “You just need to be smarter. And for the record, you’re both smarter and better than him. Because I know that you won’t harm his son. You don’t have it in you to hurt someone who’s innocent.”
I pull back, looking at him. “His son… that’s my half-brother. I shouldn’t resent him, but I do. He didn’t do anything. He’s fifteen, for fuck’s sake. He’s a kid, and I’m resenting him for the sins of his father. I’m a terrible person, Arlo.”
He cups my cheeks, stroking them with his thumbs, then gently brushes off the fallen tears.
“You’re someone who survived Hell. You’re someone who just found the strength to fight back.
Seeing that someone has a life that you never had, especially in a situation like this, it’s normal to feel resentment, butterfly. It’s not your fault.”
A choked laugh slips from me. It doesn’t matter what I do; Arlo will never find any faults in my actions. I could set the entire world ablaze, and he’d pour oil over the fire and watch it burn with me.
“Speaking of siblings,” I switch my position, laying my head on his lap. His hands find their way into my hair instantly, stroking the soft strands with tender movements. “What am I going to do about Theodosia?”
“What about her?”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “Well, from what I managed to pull out of Alexander, she’s either here or in Greece.”
“Do you want to meet her?”
That makes me pause. All along, I’ve been thinking of her safety and how to make sure Alexander, Paul, or anyone else lays a single hand on her. She’s a child, too, and it’s hurting me to think she’d ever have to go through what I went through at her age.
However, not once did I think about meeting her. What would be the point? She’s lived her entire life without me in it, and if she’s happy, healthy, and well taken care of, then there’s no need for her to know me.
I shake my head. “No,” I mumble. “But I do want to make sure she’s safe.”
“Alright. I’ll send people to keep tabs on her while all of this is going down.”
“Okay.”
“After you were kidnapped, Mom and Dad worked their ass off to shut down Paul’s organizations. They handled it almost all, and the ones that remained got shut down by him. We have testimonies of the girls we rescued that day.’’
“That’s good.’’ I sigh, turning my head to look at him. His hands continue the soft movements, and my body’s at ease. “Nelson is hidden well. Only Aria knows where he is; she won’t risk the mole getting to him. Alexander is dead, Paul is in prison. What do we do about Woods and Flint?”
“Flint is a small fish to fry. From what I know, he’s always just going along with what the rest wanted. We’ll get to him in no time. Woods, though, is very paranoid. He has a lot of guards on him at the moment, so an immediate attack could backfire.”
“Alright, then we put Woods aside for now. Our goal should be finding out who the mole is.”
“We’re working on it,” Arlo assures. “And, of course, we have feds to take care of.”
“They’re relentless.”
Aria’s been messaging both Arlo and me since late last night. They raided what was left of the base, despite the fact that Niko and Lucas set it on fire to get rid of any evidence. Agent Arnault has been looking for me specifically, and it’s making me uneasy.
Sure, on paper, I’m still Amy Marshall, but I doubt that’s why he’s looking for me. In fact, I can bet that he wants Blair Hawke, and if he finds me, it’ll cause too many issues.
“I have an idea.’’ I sit up. “Amy’s fingerprints are in all legal systems, right?”
Arlo nods. “Yes.”
“So are mine.”
His brows crease. “Okay?”
“Lucas and Kaya are very good at hacking. Why not hack the CIA, FBI, and whoever else is needed and just switch information.”
Arlo frowns. “Then you’d be Amy Marshall on paper.”
“Yes. And Amy doesn’t have any criminal records. Blair does. So, if Arnault wants Blair, let’s give him Blair. Just not the real one.”
“Your brilliance never ceases to amaze me, you know that, right?”
I grin. “You like the idea?”
“It’s good. All eyes would be on her, not you.”
“Good. I’ll call Kaya after the funeral. Now, go and wash off that toner. I’m scared your hair will turn purple.”