Chapter 8
Hunter
Jax and I are busy at the shooting range. He's training me to be a steadier shot.
“Good job, Harris,” Jax praises, standing behind me.
I pull the target closer, seeing I managed to hit the bullseye twice. The other shots came close to the mark, as well.
I smile, proud of myself. I know better than to gloat, though.
“That gun is a good one for you. How's the weight, and recoil?” Jax asks.
It's a Sig Sauer P365, a popular model. It's very nice. Smooth and sleek in my hand, easy for me to cock it and load it.
“It’s a good weight. Solid recoil. It's a strong weapon,” I answer.
“Excellent. That's yours, then. I'll give you a couple of holsters for it, and plenty of ammo. Always keep it on you, especially right now. Even in here.”
“I will, thank you.” I’m thrilled he is giving me this gun. I really like it.
“So, what’s next?” I ask, not knowing what he has in store for my training except the intense shooting brush-up.
“Getting you stronger with hand-to-hand combat. Fighting is crucial, as I’m sure you’re already aware,” Jax explains, busying himself with cleaning up after us. “But that will wait until you get an all-clear from the doctor. I won’t risk your healing process.”
Great. Not my favorite by a long shot, but he’s got a good point. I have good skills from the Marines but need to expand on what I already know.
We walk out of the shooting range; with me deep in thought.
I hear giggling and a hushed voice coming in our direction. My sister comes around the corner, but she’s by herself. Who the hell is she talking to?
“Cynthia? Sis? Everything okay?”
She grins like a madwoman, launching herself at me. I catch her with an oomph, then set her back on her feet.
“I forgot my brother. But I see you now, Hunter. Why didn’t anyone tell me? Huh? My brain is cuckoo,” she slaps herself in the head.
“Cynthia, stop hurting yourself.” I grab her hand gently, lowering it to her side.
Jax side-eyes me, leaning in to say softly, “I think we need to get a therapist in here, for your sister and 3. The sooner, the better. You’re too close to be objective.”
I nod in agreement.
God, I hope we can fix her mind. My baby sister has already been through so much.
I return my attention to Cynthia, who’s singing to herself.
“Getting married to my wifey... getting a harem all for meeee...”
I pull out my phone, quickly texting Pretty Girl to come get her for me. “Phoenyxx is coming to hang out with you. Okay?”
“11, 11! Yay, she’s my favorite of all time.” Cynthia preens like a peacock, strutting around us.
I blow out a breath, so damn frustrated at the situation.
Footsteps scurry towards us—Pretty Girl.
“Hey, bestie,” she greets my sister.
They hug, and I turn to Pretty Girl. “Jax and I have things to do. Can you stay with her?”
“Of course. She's in good hands.” Her eyes radiate warmth and reassurance.
I kiss her on the lips. “Thanks, beautiful.”
I feel better knowing my girl will take care of my sister.
Purge
I decide to go to one of the computer labs. I need to get the rest of the answers we need. The rest of the secrets about The Retreat and my father, where the fuck our mothers are, and confirmation on Iskra's true identity.
My flash drive is in my pocket with everything downloaded from my laptop.
I walk into the room closest to the kitchen. Those two guys, Thor and Bill, are in there already.
Thor looks up, smiling brightly. “Hey, man. Happy to have you here to help.”
“Quit kissing his ass, fanboy,” Bill states dryly.
“Fuck off, BILL! Can you believe his code name is Bill?” Thor laughs.
“It’s better than Thor, you frigging dork,” Bill snipes back.
“What’s the deal with you two, anyway? You're always bickering.” It’s almost juvenile, but oddly charming.
“Bill’s just an asshat with ears,” Thor quips, making me bust out laughing.
Bill just flips the bird, turning back to his screen.
“Okay, well then, can you catch me up to speed?” I ask Thor, as I plug my flash drive into the tower in front of me.
“Sure, no problem. We can compare notes and go from there.”
We both jump right into it, and I pray I can get these answers sooner rather than later.
“What the hell is this?” I frown as I finish hacking into the mainframe of The Retreat.
There's a list of names buried deep inside a file within a file. It's a bunch of nonsense letters and numbers, but near the end of the sequence, there are names. Seven of them.
“Oh my God.” My mouth goes slack in shock.
It's the names of our families—plus one more.
Aslanov
Franco
Petrov
Marino
Barbieri
Volkov
Rossi
I yelp loudly, excitement coursing through me. “Holy shit. There’s a seventh family!”
Thor whirls around so fast he almost falls out of his chair. “What?” he pulls close to my screen. “Dude. That's a start for proof.”
“A start?” I utter in frustration.
Fuck me. I need some kind of document to confirm this.
I keep scouring the files, hoping for something solid. After about ten minutes, I find what I’m looking for. It's a copy of two documents. The first is a report on the Rossi family from a private investigator. The second is a birth certificate.
“Caterina Rossi. The fuck?” I look at the date of birth.
September 25, 2007.
I sit back trying to catch my breath.
Iskra turned eighteen shortly before she arrived at The Retreat, in September, which was two months ago.
I'm so deep in thought I don’t notice that Thor is still looking over my shoulder.
“Dude! Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he blurts.
I nod, needing a little more.
The next few files are fruitless, but the one after...oh my God. It's an article, dated February 2013.
Missing Girl from Influential Family Considered to Be in Danger
Caterina Rossi, age six, was reported missing on February 3rd by her parents, Anthony and Pamela Rossi.
The girl was last seen in her backyard, playing on her swing set. She was wearing light-colored jeans, a long-sleeved, grey sweatshirt, and a red jacket. She has long, medium brown hair and green eyes.
She is considered to be in great danger. The Rossi family is offering a two-million-dollar reward for information that leads to her safe return.
You may contact the Rossi’s at this toll-free number: 1-800-345-2189
I leap from my seat. “It’s her. Phoenyxx is the Rossi child.”
Thor is already texting fast on his phone. He looks up. “I just messaged Jax and Harris, they’re on their way.”
I start to pace. She needs to know.
The door bursts open, Jax and Harris rushing in. The rest of the guys are tripping over each other to get into the room. Minus Valley, Bryan, and 3.
“We ran into them on the way,” Harris explains.
I wave them all over and point to the screen, showing them what I just found.
Synn's face drains of color. “God, no. Please tell me my father didn’t take her.” Anguish lines his face.
“If he did, he will pay,” I promise him. “She only remembers back to being eight. She was already with your father. It’s possible he was the one to take her.”
“And I bet it has something to do with the other six families,” Frost murmurs.
“Bro—we need to find the Rossi’s,” Trikk emphasizes, which I already know.
“We will,” Bill calls from across the room. “That I vow.”
“We need to tell our girl.” I look towards Harris. “Can you go get her? Just her—don't say anything to the others.”
“On my way.”
Harris hustles back out the door, leaving us to ponder these findings.
God, there's so much more we need to uncover. But this is a good start.
Phoenyxx
I’m just meandering through the compound, thinking about everything.
Cynthia left my side a while ago, saying she needed to lay down. I figured she was safe enough in her and Hunter’s room.
Suddenly, Hunter runs up to me, visibly winded. “Pretty Girl, come with me. Purge found information you need to know, in the computer lab by the kitchen.”
“Okay…” I look at him in confusion. He’s shook up—that much is clear. “Is it bad?”
“No, beautiful. Just come with me, okay?”
I follow him to the computer lab and we file in I head straight to Purge.
The fact that Jax is in there has my spine straightening.
“Just rip off the Band-Aid,” I tell Purge.
“Baby, Iskra—we know who you are. And who your family is.”
Thor thankfully pushes his chair at me, and I sink into it in shock. I blink several times before speaking.
“Show me,” comes out on a choked whisper.
Purge first shows me the list of the now-confirmed seven families. Then, the birth certificate.
I squint at the date, and the color drains from my face. Lastly, he pulls up the article. I read over it, and start shaking so badly, Ghost pulls me out of the chair and takes my place to put me in his lap.
“That...that’s me? My name is Caterina Rossi? I disappeared at six?” I whisper in shock.
Purge nods. “Yeah, baby. It looks that way.”
Razor chimes in, “That makes you the heir for the Rossi’s, too.”
I feel a panic attack creeping up on me. My vision blinks in and out, and I can’t catch a breath. Ghost tries to soothe me, but it doesn’t help.
I slump in Ghost’s lap, frozen in shock. My brain doesn’t want to compute the information I was just given.
After an entire lifetime of not knowing anything about who I am, I suddenly have an answer. I don’t know what to do with this. It's almost too much.
I want to crawl inside myself and curl into a ball. A single sob escapes my lips.
Synn pulls me from Ghost, enveloping me in his strong arms. “Breathe with me, Pazessca.”
I look into his stormy eyes as I copy his deep breaths. After a minute, my heart rate slows, and I can breathe.
“Good girl,” Synn praises.
“She needs to go rest. This is a lot,” Frost pipes up.
Hunter takes me from Synn, picking me up bridal-style. “I’ve got her. I'm taking her to my room.”
I weep silently as Hunter leaves with me.
Darkness envelops me in it’s tempting embrace, and I slip into it gratefully.