THIRTY
Blair is snuggled to my side, wrapped in a fluffy blanket. She’s munching on some chocolate chip cookies she made with Mom earlier in the day, watching a comedy movie on the TV. She put on the first thing that caught her attention, and she’s been snuggled into my side for the past hour.
Her sweet vanilla scent fills my nose as I play with the ends of her hair, alternating between that and stroking her forearm. We didn’t speak much since the movie began, but we didn’t need to. I’m just satisfied hearing her smile at one of the worst, unfunniest scenes I have ever seen.
Blair is a brilliant woman, but her humor needs to be improved.
Back when I brought her to see Cove’s fight, I gave her a ribbon. She has not taken it off since, except when she showers. The piece of fabric is either tied around her wrist, her hair, or her neck. She doesn’t let go of it, almost like it’s her most prized possession.
It makes me love and appreciate her so much more. I bought her expensive clothes, jewelry, and whatnot, yet all she truly cares about is a piece of fabric that could be ripped apart easily.
Arson is on Blair’s lap, sleeping peacefully and purring. The damned cat has completely taken over the household, and no matter how much it seemed that she liked me previously, she suddenly acts like I’m her greatest enemy.
Just a few hours ago, she was on the kitchen counter. The monster was staring at me, directly into my eyes, as she used her paw to slowly and carefully push Mom’s vase off it. The moment it hit the tiled floor, Arson jumped off and walked into the other room, leaving me to deal with a very pissed-off mom.
And now, she’s acting like a saint, purring in Blair’s lap, napping, and occasionally nuzzling her hand into Blair’s palm to get pets. It’s insane that a cat is acting so petty. It’s either a universal cat thing or strictly an orange cat thing.
When the movie ends, I turn off the TV and turn to Blair. My arm is still wrapped around her, softly scratching her shoulder. I wanted to let her rest a little, but I need to know exactly how she’s feeling. It’s happening tomorrow, and I need her to be confident in her abilities.
Ever since I got the text from Zoe about the location and the time, I stopped all of Blair’s training. Her body needed rest, and going with sore muscles and a tense body wouldn’t do her any good. In fact, it would only make things worse for her.
Blair straightens up and looks at me with that soft expression of hers. It’s taking all willpower not to drag her ass to the courthouse and marry her immediately. I’ve been thinking about it since the day I brought her home, and now that we’re nearing the end of this mess, I know for certain that I want to marry her.
“Yes?”
She speaks softly. “Are you alright?”
I’m snapped out of my thoughts and kiss her forehead tenderly. My lips press against her skin, sparks flying all through my body, and the tingles are something I can’t seem to stop. My body reacts to her like she’s the sweetest drug, and I’m a willing addict.
I make some space between us.
“How are you feeling?”
Her shoulders tense momentarily, and with a deep breath, she relaxes under my touch, leaning back into the leather couch, snuggling more into the warm blanket. At this point, I can only see her eyes, the rest of her hidden under the blanket. Seeing her eyes is more than enough; they never seem to lie.
“I’m scared,”
she admits. “I’m not scared of facing Paul. I know I’ll have you by my side, and if I end up freezing again, you’ll be there to help me out. I’m scared of my body betraying me.”
I lift a brow, patiently waiting for her to continue, listening and absorbing every syllable that falls from her lips. She hesitates, her eyes searching mine for support. I offer her a small smile, squeezing her shoulder, and she sighs.
“I’m aware that I’ve been in all of this for a little while, and in no way can I compare skillswise with you or your family; I get that. But I’m not sure if I’ve had enough time to actually get anything done and to learn. Everything is scrambled in my head, and I’m terrified of failing. Of failing you or embarrassing you.”
“Look,”
I move my hand to her chin, tilting it up to force her to look at me. For this, she needs to be looking at me and to believe me. “You’ve survived hell. You’ve killed your mother and stepfather. You planned their deaths and did it. You beat up Cherryl in prison more times than I can count; hell, you even sliced her up with a razor. You have the heart of a fighter, a warrior, butterfly.”
“As much as I want to believe you, Arlo, my insecurities in my abilities can’t just disappear. I’m terrified of everything going downhill and me being unable to prevent it. I’m honestly just trying to stop thinking about it, but the day’s tomorrow, and there’s no going back.”
“The plan’s been set, Blair. Everyone is ready and in your corner. I promise you, I’ll keep you safe, and if you need a push, I’ll push you in the right direction. Please, trust me.”
Blair lowers the blanket, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth. Her brows are scrunched together in deep thought, and I stay silent, letting her process information and come to the conclusion.
I hate that I can’t give her more. I hate that I can’t take away her fears, her pain, and all the insecurities, all the demons she’s battling. If she could give me her trust, I’d never break it. I’d treat it like the smallest droplet of water on my palm, with tenderness that I only possess when it comes to her.
“I trust you,”
she breathes out, and my heart swells. “I trust you, Arlo. I trust you so much that it scares me. I’ve never had anyone in my corner, not a single person. And having you so undoubtedly devoted to me is one of the best feelings in the world.”
“Thank you,”
I brought her hand to my lips, kissing each knuckle individually and holding onto it for a moment longer.
Blair is anxious. I can tell.
She’s not saying anything, but there’s doubt in her eyes that seems to disappear and appear every so often.
She doesn’t voice out her concerns, and I’m worried for her mental health.
There’s no way this won’t work, and even if it doesn’t – fuck it.
If we save the girls, it’s a massive win.
X has managed to successfully get inside Simmons’ operations.
There’s no doubt he’s the ringleader, given that the other three men are rarely seen without him.
It doesn’t matter, though, because as soon as the coast is clear, regardless of tonight’s outcome, we’ll have a man on the inside indefinitely.
Mom and Dad are downstairs with Aria, preparing her mentally.
It’s not her first time, and I can tell she’s excited.
As much as I’m worried about Blair, I’m worried about Aria, too.
She’s too reckless at times, and if she sees an opportunity to kill, she won’t hesitate, no matter if it may end up being a trap.
My hands work on polishing the guns, preparing the spare clips, and making sure they’re all working properly.
I’ll be taking two with me, and Blair will have a knife, a gun, and the toxin Freya has prepared for her.
Blair sits on the chair, putting on her combat boots.
She fiddles with the shoelaces, tightening them as much as possible, then creating a perfect bow.
She’s wearing a pair of dark, comfortable pants, with a thicker turtleneck and a thinner jacket.
She has to be comfortable to use her mobility as much as possible, and if she gets cold, she’ll get stiff. Better too hot than too cold.
The location Zoe sent us didn’t surprise me at all.
It’s a manor on the outskirts of the city, with many of the like in the neighborhood.
However, this time of the year, they’re vacant, as most of the people owning the manors are celebrities that use them as summer houses.
I had it checked for anyone, but Simmons must also know that there won’t be anyone to interfere.
The best part, or possibly the worst, is the acres of land behind it.
Nothing but trees spread for miles, deep and dark.
Who knows what lurks in the shadows of such a place?
The outline of the manor was easily discovered by Lucas.
It has two wide wings and a massive basement.
It was built in the early 1900s, with a lot of hidden rooms.
One of them is underground, with a secret passage leading to the woods.
It wasn’t hard to pinpoint it, and Mom has people from the backup teams on standby at the place, making sure no one can slip through our fingers.
If they’re keeping girls in there, they’re in the basement.
Lucas suspects it’s soundproof, which is feasible, given what they’re doing to them.
With a deep breath, I tuck my guns in the waistband of my pants, the clips filling my pockets.
Blair turns to the mirror, tying her hair in a low ponytail with the same ribbon I’ve given her.
A small smile tugs on my lips as I approach her.
“Ready?”
Blair checks the watch on the nightside table and nods. We have an hour and a half of driving there, and we need to arrive at eleven in the evening at the latest. Enough time to hide and plant everything needed.
“Ready,”
she confirms, her voice steady and confident.
“Take this.”
I pulled out a small device from my pocket and put it in her hand.
Her eyes drift down instantly, inspecting it.
“What’s this?”
The device is the size of her thumb, with a small red button on the top of it. She quickly turns it around, then puts it in the pocket of her jacket, reaching for the gun and knife, tucking them in safely.
“In case of an emergency,”
I explained. “Lucas bought it. Mom will give you the earpiece in the car, but in case you can’t speak and find yourself in danger, and I’m not around, just press the button. It will immediately alert both Lucas and me.”
She nods. “Okay.”
Blair looks at herself in the mirror one last time before turning back to me.
She reaches for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
She looks up, eyes meeting mine, and the anxiety and reluctance from earlier seem to have disappeared entirely.
Instead, I’m seeing a brave, strong woman that will not let her fears get the best of her.
It could be a front – but it doesn’t matter.
If you believe a lie long enough, it becomes the truth. And I’ll make sure that she knows just how strong and brave she is.
“Let’s go.”
I tug on her hand, walking out of the bedroom with her next to me.
She’s silent, just letting me lead her outside.
As long as she lets me lead, I’ll lead her in the direction she desires the most – freedom and peace.
I’ve made it my life mission to give her the peace she’s yearned for.
However, the more time I spend with her, the more I see small parts of myself in her.
She’s hiding it well, or perhaps she’s still not ready to admit it, but it’s unmistakable.
Her vision of peace is as violent as mine.