Chapter 27 #3
The guys really thought of everything.
“Wow. When did you do all this?” Aries asks from the doorway.
“I didn’t,” I admit, my cheeks heating.
“Mmhmm,” she says. “Girls! Silva is keeping secrets. Help me hold her down and tickle her until she spills!”
Interested eyes peek out the doorway, taking in the view.
“You’ve been busy,” Lark observes.
“Her pack has been busy,” Lexi teases me.
Glaring at her, I roll my eyes at Luna’s cough to get me to talk.
“Talk over cheese,” Briar insists, pushing us all toward the couch.
It’s silly for me to call it just a ‘couch’ when the thing is gigantic.
“There is a non-government entity in town, and two of the alphas are scent matched to me,” I explain, clearing my throat in my sister’s direction as her cheeks flame.
“The other two are scent matched to me,” she squeaks out.
“Are they good people?” Aries asks, popping a grape in her mouth.
“I could do a background check,” Lark offers.
“They’re technically ghosts,” I say. “They got out of the government agency much the way we were able to get Gideon to leave us alone: blackmail. The work they do isn’t legal and they find people who are missing, or find themselves killing people who deserve it.
They’re still in contact with their friends in black ops types of situations, and when things are not going to plan, they’re given the mission to complete instead. ”
“No one asks, so no one has to tell,” Lark says. “At the end of the day, if it gets the job done, I’m for it. How did they find you?”
“How everyone does,” I sigh. “Someone mentioned a town where omegas live and omegas own it. They grabbed onto that nugget and ran with it.”
“I suppose sometimes that’s the only way to go,” Luna says. “Pull the thread to see where it leads. It’s something that always works in discovery for legal cases.”
“It hasn’t been all roses, right?” Briar asks tentatively. “I heard about what happened at the bar the first time you met.”
Briar tends to be suspicious of a good thing, and I don’t blame her.
“I think I almost fried Harlan’s brain cells that night,” I admit. “It hasn’t been perfect. I told them I didn’t want anything to do with them. I’m dating Syrus and Harlan, Isidro, and Kyren aren’t like him at all.”
“We heard you were dating the Sheriff. Everyone has,” Aries smirks.
“You heard about me now, huh?” Syrus asks, stepping out onto the porch with the Chinese food. “Easy on my name until after I leave, please.”
Aries nods as we laugh, and he hands me the bags of food.
“Enjoy your dinner, ladies,” he says, bending down to kiss my forehead. “Have fun, Spitfire.”
The girls wait until they’re sure he’s gone, and Lark even goes so far as to peek back into the house.
“That man is fine,” she sighs. “Good job on that. He’s been obsessed with you for years.”
“Has he?” I ask as everyone nods.
“You were as clueless as I was with Emmett on that,” Lexi confesses.
We laugh and talk as we eat, catching up on everything that has been happening. We try to do this at least once a month, but we haven’t gotten together since September.
I hate how busy things get, yet I also thrive on the chaos.
Food is devoured, wine and water glasses are drained, and we find ourselves talking over each other as things get louder. Fuck I’ve missed these girls.
Gone are the days where we had to be perfect, or when we were scared to speak.
“You have a weird look in your eyes,” Lark says softly. “It’s the one you get when you think about Henderson Estate. Are you still having nightmares?”
Biting my lip, I glance at Luna, the resident lawyer of the group.
“Whatever is said stays here,” she says. “If I need to get you out of something, then I need to know.”
“No one will find him,” I say unthinkingly.
“Silva!” she hisses.
“It was one tiny murder.”
“Two,” Lexi says softly, finding my hand to squeeze it.
“Damn. Leave you two alone, and you become adorable murdering little pixies,” Luna says impressed.
“Who was it?” Briar asks.
“Our foster brothers,” I reply.
We know each other's darkest secrets, and the brothers are mine and Lexi’s.
“I didn’t technically participate, but I did watch,” Lexi adds.
“Kyren experienced one of my nightmares, and then went on to find out where Luke and Brad were once I told him about what happened while I was living with the Fieldings. He called Sloane with the information,” I say.
“It’s nice to know they can’t hurt us anymore, and I haven’t had a nightmare since, believe it or not. ”
“Really?” Lexi asks, shocked.
I’ve suffered from nightmares for years, so I understand where her surprise is coming from.
“Yeah,” I say with a small smile. “It’s nice to actually know that when I close my eyes, I won’t see them anymore.”
“That’s amazing,” Briar says. “I’m glad you’re sleeping better.”
“This conversation brings me to something I need to ask you,” I say.
“Talk about a mood shift,” Aries murmurs. “Is this also murdery?”
“Seems to be the story of my life,” I admit. “I want to open the door to going back to free the girls at Henderson estate. A part of me has always felt a little guilty that we’re safe. I know we didn’t have an option then.”
“But we do now,” Lexi whispers.
My eyes widen. I didn’t think she’d go for it. We’ve both struggled over the years with this.
“We do,” I nod. “Harlan and Aiden’s unit gives us an opportunity to not have to fight them alone.”
Lexi stares at me while I smirk. “If you’re involved, I doubt your alphas will let you out of their sight. Mine are a little clingy too,” I say, shrugging.
“You’re not wrong,” she grumbles with a secret smile.
“My thought is that this would help put to bed some of the nightmares we all have,” I point out. “It just feels like this is hanging over our heads.”
“Whoever is still there deserves the same chance we got,” Lark agrees. “At the time, we could only get ourselves out. We’re stronger now.”
“If anyone is uncomfortable going, I won’t pressure anyone,” I decide. “We all have our own ways of dealing with things, and our own conscience. With that being said, I’d like to see a show of hands to see who’s in.”
We’ve always voted on big things in our group, so this feels right.
Every hand goes up, and my racing heart flip flops as I feel tears prick my eyes.
“Holy shit,” I whisper.
“You’re right,” Aries says. “It’s time to put our ghosts to bed, at least these. Gideon’s still working like this is just another day, while he’s kidnapping omegas and destroying lives. We should offer them a place at Widows Peak if they want it.”
“We should,” Lark adds. “New identity so no one can find them, and a new life. We have lots of room here at Widows Peak, and jobs are created as there’s a need for it.”
“Maybe there will be someone who is a good event coordinator,” I groan. “I was asked to teach the five year olds how to skate this morning. The text came in and there were begging emojis.”
“You’re too nice,” Lexi says. “Plus, you have a soft spot for kids.”
“Even when they’re tiny gremlins,” I sigh.
“I’ll start seeing if I can figure out what’s changed at Henderson estate,” Lark offers. “Have your hacker call me so we can work together on flying a drone out there and hacking his system. I won’t say no to help.”
Nodding, I thank her. The get together breaks up a little while later, and I walk everyone out with my steps feeling a little lighter. I often feel as if the world is on my shoulders, but that’s not true anymore.
It hasn’t been for a long time.
I have people, friends and lovers in my corner. And I’ll never be alone again if I don’t want to.
Speaking of which, Izzy, Kyren, and Harlan walk inside shortly after everyone leaves with gorgeous flowers and chocolate. They even offer to clean up the mess outside, and Izzy kidnaps me for a nap.
It’s kind of nice to have people.