Chapter 16 #2
The front entrance came into view, and standing there was Liam, waiting for us. The moment I saw him, something inside me broke. I pushed the door open before anyone could stop me and practically threw myself out of the van.
“Liam!” I wrapped my arms around his neck like I had when we were children. “I thought I was never going to see you again.” My voice cracked. “I love you so much. I know I don't say it enough, but I really do.”
His arms came around me. “I love you too, little sister.” I finally let go, wiping quickly at my face. “What are you doing here?”
He looked over my shoulder. His eyes landed on Dannie as he climbed out of the van. “I had to come, didn't I?” There was no hesitation in his voice. “You would never forgive me if I let him travel on his own.” He paused. “And I wouldn't forgive myself either.”
My throat tightened. “Thank you.”
“Come on.” Liam took both my hands, just like he used to when we were children. “The others are here.”
I followed him toward the house, then glanced back. Dannie was already speaking to the staff gathered near the entrance, giving quiet instructions as if he'd never been away.
Kai had just stepped out of the van. He stood there for a moment, looking slightly lost. Overwhelmed, perhaps. My instinct was to go back to him, make sure he was all right.
But then another part of me almost laughed at my own thought.
Kai wasn't helpless. He had survived things far worse than this. He didn't need me to hold his hand through every difficult moment, even if some stubborn part of me wanted to anyway. I turned back toward the house.
The moment I stepped inside, I heard a familiar voice coming from the dining area.
“Lincoln!” I pulled away from Liam. “Where are you?”
“Over here!” His voice came from the other side of the room. “At the dining table.”
I half ran toward my big brother. “Lincoln!”
“Slow down,” Liam called after me.
I ignored him, reached Lincoln, and threw my arms around him. He laughed softly as he caught me, holding me tightly against his chest. I buried my face against his shoulder for a moment before pulling away.
“Who else is here?” I looked around the room, suddenly hoping for another familiar face.
There were people everywhere. The house was packed, but somehow it didn't feel crowded.
Everything seemed organised and controlled.
People stood in groups rather than wandering aimlessly, each cluster apparently assigned its own purpose.
“Have you met Matteo?” Lincoln asked.
“Matteo?” I repeated the name, trying to place it. “The New York…”
“Yes.” A man stepped forward with a grin. “The Mafia guy.”
He took my hand before I could finish the sentence. His grip was firm, his smile easy. I stared at him for a second. “So you're real.”
He laughed. “I've been told.”
I smiled despite myself, then looked around the room again. There were two obvious groups. I pointed toward one of them. “Who are all these people?”
“Those are mine,” Matteo said. His attention shifted toward the group gathered near one corner of the living room.
They were dressed casually, but there was something unmistakable about them.
A few had the short, practical haircuts I'd come to associate with military men.
Their posture was relaxed, but not really relaxed.
They watched everything. Everyone. Now that Matteo had pointed them out, I noticed something else.
They looked unmistakably American.
“And those?” I pointed toward the other group. The Asian men were gathered more tightly together, speaking quietly among themselves.
“Mr. Beng's,” Lincoln answered.
My stomach dropped.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
That wasn't the answer I'd wanted. Something hot and uncomfortable twisted inside me. There had to be a reason Dannie had asked Beng for help. Something must have gone wrong with his people.
“Can I have a word?” I caught Lincoln by the wrist before he could say anything else.
He didn't resist. I led him through the house, looking for somewhere quiet.
We passed several people who glanced at us but didn't interrupt.
Finally, I stopped near the back entrance of the kitchen.
The delivery door. It was quieter here, far enough from the others that I could ask what I needed to ask without an audience.
Lincoln leaned against the wall and looked at me. “Whatever you want to know,” he said. He knew me too well.
I took a breath. There were too many questions. Too many names. Too many people I'd left behind. I had to prioritise.
“Maru?”
Lincoln's expression softened immediately. “She's fine now.”
My shoulders dropped slightly. “Now?”
His eyes met mine. “Don't worry. Wendy is with her right now.”
“She wasn't fine before?” I reached for his shirt, my fingers catching lightly against his collar. “Tell me.”
“June, calm down.” He gently removed my hand from his chest, holding it between both of his. “We've got it handled. I promise.”
I searched his face. “I would never let anything happen to my favourite niece.”
That finally made me breathe. “Okay.” I nodded. I wanted details. Every detail. But I could ask later. “Siti?”
“She’s good. She's with Maru.”
“Lucy?”
“Fine.” He gave me a small smile. “Her little one is fine too. Jenny's with them.”
I nodded. Good. One more name. One that I hadn't been able to stop thinking about since the elevator doors had opened. “Andy?”
Lincoln's expression changed. Just slightly. My stomach tightened before he even answered. “She lost an arm.”
I stopped breathing. “But she's alive.”
I closed my eyes. The image came rushing back. Andy lying on the floor. Blood everywhere. Her hand pressed against her chest. Her voice telling us to run.
“She was the one who contacted me,” Lincoln continued. “If she hadn't reached out, we wouldn't have known what was happening. We wouldn't have known where you were.”
I swallowed hard. I could still hear her voice.
Run.
She had been bleeding while trying to save us, and somehow, she had still thought about getting us out. I shook my head, trying to push the image away. There were still two names. The two I was almost afraid to ask about.
“Dave…”
Lincoln's expression told me everything. He shook his head.
My heart sank.
“Squirrel?”
Again, the same small movement.
I stared at him. “What does that mean?” I knew. Somewhere deep inside, I already knew. But I needed him to say it. “Lincoln.”
His eyes softened. “June…”
“Tell me.”
He took a slow breath. “They're both dead.”
The words seemed to hang between us.
Dave. Squirrel. Gone.
My chest tightened. Squirrel had only just found us. I'd spent days searching for him. He'd risked everything to get us out. And now—gone.
I looked down at my hands. They were shaking. I hadn't even realised.
Then a voice came from behind us.
“Who's dead?”
I turned.
Kai stood in the doorway, completely oblivious to the conversation he'd just walked into. He was holding a piece of fruit in one hand, taking another bite as though he'd simply wandered into the kitchen looking for a snack.
For a moment, none of us spoke. Kai chewed slowly, then his eyes moved between Lincoln and me. His expression changed.
“What happened?”
I couldn't answer. Not yet. Because saying it again would make it real.