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  I rest my forehead against hers, running my hands down her neck, over her shoulders, and along her arms to grab her hands. Our fingers intertwine as I close my eyes and bask in her presence.

  “You’re taking my heart with you, Maddox, just as last time. I expect it back sooner.”

  “I promise, sweetheart.”

  I clench my jaw as I step forward, leading Missy and Adam toward the house. I push the oak door open and look at the large foyer, half-expecting Nile to be waiting with a gun pointed at my head. Instead, we are met with emptiness.

  Our shoes thud against the white stone tiles as I take us to the office. I don’t bother knocking to announce ourselves. Nile knows we’re here. I shove open the door to see the culprit himself sitting behind his desk, leaning back with a lax expression.

  I scowl at him, wanting to punch that look right off. He quirks an eyebrow at his unexpected visitors but says nothing…at least, he doesn’t get to because Missy lets out a horrified gasp the same moment a wicked grin stretches along his mouth.

  I glance over to see Missy staring at Nile with wide eyes, lifting a shaky hand to cover her mouth. Adam instantly places a cautious hand on her shoulder, looking at her with concern. “What’s wrong?” Adam asks.

  Missy shakes her head as tears gather in her eyes. “I-it’s him…” she whispers. I pull my eyebrows together, shaking my head in confusion.

  “Yes…that monster is Nile, the man we—”

  “No! No! That’s him!” Missy yells and Nile rises from his chair, stepping around his desk to clasp his hands in front of him, smiling broadly at Missy. “Y-you monster!” Missy makes a move to advance on him, but Adam holds her back as I side-step to place myself in between Missy and Nile.

  “Ma, what are you talking about?” I ask.

  Nile lets out a throaty laugh, his head thrown back. I glare at him. How do they know each other?

  “It’s good to see you again, Missy Crane.” Missy hisses at Nile’s words, her eyes burning with venom.

  Adam looks at his wife with shock, seemingly as confused as I am.

  “Someone, please explain!” I snarl, my hands fisting at my sides.

  “That man attacked me and Elena while his father molested Adelaide!” The room falls silent as Missy’s words deliver a blow to my chest.

  I let out a heavy breath, staggering back as tears well in my eyes.

  Please, tell me it isn’t so. Tell me my sweet Adelaide wasn’t assaulted in her youth. Please tell me this isn’t her past!

  “You foul beast! How could you? Is this what it’s all about? Adelaide?”

  “That is precisely what this is about. You see…my father had a go at her and I simply couldn’t resist! Maddox’s repayment for his debt just didn’t cut it…I wanted her and when I went to that little ranch of yours to retrieve her, Jeremy intervened. That young man struck a deal in order to save your sweet Adelaide. He would sacrifice himself, just as Maddox had done, and spend his life working for me in order to keep Adelaide safe. But in the end, I grew bored and even more anxious to have her. So, I beat Jeremy to a pulp in order to retrieve Maddox…I wasn’t expecting you two as well…But that just works better for me! Because, you see, as we are speaking, my father is in Oklahoma, paying sweet Adelaide a visit. To perhaps pick up where they left off…or just bring her here, I’m not sure. But either way, you’ll all be reunited soon enough.”

  I can’t stand. I no longer have the strength. My legs give out from under me and I fall to my knees, hot tears rolling down my cheeks.

  Adelaide is in danger and I’m not there to protect her.

  The Barrel of a Gun

  *Adelaide*

  July 14, 2018

  I lay on the couch, a pint of strawberry cheesecake ice cream resting on my chest as I scoop spoonfuls into my mouth.

  I scrunch up my nose in disgust as I shove the ice cream to the sides of my mouth to avoid the taste buds on my tongue. Once it melts a reasonable amount, I swallow and let out a groan of discontent.

  I hate strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Absolutely loathe it. The fruitiness on my tongue is nearly enough to make me dry heave. But I’m craving ice cream to give me a morsel of comfort as my family flies off to Chicago to deal with a masochistic gang leader and the only ice cream in the fridge is Missy’s favorite, because Maddox ate all mine two days ago with a promise of restocking it.

  So, here I sit, eating dissatisfying ice cream as I try to ward off the feeling of complete uselessness.

  I know Missy and Adam want Kristy and I to handle all the chores around the house while they’re gone, but how could they ask that of us? Every second, I worry about whose life is currently in danger. Who, right at this moment, is looking down the barrel of a gun?

  Sighing, I roll on the couch and hug the cold container to my chest as I look out the window at the beautiful farmland.

  “This is a joke, right?” I hear Kristy say as she walks into the living room, dressed and ready to tend the land. I look up at her with a pout on my lips. “Adelaide Crane, you hate strawberry cheesecake ice cream with everything in you. Give that to me.” She snatches it from my chest and the moment is bittersweet.

  I happily bid the nasty dessert goodbye but dread the absence of its comfort.

  “Get up. We have work to do.” Kristy tosses me my black cowgirl hat and marches to the kitchen to stick the ice cream back into the freezer.

  I roll off the couch and make my way into my bedroom to change into jeans and a simple t-shirt. I pull on black boots and set my hat atop my head as I jog out of the house to meet Kristy at the barn. She smiles at me, already leading Boaz and Raven to the second pasture. I snatch two lead ropes and first grab Phoenix then Eowyn. I drop Phoenix off at the first pasture and then follow Kristy to let Eowyn loose with her friends.

  The three horses kick up dirt as they bound around the pasture. Kristy pushes on my arm, giggling as she jogs ahead to get her horse ready for our morning runs. I roll my eyes, following after to get Serendipity tacked up.

  We race our horses down the path along the pastures, leading toward a forest trail. I smile over at Kristy as she clicks her tongue for Dexter to go faster. I’m not bitter as the slim chestnut gelding soars ahead of us. Serendipity is not as young as the spirited Dexter.

  I pat Serendipity’s neck as I slow to a walk, laughing lightly as I try to catch my breath. The gray horse lets out a snort, her sides expanding and contracting under my legs with every breath. “Good girl.” I lean forward to whisper in her ear.

  I hear the crunch of twigs as Kristy leads Dexter back around to us.

  “As much as we love riding and can do it all day long, we have work. I was just getting used to having Maddox’s extra set of hands back. Now the work load has doubled,” Kristy says and I huff in agreement.

  He wasn’t even back for two full weeks yet we fell into a normal routine so easily, having him help with chores. And now he’s gone, along with Adam and Missy.

  Kristy runs ahead, almost as if she believes we’re racing back. I, on the other hand, return to the ranch at an easy canter, feeling Serendipity nearly glide underneath me. I place a hand on my hat, making sure it’s snug, and smile at the small memory of Maddox it brings.

  Every time I touch or look at the hat, I always think of Maddox. Of him placing it atop my head at the store in town.

  When I finally return to the ranch, I see Dexter is already in the pasture with Phoenix but Kristy is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she went inside to get a glass of water. I hear a bark and smile as Cooper runs over to Serendipity’s side, looking up at me with a goofy grin.

  “Hi, good boy!” I praise. I hop off Serendipity’s back, tying her reins around a post on the fence. I peel off her saddle and blankets, gently setting them on the ground. I grab a brush Kristy and I always leave out for the morning runs and quickly brush away her sweat marks. Once she’s glistening under the sun, I place a kiss to her snout and lead her into the pasture, taking the bridle off.

&nb
sp; Phoenix lets out a whinny, thrashing his head to the side as he practically leaps in the air and bolts to greet his mother. I latch the gate closed and return to the barn to put the tack away, Cooper at my heels.

  I crack my neck and let out a sigh as I try to loosen my sore muscles. I hear footsteps behind me and silently pray Kristy brought me a glass of water too.

  I turn and let out a sharp gasp at the sight before me. Cooper lets out a harsh bark, baring his teeth as he presses his body against my legs.

  Right now, at this very moment, it is me staring down the barrel of a gun. I tense, my eyes widening as I focus primarily on the gun. I have only seen one other in my life and it was in the hands of Maddox, when he geared up to protect Missy and myself.

  But this man is not Maddox, and trust me when I say the purpose for his gun is anything but to protect me.

  I avert my eyes away from the gun slowly and take in the monster of a man who is holding it. My heart jumps to an erratic pace as I stagger backward with fear. Who is he? The malicious intent is pure in his eyes.

  “Wh-what do you want?” I say, my voice stammering. The man cocks his head, his dark eyes nearly black as they look me up and down. His hair is a mixture of black and gray…salt and pepper is what Kristy called this look, one time when we were in town. His skin is tan yet rough, giving him the appearance of a man past the age of 55.

  “Don’t worry, Adelaide. Everything is going to be okay.” When I first heard my name, I was intent on demanding how he knew it. However, as the last echo of the last word rings through my ears, I am struck with a bucket of ice water. A yelping gasp escapes my lips as, suddenly, images run through my mind.

  “Let her go! Let her gooo!” I hear my mother scream as I try with earnest to meet her gaze. The strong arm wrapped around my torso carries me down the hall, past many bedrooms. I watch as a man looms over my mother, who is crumpled on the floor, suffering from bruising punches and skin-splitting kicks.

  “Adelaide! Elena!” I hear another woman yell. I know it is my aunt, however I never get to see her because I am now in my mother’s bedroom, thrown onto her bed. I let out a gasp as I continue to hear screaming followed by thuds.

  My mind is fuzzy, I don’t understand what’s happening. But the clear distress from the sound of my mother’s voice entails that whatever is about to happen is not good.

  I look up at the large man and I shake my head, hoping he doesn’t hit me. Instead, he grabs my ankles and pulls me to the edge of the bed. “Don’t worry, Adelaide. Everything is going to be okay.”

  I snap out of my thoughts and look over at the man before me. My breathing falls in short pants as I take a step back, shaking my head. How did he find me? Who is he?

  The man raises a hand to rub his temples, sighing. “When Cameron ran over that poor man, I was gifted with a perfect opportunity. The Crane’s had been trying to give back to the community, to help set troubled kids onto the right path. Perhaps it has something to do with your childhood, perhaps not. But when one of my men told me, I just knew I had to send Cameron here. Cameron had no knowledge of his secret assignment: to worm his way into the Crane’s hearts. I was going to collect Cameron and fill him in on my plan. It would have been his first assignment before he was fully initiated into the gang. He was going to gain access to your little hide-out in the woods. He was going to form a relationship with you and then smuggle you out. However, Cameron grew to love the Crane’s as much as they love him. Therefore, I had to take matters into my own hands. I went to that little house in the woods and killed your mother, setting it up to look like a suicide. Then, I waited three days to send the police. They took you to your only living relatives. The Crane’s. And Cameron fell pathetically in love with you. And I used that to my advantage. Nile threatened your life in order to gain Cameron back, and when we discussed our plan, he refused. We didn’t send him back until he agreed.”

  My body tenses further, causing Cooper to snarl. I shake my head, not believing that Maddox only came back as some sick ploy to give me up to the Cicero Disciples.

  “Yes, Adelaide. Your devoted man isn’t as devoted as you thought. All we had to do was threaten his father and he was practically on his knees, declaring he’d hand you over.”

  “No. No…Maddox said you forced him to kill his father in order to return to me.”

  “Hmm…is that what he said? Clever boy. He told me that the only way he’d do this was if he wasn’t here to see the look on your face. So we staged Jeremy’s cry for help and really, it was only supposed to be Cameron who went back, but the more the merrier. He left you here, alone, so I could tell you the full truth…and bring you to my son.”

  The nameless man before me tightens his grip on his gun and gives it a little shake, as if reminding me that it’s still in front of him. I shake my head again, hot tears rolling down my cheek. Every fiber in my being screams at me to not believe him. But how could I not? Everything he says lines up. Everything makes sense.

  I open my mouth to speak, however I’m cut off by the loud bang of a gunshot. I gasp, waiting for the piercing pain of a bullet. Instead, I hear a thud and look to the ground to see the man lying on his back, groaning in pain as blood seeps from his left thigh.

  Cooper seizes the opportunity and leaps forward to sink his teeth into the man’s shoulder. I lift my eyes to see Kristy standing with a pistol in her hands. She meets my eyes. “Don’t listen to a word that bastard said. Let’s go!” she growls, reaching forward to grab my hand. She pulls me toward the car, Cooper running behind us. I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around the large dog, whispering a thank you in his ear. As I climb into the passenger seat, I watch Cooper bolt toward the forest to remain hidden.

  Kristy shoots the car into reverse and I look at her in bewilderment as I see another man lying on the driveway gravel. “What…”

  “Maddox trained me at a young age to defend myself. He’s just knocked out.” I nod, looking over at the girl who is more my sister than anything else. “Maddox told me they would come. He never knew when, but he knew that they’d never stop until his debt was repaid. He didn’t know who they’d come for. I figured it was Jeremy, but I never let my guard down. I now know it was all a ploy to get you to Chicago. That man was right in all of it apart from Maddox’s involvement. He loves you with all that he is. Jeremy was a set up to get him to Chicago, to leave you vulnerable. And that means our family is in trouble.”

  Burning

  July 14, 2018

  “What exactly is your plan?” I ask Kristy as we step into the Chicago O’Hare airport. I clutch the overnight bag that Kristy prepacked the day our family left the ranch. Apparently Maddox told her to stash a bag for both her and I in the trunk of the car, in case the need were to arise.

  I honestly don’t know who these people are. Kristy just shot the man who…attacked me when I was younger and rendered another unconscious. Then, as if one trained specifically for this situation, she dialed our next door neighbor and asked for them to help around our ranch, claiming two thousand dollars is in an envelope in your mailbox, while navigating us to Will Rogers World Airport.

  The drive was a long one, however it provided her a perfect opportunity to explain how she had all of this set up. How she arranged help from our neighbors, the Joneses, and how she was able have plane tickets on standby.

  “Maddox gave me a step by step list on how to get you out of the country if need be. Adelaide, when I say you are the most important person to him, I’m not lying. However, instead of getting a flight to Rome, I booked us passage to Chicago. I don’t believe you’d wish to sit idly by. Therefore, I hired a private detective who will be meeting us at the airport.” I looked over at her with wide eyes. “Maddox trained me from day one. He taught me what to look at when hiring people…their credentials and their backgrounds. He taught me how to fight and fire a gun. He taught me how to properly change my identity and flee the country. He offered me protection with his body as well as protection for when he
was unattainable.”

  The drive to the airport afterward was mostly silent, apart from a few questions regarding Cooper and Phoenix. Kristy assured me that the Joneses’ have it handled.

  Now, as we walk through the airport, I look at Kristy with my question hanging in the air. “Xavier Gonzales will meet us at Terminal Three and will take us to a safe house he set up. He’ll give us all the information he has gathered on the Cicero Disciples and we will give him what Maddox has told us. He’ll assemble his team, and when they’re confident with their intel, they will hopefully take them down. And then, we will see our family. I hope.”

  Kristy looks down at her feet as we walk, biting her bottom lip as if to keep tears at bay. That simple act tells me she fears for their lives just as I do.

  “Why hasn’t this been done before? Why haven’t the Chicago police force been pursuing them?” I ask, running a hand through my tangled hair. In the back of my mind, I silently wish for a nice shower, however it is the least of my concerns at the moment. According to Kristy, there is a lot that needs to be done first.

  Kristy and I walk toward the doors of Terminal Three and I see a man standing there with a sign in his hands: Crane. I look over at Kristy and she offers me a small nod.

  “They’ve never had an inside source before,” Kristy bites out before we stop in front of Detective Gonzales.

  He’s a middle-aged man. Wrinkles gather around his dark eyes as he greets us, holding his hand out in a friendly gesture. Kristy is first to grasp his hand, shaking it and returning the greeting. A thick lock of gelled hair falls across the detective’s forehead as he turns his gaze toward me. His hand is warm is it encloses mine.

  “Hello, Adelaide. It’s nice to finally meet you, my dear.” I arch an eyebrow and turn to Kristy with questions in my eyes. What does he mean, finally? Do I know of this man? Kristy has a gobsmacked expression flash across her face and I know she’s hiding something. I hear Detective Gonzales sigh. “You didn’t tell her?” His voice is gravelly, trying yet failing to hide his disappointment.