Page 27 of Peaceful Chaos

Seize the Moment

Sin

"It's neverdull around the eight of you is it?" Javier asks when he reaches us.

Another guy climbs out of the helicopter and starts unloading bags. Javier points to the pile of luggage. "I had to meet with a client and I had one of my guys sneak into your house and gather your things. Agent Marks wasn't pleased I snuck you out, but he came around. He promised to get the rest of your things over to our offices downtown in the next couple of days."

I look around the crater of the extinct volcano. Men in uniform move with purpose between the buildings. Despite the majestic beauty of the location, all of the structures are utilitarian in design. There's a large warehouse in the middle that we mistook for the headquarters. On both sides there are rectangular buildings, all painted white, with evenly spaced windows.

"Barracks," Javier tells me when he sees me looking.

It seems we move from one form of confinement to another. I fist my hands in my hair and pace a small circle. "I appreciate, we appreciate, everything you've done for us, but we can't stay here."

"Of course you can't," Javier agrees. "This is for all intents and purposes a military base. There's training facilities and barracks here, and little else. Not the best place for newlyweds to hide out."

Javier tips his head toward one of the barracks. "How about we get you guys settled in and chat there?"

We go to the pile of luggage, grab our bags, and follow him to the building. As I imagined, there are rows of bunk beds, each with a large footlocker at the end. Javier flips on some lights, and if possible the room looks even more Spartan lit up.

Javier makes a sweeping motion with his arm. "As you can see, it's not an ideal place to stay long term."

"I'm confused. If this isn't where you intend for us to stay, what are we doing here?" Lucien asks.

Javier nods. "Like I said back at the gym, the charges against Damien are coming any day. We all know he's going to get out of it. He's got plenty of money, and he's only got to find one corrupt judge. Not hard to do when there's a pile of corrupt judges to choose from."

He leans against one of the bed posts. "Here's the plan. I'd like for you to stay here for the next couple days. We've got an apartment complex in town where most of the soldiers live. We only come up here for training, but it's remote and completely off the radar. Until the charges are filed, the easiest way to make this go away is for you to go away. Damien can't do that if he can't find you. Once he is charged, getting rid of all of you becomes more problematic—"

"He'd still try," Lucien interrupts.

"And that's why you're going to move into the apartment complex. It's got a top of the line perimeter fence, a security gate, and twenty-four-hour guards. You'll be able to return to school, provided you agree to having a security team shadow you."

"What do you get out of this?" Shane asks.

"Like I said before, not going after Damien has been a regret of mine for a long time. That was before we found Jackson alive." He looks straight at me. "Carina begged me to find you, and I tried. Now that I know he had you the entire time, I don't need to be hired to go after him. This time I'm going to bring the full strength of Chaos to his doorstep for my own revenge."

* * *

After my meetingthe next morning with the legal team Javier hired, I go searching for a place to release some tension. There aren't many places to wander safely in a training camp, and I find myself holed up in the gym. Thoughts swirl inside of me like tendrils of smoke, choking my sanity, and driving my rage higher.

"That fucking sonofabitch!" I shout and slam my fist into the punching bag.

Raven comes through the door and comes behind the bag, holding it steady. She peeks around it, staring at me with her somber blue eyes. "Talk to me."

"Do you want to hear what kind of bullshit deal we signed?" I rip the tape from my hands and take a step back. I can't hit the bag the way I want to with her holding it.

"If our information doesn't lead to the conviction of Damien Blackthorne, then our deal is invalid."

"Can the legal team your uncle hired help?"

"They'll defend us if charges are brought. Once again we sit and wait."

She shakes her head. "No, we're not waiting anymore. Yeah, we have to stay here until charges are filed against Damien, in case he makes a move against us. But we are done waiting to live our lives."

I hold my arms out to the sides, indicating the empty workout room. "What kind of life am I giving you?"

She shoves the bag away from her. Now this, I understand. She's primed for a fight. Finally, all the frustration I know she feels is bursting through. Something is seriously fucked in my head that her irritation is turning me on.

Raven steps up to me and shoves me back until my back hits the wall. "It isn't your responsibility to give me any kind of life. I need you to hear me, because I don't want to keep having this conversation. I am responsible for my life."

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