Page 3 of Crimson Flames

The kids around me stare with horror on their faces. When he slams the door, I meet each one of their eyes.

“I will kill them all.”

It’s not a threat this time. It’s a vow.

Chapter 1

The flight here was somber. Laney hardly said a word, just stared out the window until the jet landed. Even then, she held back. Laney’s usually so full of light, but when Evie called to tell us what happened to Nessa, her brightness dimmed.

“She’s going to pull through,” I tell Laney as we exit the plane.

She just shakes her head, tears welling in her eyes.

“But what about the baby?”

My eyes widen, making me nearly miss the final step. Adrian catches me just in time though.My man is always looking out.

“Did you just saybaby?” I ask.

Laney rolls her lips as she wipes a tear from her face. The cars we are taking should be here any minute. “I was going to tell everyone at dinner, but then Evie called…”

Oh shit. Poor Ness.

My heart hurts for her. Adrian and I have been hoping to grow our family for a while now. Me being trans, we were hoping to have a biological child, but the hormone therapy involved could have put my health at risk.

Receiving that news shattered the picture we hoped for, but we’re excited about looking to grow our family through adoption instead.

I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to lose a child. I immediately feel a bone-deep pain accompanying the thought, but I won’t let it take hold because that helps no one right now.

Instead, I force myself to look at what Icando. When Nessa makes it out of this, we’ll all be here for her. Until then, we need to hold everything else together.

“What can we do?” I ask Laney, laying a hand on her shoulder as Havoc pulls her into him.

She sniffles but stands a little taller as two cars park in front of us.

“I need you, Adrian, and Havoc to go to the house with Damien and Lev. They have over forty traumatized kids there that are going to need some help. Damien’s alpha team is there, but they are trained to defend, not to babysit.”

I give her a soft smile before walking to our black Mercedes.

“Don’t worry, I’ll flash them that Akio charm and all their worries will fade away.”

Laney’s lips lift, but not all the way. She’s my best friend, almost as close as a sister. Seeing her hurt makes me want to burn down a building or send Adrian to blow something up so we can bask in the heat of the flames.

“I’m sure they will love you,” Laney says, opening the door to her bright pink Bentley. Havoc kisses her on the cheek before coming to our car. “Who knows, Akio, one of them could be your future kid.”

Hope surges in me at the thought of finally starting our family. Adrian and my’s decision to adopt was difficult. We don’t have a hero complex, or desire to rescue a child to make their life sunshine and rainbows. Being part of an assassin organization that keeps the underworld in check means we know all too well how dark the world can be.

Settling on the decision to adopt came with a lot of counsel from Dr. K. She used to work in adoption, and gave us a lot to consider about the process. While she once said it was her greatest love, she has also told us it brought about some of the biggest heartbreaks she has ever faced.

Seeing a child forced into someone else’s mold because they weren’t accepted as they are is one of the most painful things she has witnessed.

Adrian and I have used her guidance to set realistic goals and expectations for ourselves, as well as our future child. Adoption is hard, but there is a special kind of joy to be there and fight alongside them. One thing my partner and I agree on is that we’re prepared to fight for our future child just as hard as we have fought for each other.

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We arrive at a massive property with a resort style building at the center. Gardens and flowers frame the road as we approach, giving it a quaint, fairytale vibe, despite its size.

Damien meets us at the door and ushers us in. “It’s chaos, but they are all really great kids,” he says, greeting us all with a huge hug.

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