Page 36 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

“I handle myself just fine,” Lincoln jokes and it’s clear that Ash doesn’t know how to respond, but thankfully Logan is happy to jump in.

“Does it take almost dying to get your attention my little psycho, if so, somebody fucking stab me.” He teases, lightening the awkward tension that was beginning to build. It just shows how much comfort those two girls inside bring us all. We’ve barely been able to take a breath without snapping at each other in the last week.

Asher just shakes his head at him, before turning to me. “Marcus,” he takes a deep breath, pausing like he isn’t really sure what he wants to say. “I don’t even know what to say man, just thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He offers me his hand and I stare at it bewildered at first, but then I realize he wants me to shake it. I put my hand in his and he grips it in his own

It feels silly and awkward to just shake his hand after everything we have been through, with everything we still need to go through. I use the grip of his hand to pull him into a one-armed hug and pat his back with my free hand. “You don’t ever have to say thank you to your family.” I say, repeating Max's words, pulling back, squeezing his shoulder slightly before letting go. We have come a long way in the last few weeks, and I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do know he is an important part of my girl’s life, therefore he’s an important part of mine.

“Now go inside and be with your daughter, she’s missed her dad.” I add with a content smile. He nods, casting one last look at the others before turning and heading inside.

I watch him go before turning to the guys, addressing Lincoln first, “You go get that seen to before you die of blood loss.” I’m only half joking and I’m glad he doesn’t fight me on it, but he doesn’t really have a choice.

“Come on, let’s go find my dad and get him to fix you up.” Logan adds and they both move inside slowly as he supports Linc.

I turn to Jace, having not really spoken to him all night and see the grimace on his face. I know exactly how it felt to be inside the devil’s house and not stay and kill them. I felt it so I know he did. For what they did to Elle, Rachel, Cassie and all the other nameless girls we know nothing about but deserve just as much justice.

“You okay brother?” I don’t know why I even ask when I know the answer.

He looks at me and offers me a tight-lipped smile, “I’m okay, tonight was just…” he pauses slightly trying to find the right word, “a lot.” Understatement of the century. He killed someone tonight. That someone might have been our enemy, but that is still a line you can never return from once you cross it.

I nod knowing exactly what he means, what he feels. “Come on,” I throw my arm around his shoulder in a side hug, “let’s go grab some food and sleep and enjoy just a few hours of peace. The girls are here and they're safe, we’re all safe.”

“Yeah, for now.” He whispers.

“Now is what matters most.” Is all I respond before we head into the house.

Once inside, everyone seems to have scattered. Max and his guys are debriefing in the office, Lincoln has gone with Logan and Arthur to get fixed up, and Jace grabs a bottle of Jack and heads to bed. Elle is sitting on the sofa with Cassie curled up in her lap, Asher to her right and Helen and Lily to her left. They all look beyond exhausted, but content enough to just be sat there. I should shower, eat, change, do anything that isn’t just standing here staring at them, at her. But I can’t help it. She left. We came so close to never seeing her again and the feeling that’s left inside of me will be with me forever.

They all talk back and forth, telling Cassie, tales of happier times until she falls into a slumber. Once she goes, it isn’t long before Lily says goodnight and then Helen too. It’s just me, Elle and Ash, now left with a sleeping Cassie. We all sit in silence just watching her sleep. Like just her presence alone is curing us all, I’m sure it is. Eventually Elle falls asleep with her and Ash and I continue to watch them. Just completely zoned in on them and what we came close to losing. So fucking close.

Ash is the first to speak, “we should get them to bed.” He says quietly and I nod, standing up and stretching out my limbs. He gently pulls Elle’s arms from around her and softly lifts Cassie into his own, protective embrace. Once he has her, I lean down and scoop Elle. She shifts in my arms until her head lands on my shoulder, her scent drifts up to me and I finally feel like home again

I follow Ash until he gets to the room they set aside for Cassie and he places her in the middle of the bed and then I put Elle in next to her. We both stare down at them and then Ash sighs slightly, as he starts to move away, but I stop him with a hand on his arm.

“You stay.” I say quietly

“No, Marcus, it’s fine.” He starts to argue but I lift my hand halting him

“Ash, that’s your daughter, she’s been gone, and she deserves a night with her Mom and Dad, so just stay okay.” I want him to know how okay I am with this whole situation. He will always be Cassie’s dad, no matter what is happening with Elle and me. Do I wish things were different? Of course, I do. But if they were then they wouldn’t have Cassie and that is something I would never wish for them. That girl is the light in both their lives, and they need it. Hell, I need it too. Now more than ever.

He looks at them before turning back to me and he nods, “thanks man.

“Anytime.” I say turning to leave, but then he speaks again

“I will always look after our girls.” He replies and the way he says our girls hits something right in my gut because that’s what they are. It may not be normal or conventional to love someone this much, this young. But I do and with her comes her daughter, her daughter’s father, and I wouldn’t want to share them with anyone else.

I turn back and offer him a smile, “then I know they will always be protected.” I reply before leaving the room and closing the door behind me

It’s not that I don’t want to be in there, near them, near Elle, but they need each other more than they need me right now and I’m man enough to admit to that. They have endured trauma together before and it brought them closer. They know how to lean on each other without question and without words. That’s what they both need right now

I head back into the main part of the house and find myself at the door of the office. I go to speak but a phone ringing stops me. I look at the couple of people left in the room. It’s just me, Max and Elijah. The latter is the first to speak as he picks up the ringing phone which I recognize to be Elle’s from before she went rogue.

He grimaces, “It’s Greg Donovan.”

I move before I even realize it, snatching the phone from his grip and answering before he can protest, but I notice he immediately starts tapping away on his computer

“Evening, wifey. You left me quite a mess to clean up. I’d be pissed if I weren’t so impressed. If this is your idea of foreplay, I can’t wait to go another round with you.” His arrogant and psychotic tone purrs down the line making my skin crawl

I can’t control my temper, “The only foreplay you're going to enjoy is my gun down your fucking throat.” I snap.

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