Page 52 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

“Rolland.” She slurs, “Rolland Atkins.” Then she collapses into my arms.

Tyler jumps out of the car and rushes towards me, “What the fuck happened to her?”

I can’t answer him, all I can hear is Rolland Atkins’ name on repeat in my mind. A name I have seen countless times, for years. He’s the owner of the biggest pharmaceutical company in the state, one of Elliot Donovan's closest friends, and a target on Elle’s murder board. He also happens to be the name on Rachel’s death certificate. Taylor isn’t drunk. I believe her, she only had one glass, given to her by the trusted and respected Dr. Atkins, and I know exactly what was fucking in that champagne.

“She’s been drugged.” I bite out bitterly, “we need to get her out of here, now!” I move Taylor so I can pick her up in a fireman's hold, and head back towards the car. Tyler opens the door and helps me lift her in safely before he jumps into the driver’s seat.

“Where are we going?” He asks, and I know he won’t like my answer, but right now I don’t care about anything but her.

“Home, she needs to see Arthur.” His gaze collides with mine in the mirror before he turns and looks at Taylor, sighing, he nods, then floors it out of there. I can see him keep checking the mirrors as he makes sure no one is following us. Smart man.

He saw me. Looked me right in the eye with enough recognition that he backed off. Does he know who I am? Who I’m with? Have I just put a target on her back without meaning to? I push those thoughts aside and concentrate on the only thing I can control right now, and that’s helping Taylor. I look down at her passed out on my lap, and wonder if this is what it was like for Rachel. Tricked by someone she thought she could trust. It makes my skin crawl. I reach out and brush a black strand of hair away from her face, and for a moment, I pretend. Pretend that we are the same, that we have lived the same kind of life, and that we are just a regular couple who could have ‘it’. That thing that people dream of, that Marcus and Elle have already found. That I say I don’t want, but secretly crave. I pretend, and it feels good.

I watch her breathe in and out and wonder if it’s possible. Wonder if, given the chance, could the right girl break through all my shit and make it all better. Make me better? I don’t know if it’s possible or if Taylor could even be the right girl, but just for a moment, here in this car, she is, we are, and life doesn’t feel so bad.

By the time we make it back to the house, the new year has come and gone. Tyler took a long route home to ensure we weren’t followed and as we move through the gates, the house is a lot darker than when we left it. He pulls into the garage and turns off the engine.

He turns, “I’ll go alert Max and get Arthur ready for her.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond, just gets out, opens my door for me and leaves. It’s like he knew I needed a minute longer to just pretend. But I can’t anymore, not in the light of the garage. This isn’t pretend, this is real life, my life and I just dragged her into it when I should have pushed her away. Elle is probably going to freak out that I brought her here and I’m sure Donovan and Marcus will have something to say about it too. But I can’t worry about that right now.

I slip out of the car and slowly maneuver her back into my arms and carry her inside until we reach my room. I get there at the same time Arthur does, and I don’t miss the flash of disgust passing over his face, or the way he locks his jaw when he sees the innocent girl, passed out in my arms. I place her on the bed, and he starts checking her vitals.

I don’t know if she is going to be okay, If I’m going to be okay, but I do know who needs to die next and I know I have to be the one to do it.

Chapter 31

ELLE

It’s a new year and I’m waking up in River’s arms feeling perfectly rested and satisfied. So much has changed in the last six months, so much has happened. So much blood and death and almosts, I can barely keep up. But I’m here, we’re here. We’re safe. Marcus and I stayed in bed curled up in each other all night. Ash popped his head in on his way to bed with a sleeping Cass, and for once, everything just felt right.

I stretch out, careful not to wake Marcus, who is still snoring softly beside me and head to the bathroom. I go to the toilet, wash my hands, and then look at my reflection in the mirror. There are marks across my chest and up my neck that remind me exactly what we did last night, and I can’t help but smile. Being with him is like being free. Free from my demons, the weight of the world and everything I still have to do. He makes me weak in the best kind of way, reminding me of who I truly am at my core.

I head into the kitchen to find coffee, which I desperately need, and find Jace pacing. He halts as soon as he spots me, grabbing the already brewed coffee pot and pouring me a cup, and silently handing it over. He looks anxious and on edge, and I start to worry slightly. He’s just in black sweats leaving his tattooed torso completely on display and when he reaches out and absentmindedly touches where I know his sister's name sits, I really start to panic.

“What happened?” I put my mug down and lean on the counter across from him.

He sighs, “I have a situation.” Is all he says, and I frown.

I pick up my cup again and take another sip, blowing it a little. “Okay,” I drag the word out, “want to tell me what that means?”

“Taylor Kennedy is in my bed.” He blurts out, and my eyebrows nearly hit the roof as I slam my coffee back onto the counter. “Before you yell, I can explain.”

“Yell?” I scoff in disbelief, “I wouldn’t even know how to yell right now, do you know how reckless this is? Cassie is asleep right down the hall, Jace.”

“I know, Elle, I know, but I couldn’t leave her, she was in a bad way.”

My senses immediately go on high alert, “what do you mean?”

He takes a deep breath as he launches into the explanation, “Taylor texted me last night, asking if I wanted to go to a party. I spoke to Max and he said I could go, but that I had to take Tyler.” He shrugs and I smile a little at the fact that this 6ft tattooed Rebel had to ask permission to go to a party, “she said to pick her up from her house, but when I got there, she stumbled out. I thought she was drunk.”

“She wasn’t?” I ask to confirm, and he shakes his head.

“When she came out, I saw a man I recognized, I couldn’t place him, but Taylor confirmed his name.”

My spine straightens as I prepare for whatever name he’s about to say. “Who was it?”

“Rolland Atkins.” He grits his name out in disgust and his earlier pacing now makes sense, he must have been stewing on this all night. He tells me what happened, what he saw and how he brought her here so Arthur could take a look at her. She is fine now, she was given something to make her pass out, but all her vitals are good.

I huff out a long breath. I should have expected this. Dr. Atkins has been on my list from the beginning, and it seems my disposal of his friends hasn’t deterred him in any way. He needs dealing with and soon. I need to know how much Jace wants Taylor to know. She’s here, and when she wakes up, I’m sure she is going to have a lot of questions.

---