Page 53 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

I consider my words carefully before I ask, “are we bringing Taylor into the fold?” I have no idea what is going on between them, Jace has been so closed off so it’s hard to tell where the playboy Rebel starts and my soft and caring Jace ends.

His shutdown is immediate. “No. She doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this, especially not by me.”

I soften at that, “Jace,” I start, but he cuts me off.

“No, Elle. I won’t put her life in danger. I only brought her here last night because I had nowhere else to take her. It won’t happen again.” His words are final, and I nod in agreement.

“It’s fine, she’s my friend, don’t worry we will work something out.” I have no idea what we will do, but I know it has to be something. She already has a target on her back regardless of her association with me or Jace.

“As long as she’s safe.” His tone breaks my heart a little. Such a beautiful, broken Rebel.

I want to throw my arms around him and comfort him, tell him everything is going to be okay, but I don’t know that. I sigh and roll my eyes trying to break the serious tension in the air. It’s clear he likes her, but apparently, we aren’t admitting that today, so I just smile and say, “you’re insufferable.”

“But you love me, right?” He smiles for the first time, throwing in his signature, flirty wink, making it impossible not to smile back.

I don’t hesitate this time, rounding the counter and pulling him into a hug, “too much for my own good, pretty boy.” I whisper into his chest, as he hugs me back.

“We need to take him out.” He whispers into my hair.

“I know, but we need a plan,” I pull back and stare up at him, “we can’t just go after him without a plan.”

He gives me a look as if to say he doesn’t believe me, “since when was that a rule?”

“Since I won’t risk losing any of us again, we’ve had too many close calls and I don’t want anymore. We’re all in this together, right? Whatever it takes?”

He nods, “Whatever it takes, Queenie.”

I nod and move to leave, but he grips my arm, “I wanna be the one to do it, the one to kill him.”

“Jace,” I start, wanting to tell him he doesn’t deserve that kind of stain on his soul, but we are interrupted.

“Elle?” Both our heads snap to the entrance of the kitchen at the sound of Taylor’s confused voice.

I look at Jace who is just staring at her and then turn back to her, “Hey Tay, how are you feeling?

“Like a truck ran over my head repeatedly.” She says rubbing it slightly before looking at Jace, “what happened last night? Where am I?”

I look at Jace again, unsure of how much to even tell her at this point. Jace said he doesn’t want to bring her in, but Rolland went after her which means Elliot went after her. That and the fact she is standing in our kitchen, how can we not bring her in?

“You’re at our place.” I say and her frown deepens, which is understandable, it’s not like it’s been broadcast that the Rebels were burned out of their home, and I was bloodied out of mine. “Look there is a lot of stuff to tell you and a lot of stuff we can’t tell you, but I need to know that you won’t tell anyone anything that you learn.”

She gives us both a questioning look, “anyone like who?” I think she is asking a genuine question, but when I go to answer, she goes on, “it’s not like I’m bursting at the seams with friends.”

Her words hit me in the gut because I know what it’s like to feel alone and like you have no one, but I was never alone. I’ve always had someone. I can’t say that to her so instead I settle on, “This is life or death Tay. So, are you in or out?”

I feel Jace’s glare piercing into the side of my head as I give her the ultimatum and Taylor looks between the two of us again, before she speaks at the same time another voice enters the kitchen.

“In.”

“Mommy!”

Cassie bounces into the kitchen with Ash right on her heels, and his eyes flare wide as he notices Taylor. His gaze snaps to mine straight away. I catch Cassie as she leaps towards me pulling her into a hug, all the while watching the shock embed itself onto Taylor’s face. This was my biggest concern when Jace told me she was here. Not what almost happened to her or everything else she could find out, but this right here.

“Morning, baby,” I brush her curls from her head as I kiss her cheek. Then gesture across the kitchen, “meet my friend, Taylor.” Cassie immediately turns her head and flashes her the cutest smile.

“Wow she's so beautiful.” She gasps waving at her while Taylor still remains in shock.

“Jace sure seems to think so.” I smile smugly and he groans at me, but of course it goes right over Cassie’s head.

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