His words hang heavy in the air.
“Get ready to ship out,” Baz says. “I brought a crew to take you all to our place. Dad has the best of security, and it’s safer for all of us if we hole up there. I suggest you pack a bag for a few days.”
ChapterForty-Nine
Ares
Ash has a firm hold of my hand as we stand outside the Stewart castle watching the cavalcade of blacked-out SUVs advance up the sweeping driveway toward us. Jase, Chad, Bree, and Baz are here too along with Jase’s mom, Anna-Lynn, and their sixteen-year-old sister, Jocelyn. Eric Stewart hasn’t emerged from his office during the time we’ve been here. His team is searching Lowell and farther afield, looking for any sign of Rhett Carter.
The past few hours have been agonizing. I have worn a path in the Stewarts’ living room and bitten my nails to the quick, waiting for news of my sister. I breathed a sigh of relief when Baz confirmed the plane had landed safely, but I can’t relax, won’t relax, until I see my sister in the flesh.
The first SUV comes to a standstill in front of us, and I hold my breath as the back door opens. I’m conscious of Ash’s eyes on the side of my face as she squeezes my hand in a silent show of support. I can scarcely breathe over the massive lump in my throat. My heart is jackhammering in my chest, and my legs feel wobbly.
“Ares!” Lili’s tear-filled eyes lock on mine as my little sister hops down out of the SUV and runs toward me.
My legs give out, and I fall to my knees, not even feeling the gravel digging into my jeans. All I register is my sister is here. Safe and looking well and so grown-up compared to the last time I saw her. Tears stream down my face as I open my arms, and Lili hurls herself against me. She slides into my lap, circles her arms around my neck, and sobs as she clings to me.
My arms band around her back, and I hold her tight, openly crying as I drink her all in. My hand glides down her long blonde hair before I clasp the back of her head and pull her brow flush against mine. “Lili,” I croak as tears continue spilling down my cheeks. “I love you so much. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I never thought I’d see you or Mum again. I was so scared.” She sobs, burying her face in my neck, and I run my hand up and down her back in what I hope is a soothing gesture.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now, and Mum is on her way to see you.”
“We should move this inside,” Vincent Fox says, his face showcasing alarm as he scans the grounds.
I lock eyes with him and nod. Although the Fox family is aligned to the Salinger Luminary family, Vincent and his older brother are close with Eric Stewart. No doubt Walter Salinger’s betrayal helped to sway their loyalties in a different direction. Eric trusts and respects them as friends and work colleagues, and they have come through for us a lot recently.
“Thank you,” I say, repositioning myself so I can stand. “Thank you for bringing my sister to me.” I know he couldn’t have been a part of the group on the ground in Colombia, but he was at the airport to greet their plane and ensure they got here safely. Carter is lurking somewhere, and he was always a concern, so I’m grateful Vincent got Lili home without issue.
Vincent smiles. “That is not necessary. I am glad I could play a part. Seeing you with your sister is all the repayment I need.”
Jase helps me to stand as I carry my sister in my arms, neither of us able to let go. The difference in my Lili is noticeable. Her long gangly arms are almost choking my neck, and her elongated legs wrap awkwardly around my waist. She is heavier than I remember, not that I’m complaining. I worried about the state she’d be returned to us in, but she appears healthy and cared for. Appearances could be deceiving, but it seems like she was looked after, and I’m hopeful it means she was kept as a pawn and not as a sex slave.
The thought lands sourly in my mind, and I push it away to discuss later. Now isn’t the time.
Lili stops crying when we enter the house, lifting her head and staring curiously all around her. “Where are we?” she asks.
“This is a friend’s house,” I explain as we walk down the long hallway toward the living room. Everyone has gone ahead except for Ash. She walks silently by my side.
“Who are you?” Lili asks, glancing at Ash while wriggling in my arms. “You can put me down. I’ll walk,” Lili says, looking up at me briefly before turning her attention to Ashley. I set Lili’s feet on the ground, grasping her hand in mine and keeping her close.
“I’m Ashley. I’m a…friend of your brother’s.”
I scowl at her, not liking that one little bit. “She’s my girlfriend,” I say in a clipped tone, leveling Ash with a dark look. It doesn’t feel like enough, but only lovesick fools verbalize words like life partner or love of my life.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted to say,” Ash quietly replies, looking up at me.
“We both know you’re way more than that, but this explanation will do for now.”
Lili looks confused as her gaze bounces between us. Then her brow smooths out, and she smiles. It does something funny to my insides and I have to fight a fresh bout of tears.
“I have a lot to catch up on,” Lili says.
Ash has tears in her eyes as she stares at me, and I understand the sentiment. This is more than I could have hoped for.
“We do, little sis.” I press a kiss to the top of her head, amazed she is almost up to my shoulder now. “You have grown so tall and so beautiful.” She’s stunning with her long natural golden-blonde hair, big blue eyes, and porcelain skin. Her body has altered too with soft curves that hint at the woman she’s becoming. She is only thirteen, but she looks so much older. I hate I missed the transition from little girl, and I intend to make Carter pay. That sick prick claimed he had discovered Lili’s location and he was watching over her to ensure she was safe when he was the one behind her kidnapping all along.
Baz has been updating us regularly as Eric’s team makes their way through the considerable number of files on the flash drive, discovering lots of intel. Carter was in cahoots with Luke McKenzie to funnel additional kids to sex trafficking rings he was running in South America. It was Luke who took Lili and got her out of the US—acting on Carter’s instructions. Eric Stewart believes the Greed & Gluttony Luminary was probably operating rings in other locations too.
