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“Sir.” A soldier comes running up to us and salutes.
“Yes,” I answer him holding Mara closer to my chest.
“All of the innocents are loaded and ready to depart. What is your order for the soldiers?”
“To return to their barracks and await further instructions from either Hunter or me.”
“Thank you, sir.” The soldier runs off, and I slump back against the building.
“How are they going to cope when they realize what has happened?” Mara reaches up to my face and strokes my cheek tenderly.
I shake my head before responding, “I don’t know. The memories will haunt them forever. So many men broken by what Rebekah did. Mikaela will do what she can to help them all. She’s the final surviving sister and will inherit everything if Rebekah doesn’t have a will stating otherwise, which given I know she was a cocky bitch I doubt she did.”
“I hope she burns it to the ground,” Mara utters in anger.
I turn my head toward where the imposing building of my childhood stands. The place I first met Samara and fell in love with her.
“For all the bad memories, it gave me you. I’ll always hold a fondness in my heart because it.” I can feel my heart beating deeply in my chest. Emotions drowned out by the chip for years have resurfaced with a vengeance. I’m tired and need sleep. I need Samara.
She meets my gaze with questions burning in hers. “What will happen to the children?”
“Hopefully, they can find lives outside what has happened here. I’m going to try to be involved in their futures as much as I can. I want to know they are living normal, or what I would hope to be normal, lives.” Pushing off the wall, I lead Samara to my car and click the key fob to open it. She takes a last look at the place we grew up in.
“I want to help as well. Maybe we could ask Mikaela to demolish the building and start again. A new home for the children. We could run it.”
I kiss the top of her nose despite the blood she’s still covered in. “You looking to give up the assassin life, assume a new identity?” I tease.
“I don’t need it anymore.”
“It will be good to finally cleanse ourselves of the blood we’ve shed. I’ll talk to Mikaela. You think Hunter will want the same life?”
“I’m not sure he and children would mix. He tends to growl at them a lot,” Samara laughs, and it warms my body with its genuine happiness.
I help Mara into the car, and we drive in comfortable silence to the place she was sharing with Hunter. He’s not home yet, but I trust him with Reagan. He’ll look after her like he looked after Samara for me when I couldn’t. We shower, still in silence, and Mara wraps my leg in bandages. I clean the bruises and cuts on her face from her fight with Rebekah and give each one a kiss to heal.
“Get into bed and rest,” I order her when were dressed—an old, oversized T-shirt for Mara and a pair of Hunter’s sweatpants for myself. “I’ll get some food.”
We’re interrupted by Samara’s phone ringing. I look at the caller ID and see it’s Hunter.
“It’s Archer,” I answer it for her.
“How is she?” Hunter immediately asks.
“Ok, resting.”
Mara lays down on the bed and instantly shuts her eyes.
I leave the room quietly and pull the door shut so I don’t disturb her, then whisper into the speaker, “What’s wrong?”
“Cynical much?” Hunter retorts with a laugh.
“It’s taken years of practice.”
“Everything is fine. I was just calling to say the innocents are all safe. The children have been accommodated in other homes. The women used as whores have been checked over and are as good as could be expected. We’re still having trouble with the soldiers. I’m going to stay with them tonight. Mikaela is here, working with one of the doctors we haven’t killed, for their part in Rebekah’s organization.”
“Ok, what about Reagan?”
“She’s with me. I won’t let her out of my sight. You have my word on that. She didn’t want to go with the others, so I’ve kept her close. Her brother’s here. He had a chip inserted straight away.”
“Ok. Keep me informed.”
“Will do. Look after her, Archer.” His voice is filled with affection, and I know deep down, he cares for her deeply.
“I’m never letting her out of my sight again. Don’t worry about that.” It’s my promise, and I will do everything to keep it.
“Good.”
The line goes dead, and I place the phone on silent. Mara and I need one night together. Hunter is more than capable of being in charge. The monster is dead, but there is still much wrong to right over the next few months, possibly even years. Out there in the world are men with chips in their heads. Innocents forced into war. We have to save them all.
