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“I’m fine, Mom,” I said as my sisters were yanked away and Mom took their place, squeezing me possibly even harder than they had.
“Don’t ‘I’m fine Mom’ me,” she said into my hair as she breathed me in. “I almost lost you.” Her voice choked up and I felt tears spring into my eyes. I’d done a relatively good job at keeping my cool, even when I’d had to recount every moment to Officer Jordan. But in my mom’s arms, all of that façade slipped away, leaving just me. The scared girl who’d been held captive, along with the brave woman who’d just kicked butt. I wasn’t sure how to reconcile both parts of myself. But I couldn’t think about that right now as my family circled me, welcoming me back.
I couldn’t disagree with my mother. Shehadalmost lost me. It had been close, far too close. I’d thought myself invincible—what kind of person could go up against me and win? But the world taught me the hard way that not all play fair, that even I could fall when the odds were stacked against me. I didn’t like accepting that, but I knew I had to embrace it. The reminder would probably save my life at some future date.
“I’m here,” was all I could manage, my throat constricting with overwhelming gratitude.
Mom finally let go and Dad took her place. My handsome dad in his rumpled shirt and unkempt hair looked about five years older than when I’d last seen him the day before.
I waited for him to tell me that I needed to quit my job and stop taking such risks, that he couldn’t handle losing his daughter.
“I’m proud of you, Aria Burke,” Dad whispered as he held me tight. He kissed the top of my head and then let me go.
The tears that I’d barely held back with my mom now fell freely. My dad’s quiet acceptance was almost too much.
I glanced up to see Aunt Susie standing behind the rest of my family. I tightened my hold on Dad one last time before letting him go and moving toward my aunt. Mom had been given her daughter back. Something Aunt Susie would never get.
I hugged her and felt her tears fall onto my shoulder. I’d outgrown the tiny woman about four years before.
“I would have never forgiven myself,” Aunt Susie began but I cut her off.
“Yes, you would have. Because it was my choice to be here. This isn’t on you,” I said sternly, my own tears drying as I cared for the woman who had been a second mother to me.
“Let’s just be glad we’ll never have to find out,” she whispered, holding me close for a moment before pushing me back toward my mom.
“Let’s go home,” Mom said. She wrapped an arm around my waist but I twirled out of it.
“I can’t. I’m still working.” I shook my head, thinking about the tunnels I’d just escaped. I wanted to search them with a fine-tooth comb. I needed to figure out who these guys were. I itched to question them and then throw them behind bars.
“Susie,” Mom said, her tone full of warning.
“Aria, I’m not sure about this anymore . . . ” Aunt Susie began.
I shook my head. “No,” I told her. “No,” I repeated, turning to my mom. “We’ve discussed this at length. I waited until I was twenty and now I get to do this. It’s what I was born to do. Please understand that.”
“You were also born to stay alive,” Mom snapped, her patience wearing thin.
But I couldn’t give in. Not this time. If I did, I’d never be an Aurora’s Girl again.
“I am alive, Mom. And I can’t make my decisions based on fear. Aurora’s Girls needs warriors. And who better than me, a woman who has been training since before I was a teen to do this very job?”
My mom understood how important this was to me. She had to know I wouldn’t give it up. Couldn’t give it up.
“Fine. Then Susie will get you a desk job,” Mom said firmly. That’s what she’d been angling for, giving me the worst-case scenario before settling for a compromise. But this wasn’t a compromise at all. I couldn’t really be an Aurora’s Girl without getting in the field. I wouldn’t leave my team in the lurch.
“A desk job?” Ava asked, exasperation lacing her voice.
She wasn’t helping. I sent her a glare that silenced her and turned back to my mom.
“No,” I said. On this I wouldn’t compromise. Not even a little bit. I had to have free rein to do this job or I’d be useless. To Aurora’s Girls, to my team, to myself.
“What?” Mom asked, blinking. She hadn’t been expecting that. Honestly, neither had I. I’d always been the kid who’d listened and obeyed. I’d learned from a young age that my parents typically knew best and I didn’t fight it. But this was different.
“I can’t, Mom. A desk job would kill me slowly.”
“Better than being killed quickly, by one of those thugs!” Mom stared toward the cop cars, probably searching to see if the guys were still there.
Thankfully they weren’t. I’d seen the car drive off while Officer Jordan had been questioning me. The last thing my mom needed to see were the injuries I’d inflicted on that guy.
