AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“With all the shit I’ve survived in my life,” Gray started as we entered the thick of the jungle, “a tank won’t be what takes me down. No worries, brother. Plus, you somehow seem to always have my back when I need it.”
“Always will.” The emotions that hit me as we walked side by side were unexpected to say the least. We were all okay, and we’d make it through this shit storm. That was what we did. Resilient should’ve been inked on our bodies, because that’s what we were on this team. And I needed to remember that in moments like these.
Gray slapped my shoulder, and I suppressed my wince from the pain, forgetting I’d jacked it up in the accident. “But I’m not the one who needs you right now. She does.”
I cleared my throat, more emotions pushing to the surface, and I damn near choked on them as I searched up ahead in the dark, only a shadow of movement where Charley walked by her sister. “The thing is,” I said with a sigh, my shoulders falling as if weighted down by my realization, “I think I might be the one who needs her.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHARLOTTE
“So, Mom didn’t die in the car accident? Instead, she was there that night, and got shot? I don’t understand.”
I’d expected Lucy’s questions at some point, but I’d hoped she’d hold off until we were on safe ground. After changing course two times to avoid more traps the cartel had set for us, we were finally in the world of streetlights, paved roads, and people. But safe wasn’t the word I’d use to describe our situation quite yet.
I stole a look at Lucy, unsure what to say as guilt and pain fought for space in my already hungry gut. It was after nine at night, and I was pretty sure I’d only had a granola bar since breakfast. I remembered Mya had packed snacks back at that house earlier, but we’d never had a chance to eat after we left. Why couldn’t she wait till after we at least ate again to have this conversation?
“Well?” Lucy prompted, interrupting my hangry thoughts.
Here goes nothing.
“Mom faked her death. We were going to meet her over the border in Mexico and fly to London together. You were never supposed to see the car accident. She didn’t want you to know the plan ahead of time.” I rushed through the details as quickly as possible, hoping it’d ease the pain. The streetlamps were just bright enough for me to easily make out her furrowed brows over her shocked eyes. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you because Brant’s men took us right after. When we never made it to the airport, and Mom saw the heist on the news still took place without her, she must have put two and two together and circled back to come save us.”
She stopped walking, forcing me to halt as well. Whipping around, she cried, “Eleven years, Charley. Eleven freaking years. You could’ve told me.”
Unsure whether to pull her into my arms for a hug or give her room to breathe, I found myself simply staring at her. When I tried to scratch together the reason I’d kept the secret for so many years, it sounded weak to even my own mind. “I thought it’d be better for you to think her death was an accident.”
Jack turned back, putting eyes on us. He didn’t come our way, but he remained in place waiting, still such the protector.
Fixing my eyes back on my sister, I explained, “While you were hiding outside where that Fed stashed you for safety, Mom took a bullet meant for me. And I—”
“So help me God,” Lucy rasped, whittling the space between us to inches, stabbing a finger at my chest as tears glistened in her eyes, “if you dare say you feel guilty for her dying, I’ll turn around and go back in the jungle and just let it eat me alive.” Her wobbly lip screwed with my focus. “She chose the life she chose, and she put us in that position. The only good thing Mom ever did as far as I’m concerned is take a bullet for you.”
“We need to go,” Carter urged. And as much as I wanted to stay there and hash out everything, to finally shed some of the weight I’d carried for so long, he was right. We had to go, because we weren’t on safe ground.
Lucy pulled her hand back. “Wait . . . you didn’t tell me because of guilt. No, you didn’t tell me so I wouldn’t hate her. Blame her even more than I already do.” She shook her head and looked toward the others waiting for us just up the road. Carter caught her eye and not-so-patiently waved us over. “She may have wanted us to escape and start over somewhere new, but she was the reason we needed to escape in the first place. She was a criminal.” And with that, she obeyed Carter’s command to get a move on, leaving me rooted in place, replaying every decision I’d ever made.
“Hey, you okay?” Jack stepped in front of me, a fist beneath my chin, guiding my focus up to meet his eyes.
“Not even a little bit,” I admitted, blinking back tears.
Jack’s lips parted, his reply cut off when Jesse called out, “There’s a shopping center up ahead.” We’d reconvened with him and Mason ten minutes ago. “I have Wi-Fi again, and I googled the name of the plaza. They’re open for thirty more minutes.”
“Then we need to move quickly before the cars are gone from the parking lot,” Gray said, stealing a look back our way.
“How long since you’ve boosted a car?” Jack asked me—a far cry from whatever words of wisdom he’d planned to give me about my sister’s reaction to my revelations about Mom. But oddly, it was exactly what I needed him to ask so I could refocus. “I know she taught you to drive, but since you said earlier you can help procure one as well . . .”
“It’s been a minute.” More like over a decade. “Technology has changed a lot in cars, but I think I can handle it.” I swallowed down the uneasy swell of emotion pushing up into my throat. Was he wondering why she taught me to steal cars? Did he blame her, like Lucy did? Would he think I was as bad as she was if I did this? “If you can handle me helping? You’re a law-abiding citizen, and I’m offering to use—”
“We need to break the law to save our lives.” Dropping his fist from my chin, he brought his hand to link with mine, and we began following the others. “Carter will get names for the stolen cars, and they’ll wind up with more than enough cash to compensate after the fact, I promise.”
“Is Carter wealthy or . . .?”
“Think Bruce Wayne without the bat suit. A total badass that’s loaded with unlimited resources and gadgets.” He gave me a small smile, then tugged my hand, a reminder we were in a hurry.
Batman, got it. Nice ally to have. Scary, but nice.
“We need three cars if we can manage it,” Gwen said once we all neared the parking lot.
