32. Chapter Thirty-Two
32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Kieran
P hoenix left about an hour ago to go meet up with James. Ry sent me a confirmation text about fifteen or so minutes ago that they made it there and were about to go into the office. I haven’t heard anything more, so I’m assuming that everything’s going well. While I wait I’m doing what any other self respecting enforcer for the mob would do… I’m playing Mario Kart with my youngest brother, while my other brothers look on, waiting for their turn. Every time one of us knocks the other off the track the room fills with genuine laughs and good natured ribbing. My phone rings and I pause the game as I see Ryan’s name flash across my phone. I hold up a hand to my brothers, silencing their collective groans of protest.
“Talk to me Ry.”
Hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as my muscles lock up at the voice on the other side.
“Kieran Byrne, I hear you’ve been looking for me. I also hear you’ve got my daughter. I want that little whore delivered to me. If you want your buddy here returned alive, you’ll get me what’s mine.”
Before I can respond I hear Ryan yell in the background, “It’s okay Kieran. I’m okay, don’t do anything. I love you, brother.”
“You have twenty-four hours Byrne, don’t make me kill your best friend.” With that parting blow he hangs up. I’m doubled over trying to force air into my lungs. Ryan. Nix. Wait Nix?
I shoot up into a sitting position almost headbutting Mac who is right in my face trying to get me to talk, to breathe, to do something. He sounds underwater, this might be shock, the edges of my vision begin to darken when a strong hand hits me across the back, startling me. Instincts take over as I gasp in a big breath of air, and everything begins coming back into focus.
“That’s it Kie, just breathe. You don’t have to talk right now, just breathe.” Mac coaches me through what must be a panic attack. But he doesn’t understand. I have to talk. Nix is missing.
“Nix. Missing.” I choke out, it’s all I’m able to get out before I’m fighting for my next breath again, the hand around my neck squeezing until I’m sure it’ll kill me. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye before a phone is pressed against my ear. I strain to hear and after a few seconds I’m able to register her voice. Phoenix.
“Kie, please come get me. I’m so scared. Kie please.” It’s like hearing her despair dripping through her voice has me snapping out of whatever panic I was feeling .
“Nix? Baby, where are you? I’m coming, I just need to know where you are.”
“I’m in the back stairwell of the building, at the very top, inside the trash can by the door. Hurry, I don’t know where they are or if they’re still there.”
“I’m coming, Brave Girl. Stay there, stay silent. Wait until I physically lift you out of there to utter another word. I’ll be there as quickly as I can. I’m so proud of you for getting out of there. Fuck, I’m coming. I love you so fucking much, Phoenix. Don’t move. Stay, Swear?”
“I love you too, Kieran. Stay, Swear.” She cuts the call and I’m darting to the garage in the next second, throwing commands at my brothers who are running behind me. I’ve never been happier about Rhett being in preschool than I am now. When they enrolled him a few weeks ago I was pissed, now I’m relieved.
“Her dad took Ryan, I don’t know where. He wants Nix. I don’t know how they got her out and hidden. I don’t know how her dad got in undetected. I don’t know where Collin is. But I know where she is, we get her then we find him. I’ve buried enough people, I’m not burying my best friend too.”
I slide sneakers on before jumping on my R1, shoving the helmet onto my head, barely taking the time to strap it on, and fly out of the garage. The door opening somehow in the time it took me to start my bike and put the helmet on. I know my brothers are somewhere behind me as I weave in and out of traffic, I hear the rumble of another bike coming up beside me, glancing to the side, Declan’s burnt orange Cbr1000 catches my eye for a fraction of a second. I should have known. He’s the only one who can keep up with me right now.
We bring the bikes to a stop right in front of the building. I switch it off and take off like a shot, not even bothering to take my helmet off. There’s thirty-two stories in this building, there’s no shot I’m running up those steps. It would waste time and I’d burn out before getting to the top. Thankfully there’s an open elevator. Declan’s caught up to me and we both slide into the elevator before erratically pressing the shut button, and the thirty-two.
“Okay, Kie. Keep your head on a swivel this could be a trap. I know you need to get to her,but do it safely, please.”
As the elevator ascends I take a second to take in his worried expression. He’s right. I need to keep my wits about me. “I will. I’m getting my girl, then we’re getting Ryan back.” He nods in acknowledgment as the elevator dings and we rush out the barely opened doors. We take a quick sweep of the floor, making sure it’s just us here. By the time we finish my other brothers are piling out of another elevator. I leave them there to discuss whatever they’re going to try to discuss and run to the stairwell. I know Mac’s on my heels without having to even turn around. Of course he is, he’s my steady, and we don’t know how we’re going to find her.
By the time I make it to the top of the stairs my body’s vibrating with fear, anger, and other emotions I don’t even have the bandwidth to explain. I throw the top of the trashcan off and my heart shudders to a stop when steel gray clashes with my gaze, but it’s not her eyes this time. Before I can even register that she’s aiming a gun at me, or that she hasn’t registered that it’s me yet I grab her under her arms and lift her straight out of that nasty ass hiding spot.
I hear the gun clatter to the ground as her arms wrap tightly around my neck and her legs find their home wrapped around my hips. Her face burrows into the crook of my neck and she lets out the most terrified, heart shattering cry. Phoenix is strong, she’s the strongest person that I know, but right now? Planted safely in my arms, she falls apart. I hold her and kiss every part of her that I can reach while whispering reassuring praise to her.
We stand there for a few minutes before I hear footsteps on the stairs and without putting her down I draw my gun from my waistband and aim it at the curve of the stairwell, ready to fire at the first person I see.
“Kieran, stop.” Rowan’s strong, commanding voice comes from just beyond the bend. “It’s just us. There’s no one else here. We have Jackson in custody and being transported for you. Collin’s dead, we just want to, no we need to see that Pigeon is okay.” The use of her less than stellar nickname draws a half snort half laugh from Nix.
“Okay.” That one word, that’s all they needed to hear. I holster my gun before my remaining four brothers make their way to us and she’s snatched out of my arms into Declan’s, he hugs her and tells her how glad he is she’s okay before she switches hands again. She makes it through all five of them before coming straight back over to me and climbing me like a tree. You won’t find me complaining. I don’t think I’ll ever let her out of my arms again.
“Come on, Mo Stóirín let’s get you home, then we can all go to the office and you can tell us what happened.”
* * *
We’ve gotten home safely, Clara’s been brought into the fold, and we’re all getting settled into the office. Nix waits until everyone settles and stops talking before she begins.
“So, we were in Jackson’s office, he was being extremely cryptic about me being safe, and how The Pit isn’t. He said I put myself in danger there. I don’t know, it was really weird. We hadn’t even gotten to talk about work yet when another lawyer, Tyson maybe? I can’t remember his name, but he burst in the room and said that they were here.
I now know they are Robert, Eric, and David. Ryan and Collin led me to the stairwell to hide, but the elevator began to open as we were walking through the door, so Ryan pushed me in, handed me Collins gun, then told me to go hide and wait for you guys. I heard a few shots as I ran up the stairs but I couldn’t stop. I found the trashcan and got inside. I called you and after we hung up I heard them on the steps. They looked for a little while for me, before giving up and leaving. I’m so sorry, I should have made them come with me.”
I rub her back in soothing circles, trying to comfort her, “No, you did exactly what you should have.”
“If you all would have gone they would have found you, then we would be looking for you too.” Sully so helpfully adds.
“I’m helping you guys get Ryan back. You can argue with each other, but so help me I will be there and I will take them out myself.” Determination sets into her eyes, and I know, she’ll be helping one way or another.