38. Jax

Jax

Seven months later

" T urn here?"

"No, not here," Dane grumbles and points to the map. "The next track."

"No, here!" Rafe says cheerfully. "Come on, Dane, let's go explore. It will be fun!"

"That's what she said!" Gideon calls out and cracks up.

I giggle in the back seat and lean against Gideon. It's been almost nine months since the events that saw my father leave this world. It took a while to clear everything up. To answer all the questions and find everything we needed to know. People wanted to talk about it, the victims, the families, the people who needed to validate their losses. They pulled at me until I couldn't take it anymore.

Jacob is the one who told us to leave. Who told us to stop giving in and let the town heal without our presence opening the wounds up again.

We finally bought ourselves a nice fancy car and took off for our wild adventure. Well, it's just the start of the adventure. We left a few hours ago, but we have one more thing to do before we leave Hurricane forever.

"You look like the cat who got the cream," Gideon drawls .

I kiss my way up his chest. I got rid of his pesky shirt about an hour ago.

I catch a flicker of black out of the corner of my eye and notice that all four of us instantly turn to look.

We haven't seen any sign of Mason or Astaire, though I haven't stopped looking. I might never know what happened to them, but I hope they found peace. That's something I have to come to terms with. But not yet. I haven't given up hope.

My mother isn't around anymore, either, and I never did see Eddie, not after the fire. But I had this dream that we went for ice-cream, and when I woke, I felt like he was okay.

"Do you remember the story you told us about the children in the park? The ones who ran there to escape?" Rafe asks suddenly.

"Yeah, I remember. They were Joe's children," I say nonchalantly.

"Yeah, that's right." Rafe turns and looks at me as if gauging my reaction.

"I went back there before we left, to talk to the children, or what's left of them, about moving on, and I found a woman there."

I look up and meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. I'm very, very still.

"A very burnt woman who smelt like gasoline. There were four children with her."

"But…" Their mother? Who were the other two children?

I remember the other family that burned to death in this town and swallow hard. Banewoods.

Rafe nods as if he can hear my thoughts. "Yes. She said her name was Roselyn. She called the children, Jill, Dorothy, Samuel, and Sinclair. The ghost was carrying silver gum wrappings in her hands. She passed it to me and said to tell you that you did well. This ghost of a woman wished you well on your journey and told me to tell you not to come back. She said, and I quote, ‘it's time for us all to find peace.'"

I'm gasping and trembling. But Gideon has hold of me. I'm not going to fall.

Leroy, the ghost expert, took down our account of what happened, and he suggests a theory that, much like some older cultures, ghosts remain living when they are remembered by those who love them. He thinks that's why the dead were so powerful in Hurricane. So, I won't stop thinking about them because if it gives them strength to bring them back, then I have to try. But there are some spirits that I hope find rest and find peace. I mentally add Lee's family to my list and the Dursts.

But the ghost activity slowly died down. Calming once Louis was gone. With the murders over and the balance restored, everyone faded away. I have a theory on why the balance has been restored, but I haven't shared it with anyone. I think when Louis took Richard's body, Richard's presence still being in Hurricane shifted things out of line. Gideon and Mason did the same, but then Mason's ghost left. I think that's the difference. A life for a life. One can stay, but the other needs to leave.

I hope Mason is somewhere peaceful.

"Is he doing better now? River, I mean?" Rafe asks.

"Not really. He's full of guilt over how Eddie died. I can't tell him about Louis and how Dad didn't stand a chance because he refuses to hear it." I feel regret for it all, but there's nothing I can do. "Plus, he's now running our dad's empire on his own, with very little training."

Gideon strokes my hair and hugs me tighter as Rafe parks the car. I get out and feel a sense of rightness. This clearing is the one from the vision with my mother.

"This is it."

"Are you sure? "

"I'm sure."

Dane looks happier. He's decided to do a travelling blog about the recipes he learns as we travel the world. This lighter, playful side of him is new, but I love it. Rafe and Gideon are more content to sit back, but Dane and I need to be doing things. I've missed out on a lot.

My artwork is more personal. I'm writing a book, fully illustrated for young adults. The mission to share my pain and make sure people don't feel alone through some of these situations I've lived through has become my big gift to the world.

I pace over to the trees and turn in a circle. "Yup, this is it. This way."

I lead them through the bush, smiling happily. Descario, as promised, has not contacted me. I'm not sad about it. Everything from the last six years is fading away like a nightmare I've awoken from.

I round the tall shrubs and almost scream.

"Jacob? What are you doing here?"

He looks up and smiles. "Hey, darling."

Jacob has become a member of our family now. We all trust him, and he's someone we all care about deeply. His hand is wrapped around a small child's, and I look down at Zair, Cherise's son. It seems so long ago that I brought him to my father to hide. Richard chose to let him live. I realise that. Zair's foster parents brought him back and I, under the stroke of genius, connected Zair and Jacob. They fell in love with each other.

Zair squeals, and I rush over to pick him up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask with a laugh, smooching sweet baby cheeks.

Zair giggles, while Jacob looks on with an expression of peace I haven't seen in a long time .

"I still miss her every day," he says knowingly. "But maybe God…" he chokes up, "Maybe God gave me this experience so that I may help another walk the path."

"I don't know if I believe in God, Jacob, but I believe in people, in hearts, in the good of others."

He beams at me and then spreads his arms wide. The trees sway in the breeze and insects call. It really is paradise.

"On that note. I'm here to fulfill a promise."

I stare at him, surprised. "What promise?"

I hear a rustling noise and turn around. River and Stevie walk around the corner. Stevie holds a dress bag and waves it at me.

"What's going on?" I shout, alarmed, but I laugh when River hugs Gideon.

Dane takes my hand. He stares into my eyes and smiles softly. "You promised to marry us."

I blink, stunned. "Now?"

He nods slowly. "You don't-"

"Yes!" I shout and throw my arms around him.

I take the dress bag and go behind some bushes to get changed, but something makes me turn my head.

In my mind, I see the place where Lee stood as a child. I walk to that spot and dig a hole in the ground. For a moment, I kneel there, staring at the spot, reliving the memory. I reach into my pocket and pull out my engagement ring. I've been holding on to it, so when I found the right place, where I was finally and completely free, I could let go of him.

I place his engagement ring inside. That red jewel and black gems catch the light one last time before I cover it up.

I bury the last remaining link to Louis, to my friend Lee. And I'm ready to leave him behind. Louis is a memory now, a bad one with sweet spots, but he's gone, it's over. I'm free. I want to live and be fully committed to Rafael, Dane, and Gideon. I don't want him to have any more power over me.

I don't say anything else, there's nothing to say. I turn and beam at Gideon, who's watching me with a sexy smile. He had his name legally changed to Gideon a few weeks ago, but he kept Mason's last name and added his father's last name. Gideon Kyte Lyons.

River waits for me while Gideon goes back to the others. "I'm going to miss you."

"You're a very rich man, River. You inherited the entire business and Father's estate." I chuckle. "You'll be far too busy to miss me."

River frowns and pulls out an envelope. "This is for you."

I open it and feel my stomach dip. "What is this?"

"Richard left everything to you in his will. The appeals have been overturned. Everything that was his is yours now."

"I don't want it."

"I know, but it's yours, anyway. You can do what you want with it. Donate it. Sell it. Burn it."

We both chuckle at that.

"Either way, you're now my business partner."

I gape at him. "No. That's just mean!"

River doubles over laughing. "You should see your face, bat breath."

"Your insults are getting childish, maggot brain."

River turns and scoops me into a hug. "I'm sorry for not seeing how much trouble you were in. Sparrow, Wayland, Louis."

"It's over, River. It wasn't your responsibility. They're dead. We won."

He blinks. "We did, didn't we?"

"Yes, now are you helping me run or walking me down the aisle? "

"On your classic and elegant animal path? I guess I'll just carry you," River shouts and picks me up. He strides quickly while I struggle, then dumps me, unceremoniously, in front of my grooms.

My dress is a simple one, made of grey and silver material. It clings to my curves and makes me feel like a princess. And it's not white. Bonus!

It suddenly gets real very quickly. If this is my reward for what I went through, I'm blessed, indeed.

Our ceremony is perfect. Short, sweet, and personal. Dane slides a dark carbon ring with a silver gem in it onto my finger. Rafe chases it up with a silver ring with an emerald. Gideon places a gold ring with a sapphire on. The three interconnect and lock together.

Jacob pops a bottle of champagne and pours us all glasses. There's a heaviness in the air. This is the last time we'll all be together for a long time. A new chapter is starting. We're moving into our destinies. From here, we leave this place for good. I almost want to cry.

Jacob clears his throat. "Well, I think we should toast this moment. For the people who couldn't be here. Martha, Eddie, Mason, Cherise, Astaire. I know they're watching over us. All of them."

I clear my throat, blinking back tears. There are so many names I would have liked to have been here today. Mason especially. I have his name tattooed on my back, along with my parents' initials. Time doesn't make the grief less, we just learn to carry the weight of it. I carry those people with me, and I always will.

I brush tears out of my eyes and laugh. "Yes, let's do it, a toast to our new lives."

We're silent for a moment, but River holds up his glass and steps into the circle, turning so that he makes eye contact with each of us .

"Congratulations to my oldest sister. Married to the three finest men I know. I really wanted to do an embarrassing speech, but I'll settle for a short and sweet toast."

He looks at me with all the love in his eyes. The only person who recognised me when I was no one. My baby brother.

"To second chances," River grins and shakes his head ruefully. "On the road, out of Hurricane, anywhere you want to go. You name the day, and I'll fly to you. Have a fresh start, a new start. You deserve it."

I choke on the tears but manage to get hold of myself as he leans in to kiss my cheek.

"I love you, sis."

"Love you, too, Riv."

He steps back, and Jacob takes his place.

"To family, whoever they are," Jacob says softly, squeezing his arms around Zair. His heart is healing, no, their hearts are healing, and I'm so glad.

Stevie laughs and holds up her glass. "To growth, and change, and realising that if you were a dick, you don't have to be one forever!"

I laugh and throw an arm over her shoulder, giving her a tight hug.

"To love," Dane murmurs and reaches out to put an arm around me. I go to him instantly. "Lost and found, fought and won."

"To the future," Rafe smiles radiantly at me, making my heart skip. "And all that's left to be explored."

"To you," Gideon says and leans down to kiss me. "Always and only you."

"To us," I murmur, but they can all hear. I never imagined my life would be this happy, with family and friends. My hell has released me. I'm tasting freedom. All the shackles that tried to break me, tried to ruin me, are gone. I can't wait to taste all that life can offer .

An hour later, we stop at a train crossing. The train screams past, heading back to Hurricane. But I smile, a secret little smile, remembering that first night, the night I made a promise to get out of Hurricane one way or another. The boom gates lift. Gideon looks back, his eyes knowingly seeking mine. I give him a nod. He puts the car in drive, and we follow the road into tomorrow, and we won't be coming back.