TWENTY

Link's words kept replaying in my head over and over again. The fact that he made me a mission didn't sit right with me. After he presumably completed his 'mission' would it end there? Debating over that matter over the past hour car ride was excruciating. I had other things to worry about.

For instance, my Father dealing with arms and now having a pissed off criminal on my case about it.

Which would explain my impromptu road trip to the same cottage I hadn't been to for years.

"So let me get this straight..." Thomas turned his neck around to look at me from the front seat. "We looking for guns at this old cottage place?"

I nodded at him. "Yes."

"Why aren't we just calling the police? Better yet, Link?" Lexie asked from next me.

I shot her a look. "Link is too busy and he doesn't know about this."

"My advice is to tell Lucian. And Link of course." Nolan said from behind the steering wheel.

"Guys!" I huffed out. "I didn't call you guys to say all this stuff. I need help finding those guns!"

My best bet was to call Thomas and Nolan. I knew they were as badass as Lucian's guys and would keep us safe if anything happened. And Lexie came because she had knocked on my door at the earliest time possible looking wild as heck and in desperate need to erase whatever happened to her. And of course, no questions asked,  I asked her to come along.

The questions were reserved for later, giving her plenty of time to get Lucian out of her system.

The fact that I was an hour away from Joy constant nagged at me, causing this powerful anxiety to suffocate me. Even with Lucian's boys stationed both outside and inside the daycare, courtesy of Link's newfound fatherly protection, I still couldn't shake off the anxiety. I had to be quick and get back to her.

"I'm bound to say something when I know you're about to do something real stupid." Nolan carried on saying.

"If you think it's so stupid, why the hell did you come along?" I shot back.

"Because someone has to look over you whilst you do this stupid thing!"

I dropped back in my seat. "Just get there already."

"We're already here."

I looked out of the window, and there it was. That very same cottage sitting alone in the middle of a bunch of trees. It looked peaceful, and I almost contemplated not going near it. But I had to go and search inside to see if my Father was hiding guns in there. Or even maybe another clue as to what made Benji hell-bent to chase me down.

I got out the car and didn't wait for anyone else. I had taken the keys out of my Father's house before coming here so I unlocked the door with ease.

The first thing that hit me was this sense of deja vu. I had done this before. I shook my head and carried on walking. The normal smell of wood and musk hit my nostrils hard, mixed with this candle scent my mum always had burning. It reminded me of the good times.

I walked into the living room, making sure my eyes kept themselves glassed over as I scanned the room. I did not want to focus one bit longer on any part of this place than necessary.

The first thing I did realise that everything looked the same. The same three seater sofa in the centre of room with accented chairs in front of it. The cosy ottoman beside the fireplace. The faux animal print carpet. The pretty accents all over the place, all bringing light my mother's stylish attributes were still in place.

I walked passed them all, heading towards the side of the room my Father spent most of his time at. I recalled how difficult it was to sometimes pull him away from the table, forcing him to partake in the day's activities. After all, it was a family getaway... As I had to remind him all the time.

It was a small desk, wooden and barely standing on its legs. This was one thing my Mother had no power to touch. This desk was my Father's safe haven and she didn't dare go near it. It was so basic, that it didn't have any draws. On top of the desk was a simple pencil case. I opened it up slowly, hoping to find some clue in there.

But nothing, just two pens and one basic pencil. I dropped the pencil case on the desk, an exasperated sigh escaping from me. I didn't know what I expected to find, but I had to come up with something or else this trip was wasted.

"I'll go look In the bedroom," Lexie said as the clatter of her high heels echoed off of the wooden floors.

Thomas pranced behind her. "I'll go with you. Who knows, maybe we can find each other in there."

I rolled my eyes as Lexie shut him down quickly. "No, thank you."

Thomas's advances never failed to amuse me. And it's been far too long since I had seen it in action.

I snapped my head at the sound of the floorboards creaking loudly under the sudden repetitive force it was facing. Was Nolan jumping?

"What you doing?" I asked Nolan, who had his gaze trained on one particular spot on the floor. He jumped again, this time the wood nearly giving out from under him.

A yelp escaped from me as I reached for him. But he moved just in time, stepping back quickly just as a small hole appeared in the floor, the wood splinters just about hanging onto each other.

He looked at me, a wolfish grin across his face. He moved a long strand of his hair off his face. "I think we found something."

He quickly bent his legs and started tugging at the splinters in the wood.

"You don't actually think-" I started to say but was cut short when he yanked one long piece of wood of the floor.

And below it, there was a room.

***

Moments later, I found myself in a room under my family cottage with Thomas, Lexie, Nolan and I surrounded by massive boxes. To think I knew all the corners of this cottage but didn't know there was a room under it.

And they were all here. Not hidden at all. The guns. They were all in their boxes, some open, some not. There were plenty of it to know it was all illegal. And ammunition was stacked from floor to the ceiling.

"Was your dad supplying for the army?" Lexie whispered next to me, her eyes so wide I feared they would fall out of their sockets. I was as equally shocked, never in my life seen this many guns. And lord, where they big. They didn't look so big in the movies. How did they even carry this?

"Thomas..." All playfulness disappeared from the boys once they caught sight of what was in this room. "Call Lucian. Now."

"No!" I grabbed Thomas's arm, stopping him in his tracks of reaching his phone. "I brought you guys here in confidence. Let me deal with this."

Nolan shook his head. "I'm sorry Darling, this goes past your experience. You don't want to be mixed up in this."

"News flash, I'm already mixed up in this. Let me deal with it."

"I have to agree with Nolan here," Thomas said, carefully removing my grip from his arm. "Think of Joy, Ori. You get mixed up in this a lot of shit can go wrong for you and her."

"All I've been doing is thinking about her!" I yelled in his face. "These bastards threatened my girl. They threatened me! Not you!"

"Ori, baby..." Lexie said from next to me. "Listen to these boys and let them deal with it. This goes beyond you and our craziness."

"Craziness? Lexie, these are guns that I can leverage over that dickhead. I can make him stop all of this!"

Nolan stepped forward. "Ah. This is about Benji isn't it?"

I nodded.

Thomas reached for his phone. "I'm sorry Ori. I care more about your safety than anything else right now."

***

Furious could not begin to cover what I felt right now. I was long back home, angrily air drying my hair whilst going through my clothes. My mind wasn't even set on this date and I had no way to focus on it. All I could think about was the guns and how Lucian and his men came in blazing and all, and took everything.

Lexie came barging in the room, putting a pause on playing with Joy. "Ah, you're finally out the shower! What you wearing?"

"I don't know." I mumbled under my breath.

"Ah, girl relax. You're still hurt over the guns. Do you not see it as crazy to go to Benji and dangling his guns in his face. And then expect what you want from him? He would have you killed you on the spot and take his guns anyways."

"First of all, I wouldn't have brought the guns along with me. Just some sort of proof. And then I would have settled my shit with him."

"Do you hear yourself? What happened to dealing with your father's will and seeing yourself out of this city. Stick to that. Because you have Joy now."

I glared at her. But a part of me knew she was right. Just as I knew the boys were right too. I had no business meddling with the guns and Benji. Leave it to the men who knew exactly how to handle this with minimum casualties.

Lexie knew me well enough to know she got through me. "Right then, " she carried on, her turn to look through my closet. "What are we going to put on your deadly body..."

"I was thinking..."

***

Deja vu hit me real hard. Did I really dress myself up all over again for Link. And then most likely have him not show up again?

I was a nervous wreck, my fingers quivering at the thought of seeing him. It was different tonight. Tonight we were seeing each other because we wanted to. Like two adults making time for each other and allowing whatever to happen, happen.

And I had dressed my best. I wore a tight fitted, nude pencil skirt, giving myself minimum space to move but I had enough experience to know how to maneuver myself accordingly. My top was a gorgeous white and pink lace bodysuit, giving hints of my skin under the delicate fabric. It was enough to drive Link crazy, with how teasing this whole outfit was. And at last, my signature nude heels, elongated my long legs. I wore my hair down in loose waves, and wore gold statement earings I was borrowing from Lexie.

I looked at myself in the mirror one more time before I heard Link knock on the door downstairs. As I made my way downstairs, Lexie rushed to close the living room door. Joy and her were playing in there and I didn't want to disturb them. She shot me a wink before she disappeared behind the door.

I went to open the door and there stood Link. He was dressed in a white long sleeved shirt and black pants. Simple, yet the cologne that wafted up my nose, and how not one hair looked out of place made it clear he put all his effort in his look tonight.

His gaze travelled up and down my body. "You look..."

I dropped my head slightly to the right. "Deadly?" I asked.

The corner of his mouth curled upwards. "Edible."

I let out a laugh. "That's not a normal compliment to give."

He stepped into me, catching me off guard. He wrapped his arm around my lower back letting his fingers drop so they could reach just shy under my skirt. He moved them further down, until his finger dug in the skin right under my ass cheeks. His instant touch sent fire up my skin. I held in my breath.

His other hand came to grab my face from under my jaw. Then, he went in for a kiss. It was a quick kiss, his lips merely greeting mine but the intent behind it was so clear. There were going to be more feverish kisses throughout the night and I was more than ready for it.

When he pulled back, he shot me another one of his smiles. My heart fluttered at the sight of it. "We're far from normal. Now, let me court you properly."

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- I finally posted Lucian's story. Lucian. Check it out on my page and let me know what you think. Show some love, and let me know you're from Ending Link!!! It's for sure a heated one ;)