Page 34 of Redeemed (Redeemed #1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kennedy

T he following day, I wake feeling confident in my decision to walk away from the Rose Empire.

Today, I’m meeting with Alex and Patrick to begin constructing a plan forward.

The biggest obstacle in our way is the fact that I don’t have the manpower to compete with Ashton Rose.

Once he realizes I’m out, he will come for me, and I will need to defend myself.

Although Alex agreed to help, he doesn’t have more than a personal security detail.

This is all too much to think about before coffee, especially when my mind is on a constant replay of my night with Alex.

My eyes linger a little longer on the couch as I make my way to the coffee machine.

Last night was the most perfect distraction.

I could make basking in that man’s attention my full-time job because he gives it so well.

Alex’s fancy machine brews my morning coffee and I’m so excited for a sip that I walk to his office smelling the roasted bean’s aroma.

I rap my knuckles on Alex’s open office door before walking through.

“Come on in, baby. I’m finishing up now.” He finishes typing and then green eyes are zeroed in on me. They move down my body, and I can practically feel him undressing me.

I smirk at him with a raised eyebrow. “My eyes are up here.” I saunter over to him, placing a lingering kiss on his lips before taking one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“I know where your eyes are, Kitten. I’m just looking my fill before it becomes inappropriate while others are in the room.”

I roll my eyes as I try, miserably, to hold back a smile.

“Sorry I’m late.” Patrick comes into the office, shutting the door behind him. He sits on the corner of his desk across the room, giving us all of his attention.

“Don’t worry about it. I asked you to join this meeting today because Kennedy requires our assistance.”

“Wait. You haven’t told him why we’re meeting?” I blurt out in shock. I figured the two told each other everything and Patrick would already be brought up to speed.

“No, baby. You’re running this show, and it’s not my story to tell.

” He winks before turning his attention back to his computer.

I face Patrick with an awkward smile. I can’t decipher the look that Patrick is giving me.

Of all the security details I’ve met since hiding out here, Patrick is the hardest to read.

Okay, let’s just rip another Band-Aid off.

“Well, all right.” I clear my throat. “Ashton Rose, leader of The Rose Drug Empire, is my father. Due to recent events, I’ve decided to distance myself from him.”

Patrick nods his head, flashing a look over at Alex, who is typing away, but I know he’s listening.

“From the pictures, I never would’ve pinged him as your father, but good to know. I need you to provide more information, though, before I can agree to helping.”

His directness catches me off guard. Patrick reads the shock on my face and continues, pointing a finger at Alex. “This one is too smitten to ask the tough stuff.”

“All right. Feel free to ask me anything.”

“You’re twenty-eight, why the sudden need to leave now? I saw how you looked when you arrived, and I would be willing to bet that wasn’t the first time. So, why now?”

I look between the two of them. Here we go. Time to start pulling at the threads of my carefully weaved life.

“Well, you’re wrong. That was the first time my father actually laid hands on me.

In the past, he has allowed others to hand out my punishments.

My mother passed away when I was eight years old.

The man behind her death was said to be an enemy of my father, but it seemed much more personal than that.

Her body was never found—she was taken from her bed in the middle of the night.

Somehow, these people made their way past the Empire’s guards and left my father alive. ”

The room is deathly still as I tell them about the agreement I made as a child to channel my rage and train to kill, all in the name of revenge.

I talk about the change in my relationship with my father after I questioned his commitment to our agreement.

The entire time, I keep my attention on my hands, afraid of what emotions will show on my face.

“I’m ashamed to say that I’ve lived on autopilot, allowing the rage for losing my mother to drive me forward.

There was no questioning the task he put before me because it only meant I was one step closer to my revenge.

I didn’t notice how he no longer saw me as his daughter or even partner, but a piece of property to wield. ”

I crack my knuckles and ball my fist before shaking my hands out.

“By sixteen, I was assisting with torturing internal crew for lying, stealing, and snitching. My father would say that I was learning that I couldn’t trust anyone.

Keep your head on a swivel. By eighteen, I had graduated to torturing our enemies or their minions.

I became good at gathering intel and blending into places.

I was like a shadow walking through the world.

When I turned twenty-one, my father caused me to earn my nickname when I became his personal assassin.

I learned to shut my brain off and do whatever he asked from an early age.

Everything was moving on pace with my father’s liking until about six months ago when I made suggestions about the way he runs his business. ”

I look up to find Alex staring at me. I hold his gaze as I reveal that last bit of information, knowing it wasn’t in that little black folder.

“A little over a week ago, my father informed me that he had made a business arrangement with another crime organization in exchange for my hand in marriage. I stood up for myself and well you saw the evidence of that conversation on my face.”

Alex’s eyes narrow at that news. “That won’t be happening.”

I smile as Patrick rolls his eyes at Alex’s possessiveness.

“I want my freedom. There isn’t a thing I would ask someone else to do that I wouldn’t humble myself to do, and I need the back-up so I can survive this battle I’m entering.”

“Do you have anyone loyal to you within the crew? Truly loyal to you and not your father.”

My mind immediately goes to Nate, and I know I need to call him soon. I wouldn’t say I trust any of the crew, but of course I have Cary.

“Cary, my personal security guard, is all I’ve got. He isn’t on Empire’s payroll, so he’s loyal to me—honestly, probably the only person other than Nathan. I still need to speak with him.”

Alex grunts and I glare. “Don’t start.”

“Who’s Nathan?” Patrick asks.

“A brute!” Alex says at the same time as I say, “My best friend.”

Patrick laughs at the answer we give.

“He’s my best friend and I wa— need to give him the chance to leave the Empire with me.”

Alex is back to focusing on his work, although those key clicks sound a bit more aggressive. “He’s a brute that was present when her father beat her.”

Patrick looks between us with a mischievous smile. “This is going to be fun, working with you two. Kennedy, you should reach out to Cary so we can all put our heads together.”

“Okay, I’ll give him a heads up.”

Patrick glances down at his watch. “I need to leave to take T to the lounge for paperwork. We’ll set up meetings soon.”

When Alex and I are alone, I walk around the desk to him and he turns without hesitation, pulling me between his legs. His arms wrap around my body, perching me on his lap in an embrace. I lean in and kiss him deeply.

“So, that conversation went well. Glad to know Patrick is on board with helping me. I don’t know what you’ll do with three people who enjoy taunting you,” I say with a snicker, and he gives me a subdued smile.

“I can handle it.” His expression evens out, giving nothing away. “Why didn’t you tell me about the marriage arrangement?”

“Because I knew it was never going to happen, and it wasn’t something I was going to allow to bother you. If that was even an option for me, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Okay, baby, but you can talk to me about anything. You aren’t pestering me.”

“Oh please. I could see the possessive glint in your eye at the thought of someone else possibly staking claim over me.” He tickles my side at me calling him out.

“Can you blame me?” he asks before placing a kiss to my neck. “I didn’t mean to make an issue out of the Nathan situation. I promise to be more open-minded.”

I give him a soft smile. “Good, because I figured today would be the best time to call him.”

There’s a pit of dread in my stomach as I stare down at Nathan’s contact in my phone.

I keep reminding myself that he’s my best friend, and we have each other’s back until the end, but I have no idea how this conversation will go.

I owe it to him to give him a heads-up and the chance to leave with me, though.

So why haven’t I pressed the call button?

Alexander offered to sit with me, but I told him this was something I needed to handle on my own. That’s how I found myself watching the sun set in the most beautiful backyard set up.

I take a deep breath and hit the call button. The phone rings until I think it’s going to go to voicemail before he answers.

“Kennedy, where the hell are you?”

His voice is low and gruff, but I can hear the sounds of a party taking place around him. He’s probably at a bar watching a game, or with some of the crew.

“Hello to you too.”

“Stop bullshitting. When are you coming back?”

I listen to the sounds of nature around me as silence falls over the call. My hands go to my lap as I twist my fingers around each other.

“Kennedy.”

There’s a hint of concern in the way he says my name.

Maybe that’s just me convincing myself of what I want to hear.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“What’s going on?”

I clear my throat and sit up straighter. “I’m not coming back.”

The sound on Nate’s side of the call changes, like he’s walking away for privacy. I hear a door slam in the background.

“Wanna say that again?” I hear the anger in his voice.

“I’m not going back, Nate. I’m out. For good.”

“You’re with that asshole that showed up here the other week aren’t you. Is this him talking? What does that even mean ‘you’re out’?”

“It doesn’t matter who I’m with. I’m out means that I no longer work for Ashton Rose, or the Rose Empire. It means that I’m choosing to live my life the way I want.”

“And just how long do you think that will last once your father hears about this?”

“Nathan, I didn’t call you to fight. I called you because I want you to leave with me.”

He scoffs at the suggestion.

“I’m serious, Nathan. This has been on my mind for a long time, and I know we can make this work.”

“Kennedy, we can’t just walk away. We were born into this life. There is nothing else for us.”

“I can’t afford to believe that, Nathan.” My voice is stronger than I feel as tears slide down my face.

“So, you’re just going to turn your back and leave? What about the retribution your mother deserves? What about everything I’ve done to help this situation?”

I can only guess he’s referring to covering for me in my recent absence.

“That will still happen—I have a plan. I’m begging you to come with me. There’s so much more to life.” I’m pleading with him to listen and understand.

“Nah. I’m not a filthy fucking traitor.”

Then the line goes dead. I stare at the dark phone screen in disbelief. Deep down, I allowed myself to believe that Nate would come with me. It hurts to think that we’ve grown in opposite directions when, for as long as I can remember, he’s all I’ve had.

I’m not sure how long I sit there before I hear the automatic door behind me slide open. Seconds later, a blanket is wrapped around my shoulders. I look up at Alex with wet cheeks from the tears that had started flowing. He runs his thumb under my eyes as he cups my face.

“Come on, baby. Let’s get you inside.”

Alex helps me up and we walk to the living room. He grabs a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses on the way to the couch.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really,” I whisper.

He gives me a nod, and his arm stretches over the back of the couch as he clears his voice a bit.

“I haven’t, uh, talked to my dad in eight years.

Not since the night of my college graduation when we had a huge falling out.

He’s had a gambling problem for as long as I can remember.

I missed out on regular teenage activities because I had to work to help Mom pay bills and make sure Tori didn’t feel the strain of his terrible decisions.

The night of my graduation party, my dad showed up late, drunk off his ass.

He was beaten and battered, probably from another debt he couldn’t pay.

So, I packed up whatever I could that night, deciding that was it for me.

I begged my mom to come with me, but she was so stuck on the ‘for better or worse’ vow.

Tori was about to start her freshman year of college, but she didn’t hesitate to leave with me.

She already knew what he was involved in and didn’t want to get mixed in the crossfire of his addiction. ”

I lean into his chest and wrap my arms around his waist as his arms come around me. He rests his head on mine and continues his story.

“I moved us to the city and never looked back. Tori received scholarships and was able to live on campus during her time in school. I earned my living working at a pizza shop during the day and from underground street fighting at night, and I was good at it. That’s where I met Patrick, and we just clicked.

One night, I was approached by someone asking if I’d heard of a mercenary group called The Reapers.

I had, but I equated them to vigilantes making their own rules to protect people who can’t protect themselves. ”

“So, you had good intentions.”

“I did, but man was I wrong about The Reapers, and I was in too deep before I figured that out. My missions in the beginning made me feel like I was somehow making a difference in the city. Then they progressively got darker until I didn’t recognize who I was anymore, and I didn’t care to.

Not until that last mission—that kind of woke me up. ”

I look up at him to find him looking down at me.

“You give me hope that I can be a better person.”

“The fact that you want to be a better person and are making the decision to change your environment proves that you are a better person. We will build this new life together, and I will be here with you every step of the way, or as long as you want me here,” he says with a soft smile.

I reach up and stroke his jaw.

“Together?”

“Together, Kitten.”