CHAPTER TWELVE

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- NOW -

THE NEXT DAY, I decided to make us all some lunch. Phoenix was in his den, also known as the crazy computer room, working, and I wanted to do something nice for him. He’d been the perfect host, and I really appreciated him having us, and hell, I wanted to give Kellan a little peace offering too.

He’d gotten up at the butt-crack of dawn to go shopping with me. I hadn’t had any cash on me, but Kellan had plenty. The backpack that had been hidden behind his bedroom wall? It had been stashed with cash. Part of me wondered about it – why he’d felt it was necessary to hide such a large amount of cash. I didn’t ask, just mentally kept note of how much he’d spent so I could pay him back.

He hadn’t purchased anything for himself, and when I’d probed, he’d admitted that he had a stash of clothes at Phoenix’s place. He’d only suggested the shopping trip for me. He’d done a lot for me these past few weeks and had pretty much saved my life yesterday.

Last night, when he’d come to my room, it felt like we’d really… connected. Cliché as that might sound. He’d sat on the floor for almost an hour, just listening to me play. We’d never really spent time together, just for the sake of enjoying each other’s company. Last night had been a first.

Kellan sat at the kitchen table now, perusing the laptop in front of him, while I raided Phoenix’s cupboards to see what he had in stock.

Kellan hadn’t moved from the kitchen table since we’d gotten back from the shopping trip a few hours ago. I’d found some pretty cute outfits and they were currently in the wash, getting thoroughly rinsed, before I wore them.

Kellan had on an old sweatshirt of his and looked casual in a way that I hadn’t seen in years – not since we were teenagers, living under the same roof. He’d slipped his shoes off, and his feet, clad in black socks, were propped up against another chair across from him. His hair was charmingly ruffled, and he’d rolled up the sleeves of his grey sweatshirt to reveal his strong forearms.

The way I was watching him, one would think that I was still the eleven-year-old with a crush on the older bad boy. I was an idiot.

I shook my head and raided the contents of Phoenix's cupboards. I’d found chicken and vegetables in the refrigerator, and some noodles, onions, and soy sauce among other useful ingredients in the cupboards. I decided to make chicken stir-fry, but it appeared that Phoenix had no cooking oil in his kitchen whatsoever.

I opened another cupboard in the beautiful kitchen, and to my surprise, found it stocked not with food or appliances, but with medication. There had to be at least twenty different types of medication on the shelves.

I grabbed a bottle. Prozac. It didn’t sound familiar, but there were a few bottles of it. Feeling a little concerned, I replaced the bottle and shut the cupboard firmly. Maybe I'd ask Kellan about his friend’s extensive drug collection later, or maybe I wouldn’t. I didn’t want to broach what might be a sensitive topic. His collection was staggering, but it was pretty much the same size as Mom’s when she’d been sick.

Phoenix came into the kitchen a little while later, and I watched him curiously as I wiped my hands on a dishtowel. Physically speaking, Phoenix looked fine, and I wondered at the reason behind all the medication in his kitchen cupboard.

"Smells delicious," Phoenix complimented, rubbing his stomach appreciatively as he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. He hadn’t noticed the peculiar way I’d observed him, but I could tell that Kellan had. He watched me curiously as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "It's been forever since I've had a real home cooked meal."

"Really? I thought you were an experienced chef," I said lightly, the enthusiasm in Phoenix’s voice hard to ignore. Kellan grunted, pushing away from the table.

"I can bake a mean cake," Phoenix admitted. "My cooking, though... well, it sucks."

“Well grab a plate and help yourselves,” I said, dishing myself a generous serving. After piling up our plates, we all settled down on the kitchen table.

“Oh. Before I forget...” Looking like he'd just remembered something, Phoenix pulled my cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to me.

"Um, thanks," I said after a pause. What the hell? 

Seeing my bewilderment, Kellan spoke up. "I got Phoenix to secure your phone for you and put in a new SIM card. It’ll prevent any calls, or forms of communication, from being traced.”

I had completely forgotten that Kellan had my cell phone. It had been the last thing on my mind.

"They can really trace my phone?” I asked. “Don’t they, I don’t know, need my phone number or something to do it?”

“Yes, they can trace it,” Kellan said. “And they could easily have acquired your number through Luke.”

Uncle Luke.

Thinking about him both pained and infuriated me. He’d been in my life forever. There were barbecues in the summer at Luke's house, endless nights of him bringing dinner over for me and Dad after mom passed away, and sleepovers at his place in the winter when the heating in our shitty apartment was playing up. He'd been my uncle in every sense of the word, but now I saw him in a new light, as someone untrustworthy and motivated by greed.

Still, he came nowhere near to the pain and anguish I felt thinking about Dad being part of that crime ring.

I brushed thoughts of them aside. Knowing I could safely use my phone, there was only one person that I wanted to contact. “I want to text Axel.”

Kellan set his fork down, the full force of his penetrating stare zeroing in on me. "Is that wise?"

I turned towards the expert, wanting his input.

"They can’t track her phone." Phoenix looked thoughtful. "Though, they may be tracking his.”

The thought sent fear straight to my heart.

“Is there any chance Luke has his phone number?" Kellan turned towards me, looking alert.

I shook my head. "I don’t think so. Will he be okay? You don’t think they’d go after him to get to me, do you?”

Kellan and Phoenix exchanged a glance. I looked between them, the few bites I’d eaten dangerously close to coming back up to the surface.

“I think,” Kellan said, “that they’d use any means at their disposal to get that flash drive back.”

“So they could go after Axel,” I whispered.

Kellan nodded. “Then again, a few break-ins are nothing to a group like this. It could be that we really aren’t even that high on their radar. I’d rather not underestimate them though.” He looked like the next few words cost him, but he said them anyway. "Text him if you want. In fact, you should get him to pack a bag and spend the next few days here while we come up with a plan.”

Phoenix nodded, chewing his food. “I think that’s a great idea.”

I nodded. Pushing back from the table, I felt a sudden urgency to speak to Axel.

“Is there a plan? I mean, do you have any ideas?” Phoenix asked Kellan, swallowing a forkful.

"I know this cop. Max. He wasn’t exactly a friend, but someone I grabbed a beer with sometimes. His dad’s also a cop – he was friends with Mario, actually.

“What’s his dad’s name?” I asked curiously. I’d gotten to know a lot of Dad’s friends over the years.

“Cameron Reynolds.”

“Sounds familiar, but I can’t put a face to the name,” I told him.

“Well, both their names weren’t on the flash drive. And Max always seemed like a pretty cool guy. Drank a little too much on occasion, and chased one too many skirts, but he… well, he was an honest son of a bitch, and had this sense of honor about him. I was thinking of contacting him.”

"And doing what?" Phoenix said curiously, his fork scraping against his plate as he finished his food. My plate was barely touched. I’d completely lost my appetite.

"Well, his uncle works for the FBI. I thought we’d take this information outside of town – where it seems like half of the cops are crooked – and to the big guns. This is exactly the kind of thing they wouldn’t want getting out. He'd be just the right person to have on our side because he’d ensure that every cop on that list was investigated and get this finished once and for all."

"I sense a ‘but’ here," Phoenix said, pushing his glasses further up his nose. I’d learned that he only really wore them when he’d spent too long in front of one of his many computers and his head ached.

"I don't know if Max can be trusted," Kellan admitted. "His name might not have been on the flash drive, but I don't know where his loyalties lie. Cops work so closely together, they’re almost like family. What if somebody he considers a brother is on the list? Would he try and protect them? I need you to get into the police databases, Nix. Look at Max’s shifts and whether he works closely with anyone on that list. The less he's worked with the crooked cops, and the less contact he's had with them, the more confident I'll feel approaching him with this shit storm." 

“And what about Archie Chambers?” I asked. “You haven’t mentioned him in a while. Are you still tracking him?”

“It’s not a priority anymore. I think Cosa Nostra are more likely to be behind your dad’s disappearance. They knew your Dad had the flash drive, and they wanted it back. I doubt Chambers had anything to do with it. He wasn’t on the list, and he hasn’t been spotted again since that night at the club. Believe me, I’d like nothing more than to put the fucker back behind bars, but our safety is the immediate concern. There are so many people on the list, and chances are that they know what we look like and have been asked to keep a look out. I let Buck, the bondsman, know I was stepping back from the case this morning, and he’s finding someone else to take it. It’s not like I would have been able to do a thorough job anyway, while also trying to lay low.”

My stomach felt heavy. “Things would have been so much easier if I’d never taken the flash drive. They wouldn’t be after us now.” And I would never have found out about Dad.

“Maybe.” Kellan shrugged. “But we’d have been stumbling around in the dark without it. The information on the flash drive at least gives us an idea of what’s going on.”

"Well, you're both welcome here for as long as you need. Having company makes a nice change to my usual routine. I love it,” Phoenix said, smiling encouragingly at us. Bless him. I thanked him before excusing myself. I had someone I needed to text.

Kellan went with Phoenix into his den to see if it was possible for Phoenix to get into police records. He’d never tried, but he was optimistic that he could do it without anyone being none the wiser.

I wasn’t sure about what I should do about Axel. What if he wasn’t in danger? Did I really want to involve him in this cluster-fuck? But if there was even the slightest chance that the crime ring would go after them then he needed to get away.

Entering the guest bedroom, I shut the door firmly behind me. There were a number of empty plastic bags on the bed that I’d dumped there this morning, reminding me that I needed to check on the laundry. I hadn’t bought much, very conscious that I was spending Kellan’s money.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, spinning my cell phone in my hands. Whatever Phoenix had done to it, it still looked exactly the same and all my pictures and contacts were still inside. My screensaver was a picture of Axel and me at our high school graduation, smiling at the camera. It had been a tough day for me – not having Mom there. He’d gone out of his way to make me laugh.

Making up my mind, I texted him. It was always better to be safe than sorry. I’d rather be overcautious and have him safe. I’d regret it forever if I never said anything and he got hurt.

Axel? Remembering I had a new number, I added, It's April.

It was two minutes later that I got a Skype request instead of a text back. His face appeared on the screen, tight with concern.

"Where the hell are you, April? You haven't answered any of my texts or calls!” His voice was hoarse from disuse. “I called your house phone, and your uncle, Luke, picked up. Imagine my surprise, my fucking terror, when he tells me that your house was broken into, and you and Kellan are nowhere to be found after his apartment was also broken into. I rushed home this morning, and your back window is all bordered up and the place is deserted! I’ve been going out of my mind. What the hell’s going on?" His voice got increasingly louder as he spoke, but I didn’t think it had anything to do with him being unable to monitor his volume. He was upset, and he had every right to be.

My stomach dropped, seeing on his face just how worried he’d been. I hadn't thought for a second that he’d ever find out about the break-in. He was over an hour away at college. I’d never dreamed he’d learn about last night either, otherwise I would have made sure to contact him, knowing how worried he’d be.

I put the phone down, leaning it against the digital clock on the night stand so I could sign. ‘I'm sorry, Axel. So sorry. It's... it's a long story,’ I told him, wondering how I was going to come out with it all. There was just so much that had happened since I’d last seen him. I was also infuriated at the thought of Luke being in my house. My inability to do anything about it was even more frustrating. ‘I’m fine, though. Physically speaking, everything is exactly where it’s supposed to be.’ I smiled weakly.

“Where are you? What happened the other night? Please tell me you weren’t home when the thieves broke in.”

‘We’re with a friend of Kellan’s. We’re safe. Please don’t worry.’ I tried to reassure him. His eyes traced my face as though trying to measure the truth behind my words. Bracing myself, I told him everything and how we’d ended up at Phoenix's house. It was a relief to let everything out, though it hurt to mention Dad. I hated to think of Axel ever thinking badly about Dad.

"I'm leaving right now. What’s this Phoenix guy’s address?" Axel said at once when I was done.

I gave him instructions towards the road where Kellan’s car was parked, telling him that I’d meet him at the start of the trail as he’d never find the house by himself. “Bring a bag with some clothes,” I told him once he looked up from where he’d been scribbling down the instructions. He nodded, his face, with its pretty features, intense.

“It might take me a few hours. I’ll have to go back to college to get my stuff.”

‘Okay,’ I signed. ‘And Axel?’

“Yeah?” His face softened.

‘I’m... I’m sorry for involving you in all this.’

“Don’t be stupid.” He shook his head, his eyes still soft. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” With a reluctant goodbye, he ended the Skype chat.

Talking to Axel had reminded me that there was someone else who I should have contacted. My boss. It was Monday, and I was supposed to be at work today. I could only imagine the amount of calls I’d missed from my boss, and was kind of glad that I wouldn’t be getting those voicemails.

With a deep breath, I rang the office, hoping nobody would pick up and that I could just leave a voicemail. No such luck.

“Hello. Alberton Sales Inc. Charles speaking. How can I help you?” Shit. It was my boss.

“Hi, Charles. It’s April,” I said hesitantly.

I was right to have been weary.

* * *

I hung up five minutes later, stunned.

“It’s nothing personal, but you haven’t been a reliable employee as of late. I understand your circumstances – which is why I gave you so much leeway previously. However, failing to notify us of an absence, especially with how busy we are… I’m sorry, we’re going to have to let you go,” he’d said, barely letting me get a word in edgeways. There were other pleasantries about this not affecting the reference he would provide me, but I barely heard him as I ended the call.

I hadn’t expected a pleasant conversion, but to fire me?

I stomped downstairs, still fuming. I’d looked forward to the day I could hand in my resignation with a big fat smile on my face. Having them force me out smarted.

When I stepped back into the kitchen, I saw that Kellan and Phoenix had left the dishes on the kitchen table.

Did I have to do everything around here?

I picked them up and put them in the sink, probably more forcefully than I should have. The plates clattered, but thankfully didn’t break.

I saw Kellan step into the kitchen, his eyebrow raised.

“I got fired,” I said flatly in response to his questioning look.

I knew that I hadn’t been the most reliable employee lately. With everything that had happened yesterday, work had been the last thing on my mind this morning. And I’d missed loads of days when Dad had first gone missing. But I was going through a really rubbish time at the moment. My boss knew that. He knew about Dad. The asshole. Getting fired was going to have a dire affect on my already strained finances.

Kellan was adamant that we lay low for a while, but we’d have to return to our normal lives sooner or later. We couldn’t just up and disappear. My back window was still broken and boarded up. Kellan’s apartment had probably been closed off by the police. I’d need to find a new job – and Kellan needed to go back to his job. We couldn’t hide away forever.

“That’s the least of our problems.” Kellan shrugged, going to the coffeemaker.

“That’s easy for you to say! I can’t believe I was fired.” I needed this job – desperately – even if I hadn’t been sure when I would have been able to get back to it.

“You were wasting your time there, anyway,” Kellan said dismissively.

“Excuse me?” I said, indignant.

“Telesales? Really, Princess? You could have done so much better. You could do so much better. Mario was always bragging about how well you did in school,” Kellan told me.

“It’s not like I was planning on harassing people on the phone all day, every day, for the rest of my life. I was going to go to college. Lots of people take a year out.”

“Then you have nothing to complain about if you were going to go to college anyway.”

“That’s – that’s not the point! I need this job. There are too many bills–“

“So, you’re what? Going to carry on working that shitty job, keep putting off college–“

“Dad’s missing–“

“–and it could be years before we find out anything. You can’t put your life on hold. You deserve better than that.”

“Years?” I whispered, feeling cold.

His hand reached out before falling to his side, helplessly. “I shouldn’t have said that. I just meant that we don’t what’s going to happen… or whether we’ll find out what happened.” He exhaled in frustration. “I’m making things worse, aren’t I?”

“A little. Yeah.” I crossed my arms. It wasn’t like I hadn’t known that we might never learn the truth about what had happened, but it was like being hit in the face with a bucket full of ice cold water hearing it from Kellan.

Kellan ran a hand through his hair. “You can just be so frustrating–“

My mouth fell open. “I’m frustrating? You’re the one–“

He kissed me. Kellan Reed kissed me. It came out of nowhere. One minute he was standing there, arguing with me, and the next his lips were on mine.

My body reacted instinctively, my hands going into his hair as his arms went around me and pulled me closer to him. I melted into the kiss, into the scorching heat emanating off of him.

His mouth moved against mine in a way that made my knees week. I felt my heart pounding in my chest, felt delirious with want and need. This was Kellan.

Kellan…

I broke the kiss, my heart still racing as I took a step back. “What… what was that?” I said, my words more breathless than I would have liked.

He was panting, too, a storm brewing in his silver eyes as he looked at me. “April–“ He reached for me again.

“I… we can’t.” I shook my head, reality catching up to me fast. “That can’t happen again.”

“Why?” he asked, the storm in his eyes stilling.

“It’s… too messy. We’re a disaster. We argue all the time. We rub each other up the wrong way–“

“We–“

“–and besides, Dad needs to be our priority. I don’t have anyone else to turn to about the flash drive. We… it would just complicate things. I need your help. I can’t lose you. I can’t hate you right now,” I told him, struggling to voice my thoughts. It wasn’t coming out right… It didn’t sound right…

“You’re so sure that starting something with me would end up in you hating me?” His mouth was twisted in a bitter smile.

“I… I can’t take the risk,” I said finally. And it was true. I needed Kellan too much. He was the only one in the world who understood exactly what I was going through and had the resources to help me find Dad. If we started something and it ended badly… it would be a disaster.

Kellan took a deep breath. His eyes closed, hiding what he was thinking from me. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”

I swallowed hard. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he said with finality, turning his back to me.

I left the kitchen quietly, wondering if I I’d just made the right decision.