Hey princess

Hey princess
Hera POV

We don't wait for long before a low rumble of an engine cuts through the silence. Tires crunch on the gravel driveway as a jeep comes to a stop outside the house.

I turn to face Mason and he nods at me.

“ Seems like she is here already.” He says.

“ That means she wasn't far from here.” I reply. She took less than twenty minutes to get here. That only means she held Lily captive not far from here. The nerves.

“ Let's meet that wench.” I say with gritted teeth.

We move as one toward the front door like shadows in the night. Mason cracks the door open just enough to peek and I press close behind him, peering over his shoulder.

We watch as the driver's door swings open and Helena steps out.

Her heels click sharply against the pavement like gunshots. She is wearing a tight black dress hugging her curves and her hair pulled back in a ponytail that makes her face look even harder. She looks like someone ready for a date and not to save her daughter.

Helena doesn't come closer. She just stands there by the car door with her arms crossed like she's the one in control.

Mason steps out first and I follow. We stop few metres from her. Helena walks to the front of the car and sits on the bonnet.

"I've brought the kid," Helena says,her voice slicing through the air. "Now give me my daughter."

I approach her slowly and deliberately, stopping a few feet from her.

It's close enough to see the way her nostrils flare and the tight line of her lips.

“ Long time no see, Helena.” I reply in an attempt to annoy her further.

She glares at me. “ I don't have the time to exchange pleasantries with you. I did as we agreed, now tell me where the hell my daughter is.” She snaps, irritation painted all over her face.

I scoff at her outburst.

"You're in no position to negotiate with me, Helena," I reply, keeping my tone even. Deep down I am struggling not to lunge at her and make her pay for every tear Lily's shed.

I manage to hold myself back because I know one wrong move could shatter everything.

She scoffs, tossing her head back like I am the one who is ridiculous.

"Oh, please. Save the tough talk, Hera. I still have the brat in my custody so don't think about fucking up with me.” She jerks her thumb toward the car and I hear a whimper.

It's undoubtedly Lily's.

My heart clenches so hard it hurts. It feels like someone is squeezing it in their fist.

“ Fiona is okay.” I reply, trying as hard as possible to control myself

Helena's gaze hardens and she steps forward, eyes locked on mine.

“ That's not enough for me. I need to see with my own eyes that she is safe. It's either that or we don't have a fucking deal.”

I don't flinch. I have been waiting for this because I knew a distrustful person like Helena would definitely demand that.

My hand dips into my pocket and I pull out my phone. I dial Raven's number and hit the speaker so Helena can hear every word. It rings twice before it's connected.

"Put the camera on Fiona. Now." My voice doesn't waver but inside, guilt twists like a knife. Fiona is trapped in this mess because of her mother's sins.

There is a shuffle on the line then the video feed pops up on my screen. I angle the phone toward Helena without a word. There she is;Fiona.

She looks decent and not the drugged mess we saw earlier. She's sitting up on a cot in the safe house room.

She is no longer half naked. She is dressed in simple shorts and a tank too. She seems to be scrolling on her phone, earbuds in.

She has no idea what's going on. I don't even know how Raven convinced her to be so calm. I expected the two to crash once Fiona woke up.

Helena leans in and her breath catches sharp. She stares at the screen with narrowed eyes,searching for any sign of a trick. I see the relief flash across her when she realises that Fiona is safe before she masks it with a scowl.

Fiona is indeed her weakness, her soft spot in this whole rotten game.

Helena gives me a quick stare before she turns to one car and motions something.

The door creaks open and a burly guy steps out, hauling Lily with him. My breath stalls for a moment when I set my eyes on her.

There she is, my little girl with her pink pajamas rumpled and dirt-streaked. Her eyes are wide and red-rimmed from crying.

When she sees me that dam breaks.

The guy releases her and she stumbles toward me on shaky legs.

I drop to my knees with my arms open and she crashes into me like a wave. Her small body shakes with sobs as she buries her face in my neck, sticky tears and snot soaking my shirt.

"Shh, baby, shh," I whisper, rocking her.

My hand strokes her tangled hair, the other rubbing circles on her back. Seeing her breaking down in my arms rips my heart apart. God! How could anyone do this to her? She is just six for crying out loud.

My chest aches with a love so fierce it hurts. It's mixed with a rage that makes my vision blur. I hug her tighter, feeling her heartbeat flutter against mine.

" It's okay. You're safe now, Lily. I've got you. No one's gonna hurt you again."

Over her shoulder, I catch Mason's eye. His face is pale and eyes glistening with tears.

His fists are clenched so tight his knuckles are white. I can tell he is holding back and giving me this moment.

I nod toward the house and mouth “ take her.”

He nods, moving gently and scooping Lily from my arms without a word. She clings to him next, whimpering.

Mason murmurs soft nonsense to calm her down and carries her inside like she is made of glass.

The door clicks shut behind them and the darkening sky feels colder and emptier.

I stand up slowly, brushing dirt from my knees and turn to face Helena.

The urge to pull my gun and end her miserable life right here presses on me but I push it back and take a deep breath.

"Fiona will be back at your secret apartment by the time you get home," I say in a low voice.

"Someone will drop her off." I inform her.

Helena's eyes snap to mine, blazing with pure venom. She steps closer, close enough I can smell her perfume.

"This isn't over, Hera," she hisses, her lips curling in a sneer.

"You think you've won? I'll bury you. You and your precious Viper. Watch your back."

I meet her gaze. Part of me wants to laugh. How many times have I heard that line? It's more than I can count.

"I'll be waiting, Helena. Bring your best tricks. I'll be ready."

She holds my stare for a moment then sneers before turning around.

They pile back into the car, engine roaring to life. Tires spin gravel as they peel out, taillights fading into the dark like a bad dream slipping away. I stand there until the sound dies.

Finally, I turn and head inside, the door creaking soft behind me. For some reason the house feels warmer now.

I spot Mason in the living room seated on the couch and Lily curled in his lap like a kitten.

He is stroking her hair and humming some off-key tune from her favorite cartoon.

A smile graces my lips at that harmonious sight.

I spot the guards milling in the kitchen hallway looking sheepish and rumpled.

The maid is still out cold on the floor. It seems the drug she was fed was really strong to have her knocked out for so long.

Lily lifts her head when I walk in, eyes puffy but locking on mine. She doesn't say a word but I see that look that shows she trusts me.

It twists something deep in me. It's a fierce sense of protectiveness that makes my throat burn. I cross the room and kneel before her.

"Hey, princess," I whisper, brushing a thumb over her cheek. She leans into it and her fingers twine with mine. She doesn't say a word though. I turn to Mason and he shakes his head.