Chapter 121 121. I Kidnapped Jessica
My knees almost buckled.
I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. He caught me easily, one arm supporting me while the other still held that precious USB drive.
"It's all over," he murmured into my hair, pressing kisses to my temple, my cheek, anywhere he could reach. "It's finally over, Fiera."
Maya started laughing through her small tears. "Your name won't be mentioned!"
Rafael was saying something-to me or Maya-but all my mind was on the relief flooding through me.
We did it. We really did it!
"Now let's go drink some wine baby."
Back in my apartment, the three of us collapsed in various states of exhaustion while Lucien opened a bottle of wine. It was three in the morning, but who gave a fuck?
"To Ronan's downfall," Rafael raised his glass.
"To not dying tonight," Maya added.
"To copies," I said, and we all laughed.
We drank and talked about the night's event. I was especially surprised about Maya's bravery and fierceness, even while her temple bled.
The wine was terrible, cheap stuff I'd bought weeks ago and forgotten about, but it tasted like victory.
Exhaustion stretched and the talks died down. I settled on Lucien's chest. One hand stroked my hair, the other pressed firm against my back. His heartbeat was steady under my ear, a rhythm I could focus on until my own heart slowed to match.
Across the room, Rafael and Maya seemed to have a little more energy than us.
"I thought I was going to die tonight," Maya whispered. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help myself. "When he pointed that gun at my head, all I could think was that I never told you-" She stopped, biting her lip.
"Told me what?" Rafael's voice dropped low.
"You know..." She looked away from him. "Certain things i haven't been confident to confess-" He turned her to face him and cut off her words with a kiss.
Oof! Mr. Cortez la hot!
My heart swelled just watching them. Maya made a small sound against his mouth, hands fisting in his shirt to pull him closer. I closed my eyes, and so did Lucien, giving them what privacy we could in the small space.
I only opened mine when I heard a door open and close. Lucien, however, didn't open his. We stayed in that comfortable silence. His strokes in my hair slowed, and I thought he was falling asleep, until I felt the tension radiating through his body.
He was deep in thought about... about what?
"Lucien?"
"There's something I need to tell you," he said suddenly.
A knot formed in my belly. "Okay."
"Jessica." He took a deep breath. "She's not hiding. She's in Switzerland."
I went very still, waiting for more. No way that was all.
"I... locked her in one of my properties and was planning to force her to sign a marriage agreement."
My heart dropped. I sat up immediately, needing to see his face.
"You did what?"
His words rushed out now, like he needed to get them all out before he lost his nerve.
"I needed it to inherit Elysium, then destroy everything as revenge against Don."
"You... you... you locked her up?"
"Yes." He sat up too, meeting my eyes. "It's been weeks. Months even."
"When were you going to tell me?"
"I was going to hide it first, then tell you after we get divorced in a year." He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture frustrated. "But that's the problem, isn't it? I keep making decisions without you. I keep lying for my own selfish reasons when what you need, we need, is the truth."
"Yes." My throat felt tight. "That's exactly the problem."
"I'm done with it," he said fiercely. "Done lying, done hiding things, done making choices that affect both of us without including you. That's why I'm telling you now, before I do anything else."
I searched his face, looking for deception and finding only exhausted honesty. "What changed? Why tell me now?"
"Because I was wrong about everything. The revenge, the inheritance, keeping Jessica prisoner-it's all poison. Don's poison. I thought I could use it against him, but all I'm doing is becoming him. And I can't-I won't do that anymore.
I am letting Jessica go. I'll face the consequences of my actions, walk away from Elysium and cut myself free from everything Don Hayes represents." He took my hands in his. "I don't know exactly how yet, or what the consequences will be, but I'm done letting his toxicity infect our life. I am sorry, Camila."
I sighed. Part of me had known he was hiding something. Hearing it confirmed still stole my breath, but I understood him. I understood his ruthless desperation to get his revenge against his father.
"Come here," I stretched open my hands. "Come to mummy."
His eyes widened as though he hadn't expected that from me. Carefully, he leaned in, pressing his head to my chest. I held him close and planted kisses on his hair.
"We'll figure it out together," I assured him, even though I didn't know how to handle Jessica, how to protect him legally, all of it. "But Lucien-no more secrets. Ever."
"I promise."
The days that followed were filled with nervous excitement. It was mostly meetings with Rosalind, statements to police, procedures I barely understood... but why was I excited?
Rosalind had told me my ankle monitor would be cut off that week!
A formal investigation had been opened for Ronan Hayes and Victor Hayes, and slowly my case began to resolve.
Friday afternoon, I sat in a sterile government office while an official unlocked the ankle monitor I'd worn for months.
The metal fell away.
I stared at the pale band of skin where the monitor had been, and all that nervous excitement I'd been carrying exploded into huge, gasping sobs that shook my whole body.
"FIERA." Lucien pulled me into his arms right there in the office, not caring about the officials watching. "You're free. You're finally free."
"I know," I choked out. "I know, I just-I can't believe-"
"I know, baby. I know."
He held me while I cried, murmuring reassurances I couldn't quite hear over my own sobbing. When I finally quieted to hiccups, he helped me stand, keeping one arm around my waist.
In the car, I curled against his side in the backseat, still crying softly. He didn't stop telling me that everything was okay now.
I was so overwhelmed I didn't notice where we were going until the car stopped.
"Why are we at your building?" I lifted my head, confused.
"Come on." He helped me out of the car, guiding me toward the entrance. "I have something to show you."
We took the elevator to his penthouse. I hadn't been here in months, and the hallway looked just as it did on the night I was arrested. As the doors opened, my breath caught.
"Surpriseeee!" Party poppers exploded in the foyer. Mama Cortez, Javier, Rafael, Maya, Damon, Silas, Seraphina, and even little Iris!
"You didn't think I'd let this moment pass without celebrating, did you?" Lucien murmured in my ear. "Go on."
Mama Cortez rushed over, pulling me into a hug. "We're so proud of you, my girl."
"I don't understand-"
"Lucien called us all this morning," Silas explained, coming to embrace me too. "Said the monitor was getting removed and it was time to introduce both families and also celebrate your freedom."
I looked at Lucien, tears starting again. "Really? You did?"
"You deserve to be celebrated by everyone who loves you." He flashed me his most charming grin that had my heart beating ten times faster.
"Thanks for everything you do for Camila. For protecting her in your own way. I know your intentions for the future are honorable-" Silas was saying to Lucien but I cut it off, running to Lucien's arms again.
"She doesn't need protecting. She's the strongest person I know," Lucien replied, even as him arms tightened around me. "And my intentions..." He pulled me back, grabbing my chin and bringing my eyes to his.
"...they are to spend the rest of my life making her happy. In whatever form that takes."