“This is good-bye isn’t it, Bane?”
For a second I remained silent. “It is. I have a past and I need to protect my family.”
He let out a breath. “I won’t ask any questions. But know if there’s anything you ever need, I’m here.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
We hung up. Maren came out of the bedroom wearing a snug T-shirt. Her protruding belly brought warmth to me every time I saw it. Though the good-byes were hard, I couldn’t regret the sacrifice. I was getting everything I’d ever dreamed of with a woman I never imagined having.
The evening winded down as we sat in the living room of the Penthouse suite. Kendall and Ryder, Allison and Damien’s children, walked into the room each holding a gift. Kendall was an exact replica of her mother with blonde hair and blue-green eyes. Ryder looked like Damien with his black hair and blue eyes. I wondered what our children would look like. I hoped like Maren.
Kendall, in her little four-year-old voice, said, “Uncle Bane, we got you and Maren a gift.”
My heart tore at their words. Damien insisted it would be good for his kids to see us one last time. They often asked about me. I hoped that was the case. Lying to them felt wrong, but they deserved closure. Ryder, at two, could barely hold the gift in his two hands as he waddled my way. Kendall skipped to Maren.
I cursed Black Division for putting me in this position.
Kendall laid the gift on her lap. “Mommy said to give this to you. Can you come over again? I want to play princess.”
Maren fell for my adopted family. A few tears formed in her eyes. “I love playing princesses. My brother used to play that with me when I was little.”
There was no escaping Maren’s non-answer. Allison mashed her lips together as Damien held her hand. “Open it. I love presents.”
Ryder made it to me as he tossed the present on my lap. “Bane! Bane! Bane!” I picked up the little man. “Want to help me?”
Both kids excitedly said, “Yes!”
Paper tore and was tossed on the ground. Within each box was a silver rattle with diamond handles. I read the inscription aloud. “Family lives in the heart regardless of how far apart.”
Maren stood and engulfed Allison in a hug. Kendall spoke. “Why is Maren sad, Uncle Bane?”
I patted her head as I stood. “Because you guys mean a lot to us. It was a special gift.”
Damien stood and patted me on the back. “You’re a good man. I hope one day we can see each other again.”
“I hope so.”
Sacrifice was something I knew well. Hopefully one day I’d be able to have all those I cared about back in my life. Hope and faith were what I needed to hold on to.
Two days before New Year’s Eve, we drove to the airplane hangar. Maren remained quiet beside me. She and Allison hit it off. If we’d been able to stay, I knew they wou
ld have been good friends. The night with the Wales had been bittersweet. They were the only family I’d known besides the Black Division.
“Any regrets, angel?” I hoped to hell she didn’t have any. She was my true north that kept me steady. We’d be able to face anything together.
Squeezing my hand, her eyes looked to mine. “Never. I will never regret a single moment that brought us together.”
That was all I needed to hear. Maren was like the air I needed to breathe to survive. Our first stop to have the babies would be Switzerland. They were medically equipped to handle the delivery along with any complications we may have. The country was filled with expats. It would be easy to blend in. All of the paperwork had been completed.
Everything was set. Hampton decided a fresh start for him and Felecia was best, too. It had been a hard decision with their multiple friends, family, and his business.
We agreed not tell each other where we were going. It was safer that way for now. We’d established one way to communicate with each other in case of an emergency. The only way to warn each other if we’d been found out.
Maybe one day we’d bump into each other again. Only time would tell.
The plan was simple. We were all going away for a few days. Hampton and I could fly. We were renting out a small plane and flying up to New York City for New Year’s Eve to see the ball drop. We’d all arrive at the airport along with the bodies Hampton procured to put in the plane. The private hangar would provide the privacy needed for the swap.
Any cameras watching would see three people in Hampton’s car and two in mine. Hampton’s car had him as a driver with Felicia and a male cadaver in the backseat. Three more cadavers were in the trunk. Hampton mentioned during one of our scheduled check-ins that Felicia was freaked out with the situation, but it had to be done. Maren and Felicia had been through hell over these last few months. Hopefully, they’d never have to deal with anything from the past again.