Shay Warner ran away from her adopted family as soon as she found out what they truly were: criminals. They lied, they killed, they betrayed her in a way that scarred her forever. It isn't until the police catch up to her that she's forced to go bac...
Noah's fist repeatedly hit the bag in a combination of hooks, jabs and crosses. Despite the fatigue coursing through his body, he kept hitting, with each strike expelling some of his unknown emotions. It had been over a week since he'd been on a mission. Mostly by his choice, but also Val's. Since Shay had shown up, it seemed that everything at the house was on hold.
"You good man?" John Wu had appeared behind Noah, standing with his arms crossed, watching.
After a couple more hits, Noah lowered his gloves and turned to face him.
Jon Wu joined Val's operation a year ago as a field agent. He spoke the most languages and knew professional boxing, jiu jitsui, and krav maga. Where hand to hand combat was concerned, Noah didn't know a soul who could defeat him.
As far as guns and computers went, he needed help. Technology was definitely not his strong suit.
"All good. Just letting off some steam."
"Need a partner?" Jon offered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Noah let out a short laugh. "What, so you can kick my ass again? No thanks."
"Oh come on, it's so much fun though."
Noah rolled his eyes. Twenty one years old and Jon already had the cockiness of a professional athlete. He just hoped it wouldn't get him in trouble some day.
"Noah, Jon, come upstairs please." Val's voice rang through the intercom on the wall, so both of them immediately dropped what they were doing to obey. Noah ripped off his gloves and threw them to the side before following Jon upstairs, where everyone was already gathered.
Val stood at the center of the kitchen as the rest of them flocked around her. She cleared her throat and then looked at Noah, which let him know where this conversation was going.
"I wanted to inform you all that Shay is no longer missing. I spoke to her a couple of days ago and invited her to dinner this weekend." Val's statement was met with blank stares. Summer had the most intense reaction, her mouth dropping to the floor as she blinked a couple of times, either from anger or surprise.
"What do you mean? She's not dead?" Summer asked when she regained composure. Despite the animosity Summer felt towards Shay while she was here, she probably took her disappearance the hardest. It was like she didn't realize how much she cared for Shay until she was gone, spending several days locked in her room in an emotional haze.
"Who's Shay?" Jon asked, and Noah hit him with an elbow while shooting him a glare.
"Two years ago, she overheard me confessing to killing her parents. That's why she left."
Now it was Noah's turn to be shocked. Val was never this open with them. He figured she would stop her explanation at oh, Shay's alive and she's coming back. Not explaining why she left in the first place.
"You killed her parents?" Summer asked in disbelief, also not able to process what was going on.
"I did, for reasons that I will not expand on. All you need to know is that we are on the road to mending our relationship and I hope you will all be welcoming towards her while she's here." Val stated, her voice just as commanding and presidential as ever. Eli, her best friend, her closest confidant, stood speechless during it all, almost as if he heard it already. Noah wouldn't be surprised; it was his guess that they were a thing.
"Ok, that's all. Rest up, I'm putting a hold on missions until after that dinner. Keep up with your training." Val concluded. Then she left the room with Eli hot on her tail. That left Summer, Jon, and Noah.
"Wait, Shay's your girl right?" Jon suddenly asked Noah.
"She's not my girl." Noah said deadpan.
Jon's lips twisted into a taunting smile. "Dude, look at you. She's what's got you so worked up."
Before Noah could shut him up, Summer changed the subject. "You knew she was alive already, didn't you?"
Noah looked at her with a regretful expression. "Yeah."
"She came to you?" Summer asked.
"Yeah. Showed up at my favorite bar, waiting for me."
"Ah. Well I can't wait to see her again."
Truth be told, he couldn't either. Despite whatever feelings or anger he may have toward her, there was still something about being in her presence that made him feel whole again.
***
For the first time in Shay's life, she didn't know what to wear.
Nights at the club always involved a tight dress or skirt. The bar was tight black pants and a leather jacket. Working out was leggings and a tank top. Day to day was jeans and a t-shirt. But dinner with people who used to family, including a guy she found herself wanting to impress? That outfit choice was lost on her.
She paced around her measly excuse of a closet for what felt like hours, finally settling on jeans and a black tank top. Simple as shit, just as she liked it. Usually with an outfit like this, she didn't bother with makeup but this time was different. She put on the bare minimum needed to conceal blemishes and make her blue eyes pop, and put product in her hair to make it soft and wavy.
Then she drove herself to the house, the entire journey increasing her nerves tenfold. She had about a million questions and zero answers, the most important one being how people would react to her reappearance. Did Summer still hate her? Would Val be affectionate to her again? Most importantly, would her and Noah ever be okay?
Alec had called earlier on during the ride, reminding her that she needed to get involved. That whatever anger she had towards them should be pushed to the side so she could focus on getting justice for the many people they'd killed.
That was the hardest part. Remembering that these people, the ones she once called family, were actually killers.
When Shay finally pulled into the driveway, she took a deep breath before walking up to the door. The same door she walked in at fourteen years old for the first time, back when she thought Val was an angel and this was her castle. She looked at the four pillars on the front porch, remembering how they used to look like towers to her, with potted plants in between each of them. They were no longer the cone shaped bushes that they used to be. Now, they were taller, scattered with little pink flowers that contrasted against the beige backdrop of the house.
Gathering her courage, she pressed the button for the doorbell and waited, her eyes fixed on the camera that was watching her. A moment passed before she heard the latch unlock itself mechanically before Val opened it. She smiled at Shay almost as wide as the last time they spoke, and again enveloped Shay in a hug. The second real embrace she'd gotten from her adoptive mother, and it felt just as strange yet welcome at the same time.
"I'm so glad you came." Val said, almost beaming.
"I wouldn't miss it."
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