Sang's Freedom (Original And Rewritten)

Chapter 38: Luke

-Chapter 38: Luke Taylor's POV-

Kota's mission took a turn for the unexpected about a quarter past midnight. What started as a simple search and follow, became a quest to find the location of a well-hidden envelope, and who better to call in than me?

The vibration of my cellphone had startled me out of a dead sleep, and I was pissed to see Kota's text requesting my assistance.

After all, Sang was asleep in my arms; her sweet face was pressed against my chest, using me for a pillow. She lost her walls when she slept. Instead of freezing up under my touch, she actively reached out for it.

It made me feel better about earlier when she rejected my kiss...

I had tried to make our first kiss sweet. The lights were out, and I had pulled Sang into my arms. I had even felt her breath hitch as my lips brushed against her cheek.

I knew she liked me.

Sang liked me the same way I liked her, but her family had her all fucked up in the head.

She had probably never had friends before and with nine men suddenly in her life, she was beside herself.

Sang had freaked out really bad the first time I had surprise hugged her. She had barely said a word to us the first day we met. Gabriel said she was shy when they found her at the mall, and Sang was still hesitant her first day of school.

Since Kota had discovered Sang's bruises, the girl had come a long way. She trusted us to an extent. She knew we weren't going to expose her situation to the authorities and we weren't going to barge through her front door to stop the insanity.

In fact, we weren't allowed to. The moment Mr. Blackbourne had found out Sang was being beaten, he ordered us into a code orange. Meaning Victor had been hella busy installing cameras and wire taps all over Sang's house for when she inevitably returned to the premises.

Mr. Blackbourne went on to explain that we couldn't risk exposing Sang's situation. Apparently the Sorensons had an extensive reputation for disappearing into the night and if any of the family caught on to what we knew, the family would likely vanish into thin air.

It was something Mr. Blackbourne was not willing to risk. He was not a man who lost track of people in need, and it was because of his incredible instinct and leadership skills that we had become the best team within the Academy.

It was why we were given the mission at Ashley Waters High School. Money had been disappearing from the budget for years, and though our team did not give a particular fuck about a school of degenerates and their lack of funding, one of the higher ups did, or perhaps somebody simply owed somebody else a favor.

Mr. Hendricks was the current principle at Ashley Waters, and right now he was our lead suspect as to where the funding was going.

He was the man Kota was tracking, and he had been carrying a suspicious envelope since leaving school that day.

Kota had discovered the location of the envelope. It was in a vault hidden behind a framed picture on the wall. Classic. Problem was, the vault was locked. Well, it was a problem for Kota. I got the vault open on my second try.

I snapped pictures of the contents of the envelope, which was mainly a jumble of random pictures of kids from school. The collection came with a cover letter, and I made sure to get clear picture of the font before tucking away my phone and returning the room to the way it was before I had entered.

"You get it?" Kota breathed as I quietly closed the passenger door of his car.

"Yeah, I got it. There was just a bunch of pictures. I didn't get a chance to read the letter yet."

"Let's wait for Mr. Blackbourne." Kota started the car and we drove off into the night.

I shot a text to Mr. Blackbourne.

Me: Candied apples!

Blackbourne: Dancing ninjas.

Me: Cool, Kota and I have obtained the package. Should we deliver the contents tonight?

Blackbourne: We will look over them tomorrow before school.

Me: Will Sang be back in school?

Blackbourne: That will depend on her, though it would be best for her to attend class.

Me: At least it will be Friday. Do you mind if I crash at your place? I left Sang alone with North and we don't need them to kill each other.

Blackbourne: Mr. Taylor junior will eventually make his peace with Miss Sorenson.

Me: I worry. North has never been good with women.

Blackbourne: Your brother has never encountered a woman like Miss Sorenson. Do not worry. Lock the door when you get home.

Me: Yes, mom.

Blackbourne: You've earned yourself an hour, Mr. Taylor.

I grinned down at my phone a moment. I always forgot Mr. Blackbourne didn't like his buttons pushed. I mean, hell, he was nineteen, wore suits every day and had us refer to him as Mr. Blackbourne. That right there should tell you something!

Kota dropped me off, and I locked the door behind myself, before checking on Sang.

I had intended on relieving North, but what I saw had me stop dead in my tracks.

They were in the bed.

Both of them.

Sang was on her stomach, and a pillow wall was set up between them. North was on his side, his arm over the pillow wall and his hand was in Sang's beautiful blonde hair, as if North had been petting her hair as she fell asleep and then he fell asleep, too.

I was sidestruck with such an array of emotion, I didn't know what to do.

I was happy for North.

I was jealous he was laying next to Sang and not me.

I was scared North would take Sang from me.

I was sad I would have to sleep alone tonight.

When North and I were at our house with Uncle, North let me crawl in his bed when I had nightmares.

I have nightmares a lot.

When North is nearby, I don't have them as much. Most nights I'll pass out on the carpet beside his bed, but lately I've been in his bed every night.

There is a pillow wall, of course.

"Hey."

The sound of Dr. Green's voice scared the shit out of me. I would have punched the doctor if he had not caught my wrist. His green eyes looked tired after working a triple shift, and I knew he didn't sleep well either.

"You should go lay down with them." Dr. Green yawned. "Doctor's orders."

"Wouldn't it be weird?"

"Things are going to get a hell of a lot weirder around here, Luke, so you should grab some cuddles while you can." Dr. Green clasped my shoulder a moment and by the way he swayed as he went down the hall, I realized there was a very good chance Dr. Green was sleep walking.