beautiful thieves | ✓

twenty-four

Danielle is back later that night, although we don't see her until we're all having breakfast in the spacious dining room off the side to the kitchen. Our chatter and laughter dies down as soon as she walks into the room with Zavier at her side, and I'm pleasantly surprised with how well she looks. She looks tired and drawn out and I swear I see a tremble in her hand as she grips the back of a chair, but she's looking good for someone who just went through something traumatic.

"Morning all," she says softly, giving us a smile. "I thought I should prove to you that I'm alive."

We all let out a small laugh or a smile, relieved that she could break the ice, but we all sound tired.

"Are you okay?" Enoch asks before any of us can.

"I'm fine," she whispers. "It's been a long night. I understand that Jayden explained a little of what was going on and I just wanted to say that if anyone wishes to speak to me or ask questions, feel free to do so."

This person has gone through hell and back and yet is reassuring us that she's still there for us? She inspires me every single day I'm here.

"How's Adam doing?" Chelsea asks. "Where is he?"

"He's... devastated," Danielle says sadly. "He's a sensitive soul, this sort of thing always takes a toll on him. But he's asleep right now, upstairs, and I'll probably go and join him soon."

"Are you in pain?" Colby asks, pushing away his bowl of cereal as if his appetite has vanished. I realise that I haven't touched mine yet, either.

Danielle shrugs tiredly. "Yes and no. It's not too bad right now, but I know it'll be a tough week ahead." She sighs, weakly flipping her shiny hair over her shoulder. "But I don't want that to mean that you all have to walk on eggshells around me, okay? I can handle this, and life is going to continue from normal starting from this morning. You will all continue to train and work and laugh and smile and have fun together because that's my source of happiness, and that's how I'll be able to get through this. I don't want any of you feeling sad for me or Adam because this is just something that happens. We know the risks, and we wouldn't take them if we thought that those risks would break us. That's the whole point of being part of the Thieves, right? We have the threat of death looming over our shoulders every day yet we continue to do it because it's something that means a lot to every person in this room. Adam and I... we will have a family one day. But for now you will all be my family, because that's how I see all of you and nothing is going to change that. And I want you all to promise that you will all keep going as if nothing has happened, okay?"

We're all silent, looking around at one another as the weight of her words sink in. Slowly, we all nod, telling her that we promise.

A few hours later, we're all working out in the basement. Some of us have decided to split up into pairs to work on fighting techniques and I landed with Jayden. Although strong, he's fairly gentle with me, focusing more on the technique of his hits and kicks rather than the power behind them. We talk while we work, too, so much that it starts to become more of a bitch session.

Blake and Maeve are a few metres away and I flinch every time I look over, worried that they're actually beating the shit out of each other. Obviously they're not, but hearing Blake's grunts and the loud sounds of Maeve's fists hitting the boxing pads is a little intimidating. I'm brought back to when Maeve and I fought in the boxing ring and feel bad for them.

"She's a feisty little thing, huh," Jayden smirks, his train of thought following mine as he lazily throws a right hook at the pad I hold up.

"One day I'll reach her level."