Protecting Olivia

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

ETHAN

I wasn't at all surprised when we arrived home to find everyone was already there. As a group of friends, we are incredibly tight knit and after the events that had played out over the past week, I knew that they would all be present. Sometimes it would get on my nerves, having people around me constantly, people who actually cared about my wellbeing. Growing up, I was a loner, I had to be, even when I first joined the army, I didn't really spend time with the mates I had off base. Becoming a commando and meeting the team, I was thrown into an entirely different world than what I was used to. Even now, after nine years, it sometimes feels foreign.

I approach Chase who stands with his arm around Kate as they chat to Brad and Nicole. I hadn't seen him much since they came to Perth, and after Matt's revelation back in the hospital, I understand why. As I walk up, Brad saunters off towards Natalie who has stumbled on the grass and fallen on her face. She doesn't cry, just gets herself up again and continues to wander away. I chuckle as Brad walks after her, the worry on his face after her fall.

Nicole and Kate have turned towards the outdoor table where someone has put some drinks and food out. As I walk up behind Chase, I pat his back lightly, just over his lower back earning a hiss of pain from him.

"You alright?" I ask with faux confusion.

"I'm fine." He grumbles as a smirk forms on my face and I nod my head at him. He narrows his eyes towards me and curses under his breath. "Fuck.... Who else knows?" I chuckle at his sketchy behaviour as he scans the back yard, looking at each person individually.

"Just Matthew and I, don't worry, he won't say anything." I tell him earning a staunch nod. "Thanks mate."

He simply pats my shoulder as Kate walks back towards us alone. She wraps me in a hug, the third one she's given me in the past hour we have been home. I know I scared her, something I never wanted to do, but I hold her tighter, grateful that she isn't still stuck in jail.

The thought has occurred to me that someone didn't want my fathers' activities to be looked into, so they managed to sweep his death under the rug, which was good for Kate. But that someone must have a lot of power, and whatever they don't want getting out must be serious. A part of me wants to look into it, to take down everyone that was involved with him, but one look at Livy and Matt, and I know I won't. They are safe now; I'm no longer seen to be involved and I can't afford to lose them again. Besides, I have no doubt that after the conversations Lance would have had with Brandon, the Australian Federal Police would be doing their own investigation.

I watch from the sidelines as Livy talks animatedly with Mia, Lucy and Kaley, and Matt plays in the back corner with Hayley and Tommy. It's the first time that we have all been around our friends together, where she hasn't hated me and I haven't been trying to not look at her for too long. My heart feels light for the first time in years, seeing them here. Livy looks in my direction and offers me a small smile before turning back to the girls, making the already present smile that feels permanently glued to my face widen.

"I'm glad she's back in your life." Kate whispers beside me. I turn to look at her before glancing back at Livy.

"Me too." I reply as Kate wraps her arms around my shoulder. I know we aren't anything more than friends, possibly not even that right now, but I'll take anything I can get from her.

*

As everyone starts to leave, I follow Lance out to his car where he retrieves a large yellow envelope and hands it to me. The lightness in my heart disappears, as I take it from him, gripping it in my hand.

"You want me to tell her?" Lance asks but I shake my head, knowing it has to come from me. It was my father who was involved after all. Lance slaps my back before opening the passenger door for Kaley and moving towards the driver's seat. They were the last to leave, after everyone had stayed not only for lunch but dinner too. I watch as the taillights of Lance's car disappear around the corner before heading back inside.

Matthew is already tucked into bed by the time I go back inside. I'm not surprised really, it's been a big few days and on top of that, he was running around with Hayley non-stop. I approach the couches, where Jane is snuggled into Jordan as Jordan flicks through the channel on the TV. Livy is curled up on one of the arm chairs, I sit down in the other armchair opposite her, careful not to move the wrong way and pull at my stitches.

"What's that?" Jordan asks, nodding towards the envelope in my hands. Letting out a long breath, I drop the envelope on the coffee table and rest my elbows on my knees.

"It's for Jane, if she wants it." I tell him, looking hesitantly at Jane who sits up and gives the envelope a confused look.

"What?" she asks, reaching out for it and pulling it slightly towards her.

"When we were at my parents' place, we came across a heap of files my father had hidden. It was files of all the people who went through the outback facility." I tell her, watching her reaction carefully.

"Your father was involved?" she asks quietly, removing her hand from the envelope and looking towards me.

"I believe that he found out about it, and used the information to take a cut from each sale." I swallow down the bile that forms in my throat at the thought of all of those children. "We found information on both you and who I believe is your mother. Everything has been handed over to Brandon to give to Interpol, those are just copies of the two files." I tell her.

She stares at the envelope not saying a word. I know a part of her is curious, wanting to know who she was beforehand, but to be handed the information when you weren't expecting it must have come as a shock. After a few minutes of silence, Jane reaches forward and takes the envelope, opening it and pulling out the paper inside.

I watch as she takes a deep breath, Jordan sitting next to her and rubbing her back, before looking at the paper which has her photo on the top.

"Rachel." She breathes out. "There's no last name." Jane looks towards me and I shake my head.

"None of them had last names." I tell her softly. Nodding her head, she looks to the paper and continues to read it.

"My birthday is the 2nd of August, 1996... So, I am 25." She mumbles to herself. "Buyer 4297?" she asks, looking over to me in confusion.

"All the buyers were listed by a number. Hopefully Interpol will be able to figure out who was who." I look over to Livy who watches Jane with a frown on her face, her eyes moist with tears. It's a hard thing to face, knowing that your friend was once used by a human trafficking ring. My hand twitches as I stop myself from going over to her and wrapping her in my arms. I don't think we are there yet, we never will be.

"What are you thinking?" Livy asks Jane who had gone quiet. I look over to Jane who wears a pensive expression as she stares at the paper in her hand.

"I really don't like the name Rachel." She states. I chuckle in disbelief, of everything that she found out in the last few minutes, that's what has her so fixated. Jordan sits beside her with an amused grin on his face. "I'm happy with who I am. I like being Jane."

"You don't have to do anything with this information Jane." I tell her, leaning forward in my seat. She nods her head as she shuffles the paper, looking at the page that holds her mother's information.

"Rebecca." Tears form in Jane's eyes as she runs her fingers over the picture. "Born 18th January 1975." Jane whispers, her eyes glued to the picture in front of her.

There's no more information on them then a name, date of birth and sold date. Nothing else that would be able to give her information on her family. It was only that Brandon had recognised the photo of Janes mother from the information gathered when they found her body.

"I'm sorry, Jane." I say softly, but just earn a head shake in return. Looking over to Livy, she nods towards me and stands up from her place on the chair. I stand as well and walk out of the room, allowing Jane some privacy with Jordan.