Page 68 of Burning Your Lies

He turns to me. “Is she a good PA? Or is she better off being a stripper?”

My eyes are still glued to Ray. Wanting to deduce if he’s involved in any of this, I watch his reaction as I say, “She quit as my PA today.”

It lasts only a millisecond, but surprise flashes on his face.

“Maybe I should hire her for my club. I could stick a pole up and she’d feel right at home.”

The wordhomereminds me I have to handle Brynn after the show Savannah put on in the morning. The look of horror and fear was pushed to the back of my mind while I dealt with lawyers who insisted silence was the best answer. According to them, getting defensive would only cast more of a doubt.

I stand up. “Have a good evening, gentleman.”

Ray also leaves and walks alongside me in silence.

I call his name before he can unlock his car door. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

He peers at me and then shrugs. “Does it matter? Will you tell me the truth?”

“It depends whether you will be honest if I ask whether you knew Savannah was behind all this.”

His hands are shoved into his trouser pockets. “I don’t need to ask the question.”He knows it’s true.

I walk over so we can speak in a hushed manner. “She has started a personal vendetta. She won’t stop.”

Ray chuckles. “You know, I defended you. Before she was sectioned, she told me you murdered Caitlyn, and I laughed. I told her I was there when she left and saw how devastated you were. I said there was no way you could fake that. I was your friend. I would have known if you murdered a woman. It turns out I was wrong.”

Surprised at the tortured look on his face, I can’t help but step back with the ghost of a laugh on my tongue. “Do not play thesaviour in front of me, Ray. You snapped a man’s neck and never even flinched.”

His eyes home in on me and it’s almost as if he’s really seeing me for the first time. “I am not judging you, Zav. I’m just trying to understand what she did to deserve that. She loved you.”

This is my chance to deny it.But I can’t stop the words from slipping out. “She betrayed me in ways you will never understand. But I never meant to hurt her and then all of a sudden my life was over. It was too late to protect her life, but I could still protect mine.”

He nods his head. “Very well.”

I know that he won’t go to the police. But I still need to ask. “What happens now?”

Ray lets his mask slip just long enough for me to see sadness etched onto his face. “I’ll keep your secret, as I would have done back then.”

“And Savannah?”

“You protect your past all you need to, Xavier.” He pauses, and when he speaks again, the threat is breathing and alive between us. “Just remember, I will protect my future. No matter the consequences.”

Brynn is frantically packing her bags when I enter the bedroom. She’s in such a rush she doesn’t even notice me standing in the doorway.

“Don’t I get five minutes to explain myself?”

She jumps at the sound of my voice and turns to face me. Her lips are pulled into her mouth as she tries to stop her cries. But her tears stream like a waterfall down her cheeks. She stares at me for a few more seconds before returning to her packing.“Elise is down for the night. Maria should be well enough to resume her childcare duties.”

I walk towards her and take her hand in mine, but her scream has me letting go. My chest feels tight. “Brynn?”

She backs away from me, hands trembling. “Don’t touch me.” She’s trying to be menacing, but her fear doesn’t let it come through. “I’ll call the police.”

“It’s all lies!” I don’t want to shout, but my desperation takes control. “It’s all vicious lies started by someone to ruin me! Why can’t you see that?”

She shakes her head frantically. “No. No! You don’t get to do that. She was on the news, Xavier! I saw her pain, and it was real.” Her head falls into her hands and she lets out a loud cry. “Have I been laying in bed with a man who murdered a woman because she wanted to break up with him?”

Taking slower steps to not frighten her again, I hold her face and force her to look at me. The tears that stream my face are real because I cannot lose Brynn. That is exactly what Savannah wants. How would the world perceive that? How can I convince them of my innocence when I can’t even do that with the woman who loves me?

“If there was any truth to this, I would be in handcuffs. And have I given you any reason to be scared of me? This is all lies. You have to believe me, Brynn.”

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