Page 28 of The Lies We Believe

“Oh, that’s not a problem. I’ve got a text speech app on my tablet. So if you message me the details, it’ll talk me through everything, and I can make any necessary adjustments.” He turned to look at me with a note of understanding in his eyes. “I’ve worked with lots of individuals who have been through extremely traumatic events, survivors just like you. Take your time. I have nothing else to do today.”

“Great. That’s just great, isn’t it, Riv?” Bane ground out through his clenched jaw, the muscles in his cheeks rippling.

I nodded and pulled out my phone, but Bane snatched it before I could hand it to Daniel, looking like he wanted to smash it. I snorted at his antics and shook my head before taking a much needed sip of coffee. It was almost like Bane wanted me to have the least amount of contact with Daniel as possible.

As if he could read between the lines, Daniel shot me a smirk and an eye roll over his cup as Bane connected my phone with the app on Daniel’s tablet.

“This is going to be interesting,” Daniel muttered under his breath as he clicked a few things on his tablet. Amusement danced in his eyes as he glanced between Bane and me. “Whenever you’re ready, River.”

Over the next hour, we went through every aspect of Dahlia’s appearance in fine detail. From the more obvious things like hair and eye color, to her age and preferred clothing and makeup choices. By the time we were finished and Daniel handed me his tablet, my stomach was filled with lead and my chest was trapped in a vise.

That’s her, right down to the dead, heartless eyes. It’s like I’m looking at a photograph of her.

I didn’t think I’d ever get used to the automated voice on his tablet, but I felt compelled to tell him.

“That really isn’t the Dahlia we’ve been looking into,” Bane said. “We’ll get to work on that right away once you send it through. You’ve got my email, right?”

“I do, yes.” Daniel began packing up under Bane’s watchful eye just as a call came through and Bane left to take it. We both watched him walk away, the silence stretching between us. “I know today wasn’t easy for you, River,” Daniel said. “But I want to thank you for being so thorough. I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through. I can’t even imagine how you’ve survived, but I’m glad you did.” He got up and tucked his chair under the table. “You’re good for him, you know.”

I tilted my head in confusion and picked up my phone.

How so?

Daniel smiled. “For once, he has something far more important than work to think about.”

I don’t understand.

“You’re as bad as each other.” He rolled his eyes and rested his arms on the back of the chair. “You’ll see. Just be patient with him. He’s been completely focused on work for as long as I’ve known him. It’s his life.” I blanched at his words like I’d been physically struck. Every word out of his mouth just confirmed my thoughts. “Oh god, no. No, River.” Daniel’s shoulders slumped. “I wasn’t referring to you as a job. Quite the opposite, in fact. Take care of him. I wish you both happiness.”

I sat there in confusion as Daniel shut the front door behind him. “Has he gone already? That’s a shame,” Bane called from the kitchen. The sound of cupboards banging and the happy humming sound he was making made me realize he really wasn’t as upset as his tone implied. Annoyed that he’d left without saying goodbye maybe, but that wasn’t what had gotten him all riled up while Daniel was here, or what now made him so happy he had left. Maybe there was an issue at work that made their relationship tenuous?

“How about we have some lunch?” My stomach rumbled as if on cue, loud enough for Bane to hear all the way in the kitchen. He barked a laugh and asked me what I thought about soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. The last time I’d had that was at Mrs. Wilkinson’s. The memory of her kindness made my throat feel tight and my eyes burn from emotions I had no place feeling.

After lunch,I crashed on the couch with another episode ofThose About To Diequeued up. There was something about the scheming and backstabbing that I could relate to, along with the amount of sex slaves that were used, bought, and sold. I didn’t know what it said about me, but I had a morbid fascination trying to work out who was going to be the next one to die.

Sometimes, I wondered what would have happened to me if Dahlia hadn’t kept me as part of her Holme Oaks operation. I wasn’t naïve enough—any more—to think she kept me because she liked me. It was more that I fit the clientele she had, although I didn’t know whether it was because of my age or looks. All I knew was that I made her money, and it kept me off the streets with a somewhat questionable roof over my head.

“What’s this then?” Bane said as he sat at the other end of the gray couch. I hit the info button so he could see a synopsis of the show. The warmth on his face cooled as he read it. His lips thinned, but he said nothing as he pulled his phone out and started typing.

Ignoring him, I hit play and lost myself in the twisted world of the Roman Empire. I was so engrossed in the threesome happening on Domintiaus’s bed that a loud knocking at the door made me freeze and drop the remote onto the wooden floor.

“Who the hell...” Bane yanked the door open. “Oh, hey, Colton. What brings you around?”

I glanced over the back of the couch, straining to hear the muttered conversation taking place, but it was pointless, so I restarted the episode. Just as Tanax lost everything, Bane’s voice rose. “You can’t be serious?!” he said. “I’m working right now.” His words landed like a sucker punch to my gut.

“It doesn’t look that way,” Colton challenged. The scraping of claws against the wood floor, accompanied by soft yips, had me slowly unclenching. “Oh shi—shoot!”

A small black bundle charged across the house and threw itself onto my lap. A little black puppy bounced on my legs and worked its way up my chest until it was licking my face with abandon. My hands smoothed down its wriggly back of fine curled fur as its cold wet nose sniffed my neck. “That tickles,” I rasped at the little intruder.

“Oh. My. God. I’m so sorry, River,” Colton said as he knelt at my feet, trying to pull the little pup off my lap. But it had other ideas and dug its way under my blankets. “Umm.” Colton looked at me with wide eyes and a smile. “I think he likes you,” he whispered conspiratorially.

“No, Colton. No way.”

“Aww, but Shadow seems so at home snuggled up with River.”

Bane stomped over to us, shoulders tense, agitation radiating off him. “I told you…” he bit out, but the strain on his face melted away when he looked at me and Shadow. The ice thawed in his eyes the longer he stared at us, and something I couldn’t name flitted across his features.

“It’s only while I take Cooper and Lady to the vet. It’ll be like two hours max.” Colton waved his hand from side to side as if to say thereabouts. I could see Bane’s refusal on the tip of his tongue as he inhaled deeply and screwed his eyes shut.

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