Page 69 of The Lies We Believe

Letting out an exasperated breath, I kicked the door shut and locked it securely. Shadow trotted over to meet me before I could take another step, sniffing curiously at the bag in my hand. Carrying it into the kitchen, I set it down on the counter, avoiding the spilled tea, and turned my attention to the bag.

The bag was absolutely filthy and not worth saving, which was a shame because I really liked it. The fabric reeked like a sewer, and I didn’t even want to think about what might be clinging to the material. My chest tightened, and my heart pounded like a war drum as I rifled through the obvious pockets, praying nothing had been taken. Hidden inside the bag was something crucial—a USB stick I’d risked my life to get for Bane. I clung to the hope that it held enough evidence to finally bring Dahlia down, giving Bane the leverage he needed and me a shot at a peace I’d never dared to imagine.

I had long resigned myself to the idea that death was my only path to peace, but now, for the first time, I held something far greater within my fragile grasp—the promise of a future, of love. Reality stood between me and every one of my dreams.What I once dismissed as delusions, I now recognized for what they truly were: hope. I understood the difference now between a life resigned to despair and one fueled by the belief that dreams could become reality if I fought hard enough. This drive would hopefully tip the scales in our favor and help us win the war we—Bane—had been waging and finally end the suffering of thousands.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, running my fingers along the inner seam of the bag, searching for the threads I’d carefully unpicked. My hands trembled as I rigorously searched for the hidey-hole I’d made. I felt a hard bulge under my fingertip and slowly traced it. A breath punched out of my chest, and a smile curved my lips. “Yes,” I hissed, and slowly extracted the black rectangle from the inner lining of the bag.

“I can’t believe it.” My crazy plan had actually worked. I leapt off the stool, cheering as disbelief coursed through me. For once, something I’d set my mind to had succeeded. Joelle’s voice echoed in my head, clear and reassuring.You’re capable of many amazing things, River.The memory hit me hard, and I swallowed back a sob.

Tears blurred my vision as an unfamiliar emotion washed over me, overwhelming and impossible to name. Was this achievement? Pride? Whatever it was, it rooted me in place, making it hard to focus on what I needed to do next. Shaking it off, I slapped my hand across the granite countertop, searching for my phone. The moment my fingers found it, I dialed Bane’s number without hesitation.

Each ring felt like an eternity, my nerves fraying more with every passing second. My confidence faltered, resolve crumbling as I prepared for disappointment. But just as I was about to hang up, his deep, gravelly voice came through the line.

“Angel?” He breathed a weary sigh. “Are you okay? I’m so sor?—”

“I-I need you to come h-home. Now.”

“River, what’s wrong?” Something banged, and the echo down the phone made me freeze. I needed to reassure him quickly.

“N-nothing.” I licked my suddenly dry lips and cleared the lump lodged in my tight throat. “Y-you remember when I said I w-went in search of her…f…for a reason?” I asked with a shaky voice.

“Yes, of course. You never told me what, though?” The hint of accusation in his tone made me wince, but I brushed it off. He was probably exhausted and stressed. All that pain and suffering was about to be worth it.

“W-well, I remembered you telling me about USB drives and t-that they stored i-important information.”

“I did, yes.” I could picture the confusion on his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “But what does that have to do?—”

I didn’t let him finish, knowing if I didn’t get this out now, I never would. Steeling my spine, I drew on every ounce of strength I possessed. “I-It’s simple, really. After you talked to me about them, I remembered that D-Dahlia always carried a laptop and it had something that looked like the one you’d shown me so…”

“So you left me, put your life at risk, and nearly shattered my heart—all to get hers?” Bane’s voice rose, thick with anguish. Each shuddering gasp revealed his pain.

“I-I’m s…sorry. I didn’t…” I huffed out an anxious sigh. “I w-wouldn’t…” I shook my head as tears pricked the back of my eyes.

“I’m sorry, angel. I…it just hurts so much. Every time I close my eyes, I see you lying in that bed. It reminds me of when…”

His words trailed off, but I knew exactly what he meant. It reminded him of his family and the day he lost them. “I’m sorry, I never meant?—”

He interrupted me. “I know, angel.” He swallowed audibly. “What did you?—”

I cut in, sounding rather hysterical as I tried to regulate my chaotic emotions and relayed to him how Sharon had turned up with my bag. “I have it, Bane. Here in my hand. The one I pulled out of her laptop when…” I bit my lip, holding back my words. He didn’t need me to rehash everything I’d gone through when she’d walked into the room. I never wanted to cause him pain, more than I already had.

The line was silent for a couple of beats, bar Bane’s staccato inhalations. “Do you know what’s on it?” he finally said.

“I don’t have a clue, but it’s got to have something incriminating on it, right?” I deflated like a burst balloon and sank to the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arm around them, needing support and comfort. Shadow appeared as if I’d summoned him and pushed his head under my arm. Just his presence eased my turmoil.

“I believe in you, angel.” The dulcet tone of his voice soothed me. “And I think it might be the very thing we need to link everything together.” I smiled so hard my face ached, even though tears still flowed down my cheeks. “I need you to put it somewhere safe until I get home, okay?”

“Yes.” My voice trembled as much as the hand trying to hold my phone up to my ear.

He exhaled loudly. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it home to you last night.” His sincerity swelled my heart. “Once this case is over, I promise you things are going to change. You are the keeper of my heart. You are my sole priority, angel. I will do better for you.”

“I-I…love you.” The words tasted like levity and freedom. Hope.

“I love you too, River. But there’s something I need to tell you, and I hate that I can’t be there with you right now. Itbreaks my fucking heart. But you deserve to know. The raid was a failure. She knew, River. We definitely have a mole.”

“D-Davis.” I breathed life into the name and hoped it had the power to destroy him. “I said h-he was t-there…”

“Yes, you did, but Bower dismissed it when I spoke to him. Said he’d keep an eye on him because he couldn’t believe someone he’s gone through the academy with would betray him.”

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