Page 70 of The Lies We Believe

“He was the one who f-found me in the…w-warehouse and took me to her. I recognized his voice when he brought that guy over to the house to do the alarms,” I choked out, feeling helpless. “I-I recognized him, but I’d never seen his face and assumed it was a coincidence, until…”

“I know. I know, River. I’m hoping he’ll take me seriously now.” Bane sighed, tired and weary, like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “I’m sorry for raising my voice at you. I just feel so damn frustrated right now. There’s so much I need to tell you, but it’s not the right time, the right place. I’ll tell you the next time I see you.”

Something in what he said felt off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but alarm bells rang in my head. He was always open and honest with me. But today, he was a vault, keeping something vital close to his chest.

“O-okay.” I cuddled Shadow, needing him to be my mini Bane until I could be in his arms again.

“Keep yourself safe. Don’t leave the house and keep Shadow close. We’ve had another lead, and I think this is going to be it angel. We’re almost at the end.” I gasped at the raw need in his voice. “I promise you, it’s almost over. Just keep yourself safe for me and I’ll explain everything when I get home.”

“O-okay. I-I can do that.”

“Good. Love you.”

He hung up before I could tell him I loved him too. My eyes dropped to the USB in my hand. I knew exactly where to put it. The only person who would ever think to look there would be Bane, because he knew its secret.

My feet dragged as I climbed the stairs. Shadow bounced between my feet as I moved slower than molasses. I collapsed on my bed, emotionally wrecked, and picked up the wooden heart off the nightstand. It was a bit like a Rubik’s Cube, made up of different coloured pieces of wood, each one with its own unique texture. But what you couldn’t tell was that if you pressed certain pieces in the right order, it opened up and was just big enough to keep the USB safe until he got home. Wrung out, I pulled the covers over my trembling body and closed my eyes, praying the next time they opened, I would be wrapped in Bane’s arms.

CHAPTER 28

RIVER

My eyes flew open, an indistinct emotion pulling me from unconsciousness. Ice cold air licked across my skin as the blankets were violently yanked off me. I tried to scream, but something leathery covered my mouth and pinched my nose. My eyes stung, and gut-curdling fear crawled all over my skin, turning the blood in my veins to ice.

A maniacal cackle had every muscle in my body locking up tight. My eyes darted from side to side as they slowly adjusted to the darkness. Night had fallen since I passed out, and with my blinds nearly closed, only a small amount of light seeped through them. The sound of blood thundering in my ears echoed the rapid beat of my heart, making it impossible to hear anything, but I could finally make out the three figures surrounding my bed.

The one immediately to my right had covered my mouth with his gloved hand, and when I turned to look at him, recognition zinged through me like a ricocheting bullet.

“Hello, whore.” He sneered and tilted his head to the side like a clockwork toy. It was creepy as fuck, especially when the other two mimicked his movements. The same unhinged, bloodthirsty look glinted in their eyes. There was no doubt about it. I wasabout to be dragged back down into the bowels of hell. Bile burned a path up the back of my throat. I’d never tasted fear in such an all-consuming soul-crushing way.

How did they find me?

How did they get in without triggering the alarm?

Did Bane know?

Was he on his way to save me?

Was he hurt?

God, I couldn’t even face that thought. I screwed my eyes shut and felt myself go numb as the first tear broke through my lashes and carved a relentless path down my cheek.

Bane, please! Please help me,I screamed and pleaded in my head. I’d beg the universe if I had to, and sacrifice anything just to see him again. The Mitchell brothers had found me, and I knew what they were here to do.

This was it—the end of the road. The Mitchell brothers were about to cash in their promise with the devil. Dahlia had vowed she’d send them for me if I didn’t comply. I guess she finally ran out of patience. Or this was a Hail Mary? Did she know Bane was closing in? Did she sense that life as she knew it was slipping through her fingers, about to be torn away? Maybe this was her parting shot, her finalfuck you—ruining Bane’s life by taking mine.

My worst fears were no longer whispers in the dark that haunted me. They were here, flesh and blood, unstoppable, and there was nothing I could do to fight them. For the first time in my life, I truly understood what it meant to be completely powerless.

There was nothing I could do to stop them when electrical tape sealed my mouth, trapping my screams. I was too weak when they wrenched my arms behind my back, binding my wrists and ankles with brutal efficiency. I couldn’t fight back when I lay prone on our bed and a sickly sweet smell invaded mylungs, sharp and burning, making my vision tilt and my strength abandon me.

There was nothing left in me when I was thrown over their shoulders, my body limp and useless, my head cracking against a doorframe as they carried me through the house. The pain was like a bullet to my brain, making the world vanish behind a blinding white light. A hot gush of liquid slicked down my head, dulling the pain once the pressure eased. They slipped out the open back door on silent feet, unnoticed by the rest of the world. Not even the security light came on over the deck as they marched across the backyard under the cover of near darkness. The light of the moon hid behind the clouds like it was refusing to bear witness to the atrocities that were about to happen. They moved with a calculated efficiency that chilled me to the bone. Clearly, I didn’t really know they were capable of.

I knew they were monsters who masqueraded as men, but I’d only glimpsed the depths of their depravity, even the times I’d thought I was at death’s door. I guessed tonight their masks were going to come off, and I’d see who they really were. It was clear they didn’t fear me being able to identify them, because everybody knew the dead couldn’t talk.

They didn’t make a sound until we passed through the wide-open back gate, now secured with a state-of-the-art biometric scanner and a brand-new lock. The system had been installed by the expert Bane hired to turn this house into a fortress. No one should have been able to breach these high walls—the very ones Bane had ensured were there to keep me safe. Yet, the Mitchells made a mockery of those efforts. Somehow, they had gained access undetected—a feat that should have been impossible. But clearly, it wasn’t.

Shit, that would mean…. Davis wasn’t the only snake Bane and Montoya had in their midst. It was too late to warn them. AllI could do was hope they saw the truth before it was too late for them too.

“I’m out of here. If you get caught, I was never part of this. About a mile into the woods, there’s an old quarry pit, if it’s any use to you,” a voice I recognized but couldn’t place said nonchalantly.

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