Page 128 of Desolation

“What do you mean?”

“My father is a liar and a cheat, Mar. I was arguing with him to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?”

“That’s all you need to know.”

Michael leaves and I lean against the kitchen island. I didn’t get anything out of him. Except maybe more doubt that he had nothing to do with this.

“You tried,” the agent says as she takes the wire off me. “We will get him.”

“But at what cost?”

“I don’t know,” she says to me. “But we don’t always get what we want.”

I look at Landon but his eyes fail to meet mine. I watch him as he talks to Jackson and then as he slips out the front door.

* * *

I’m standing on the beach at my mother’s house taking in the salty air and cool breeze from the ocean. After everything that happened last week at the gala, more arguments with Michael and the constant questioning from the FBI, I needed a break.

Not to mention, Landon has been distant since the gala. He never told me why he became distant and every time I tried to get him to tell me, he walked away. It’s like the man I fell in love with retreated into his shell. Went back to being the man I first met.

It didn’t help that I had no time with him over the weekend. Between talking with the FBI, NSA, and lawyers I had no time to myself. No time to breath.

I am so happy my kids are at camp. If they had been around for all of this it would have left permanent scars. Now I just need to figure out lies to tell them when it comes to their grandfather and father.

It’s July on the east coast but instead of being swelteringly hot, a midsummer storm is on the brink of hitting us and a cold front has moved in. I pull the wrap I have on tighter around my shoulders as the wind picks up and the dark clouds roll in.

I should have known this storm was a sign.

A forewarning to let me know my life is still crashing down.

I can feel him behind me before he even says my name.

“Mariela.”

No Mari, no Mar. That one word tells me enough.

I turn to him and see the hardened man I once knew. Even his cockiness seems to have disappeared.

I walk past him toward my mother’s house but he grabs my elbow. “Mar, please.”

I look at him unable to keep the tears from my eyes. “I already know what you are going to say.”

He pulls me closer to him. “I want this. I wish this could be real. But it can’t be.”

“We promised each other we would make it work, no matter how hard it was.”

He looks out to the water. “You’re still married.”

“I’m working on that.”

“I know what your husband said. I know that he will fight tooth and nail to keep you from divorcing him.”

“And I will fight right back.” I put my hand on his chest. “I will fight for us.”

His gaze meets mine and I want nothing more than to get lost in his fathomless eyes but I know this will be the last time I see them. “I can’t wait for whatever may or may not come about. Keeping my hopes up only makes it harder for me. I’ve lost enough of the ones I’ve loved and I can’t lose you too.”

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