Page 35 of Ugly Truths
Chapter 16
Silas
The warm Chicago air clings to my skin. Alice leans into my side, her frame light and soft against me. She’s scrolling through her messages, her auburn hair catching the glow of the restaurant sign, and I force myself to focus on the curve of her smile, the faint scent of some type of flower.
She really is beautiful.
I tell myself that over and over, trying to make it stick.
Alice was one of the few distractions I let myself have when I was trying to fuck Elena out of my system. It didn’t work, but Alice stuck around the longest. She’s nice, easy to be around. We attended a few events together, and I let people think whatever they wanted, especially from that golf tournament. It didn’t go anywhere, but when she called the other day, I found myself agreeing to dinner.
The city hums around us. Distant sirens, laughter from a nearby group, the shuffle of cars pulling out of the valet. I planned every detail of tonight. Dinner at my usual table. The car I sent for her. All of it has worked. I felt it in the way she touched my hand, let me rest my palm on her thigh, and leaned in when I spoke into her ear. It’s all gone exactly how I wanted it to.
Meanwhile, at the edges of my mind, Elena lingers. Like she always does.
Alice glances up at me, her blue eyes sparkling. She’s having a good time. More than that, really. She’s been sweet and accommodating. It should be enough.
Itisenough.
I shift my weight slightly, my hand tightening just a little at her waist.
This is what I need. Someone uncomplicated, pretty, has a great career, and looks at me the way Alice does with that big, genuine smile. Like, I could be her whole world if I wanted to be.
I just have to want it back.
Leaning down, I speak into her ear, voice low. “You ready to get out of here?”
Her grin widens, and for a second, I feel the faintest flicker of guilt because even though it makes my blood heat, it doesn't last for more than a moment before cooling again.
“Absolutely,” Alice says, slipping her phone into her bag. She presses into me a little more, and I nod, signaling for the valet.
They pull up with my car, the headlights washing over us as I open the passenger door for Alice. She smiles as she slips into the seat like she belongs there. After getting her in the seat, I pull my phone out of my pocket while walking around to the driver’s side.
The string of texts from Davey is exactly what I don’t need. My eyes scan the messages, my pulse kicking up with each line.
Davey:They both agreed to decrypt the servers. Elena gave me the names of two others willing to help for Luis’s sake, and they’re in.
Davey:Natalie’s refusing to leave the holding room without her. We’ve been at a stalemate for almost an hour.
Davey:She’s demanding we bring Elena home, or she isn’t leaving. I’m not leaving my wife in a fucking basement.
The last one comes twenty minutes after thethird text.
Davey:We’re taking her out through the private elevator. I’ll cut the cameras and get her into the garage without anyone seeing. She’ll stay at the townhome under constant supervision.
My grip on the phone tightens. I told him it was a bad idea to let her down there every day. This was inevitable for my sister, who is always so easy to forgive—butDavey? He was supposed to be the one person who saw this mess objectively.
I haven’t been able to bring myself to go back into that room and listen to her lies. Instead, I’ve had Davey or Cillian debrief me at the end of each day with any new information they receive. I’ve been tempted to watch through the camera feed, but haven’t been able to stomach it.
Maybe he really believes the bullshit she’s been feeding them. Or maybe he’s so whipped by Natalie that he let himself be convinced this is a good idea. Either way, it’s a mistake.
I shove the phone back into my pocket. Every muscle in my body tenses as I round the front of the car, trying to shove Elena from my thoughts, but it’s no use, because I won’t be able to think of anything else until I handle this.
With a tight smile, I try to keep my tone light as I slide into my seat. “I’m so sorry, Alice. I need to make a quick stop at my sister’s place. It won’t take long, I promise.”
She tilts her head slightly. “Oh, no problem. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” The word comes out too fast. I inhale deeply and soften my tone. “Just something I need to speak with my brother-in-law about in person. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
