Page 78 of Web of Lies
Kyle falls silent, as if he’s not sure he heard me right. For a moment, he studies me, his expression blank. But then, the tension eases from his shoulders with a sigh.
"You don’t know how much that means to me," he says and scoots closer to me, curling his fingers around my ankle. "When all of this is over, I’d like you to meet my mom, see that she isn’t evil or scary."
The thought of meeting his parents makes my stomach churn, but not for the obvious reason. The cannibalism? That's certainly unsettling, but it doesn't scare me as much as it should. It's more that I've never met the parents of someone I've dated before, and dealing with parents is a whole other challenge. However, I’ve already decided to stand up to Jackson, a man who wants me dead. If I’m willing to face that kind of threat, then I think I can handle Kyle’s family, too.
"I'd love that." I nod. "But first." A sigh pulls the air out of my lungs. "I think I'm ready for the next step. Jackson is probably growing impatient. We need to go back and get things rolling."
"I figured you'd say that next." Kyle hums, nodding.
"I know it's not ideal, and I wish we had more time, too." I glance over at him and catch a hint of disappointment on his face. "But we're running out of time."
"You're right," he says with a sigh. "I guess we'll just have to come back here once all of this is over." He shrugs, lips twitching into a faint smirk.
The tension in my chest loosens at his words. A little piece of me clings to the idea like a lifeline. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
Chapter 35
Kyle
"We'll be leaving soon," I say, breaking the silence. Both Noah and Evelyn turn to look at me. Noah is sitting at the dining table, holding a newspaper in his hand, as he sips his morning coffee. Meanwhile, Evelyn stands beside him with her arms crossed in front of her chest.
"Are you sure you two are ready?" Evelyn asks, furrowing her brows.
I hesitate for a moment because the truth is, I'm not entirely sure. But last night after training, Riley let her guard down, and I saw the shift I had been waiting for. Something in her eyes told me she's done running. She might be scared, but she is ready to confront her fears.
"The longer we wait, the more likely they'll suspect Riley set them up," I say.
Noah lets out a thoughtful hum, his eyes narrowing at me. Evelyn's head snaps toward him, shock flashing across her face. "Wait. You agree with that?"
Noah leans back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the table. "Kyle has a point. Chloé most likely didn't tell heremployer how Riley got away, just that she did." His gaze flicks to Evelyn, then back to me. "Riley told Chloé she was close, right?"
"Yes."
"Then with luck, Chloé passed that on to the employer and then went on her merry way without payment."
Evelyn frowns, shifting her weight onto one leg. "How can you be so sure she didn't tell them?"
"She only does what she's paid to do," I say, my voice flat. "Chloé may snoop for her own amusement, but unless you ask her the right question in the right way, she won't hand over any information. She's insane, yes, but her father raised her to be a weapon."
"Additionally," Noah cuts in. "She's too obsessed with you to snitch on you herself." He nods toward me. "In fact, ratting you out would ruin her chances of ever getting you back. Plus, she'd end up on the shit list of half the city, and not even her dad could help her then. Either way, I called him, told him about her, and he’s keeping her in check."
"Thanks for that." I nod.
"Sure."
Chloé's fascination with me has always been a double-edged sword. But now, against all odds, it's working in my favor. Who would have thought that her madness would end up keeping me and the one person I care for safe?
Evelyn narrows her eyes as she shifts her attention to Noah. "How do you know so much about her?" There's a sharp edge in her tone that she doesn't bother to hide.
"I'm on good terms with her father," Noah says, unbothered. "Plus, I met her a few times when Kyle was still dating her."
"You dated her?" Evelyn's head spins toward me, her eyes wide.
"Yes, but it didn't last long," I admit, scratching the back of my neck.
Evelyn's lips press into a thin line, like she's fighting to keep something from slipping out. But I know that look too well. She'll save it for later. She has never been good at hiding her jealousy when it comes to other women in the business. And Chloé? She's not just anyone. Everyone in New York knows her name, her face, her reputation. She's impossible to miss.
"Eve, you can give him an earful later," I cut in, breaking the tension and drawing their attention. "Noah's right. We've been here for two and a half weeks. That's just enough time for them to believe that Riley has been lying low, tying up loose ends, and gathering the last bits of information. It's long enough to look convincing, but not so long that it smells like a setup."
