Page 85 of Web of Lies
Silence hums on the other end, and for a moment, I can see his face in my head: the twitch of his lips, the narrowing of his eyes as he analyzes every word I say.
"Do you now?" Jackson finally murmurs, his voice carrying a hint of doubt, but also a note of interest. "And why should I believe you?"
I close my eyes and take a deep breath before letting the lie roll off my tongue. "Because you know me. You know I don't give up once I've started something. I promised I'd find him, and I did. I've got files with records and names—enough to prove who he is." I ball my free hand into a fist, my nails biting into my palm.
"Interesting. Very interesting. Maybe I underestimated you after all." His smile is audible. "If you truly have what you say, then send it to me. Everything."
"No," I blurt out before I can stop myself. My pulse spikes, pounding in my ears. "This isn’t something I can just dump into your inbox. It’s too risky."
A long pause follows, the silence hanging in the air between us, almost as if the call had cut out. But then, a hum rumbles through the speaker. "Risky for whom? You? Or for me?"
"For both of us. I’m not leaving this information as a digital footprint that could be traced." I swallow, fighting to keep my voice calm.
"Clever girl," Jackson says, his tone dripping with amusement. "I always liked that about you, Riley. But you’re walking a very fine line. You understand that, don’t you?"
"I understand," I say, gripping the phone so tightly that my knuckles sting. My eyes flick to Kyle, who’s watching me, and I nod once. "But I’m not stupid. You’ll get what you want, just as I promised."
Another moment of silence follows, broken by yet another chuckle from the other line. "Fine, have it your way. Face-to-face, no trace. Do you have a place in mind?"
"Yes," I answer, pacing back toward Kyle. "It's safe. Isolated. No one will disturb us there. Neutral ground."
"Neutral," Jackson repeats, dragging out the word as if trying to read between its letters. "Good. Then send me the GPS coordinates. I'll bring my curiosity, and you bring me the truth. Agreed?"
My heart hammers against my ribs. For a moment, the words get stuck in my throat. But I keep my gaze locked on Kyle’s deep brown eyes, full of support and reminding me that I’m not alone. "Agreed," I breathe into the receiver.
"Perfect," Jackson says, his voice smooth, almost playful. "I look forward to seeing you again, Riley. It’s been far too long. Don’t disappoint me, because I won’t be as forgiving the second time around."
A shiver runs down my spine, but I keep my focus on Kyle and the promise of safety. "I won't," I say, forcing the words out through gritted teeth.
"Good girl." The way he says it makes my stomach churn, and the bitter taste of bile spreads across my tongue. "See you soon." After that, the line goes dead.
I lower the phone, my hand trembling, my pulse still racing as my gaze drops to the device. For a moment, I just stand there, staring at the dark screen as if it might come back to life.
"You did well," Kyle says, pulling me out of my trance. My gaze snaps back to him, and I find a small smile tugging at the cornersof his lips. "Now, we're going to make sure that it's the last time he ever gets to look forward to anything."
I swallow hard, then nod. Jackson thinks I’m just another pawn playing along in his world. But he doesn’t know that someone new has entered the stage—someone who is better at this kind of game. And he won't see him coming until it's too late.
Chapter 38
Riley
I stare down at my phone, its screen glowing in the dark interior of the car, casting a bright blue light across my face and the black surfaces. The alley Kyle pulled into is clouded in shadow, the only light coming from a lonely streetlamp at the far end and the pale glow of the moon above. My heart thuds against my ribs, each beat echoing in my ears, and my palms are slick against the smooth surface of the phone. In just forty-five minutes, the document will go live. Every file, every secret I've pieced together will be delivered to every major news outlet and government official above the city.
I can't believe it's already time. Just two months ago, I was lost in my mess of lies and survival, doubting my place in all of this. Now, here I am, ready to take everything back, instead of letting others dictate it.
Kyle's hand lands on my thigh, pulling me out of my thoughts. His palm is warm and heavy against my buzzing skin. "You ready?" he asks, his voice calm.
I turn my gaze toward the warehouse-turned-construction-site down the street. Its metal frame glints faintly in themoonlight, with scaffolding crawling up the sides like a cage. Hunt Corp. bought the property to transform it into a new office building. It's perfect for a meeting like this. In a way, I'm on my territory. It's open yet isolated, with the next tall building several blocks away.
"Do I have a choice?" I whisper.
Kyle gives my thigh a gentle, reassuring squeeze. His fingers are digging into my flesh. "You always have a choice."
A humorless laugh slips from me. "Not this time." I slide my hand on top of his and curl my fingers around his knuckles.
He leans closer, his lips brushing against my temple. "Riley, promise me you won't do anything stupid."
"I won't. Not without you."
