Page 71 of Deceiver

Lights ahead have me slowing down and flicking mine off.

I can’t see what exactly it is I’m driving into, but it looks like a building.

Making a quick decision, I pull off the road as much as I can and then get out.

I’ll have to walk the rest of the way.

Tucking my phone into my pants, I begin walking in the darkness. My palms are sweating and my stomach is sick with nerves. Focusing on the lights ahead, I follow them until I reach the building. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see the truck and Western’s bike parked outside of the building, along with a black SUV. I find a spot behind some thick trees, and try and see as best I can, but I’m still too far away.

I can’t see anyone.

Taking a deep breath, I take the risk and rush closer to the building, moving around the back out of sight. I stick to the outside wall as I sneak up closer to a window and dare to peer in. There is only one light on inside the building, and all I can see at first is the mass amounts of boxes and what seems like some kind of stock. Then, I notice him.Western.He’s standing with Fury, talking to a man I don’t recognize. The conversation looks heated, and Western’s fists are clenched by his side as he growls something to the man.

They talk back and forth for about ten minutes, and then the man disappears.

A moment later he returns, and my heart sinks.

It just drops right out of my chest.

He is leading a blindfolded boy. It’s hard to tell how old he is because his face is covered, but I would guess judging by the size of his body that he’s maybe fourteen or fifteen. His hands are bound behind his back and his slow steps tell me he’s quite likely drugged. Tears spring forward and my entire body begins to tremble as the reality finally sinks in. I didn’t want to believe it, all this time I wanted to see the good in the man I love, but now I see that he’s nothing but a monster.

A cold, dead monster.

I can’t stop the tear that rolls down my cheek as I watch Fury hand over a suitcase to the man as Western reaches out, pulling the teenager closer to him. The man opens the suitcase, and then nods, turning and disappearing - as if it’s that simple. My heart breaks into a thousand pieces as I stare at the boy. I can’t see his face, but I know he’s scared. Gosh, he must be terrified. So god damned broken. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve this. He is wondering why the people he trusted to take care of him could so easily sell him.

It's sick.

Every single one of these monsters taking money for these kids, should be lined up and shot.

I’m not even sorry for that thought.

Western mutters something to the boy, and then he speaks to Fury for a moment before turning and walking towards the entrance to the building. I have to think fast, because I don’t know exactly how I’m going to handle this situation. I was so confident that I would be able to confront him, but now I’m not so sure. What if the man I love is capable of making me disappear, too? Do I have it in me to take that risk?

Then I think of that poor boy and I know that I’m not going to just be able to sit back and do nothing.

I step away from the window and move around the side of the building and watch as Fury, who is now leading the teenager, opens the truck door and has him get inside. Then, he speaks to Western again before getting into the truck and driving away. He’s probably going to notice my car parked on the road, and come back, so I guess I’m left without a choice now. I’m going to have to confront Western.

As the truck disappears, I step out from behind the building and walk towards the man I was so willing to give my heart to.

He hears my feet crunching on the leaves and spins, pulling a gun out of his jeans and aiming it right at me. The moment he notices it’s me, his eyes flare and the gun lowers. By now, tears are rolling down my cheeks, but they’re not broken tears, they’re angry ones. I’m so angry my hands are trembling and I’m panting with the kind of hurt and rage I’ve never felt before.

“You lied to me.”

My voice comes out like a whip, a tone I’ve never heard escape my mouth.

“How the fuck did you find me?” Western growls, tucking the gun into his jeans once more.

“You fucking lied to me!” I scream, the sound making him jerk.

“Now is not the...”

“You’re the monster. All along it was you. All along I’ve been fighting for your name to be cleared, for the world to see what an incredible man you are, and all along it has been you. You are the fucking devil in disguise, ruining lives and sitting back, acting like you haven’t done anything. I fell in love with you. My god, I actuallybelievedyou.”

He’s staring at me, his face blank, but his eyes are flashing will all kinds of emotions.

“Do you hear me?” I bellow. “I fucking fell in love with you. I thought you were it. The man I could truly give my soul to. All along, you were nothing but a filthy, lying, coward!”

“You don’t know what you’re seein’,” he rasps, his voice full of the kind of emotion I’ve never heard from him.

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