Page 85 of The Lies We Tell
“I’ve been undercover all this time to stop the shipments of weapons and explosives. Now say something else about Iris loudly.”
“Where have you taken her? Which ER?”
“But I couldn’t do it. What I found with you guys was the kind of shit I found in the army and lost when I left it. The brotherhood that just doesn’t exist anywhere else. And my focus changed. The woman we found changed my life, just like Iris changed yours.”
“I’m on my way,” Spark says, and I hear the scrape of a stool or chair.
“I’m out, Spark. Take care of yourself and Iris. Be happy, yeah? Let her heal you.”
There’s a pause. My emergency vehicle, the one I’ve had hidden all this time, is in sight. I’m about to give all this up.
“I want to kill you,” Spark says as the noise from the bar disappears. I’m guessing he’s outside.
“I’m sure the others will too.” I kill the engine and step out into the cool evening air. Stars shine optimistically in the inky black.
“But I also owe you, preacher man. I’ll do what I can to ensure the punishment is lenient and swift.”
“Thank you.” I fumble beneath the non-descript truck’s wheel arch for the small lock box with the key.
“One thing. Your girl. Is she okay? You know, after ...”
I know what he means. “We’re working on it. It’s not easy. It’s part of why I want these guys, Spark.”
“On that we agree.” I hear the roar of his bike come to life, and he kills the call.
And now, I’m officially out on my own.
30
BRIAR
Judas. Home in 20. Pack what you can.
“Breathe, Briar,” I say as I run to the bedroom, grab my suitcase, and throw it on the bed. I toss everything in, cramming dirty and clean clothes together. It doesn’t take long. It’s not like I live here. I pack up all my work stuff and cables, tucking everything away.
Then I start on Saint’s things.
I find a case under the bed and throw a mix of his clothes in there. If he doesn’t have time to pack everything, this might be enough. I drag both our cases to the front door. Then I begin to pull food together. Snacks. Water. Things that are easy to eat on the way.
Every time panic rises, I bite it back down. It’s a constant battle against the metallic taste of fear in my mouth and knowing Saint trusted me to pull this all together before he got home.
I feel like I have purpose in this.
I’m nearly done when Saint runs into the house.
He hugs me tightly and kisses the top of my head. “I’m going to get Hap to drive you somewhere. You need to be away from me for a little while.”
“What? No. Where you go, I go.”
Saint shakes his head. “Not right now. I’m at risk. You being with me puts you at risk too. I can’t have that.”
I pull out of his grasp. “You don’t get to dictate that. I feel safer with you rather than away from you.” He reaches for me, and I bat his arms away. “This wasn’t part of our deal.”
“Yeah, well, blowing up everything tonight wasn’t either. If they come for me, I don’t want you caught in the cross fire.”
“You’re scaring me, Saint.”
This time I let him pull me close. I wrap my arms around him and take comfort from the feel of him against me, the smell of fresh air, and the scent of him…leather, cigarette smoke, musk. “You should be scared. They know. I told Spark. The men who kidnapped you took Iris. We got her back. Did what needed to be done. But I didn’t want Iris to be stuck like you were. Unable to tell anybody, because the club wouldn’t want anyone to know they were even there.”
