Cruel Lies (Lies 4)

It’s a beautiful moment—one that doesn’t happen too often in my life.

Liesel steps back, letting go of Phoenix. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Phoenix asks.

I think Liesel is going to say for not being there for her child, for forcing her to have to take care of her child. She doesn’t mention Atlas, though. “He’s yours. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry for trying to take him from you. I won’t again.”

I won’t again.

Those words are meant for me as much as they are meant for Phoenix.

Liesel won’t kiss me again, touch me again, fuck me again. That’s what her words mean.

My heart seizes. I thought it would be my cock or lips that was disappointed with her statement, not my fucking heart. It’s like my heart can’t take the prospect of not having even a chance of falling for Liesel.

I never had a chance of falling for her. I never would allow myself.

Mine isn’t the only heart in the room that’s breaking. I just can’t tell if it’s Phoenix’s heart knowing what transpired between Liesel and me, or Liesel’s knowing she can never be with me again.

“We need to get the kids somewhere safe and leave as soon as we can,” Liesel says like she didn’t just make a proclamation that destroyed us all.

“Beckett will be here within the hour,” I say.

“We can’t wait that long,” she says, and then she pulls a letter from her pocket and hands it to me. “It was lying on top of me when I woke up this morning. Someone is here.”

I grab the note and read.

* * *

Your child isn’t safe. I can get to him. I can hurt him. There is nowhere you can hide him from me.

Soon, I’ll come for the treasure. Give it to me or I’ll take him from you forever.

* * *

The note is torn at the top, and I realize this isn’t the full letter. I flip it front and back like the second half of the letter is going to suddenly appear to me.

“Where is the other half of the letter, huntress?” I ask, glaring at her.

She shakes her head.

“Dunn, go get the kids packed and ready to go. And bring Liesel a change of clothes.”

Phoenix nods and runs off, but not before I see the hint of her smirk. Of course, she’d be happy that I’m about to get into a fight with Liesel.

“Give. Me. The. Other. Half. Of. The. Note.”

“No.”

“Why the hell not? We are on the same side! We both want to protect the kids. I can’t help if I don’t know what we are facing.”

“I gave you the important part. The rest was for my eyes only. It doesn’t matter what it said. What matters is we figure out a way to keep the kids safe!”

She’s fuming.

I’m fuming.

And when fire meets fire—an explosion happens.