Cruel Lies (Lies 4)

“Aren’t we?” Maxwell grabs onto the top of the bars, his body slouching relaxedly as he waits for me to remember.

I glance up at one of his hands, wrapped in bandages.

He took a bullet for Liesel. He protected her.

I frown, completely confused about which side anyone is on anymore. But I do know that no matter whose side Maxwell is truly on, I owe him.

I sigh. “I owe you one for protecting her.”

He smirks. “You’re about to owe me twice.”

He reaches for the lock and inserts a key, opening the cage. Then he walks to me and pops open the locks on each of my wrists until the chains fall off.

I rub my wrists as I stare, completely confused by Maxwell.

“What do you want?” I ask, knowing he’s only doing this in exchange for something.

“I want you to go get the woman we both love. I want you to take her and get the treasure. I want you to save the kids. And I want you to destroy my brother.”

“Brother?”

Maxwell nods. Corbin is his brother. Waylon was his brother. He’s a liar. Why should I trust him now?

“You love Liesel?”

He nods. “I do. But unlike every other deranged man who has fallen for her, I know she will never be mine. The best I can do is protect her.”

I don’t correct him that I don’t love Liesel. That I can’t love her.

“You’re here to help us?”

“Yes.” He flings a gun at me.

I catch it with wide eyes. A man I’ve shot before just freed me and willingly gave me a gun. I don’t know what his true motives are, but right now, it seems our goals are aligned.

“Where’s he keeping Liesel?” I ask.

He frowns. “I’m not sure if Corbin is keeping her or if she’s working with him willingly. She seems fascinated by him.”

“Where is she?”

Maxwell scratches his head like he’s not sure he wants to tell me. “Follow me.”

I hold the gun in my hand as we jog up the stairs. Maxwell has his gun out, too, as we reach the top. “If anyone approaches, I’m going to pretend to knock you out. They still think I’m on their side.”

I nod.

Then he opens the door, and we’re standing in the hallway of a grand house. Without even taking a step out of the hallway, I can tell how big the house is. There are voices, but they are far off. The hallway is long, with dozens of doors.

“This way,” Maxwell says, sneaking us down the hallway until we get to the end and it suddenly opens up into a grand room where the voices are coming from.

Liesel is standing in the center of the room with a drink in her hand, while Corbin sits in a chair opposite her with his minions strewn about the room, sitting on various pieces of furniture, all looking up at Liesel like she’s the one in charge.

Maxwell crouches down beneath a sofa; I slide over, doing the same as I watch Liesel through a crack between two sofas.

She licks her lips, her eyes darting around to every man in the room like she’s taking her pick of the litter. I know Liesel uses sex as a weapon. I’ve witnessed it plenty of times. I just never thought she’d try it after she was mine.

She’s not—it can’t be true. Corbin is forcing her into this position.