Dangerous Lies (Lies 5)

I’ve come this far. I won’t be intimidated.

I grab the cards and slide them toward me before picking them up. I scan the first five cards quickly before getting to the new card—the card that will change everything, as usual, with my life.

‘The Sacrifice Card’ the top reads.

I smile; how ironic. My whole life is one big sacrifice. My life has never been my own. First, it was about protecting Langston. Then, it became about saving my kids. And after this is all over, it will always be about Langston and my kids. That is my entire purpose for living—to protect them.

I read the card quickly, knowing it doesn’t matter what the words say. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect those I love. I always have.

The words sink in. They envelop my body. The sacrifice I will have to make. It’s the same one I always make.

The first two men bet.

I look down at my cards. Without the sacrifice card, I’ll lose. I can’t lose, so I do the only thing I can. I sacrifice everything to protect those I love.

15

Langston

I got Rose out. I only had to punch a couple of guys and shoot another, but I got her out. I was afraid she’d be traumatized when she saw me with a gun. Instead, she beamed like I was a freaking superhero or something.

I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve any of my kids. Still, once this is all over, I’m taking them somewhere safe. I’m quitting the business. I don’t want to have to look over my shoulder every day for the rest of my life wondering if today is my last day or not. My kids deserve better.

Enzo met me about thirty minutes after I left. Thank god, he’d been monitoring my location and started driving as soon as he saw us leaving. He took Rose somewhere safe. She fell asleep as soon as I put her in his arms. I don’t know what she’s been through, but she looks physically safe. Psychologically, who knows what she went through? She’s tough, though, and I’ll do everything I can to help her heal and move on from this.

Until I can get back, I trust Enzo and Kai to keep Rose safe and to keep her away from Phoenix. I don’t know what we are going to tell Rose and Atlas about Phoenix, but for now, keeping them away is for the best.

Now, I’m driving like a maniac to get back to Liesel, to get her the fuck out of there.

I run every red light. Take every turn too sharp. Speed as fast as the car will go through the straightaways. But none of it is fast enough. Every second that I’m away is another second of pain for Liesel. Another second of agony that she has to heal from. Another second something could happen that she won’t be able to get over. It’s another second of me hating myself. Another second that could be our last together.

A tear springs to my eye just thinking about life without Liesel. Our entire life has been about each other. I can’t lose her now that I’ve finally gotten her. Now that I’m so close to getting her to love me like we should have all those years ago before life fucked us both.

I slam on the breaks as I pull back up at the club. I open my door and jump out, running to the entrance. Nothing can stop me now, except…

“Liesel.”

She’s standing in the doorway in gray sweatpants and a loose-fitting white T-shirt, an angel casually walking away from hell. Blood clings to her skin, littered with cuts and bruis

es. She actually doesn’t look much, if any, worse than the last time I saw her.

And she’s alive.

She’s free.

She’s mine.

I pause for a second before my brain works again, and I race to her. I force myself to stop just in front of her, my hands reaching out but not touching her. Just because I don’t see any new injuries doesn’t mean she wasn’t hurt worse. And it doesn’t mean the injuries I saw happen don’t still hurt like hell. I won’t make her suffer more.

“You got Rose?” she asks.

I nod.

A happy tear rolls down her cheek as she smiles and then jumps into my embrace.

Once she’s in my arms, I can’t help but hold her tightly. My arms extend around her and hold onto her like vice grips. I’m never letting any part of my family go again—never.

Her head nestles into my chest, and her tears soak through my shirt.