Consumed by Truths (Truth or Lies 6)

Beckett slowly hands Kai’s father the gun.

He takes it, resisting the urge to knock Beckett over the head with it.

“Get in the car, Dad,” Kai says.

He reluctantly climbs into the front seat, still gripping his gun. Beckett starts driving, not waiting for permission to leave.

“What the hell is going on?” Kai’s dad says.

“We are getting out of here. Felix is out of prison and headed here. There is a yacht waiting for us. Trust me,” Kai says.

Trust me.

The same words she said to me.

Her father has fucked up as bad or worse than I did. He can’t argue with her when she says to trust him.

He nods, slowly agreeing to trust Kai.

“But keep your gun out and ready. We don’t know when our enemies will attack,” I say, meaning Beckett.

Beckett’s shoulder’s tense at my words. He’s in a vulnerable position. I’m sitting behind him with a gun in my hand. Kai’s father is sitting next to him with a gun. Both of us would prefer it if he were dead. And the only weapon Beckett has is the car he is driving. If he wrecks us though, he’s risking his own life as well. So I have to hope Beckett wants to live to keep all of us safe.

It takes ten minutes to reach the docks. I see the shiny, black yacht towering over the other boats in the distance. It’s not parked at the dock. The harbor is too shallow; instead, it is anchored in deeper water. We will have to take a dingy boat over to reach it.

Beckett parks the car between two others in the small parking lot. The tension whisks in the air. We are so close to safety, and yet so far away. We just need to get to the yacht, and then we can disappear until Kai has the babies. I’ll fly an entire medical team to us to take care of her.

“We need to move quickly, but inconspicuously. We are most vulnerable here. I can’t hide a yacht from Felix. If he’s made it to Alaska, he will know we are here,” Beckett says.

“Everyone on alert. And we protect Kai at all costs. We all stand around her and don’t let a single bullet through,” I say.

“Agreed,” Kai’s father says, glaring at Beckett.

“I agree,” Beckett says.

Kai opens her mouth, ready to disagree, but then stops and rubs her stomach. She knows she has to be the one we protect—no matter what.

I get out of the car first, then Beckett and Kai’s father get out. Finally, I nod for Kai to get out with me.

Kai’s father and I have our weapons drawn, but by our sides, hoping no one notices us. But even if someone does and calls the police, we will be long gone before the authorities arrive.

Kai does as she’s told and walks in the middle of us. Beckett leads the front, and her father and I walk on either side of her.

I can feel Kai’s heart flittering quickly beside me, so I take her hand and give it a squeeze. But I don’t assure her that it will be okay, because I don’t know if it will be or not.

We start down the pier. I spot the dingy boat I assume we are headed toward at the very end. We continue to walk, and I don’t

spot any men that seem suspicious—not one man who has worked for me in the past. Most men seem to be in their fifties or older. Not fit men ready to attack us.

“This doesn’t feel right,” I say.

“I agree. Even if Felix didn’t make it here in time, we should face some opposition here from his men. At the very least his men should be trailing us so Felix can follow us later. But I don’t see anyone—” Beckett never gets to finish his words.

An explosion rings out behind us, decimating half the pier.

“Run!” I yell, knowing the only way we make it out of here is to get into the water. I don’t even trust the dingy boat.

We all start sprinting, but Kai can’t sprint fast enough to outrun the chain of explosions firing faster and faster behind us.