Nodding, I bite my bottom lip, trying to work out the timing and deciding I’ll go to Nate’s tonight, or maybe I can ask him to come over? Yes. That’s the plan: ask Nate to come over as soon as he can and then I know we won’t be on our own while Tris is gone.
I swallow, pushing up off the counter. “Tris?” His gaze swings back to me and he raises his brow in question. “I need to talk to you.” Biting my bottom lip, I look back at the kids, feeling it deep down in my bones that this is the right thing to do. “I know now isn’t exactly the right time, but… I’m thinking about moving out.”
His head reels back and he takes a step closer to me. “Why would you do that?”
Opening my mouth, I screw up my nose, trying to think on my feet. “I—”
“Dad? What time is it?” Clay interrupts, standing up and bringing his plate over to us.
Taking it from him, I wander off toward the sink, glad for the distraction.
“A?” I turn back toward Tris but don’t meet his eyes. “We’re talking about this later.”
He walks out, both kids following behind him, the door slamming closed seconds later. Looking down at the sink and the plates on the table, I decide to leave it all and head over to the pool house to call Nate.
My skin crawls as I cross the backyard, my head swinging back and forth, trying to see if someone is watching me. I can hear the sound of Tris’s car as it goes down the driveway, but as soon as the noise disappears, I’m left in silence in the middle of the grass, searching in vain.
I can’t see anyone, but that doesn’t mean I’m not being watched. The small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at the thought.
Rushing into the pool house, I lock the door but leave the curtains open to keep a watchful eye on everything.
Pulling my cell out of my back pocket, the USB falls out at the same time.
I forgot about the USB!
Lifting the lid of my laptop, I push it into the port as I unlock my phone. Clicking on the icon that appears to view what is on the USB, I scroll through my contacts on my cell at the same time, stopping when I get to Nate’s name.
“Let’s go and swim,” Nate’s voice rings out of the speakers of my laptop and my head whips around.
My hand slaps over my mouth as I watch a video of me and Nate. He picks up his backpack before leading me down to the pool at the edge of the waterfall.
I knew someone was there.
Nate whispers something to me but the audio doesn’t pick it up.
The camera follows us as we start to swim, but when we go behind the waterfall, I squeak because the person follows us, getting into the water too. How did neither of us notice?
The water obscures the view, but you can hear us clearly seconds later.
“I’m glad you agreed to come with me today, Lia.” There’s a pause. “I think I’m falling for you.”
My nostrils flare, tears springing in my eyes as I hear myself reply. “I think I’m falling for you, too.”
The screen turns black and I look down at my cell, my thumb hovering over Nate’s name as I hesitate. He’s involved in this too, but unlike the kids, he can protect himself but only if he knows what’s coming.
My laptop flashes, gaining my attention and my gaze flicks back up, the words on the screen making my decision for me. There’s no way I can involve Nate. Not now; not ever. I have to take the burden, it’s my problem, not anyone else’s.
If I have to break my heart to keep the people I love the most safe, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Locking my cell, I slowly place it next to my laptop, reading the words on the screen over and over again.
“Loving someone is the most amazing thing a human can do. But when that love is ripped from you, the pain is indescribable. It’s time for you to know what that feeling is like. Time is up, the payback I promised is coming for you.”
My eyes constantly flick between the front door and the kids where they’re playing on the floor. I wanted them where I could keep an eye on them, so I made them stay downstairs instead of going up into their rooms.
My leg bobs up and down, the side of my thumb between my lips as my heart rate spikes. I need to get this over with. Tell Tris, hand in my notice, and then just wait the week out.
Tires on the gravel sound outside and Izzie jumps up, pressing her face against the window. “Daddy’s home!” A small gasp leaves her lips as she turns back toward me. “Harmony’s with him!”