Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Imogene
My feet skidded to a sudden halt, my eyes widening as I gaped at Gideon. Samuel. Whoever the hell he was.
My thoughts were already a jumbled mess after everything he shared with me. But to learn I was the first phone call Samuel made when he was finally free? It was an even bigger punch to the gut than his claim that Liam shot him, something I still struggled to believe.
“When?” I asked in a shaky voice.
“March third of last year,” he responded evenly.
I blinked repeatedly, wracking my brain for a memory of that. If he’d called, that day would have been etched in my mind for the rest of my life.
“Did I answer?”
“Yes.”
I hoped he’d tell me I didn’t. That I’d sent it to voicemail.
But to learn I’d answered? That I’d spoken to him?
“Hearing your voice again, Imogene,” he continued when I remained too stunned by this revelation to formulate a response, “it made everything I suffered worth it.”
“Why don’t I remember that?”
“Because you accused me of being some asshole playing a prank on you. Called me a heartless prick who deserved to have his balls set on fire.”
I clapped a hand over my mouth, remembering that call with clarity now.
Following Samuel’s disappearance, I’d fielded all sorts of phone calls. Most were from reporters hoping to interview me for a story about him, since I was such a close friend.
Unfortunately, there were always a few assholes who thought it would be fun to call pretending to be Samuel, especially since his body had never been found. Everyone told me to ignore them, that it wasn’t healthy to hold on to hope he was still out there.
The one time it was him, I’d chased him off.
“That was you?” I squeaked out.
How different would our lives have been if I hadn’t hung up on him? Would he be the same tortured man standing in front of me? Or would I have been able to help him move on from his past?
“That was me.” He gave me a sad smile. “I thought about calling back. Then I realized you wouldn’t believe me until you looked into my eyes and saw the truth. So I went through the house and found some cash stashed away. I hated stealing, but all I cared about was getting back to Atlanta. Getting back to you.”
“Then why didn’t you?” I asked, blinking back the tears welling in my eyes.
“I did.”
“I would have remembered that. There’s no?—”
“You were with him ,” he cut in, his voice laced with contempt.
“Who?” I asked, even though I knew all too well who he was referring to.
“Liam. I saw him pull up in front of your townhouse and help you out of his car. Then I saw him walk you up to the door. And then I saw him kiss you. And then I saw you invite him in.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, guilt festering in my stomach. Liam was a mistake from the beginning. Now I regretted it more than ever. What must Samuel have thought when he saw us together? Especially with everything he just shared.
“I was so fucking angry, Imogene,” he seethed, his jaw clenched and nostrils flaring. “The entire time I was locked up, you got me through it. Yes, the idea of getting out and making Liam and the rest of them pay certainly helped, but when I saw you with the man who shot me? All I thought was that maybe you were part of it, too, especially since I’d been begging you to finally let me tell him about us, and you constantly refused.”
I reached for his hand, gently tracing my fingers over the bandages covering his wounds. “I’m so sorry I made you think…” I sucked in a quivering breath as I met his tortured gaze. “It’s no excuse, but losing you hurt so damn much. And Liam…”
I looked away, unable to meet his eyes as the guilt for my actions festered in my stomach.
“I always regretted it right after, but feeling something for a few minutes was better than the emptiness that had consumed my life since I learned you died. If I knew you were still alive, I never would have?—”
“I know,” he interrupted, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Once I started spending time with you and got to know you again, heard you talk about Samuel, I realized I was wrong.” He held my gaze for another beat before dropping his hold on me and continuing along the path.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth from the beginning?” I asked once I caught up with him. “Why all the lies?”
“At first, I thought you were just as responsible, even if you didn’t pull the trigger. The fact that you invited Liam into your bed?” His voice trembled, as if merely saying the words caused him unimaginable pain. “I felt betrayed, Imogene. I wanted you to hurt like I did, and I didn’t care what it took.”
I darted my gaze toward his as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. “Were you behind those necklaces? And the attack in the alley?”
“No,” he stated unequivocally.
“You expect me to take you at your word?” I arched a skeptical brow. “That it was a coincidence you just so happened to be at the club when I was attacked?”
This was the hardest part of this whole situation. He’d lied to me since the beginning of our relationship. Or since the beginning of my relationship with Gideon. How was I supposed to believe anything he told me now?
“It wasn’t a coincidence. I was watching you,” he admitted nonchalantly. “When I saw you head out the back door, I knew something was wrong.” He stole a glance my way, his expression tight with tension. “I may regret a lot of things where you’re concerned, but I don’t fucking regret following you into that alley. Not for a goddamn minute, Imogene. When I saw that asshole on top of you…” He trailed off as he squeezed his eyes shut, the anguish on his face reminding me of his expression when he paid me a visit at the hospital following the attack.
I thought it odd for him to be so concerned, considering I was a stranger to him.
Or I thought I was.
Now it made sense.
“Nothing else mattered except making him pay,” he finished with a low growl.
“What about the body of the guy who sent me those necklaces that was found on Liam’s boat? Benjamin Astor. Liam claims it was planted to frame him.” I paused. “Was that you?”
“No one hurts you and gets away with it, Imogene,” he declared with determination. “ No one. ”
I should have been angry that he essentially just admitted to killing a man for me, but I couldn’t ignore the thrill that raced through me from his protectiveness. After all, I’m only alive right now because he intervened.
But was one good act enough to erase everything else he did? And making it look like Liam was responsible? I still struggled to wrap my head around his involvement in this, if Gideon was to be believed. I wanted to believe him. I just didn’t know if I could.
“What about Alton’s death?” I asked, needing to think about something else for a minute. “The fingerprints the police found weren’t from five years ago, were they?”
He slowly shook his head.
“Why Alton? What does he have to do with any of this?”
“He wanted me gone just as much as Liam did. He bought up a bunch of stock in ImageScape when Liam told him they would soon be acquiring Cloud Hero. At least in his mind, they would be. He didn’t think anyone would turn down billions of dollars.”
“And once he bought up all that stock, Alton stood to lose a fortune if the sale didn’t happen.”
“Exactly. But being a greedy bastard wasn’t the only thing that got him on my list.”
“No?”
“He was the one who told the police he saw the gun found near my supposed murder scene in Jonah’s backpack just a few days prior. I should have questioned why he suddenly wanted to volunteer when he typically couldn’t be bothered. Once I learned that, all the pieces snapped into place. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. The three of them planned this. Extensively, too. They planned for Liam to kill me. Then hired Brian McGuire to dispose of my body. Then arranged for Jonah to take the blame. Then James made sure he was silenced before he could prove his innocence.”
“James?”
“He may be the worst of them all. Not only did he conspire with Brian McGuire to sell me, but when he was a DA, he used his position of authority to broker deals with criminals. Took bribes in exchange for a reduced sentence or dropped charges. Or in certain circumstances, he’d work a deal if they permanently silenced someone on the inside.”
“Jonah,” I exhaled.
“Exactly.”
The flood of information made my head swim. How could I have been so blind to what was happening right under my nose? And at Liam’s direction?
Or was all of this a lie, too?
I was so confused.
“Why not go to the police?” I pressed. “Tell them everything.”
“I don’t exactly have much faith in the justice system,” he said with a disdainful smile. “Not when I saw how easily James and Liam were able to manipulate it. You may not agree with it, but I have to do this, Imogene. I need to balance the scales. Not just for me. But for Jonah. I have to make it right for him, too.”
I nodded, shifting my eyes forward as I continued walking, my idyllic surroundings at odds with the myriad of thoughts warring for attention in my mind.
“What’s your end goal here?” I asked finally, even though I had a feeling I’d regret it.
“You know the famous Confucius saying, don’t you?” He swallowed hard, confirming my suspicion that I wouldn’t like his response. “‘Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.’”
I faltered in my steps, and he wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me. “You don’t mean?—”
“My grave has already been dug, Imogene. It was the second Liam pointed a gun at me and fired. I’ve just been on borrowed time since then.”
My heart dropped, tears blurring my vision as I struggled to comprehend his words. I knew what each meant individually, but strung together? I refused to believe it.
“You’re planning on sacrificing yourself?”
“I am prepared to die to make sure justice is served, should it come to that.”
I shook my head, the weight of this too much for me to bear. I tore away from him and paced the dirt path, feeling like my world was spinning uncontrollably around me.
“What am I supposed to do with all of this? How am I supposed to be okay with you dying all over again?”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that. I?—”
“And what about everything else?” I threw up my hands in exasperation and stopped in front of him, my eyes on fire. “Am I just supposed to keep it to myself, knowing what you most likely plan to do to James and Liam? What you did to Alton?”
“I won’t tell you what to do,” he responded evenly. “If you feel the need to go to the authorities and turn me in, I won’t fault you for it. In the beginning, I struggled with this path myself. Unfortunately, I’ve had to come to terms with some hard truths over the past five years.”
“Like what?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
“There are no absolutes in life. Black and white? Righteous and immoral? Good and evil? Those things don’t really exist. No one is purely good or purely bad. Some people do bad things for good reasons.”
“And some do good things for bad reasons,” I finished.
“You just have to decide for yourself where my actions fall. I can’t do that for you.”
“And what am I supposed to do about Liam? I can’t ignore him forever.”
“He won’t hurt you,” he assured me. “Ever since I learned he hired those men to send you the necklaces, then kidnap you, I’ve made sure of that.”
“Wait. What?” I snapped my eyes back to his.
How much more could I possibly take before I completely lost it? My entire reality had been shattered in a matter of minutes. And now to learn that Liam was behind those necklaces and the attack, as well?
“Why would he do that? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Actually, it makes perfect sense. Did he do or say anything around that time to try to convince you to do something he wanted?”
I parted my lips, about to answer in the negative when I stopped myself, recalling my recent disagreements with Liam. “He kept citing it as a reason why I wasn’t safe living alone,” I said under my breath, a heat washing over me. “You don’t think he did all of that just so I’d move in with him, do you?” I met his gaze.
“Where you’re concerned, nothing’s off limits for Liam.” He reached for my hand and I allowed him to take it in his. “Regardless of why he hired those men, he still put your life in danger. I won’t give him a chance to do it again.”
“I still can’t…” I trailed off, struggling with all the bombs he’d dropped on me in the past several minutes. Hell, since dropping the biggest bomb of all on me this morning.
“I’ve thrown a lot of information at you.” He ran his thumb over my knuckles.
Normally, I’d find the gesture soothing. But nothing could soothe the turmoil swirling inside of me like a tumultuous storm.
“I don’t blame you if you have trouble believing me,” he continued, able to read my thoughts and reservations. “I haven’t exactly given you any reason to trust me, but do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
He released my hand, and a chill trickled down my spine from the loss of contact.
“The next time you speak to Liam, mention that a detective reached out and was asking questions about my death.”
“You want me to lie to him?”
He blew out a laugh. “Imogene, he’s lied to you every time he’s pretended to be upset about my death. If you doubt my story, Liam’s expression should erase it.”
I chewed on my lower lip, shaking my head as I considered his proposition. Then I spun on my heels, storming down the trail.
“You’ve really fucked with my head here,” I remarked bitterly when he caught up with me.
“That was never my intention. At least not since…”
I looked his way, slowing my pace. “Since when?”
“Since I saw your tattoo.” A sad smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “You have no idea how hard it’s been not to trace that symbol whenever I’ve been lucky enough to watch you fall asleep beside me. When I saw that…” His voice wavered with emotion. “That’s when I knew.”
“Knew what?” I asked through the heaviness in my throat.
He slowed his steps, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a stop. “That you never stopped loving Samuel.”
“You know what unconditional means, don’t you?” I said with a quiver.
He nodded slowly. “Not based on any conditions or qualifications.”
“Absolute,” I added.
“Complete.” He adjusted his stance, moving closer toward me as I lost myself in his eyes. Samuel’s eyes.
“Unequivocal,” I exhaled.
“Pure.”
“I loved you unconditionally, Samuel,” I said through my tears, my words barely audible.
“Then I can only hope your unconditional love will help you understand why I’ve done what I have. Why I need to keep doing what I am. Until then…” Heleaned toward me and brushed a soft kiss against my forehead.
I closed my eyes, relishing in the warmth of his lips on my skin, breathing in his familiar scent.
“The ball is in your court, Imogene,” he whispered against me. “You can do with it what you think is best.”
With one last kiss to my forehead, he released me and turned to walk in the opposite direction.
Ever since learning he was Samuel this morning, I’d wanted the truth. Wanted to know how he could have deceived me like he did.
But the truth only left me more confused about this man who was both a stranger yet still owned a piece of my heart.