Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
C ecilia
I wake up, my body feeling blissfully sore. I wasn’t sure how I would even begin getting out of bed this morning, but the empty presence next to me had me shooting up, looking around the room for James. I relax when I see him sitting in the chair in the corner of the room. His stare focused on me. He was completely dressed in a black button-down and black pants, his hair combed back.
I exhaled, pushing my morning hair out of my face. “Were you watching me sleep?”
“What if I was?”
“I guess…you’ve done worse things.”
“It relaxes me, watching you sleep. I like to live vicariously through you.”
I feel an odd tension coming from him, as if something was off. “Is everything okay?”
He nods, hardly moving. “I got a call this morning from Hodge Wiseman. Says he wants to meet. Call a truce.”
I rear back in shock. Why would Hodge want a truce? I didn’t know him well, but what I did know was that he was a slimeball, so I didn’t believe this so-called truce.
“You’re not meeting him, right? "
“I am actually. I initially denied him, but he claims to have incriminating proof against Chuck. As much as I’d like to ignore him, any evidence against Chuck is worth the risk.”
I shake my head vehemently. “No. Absolutely not. I don’t trust him. He… He nearly got both of us killed and… the men he subjected me to.” I can barely choke the words out as the harsh memory slithers over me, reminding me all too well of unwanted touches and sudden death. It was a night I’d probably never forget, no matter how hard I tried.
He stands up, quickly striding to me and sitting across the bed. His fingers tangled in mine, centering my world again. “It will be okay. I can handle myself, especially against someone like Hodge.” He exhales shakily, and I feel his need as if he’s transferring the energy between our fingertips. “I need this to be over. You’re involved in this now, and I just…I need it to be over.”
Anxiety races through me, but I squeeze his hand back, trusting him. “You have an hour to meet with him. No more than that.”
His mouth quirks as he brushes my hair, which keeps falling in my face. "Bossy woman.”
“I have to be to keep up with you.”
He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it. “What are your plans today?”
“Tobias is coming over for breakfast, and then he’ll help me move some stuff from my apartment.”
He leans in, kissing me softly. “I like that idea.”
“What time are you going?”
“Now, if that’s okay.”
I hop up from the bed, dragging the sheet to cover me. “Let me throw something on, and I’ll walk you out.” I go to my dresser and pull out a simple dark green silk cami night dress. I slip it quickly over my head and let it fall to my ankles.
I follow James down the stairs, and the doorbell rings as we reach the bottom.
“He’s a little early, no?” James remarks.
“A little bit,” I respond with a roll of my eyes. “He can never help himself,” I joke as I head to the door and open it, expecting to see my brother on the other side, but I don’t.
It’s Lance.
“Oh,” I pause at the door, confused. “Lance, what are you doing here?” His eyes fall down the length of my nightdress, and I hide myself from his sight by using the width of the door. His eyes meet mine, looking soft and remorseful, albeit a little bloodshot. Had he been crying?
“I came here to apologize to you. I haven’t been able to sleep since our last conversation and then the ordeal with my mom. Is there any way we can talk?”
The door I’m holding partially shut is pulled from my grasp and swung wide open as James comes to my side. “No, now I suggest you leave before you become Boston's next missing person case.”
“James!”
He shrugs, looking at me now. “What? I have the resources.” Then he looks back at Lance. “How did you even get past the gates?”
I roll my eyes and look back at Lance, too. “Give us a moment.” Then, I slam the door shut before he has a chance to respond. “Seriously?” I gripe.
“Are you serious? There’s no way I’m letting that man in my house to speak to you after what he pulled last time. Enough is enough.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not your call to make. Just like I can’t stop you from meeting with Hodge.”
He shakes his head, the muscle in his jaw clenching. “Two very different things, babe. One matters, and the other is useless and about to become fertilizer for my garden if he doesn’t quit showing up at my house. In fact, I’m alerting security that he’s no longer allowed for visitations.”
I press my lips together in frustration, counting to ten in my head before I speak again. “You trust me, right? I trust you, which is why I’m even letting you meet with Hodge in the first place.”
He steps closer, his eyes penetrating me like impatient orbs ready to crack. “It’s him I don’t trust, Cecilia. Also, let me remind you that you don’t let me do anything. I call the shots around here, and that fuckwit isn’t coming inside.”
I step toward him now, looking up at him with defiance. “I’m glad you think that, but this is my home now, too, and you don’t rule me, James. It’s best you remember that.”
His right eyebrow jumps like he’s impressed, but I don’t get to decipher his expression anymore because he’s grabbing my throat with his hand and slamming my back to the wall, his mouth dropping to mine and kissing me like a starved animal.
My hands wrap around his neck and pull him closer until there’s no space between us. Our chests crash simultaneously with our lips, and when I feel like I can’t breathe anymore, he releases me.
He keeps his hand wrapped around my throat as he stares me down. “You guys have thirty minutes to resolve your differences. No more, or I’ll send Marco to toss him out and make sure he isn’t gentle about it.
I smile, leaning up on my toes to peck him again. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Kingston.”
He shakes his head. “I’m calling your brother from my car and making sure he’s on his way for extra insurance.”
“Fine. Fine. But you be careful too, please. I don’t trust Hodge. "
He nods, smirking at me before he opens the door again. “We’ll both meet back here after our business.”
“Deal,” I agree.
James opens the door and looks at Lance, whose head bounces up to meet his gaze. “If you touch her, I will kill you. If you get too close to her, I will kill you. If you hurt her feelings again or upset her anyway, I will kill you. Do you understand me?” James rasps.
“Uhm… sure,” Lance replies hesitantly.
James looks back at me one more time before leaving. He leans in and kisses the side of my neck, causing goosebumps to spread uncontrollably over my skin. “I’ll be back in an hour,” he chimes, facing Lance with a death glare. He finally goes to his car and leaves.
I anxiously look back to Lance, whose eyes are cast downward now as if he doesn’t want to see me here with James.
“I guess come inside.”
He cautiously walks inside, his curious gaze bouncing around the expanse of the place, much like the first time he came here and visited. I could tell he was judging it, comparing it to his apartment and making assumptions that no one needs this big of a home.
I didn’t care, though. James and I needed the space because we were going to fill it with so much love. I was sure about that.
I lead us into the living room and gesture for him to sit down. He sits on the sofa, and I sit in a separate chair opposite him. He looks around again before his gaze finally falls on me. “So, how are you doing?” he asks nervously.
“I’m great,” I tell him honestly.
He nods unsurprised. “I figured as much.”
He doesn’t say anything after that. Instead, he stares at me like he’s waiting for me to ask how he is. I found that I honestly didn’t care how he’d been after he’d said the things he’d said and his mother’s visit. It was a strange feeling, looking at someone I’ve known and loved for so long and not feeling a damn thing. It’s funny how betrayal works.
“What do you want to talk about?” I ask, jumping right into it. It was early in the morning, for heaven's sake. I wasn’t even dressed for the day yet.
“I just wanted to say how sorry I was. I want things to be like they were before I got all…jealous.”
I shake my head, feeling like that scenario is too far away now. “I don’t know if we can get back to that place. I’ll admit that I struggle to let go of you because you’ve been such a stable presence in my life for so long, but you’ve said and done things I don’t know I can move on from. I don’t trust you anymore.”
His legs bounce in place as he sits, watching me. I didn’t know if it was because he was anxious or desperate, but he seemed suddenly unsettled, which unsettled me.
“But we can try, right?” he asks. “I mean, you wouldn’t just give up on us?”
“I don’t know, Lance. I don’t see how our friendship could work with everything. I don’t feel safe around you now, and you clearly despise James. He is always a second away from wanting to kill you. It’s all just too much.”
He scoffs, dramatically ripping his gaze from me and staring at his bouncing feet. “So that’s it? You’re choosing him over me for good?” His voice is shaky and comes out deeper as if his emotions are getting the better of him. I glance at the clock on the wall, noting he’s already been here for fifteen minutes, and I decide I don’t need to do another fifteen.
“I think you should go,” I say, rising from my chair. “I think we need some space apart for a little while to let things calm down.”
He stood now, moving too quickly and close for my liking. Everything about him felt wrong. It felt like I didn’t know who he was; this version of him was unrecognizable. Where he’d always been calm and reliable, he was jumpy and erratic. I was starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I back away after he’s moved closer, but he only closes in more, and then his hands shoot out, gripping around my wrists. “Don’t do this,” he begs desperately. I stare into his bloodshot eyes that hold a deep rage I’ve never seen him wear before.
“Let go. You’re hurting me,” I tell him, but he doesn’t. In fact, it feels like he holds me tighter, pulling me a step toward him. I didn’t understand how he could hold me so tight with one arm in a sling, but he was.
“I won’t lose you to him. Do you know what kind of man he is, Cecilia? He’s a criminal.”
“You’re the one I don’t know right now. Let go of me,” I say louder, struggling against his grip.
I hear footsteps and then the clicking of a gun that makes both of us look over to Marco standing in the doorway to the living room, aiming his gun at Lance. “Release her now and step away,” he says in a lethal voice.
Lance lets go instantly, raising both hands as he takes two steps back from me. Marco takes a step toward him, but then Lance reaches behind him, moving so fast that neither I nor Marco expected, and he pulls a gun out from his back and then…
He shoots Marco.
Marco falls to the floor, gripping his chest. An uncontrollable scream rips from me, and I race to the floor, my knees smacking hard against the wood as I place both hands on his chest, that was quickly becoming covered in blood.
“Wait. Wait. Wait,” I cry, not knowing what to do. What the hell just happened? Lance shot him. He has a freaking gun, and he shot him. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t wrap my brain around any of this. “I don’t know what to do,” I cry more, putting pressure on his chest.
Marco groans, slowly sliding his gun into my hands. “Run,” he groans. “Run. Now.”
My hand grips the gun, but I don’t move. I feel like I can’t. I feel frozen in place, my shock and fear rooting me right here, unable to leave his side.
“Damnit!” I hear Lance roar behind me. “Look what you made me do, Lia. I didn’t want to do this, but you won’t listen!”
Tears stream down my face as my hands stay planted on Marco’s chest, but he shoves them away. I don’t miss how slowly he moves or how his breaths become shorter, but his voice is still strong and urgent as he barks orders at me. “Run,” he shouts again. “Go! Now!”
I feel Lance moving toward me, and every one of my instincts feels like they kick in, like a drug coursing through me and making me move quicker than ever. I get up, gripping the gun tighter in my hand, and I run.
I take off from the living room and through the foyer until I bust out of the front door. I was hoping Tobias would be here by now or pulling up to the house, but it’s just Lance’s car out front I see when I look around.
“Cecilia!” his deranged roar comes from inside the house. He was coming after me. I could hear the echoes of his scream looming closer and closer.
I take off again through the driveway and dive behind his car to hide. I glance behind me, seeing that the gates are closed, and for once, I feel like an idiot because I never bothered to get the code. So far, James, my brother, and Marco have been driving me in and out of here and putting in the code, so I have never needed it yet. I was really beating myself up about it now.
I place my hands against the side of his car, peeking through the windows toward the house, when I see Lance walk outside, stopping on the front steps, his gaze bouncing around. “I know you’re out here,” he yells. “Come out. I’m not going to hurt you.” His gun hangs in his hand at his side as he waits and listens for me.
I don’t move or make a sound. I lower my gaze to look around me when something in the back seat of his car catches my eye. Three faces stare back at me from the car seat—a mask like the one from the night of the ball.
I let out a gasp just as my hand flew to my mouth to stifle the sound. It was him. He was there that night—the man with the triple-faced mask. I didn’t understand how or why, but I knew there was no other explanation. It made sense now, the way that same creepy mask had followed me around all night. It had been him all along.
My hands shake as I brace myself against the car. I had maybe one minute to figure out my next move because he had to know I hadn’t left the property. He would have heard and seen the gate open if I had left. He knows I’m still here, and he’s not dumb. He knows I’m close.
I see him walk down the stairs and head toward the driveway, and I quickly look around me. I stop when I see the side entrance to the garden.
To the maze.
I look back at him behind the car as his gaze connects with mine through the windows. He begins charging toward the car, and I dash to the side, running straight into the garden.
All I can hear is fallen leaves crunching under my bare feet. I felt like I was moving at lightning speed, but I could still hear his footsteps close behind me.
I come out of the side garden and into the back patio area. I glance behind me, seeing him coming straight for me a few yards behind, and I run again, going straight into the maze entrance.
I weave through the passages, turning as many times as possible, hoping it would lose him quicker. I can still hear him, but he’s further away. My hands traveled my body, looking for pockets, although I knew there weren’t any. This was the worst time to not have a phone on me. I couldn’t access the home security system without my phone or being in the house. How long could I keep running from him? When would Tobias get here, and would he find me in time? Or would he find Lance first and be shot, too?
My heart was racing as all the fear and what-ifs overcame me, and I felt myself slowing down until I stopped to catch my breath. I looked around, not hearing a single noise. Did I lose him? Honestly, I wasn’t sure how deep I had run into the maze or how long I had been running.
“Cecilia!” I heard Lance's blood-curdling roar, but to my surprise, he sounded far away. I knew this maze went deep, but I never realized how deep, and I had a feeling I was very far in.
A gunshot goes off, and I instantly hit the ground, covering my ears. “Show yourself!” he roars again, but still, he sounds far.
I waited a second, catching my breath and figuring out what to do. The only solution I could come up with was to try and find my way back out of the maze and come out of the opposite side I went in to avoid a run-in with Lance. I turned right into the maze, so I needed to cut across somehow and come out left.
I start moving through the maze again. I don’t run to keep quiet, but I move quickly, praying that I am going in the right direction. A few minutes in, I hear a rustling nearby, and I stop, my blood running cold as the noise continues.
I hear the crunching of footsteps moving around me, and I hold my breath, plastering myself against the tall hedges in an attempt to hide. The sound grows closer, and I know I have no choice but to keep moving and hope I don’t run into him, and if I do, I have to be prepared to fight like hell.
I slowly move down the path, turning one corner and then another. I walk further down another path when I hear the footsteps again. I stop, freezing in place, and am met with silence. My heart thrashes in my chest to the point where I feel sick. To be honest, I don’t know how I was still upright.
My dress sways in the cold wind around me, blowing in the same direction as my hair, as I wait with bated breath for any more footsteps, but I hear none. I was freezing but felt nothing all at once. My hands ball into fists on instinct, one tightening around the gun in my hand as I take another step. Then I hear it—a step on the other side of the hedges.
I fight to keep my breathing quiet, but I’m practically panting at this point with pure anxiety. I take another step and then another, hearing parallel ones beside me. I knew he was there, just waiting for me, and I had no choice but to make a split-second decision and try to slow him down.
I lunged around the corner, swinging the gun in my hand because I was too scared to shoot. I collide with him just as he comes at me the same way.
The gun whips his face, but it doesn’t matter. My hands are being grabbed and pulled behind my back just as another hand crashes over my mouth, stifling my scream.
“Shh. It’s me. It’s me,” I hear in my ear. Tears fill my eyes as I collapse in my brother's arms. My heart is still beating abnormally fast, but at this moment, I don’t feel scared anymore. For the first time, I felt like my brother finally had me. He would get us out of this.
“Lance,” I cry, keeping my voice a whisper as he finally removes his hand from my mouth. “He shot Marco, and he’s…I don’t know, he’s lost it. He’s here somewhere looking for me.”
Tobias nods, his steely gaze whipping around us when I notice the blood running from his nose from where I had hit him. “Be quiet and stay behind me,” he demands. “We’re going to get out of here.”
His hand closes around mine, keeping me close as he pulls me through the maze. He stops for a moment, glancing down at me, and pulls the gun from my hand and holds it himself. It was strange, but I had complete trust in my brother to get us out of this mess, a mess that surprisingly had to do with me and not his and James’s shenanigans.
Tobias and I turn down a path that I begin to recognize. A moment later, I can hear the fountain that lies in the center of the maze. We walk toward it, coming out from between a path of hedges, just as we see Lance walk out of the path right across from us on the opposite side.
Tobias pushes me in the chest, knocking me to the ground behind him just as his other hand raises the gun toward Lance, who is doing the same, aiming his straight at Tobias.
Two shots go off.