Chapter 11 #2
“You are not his mother,” Cash growled. “You’re just the asshole who tricked me into loving you.
A mother would never threaten to torture her child to get away with—uff.
” Cash fell backward as The Ombra smashed him in the head with the butt of her gun, and this time, Sable couldn’t stop the yelp from escaping her.
“Watch your mouth before I decide to kill you right here.” The Ombra stepped forward and aimed her gun between Cash’s eyes.
“You overestimate your importance in this equation. I don’t care if you live or die.
I don’t care about you at all. When we met eleven years ago, I needed a place to lie low.
That was it. I was on the run from a job that went south, and I needed someone whose power could hide me from my enemies.
A Fae soldier was the perfect protection, so I conned you.
I made you think I loved you, and you fell for it like an idiot. ”
The Ombra kicked Cash, and Sable’s tears came harder. She wanted to kill this woman, but if she attacked The Shadow, her associates would hurt Clover, and like his father, Sable loved the boy too much to risk his life.
“I hadn’t meant to get pregnant,” The Ombra continued.
“Children are nasty little things, and I didn’t want your offspring ruining my body or career, but there I was.
I kept the baby in case I ever needed leverage over you, though, and it looks like the little brat came in handy.
I need him to control you, and he is my blood, after all.
Maybe I can turn him into something useful, but I have no use for you.
So, don’t push your luck. Otherwise, I may decide to kill you and then make your son’s life miserable so that your dying reality is one where your actions caused Clover’s suffering.
Keep your mouth shut. Forget we ever existed, and Clover will live a very luxurious life. Up to you what future he gets.”
“How could you do this to your own flesh and blood?” Cash asked as The Ombra prepared to leave. “How can you be so cruel to your child?”
“Child. Child. Child.” She rolled her eyes.
“You are exhausting with this kid. You were always so boring.” She shuddered.
“No wonder you’re still single. Oh well, it was nice seeing you, dear.
Let’s never do this again, and don’t forget.
If I discover that you’ve breathed a word of this, I’ll make sure the boy feels every punishment. ”
“I won’t let you take him!” Cash raced for his ex, but before Sable realized what was happening, The Ombra spun around and shot him in the chest.
The security guard fell hard, and Sable screamed at the way his body hit the floor.
The echoing gunshot hid her voice, though, and The Ombra fled the exhibit without a backward glance.
Sable stared at the door, panicking that she had to choose who to save.
She couldn’t let the man she loved bleed out, but he wasn’t the only one in danger.
Who should she help? Father or son? Should she go after Clover or try to save her dying soulmate?
But before she could decide which path to take, Cash rose onto his elbows and turned around.
His gaze found her instantly. He knew where she was hiding, which meant he’d heard her scream, and as their eyes met, the horror of her betrayal settled over him.
He saw her outfit, her tools, her hiding space.
Cash knew what she was. He knew she was a thief, and what’s more, he looked like he hated her.
Cash hit the ground hard, pain exploding in his chest as the bullet slammed into his invisible shield. The technology was Fae magic, and he’d thankfully outfitted all of his guards with it because the shield was the only reason he wasn’t bleeding out.
But there was more than one way to bleed out, and the life drained from his soul as his ex vanished with the egg.
He’d never expected to see her again. Not after how she abandoned Clover on his doorstep, but here she was.
A dangerous thief, no less, and she’d stolen the most precious thing in the world.
Golden egg be damned. She had his son. HIS son.
She’d surrendered her rights to be Clover’s mother the day she abandoned him.
That boy was his child and his alone, but she’d kidnapped and threatened him.
Yes, there was more than one way to bleed out.
A terrified scream echoed below the gunshot’s thunder, and while it seemed The Ombra, or whoever the hell his ex was, hadn’t heard it, he had. What’s more, the voice sounded familiar, and with pain radiating through his chest, Cash pushed himself to his elbows and twisted toward the sound.
His eyes found the voice’s owner, and as their gazes locked, the world fell out from under him.
Surely, his vision was lying to him. The outfit.
The tools in her hand. The harness and belt strapped to her waist. There was only one reason Sable would be dressed like that instead of in her gown.
There was only one reason she would be in this exhibit instead of downstairs sipping champagne.
Sable was one of the thieves bent on stealing the egg, and his entire body shut down.
He’d lost his beloved son to his dangerous ex.
He’d lost the egg, which would cost him his job and possibly his freedom if the museum charged him with aiding a criminal.
And now he’d lost Sable. He’d been convinced she was somehow his soulmate.
He hadn’t understood how his heart could bond with a human, but he realized everything between them was a lie.
She’d been using him to gain access to the egg, much like The Ombra had used him ten years ago.
Sable didn’t care about him or his son. She’d faked her interest to steal his knowledge, and Cash’s growing love for her withered in his chest.
“Cash!” Sable raced across the floor and fell to her knees beside him. “Don’t move. We have to stop the bleeding. We have to get help.” She slammed her palms against his chest, her panic so wild that she didn’t realize there wasn’t any blood.
“Get your hands off me.” He shoved her away, and he hated that she had the gall to look hurt.
“How…” she trailed off, and he felt bad for her alarm despite his anger. “How are you not bleeding? She shot you. I saw her shoot you.”
“It’s an invisible shield, not that you give a fuck,” Cash growled. He didn’t want to be cruel to her. He wanted to love her. To cherish and marry her. To make her the mother of his children. But the longer he stared at her outfit, the more her betrayal gutted him.
“Of course, I give a fuck,” she shouted. “I didn’t want this. I never wanted this. I was trying to save you from her.”
“Like I believe you.” Cash pushed past her, his heart breaking as she registered his rejection. “I’m a fool, but I don’t want to see you in handcuffs. Get out of here before I change my mind.”
“Cash…”
“Get out!” He shouted to keep from crying. How could she do this to him? He loved her. He was ready to give his life to her, and she’d played him like a fiddle. “I have to find my son.”
“Clover,” Sable whispered. “Oh shit!” Her curse was so forceful that he flinched, but before he could learn what had her freaking out, she fled the exhibit.
Sable ran faster than she’d ever run in her life.
She tore through the museum like a madwoman and burst onto the street so fast that the gala guests shrieked at her sudden appearance.
Ignoring their cries, she aimed for where she’d stashed her motorcycle and jumped on it, revving the engine to life when she saw Cash explode out into the night after her.
Changing her trajectory, Sable rode the motorcycle up the museum’s front steps and skidded to a stop before him as guests and security guards alike shouted at her.
“Get on!” she demanded.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Cash said.
“Get on now!” Her voice was so aggressive that he flinched, but he still didn’t move. “I know where she’s going,” Sable added. “I know where she’s taking Clover, so get on!”
That kicked Cash into gear, and he launched himself at her, landing on the back of her bike with grace, and she was speeding away before he was fully seated.
“Slow down!” he shouted as he fell forward to clutch her waist, but instead of listening to him, she pushed the bike faster.
“Every thief invited to participate in this heist competition was given coordinates,” she said, ignoring his concern.
“You don’t win the prize money unless you deliver the egg to Him at that location, which means if we hurry, we can catch her.
The Ombra doesn’t win until she delivers, and I doubt she’ll let Clover out of her sight tonight.
He’s with her, and if he’s with her, I know where to find them. ”
“Sable, slow down!” Cash shouted in her ear, and she twitched at the harsh sound. Her ears—both sets of them—were sensitive, and his panic hurt her eardrums. “Humans can’t drive that fast.”
“I can,” she said.
“Stop the bike,” he ordered. “Stop the bike and let me drive. I’m Fae. I’ll be faster.”
“Cash, stop yelling. I know where we’re going, so I’m driving.”
“Of course, I’m yelling!” His voice rattled through her as his chest vibrated with his panicked anger.
“My son is missing. My child, who I’ve given ten years of my life to, is gone because I let you distract me.
If I hadn’t been so obsessed with you, I would’ve paid better attention.
I would have realized something was wrong, and my ex would’ve never taken my son. ”
“You couldn’t have stopped this,” Sable argued. “No one knew who The Ombra was. I didn’t even know what she looked like before tonight. You couldn’t have stopped her. She’s called The Shadow for a reason. Everyone’s terrified of her.”
“It doesn’t matter what she is. You’re still a thief. I let you near my son, and this whole time you were playing us for fools. I must be the biggest idiot because I fell for women like you twice.”
“I’m sorry. I never meant for Clover to get hurt.”
“No, you just meant to insinuate yourself into our lives so you could ruin us when you stole the egg.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“Really, Sable? If that’s even your name. Because I saw you in the exhibit. You were seconds away from stealing the egg. I would’ve been fired if you fled town with it, and you would’ve left both me and Clover heartbroken. So tell me again how that isn’t what happened.”
“Please, let me explain.”
“I don’t want to hear it. Just drive. Clover is all that matters.”
“Cash…”
“Just drive!”
“No! I need to explain.” Sable slammed on the brakes, and the motorcycle skidded to a halt on the side of the empty highway.
She yanked the keys out of the ignition so Cash couldn’t take off without her and then jumped off the bike.
He could hate her all he wanted. She deserved it, but she needed him to know the truth.
She needed him to know that she hadn’t used him.
Unlike The Ombra, her love was real, and if things had been different, she would’ve given up her invitation to this competition to be with him.
“Sable, we don’t have time.”
“I drive fast, so we can spare five minutes,” she said, settling before him to force him to meet her gaze.
“But I need you to hear this. You’re allowed to hate me, and if you never want to see me again after tonight, I’ll understand, but you need to know that you were never part of the con.
Yes, I am a thief, and yes, I planned to steal the egg.
There’s an international competition happening right now, and the prize money is more than you can imagine.
I came here to win, but then I met you and your son.
Every moment with you both was real and true.
You two make me happier than I’ve ever been, and I love you. ”
“Don’t say that,” Cash growled, his entire body caving forward as if he were breaking apart. “Don’t fucking say that.”
“Cash, I love you.” Sable stepped closer and cupped his jaw. “I love you so much that I think you might be my soulmate, and what’s more, I love your son.”