The Lies We Tell Ourselves (A Southern Heroes Novel Book 3)

by Michelle Heard

  “You’re changin’ the subject,” she comments, but then answers me anyway, “I’m fine. I’ve been going for therapy with Cole.”

  “That’s good. You need to take care of yourself,” I say, feeling relieved that Birdie has Cole to help her through this hard time. “I’m sorry I haven’t been much of a friend.” The apology is long overdue.

  “I pushed you away. You understand why I did that, right?”

  “I do,” I answer because I’m in exactly the same place Birdie was in. Sometimes you have to distance yourself from those you love to keep them safe.

  “I miss you,” Birdie suddenly says, and it makes my heart squeeze painfully.

  “I miss you, too.”

  “Can we meet up sometime?” she asks, and I close my eyes, knowing I won’t be able to see Birdie soon. There’s too much happening in my life right now.

  “My mom’s in the hospital with an infection so she will be takin’ up all of my time. Maybe we can get together once she’s better?”

  “Oh no! Reece, you should’ve told me. Is there anythin’ I can help with?” Birdie offers, and I can hear the sincerity in her voice.

  “Thanks for offering, but I have everythin’ covered. I’ll give you a call when I have some free time. Give my regards to Cole,” I say to bring the conversation to an end.

  “Call me if you need anythin’,” Birdie says.

  I hope she can be patient with me for a little while longer. I’d hate to lose her friendship as well.

  “Will do. Talk to you later.”

  I end the call and place the phone next to my water, then focus on the plate of food in front of me.

  It’s nice to know I have someone who cares about me, but it doesn’t ease the lonely feeling of having to deal with the dark times in life by myself.

  CHAPTER 9

  “It’s just another job.

  Shit, it’s just another job, right?”

  ALEC

  The next day goes by without anything out of the ordinary happening. I escort Reece to the hospital where she spends most of the day making calls to arrange for adjustments to be made to the new house.

  While she’s busy on one of the calls, Mrs. Nicolson wakes up. Needing to do something, I go sit next to her bed and grab a book from the stand next to the bed.

  I open to where a bookmark is placed and realize it’s a National Geographic guide to rarely seen places. Positioning myself sideways so Mrs. Nicolson can look at the pictures, I begin to read to her.

  Once in a while, I steal a glance at Mrs. Nicolson to make sure I haven’t bored her back to sleep, but seeing the small smile on her face, makes it feel like I’m doing something meaningful.

  When I reach the end of the book, I close it and place it next to the bed. Glancing at where I last saw Reece, I’m surprised to see her watching me also with a smile on her face. It’s the same smile she had yesterday when she saw the house.

  “I’ll go get us some coffee,” I say, excusing myself from the room.

  Walking down the hallway, Wyatt says, “Aww, I always knew you had a heart in that frozen chest of yours.”

  “I did it because I was bored,” I defend myself.

  “Yeah-yeah,” he teases. “I had a meetin’ with the captain and team. Seein’ as you’ve blown your shot at winnin’ Clay over, and it looks like Reece is about to make a run for it, you have to get cameras set up around the house before you leave. That way I’ll have a bird’s-eye view of what’s happenin’ with Clay while you work Reece to get information.”

  “I’ll sneak out tonight to retrieve the cameras from the motel room,” I say. It will be risky, but it’s a chance I must take. I can’t screw this up as well.

  When we get home, and I open the front door for Reece to go in, just as Roberts’ voice echoes through the house. “Bring Reece to my office now!”

  Reece freezes when she hears Roberts shouting. I take hold of her arm, pulling her back outside, and shut the door behind us. I let my hand slide down her arm and taking hold of her hand, I pull her down the driveway. I’m sure neither of us has the energy to deal with a ranting Roberts right now.

  As soon as we’re a good distance away, I let go of her hand and say, “I thought we could go for a walk.”

  Reece just glances at me, and I see the confusion in her eyes before she turns right down the street. I let her set the pace and fall back a couple of steps.

  After a while of walking, Wyatt suddenly says, “Looks like she’s headin’ toward the cemetery.”

  As Reece enters the cemetery, she glances over her shoulder but doesn’t say anything. I give her more space, so she’ll have some privacy as she sits down next to a grave.

  “It’s her dad’s grave,” Wyatt informs me.

  I stand and watch her as she pays her respects, then she gets up and instead of leaving she makes her way a little deeper into the cemetery.

  I close the distance between us, so I won’t lose sight of her, but then she stops at another grave.

  For a while she just stares at the tombstone, then she whispers, “There are times I wish I could switch places with you.”

  “Can you move to the left so I can see whose grave it is,” Wyatt says. I take the step needed to clear his line of sight. “Hunter. We buried him earlier this year.”

  “Who is he?” I whisper so Reece won’t hear.

  “Cole’s best friend. He died in service.”

  “Was she close to him?” I ask.

  “As close as the rest of us were. We all used to hang out together.” The information doesn’t help much.

  Suddenly Reece turns around with a sad expression on her face.

  “Report to Clay I came to visit Hunter.”

  “Why?” I ask as I walk a little closer to her. I glance at the grave and silently thank the fallen Marine for his sacrifice before looking at Reece again.

  “It will piss him off. I was in love with Hunter, and Clay couldn’t stand it.”

  “What good would it do to pick a fight with Clay?”

  Reece smiles sadly, then answers, “I want Clay to know he’ll never be as good as Hunter. The fight will be worth it.”

  I shake my head then gesture for Reece to start walking back home. I have no intention of getting between her and Clay, so when she walks by me, I say, “It’s above my pay grade to report everythin’ you do.”

  I let out a slow breath as I watch her walk away. I get a feeling I’m going to be dragged into their mess whether I like it or not.

  Halfway home, Reece asks, “Do you like being a guard?”

  All her questions are putting me in a tight spot. I really hate lying, but it’s not like I can tell her the truth.

  “It pays the bills,” I answer vaguely.

  She glances up at me then looks straight ahead. “If you could do anythin’ in the world, what would you do?”

  I’ve never been asked that question, but after reading to Mrs. Nicolson and seeing how much she appreciated it, I’d definitely like to do it again.

  “Help people,” I reply honestly.

  Reece smiles, and I’m glad to see it’s not one of the fake ones.

  “Thanks for readin’ to my mom today. I really appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  For the first time since I met Reece, we fall into a comfortable silence, and I have to admit she’s not that bad when she’s not around Roberts.

  CHAPTER 10

  “He won’t really hurt me.”

  REECE

  The second I set foot inside the house, all hell breaks loose. I can hear Clay yelling all the way from his office. It seems he still hasn’t cooled down from before Alec and I went for a walk.

  Knowing I can’t avoid Clay forever, I walk to his office. “What’s wrong?”

  Clay’s face is red with rage, and as he stalks toward me, I brace myself for the fight.

  “What the fuck did you do?” he roars, and wrapping his fingers tightly around my neck, he shoves me backward.
I’m slammed against Alec, who I forgot about for a second.

  Clay pulls back his right arm, but before he can hit me, Alec blocks the blow. Shock stupefies me as Alec takes hold of Clay’s left wrist and pulls his hand away from my neck. Clay’s eyes almost bulge from their sockets when Alec steps between us. At this moment, I don’t know who's more stunned by Alec’s behavior.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Clay explodes, but he takes a step away from Alec.

  “My job, Sir,” Alec answers calmly.

  Clay points a shaking finger at Alec, yelling, “Your job is to listen to me!”

  “With all due respect, Sir, you hired me to protect Miss Nicolson.”

  My mouth drops open as I watch the interaction between the two men. I know I should do something, but my mind’s gone blank. It’s the first time someone has stepped between Clay and me.

  “Call the guards,” Clay roars at Mr. Tymes while focusing a murderous glare on Alec.

  My body moves before I even realize what’s happening. Alec pushes me toward the couch, then presses down on my shoulder.

  “Get down,” he says in such a commanding tone, I don’t dare argue.

  My legs instantly obey, and I crouch next to the couch, my eyes wide on Alec.

  I can’t believe he’s going against Clay to protect me.

  Guards start to pile into the office, and for a split moment, Alec’s eyes meet mine.

  “Close your eyes. You don’t need to see this,” Alec says before turning his back on me and focusing on the men in the office.

  “Let’s see how good you really are,” Clay sneers, then waves an irritated hand in Alec’s direction, indicating for the guards to attack.

  Close my eyes? How the hell am I supposed to do that? Holy crap this is bad.

  I let out a shriek of warning when two of the guards storm Alec. Shocked out of my mind, I watch as Alec turns his body sideways, avoiding the punch the one guard was throwing and at the same time kicking the guard’s legs from under him. Alec keeps moving fast, ducking and throwing punches. I should be worried because he’s not even breaking a sweat. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

  What kind of person fights like this?

  I somehow end up sitting flat on my butt with my mouth hanging open and my eyes wide on the fight in front of me.

  What the hell am I seeing?

  In one final move, Alec twists a guard’s arm back, forcing him to the ground, then does a weird low sweeping kick, taking the last standing guard to the floor.

  Alec stands up in one fluent movement, then straightens his jacket as he pins Clay with a glare.

  “Everyone out of the office,” Clay barks, clearly shaken by what just happened.

  As the guards help each other up and start to leave, Clay walks to his desk and sits down. I grab hold of the side of the couch and try to pull myself up, but my legs are numb, and I quickly sit on the arm of the couch, so I don’t sprawl all over the floor.

  Alec keeps surprising me as he walks to my side, and taking hold of my arm, and pulls me up onto my feet.

  “I told you to close your eyes,” he says, and it doesn’t escape my attention I’m more out of breath than he is.

  Keeping the hold on my arm, Alec begins to walk toward the door, and all I can do is follow.

  “I’m not done talkin’,” Clay says, and even though he’s trying to act in control, I can hear the uncertainty in his voice.

  For the first time, Clay doubts himself.

  “Miss Nicolson has an appointment to keep,” Alec says on my behalf.

  “It can wait,” Clay bites out, then rests his angry gaze on me. “I called the bank. Imagine my surprise when I heard I no longer have access to the account.”

  Cutting Clay off financially was the second step in my escape plan. I know I should just have Clay kicked out, but all the good memories the house used to hold have been tainted by Clay. I want a fresh start with Mom.

  “What did you expect, Clay?” I say, feeling braver than ever with Alec by my side. “Did you actually think we’d just live like this forever? At first, I felt like I owed you, but lookin’ back I now see every mistake I made. I gave you power, and it ruined you. I’m takin’ back what’s mine. You will no longer have access to my money.” I might be taking the bravery thing a little too far when I reach for my left hand and remove the engagement ring. “I don’t have the energy to pretend any longer. You can have this house. I’ll have it transferred to your name. I’ve found a suitable place for my mom. We’ll be movin’ soon.”

  “Like hell. You’re not going anywhere!” Clay roars, enraged by everything I said.

  I take two steps forward and place the ring on Clay’s desk.

  “I will destroy you,” Clay threatens, his face pulling in a furious scowl.

  I lock eyes with him and raise my chin a little higher. Smirking, I say, “You keep forgettin’ I have information on you as well. Keep pushin’ me, and I’ll take it all to Aiden and Wyatt. I’m sure they’d love to get their hands on it.”

  “Don’t you fuckin’ dare.” Clay darts up from his chair but comes to a sudden standstill when Alec steps forward.

  I let out a little burst of laughter. “Thank you for my guard. It’s the only thing you did right over the past couple of years.”

  Walking out of the office, my body starts to tremble as the adrenaline wears off.

  What the hell did I just do?

  Clay’s not going to back down so easily.

  Did I just start a fire I won’t be able to control?

  CHAPTER 11

  “I can’t afford to care for her.”

  ALEC

  “You better get those cameras planted tonight,” Wyatt says in my ear. “The shit has officially hit the fan.”

  I follow Reece to Mrs. Nicolson’s room so she can pack a few things for her mom, and I position myself outside the door so no one else can enter.

  “You couldn’t just defuse the situation? Why did you have to start a fight?” Wyatt keeps going, panicking his ass off in the van.

  I glance up and down the hallway before I reply, “Roberts was going to hit her. Was I supposed to just stand and watch?”

  Wyatt lets out a disgruntled huff. “Of course not, but you could have tried using words instead of your fist,” he argues.

  “I didn’t throw the first punch,” I whisper. “Stop worryin’. I’m gonna win Reece’s trust. You heard her. She has somethin’ we can use to take Roberts down with.” I keep my voice low, not needing anyone to accidentally overhear me talking to Wyatt.

  “And how do you plan on doing that? She doesn’t exactly feel all warm and fuzzy around you.”

  “She’s also not hostile toward me anymore,” I argue.

  Before Wyatt can say something else, the door opens behind me, and I step to the side so Reece can come out.

  “You ready to go?” I ask as I take the bag from her.

  “Yes.” She still sounds a little breathless.

  I place my hand on her lower back and guide her to the front door while I’m highly aware of every move the house staff and guards make.

  Once we’re in the car and I’m pulling out of the driveway, I ask, “Are you gonna go back here tonight?”

  “I have no choice. I need to pack all our stuff and hire a movin’ company. I want to move into the new house as soon as possible.” Reece lets out a deep breath, and I see the worry on her face.

  Knowing I won’t be able to leave Reece’s side later, I ask, “Is it okay if I leave you alone at the hospital for twenty minutes? I just need to take care of somethin’.”

  “Sure,” she answers then looks at me. “You weren’t lying when you said you used to work at a martial arts center.”

  I chuckle when I hear the admiration in her voice. It sure sounds so much better than being scolded.

  “Thanks for helpin’ me.”

  “Just doing my job, Ma’am.”

  Reece smirks, then says, “I alre
ady told you to call me Reece. Ma’am and Miss make me feel old.”

  “Will do, Ma’am,” I tease her which scores me another smile from her.

  With Reece warming up to me, I might just be able to get this job done soon. At least that’s one relief with all the shit going down.

  Earlier, when I left Reece at the hospital, I retrieved the cameras from the motel, and I’m just waiting for everyone to go to sleep so I can plant them.

  After returning to the house, I get dressed in black cargo pants and a black long sleeve so I can blend in with the shadows. I go to the security room so I can first distract the guard on night duty.

  “Hey, Paul.” I sit down in the other chair and check the screens, then casually say, “If you wanna grab a smoke break and get some coffee, now’s your chance before I turn in for the night.”

  “Yes, damn, that would be great.”

  I pretend to settle into the chair and watch from the corner of my eye as he leaves.

  “How long does he normally take to smoke?” Wyatt asks, sounding nervous as hell.

  “Sometimes five minutes, but he might take ten tonight, knowing he won’t have a break again.”

  Getting up, I open the door and look down the hallway to make sure it’s clear. I go to my room and grab the bag containing the cameras, then rush to Roberts office first.

  “Fuck, I’m about to have a panic attack just watchin’ you. Run, Dude. Why the hell are you walkin’?” Wyatt complains, sounding edgy.

  “If you don’t calm down, I’m cuttin’ you off,” I warn him.

  I quickly dart into Roberts’ office and shut the door silently behind me. I plant a camera in the bookshelf next to his desk, and another in the plant on the right side of the room.

  I sneak back out, and as I reach the stairs, I hear a door opening somewhere on the second floor.

  “Dude, get your ass back to the security room! Plant one there givin’ me a view of the monitors,” Wyatt says something useful for a change.