Trent all but snarled when he saw the glint of satisfaction in Hunt’s eyes, the smirk twisting his lips. He looked back to Chloe. “Don’t listen to anything he says. He’s a fucking psychopath. You’re coming with me.”
“Did you know he was hired to find you?” Marcus’s question whispered through the air like the blade of a guillotine.
That motherfucker. Trent’s eyes closed as Chloe’s shocked face turned to him in horror. He was going to murder the man.
“That’s right. One hundred thousand dollars—although I think you likely paid him enough in a different form of currency, but we’ll discuss that later.”
Her hand jerked out of his and Marcus grinned triumphantly. “As much as we’ve enjoyed your visit, Mr. Cole, I believe it’s time for you to go.”
“Chloe, don’t listen to him. He’s full of shit.”
Her head shook in disbelief.
“Maybe if she saw the contract you signed she’d have an easier time deciding who to trust. Should I go get it for her, Mr. Cole?”
She blinked up at him, hurt shimmering through the tears now filling her eyes. “Tell me he’s lying, Trenton. You didn’t work for him…”
Her gaze pleaded, begging him to say it wasn’t true. His shoulders lowered. “I love you, Chloe. I’d never hurt you.”
“Did you work for him?” she choked.
Hunt sighed. “Oh, now you’ve upset my wife. I’m afraid it’s true. And now it’s time to go.”
Ignoring him, he frantically tried to clarify. “Chloe, listen to me. Yes, I was hired to find you, but—”
Her brow pinched as she turned away, covering her ears. “Get out.”
“Chloe, don’t listen to him! It was before I knew you. He wants you to hate me so you won’t come with me. I’m not leaving without you and the boys—”
She spun and slapped her palms into his chest. “Get. Out!”
So shocked she actually shoved him, he staggered back a step. “Doll—”
“I trusted you!”
Hunt caught her shoulders and pulled her back. The sob that ripped from her throat cut right through his chest. “Shh,” Hunt whispered, turning her toward the stairs. “Go lie down like you were. I’ll take care of this.”
“Chloe, don’t go up those stairs!”
In a calmer voice, Hunt said, “Do as I said.”
Trent panted as she glanced back at him one last time and then took the stairs. “You son of a bitch—”
“Careful.” He held up his cellphone, 911 already showing as the next contact.
Seeing red, he grabbed Marcus by the front of the shirt and slammed him against the wall. “You think you’re amusing? Everything you do to her I’m gonna do back to you, but worse,” he snarled.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” The small voice played from his phone and Marcus smiled.
“Send an officer to my house immediately. A man by the name of Trenton Cole just assaulted me and tried to abduct my wife. I believe he has a gun.” He ended the call. “They’ll be here in two minutes.”
Trent drew back his fist and hesitated, knowing any proof of assault would only work against him. Releasing his hold of his shirt, he shoved away.
“You make her cry, I’ll make you scream and beg we never met. You hurt her, I’ll fucking slaughter you. This isn’t over, you fucking psychopath. This isn’t over.” He slammed his fist into the wall beside Hunt’s head, driving his point home. “We clear?”
“Oh, crystal.”
Seething, he pointed in his face. “One mark on her and you’re a dead man. One. Fucking. Mark.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
She couldn’t breathe. The gaping wound in her heart was turning her inside out. Trenton worked for Marcus?
No.
A sob pushed past the suffocating lump in her throat and she gasped for air. His betrayal was a living thing she couldn’t escape, choking and crippling her flagging grasp of reality.
When she first saw him she wanted to cry. Her hero had once again come for her. Then reality weighed in, reminding her of the consequences. She couldn’t leave without the boys and Marcus would have her arrested the moment they crossed state lines again.
Telling Trenton to leave had been one of the hardest things she ever had to do. She couldn’t leave without knowing where her sons were. She couldn’t risk Marcus getting to them first. But then the pain of hearing he was somehow associated with Marcus… She couldn’t bear the truth, couldn’t stomach it. For all Trenton’s wonderful traits, he’d kept this from her.
Deep down, she believed, whatever Trenton’s ties were to her husband, he’d never betray her. Marcus wanted her to think he would, but she knew Trenton and he cared about her and her boys. The contract—if there actually was one—had to be old.
Oh, my God, Maryland.
That was why he was there in the train station. He’d followed her. But why get her in his truck and…
She frowned. He took her to her boys. He didn’t even stick around long enough for her to thank him. Why, if Marcus had hired him, paid him all that money, had he not finished the job?
Because he’s a good man.
She needed answers, but Marcus would only toy with her curiosity, corrupting the truth in the cruelest way possible. The thought that Trenton might think she believed he had somehow played a role in her being here now…
Oh, God. It hurts.
She wanted to run after him and scream for him to go find her boys and call the police. She had to stop him from leaving. Rushing to the door she reached forward and gasped as it suddenly swung open, Marcus wearing a smug grin on the other side.
“Well, that was interesting.”
She jumped, too lost in her unsettling thoughts. “He—”
“Not now.” He adjusted his cuffs. “The police are on their way.”
“What?” Hope rose only to be slashed down by uncertainty and fear.
“I won’t be assaulted in my own home. What trash. I hope he used you like a common whore. Maybe that will teach you.”
“Stop it.” Her molars locked. This was what he did. He took something she loved and stole it away, used it to punish her and make her feel inferior. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“When will it sink in? No one wants a fat, lazy woman like you. He only took interest in you because I paid him to. Without my money, you’re worthless to him.”
He was lying. Trenton’s truck was old and his home, though beautiful, was modest. He never finished the job and Marcus never rewarded anyone for failure. On the contrary, he cursed them and held grudges and sought vengeance. He was twisting the truth to hurt not only her but Trenton.
Her mind settled into a foreign, quiet place, pushing away his lies. Like sand sifting through a pan for gold, she only saw the solid facts, discarding everything else as worthless.
“You’re worthless, Chloe…”
No. She couldn’t let him do this to her. She couldn’t fall back into that hopeless creature she’d left behind years ago. She had to keep fighting.
It was this house. This godforsaken house. She twitched and shivered.
Police. She needed to talk to the cops. If she could somehow get an officer to the house she could insist the kids get moved into protective custody and explain that she was being blackmailed and held against her will.
She winced as he suddenly gripped her jaw and forced her eyes on him. “Listen carefully. You’re going to get yourself off the floor and wash your face. Then we’re going to go downstairs and wait for the police to arrive. They’ll be here any minute. You will agree with everything I say. One wrong word and I’ll have them take you away for kidnapping and who knows when you’ll see Matthew and Dayton again. Understand?”
She wordlessly blinked at him. She was going to tell the cops. She had to. She needed somebody on her side—
Her breath hissed out of her as his fingers dug like talons into her stomach. “I know that look,” he seethed. “Don
’t test me, Chloe. You think they’ll get you out of here safely? Maybe. But not before I get to the boys. You don’t want to send me off to our sons in a temper, do you?”
There was a debilitating reality that came with being a woman. She’d read stories of women, mothers, who possessed superhuman strength in times of crisis, lifting vehicles to save their children from certain death. She wanted that strength now. She wanted to tackle him to the ground and rip out his eyes for even making such a threat.
But he was bigger and stronger and would always be more powerful. When she fought him, she lost. When she screamed, she was punished. If she wanted to get to her boys, she needed to cooperate. And maybe that was where her superhuman strength came into play because it was physically painful to agree to his terms and surrender to the fact that she wasn’t escaping today.
No matter how badly she wanted to tell the police, she couldn’t risk the consequence, couldn’t jeopardize her boys’ safety. She’d have to endure and follow whatever lie he decided. At least until she got her sons somewhere safe.
“I understand.”
Chapter Thirty
She failed. She failed herself and her children and that realization paralyzed her with defeat. As Marcus thanked the officer while walking him to the front door, she sat stunned. What was wrong with her? Help had arrived, first Trenton, then a police officer and her fear decapitated her chance of escape.
She twitched with uncertainty, wanting to scream and call the cop back as the door closed behind him, Marcus’s fingers twisting the locks. If she’d known where her children were, had a guarantee she could reach them before Marcus, she would have gone with the devil himself, but he would beat her to them and then he would likely beat her—maybe the kids as well.
She had no choice but to follow his lead, agree with his ludicrous statement that Trenton Cole had barged into their home—a jealous ex-lover intent on getting her back after she’d made her choice clear. Marcus was a horrible person who didn’t have a single good bone in his body, but he was the best liar she’d ever met. He even showed the cop where Trenton had apparently punched the wall, threatening him.
Only a monster could convince the world he was the victim. And she’d nodded along with every despicable lie for fear that he’d punish her through her children if she so much as blinked wrong.
And now her hope was gone. Vanished, because she’d said nothing when she could have told them everything. She felt like a balloon cut away from its string, floating to places unknown. Once the two officers took their statement and left, Marcus made her a sandwich.
“You did very well. After you’re finished eating, we have some calls to make.”
Her stomach was so sore and so upset she could only eat half. Her boys would be home in an hour and her excitement at seeing them also hindered her appetite. “Calls?”
“We’re going to call anyone who know about us. You’ll call them and tell them the same thing you told the police—that we’ve reconciled.”
Her rage was no longer debilitating. It was now a seething animal caged inside of her, pacing until the opportunity of freedom arrived. “What about my practice?”
“You’ll notify your secretary that you’ll be taking an undetermined leave of absence. We can work out the details later.”
He withdrew her cellphone from her pocket and her breath caught.
“Let’s start with the A’s. Who’s Adam?”
Lying to the police was one thing, but lying to her friends… It almost gave her hope. “He’s my neighbor.”
“Does he know you’re married?”
She kept her expression blank. “No.”
“Are you close to him?”
“No. I only have his number because I get his mail when he travels for business. I think he’s an accountant.”
“Fine. Alison?”
She cursed herself for not realizing if he didn’t exist to someone they didn’t exist. She should have said she knew Adam. He might be able to argue her case to the police. But it was too late. “Alison’s a patient.”
“Jade?”
No, Jade had been through too much and was pregnant. “Another patient.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you lying to me?”
Her heart beat out of sync. “She’s also a friend.”
“Does she know you’re married?”
Her jaw trembled as she tried to recall the things she’d confided in Jade. “No. If I tried to explain this she’d be confused.” That was the truth.
“Jeremy?”
She slowed her breathing. “He’s a friend.”
He lifted a brow. “Quite a few male friends in your life. Did you fuck him?”
“No.”
“Does he know you’re married?”
Considering that he worked with Trenton who now figured out where she was, they likely all knew about Marcus at this point. And if Trenton was truly hired by Marcus to find her, they might have always known. “Yes, he knows I’m married.”
“You know what to say to him. Keep it short and sweet.” He pressed a button and placed the phone on the table, activating the speakerphone.
“Hello?”
She glanced at Marcus and he nodded to the phone. “Jeremy, it’s Chloe.”
“Chloe—”
“I’m calling to tell you I’ve gotten back with Marcus.” She cut him off before he could say anything, alerting Marcus to his association with Trenton. “I’m in Virginia in case you were looking for me.”
There was a long pause. “That’s … good. The boys must be happy.”
The mention of her sons put a lump in her throat, but she picked up on his carefully selected words and kept her expression blank. Dear God this had to work. “We’re all very happy with the situation. They’ve started a new school.”
“You’re staying out of town?”
She swallowed. “Yes. Indefinitely. I wanted to let you know so you didn’t worry. The boys will miss playing with your son … Tyson.”
Another long pause. “My … son will miss playing with them. I’m sorry to hear this but I’m happy you’ve worked out your marriage. We were planning a trip and were hoping they might be able to come.”
“Oh, I’m afraid that wouldn’t work for us right now. Are you finally visiting Phoenix? Or is this the trip to Georgia you mentioned?”
“We’re definitely heading to Phoenix.”
Marcus made a gesture for her to wrap it up. “Well, I hope you get to Phoenix soon.”
“We’re leaving tomorrow. I hope … he treats you well, Chloe.”
“Thank you. Goodbye, Jeremy.”
“Goodbye.”
He ended the call. “Keep it a little shorter next time.”
Her lips twitched as a new hope formed. Jeremy was smart and he seemed to understand everything she’d implied without actually saying the words. Go to Phoenix. Talk to Pete. The moment she referred to Tyson as his son he would have known she was trying to convey something in secret because Marcus was there.
Marcus glanced at his watch. “Time to go back upstairs.”
Startled that he was sending her back to that horrible room she hesitated. “I thought…”
“You didn’t think I’d let you roam the house while I got the boys, did you? You’re far from deserving that kind of trust. I’ll tell the boys you arrived this morning—after I get them home and see you’ve behaved.”
There was always a condition. Always a consequence.
He walked her to the second floor and closed her in the empty bedroom, locking the door tight. She watched from the window as his car pulled away. Her boys… She was going to see her boys.
So as not to worry them that anything was amiss, she tried her best to fix her hair, but all she had to work with was her fingers. She straightened her clothing and washed her face, but looked nothing like herself without makeup to cover the bruising.
Sometime later, the garage door rumbled and her stomach flipped. They were home.
; She stood in front of the locked bedroom door for what felt like hours as she waited for it to open. Was he dragging this out on purpose? What was he telling her children? Six years ago, when she’d been running for her life and separated from them, she’d found a way to still call them every day—even when it required the last cent to her name. They’d known something was up then and they were only babies. They would absolutely suspect something now.
When the door finally opened, Marcus said nothing but led her down the stairs. Tears of relief blurred her vision the moment she spotted Dayton and Mattie sitting on the sofa.
Mattie gasped when he saw her and ran into her arms. She tried not to flinch at the force of his hug, telling herself his arms around her were worth the pain, but an ache started in her chest at the realization that she was back to hiding bruises from those closest to her.
Dayton wouldn’t meet her gaze. His hair was trimmed and neatly swept to the side. Her big man suddenly seemed such a small, fragile boy. As much as the last few months had challenged her as a parent, she wanted her audacious son back.
She walked over to him and knelt, turning his face and looking into his eyes. “Day?”
He slowly raised his lashes and gazed at her. Insecurity and guilt flashed in his eyes and her heart cinched. This chaos was too much for a little boy to bear.
She brushed the backs of her fingers down his porcelain cheek. “Sweetie, everything’s okay. I’m not upset with you.”
His eyes filled with unshed tears as he fought to keep them from trickling past his lashes. She hated seeing him confused and upset. He didn’t say it, but she saw it in his pinched brow and trembling lips. He blamed himself for pressing go on this roller coaster. But she couldn’t blame him. This was her mess she’d never properly cleaned up. Never his.
Pressing her lips to his forehead, she pulled him into her arms and whispered, “Everything’s going to be fine. You’re not in any trouble.”
Throwing his arms around her neck, he squeezed her tighter than he had in years.
That night she had a chance to see the rest of the house. It was very much the same and now somewhat out of date. The boys’ rooms were changed, smelling of fresh paint and new furniture. Dayton’s room no longer had access to a bathroom and Mattie was sleeping in what used to be Marcus’s home office.
Something Borrowed (New Castle Book 3) Page 24
