“Fuck,” I mutter. “Do you have any suspects?”
“Not yet. It could be one of Cal’s guys trying to get a location on Elizabeth, or it could be the cartel trying to get to you. We did a search of his house yesterday and took his laptop and all his files. He’s getting desperate and probably feeling the pressure from Henry Williams and his organization. They know it’s only a matter of time before the whole damn thing falls apart.”
“Did her dad get a good look at the assailants? What about the reporters parked on their damn lawn? They didn’t see anything?”
“Her dad said they had hats on their heads and bandanas tied around their faces. He couldn’t even tell what color hair they had. It was in the middle of the night. There were no reporters.”
“How many were there?”
“He said three. Two restrained him so he couldn’t help his wife, and the other one assaulted her.”
I pull my arm back and punch the brick wall. Bone crushing pain radiates through my hand and up my arm. Looking at my knuckles, I see they’re shredded and bleeding. Fucking great. “I can’t tell Elizabeth. I won’t be able to stop her from going to the hospital and I’m sure they’re waiting on her. She’ll fall right into their trap.”
“I agree, but how are you going to keep it from her? Won’t she want to call her and check in?”
My hand rakes roughly through my hair, the movement making me wince. “Yeah, I’ll have to think of something”
“This is almost over,” he reminds me.
“Yeah, I hope so.” I hang up the phone, and walk back in the room.
“You about ready to go?” I ask her. We’ve packed up all our things and are switching motels again.
“Almost. I just have to pack my toothbrush. Come lay with me for a minute.” She pats the mattress next to her.
I lay back on the bed and place my hands behind my head to hide my messed up knuckles from her. Staring at the ceiling, I’m lost in thought for I don’t know how long when her voice pulls me back to the present. “Did you play sports in school?”
Looking over at her, I quirk an eyebrow. “That’s random.”
She shrugs. “The silence was starting to get to me.”
I stare at her for a few moments before answering. “Yeah, I played baseball.”
“Did you like it?”
“I loved it.” I sit up and move up against the headboard. “There’s nothing like standing at home plate and staring down the pitcher, daring him to strike you out. The rush you get when you hear the ball crack off the bat when you nail it, and the feeling you get as you round the bases. I don’t care what anyone says, the official start of spring is Opening Day.” A soft smile graces her lips. “What?” I ask.
“Nothing, I just like listening to you talk about something you enjoy. Did you want to continue playing?”
I nod. “Yeah, I even got a scholarship to play at a college.”
“What happened then?”
“I joined the Army instead. I felt a greater duty to my country than to a hobby.”
“You’re kind of amazing, you know that?” I’m such a pussy, because I actually look away feeling shy with her compliment.
“Come here.” I hold my arm out to her so she can snuggle and turn the focus away from me. She moves across the bed and settles in beside me. A content sigh leaves her lips, or maybe it’s from stress. Either way, I’m holding onto her tight hoping I can convey with actions what I can’t with words.
I’m sorry I can’t tell you everything and I’m making you feel insecure.
I’m sorry I keep lying to you.
And I’m so fucking sorry I put your mom in danger. Please forgive me.
“So, what about you? I know you said you played basketball for a year. Did you not like it?”
“I liked it a lot actually, but my mother didn’t think it was appropriate.” I don’t miss the bitterness in her voice. I know her mother pushed her to be a lot of things, but she never went into much detail. All she’s really said is that she was basically brainwashed into marrying for money.
“What do you mean it wasn’t appropriate?”
“It means that the future wife of an affluent man isn’t a tomboy running around shooting hoops. She’s well-groomed and participates in girlier activities.”
“That’s a bunch of bullshit.” My face pulls into a scowl listening to the shit her mother fed her as a child.
“Yeah, well that’s how Mother explained it. A man who could take care of me would be more attracted to a more refined girl who was involved in social things versus a girl who was rough around the edges and got sweaty.” She shrugs nonchalantly, but I can see that it bothers her. “So she put me in cheerleading instead and said it would be good for me to hang out with like-minded girls. What she really meant is hang out with girls that she wanted me to mimic.” She sounds so sad when she says all of this stuff and it breaks my heart a little for her.
“I’ve resented my mother for a lot of things as an adult,” she continues, “and I blamed her for my unhappiness, but what hurt the most was never feeling like I was good enough. I often wondered why it wasn’t enough to just be me. She made me feel like no one could possibly love me unless I pretended to be something I wasn’t. It got to a point where I was so good at acting like this perfect version of myself, that even I believed it was the real me. It wasn’t until you came along that I started seeing my life for what it really was; an empty, fake shell coated in misery.”
“Listen to me,” I say as I remove my arm from around her and face her. I hold both of her hands in mine as I stare intently into her green eyes. “You are the perfect version of yourself. The real you—the you I’ve had the privilege of loving—is way better than any fake persona you could come up with.” I lean in and give her a kiss.
“Thank you for that,” she says quietly. I just nod in response. She doesn’t need to thank me since I’m only speaking the truth, but I let it go figuring it’s a foreign feeling for her to hear these things. “What about your family?”
“I’ve told you a little about my family before.”
“Yeah, but how were they when you were growing up?”
My family was the exact opposite. They were supportive almost to a fault. I could go home and tell them I wanted to be a stripper, and if that’s what made me happy, they’d be all for it. Hell, my mom would probably come to a show. I laugh to myself at the image of my mother sitting in a room full of horny, middle-aged women getting dry humped on stage. She would probably die of embarrassment, but she’d be there. I can’t tell Elizabeth that though.
“My sister and I fought like cats and dogs when we were little, but as we got older we became best buds. She’s two years younger than me so I always felt this need to protect her, especially from the jackasses at school.” She smiles warmly at me, so I continue. “My dad was my hero, the greatest man I’ve ever known. Family was always his priority and he made sure he was at all my games and my sister’s recitals. He could do no wrong in my eyes and I always wanted to do things that would make him proud. I still do.”
“That’s amazing, Alex. I envy you.”
“I can’t wait for you to meet them. They’re going to love you.” She stiffens at the mention of introducing her to my family, and that automatically worries me. “What? You just got all tense.”
She shakes her head. “I just haven’t had much luck with the boyfriend’s parents in the past. And I think I’m slightly traumatized from my evil mother-in-law,” she says with a laugh, but I know not all of it is a joke. There’s some truth to her words. I’ve seen how vile that woman is with my own two eyes. I don’t blame her for being hesitant to meet mine. “Plus, I don’t want them to get the wrong idea about me from what’s portrayed in the media. From what I’ve portrayed to the public. That’s not the real me.”
“You don’t have to worry about any of that with my family. If I love you, and I do, they’ll love you.” I bring her hand up to my mouth and kiss it.
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She bites her lip nervously before she says, “Do you mind if we wait awhile before we do all of that?”
“Sure.” I’m not trying to scare her by making her think I’m going to propose to her tomorrow or anything, but I also want her to know that I’m serious about us. That I want my family to meet the only woman to really capture my heart. As much as I try to hide my disappointment at her dismissal, she must pick up on it.
“It’s not that I don’t want to, I just want to make sure we do all of this with a clean slate. I’m still legally married to Cal and I don’t want my past to taint our future.”
“Whatever you need, sweetheart. We’ll do whatever you want.” I close the distant between us and seal our lips together, pouring every bit of emotion I feel for her into this one kiss, but the moment is overshadowed with the thought that there’s a possibility she’ll never meet my family. When she finds out everything I’ve been keeping from her, she could very well not want a damn thing to do with me. And there won’t be a fucking thing I can do about it.
“MY MOM WON’T answer her phone,” Elizabeth says as she hands me back the phone.
“Does she have a cell? What about your dad?”
“Yeah, they both go straight to voicemail. They usually only turns their phones off when they’re at home because they have the home line, but no one’s picking that up either so I left a message.”
I might be paranoid, but alarm instantly sets in when she tells me she left a voicemail. If I say anything, I’ll have to tell her about her mom, and I can’t do that. So I keep my mouth shut and pretend I have no clue what’s going on. “It’s probably nothing, so I wouldn’t worry. You can always try her again later.”
I’m such an asshole.
“You’re probably right.”
“I’m going to run to the convenience store to get some snacks. Want anything specific?” I put on a baseball cap, grab my wallet and phone and put it in my pocket.
“Can you get me some of those sour worms?”
“Okay, I’ll be back in a few.” I walk over to her, grab her by the towel that’s wrapped around her body, and pull her into me. Her gasp is cut short when my lips gently seal over hers. All too soon, I pull away before I’m unable to stop myself and leave.
I used to be content being alone. A relationship was never something I specifically looked for. In fact, I usually avoided it since it served as nothing but a distraction. I’d have a casual hook up here and there and be on my way. With Elizabeth, it was different. As soon as her green eyes locked with mine, I was a goner. I knew she was as affected by that first glance when she started stumbling all over herself. At first, I thought my draw to her was solely out of curiosity. Who was this girl and why was she pretending to be something she’s not? What was she trying to prove? When I had her laid out beneath me on that kitchen island, I knew I couldn’t deny my feelings for her anymore. The more I dug and pushed her, the more I fell for her. She filled holes in me I didn’t even know I had. The possibility of all of that being stripped away is terrifying.
I walk up to the checkout counter with the items in hand. Something catches my eye as I lay them down. It’s a newspaper with Elizabeth’s face front and center. Shit.
SENATOR’S WIFE KIDNAPPED; VANISHES INTO THIN AIR
I grab a copy and hand it to the clerk. “This too,” I mutter, keeping my head low. Once I pay, I rush back to the car and read the article.
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE ELIZABETH FITZGERALD, WIFE OF SENATOR CALLAHAN FITZGERALD, MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THE MAN IN THE PICTURE BELOW. HIS NAME IS ALEX MATTHEWS AND AUTHORITIES SAY HE COULD BE ARMED AND DANGEROUS. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD LEAD TO THE LOCATION OF MRS. FITZGERALD OR ALEX MATTHEWS, YOU ARE TO CALL THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 555–0329.
“WE’RE ALL VERY SHAKEN UP BY THIS MATTER,” SENATOR FITZGERALD SAID TO OUR REPORTER. “TO HAVE A MAN THAT WAS HIRED TO PROTECT HER PUT HER IN DANGER IS BEYOND UPSETTING. WE JUST ASK THAT HE NOT HURT HER AND RETURN HER TO US. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU VERY MUCH, ELIZABETH.” THE SENATOR WAS VISIBLY UPSET DURING THE INTERVIEW AND PAUSED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE HE GATHERED HIMSELF.
ALL CAMPAIGNING HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR SENATOR FITZGERALD WHILE HE GOES THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION. IT IS UNCLEAR AS OF NOW WHEN IT’LL COMMENCE AS HE’S GIVEN NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON IF HE’LL RETURN TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ONCE THIS IS OVER.
“Son of a bitch!” I yell as my fist collides with the steering wheel. That lying sack of shit! He doesn’t give a fuck about Elizabeth! With both of our pictures being blasted now, neither one of us can be seen in public. My hand rakes roughly through my hair. I need to call Turner and find out what he wants me to do.
I dial his number and wait, my foot tapping a mile a minute. “This is Turner,” he answers gruffly.
“Turner, it’s Matthews.”
“Where the fuck are you?” The urgency in his voice is clear as day, making me feel uneasy.
“What do you mean? I’m at a convenience store getting some food. What’s with the—”
“We can’t find Cal,” he interrupts. A cold chill goes down my spine.
“Okay,” I draw out, not wanting to jump to conclusions, but already getting a really bad feeling from this.
“We had Tyler on him, but Cal made him.”
“How the fuck did Tyler blow his cover?” I shout.
“That’s not important. Right before that, Tyler heard him on the phone asking if they found her.”
No.
He couldn’t have found us. I made sure we were careful.
I put the keys in the ignition and get it started as fast as possible while a deep dread settles in the pit of my stomach. Throwing the car into drive, I don’t even look around before I peel away and drive to the motel as fast as I can without getting myself killed. “You need to send backup right now. Fuck, how could I be so stupid?” I mutter the last part to myself, but he hears it.
“We don’t know if he’s found her or not, so try to stay calm.”
“Stay calm? How the fuck am I supposed to do that when my whole fucking life is in that room and Cal could be on his way to take it? Would you be calm, sir?” A million thoughts run through my mind, none of them good.
He’s going to kill her.
I won’t be able to save her.
I’m going to be too late.
“I get it, Matthews. I’ve already sent my team, but they’re about an hour out. I’ll call the local precinct and have them send a few squad cars just in case.”
“Alright. I’ll call you in a bit.” I hang up the phone and toss it into the seat next to me.
I’m driving like a maniac, but I don’t give a shit. I honk at slower moving vehicles and speed around them when I can. I replay my earlier thoughts over and over in my mind until my stomach is twisted into knots and bile rises up the back of my throat.
What would he do to her? What if she’s—“Fuck!” My hands slam against the steering wheel. Nothing—I mean nothing—will be able to stop me from seeking revenge on everyone involved. I will hunt them down to the darkest, deepest places on Earth and make them fucking pay.
My car comes to a screeching stop and I don’t even bother shutting the damn thing off. Reaching into my back pocket as I sprint toward the room, I pull out the key card. Once I get the door open, time stands still. I’m frozen. This is my worst nightmare. There’s nothing I can do to stop it and I’m scared shitless. My heart ceases to beat and my lungs stop taking in air.
Oh, God.
I might be too late.
MY WORST FEAR is standing in front of me, threatening to take away the one thing I’ve ever loved.
“I’m so glad you’re here to see this,” Cal says to me. He looks completely disheveled with his wrinkled clothes and hair in utter disarray. It’s very unlike him, but it’s the gun resting at his side in his hand that catches my attention. I move quickly to draw my weapon from my waistband but Cal raises his pistol and points it at Elizabeth, causing me to stop and put my hands
out in front of me.
“Don’t even think about it, Matthews.” His voice is so level, so void of the anger that is clear in his eyes that it’s eerie. He’s going to snap, and that scares me to death.
I turn my attention to Elizabeth and want nothing more than to go to her and wrap my arms around her. She’s visibly trembling with wide eyes filled with fear. She looks back and forth between Cal and me until she finally settles on me and our eyes lock. In that brief moment our bond, our connection is there reassuring each other. I don’t know what’s about to happen, but I’ll die before I let him take her.
I break eye contact and look around. There it is. The glock. It’s on the nightstand behind Elizabeth. I look at her again. She knows it’s there too. I need to distract Cal so she can get to it. She swallows hard and turns her head back toward Cal.
“What do you want, Senator?”
With his gun still drawn, he says, “I’m taking my wife home.”
“Why? So you can smack her around some more?” This gets his attention and he finally turns to look at me. From the corner of my eye, I see Elizabeth move the tiniest bit backward, careful not to make any noise or fast movements.
“It’s none of your fucking business what I do with her!” He yells, jabbing the gun in my direction with each word. His calm demeanor is completely gone now. “She’s my property and I’ll do whatever the hell I want.”
“Shit, you’re looking a little edgy, Cal,” I antagonize.
“Shut your damn mouth,” he seethes. “You think she’s yours? That you can take her away from me? I think it’s time to show you that she’s mine.” He’s losing it. His exterior is cracking and a sick feeling hits me hard.
He turns back toward Elizabeth. “Get on your knees,” he demands. With her mouth slightly parted, she shakes her head as her arms cross over her body. “I said get on your fucking knees, whore!” he shouts.
I move forward but he points the gun at Elizabeth. Without looking at me, he says, “You come one more step closer, and I’ll blow her fucking brains out.”
Uncovered by Truth Page 15
