The Truth Keeps Silent: A Second Chance Romantic Suspense (Truth & Lies Duet Book 1)

by A. V. Asher

  Her heart sank. “Dec knows too?”

  “Aye, he does. You’re pretty much family, you know? A McKinley twice removed, if you will.” His mouth quirked in a smile, and she couldn’t help smiling, which made her wince.

  “Why would you do this?”

  His amiable smile faded, and his jaw tightened. A sadness crossed behind his eyes as he looked at their intertwined hands. His thumb swept back and forth against her wrist, sending thrills of electricity through her with each stroke.

  Alec swallowed. “I can’t leave you here. At least not without giving you a choice.”

  “You don’t know what you’re asking. He’s dangerous.”

  “I can handle him. But he’s escalating, and next time he might kill you. Do you have any idea how close it was?” His fingers moved up to her bandaged forearm.

  “They told me.” Her voice was flat. “He didn’t even mean to do that one. I was fighting him, and the knife hit me. He meant the others, though.”

  “Jesus, please let me help you.” Alec’s words were hitched. “I can only offer you my help; I can’t make you take it. You have to choose.”

  Mercedes gazed around her bleak, sterile surroundings, taking stock of her life. Frightened, alone, in pain, and struggling to keep her anxiety at bay, she was a shell of herself. Here was a lifeline—someone to give her a little cover while she put herself back together. Every ounce of sense told her she should grab onto it.

  But she’d already been burned playing with the fire Alec ignited. He might be offering the help she desperately needed, but could she live with the cost?

  “What if . . .” she choked. “What if you bail on me again? When he finds me, it’ll be a thousand times worse.”

  Alec flinched as if she had slapped him. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. The person in his ear was back. He murmured to them, then looked at her. “Shit, I have to go.”

  Her heart sank, and she gave him a tight smile. They hadn’t even been able to get through the conversation before he was ready to jump ship.

  Alec took her hand again. “I’m not bailing on you. I’d stay here all night if I could. But the man watching you is coming this way. It won’t do either of us any good if he finds me here.” He cupped her cheek in his hand again. “You don’t have a lot of time to decide. I’ll send someone to you tomorrow. I’ll need your answer then. Aye?”

  “Okay.”

  “You have to decide if you can trust me.” His eyes pleading with her.

  At her nod, Alec leaned over and kissed her forehead. The scent of fresh air and earth filled her senses, and she inhaled. He made his way to the door, giving her one last encouraging smile, then disappeared as silently as he’d come. It was as if a vacuum pulled through the room, sucking out all the warmth and leaving her in loneliness. Mercedes ached to call out for him to come back and stay with her. That she didn’t care who saw him . . . but she knew better.

  Drained of her last bit of energy, she lay back against the stiff pillow and closed her eyes, her fingers searching for the rhythm that would calm her into sleep. The lingering woodsy scent of Alec dulled the medicinal smell.

  And as she drifted off into a much-needed sleep, his words returned to her: You have to decide if you can trust me.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mercedes’s eyes burned, and her temples ached. Morning had come much too quickly. An abandoned tray of breakfast sat on the swivel table untouched. Even thinking about food made her stomach twist.

  She’d awoken with no clearer idea of what she should do. Alec’s offer was more than generous, but she didn’t see how she could accept. Putting others at risk terrified her. Given the jealous rage Jason had flown into over a simple coffee date, he might already have a target on Alec.

  Not to mention her attraction to Alec hadn’t diminished over the years. From the moment they met at the hotel bar in Edinburgh, the chemistry between them had been pure fire.

  Her fingers played a cadence against her stiff plastic hospital bracelet as she thought back to that night so long ago.

  It was only early evening when she’d arrived in Scotland, but Mercedes had been looking forward to a hot shower and bed. So, when Charlotte called her about the impromptu cocktail hour being arranged in the bar, she almost cried. Twenty hours of delayed flights and a heavy dose of jet lag had her dragging ass. Getting dressed up to chat with strangers didn’t sound appealing at all.

  But Charlotte was so insecure about the lack of support on their side of the aisle that Mercedes caved. Tossing aside her comfy pajamas, she put on a classic black cocktail dress and heels that went well with every occasion. With a touch-up to her hair and makeup, she hoped to make a decent impression on Charlotte’s new family.

  Mercedes had envisioned a sedate lounge filled with Luke’s elderly relatives talking about the wedding over glasses of wine. She wasn’t ready for the cacophony of unruly Scots gathered. Scouting the room, she spotted Luke waving to her at the bar and made her way toward him. She was nearly to him when a lanky man stepped in her path.

  “Hello, you must be on the bride’s side. You’re too pretty to be from this family.”

  Mercedes cringed at the line but fixed a polite smile on her face. “That’s correct. I’m Mercedes Elliott, Charlotte’s sister.” She held her hand to him. He took it and gripped it despite her tug to take it back.

  “Lovely to meet you. I’m one of Luke’s cousins.”

  “Oh, are you Declan or Alec?” She frowned, taking in the man’s features. Luke told her he and his cousins were often mistaken for brothers.

  The smile left his face. “I’m not a McKinley; I’m from his mother’s side,” he sneered, dropping her hand. “I guess you like your men pretty.”

  Mercedes raised her eyebrow. “Oh, okay then. Excuse me.” She brushed past him, but his hand snaked around her waist and pulled her to him. His breath reeked of old booze and onions. “Maybe you’ll save a dance at the wedding for me then, lass?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “If you don’t take your fucking hands off me, they’ll need to recover your tiny balls out of your asshole.” She said it loud enough for others to hear her. A few stopped their conversation and stared at them.

  “Ha. Get tae fuck off, Georgie,” a nearby man jeered. The others joined in, hooting. Georgie’s hand snapped back to his side, his ruddy face reddening. Mercedes held his eyes, giving him an icy glare as he slunk away.

  “That was fucking brilliant,” an unfamiliar voice called.

  A tall man, who clearly was a McKinley, leaned against the bar next to Luke. Same stunning blue eyes, same dark hair, and solid frame. By the identical looks of amusement, they’d caught the show.

  “Christ, Luke. What the hell’s up with that guy?” she asked, giving her soon-to-be brother-in-law a hug.

  Luke snorted. “That’s Georgie. He’s always been a wanker. Not a proper first impression of this clan, I’m afraid,” he apologized.

  The unnamed McKinley held his hand out to her. A spark of electricity shot through her when she took it.

  “I’m Alec. One of the pretty ones,” he added with a crooked grin. “I owe you a drink, ’cause that was the most entertaining thing I’ve seen all week. What can I get you, lass?”

  The way the words rolled off his tongue sent warmth shivering through her. Her logical mind told her that Luke shared this Scottish cadence and dialect. But Luke was just Luke. Alec was something else altogether.

  “Well, it’s my first night in Scotland. I suppose I’ll have a whisky.” She let her eyes fall on the glass in his hand, her gaze lingering on its way up. She took a moment to appreciate the way his shoulders filled out his dress shirt. “What do you suggest?”

  Flirting with strangers wasn’t something she did often, but it was so easy with him. From the way he cocked his head and grinned, he didn’t mind at all.

  After that night, they went out of their way to see each other. He offered to drive her to the florist for a change in the
floral arrangements and to the tailor’s for a final fitting. She moved seats with her sister to sit next to him at family dinners. Whenever they were together, they got lost in conversation, often forgetting their surroundings. She wanted to believe he was as attracted to her as she was to him.

  Mercedes should have known better. She’d spent her childhood wondering what it felt like to be treasured, to be someone’s everything. But being someone’s everything wasn’t who she was. The people she cared for could walk away from her with little impact to their lives. Alec had been no exception.

  She’d put the trip to Scotland and the resulting months out of her mind years ago. It was nothing but another bitter reminder of how disposable she was. None of it was relevant now. Her goal was to extricate herself from the worst relationship of her life, not rekindle a crush on an unattainable man.

  Taking a breath to focus herself, she ran down the list of options. Perhaps she could run to the American Embassy. The nurses might help her get a cab. First, she’d have to figure out how to get rid of the listening device. Plus, there were Jason’s watchdogs. The closer she got to being released, the tighter they’d circle her.

  “Hello, love.” The voice came out of nowhere. Mercedes jumped, a yelp escaping her.

  She’d been so engrossed in hatching her escape plan that she hadn’t heard the woman come into her room. She was rather pretty, with a smooth, olive complexion, wide brown eyes, and dark caramel hair pulled back in a curly bun, tendrils framing her face.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to startle you out of your daydream, lass. My name is Sarah.” Her R’s rolled gently. “I’m a victim advocate. They asked me to pop in, thought you might need a wee bit of support.”

  Mercedes, wary of the unsolicited help, shot a glance at the name badge swinging from a lanyard around the woman’s neck. “That’s okay. I was staring off into space.”

  “Oh, my. You’re an American. Far from home, are ya, lass? Me as well, but I’m only from Dublin, so nae so bad. Have you ever been?”

  “Um, to Dublin? Unfortunately, no.”

  Sarah found no shortage of things to discuss. The rain in Ireland compared to England, and how it was likely to be a pisser out there today, but she loved the flowers in the spring. Mercedes smiled, all the while reminding herself to keep her guard. Sarah busied herself flitting around Mercedes’s bed, adjusting this or fluffing that, talking the whole while about nothing at all.

  When she drew a breath, she turned her warm gaze onto Mercedes. “How are you feeling, love? Are you tolerating your pain medication okay?”

  “I’m not taking anything. They tried to give me Sutanyl. I won’t put that in my body.”

  Sarah frowned. “What are your plans for your discharge? Can I help arrange something for you?”

  A qualm of fear shivered up her spine. Was this a test? Had they sent this person to test her loyalty to Jason? Even if Sarah was nothing more than a kind advocate, Jason could hear everything.

  “No, my boyfriend will come to get me.” The words tasted bitter.

  “You sure that’s what you want, lass?” Sarah crinkled her brow. “There are other choices for you.”

  “I’m sure.” Even to her own ears, her response came off as weak.

  Sarah nodded, resigned. She looked at her watch. “Oh my dear, listen to me goin’ on and on, and you absolutely wrecked. Just one thing more, and I’ll leave you be. Do you like music?”

  “Um, yeah.”

  “I thought as much. You’ve the look of a musical lass.” Sarah rummaged in her pocket, eventually holding out a wireless earbud. Mercedes wanted to refuse, but Sarah insisted.

  “Oh, please listen. It’ll be just the thing.”

  Mercedes took the earbud and placed it in her ear. She noticed Sarah was already wearing one. For a moment, nothing happened. Mercedes jumped when, instead of music, a man spoke to her. “Sadie, it’s Alec. Don’t speak.”

  Mercedes’s heart leapt at his voice. Her gaze darted to the woman in front of her, who batted her lashes and gave her a serene smile.

  “I hope you’ll forgive the deception,” he said. “The person before you isn’t called Sarah. She’s my associate, Cressida Bennett. She’s also not Irish, but her accent has improved.” Cressida Bennett smiled and rolled her eyes. “It’s time, Sadie. Do you want our help, or should we stand down? You can give a nod to Cress, and we’ll get started.”

  Mercedes hesitated, turmoil burning through her. Cressida cocked her head to the side, her compassionate smile encouraging her to say yes. The agonizing “what if” game assailed her. Frozen in panic, she imagined all the terrifying things that could befall Alec or even this pretty, sweet-faced woman. She couldn’t live with herself if Jason hurt them.

  Alec must have sensed her distress. “I know you’re frightened, and I don’t blame you.” His voice was calming, and she closed her eyes to listen. “This is what I do, and I’m damn good at it. In the last twelve hours, we’ve been to see you three times without them having the slightest clue.” Mercedes’s eyes shot open, and she frowned. Cressida gave a crooked smile. Who else had been here?

  “Sadie, there’s no amount of money I wouldn’t pay, no time I wouldn’t give or risk I wouldn’t take to protect you from that man. I would, quite literally, do anything to keep you safe.” Alec paused. “Can you trust me?”

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  She had to forgive him for what had happened between them years ago and acknowledge what he was ready to do for her now. Cressida, who had taken her hand, offered silent support.

  The tears welled in Mercedes’s eyes. Inhaling deeply, she nodded her head.

  Cressida broke into a triumphant grin. “Isn’t it lovely? One of my favorites.”

  Mercedes quirked an eyebrow until she heard Alec exhale, “Oh, thank god,” the relief thick in his voice. “Alright, here’s where we are. You’re scheduled for release tomorrow morning. And if we know, then he knows. We’ll have to move you today. Later this afternoon, someone will escort you to the radiology department. From then on, you only need to follow his lead. If all goes well, I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  It was strange to not be able to respond, so she removed the piece and gave it back to Cressida.

  “Wasn’t that wonderful? I always thought music could calm the soul. Now have a bite, lass.” Cressida glanced at her untouched tray, her meaning clear: Eat that. “Try to rest. Recovery takes a lot of energy, to be sure.”

  “Thank you, Sarah. I feel much better.”

  The petite brunette scrunched her nose at her on her way out. “You’re quite welcome. We’ll speak again soon.”

  Mercedes took a shaky breath and let it out, her heart racing. The next few nerve-wracking hours would take their toll. She only hoped her battered body would comply if she had to run.

  Chapter Twelve

  Every little noise made Mercedes’s heartbeat plunge. Her nerves were shot. When Alec’s man arrived, she could only gape at him. It was the same boyishly charming custodian, Sandy, who had woken her last night. Only now, he’d dressed in scrubs.

  His face broke into a crooked grin at her recognition. “Hello, Ms. Elliott, I understand you needed a ride to radiology for scans before your doctor releases you?”

  Sandy set to work, helping her into the wheelchair, all the while chatting pleasantly. He poked around the nightstand and the pile of clothes on the top, producing her cellphone. Jason had installed tracking software on it months ago, so she rarely used it.

  Sandy continued his aimless chatter as he steered the chair out of the room. Mercedes tried to respond to the small talk, but her mind raced. This was it, no turning back.

  The hospital’s atrium windows towered overhead as he pushed her across the sunlit walkway. She caught sight of Adam Wilson, one of Jason’s friends, leaning against a wall near the bank of elevators. He was tall, handsome, and hard to miss. She despised him.

  Adam held her gaze. Mercedes’s stomach roiled, but she kept her
face passive. Did he know their plan?

  When the doors opened, Sandy spun her chair around and backed into the lift. To her surprise, Adam peeled himself from the wall and joined them, pushing the button for one floor below.

  The elevator slid shut, and she couldn’t contain the trembling of her hands. Her heart was thumping so loud in her chest she was certain they could hear it. When the back of her neck prickled, she looked beside her. Adam had his eyes fixed on her, a sneer playing on his lips.

  Mercedes held his gaze. The more time he spent looking at her, the less he was taking in Alec’s associate. The young man was humming to himself, oblivious to Adam. The door slid open, and Adam stepped past them.

  “Ma’am.” Adam shot a final smirk at her.

  Mercedes let out a shaky sigh as the doors closed.

  “Prick,” her new friend muttered. So, he had known who Adam was.

  They arrived in the lobby, and her heart sank. Perched on a bench in the corridor sat Patrick Moore, another of Jason’s friends.

  Oh, for God’s sake, don’t these guys have anything else to do?

  At least Patrick had the courtesy to appear indifferent to her. He didn’t look up from his book when she rolled past.

  The radiology and imaging department was a maze of rooms and hallways. Her chair turned into an unlit room with an examination table and a collection of medical equipment on rolling carts. Sandy took a quick peek outside the room, flipped on the lights, and quietly shut the door.

  “Hi, Sadie.” He kneeled before her. “I’m Shake.”

  Mercedes laughed. “Shake? I thought it was Sandy?”

  Shake grinned and picked up a black backpack hidden in the corner. “Well, you can call me Sandy if you like. It’s kind of my name, I guess. But only my Nan calls me that.”

  He pulled several articles of clothing out of the bag, laying them on the exam table.