“She has to be,” Cole said to her. “There’s no other choice now.”
“Hang on.” Aaron stood and started pacing again. “What exactly is Lainey involved in?”
“It was private, Aaron. Still is.” Payton hissed through clenched teeth.
“He needs to know, Pay.” Cole rubbed at his forehead. “And without the searing agony when you finally couldn’t hold back from me, preferably.”
“I’m not doing it, Cole.” Payton’s arms crossed over her chest, but her voice was still subdued.
“Honey, I love you, but we can’t pretend this isn’t what it is anymore. Either you tell them, or I will.”
Lainey whimpered and Aaron looked back at her. Tears were now running freely down her face. Crap. Nobody made his girl cry, including these two. He slammed his palm down on the coffee table. “Alright. What the hell is going on?” He turned to Payton. “Start talking, because if she doesn’t stop crying soon, I’m going to be real pissed. We don’t need your bickering.” Payton scoffed. “I don’t give a crap what’s going on between the two of you. I only care about keeping Lainey safe, and it seems you know more about all this than you’ve let on. That makes me mad.” Payton’s face fell and she seemed to deflate in front of his eyes. Damn it, she’d been through hell, too, and he knew it. But he still couldn’t stop the anger simmering low inside him. Lainey had been in danger, and Payton had known this entire time?
Someone tugged gently on his shirt hem. “Sit with me,” Lainey said.
“Of course.” Aaron sat back on the couch and took her in his arms. She nuzzled up against his shoulder.
“Okay,” Payton said, sighing. “I’ll start at the beginning. Lainey, you already know about our gifts.” She turned to Aaron. “I’m just going to say it, and if you even blink funny, I swear to God.”
Looks like Payton was back to normal already. Aaron held up his hands, hiding a small smile. “Okay, okay.”
“I can see into people’s minds and alter their memories.”
Aaron felt himself go still. What?
Payton turned to Lainey. “She can see auras and sense people’s emotions from them.”
What. The. Fuck? Aaron hadn’t even realized his entire body had tensed up, not until Lainey turned to him with pleading eyes that seemed to beg for acceptance. Fuck. He was an idiot. He’d known already. At least, he should have. She could make the angriest customer smile, and every one of them always left happy. She never said the wrong thing, and somehow had this sixth sense for how to act in any situation she encountered.
Guess it really was a sixth sense.
Aaron had seen Lainey react to his own turbulent emotions over and over again, emotions that he swore he’d hidden flawlessly. She’d been the only one to ever see through his mask. She’d been doing it so long that by now it felt natural. She understood him like no one else ever had. Aaron had felt that niggling in his gut right before a fight went bad, or just knew when someone was coming for him. There was always something there, barely beyond perception. Lainey had obviously found the way to tap into that. He nodded his head and squeezed Lainey’s hand. “Go on.”
Lainey’s eyes went wide and she scooted back to stare at him. “You’re not surprised or freaked out?”
“No, not really. Not when I think about it.” He grinned. “I already knew you were something pretty special.”
Lainey exhaled loudly. “Wow. I was ready to scare you off for life if I ever told you.”
“It’s just another part of who you are—always has been.”
Lainey returned to his side and wrapped her arms around him, and he pulled her back into an embrace.
“There’s more to this,” Payton said.
Well, there goes the happy love vibe.
“Josh.” Aaron nearly spat his name. “How’s he hooked in?”
“I looked into him, like you asked.” Cole said.
Payton glared at him. “And you were going to tell me when?” Cole just breathed in deeply and continued.
“And I found something. Aside from the usual burglary or possession of controlled substance charge—yeah, he was definitely addicted to something—we found ties to an organization. One that Payton already knew about from, well, friends.”
Payton’s face twisted, her hands curling into fists. “They hunt people like us.” Her voice was dark. “I didn’t want you involved, Lainey, because I thought associating with me like that would put you on their radar. I was trying to keep you safe too! But it seems that was pointless. You’re just like me, and according to Cole, they already know it.”
Lainey trembled in Aaron’s arms and he tightened them. “Oh, God.”
“What kind of danger is she in?” he said.
“This group—we don’t know their name—they’re hunting people with psychic gifts, trying to control us. They want to take away our free will so they can do whatever they like with us. If we resist, they kill us instead.”
People like them? Hell, was that why Mike had called Aaron? He’d warned him specifically about someone looking for women matching Lainey and Payton’s descriptions—only them. What did he know?
Lainey’s trembling turned into full on shaking. “I’m scared, Aaron.” Her body shook beneath his hands. “I-I’m really scared.”
“Get over it.” Payton’s voice was hard, but her eyes softened looking at her friend. “Cole was right. You have to know so you can take care of yourself. These people are well organized, well funded, and not to be fucked with. If you just sit back and be scared, then you’ll die.” She sat next to Cole, pulling him close to her. “They kidnapped Cole when they couldn’t get to me here. Both of us barely made it out alive.”
Shit. Fuck. And probably every swear word he’d ever known. Payton had never breathed a word of that before, and Aaron couldn’t believe it had happened without his knowledge. Why hadn’t he seen them hurt? God, why hadn’t Cole told him?
“It wasn’t his place, Aaron. He promised me,” Payton said.
Shit. Mind reader. Right.
This was going to take some getting used to. Payton smiled and Aaron felt himself calming, just a little. These were still his people, just now they were even more special. “Okay, exactly what sort of trouble are we dealing with?” It could be anything, even some kind of psychic mafia. He couldn’t protect Lainey if he had no idea what they were getting into.
“There was just one man, at first. He snatched me when I was walking on the street. His name was Zero.”
“Just one?” Aaron turned to Cole. “You couldn’t take one man?”
“That was before I moved here, and it didn’t stay one.” Payton’s voice had dropped low again. “He was super strong, beyond anything I’ve ever known. He . . . he didn’t seem entirely human.”
Aaron’s brow wrinkled. He shot a look over at Cole. He stood tall, his jaw set and muscles tight. Payton was telling the truth.
“They’re going to come back,” she said. “I didn’t think they would if I kept everything quiet, but they’re going to. Josh will just be the first. I should have learned that lesson when it was told to me.”
Lainey sat up. “How do you know all this?”
Cole and Payton’s eyes met. “No more secrets,” he said.
Payton took a deep breath, then another. She clasped her hands in front of her, gripping so tightly her knuckles turned white, then let go only to fidget. She was struggling to talk about it, that much was obvious. She stood, her shoulders hunched. Aaron had seen that face more than he’d like to admit, from Cole that night he’d found him on the floor in the gym, and sometimes looking back at him in the mirror. The lost eyes that roamed around the room, taking the person back into a hellish reality where the past held them captive. Payton was trapped there now, too, and there was nothing he could do. Payton had been so fierce, so determined, when she’d taken his class. But now? Aaron watched Cole wordlessly pick her up and walk over to the chair, sitting down with her in his lap. Just what the fuck had happen
ed to make her that way?
“What happened when the man took you?”
Payton closed her eyes and rasped in a breath. “I woke up restrained by ropes, lying on a bed. I couldn’t move—anyone could have done whatever the fuck they wanted, and I couldn’t have fought them off. I was weak as shit. One night, there was a woman’s voice in my head. Only it wasn’t mine. I was half drugged out of my mind and could barely understand what was happening. Her name was Keila, she said. She wanted to help me. Told me she saw me in a vision and that’s how she found me. I didn’t believe her. There was no way she could have possibly known about me, not unless she was in league with them.” She grimaced. “I ran, further away than I’d ever been, and tried to forget it had ever happened—all of it. But it wasn’t going to go away. Keila and her friends found me and confronted me in the juice bar. You saw them that day, Lainey.”
Lainey swallowed. “Your colors that day, they were crazy. What happened?”
“The ones hunting me—hunting all of us. I’d just found out they’d taken Cole.”
“Oh, God,” Lainey groaned. She turned to Aaron. “I’m not letting them hurt you.”
Aaron pressed his lips together. That stopped right now. “The only thing that could hurt me is if they take you away from me.” He caught Cole’s gaze. “What do we do next?”
“We wait. That’s the only thing we can do. They’ll come again, but this time we’ll be ready. Just don’t be alone, ever. I made sure Payton was always safe, but I didn’t think they’d be able to take me. I’m trained, and strong.” Cole’s eyes turned hard. “They’re stronger.”
Lainey shifted in Aaron’s arms. She felt so small, so fragile. “I’ll find a way, Lainey. I promise you. I’ll protect you.”
“No.” She turned to face him. “Cole is right. This is unavoidable. I need to be able to handle myself. God, it’s no wonder Josh didn’t want me to take self-defense lessons. You can’t be there all the time.”
“I can damn well try.”
“And I don’t want you blaming yourself if something doesn’t happen,” she added. Her voice was quiet, but it shook Aaron’s world. He should have told Josh to fuck off when he had the chance, but he hadn’t. Fuck. He hadn’t listened to his gut with Anna, and she’d died. He was responsible for her death, and he’d be responsible if anything happened to Lainey, too.
“I mean it, Aaron. It won’t be your fault.”
He shook himself out of his memories. “I’m not leaving your side. I can hold them off, stop them from hurting you.”
“If you put yourself in between, they’ll only hurt you more.” Lainey’s voice, still quiet, grew a little stronger. “It’s me they want, and I have to be the one that’s ready for them.” She placed a hand on his thigh, locking him to her gaze. “It won’t be your fault. This is my choice. Remember that.”
“I can’t lose you. I won’t.”
“And you’re not alone,” Cole spoke. He looked at Payton. “We don’t have to be in this by ourselves.”
“No.” Payton’s eyes lit on fire. It was so intense Aaron almost pushed Lainey behind him.
Cole spoke again. “The only thing I care about is keeping both of you alive. If that means calling Emily and Keila, that’s what we do.”
“The others like us?” Lainey said. “Payton?”
“I have Reece’s number. I’ll call him now.” Cole looked at Payton, his gaze full of love and sadness, before he walked out of the room.
They sat silently, Lainey fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Even Aaron could feel the tension in the room. It pressed down on him, wrapping the room up like a heavy fog. If it was affecting him like that, he could only imagine what Lainey must be sensing.
Why didn’t Payton trust the other woman? She was independent, sure, determined to stand on her own two feet. But that wasn’t enough to make her so strongly hate someone who could help them.
After a few long minutes, Cole returned, a grim look on his face. “Are they coming?” Payton asked.
Cole sat down. “I spoke with Reece. He’s as worried as I am about what went down today, but they can’t leave.”
Aaron’s mouth went slack. “What?”
“They’ve found another girl, one they can’t leave right now, apparently. He offered that if we wanted to go to them, he’d be here tomorrow to take us back with him.”
“No,” Payton snapped. “I promised myself already I was done running.” She looked at Cole, and Aaron’s eyes widened at the sight of tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. “I can’t run, Cole. I can’t do it again.”
“I agree,” Lainey began. “If we can’t handle ourselves, we’re screwed. We can’t just run away.”
Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “Lainey, don’t do this for anyone but yourself. Just a few moments ago you were scared out of your mind.”
“And I still am. But that doesn’t mean I just give up and run.”
He frowned. “But you’ll let me help?”
“God, yes.” She leaned forward, brushing her lips over his. They were warm and—God—so soft. Aaron was struck still. “But I need to able to do this on my own, too.”
Fuck. He couldn’t talk. He could still feel her lips on his.
“You’re not alone,” Cole said. “You’re with all of us, and we’re in this together.”
“I don’t know how much comfort that’s going to be,” Payton said, sighing. “But it’s apparently all we have.”
23
Lainey
Payton and Cole reluctantly left shortly after turning Lainey’s world upside down again. Payton hugged her as usual, but it felt awkward. Lainey did it anyway. It couldn’t be any worse than the stress pouring off Payton, or the worry from Cole. Those two were going to have a very long night once they got home. Whatever Payton had kept from her, it had been with the best intentions, and so the least Lainey could do was try to offer her friendship again, remove a little of the darkness currently surrounding the woman who she’d thought was her best friend.
She still is.
Regret clung to Payton as they embraced, along with fear. She might put on a brave face for Aaron—perhaps even for Cole—but she wasn’t fine, not by a long shot. But maybe they could both be if they worked together.
Once they were alone, Aaron insisted that Lainey go to bed, where she could rest properly. He’d taken the couch, despite any hints she tried to drop. She might be scared out of her mind, but after what she’d seen in Aaron’s colors the past few days, it had gotten her thinking. If this whole night had taught her anything, it was that there was no point in waiting. The sheets were cool against her skin and the room quiet, but Lainey still tossed and turned. She’d even kissed him earlier, but all she’d managed to do was strike the man mute. He wanted her, she trusted that now, but what was it going to take to make him realize she felt the same? Whatever happened, she had to at least get him to let her be a part of keeping herself safe.
After catching what felt like about five seconds of sleep, Lainey gave up when the first morning rays of sun crept into her bedroom. She walked out to the living room and found Aaron laid out on the couch, a throw rumpled over his lower body and one leg hanging off the edge. At some point during the night, he’d removed his shirt.
Damn. That sight in her apartment in the morning was almost worth having a crazy stalker. She stood in the doorway, just watching him, her gaze running over every strong dip and curve of his body, until he jerked awake. His gaze locked with hers and blush colored her cheeks. A lazy grin slid across his face and as he pushed the throw aside to stand, she noticed a new bulge she hadn’t noticed before. Her blush deepened.
It’s just because it’s morning. It’s . . . fuck . . . just because it’s morning.
But he was in her living room, with that grin, and that . . . Lainey suddenly couldn’t think of anything else. What stalker? She needed to change the topic fast, before he realized what part of him had caught her attention. “Are you going into the gym this morni
ng?”
Aaron’s head tilted to the side and he scratched his chin. “What? No.”
“But I’m not working until noon.”
“I’ll wait. Rico will figure it out.”
“And your classes?”
“Screw ’em.”
Lainey huffed. “Don’t fuck everyone over just for me. I’m here and I’m safe. I promise I’ll lock the door behind me.”
“Doors can be opened.”
“Then I’ll have the gun.” Aaron sighed and she knew she’d won. Lainey still didn’t feel that comfortable around the pistol, but if it meant Aaron would go to work, she’d keep it handy. He’d never admit it, but he needed the gym like he needed to breathe. It calmed him, relaxed him. She saw it every day, and heaven knew he needed that right now. She had to stand on her own eventually; it may as well be now. After promising she’d call Cole to drive her to work, he finally left. Her apartment was so quiet Lainey could hear the breeze whispering under the window and the lazy hum of her refrigerator. It was soothing, in a way. At least she’d know if someone sneaked up on her. With all the confusion and raised voices the night before, anyone could have walked right in through the front door and they’d have missed it. At least with the quiet, she knew she was alone.
Walking back toward her bedroom, Lainey stripped off the clothes she still wore from the night before and stepped under the steaming water in her shower. She stayed in until the water ran cold, washing away the fog she could still feel clinging to her body and mind after Josh’s attack. Finally feeling clean again, she took her time getting ready for the day. She dressed in her favorite outfit of calming cornflower blues, blowing out her hair straight, and even applying makeup. If she was going to be jittery all day, she may as well look good. Finally, she couldn’t put it off any longer and walked out of her bedroom and back into the empty kitchen. The traffic noise from outside that had lingered this morning had finally died down, and the quiet inside her apartment that had been refreshing was now the opposite. She was alone, too alone. She hadn’t wanted to feel crowded, but without the comforting sounds of others going about their everyday business nearby, Lainey couldn’t stop her fingers from tapping on her thighs. Her stomach clenched every time memories started to swim into her mind, distractions gone. Finally she gave up and called Cole—two hours early. She kept the shake out of her voice, or at least Cole was polite enough not to say anything. He was knocking on her door fifteen minutes later, and drove her to the gym.
Lainey (Dreamcatchers Romantic Suspense Series Book 4) Page 13
