Haunted (State v. Sefore) (11 page)

“Where are you from really?” Her lips curled in derision.

“I’m from MA-16, I didn’t lie about that. I lied about my title, that’s it.”

She jumped up and away from him, crossing her arms around herself. “That’s it? You lied about your brother being a liquidator. You lied about being a CNA. Do you realize you could have endangered patients by pretending to be a medical professional? You lied about attending the Academy. You lied about killing people. You lied about being a good man. You are a liar, Noah State, a liar and a murderer.”

All true. The words had never been blacker.

“Am I part of your cover?”

“No, I might’ve—”

She leaned forward and jabbed a finger in his direction. “Was I part of your cover?”

He stood as well but kept his distance. “No. You took me by surprise.” He gathered more courage. “I’m sorry, Maddison. You’re right. I should’ve told you. But I had orders. Still do. And I … I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Get out.”

The words hit him like a physical blow. “Let me explain.”

“Too late. Get out of my house.”

“Maddison, please.”

“I’ll keep your secret. If you leave.” She made for the door, but he couldn’t leave yet. Not if she was going to throw around threats like that.

He reached for her. She recoiled.
Forgive me for this.
He sped around her, blocking the doorway.

She gasped. “No … ah.”

“I’ll leave. I will. But you have to hear me on this.” He held his hands out in apology.

Fire lit in her eyes again. “I don’t have to hear—”

“Yes. You. Do.”

He hated this. Every single second. “You can’t threaten to tell my secret. You can’t tell anyone.”

She stared back at him. “What are you going to do?”

He growled. “I’m trying to protect you. Let me talk.”

She retreated a step. He followed.

“O … kay.” The word had none of her previous bravado.

“Your vidcom, your compad, the vidwall, they can be tapped.”

“Have you been spying on me?”

“No! But they’ve been spying on me. It’s why I left my vidcom in the other room. Why I gave you that warning several weeks ago.”

Her eyes widened and her hand groped for something to hold onto. She found the kitchen counter. “Noah, those things I said … in the beginning …”

“It’s fine. I kept you safe. You should be safe. But if they find out you know, if you tell someone the truth about me, I don’t …” He wanted to touch her, to reassure her. No, to reassure himself. “I’ll do everything I can, but you have to be careful. In case they’re watching.” He took a step away from her. “Please be careful.”

Her breathing accelerated, but she managed a nod.

“Maddison.”

“Please. Go.”

She had heard him out. He had no other reason to stay. He grabbed his vidcom on the way out and closed the door behind him. Then he heard her. Her sobs threatened to take him to his knees, but he forced himself on.

Chapter Fourteen

M
addison collapsed on
the floor, her shoulders shaking. The last bit of rage drifted away, and without it, stabbing pain stole her breath. A sob stuck in her throat, and she wrapped her arms around her chest. Shattered glass filled her insides, and the jagged edges caught on her gasping lungs. He’d protected her? No, he’d lied to her. He was a … How could he have fooled her so completely? Something in her soul should’ve known, should’ve rebelled. How could she have fallen for a man who killed people for a living?

Emotions flickered through her. Fear, self-doubt, shame, and grief. The grief cut the deepest. She pushed it down and bit back another cry.

Jakob thrust a wad of napkins in front of her face and sat down beside her. She mopped at her tears as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

“I heard everything.”

Her gaze shot up to his. The sympathy in his familiar eyes brought another wave of emotion, and she buried her face in his chest. He patted her back, the robotic motion communicating his awkwardness. Jakob had always taken her pain on himself, listening and protecting. She lurched back and grasped his shoulders.

“You can’t let anyone know you know. No one else can know.” Her fingers dug deeper. “Please, Jake, for me. You have to promise. You won’t take matters into your own hands. You won’t, right?”

“Come on. Let’s go to your room. This isn’t the place to be talking about this.” He pulled her to her feet, but she stood firm.

“Jakob, promise me.”

“Maddie, we need to go to your room. We can talk about what’s going to happen there. Taylor will be home any minute, and you aren’t ready to answer her questions.”

The nickname softened her pain. When had her little brother become a man? She nodded and followed him toward her room. She huddled in the pile of pillows on her bed and jerked the comforter around her.

Jakob sat cross-legged in front of her. “I promise not to seek Noah out, but …” He held up a hand to stop her. “But if he shows up here, if he pushes you, I’m going to talk to him.”

“I don’t think he’ll come back. Can’t you let it go?”

He raised an eyebrow. “He hurt you, lied to you, to all of us. I warned him. I have to look out for you. Since Dad’s not here.”

A fresh wave of guilt swept through her. How could she have betrayed them like this? “How did I not know?” She pressed the crumpled napkins against her mouth, a sob building in her chest.

“No one did. He seemed real. His stories made sense. You couldn’t have known he was lying, sis. We sure didn’t.”

She shook her head. “No. I knew the minute I saw Daniel, the minute the other one stepped into our living room. I always know.”

Confusion settled over Jakob’s features. “What do you mean?”

“Liquidators are supposed to wear that …” Her mouth screwed up. “Ring, but even without looking at their hands, I’ve always been able to identify one out of a group of people before. I know a murderer when I see one.”

“Noah’s not a murderer.”

Her mouth fell open. She blinked once, twice.

Jakob cleared his throat. “He’s a liar, but he’s not like the man who killed Mom and Dad. He’s not cold or vengeful. He kept you safe despite your … transparency. If he has liquidated someone, they probably deserved it.”

She felt her face flush. “No one person should make those decisions. No one can be that objective.” She twisted the pillow into an unnatural contortion. “Besides, it doesn’t matter that he’s not vengeful. He still accepted the Academy’s offer. It’s unforgivable.”

The front door opened downstairs, and Taylor shouted a cheery hello. Jakob’s eyes shot to the door. “What will you tell everyone?”

“I don’t know yet.” Her voice sounded small even to herself.

“I’ll cover for you with Taylor tonight. Just let me know what you decide to say. And if you need to talk, well, you know.” He walked over to the door, pausing halfway through. “I’m sorry he hurt you, Maddie. It won’t happen again.”

The last semblance of control left with him. She crawled beneath the covers and held a pillow to her face, muffling the sobs. What would she tell everyone? How would she keep this sealed up inside?

Why couldn’t Noah have been who he claimed? Why did he have to be one of them? She curled into a tighter ball, wishing she could go back to this morning when she hadn’t known the truth. Then, she wouldn’t have the image of his tortured face seared into her mind. She wouldn’t hate herself for wanting to forgive him.

*

Noah stumbled into the dark hotel room without bothering to activate the lights. He dragged his feet toward the bed and prayed he’d be able to succumb to unconsciousness and block out the sounds of Maddison’s anguish.

“Exhausted after another day of saving the world?” Daniel sneered from the corner.

“Not now, Daniel.” Noah sank down on the bed, head in his hands. He needed to be alone to self-destruct.

“Did you get broken up with, baby brother?” Daniel stood and walked around to look at Noah. Daniel’s face hardened. He commanded the lights on and the curtains shut in a terse voice, all hints of mocking gone. “You told her.”

“I’m not doing this with you. Go play your game with someone else.” Noah collapsed on his back.

“What did you tell her?” Daniel took a step closer. “What does she know, Noah?”

Noah sighed. “She knows who I am and why I’m here. Happy? Close the door behind you.”

Daniel cursed. “This is serious. Why did you tell her?” He paced the room. “What did you think could be gained by coming clean? Now, you’re in danger of being exposed.”

“She’s not going to tell anyone.” Noah scrubbed his hands over his face. Why wouldn’t Daniel leave so he could release the pressure building behind his eyes?

“Did she promise before or after you dropped the bomb?”

“Why do you care?”

“You know, this whole throwing your life away thing? It’s getting old. Now I have to save it. Again. Without thanks. Again.” He headed for the door.

It took half a second for his meaning to hit Noah.

He sprang to his feet and grabbed Daniel’s arm. “You’re not going near her.”

Daniel shook him off. “She can’t be trusted to keep your secret.”

Noah growled. “I said, no.”

Daniel advanced on him. “Protecting her is going to get you killed. For once, turn off that weak heart of yours and think with your head.”

“Stay away from her, Daniel.” Noah stood nose-to-nose with him and circled a half turn around his brother to put himself between Daniel and the door.

“Maybe you should’ve considered my reaction before you told her.” He pushed Noah. “All she has to do is say one thing to one person.” Pushed again. “And it will get you killed. You’d better thank me for this one day when you come to your senses. I’ve done more than enough in the last four years to deserve a little gratitude from you. Now.” A final shove. “Get out of my way.”

Noah roared and tackled him to the ground, using an old wrestling move to pin Daniel to the floor. “You aren’t going to touch one hair on her head. Because you’ll have to kill me to do it.” He leaned in, narrowing his eyes. “Still want to try?”

*

Noah pushed the pedal harder, speeding back across town. He had an hour head start at best. He had to reach her before then—because Daniel was serious.

Keeping her safe would be difficult. He needed to be in the same room with her, but Maddison would never allow it. He commanded the Mustang to call her residence.

Jakob answered. “You’ve got a lot of nerve.” Ice seeped through the line and chilled the air.

“She’s in danger.” Noah’s heartbeat echoed in the silence.

“I’ll meet you across the street in ten.”

“Thank you.”

He looked down at the clock when he reached her neighborhood. Good, only fourteen minutes had passed. They had enough time to plan.
Please, let her house be secure
.

He slowed to a stop and got out of the car. Jakob stood from the curb, brushing off his pants. Noah showed Jakob his vidcom then dropped it inside the car. He held out his hand for Jakob’s.

Jakob opened the passenger side door and dropped his vidcom into the seat. Both doors slammed. “The minute she’s safe, you’d better give me an explanation for what you’ve done.”

He walked around the car to join Jakob on the curb. “Fair enough. You know?”

“Everything. What’s going on?”

A tremor ran down Noah’s spine. “You need to keep that quiet.”

He huffed. “I’m not going to out you.”

“No, you don’t understand.” Noah grasped his arm. “I don’t want you on anyone’s radar.”

“You mean, your brother’s?” Jakob shook Noah’s hand off, his tone dry. “Come on, I’m not stupid. You came clean two hours ago. Unless our house is actively tapped, the one person with a reason to hurt her is your brother.”

Noah nodded, clenching his fists. His knuckles turned white. “He’ll have to go through me first.”

Jakob studied him. After a minute, something relaxed in his face. “So, what’s your plan?”

“How secure is your house?”

“It’s old, but Dad had the security features updated every couple of years. The house goes into lockdown if anyone tries to tamper with a window or door. But that won’t keep him out if he’s determined.”

“I don’t need the house to keep him out. I just need it to alert me to his presence. I can monitor everything from my position here. I won’t give him a chance to get inside. It’ll be harder when she leaves. She should never be alone in public. I can shadow her, but if she tries to lose me …”

“I’ll talk to her.”

He released a deep breath. “I’ll keep my distance, as much as I can, but if I think there’s a threat … well, I make no promises.” His eyes scanned the quiet neighborhood for anything abnormal.

“What set him off?”

“That I told her the truth. He thinks she’ll tell someone.” Everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours pushed Noah’s shoulders to the ground. He straightened, took a deep breath. Falling apart would have to wait.

“So he wants to get to her first? Didn’t you tell him she’ll keep your secret?”

“Tried, but he wouldn’t believe me. It doesn’t matter. I won’t let him near her.”

Jakob chewed on his bottom lip. “Can he be stopped?”

“Once he knows I’m serious he’ll give up. He needs to see I’m going to do everything I can to keep her safe, no matter how long it takes. Killing me to get to her defeats his purpose. At least I think it does.”

“What do you mean his purpose?” Jakob’s gaze zeroed in on Noah. “Wait, does he think her outing you would put you in danger? Is this some twisted form of brotherly protection?”

“Yes.”

“Does it?”

He looked back over at Jakob. “Does it what?”

“Does her knowing put you in danger too?”

“I can take care of myself.”

Jakob leveled him with a glare very much like his sister’s. “Answer my question.”

He nodded. “But it’s my problem, Jakob.”

“Maybe, but it’s good information for me to have. I’d better get back, but you’re going to need my number.” He pulled out his vidcom, and Noah did the same. Once the devices faced each other, the information transferred in three seconds. Noah dropped his back into the car.

“Thank you, Jakob.”

“You’ll be here?”

“I’m not moving.”

Jakob started toward the house then turned. “What about curfew?”

“Doesn’t apply to me. I’ll be here as long as it takes.”