Liar (18 page)

Obviously the same thing was happening to him now.

As a biochemistry major, he knew that the brain could play tricks on a person. A million complex chemical and electrical reactions went into forming one simple thought. So if the synapses had been saturated with alcohol, or deprived of sleep, or subject to undue stress … well, then, a million things could potentially go wrong.

Because there was no way that person was Gaia. None at all.

He was too tired to chase her, anyway.

She
grows more beautiful with each passing day.

Sitting across from her in that frozen park was the closest I've come to magic in a long while. I was a little boy again. The horrors that have consumed me for so long suddenly ceased to exist. For that brief period, I was completely entranced.
She
had power over
me.
It was intoxicating. And terrifying.

She truly
is
more dangerous than I'd suspected.

And so much like Katia. So much like my love.

I hadn't noticed the resemblance before. I was only able to see my face in her own. And Tom's, too, of course. But Katia is there as well: in the curve of her cheek, in her smooth, ruby lips. In her strength.

I lost you, Katia—but you and I were never meant to be.
This
is my destiny. I've sacrificed everything for it. I've worn a hundred faces, more than any man should wear in a lifetime. But soon I'll only have to wear one.

Soon my life will change. Soon I'll rid myself of all the foul sycophants who use me for their own purposes.

Soon Gaia and I will be together. Forever.

Sam
and Ella.

Sam Moon: The only guy I've ever desired.

Ella Niven: The evil witch who poses as my guardian.

The two of them … together.

A part of me still refuses to believe it. True, I always knew that Ella was twisted. I always knew that behind the designer clothes and stupid facade lurked a schemer who was playing her husband for a chump. I even suspected that she was having an affair. Or something bad. Nobody's
that
vacant.

But never could I have possibly imagined that she was cheating on George with
Sam.

And you know what the real kicker is? I actually feel sorry for Heather Gannis. I do. After all, Sam is still supposedly going out with Heather. I used to hate her for that. Okay, I hated her for a bunch of other stuff, too. But I remember thinking about Sam and Heather together—no, scratch that—
seeing
Sam and Heather together, in bed … actually, forget it. No point in rehashing the past. Even now it turns my stomach. But at least it makes
sense.
At least I can understand it. Sam and Heather are pretty much the same age. They hang out in the same social scene. They're both smart, attractive, whatever … blah, blah, blah. People wouldn't give them a second glance, even if they were making out in the middle of Broadway.

On the other hand, somebody would probably look twice at a college kid who was tongue wrestling with a thirty-something bimbo. Especially if said bimbo dresses like a teenage hooker.

I guess the biggest question is this: How the hell did it even
happen?
How did they meet? Where? When? I've been through a thousand scenarios, over and over again, and the only one that seems even remotely plausible is that Sam sought out Ella on purpose. Or vice versa. Either way, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that it was a deliberate act. Somehow, for some reason, Sam and Ella got it into their heads that they had to humiliate me, that they had to drive the final nail into the coffin of my already miserable life.

And they succeeded.

I will say this, though: sneaking into Sam's room and reading the e-mail Ella sent him was strangely liberating. If you truly have nothing to lose, then you are truly free—in the most real sense of the word.

Yes, on one level, they destroyed me. But they also opened a new door. They
changed
me. Because now I don't care about using my special gifts (being fearless, expertise in a variety of martial arts, and near-perfect marksmanship) just to kick the asses of scumbags who prey on the weak and innocent.

No. Now I'm going to use those gifts for revenge.

And I'm looking forward to it.

… A
GIRL BORN WITHDUT THE FEAR GENE

FEARLESS™

A SERIES BY
FRANCINE PASCAL

PUBLISHED BY SIMON & SCHUSTER

3029-01

Trust.

It's not really my thing.

I can count the people I trust on one hand.

On one finger, in fact.

So what happens if that one person betrays me?

… a girl born without the fear gene.

D
ON'T MISS
F
EARLESS # 11
TRUST