Witness Protection (The Witness Series) (21 page)

I turn and fly out of the bathroom, panting and clutching my chest. It is a lie, it has to be. I find Ryder and Nate at the bar, I storm over and stop in front of him. My hand connects with
Ryder’s
face first, then
Nate’s
. Both gape.

“Tell
me,
what she just told me isn’t true. Tell me you two didn’t fuck her!”

They both gape and then gaze at each other.

“Oh,
God
, no.”

“It was a long time ago, baby, it
meant
nothing.”

“NOTHING!”
I scream. “I adore you two and you both lied to me!”

“Sweetheart…”

“He
has a child, did you know that?
”

Nate gapes and turns to Ryder.

“Oh fuck.”

“It’s true isn’t it, that child is yours?” I whisper, tears thunder down my cheeks.

“Baby please, let me talk with you.”

“Go to hell!” I
snarl,
turning and tearing through the crowd of people.

“MAYA!”
Both men call after me.

I run, tearing through the crowd desperately. I need air, I can’t breathe. I run out the front door and wave down a taxi. I leap in and slam the door shut, rambling off my foster parents address just in
time,
Ryder and Nate make it out the door as the car is pulling out. Ryder’s hand slaps on the glass, but I instruct the cabbie to drive. He does. When I am out of view, I crumble, truly crumble.

By the time we pull up at my foster family’s home, I am heaving and my body is wracking with pained sobs. I tumble out, and give the stony faced cabbie a twenty, then stumble to the front door. I can’t open it, can’t find my key. Jesus. I knock furiously until finally someone
answers,
it is my foster father, who I love as my own. He has been amazing to Sandy and
I
over the years.

“Oh baby, what is happening?”

“Dad.”
I croak, stumbling into his arms.

“Who is it Paul?” My foster mother says, rounding the corner.
“Maya, oh my baby.”

She yanks me into her arms and I wail loudly. Sandy comes rushing out and soon I am in her arms.

“What happened, sweetie, what happened?”

“R-R-Ryder lied.
He h-h-has a child.
The rest is t-t-too painful to tell.
B-b-broke my heart.”

“That useless cop, I will have a word…

“Paul no,
leave
it.”

“Come on,
let’s
get you upstairs and we can talk.” Sandy soothes.

I let her pull me upstairs, and I swipe furiously at my tears, hating I have let someone crack my shield, hating that I have let Ryder into my heart. I should have known, men like him didn’t love, they played, they lied,
they
cheated. My phone rings furiously, I toss it across the room and fall onto Sandy’s bed. She curls up beside me, wrapping her arms around my body.

“What happened, tell me everything.”

I do and she falls silent a moment.

“She had a threesome with
them,
I thought the cop was gay?”

“So did I, he let me wonder what the deal with Ryder and Janelle was when all along he knew. Not to mention, he had been screwing her too, now it makes sense why he is so hung up on Ryder. He got a taste of having him in his bed and then it was taken. They lied to me.”

“Does it hurt that they did it, or that they lied?”

“Both,” I sniff. “I l
ove Ryder,
God
Sandy I love him and the thought of him and my best friend in the world being with that dragon, their hands on her body, it kills me. I feel cheated, I feel less.”

“You shouldn’t, you are beautiful.”

“He has a deep sex craze, he loves two women,
he
love
s dominance.
I should have known I would never be enough for him.”

“You are more than enough for him, if he can’t see that it is his own stupid fault.”

“I love him.” I wail.

“I know sweetie, I know.”

“MAYA!”

I hear my name being
called,
Sandy and I s
tand and rush to the window, then
peer out. Ryder is in the yard, looking flustered and beautiful. Nate is beside him. I see Paul go
tearing
out and grip him by the throat, I turn to run but Sandy grips my arm.

“Let him go, he won’t hurt Ryder.”

“You bastard, what did you to do my girl?”

“Please sir, let me speak with her. It was a misunderstanding.”

“You leave, you hear? Leave, and don’t come back.”

“I love her!”

“You ought you have seen her you gutless bastard, she was truly broken.”

“I never
meant
, please, it was all read wrong.”

“You tell me what was read wrong and I will tell you if I agree.”

“It was a long time ago, Nate, Janelle and I…”

“You better be talking about anything other than what I think you are.”

“It was a mistake. I never
meant
…”

Paul’s
fist connects with
Ryder’s
face and he stumbles back. Ryder is a big man, bigger than Paul and he could clearly knock him down but he doesn’t, he takes three punches and only when Nate steps in, does Paul stop.

“You scumbag!
You leave, leave now!”

“Please, just let us talk with her.” Nate pleads.

“You want what your little buddy got?”

“I need to stop this.” I cry.

I rush down the stairs and out the front door, Paul is gripping Ryder again but they all stop when I come out.
Ryder’s
eyes fill with pain as they scan me, Nate’s quickly follow. Ryder is heaving, his eyes are glassy and his gaze is desperate.

“Maya, baby…”

“Dad, let him go. If he tries to come near me though, I give you full permission to knock him out.”

“Maya.”
Ryder says, hoarsely.

“You lied to me, no, that doesn’t cut the betrayal you have made me suffer. I have nothing to say to you Ryder except it’s over, I want James Clancy to give me a transfer,
I
refuse to go back to your house.”

“Baby, I never
meant
.”

“Save it!” I snap.

“Sweetheart, it was a mistake…” Nate cuts in.

“You,” I point at him. “Are
meant
to be gay yet you had a dandy time banging his wife!”

“It wasn’t for her and you know it.” He whispers.

“No it was for Ryder, because you are so in love with him. You know what Nate, save it, I don’t care to hear it. You did it, regardless of the reasoning.”

“Can we talk about this,” Ryder pleads. “Just talk.”

“Do you have a child Ryder?”

“Yes.”

“Do you go and see her?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you known?”

“I found out just after you came.”

“Did you fuck Janelle?”

“No.”

“Did you fuck her with Nate back then?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

“What?”

“How long!”

“A year.”

“Did you both love her?”

“Yes, no.”
I hear, one from Ryder the other from Nate.

“Then that is all the talking I wish to do, now if you don’t mind, I want you to leave.”

“Please…”

“Son, you have five seconds to get off my property or I get my gun. Cop or not, I take you down!” Paul growls.

I turn to walk back in, and Ryder yells out to me.

“I won’t give up, I will make this better!”

I don’t say anything, I
just walk inside.

* * * * * *

It worked, oh yes it worked. The graffiti and the
photos
, I knew it would all get the better of her eventually. I knew finding out about that whore Janelle would cause big problems. She ran out of that party like a broken hearted princess, exactly how I want her. She is crushed, shattered and that cop broke her heart. Now for the final piece to be put in place, it should be easy enough.

They are all waiting for me to go after
her,
stupid fools will get a shock. They won’t see this one coming, and I can’t wait until she is in my hands. Her throat will be a sweet plum to slice open, watching her try and save the girls I already have, as the wild animals loom in on them. Oh, it will be pleasurable, the best kill so far.

Now to finish it up, to complete the project.
Tonight, tonight I will make my move, tonight I will take revenge on the little whore who ruined everything for me. Tonight, Maya Traydon should be enjoying her last night with her family, because as of first light, they will never see her pretty, slutty face again. This is my goal, I have achieved what I need and she will pay, my body trembles in anticipation of her screaming cries. Oh, yes, Maya, I am coming.
In more ways than one.

CHAPTER
9

I get a visit from the one and only James Clancy an hour
later,
he pulls up in a flashy police car and gets out. With a sigh, I meet him out front. His eyes scan me and I can see a mild amount of relief in them, he worries about me too, it is a mildly comforting feeling.

“James
Clancy,
didn’t expect you at all.” I mutter sarcastically.

“Maya, how are you?”

“How do you think?”

“Shocked I imagine.”

“Yes, yes, why are you here?”

“Look, the killer is on high heat and you aren’t safe at this location.”

“I am not going back there James!”

He looks shocked, I think mostly because I didn’t call him James Clancy.

“Look, to get security over here is going to take days at least. It isn’t safe for you, and being with Ryder and Nate is. The only other option right now is to be in the police lock up.”

I gape. “You can’t be serious? Can’t you get a car around, I am not going back!”

“A car isn’t going to stop a
killer,
the apartment complex is fully monitored and protected, not to mention both men are cops. It isn’t just about you
Maya,
it is about your family too, do you want them at risk?”

“James
Clancy, that
was a fucking low blow.”

“Maybe so, but it is the truth. You go back tonight, or I take you in. I know you hate me for that but I am protecting you.”

“I don’t want to see them!”

“Then go to your room and lock the door, but you are going back.”

“He is broken, damaged and no good for me. Can’t you see that? His own father trashes
him,
he is damaged because of that.”

James Clancy takes my hand and shakes his head. “Haven’t you heard the saying that someone
else’s
trash is
another person’s
treasure?
”

“Well now I am going to cry again.”

He pulls me close which
surprises
me, but I let him do it. “Give him a chance, Ryder isn’t a bad person.”

“Alright, I am going to go back to please you, I don’t know if I can handle any more of your one liners.”

He laughs.
“Alright.”

I go inside and explain what is happening,
I hug Sandy furiously and promise to call later. I
sulk
the entire drive to the apartment complex. When we pull up, James Clancy gets out and opens my door for me.

“Give me a minute,
please,
I can’t see him right now.”

“Very well, don’t leave this area.”

I walk over to the pool and sit beside it, the light is dull and I can barely see anything but the glistening blue water. It is closed for the night and the silence is nearly
deafening
. I stare into the water, willing myself to find the strength to face him. I don’t know how I
will,
I don’t even know where to start. What do you say to someone who has broken your heart? I love him, it’s the cold hard truth and he has hurt me.

I feel the tears slither down my cheeks once more, it has been so long since I have cried,
the
wet salty drops
still
feel strange on my cheeks. I have bee
n strong, from the day my family
disappeared and I had to take care of my sister, I
learnt
control and strength and Ryder came and tested everything I ever believed. He
molded
into me in a way no one has ever done before. I feel my chest heave with another loud sob and I hate myself for being so weak.