The Lies That Shatter by A.V. Asher

Chapter Four

Dirt plumed above the truck as it pulled down the dirt road. Mercedes squinted through the dusty screen, trying to identify the vehicle making its way to the house.

“I’m pretty sure it’s Noah,” she called to Larissa.

Larissa, who had been peeking through another window, grunted in agreement. “What’s he doing here?”

Mercedes shrugged. “Maybe he forgot something.”

Larissa frowned but didn’t respond. Mercedes was a bit surprised as well. He’d only left for his home in Sacramento this morning. They didn’t expect him back for three days.

As soon as Noah walked through the door, Mercedes could see something was wrong. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his smile was forced.

“What’re you doing back?” Larissa said, annoyance filling her tone.

Mercedes wasn’t sure what the big deal was. He had his own room here, so it wasn’t as if it was an imposition. Besides, Noah was much better company. She’d been expecting three days of near silence.

Noah cleared his throat. “I’d rather crash here tonight.”

Mercedes’s heart went out to him. Whatever had brought him back to the house was clearly killing him.

Larissa’s brows pinched together. “You have the next few days off.”

Mercedes shook her head. What a freakin’ robot.

“I did, but they were vacation days. I’m canceling them.” Noah brushed past her and headed to his room. Larissa’s gaze followed him, the frown never leaving her face.

Larissa wasn’t the warmest of women. Even in the fading light of evening, she still had her ash blonde hair tightened back into a severe bun. Mercedes often wondered if she’d ever let her hair down. Literally.

Noah was an absolute teddy bear, though. They had gotten along right from the start.

Mercedes walked down the hall to Noah’s door and knocked gently. At his soft call, she turned the knob. He was sitting on the bed, his phone clutched in his hand. When he saw it was her, he straightened up.

“Are you okay?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t mind her crossing the line into personal.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He gave her a broad smile, but his eyes told her everything. This man was in a hell of a lot of pain. Mercedes tilted her head and waited.

Noah’s smile faded, and he looked away. “My fiancée and I have been struggling lately. He hasn’t been open to my being away from home so much. So, I took the time off to surprise him. You know, a little romantic staycation.” The phone in front of him lit up with a text. He read it and tossed it on the bed without responding. “But I guess he wasn’t as lonely as I thought.”

“Oh, damn, Noah. I’m sorry.” A pang of sadness clenched her chest.

Noah nodded his thanks and gave her a tight smile. “I hope you don’t mind me crashing your night.”

Mercedes scoffed. “Are you kidding? Larissa and I were talking about all the wild parties we were going to throw while you were gone. Now what’ll we do?”

Noah chuckled softly.

She walked to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “Can I get you anything? A shot of whisky? A vat of ice cream?”

“Nah, I’m good. Thank you, though.” His grin was a little less forced. “I’m going to turn in for the night.”

She gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Okay, you know where I am if you need to talk. I’ve got lots of time.” Mercedes walked to the door. “A bit of advice from someone who’s been in your shoes; block his number and try to get some rest. Nothing he says tonight’s going to fix anything.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Thank you.”

Mercedes gave him one last sympathetic smile. “Anytime.”

She padded to her own room and closed the door behind her. Leaning on the wall, she took in a deep breath.

Noah didn’t deserve to be hurt that way. She knew how much damage that sort of betrayal could do.

They say they love you and then they fuck someone else.

What if Jason was right?

What if, months from now, Alec changed his mind? How would she even know he was with someone else? He could be like Noah’s fiancé. Too selfish to let her go, but not willing to stay faithful.

She’d offered Alec an out, and it had ripped her heart apart to do it. But Alec had been the one to hold on to what they had. Even now, her pulse raced at his words.

Stay in love with me. Tell me you’ll be mine through it all. And when it’s over, come home.

Alec would wait. She had to have faith in him.

Fucking Jason.

Abandonment, cheating, never being enough. He’d needled his way right into her head, knowing exactly how to cut the deepest. Her painful past was his to play with.

She pushed his words out of her head. She’d be damned if she’d let him steal another ounce of happiness or security from her.

Mercedes changed and washed her face. It was still early in the evening, but it wasn’t like time mattered here. She could spend the entire day in her pajamas if she felt like it. It was just a different kind of prison.

Glancing out her window, she took in the dark fields that surrounded the house. The distant lights of Sacramento reflected across the clouds. She pulled the cord to close the blinds and climbed into the full-size bed.

As she drifted off to sleep, she recalled the perfect tone of Alec’s voice and that delicious accent. Mercedes couldn’t wait to return to their sweet little river haven in Scotland and get lost in the bliss of his body.

* * *

“Mercedes!”Larissa hissed, giving her shoulder a shake. “Sadie, wake up. We have to move now!”

“What?” Mercedes sat up, the fog of sleep disorienting her.

The acrid scent of smoke wafted through the air. What the hell?

“We need to go,” Larissa said.

Mercedes scrambled from the bed and slipped on her shoes. “What’s happening?”

“We don’t know. Noah’s looking for the cause, but there’s a fire. Let’s go.”

Two gunshots rang through the night and Mercedes froze, her heart jumping. She met Larissa’s eyes and saw a glimmer of remorse there.

“Oh, god. Noah,” Mercedes whispered.

“We have to move!”

Mercedes hurried through the kitchen after Larissa. Smoke was billowing through the living room as flames licked up the curtains.

The small hall to the garage hadn’t shown signs of the fire, so Mercedes ran to it. She touched the handle. It was cold.

“Larissa!” she called. “The garage is okay! We can get to the car.”

“No!” Larissa said between coughs. “We need to go this way! Come on!” She dashed through the smoke to the front door.

Mercedes stopped midway through the living room. This made no sense. They didn’t know who or what was out there.

Smoke was coating the living room, burning her lungs. She coughed and covered her mouth and nose with her arm. Tears filled her eyes, and she rubbed them to ease the sting.

“Mercedes! Now!” Larissa threw open the front door and stepped onto the porch.

Mercedes had no more time to deliberate. As soon as she stepped onto the porch, she saw him.

Tactical gear.

Glowing green goggles.

And a fucking rifle aimed right at her.

Mercedes tried to dive back into the flaming house as a flash erupted from the shadowed man.

Thwack.

The impact reverberated through every bone in her body, tearing through her thigh. She cried out as her leg gave way and she landed hard on the floor. Smoke seared her lungs as she breathed through the agony.

Scrambling, she tried to push herself up onto her feet. Her injured leg wouldn’t hold her weight.

She had to move.

The garage.

Mercedes crawled through the kitchen. The smoke wasn’t as dense as the living room. She latched onto a kitchen chair and pulled herself up. Then she slid the chair along the floor to support her.

Where the hell was Larissa?

Five distant shots pierced through the chaos. She froze.

Fuck! He was still outside.

Keep going. Don’t stop.

She reached the little hall and grabbed the door handle and shrieked. It seared into her fingertips as if it had been baked.

“No! Damn it!” she cried out, the tears making it hard to see.

That was it. Her only way out was where the assassin waited. Mercedes wasn’t even sure she could get back through the living room.

No hope for it.She moved the chair and took a few steps. Her good leg slid out on the wet linoleum, and she toppled to the floor. Her palms landed in a sticky pool. She’d slipped on her own blood.

Pressing herself up, she made to stand again when Larissa came into her line of vision. Tears made trails down Larissa’s soot smeared face.

Relief washed through Mercedes. “Larissa, help.” She reached her hand out to the agent. “Help me up, I can’t walk.”

Larissa’s arm came up and Mercedes froze.

A shouted command came from somewhere in the distance, but all Mercedes could see was the barrel of the gun aimed at her head.

“Larissa?”

“This isn’t personal, Sadie,” Larissa said, her voice calm and detached.

Oh, Alec. I’m so sorry.

Mercedes lifted her chin and waited for the sharp pain that would end it.

Without warning, Larissa’s head came apart above her. Blood and bone blew out of her forehead, pieces splattering across Mercedes’s face. Larissa fell forward, collapsing on top of Mercedes’s ravaged leg.

Screaming filled Mercedes’s ears. Screams of agony. Screams of terror.

Then she realized it was her own.

“Christ, Sadie!” a strained voice was calling to her. “Talk to me!”

“Alec?”

She could swear it was him. Was he here, or was she losing her mind?

It was so cold.

The pain had lessened, and she knew what she was feeling. She’d been here before. The sting of dying would ease the closer she got to the end. Her eyes closed and she imagined one last time what her life could have been.