The Lies That Shatter by A.V. Asher

Chapter Forty-Nine

The windshield wipers squelched over the window as they drove through the darkened countryside. Rain moved across California’s parched valleys, providing relief to the thirsty landscape. Alec gripped Mercedes’s hand, stroking it with his thumb.

It felt as if they were heading into an abyss. Would they resurface, free and whole? Or would they find themselves trapped, walking right into a fresh hellscape?

It had taken a couple of days, but the arrangements with the FBI were set. Alec would pick Mara up and take her to a secure facility in San Jose. There, Nick Kessler would take custody of her care. Once Mara was settled, Adam would turn himself in to be formally charged.

Alec didn’t want to do the transfer during the day. So he and Mercedes left the haven of their beach house to pick up Mara the night of Shannon Barlow’s funeral.

It had been a private affair. No announcements were made, no community members were let in on the services. It would only be Shannon’s family and Adam. A large public service had been scheduled for the following week.

Alec turned off the highway and onto a well-groomed driveway. Unlike the dirt road to Shannon’s small home, the public used this lane to access the tasting room of the family’s winery. It was meticulously landscaped, with rose and lavender bushes skirting the edges of the darkened driveway. They drove past the tasting room to the large farmhouse owned by Shannon’s family.

Alec kept his hand on his gun as he got out of the car and walked to the house. The wind swept through the sleeping vineyards next to the house, blowing the rain all around them.

The front door opened as he and Mercedes walked up the steps.

Mara Donovan stepped out onto the wood porch. Her blonde hair curled in waves on her shoulders, gray eyes wide as she studied him. “You must be Alec. You look like your cousin.”

“Aye, we hear that a lot.” Alec held out his hand in greeting. “I’ve wanted to meet you for quite some time.”

Mara took it and offered him a timid smile. “I know. Thank you for helping me.”

Then she looked past his shoulder to Mercedes. Regret crossed her expression. “Hi, Sadie,” she murmured.

Mercedes’s face was hard to read in the dim light. This woman was the catalyst for all Mercedes had endured. The one who brought collateral damage to both their lives.

But Mara had been a victim longer than any of them could even imagine. Alec couldn’t fault her for fighting to get out of her situation.

Mercedes stepped to the shorter woman and drew her into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Mara whispered, clinging to Mercedes. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

Mara stepped back to let them enter and said in a hushed tone. “Come on in. Tim’s with his kids.”

They followed her into the dimly lit living room. Adam sat on the sofa, the small bodies of his sleeping children wrapped around him. Adam turned and pressed his lips to each of their foreheads before he slid out from under them.

Alec kept Mercedes behind him, still not trusting a single thing this man did. When Adam brushed past them, they followed him into the foyer.

“There’s been a change of plans. Shannon’s family has made a few arrangements, so my kids are going to stay here with them. I’m going in tonight.”

Alec narrowed his eyes. “My people are only expecting Mara.”

“Well, they’re getting both of us.”

“If I’d known that, we wouldn’t be here.”

“Which is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”

“Listen, fucker—” Alec growled.

“Gentlemen,” Mara broke in. She turned her pleading look onto Alec. “We know this is an unexpected change, but I feel better having Adam with me. Can you please take us where we need to go?”

Alec snapped his mouth shut, glaring at Adam. “Aye, but he sits in the front seat next to me. I don’t want a bullet in my brain at the first stoplight.”

“I’m not even fucking armed, Scottie. You can check.” Adam lifted his arms.

Alec didn’t waste the chance. He patted Adam down. When he was satisfied Adam wasn’t packing, he stood to his full height. “We should get going. We have a bit of a drive to the location.”

Alec stalked out to the car, holding the back seat door open for Mercedes. Adam got into the passenger seat, shooting Alec a hostile glare while he buckled in. Mara situated herself behind him, latching in next to Mercedes.

Once they were on the highway, a quiet conversation between the two women came from the back seat. Mara described how she escaped Cooper and how for a time, even Adam didn’t know where to find her.

“I swear, I didn’t know how bad it would be for you,” Mara said.

“I understand, really,” Mercedes responded. “I’m just glad you are coming forward now.”

They fell silent, the thrumming of the rain the only sound.

Alec didn’t see what hit them.

There’d been no lights. No warning of what was to come.

The front side of the SUV had collapsed in on itself.

Alec’s head hit the side window before the airbags exploded in his face. The car spun, coming to rest in the middle of the highway.

Disoriented, Alec pushed the airbags down, his heart thundering in his ears and his head felt like a drill was going through it. Blood trickled down his face and into his eyes.

Adam’s door was already open, and the big man was gone. Alec reached for his gun, but it was gone, too.

What the fuck?

Alec pushed his door open and swept his gaze around the dark. Blood and rain pooled in his vision, blurring out the surrounding landscape. He could barely make out the pickup that had slammed into them steaming in the street. Wiping to clear his eyes, he stumbled and grasped the handle to Mercedes’s door.

She was conscious but clearly dazed. Unbuckling her seat belt, she shifted to get out of the car. “Alec, what the hell hap—”

Footsteps on the wet asphalt came to his ears and Alec blocked the first hit. Another punch came at him swiftly, hitting him in the gut. Alec doubled over, struggling to catch his breath.

“Alec!” Mercedes screamed.

A heavy thump of a fist hitting skin broke through the night and she fell silent.

“Sadie!”

But it was the last thing he would hear from her.

He was nearly to his feet when the barbs of the Taser cut into his skin. Then an agonizing voltage struck like a jackhammer through every nerve. His muscles convulsed painfully, paralyzing him. Even his screams were trapped in his chest.

When the device ran through its cycle, Alec fell to the pavement, gasping for air. He tried to grasp the wires to pull out the barbs, but it hit him again. The impact slamming into his body until he was sure his muscles might snap. When it relented again, his heart raced, unable to keep up with the currents being shot into him.

“How’s that feel, you fuck?” an unexpected voice screamed at him.

Fucking hell.

He hadn’t been fighting Adam.

Car lights illuminated the dark highway and Jason Hollis’s murderous eyes came into his view. Jason sneered as electricity crashed into him again, pulsing over and over throughout his system. When it ended, Alec was certain his heart would give out.

“I need him alive, you stupid fuck,” Adam shouted out. “You’re fucking everything up again.”

Alec registered Adam’s words as he struggled to regain his strength. The lights were brighter now. A third car had arrived.

“I’m not leaving this bastard alive,” Jason ground out. “We’re taking Sadie and Mara to Cooper, but I want to end McKinley now.”

“Back the fuck up,” Adam growled. “This fucker poisoned my kids. I’m taking him in for myself.”

Poisoned his kids? What the fuck was he on about? Dizziness overtook Alec as he tried once more to stand. Another punch to the face brought him down again.

“Guys, we can’t bloody well stay out here,” Mariah chimed in. “Knock him the fuck out and bring them all. We can sort it at the estate.”

Mariah handed Adam a syringe.

Fuck!

“Hold him down, he’s a big fucker.”

Alec reared up, taking a swing before Jason’s weight brought him down again. Alec landed one solid punch across Jason’s cheek before his arms were restrained, and Adam plunged the needle into his neck.