The Lies That Shatter by A.V. Asher

Chapter Fifty-One

Classical music was the first thing that hit Alec’s consciousness. Was Mercedes playing while he slept?

Then agony in every part of his body struck him, and he remembered.

The car. Mercedes screaming his name.And fucking Jason tasing the fuck out of him.

Alec took stock of himself. They had bound his hands behind his back. His rain-soaked shirt was smeared with blood and dirt.

“Good, he’s finally coming around,” a feminine voice said. Mariah’s face came into his view. “Hello, Alec sweetie. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Fuck off,” he muttered.

“Oh, I was hoping we’d have a little fun together.” Mariah gave a pout.

They were in a study. The decor reeked of new money desperate to fit into old. The large mahogany desk was oversized and ornately carved with lions. Gold seemed to be the theme of the room. It was fucking everywhere.

“Where’s Sadie?”

“I’m afraid she’s rather busy at the moment.” Mariah’s mouth turned up into a sneer. “Jason took her upstairs a bit ago. He’s making a snack of her as we speak.”

Panic reared up, and he thought he’d go mad. Instead, he pulled in air and cleared his mind. He was no good to her where he was. In order to get to her, he had to survive.

And to survive, he would kill them all.

Adam’s deep voice cut in. “They wanted to be here for this. Go get them.”

Mariah’s footsteps echoed on the marble as she left, leaving Alec alone with Adam.

“You’re a real piece of work, you know.” Alec spat on the floor. “You had me convinced you did all this for your family. To protect the people you loved. But it looks like you’re just a loyal soldier out for the money.”

Adam smiled coldly. “We all make sacrifices Alec. Cooper helped me keep Shannon alive for as long as he could. I’m grateful to him.”

“How grateful will you be when he puts your pretty daughter into his scholarship program?”

Adam’s solid fist landed on his cheek, reverberating through his head. Adam gripped Alec’s chin, forcing him to look up. “Don’t fucking talk about my daughter.”

But there was something in Adam’s expression that didn’t connect to his words. The anger wasn’t there. He stared down at Alec, his glare piercing into him.

Adam let him go and backed away, holding his eyes. Then he leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. His gaze shifted down and up, ever so slowly. Using his peripherals, he could see what Adam was indicating. A small camera, no bigger than a ballpoint pen, was on the desk, aimed at him.

They were being watched. And Adam wanted Alec to know that.

“You’re lucky I’m not armed anymore. Mariah made me give up your gun and Jason has the only other one.”

Alec stared at him. Why would he give that info up?

What the bloody hell is going on?

“Cooper will be here soon,” Adam said menacingly. “And then there will be hell to pay.”

Heels tapped on marble and a young man followed Mariah into the room. He looked vaguely familiar, but Alec couldn’t place him.

“I apologize my father isn’t here to greet you. He’ll be joining us in a moment.” He bent down in front of Alec, his hands on his knees. “So this is one of the McKinleys you were so worried about. He doesn’t look like all that much.” He said to Adam and Mariah. Then he turned back to Alec. “I’m Tyler.”

There was an awkward pause, and Alec frowned at him. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

Tyler flushed. “I’m the heir to all this.”

“Bully for you.” Alec looked past the boy’s shoulder to Adam and Mariah. “Is Daddy Cooper around?”

Tyler’s openhanded slap connected with Alec’s cheek, and he grunted.

“I’m running this show tonight.”

This little fuck had no clue how to establish proper authority. Alec glared up at him. “Do you know where Sadie is?”

Tyler gave a dismissive shrug. “Not at the moment.”

“Then piss off.”

The second punch wasn’t any stronger. “You want to play with me, asshole?”

A chuckle erupted from Alec’s chest. “Aye, I like a little love tap before I fuck someone up.”

Then Alec lurched forward, as if he were about to take the younger man out. He tested the bindings on his wrists to see if there was any give. There wasn’t.

Tyler yelped and scrambled back, knocking a table over.

Adam chuckled. “Don’t worry, Tyler. He’s bound pretty tight.” Adam shifted his gaze to Alec. “I tied the ropes myself.”

Something in the way Adam stared at him made him feel the length of binding his hands. A series of knots tightened against his wrists. There was a piece of the rope sticking forward, easy to grab. He gave a test pull and the first knot came free.

Bloody hell.

All he had to do was pull.

Tyler’s face had turned a deep red, and he walked to Mariah. “Give me your gun.”

Mariah raised her brow but handed the gun to the kid.

Tyler strode back to Alec, holding the gun sideways in his hand. When the cold barrel met his temple, Alec flinched.

“What were you saying, bitch?” At Alec’s silence, Tyler laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, you piece of shit. Your girl’s off with that other guy, isn’t she? I saw her when they brought her in. She’s a fine piece of ass. Maybe when he’s done with her, I’ll take a turn.” He pressed the gun harder against Alec’s head. “Do you think you’ll still want her after we’ve all fucked her?”

Alec’s control was already about to snap. He inhaled in the oxygen he needed to clear this new threat away from him.

Tyler looked triumphant as he straightened up.

Alec focused on his hands. He caught the tail of the rope with his fingertips and tugged until he felt a little give. Then the knots melted away, one after the other. Adam had done his job in making them appear sturdy, but the knots were useless. He gathered the rope in his hand as it came unraveled.

Footsteps approached the study, and Marcus Cooper came into the room. “Adam, what the hell is this?”

“I brought you Alec McKinley.”

Tyler flushed. “No, he didn’t. I’m the one who pulled Mariah in. I’m the one that got your dirty little whore back, and I brought you one of your witnesses.” He pointed at Adam. “He didn’t do shit.”

“Actually,” Adam piped in. “You brought him two witnesses.”

Marcus Cooper tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Jason’s upstairs with Mercedes Elliot.”

Cooper spun on Mariah. “What the fuck is Jason Hollis doing in my house?”

Mariah stammered. “I needed his help to find what we were looking for. And it worked.”

“Don’t worry boss, he’s not making it out of here alive.” Adam’s eyes once again shifted to Alec.

Cooper waved it off. “Fine. Just make sure everything is cleaned up and can’t be tied back to me or the company.”

Cooper looked at Alec. “I honestly have no idea why you’re here, other than you’ve been a pain in my ass for years.”

Another knot came free and Alec was starting to get a good idea why he was here.

Cooper sighed. “Just get rid of them all and tell me when it’s done. I’ll be with Mara, so knock first.”

Before he could turn away, a sharp report of gunfire echoed through the house. Alec felt it in his soul.

Sadie.

And then another.

The last of the knots came free in his hand. He leaped from his chair, gripped the rope in both hands, and wrapped it around Tyler’s neck.

Tyler cried out in surprise and grasped at the rope. Alec jerked it tighter. The kid gagged and fell silent, still struggling against Alec.

Marcus Cooper stammered. “Jesus, do something!”

Mariah shifted, slipping a knife from her belt. She was gifted with a blade and would need to be eliminated.

Waiting for this little fucker to die was taking too long.

Alec dropped the rope, wrapped his hands around Tyler’s head, and twisted. The thick crack of his neck made him go limp. Alec shoved him aside and picked up the fallen gun.

He swung up, aimed at Mariah, and fired. She didn’t have time to cry out before two bullets entered her brain.

Dimly, he was aware of Marcus Cooper’s shout of anguish. “You fucker!”

Cooper was nothing. The next threat in the room was Adam. He shifted his aim, anger and distrust battling in his mind.

“Give me the gun, Alec.” Adam held his hand out.

There would be nothing to stop Adam from turning the gun on him and killing him. Mercedes needed him.

Adam took a step forward and cast a glance at Cooper. “Give me the fucking gun, Alec.”

Cooper had slid to his knees, choking sobs as he stared at his dead son at Alec’s feet.

“For Shannon.” Adam’s voice was thick with emotion. “And Mara.”

There was now a desperation in Adam’s eyes, a need to seek his own brand of justice.

Alec turned the gun in his hand and offered it to Adam. Then he stepped back and waited.

Adam snatched it and turned to Marcus Cooper.

The old man’s jaw dropped when he realized Adam had the gun trained on his head. “Adam?”

Adam unloaded. The gunshots echoing through the room. Each shot hit Cooper in the head. Blood and skull splattered up the wall until nothing was left but bone and pulp.

An eerie silence fell over the room, punctuated only by soft music and the breathing of the two men left alive.

Adam spat on the remains of his former boss, his former warden.

Good riddance.

Alec ran to the door. This place was fucking huge. He’d have to search for an hour to find where Jason might have taken Mercedes.

“Alec.” Adam said, stopping him. “I swear I didn’t set that crash up. But an opportunity presented itself, and I took it.”

“Where is Sadie?”

“Take the stairs. Third story. Go right at the top of the landing to the last door on the left. That’s where he’s got her. There’s no one else here.” Adam tossed the empty gun on the ground and moved to the doorway. “I’m going to find Mara. When she’s secure, I’ll help you hunt him down.”

Alec nodded and sprinted up the stairs until he got to the third floor. He cursed that he didn’t have a weapon. Jason did. He would have to be quiet as he moved through the corridor.

Everything was dark, the only light was coming in from the last door. His eyes adjusted as he hid in the shadow, easing his way down the hall.

The silence of the rooms sent terror through him. There was no murmur of voices, no sign of the living.

Alec didn’t know if he could live if he lost her again. Dread swirled in his gut. Each silent step brought him closer to learning what that bastard had done to her. If it was anything close to the horrors in his head, his mind would snap to see her like that.

Soft rustling caught his attention, and he stopped.

A dark figure lay crumpled against the wall.

Then it let out a soft whimper.

“Sadie!” he cried.

“Alec?” Her head snapped up.

Relief washed over him, and he ran to her.

“Oh my god, you’re alive.” Mercedes tried to stand, a gun still in her hand. She was in his arms before she got to her knees. She collapsed against him, her body racked in sobs. He held her as tight as he could without hurting her. Her shirt was gone, and the delicate skin of her back was torn and bleeding. Alec bit back his rage and focused on her.

“I heard a bunch of gunshots and I thought they’d killed you. I couldn’t—I couldn’t make it down the hall.”

“I’m okay, darling. I’m alright.” Alec slid the gun next to him. Then he looked through the darkened corridor but there was no other sign of life. “Where’s Jason?”

“He’s in there.” She pointed to the opened bedroom door. “I-I think I killed him, Alec.” Panic made her voice shrill. “I fought back, and I shot him twice.”

“Did you hit him?”

She nodded. “I got him in the chest with the first one and the head with the second.”

The tightness in Alec’s chest loosened. Oh, thank fuck for that.

“Aye, okay. It’s okay.” He stroked her hair and murmured gentle words, but she was inconsolable.

“I never thought I would ever kill anyone.”

Her cries were tearing his heart apart. Alec understood her meaning. Most people are never put in a situation where they would have to.

“Aye, I know. You did what you had to do.” He kissed her head and held her as tight as he could, trying to soothe her increasing panic.

“Darling, look at me.” Her wide hazel eyes blinked up at him. “Are you injured?”

“A little. But I . . . I think . . . it’s okay,” she said between gulps of air.

Mercedes sat back, and the dim light flickered on her face.

Alec sucked in his breath. She was covered in blood and tears. A dark bruise was swelling across her cheek and jaw.

The light must have shone on his battered face too, because she cried. “Jesus, what did they do to you?”

“It’s nothing, darling. I’ll be fine.” He wasn’t feeling any of it at the moment. All his thoughts were on her.

Unbuttoning the top buttons of his damp shirt, he tugged it over his head. He helped her put it on, covering her trembling body. As soon as that was done, she was back in his arms. She inhaled deeply, the tears slowing as he rocked her.

A groan broke through the silence. Alec snapped up the gun and trained it on the door.

Mercedes gasped and clawed at his shoulders. “Oh, my god. He’s still alive. We have to go.”

That was not the sound of a man that could chase them down.

She made to stand, but he held her with his free hand. “No, no, no. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. Look at me.”

Her eyes were wild with fear, her breathing coming in soft pants. “Alec, we have to run.”

“Listen to me, darling. We’re done running. Do you understand me?”

Alec could see her fear shifting away and the rational part of her brain was returning.

She inhaled deeply and nodded.

He kept his attention on the door, waiting for a sign of movement. “I want you to stay right here and cover your ears if you need to. I won’t be long.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

Alec stood and approached the room cautiously. A single candle lit the space, and his stomach churned to think of what this fucker had done to her here. He trained his gun on Jason’s sprawled form.

Mercedes wasn’t wrong. She’d shot Jason twice. Blood streamed across his bare chest, and the side of his head was opened up. Her bullet had taken a chunk of his skull, but hadn’t entered it. This wound was likely survivable.

But Jason wouldn’t be surviving anything.

“I figured they would have done you in,” Jason rasped. “I was hoping to do it myself.”

“Aye, I know you were. But it looks like that’s not going to happen.”

“So, you gonna kill me?”

“I am.”

“I thought a guy like you would let me suffer. You know, as payback.”

Alec crouched down out of Jason’s reach. “Nah, I don’t care if you suffer. I just want you out of our lives. Besides, if I let you die on your own, your death will be on her. And even your worthless life would weigh on her conscience. She doesn’t need to struggle with that. So, I’ll take it on for her.”

Jason tried to drag himself to his feet but swayed and slipped back. “Fuck,” he growled. He sneered at Alec, blood dripping down his chin. “You know, everything I did to her she wanted. She was begging for it.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s why she put a bullet in your brain.”

“You did that to her,” Jason spat. “You got in her head and fucked it up. Without you, we would’ve been happy.”

Alec stood, wanting nothing more than to finish this and get back to Mercedes.

“She chose me long before she ever met you. And she’s chosen me over and over ever since. After I end you, I’m taking her home and making a life with her. One that she deserves.”

Jason shifted and tried to stand one more time.

Alec brought the gun up and pulled the trigger.