Page 54 of Claiming Liberty
What if he isn’t faking?
No. I can’t go there.
He’s betrayed me, over and over, making me out to be a fool. I can’t let him do that again.
“I just want us to be safe, Angel. I don’t want to end up in prison.”
I lean forward, trying to manage my anger. “You’renotgoing to end up in prison. I’m not an idiot. I would never let anything happen to either of us.”
I don’t realize it’s a lie until it’s already out of my mouth. And even then, I’m not sure. I’m furious… But I’m not ready to hurt him, or myself. I don’t know that I’m capable of that.
“I know, I…” He looks away and shakes his head. “I just have a hard time understanding your faith in that girl. But…” He raises one shoulder in a shrug. “I guess I should. I thought about doing the same for Annie.”
“You did?” I ask, leather squeaking as I shift.
He nods. “I should have. She’d still be alive.”
Liar. Thatmustbe a lie. The Sawyer I know doesn’t take chances like that. It’s the reason I’m so afraid for Lib.
Still… He looks convincing.
“Shit,” I say on a breath. My shoulders slouch as I release another. “I’m so sorry, Sawyer.”
He looks at the wall and waves me away. “Don’t be. It’s my mistake… I’m glad you got Liberty out when you could.” He clears his throat as he looks at me, tears still shining in his eyes. One drips onto his cheek, and he quickly brushes it away. “Angel, I need to tell you something.”
“Anything,” I say, leaning toward him while trying to figure out how the fuck he could fake tears like this. The doubt that’s been creeping in grows, and it makes me wildly uncomfortable.
He stares at me for a second like he’s afraid to tell me, sending a line of ants marching across my shoulders, over my neck. I hold my breath.
“Prudence is Robert Gaumond’s niece.”
The breath I’m holding gets stuck in my lungs, like someone’s just closed the valves. I look away and try not to let my expression show until I realize it’s the exact reaction I should have, even if I didn’t already have the information.
I’m shocked. Horrified. Not for the reasons that he believes, not because I’m in shock that he’d do such a thing.
I’m horrified because he just told me the truth, and that complicates things. Is this real? Is he truly coming clean to me, or are there ulterior motives here?
Enemy or ally? Which one is he?
“I’m sorry,” he rasps out, his voice cracking. I can’t look at him. “I’ve gotten so fucking greedy, I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.”
I close my eyes and don’t respond.
“Please,” he begs. “Let me make it right.”
I open my eyes and look at him, imagining my face looks impassive.
He intertwines his fingers and shuffles his hands while scooting so he’s on the edge of the recliner. “We can reach out to Liberty so they can be together. I don’t know what agreement you made with Liberty, but we can work something out with the girl too. She’s receptive.” His head tilts, and his hands lift in a ‘what do you think?’ gesture. “With Robert Gaumond dead, it kind of works out. There won’t be anyone looking for them. Hell, there’s no one who evenknowsthem.”
My eyes flick over his face, searching for a crack in his sincerity, but all I end up doing is staring.
He wants to let Elsie go? No. That isn’t possible. That doesn’t line up with anything I know about him.
Am I wrong?
I think carefully before saying anything, torn between the façade I came here with and revealing how I truly feel.
Getting both Elsie and Lib off this island would be a fucking dream. It would make all of this soeasy.