Page 69 of Claiming Liberty
“No.” Her eyes open, and she stares into me with something I’m beginning to recognize as love. “I mean, the first time. I don’t regret any of it. I don’t…” She purses her lips. “I don’t think it could’ve happened any differently. And I know this is probably ridiculous, but … before this, I was a prisoner. I had designer clothes and lived in a pretty home, but I was trapped. Being with you makes me feel free.”
“I could’ve done things differently,” I whisper, my stomach twisting with remorse.
“No.” She shakes her head slowly. “I don’t think you could’ve. I don’t think either of us were at a point where we would’ve been willing to walk away from our lives.”
My mouth stays closed. I don’t want to admit to her that I agree. I don’t want to make any excuses out loud. And as much as I’m ashamed to admit it…
I don’t regret anything either.
“You’re willing to walk away now, though, right?” Lib asks, her hand shifting on my chest.
My brow furrows. “Of course. It’s a little late now to question it, don’t you think?”
“Right, but I mean…” She looks off like she’s trying to think of the right way to say something. “I mean, are you ready to walk away from Sawyer? What are you going to do if he finds out about all this and…”
“And?”
She sighs and looks me in the eyes. “And he tries to get rid of evidence. Don’t you think it’s risky to just let things play out?”
I shake my head. “Enough people have died, Lib. I’m still hearing word of residents who were at Chaffer’s dropping, and people have already begun leaving the island. Chaffer will retaliate, Sawyer will eliminate him, and there won’t be anything left to hang on to. Once that happens, I’ll talk Sawyer into disappearing. I suspect he already knows it’s going to come to that.”
“Right,” Lib says, frustration entering her tone. I try not to blame her. Try not to get frustrated myself, but it’s difficult. “But if he knows he needs to disappear, why wouldn’t he kill all the women? Don’t you think it would be wise, in his position, to get rid of every witness that he can?”
“Wise, maybe. And I’m sure he will try to cover his tracks, but not by killing a manor full of innocent women. More are showing up by the hour. It’s too much for his conscience.”
“Okay, but what if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not wrong.”
“Angel, just listen to me for a minute. He—”
“Stop.”
Her face falls, and a sigh rushes out as her mouth closes. This isn’t the first time we’ve had this discussion, and every time we do, I get less and less patient. She’s convinced I’m wrong. I’m convinced she’s wrong. We never get anywhere.
While I can admit I’ve been lied to, maybe even manipulated, I’m not a puppet. Sawyer can fake a lot, but he can’t fake over a decade worth of vulnerability, insecurities, emotion, and depressing stories from his childhood. He can’t fake everything I know about him.
“He’s done some bad things, but he isn’t cruel, Lib. I know you’re convinced he is, and I understand where that’s coming from, but please, for once, just trust me.”
She’s quiet for several seconds, staring at me with pity I resent but try to understand. Eventually, she closes her eyes and tucks her face into my chest.
“It’s hard,” she whispers. “I just feel like there’s so much you’re not seeing.”
I hug her to me, her hair tickling my chin. “I know it is. But do it anyway.”
My phone goes off, and Lib groans. The time for peace is officially over.
It was nice while it lasted.
I sit up and pull my phone from my pocket. It’s a text from Chaffer.
Need to see you. Now.
Lib sits up and stares down at the text. She looks at me and shakes her head. “Don’t go.”
“I have to.”
“It could be a trap.”