The Lies I Believed

Too Late

"Come on...Pick up, pick up," I muttered mindlessly. "Asher, please."

Yeah, he's never going to pick up. How can he still be mad at me? I apologized. I'm trying to make up for what I did to him. He's never around when I really need him.

"You've reached Asher Monteil. Feel free to leave your name and number. I will contact you as soon as possible."

I gave up after being sent to his voicemail five times. Hayden wasn't picking up either. I hadn't expected him to, but we'd just hung up. It seemed logical for him to answer my call. I finally decided to call the one person who'd help me at any time. Of course, he'd say I'd have to pay him, but he might reconsider that this time.

"I know I said you could call me at any time, but this is ridiculous, gattina," Brad mumbled.

"You told me to call you whenever I needed you," I snapped.

"Don't do that."

"...Sorry."

"What do you want? I was in the middle of not killing someone."

"You still do that?" I sighed. I always thought he stopped doing that himself a long time ago. "You told me you stopped doing that."

"No, I didn't. I told you I'd try not to do it anymore."

"Same thing."

"Lexi, what do you want? I don't think I can keep the screams to a minimum, if he finds out I'm on the phone."

"Ugh, I'm pregnant."

He was silent. Did he forget what we discussed before?

"Are you serious? Right now? It's four in the morning!"

"One."

"That doesn't matter. It couldn't wait until we both got some rest?"

"I mean...I don't know. I'm waiting for the other test."

"How much longer?"

"...Just a couple more seconds. I decided I wanted to tell you first. Asher wouldn't pick up."

"Ugh, I'm so tired of that boy. I've told him time and time again to look after you, but he refuses to do that. He's supposed to be down there, but he's still mad, isn't he?"

"Unfortunately." I pulled the phone away from my ear and listened. Whatever was outside had to be gone, but I wasn't taking any chances. Sleeping in the bathtub is the last thing I want to do, but it beats getting attacked in my room. I have an array of weapons to use.

"Did you call your brother and tell him?" Brad asked.

"I tried, but he must be busy with something else." I broke off the handle of the plunger. "There's not much I can do, at the moment. If all goes well, I can tell them both in the morning."

"Why don't you come back early? I'm sure your friends will understand. We'll start making preparations."

"Are you sure? It's still so early in the morning?"

"You shouldn't be alone, gattina. What does the test say?"

Just as he asked, the front door burst open. I had to stop myself from screaming. There's no way Aaron knows I don't have his files. Not unless...

"It's positive." I choked out a small cry. "Please...help."

"She's in there!"

I dropped my phone as the bathroom door burst open. How did he guess that I was in here? There's no way he searched the house in the few seconds he's been inside.

"You thought I wasn't going to know?" Aaron stepped over the threshold and stared me down. "No matter how good you are at keeping secrets from others, no one can keep a secret from me. Those men need those files. I need those files. Are you going to tell me where you hid them?"

"I didn't hide them!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, really? If you don't have them, then where are they?"

"...In New York."

"New York?" Aaron continued to glare at me before laughing. "New York! Gentlemen, this wonderful lady here just said my files are in New York. The one place I didn't want them to be. Can you imagine how pissed off I am?"

"No, sir."

"You should! I hope you understand I'm doing this to get back my things," he said. "Lexi, it didn't have to be like this."

"How do you know my name?" I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Did you really think I was going after some random person? God, you really are slow."

I'm offended.

"I can just call someone to get it back for you. My brother will send it to you."

"...No, no. That's not what I want." He took a step towards me. "Where's the fun in asking nicely? You're coming with me."

"No, I'm not." I took a step back. "You can't make me. Even if you do take me, everyone is going to come after you."

"Yeah, yeah. I can deal with them just as easily. You don't know how much power I hold. I know the people you call your allies. If they really wanted to protect you from danger, your husband wouldn't have left."

"...You're basically saying you're not a threat to them."

"I wasn't before, but now I am. They just don't know it yet. Boys, grab her. There's a lot of people who are dying to meet you."

"Dad!" I screeched. Aaron let his men into the bathroom. "Call Hayden! Get the files!"

"Daddy can't help you."