Lie, Baby, Lie ✔️

chapter twenty-four- mia

Chapter Twenty-Four

Romero must've paid a few demons off. He gets notified when Thomas's plane touches down, when he's ten minutes out, and when he's just down the road.

My heart is in my throat. Bile has risen from my stomach and I taste it. The acidity burns at me with the guilt. I sold my only family out. Yeah, Thomas has no loyalty, but he's all I have left of the people I'm related to by blood. My act of betrayal is what makes for a fitting picture— like Thomas, I'm a traitor. God, I disgust myself.

I'm by myself, huddled up on the porch when Thomas's expensive latest car rolls up. Part of me wonders if it's stolen, or a rental, or his. I don't care enough to find out.

Wade is locked in the bedroom, and Romero and his men are hiding in the trees somewhere. I'm completely isolated, ready to burst into tears. Even though Romero is lurking around somewhere, ready to get a good shot, I'm not feeling great about this. All I have to do is keep Thomas in the open, as I was instructed to by Romero, but then he steps out of the car and my instinct is to run.

Thomas races toward me, bracing my shoulders with giant hands. His grip is rough and hard. Too hard. The demons stay idling by the car, waiting for an order.

He's practically shaking me. "Did he hurt you? Did he take advantage of you? Where the fuck is he? Where the fuck is he, Mia?"

I'm staring at him with wide eyes, mouth open, no sound coming out.

"I'll kill him. I'll fucking kill him," he says, unhinged. "I'm gonna find him and take him out."

"He's not here," I whisper. "I got away from him and I don't know—"

Thomas cuts me off by covering my mouth with his hand. He's inspecting me, scrutinizing every inch of me. His other hand closes around my throat and I wince. I feel his thumb pressing down, but he's not choking me yet. No, he's—

He's feeling for my pulse.

"Your heart is racing," he points out. "Now, why might that be?"

"Because you're hurting me," I stammer out.

"Am I? You know I'd never kill you unless you gave me a reason to." He cocks his head at me. "Now, I'm only gonna ask you this once. Do you know where Wade Valdez is?"

I know there's no use trying to hide the truth. He'll know. Of course, he'll know.

Still, I utter, "No."

"Oh, Mia," he says softly. "You're such a filthy liar."

Then he kicks my feet out from under me. I hit the ground with a painful impact, landing right on my arm. When I try to move, my shoulder is hanging at an angle. A wrong angle. The pain is hot and splintering.

He just dislocated my shoulder.

He kicks me once in the gut with his boot. Enough to knock the wind out of me. He drags me up, clutching me to his chest, his arm holding me in place as I struggle.

I feel his gun before I see it. I feel the cold metal sliding along the side of my face. After dragging it out, he waves it in front of my eyes, just to make sure I take it in.

I start to sob. I'm so ashamed of myself as the urine slides down my leg, darkening my jeans. I'm going to die, I'm going to die and there isn't a word strong enough to describe the sheer fear racing through me.

Thomas says, "Is anyone else here, little sis? Anyone else I should know about?"

He probably has suspicions. He probably knows even without me telling him. Thomas has an eye for details. He's no idiot. His paranoia keeps him in power and keeps his enemies at bay. And now, his paranoia has me right in harm's way.