“Well, you look more like a woman now,” I goad Shelly when she asks if her outfit is suitable for the party. It probably isn’t the best reply, but I’m still reeling from everything.
“Fuck you, dipshit,” she replies, and I chuckle.
“Come on, let’s go see the family,” I sigh.
“Will she be there?”
“Probably,” I answer. Shelly knows all about Via and she knows our history. Unfortunately, when you work as part of a team and do it for so long, you need to air all your dirty laundry and any skeletons you’re holding onto. It takes away any leverage that could be used as blackmail. She knows everything about me. And I know all about her. Shelly’s had a pretty shit life, and unlike me, she has no family, but she’s a survivor.
“Shit. What do you need me to do tonight? Want me to be a bad girlfriend or sweet and innocent?” she asks genuinely trying to do what’s best for me.
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “Just be a normal girlfriend… polite, friendly, all that good stuff.”
“Ten, four,” she says with a salute, and I arch my eyebrow. She shrugs. “What? I like her.”
“I know you do.” Shelly thinks Via has spunk. She likes her, and she hasn’t even met her yet. “Come on, we need to get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can slip away.”
“Whatever you say, love of my life.” She bats her eyelashes at me.
I shake my head. Shelly rarely jests with anyone. She’s as cold and dark as me, but when we’re alone, or when she has to put on an act, she can be funny, silly, and more like her twenty-four years. Pity we rarely get to allow that side of us to thrive. This assignment and being near my family has been the first time in almost a year where we’ve had to act like a couple for any length of time. Plus, on all the other occasions, it has been with strangers. My family knows me, even if they don’t know who I am now. It makes acting all the more difficult—not to mention Via.
Shit.
LIV
“What should I do?”
“Get shitfaced,” Helena answers with a shrug, then goes back to packing her bag.
“This is serious,” I whine, plonking myself down on her bed. She’s going to visit her grandparents for a couple of days. They’re the only family she has, but they live up north, so she only goes to visit them a couple of times a year.
“I’m serious. Drink everything you can get your hands on and don’t look at him or her all night.” Her eyes search around for something, then she jumps up and rushes over to the bedside table. “Here, I was going to give you this for your birthday.” Roaming my face with her eyes, she grasps a black box in her hand and thrusts it toward me. “You seem like you might need it earlier.” She hands it to me winking.
With cautious fingers I prise open the box and pull out a brand new vibrator. I look down at the huge black object in my hand, then back into my friend. “Well, it’s better than a voodoo doll.”
Helena bursts out laughing. “Right, let’s hustle. Put on something sexy.”
I’ve never been nervous attending a family function before. I guess there’s a first time for everything. As I push through the swinging double doors of the local karaoke bar, I spot my family front and centre. This was their thing—my parents, aunts, and uncles. They used to sing at a regular place in Brighton. When that place closed down, they decided to pool their resources and buy a lounge club in London, which they then turned into a karaoke bar. Five years ago they sold it, but it’s still their frequent haunt, especially on special occasions like today.
“Livvie!” shouts my plastered-looking mum.
“Mum.” I smile as she collides with my chest and hugs me hard. My mum and I are very similar. Our personalities, both quiet, but also fiery, and if I weren’t tatted up and my hair bleached, then our looks would be considered similar too. As much as I look like my mum, I have my dad’s eyes. Staring over my tornado of a mother’s shoulder, I meet his gaze as he closes in on me. In that instant, I’m Daddy’s little girl again, and I want to cry.
“Liv,” my dad whispers as mum lets me go, and I almost throw myself into my dad’s chest. “Are you okay?” he asks me quietly.
“I’m fine, Dad,” I murmur, absorbing his love and knowing nothing can hurt me when I’m in his arms.
“Isaac!” My mum shouts, and I stiffen, closing my eyes.
“You want to talk about it, baby girl?” Dad offers rubbing his hand up and down my back, and I relax a little
“No… no.”
“I’m always here, Olivia. Always,” he says pulling back and kissing me on the forehead. I smile up at him, making sure not to look back. Stepping to the side, I walk over to the rest of my family making a beeline for Tobias.
“Toby,” I whimper pathetically as I step toward him.
“Here.” He offers me his arm, sadness in his eyes, and I tuck myself into him taking comfort in the shelter of his body.
As I stand next to Toby, with his arm around my shoulders and fingers running up and down the top of my arm soothing me, Isaac and his girlfriend step up to us. I don’t meet his eyes, I can’t. Not until he grinds out my name. “Via…”
His voice is like a command my body automatically reacts to, and my eyes move of their own accord darting to his. I see a simmering anger aimed at me. There’s something he’s trying to keep contained as his stare bounces between Toby and me, finally landing on my arm. His eyes narrow and his lips thin. I can almost feel the jealousy vibrating from him and I frown chancing a quick glance to Shelly. I figure she can feel it too. Her frustration is clear as she elbows him in the side and I try not to giggle.
“Hi, I’m Shelly.” She offers me her hand. Searching her face for anger or bitchiness, I’m surprised but pleased when I don’t see anything negative, so I take her hand and smile back.
“Hello, I’m Olivia, Isaac’s cousin,” I add and notice him stiffen.
Toby steps in. “Hello again, Shelly.”
“Hi Tobias,” she replies with a tentative smile. Although I don’t get the feeling she’s a bitch, I do feel like she’s suddenly hiding something.
“It’s Toby, please,” he replies smiling.
She giggles and tucks her hair behind her ear and my eyes widen as I stare between the two of them. There’s an obvious chemistry here, and I’m startled by it. I once again look at Isaac. His jaw works as he watches the moment between his brother and his girlfriend play out. I feel both a stab of jealousy and a wave of sadness.
“Nice to meet you,” I rush out. “Come on,” I snap at Toby, grabbing his arm which was around my shoulders, I drag him with me. “What the fuck was that?” I hiss as we find some privacy.
“What?” he asks with a bite and a dark look. I take a step back as my heart throbs in my chest. My God, he looks like Isaac. I rub my eyes, and Toby’s stare darkens. Stepping back again I slam into a hand dryer which whirs to life.
“Fuck,” I gasp, then frown.
A hand dryer? Shaking my head, I look around and realise we’re in a disabled toilet.
“It’s always him. Every fucking thing is about him,” Toby mumbles to himself.
“Toby?” I call, trying to break his focus, but he’s gone somewhere. His body is here, but his mind isn’t. I’m not sure if he can even see me right now, this isn’t a side of him I’m used to. His anguish is etched across his chiselled face, and I’m in the extraordinary position of not knowing what to do.
Out of the three brothers, I was always closest to Isaac growing up, but Toby and Isaac were best friends. Since he left, Toby and I have filled that void with each other. Yet, I’ve never seen him like this, and I’m slightly rattled. He paces back and forth like a caged animal in the small space, his movements push me into the corner. “I love him… he’s my brother,” Toby continues mumbling to himself, then he stops pacing and looks at his feet while rubbing the back of his neck.
“Toby,” I murmur, not sure what to say as I wring my hands.
“Don’t,” he snaps at
breakneck speed.
Frowning at his response and slapping my palm on the wall, the storm inside is suddenly rumbling. “What the fuck is your problem?” I grind out.
“You. Him. All of it,” he barks as a loud bang hits the door.
“What the fuck is going on in there?” I hear the deep growl of Isaac and close my eyes for a second, unsure whether I’m relieved or not.
“Always him.” Then, as if it’s happening in slow motion, Toby throws the bottle from his hand. It’s such a small room that I dart back thinking it’s going to hit me, instead the bottle slams into the mirror behind me. I slip twisting as I lose my footing and throw my hands out trying desperately to grip onto something, but all my fingers find is the broken mirror. As I fall, the shards slice into my hand, after which my head smashes into the toilet.
Darkness blurs the edges of my vision. Toby’s wide eyes are the last thing I see before the light fades completely.
ISAAC
“What the fuck, Toby,” I growl as the door opens. All I can see is Via on the ground with blood running along her arm. I scramble down, and Toby’s muttering fades out like white noise as all my attention shifts to her, my fucking everything.
“Ambulance.” I glance up at Shelly, she’s all action now. Shelly passes the phone to a shocked Toby and crouches down next to me, grabbing Via’s arm and holding it up. “Give me something to put pressure on it,” she grunts at me while trying to rouse Olivia.
Wake the fuck up, dipshit. I curse myself internally then snap into action. First things first. I look at Toby. “She better fucking be okay,” I hiss, but his eyes don’t move from her body. I pull my shirt off, thankful that I have a thermal on underneath—although that wouldn’t have stopped me—and tie it around her wrist, running it through her fingers and putting pressure on her palm. Leaning over her, I push Shelly to one side as Via’s eyes flutter open and shut again. “Via, baby,” I murmur low, trying to exhale my fear along with her name.
“Isaac?” she rasps. “W-What…” Blinking, Via’s eyes move around the tiny space. I can almost see her thoughts frantically working, trying to piece the night back together. I take a second to wonder why my brother and my… my… Via, were in a disabled toilet, but push it away as my teeth crunch against each other.
“Shit, Liv, I’m so sorry,” Toby chokes out, kneeling next to her.
“Back the fuck away,” I snarl, and his eyes flit to mine, wariness and pain shimmering on the surface, but right now I don’t care. All I know is Via is bleeding, in pain, and he was the only one in here with her, I can’t think past that. I know my brother would never hurt her intentionally. I love him. He’s my brother and my best friend, but she owns my heart. Even though I’ll never tell her, she is my world, and if someone tries to hurt her, I will stop them, hurt them. I’ll stand in between her and anyone.
Anyone.
No matter who they are.
“Excuse me, sir.” I drop my head back and turn toward the voice. I quickly move when I realise it’s a paramedic, but I thread my fingers through Via’s on her good hand.
“Olivia!” I hear the shout and close my eyes. I had forgotten where we were for a moment. This shit has to stop. I know everything. Every inch of my surroundings, and every person in the vicinity, the escape routes and all the instruments around me that I could use to kill someone. Getting within ten feet of Via and everything I’ve learnt, everything I know, fades away, leaving only my feelings, my heart. Nothing exists beyond her, and when she’s near I forget who I’ve become—who I really am.
“Shit.” I pull my hand away and wipe it down my face. I catch her sad eyes and lean over kissing her temple as the other paramedic huffs. I twist my head toward him and glare, he jerks away, and I turn back to Via, my eyes softening. “I need to go talk to your mum. Do you want me to come to the hospital?”
“No. I’ll be fine.” She pushes the words out through gritted teeth, and I don’t know whether it’s because she’s in pain physically or emotionally.
“Isaac,” Shelly urges with a controlled frustration.
Ignoring her, I stare at Via. “I was gone, Via, and I know that I hurt you… but please believe me when I tell you that although I was gone, you never were. Not from me. Not for a second.” Her sharp inhale causes a penetrating, stabbing sensation in my chest as her eyes fill with tears. I don’t know why I had to tell her that, I just did.
Dragging my body away from hers, I push past the paramedic, Toby, and Shelly who have all filled the small space. Once I’m in the hallway I lean down and brace myself on my knees catching my breath. Glancing up, my eyes meet my dad’s and then Uncle Dane’s next to him. They wear a matching look of concern, and I can clearly see their brotherly resemblance. The other paramedic is now talking to Uncle Con and Aunt Pea. My dad edges toward me, but I stand and shake my head sharply before striding outside.
I need a moment, there’s an anger inside, and if I don’t pull it back into check, I might combust. Marching down the back alley through the darkness to where my car is parked, I stop and take in a lungful of the crisp night air. It pierces my chest like an alien invasion, and I cough trying to regain some composure.
“Isaac.” Shelly breaks the quiet moment. I squeeze my eyelids shut and pull my scattered thoughts together. “You’re too close,” she pauses seeming to weigh up her words. “We’ve worked together for years, Isaac, I’ve never seen you like this, so… messy.”
My head dips, and I lock our eyes. “Don’t.” The word burns through me.
Shelly sighs and lowers her head, but then her eyes meet mine once again, and there’s a fire in them, which means she’s going to say what she wants. I clamp my teeth together, grinding my molars, but I let her say her piece. She has saved my arse on numerous occasions, so it’s the least I owe her.
“You’ve never been anything but professional, Isaac.” Shelly slumps back against the car as I watch some of the fight drain out of her. “Cold. That’s how you’ve lived. I’ve only ever seen a softer side to you on very rare occasions. Then we come here... ” flinging her arm out, she gestures to the darkness, the nothingness that surrounds us, “… you’ve changed, Isaac.”
I look at her, some of my anger simmering down.
“I’ve seen you happy since you’ve been here, not glimpses… not just glimpses.” The words die on her tongue as she looks away again. Leaning forward, Shelly wraps her arms around her stomach and grips on tight. I watch the knuckles on her hands as they blanch under her clenched fists.
“I like you happy, Isaac.” I frown, not sure why her words surprise me. Twisting her neck, she stares up into my eyes. “But this isn’t who you need to be if you want to continue being one of us.” Shelly reminds me who I am and it feels like ice chips being shoved down my throat.
Pulling the car door open and gesturing to the other side, telling her non-verbally to get in, I throw her words back at her, sensing I’m not the only one conflicted. “Who are you trying to convince Shelly? Me… or you?”
Pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes, she glares at me, but then, without even blinking, she disappears into the car leaving my question hanging in the air.
“How is she?”
“She’ll be fine, her hand is stitched up, they only want to keep her in overnight because of her mild concussion,” my dad answers down the phone.
“Good.”
“Isaac—”
“Don’t.”
“Isaac, you will hear me,” my dad orders. I don’t reply, I just wait on the phone trying desperately to bite my tongue. “You need to speak to Toby.”
“No,” I spit.
“Yes. He’s really upset with himself.”
“He fucking should be.”
“Isaac, he’s your brother, he loves you.”
I stop cleaning the pieces of my gun and shake my head. “Fine. Where is he?”
“He’s still at the hospital.”
“He’s there?” I slam my fist down.
“He’s family, Isaac. You know full well that no matter what happened, Liv will want to see him. Anyway, I hate to remind you of this, but he’s been her constant for the last five years… him.”
Fuck me, it hurts so damn much to know that my brother took care of my girl… my cousin, dammit. I shake my head trying to ward off the unwanted thoughts.
“I know, Dad, I’ll talk to him, okay?”
My dad’s audible relief unlocks something inside, and I feel like shit for making him worry.
“Gotta go.” I rush out, cutting off the call when I see Shelly hastening her step toward me.
“What is it?” I demand, completely alert and primed, ready for action.
“There’s been movement at Crackers. Darwin called, they’ve spotted Milton’s men entering and leaving over the last six hours.”
“Fuck, why didn’t someone tell me?”
“They have, just now. We were busy, and nothing happened so they kept watch.”
“What’s changed?” I put my gun back together and gather my favourite knives.
“The assignment has been spotted. They took him in a few minutes ago.”
“Fuck.” I close my eyes and slow my mind down.
“This is good, it’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Shelly tells me something I already know.
Opening my eyes, I mumble out my orders, “Tell Darwin not to move. I’ll call him shortly, and I want a blow by blow if anything happens. Tell Victor and Clint to watch the house, if this is a trap, I don’t want them getting to Craig and Nicola.”
Shelly nods and rushes out to relay my instructions.
Taking a second to box away all the fucking clutter currently clogging my mind, I pull out my phone. I need to be clear, completely. If I’m not totally on my game, I die. Others die. It’s that simple in my line of work. “Right,” I murmur, and as the word slides off my tongue, my head is back in the game. I’m Kane again. Black Ops. The killer. I’m fucking ready. Pressing the touchscreen of my phone, I place it next to my ear.
Twisted Truth (Truth Vs Lie Book 1) Page 6