Hidden Lies (The Hidden Series Book 2)

by Kristin Coley

  “Can we call it a night?” Connor worked to get his gloves off, tangling the tape wrapped around his hand and getting stuck. Jules came to his rescue, teasing him, “You aren’t tired, are you?”

  “More like my ego can’t handle any more today,” he muttered, throwing me a cross look. I laughed and mouthed, “Mountain man.” He shuddered, and heaved Jules to him in a hug.

  “Oh, God. You stink, sir,” she told him, laughing as she tried to wriggle away. It only served to encourage him though, as he rubbed on her, not releasing her, until she cried, “Uncle.”

  “Same time next week?” There were a couple groans, namely from Connor, but everyone nodded. Our regular practices kept us prepared, mentally and physically. So far, we’d been lucky and hadn’t needed to use the training, but I had a feeling our luck was running out. I glanced over at Carly, who was smiling at something Danny had said to her. My gaze slid to him, and I wondered if I was doing the right thing. My instincts warred with my mind, where he was concerned.

  A nudge drew me from my thoughts, and Jules gave me an enquiring look. I reached over, giving her a sideways hug, and she reciprocated.

  “You’re not mad?” I felt her worry in the question, and shook my head.

  “Of course not. We’re friends. Are you mad, because I found out without you telling me?” My look was droll, and she opened her mouth to respond before closing it, smiling.

  “Good point. And no.” She paused, and gave me a painful smile. “It’s hard to talk about. You’d think by now it wouldn’t be, but ….”

  “Now you have a reason to regret the fact,” I said, knowing she wished she could have a child with Connor.

  “He’d be such a great dad,” Jules admitted, her words raspy with unshed tears.

  “There are other possibilities,” I attempted to encourage her. Jules was normally driven to succeed, but this felt insurmountable to her at the moment. Her head bobbed, and I wrapped my arms more tightly around her.

  “You’ve got me, kid.” This garnered a rough chuckle from her.

  “Will we ever have a baby of our own?” The question spilled from her in a rush, and I know it had been weighing on her. As often as I told them I couldn’t answer questions about the future, it was difficult to resist the urge, especially when the question was so personal.

  “I don’t know.” It hurt to admit to her that I didn’t know. I couldn’t see anything from her question beyond her desperate desire to know. I wished I could lay to rest that last worry she had about marrying Connor, and tying him to her with no possibility of children.

  “I just wish …”

  “I know. I wish I could give you the answer.”

  The door in my mind beckoned, and I knew then it’s true threat. To know, to give peace to Jules, made me consider opening the door. My friends around me could draw me back, but at what risk? I fought the urge to find out, resisting the allure of finding what the future held for us. The reasonable part of me knew how risky that path would be, and it fought with my emotions.

  “Addie!” Connor called, tearing me from my dangerous thoughts.

  “He bellows for you,” Jules commented, a small moue forming. I laughed, untangling our arms and walking over to him.

  I jumped on him, forcing him to catch me, as I clung like a monkey to his neck. He shifted me, so I was riding piggyback.

  “I promise to go easy on you next week,” I told him, tugging on his hair. He groaned, letting go of one of my legs to rub his ribs.

  “You damn near broke me today,” he said, hunching over and hamming it up.

  “Good, you deserved it.”

  “Maybe.”

  “No maybe about it.”

  He twisted his head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of my face, so I popped my head around.

  “What happened with Jules? Y’all good?” I nodded, thinking about his questions.

  “You gonna tell me?” I sighed, considering. It was going to tear him up knowing what she’d asked me, but at the same time, I thought he should know what he was up against.

  “She asked if y’all would ever have a baby of your own.”

  I caught the pain on his face as he turned his head. I squeezed him extra tight around his shoulders where I was hanging on. “I couldn’t see, but you know I can’t see the future.”

  “It doesn’t bother me!” he burst out, keeping his voice low, so we wouldn’t be overheard. “The kid thing. We’ll adopt, or we won’t. I’d rather spend my life with Jules, instead of any other woman who might be able to give me kids.”

  “I know. I hear you loud and clear. But she thinks you’d make a great dad, and it’s got her all twisted up.”

  “Well, she needs to be untwisted,” he declared, to my amusement.

  “I can’t think of a better man for the job.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Always, but what’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “The proposal.”

  I closed one eye, trying to figure out the leap in conversation.

  “Ooookay?”

  He huffed, twisting to look at me, and then unceremoniously dropped me. I landed on my feet, my cat-like reflexes saving me, plus the fact he’d crouched down and I’d dropped maybe two inches didn’t hurt.

  “The proposal has to be perfect. It has to show her that she’s it for me. Babies or no babies, we’re in this together—forever. She’s what I dream about.”

  I sighed, still surprised when Connor managed to say the exact right thing.

  “Remember that. Because I think you nailed the words. Any woman would be swept away by a proposal like that.”

  “It’s just how I feel. I don’t do pretty words very well.”

  “You don’t need to,” I told him with a shrug. “Sincerity trumps pretty words any day.”

  “But I want those too. It’s gotta be the whole package. She deserves it. I want her to know she is all I ever want in this life.”

  Traitorous dampness filled my eyes, and I attempted to wipe it away before he saw. Stupid Connor and his heartfelt words.

  “Are you crying?” He was incredulous, and I sniffed.

  “No,” I lied, straight to his face and redirected the conversation. “So, do you have an idea of how you want this proposal to go?”

  “Not yet. Well, I have ideas. But I need you to find out what she really wants. And rings. You gotta help me find the perfect ring.”

  I gave a deep sigh, as if he was asking way too much, but the crestfallen expression on his face wouldn’t let me keep up the act.

  I saluted him, and his head jerked in surprise.

  “I accept this mission, and will not falter in my task. I will work tirelessly to discover the information you seek.” He shook his head, but smiled at my antics.

  “See that you do,” he replied sharply, and I nodded, turning on my heel to go back to Jake.

  We watched everyone leave as we walked to my car. He’d ridden with Connor over to the gym, so I was taking him back to his apartment.

  “Stay with me tonight?” he asked, playing with my hand in his.

  “I have an early class tomorrow,” I replied, toying with him. “Whatever will people think if I show up wearing the same clothes I had on today?”

  “That you have a very lucky boyfriend?”

  I laughed, knowing I would stay. It was surprising he still had any clothes left, because my borrowing tended to turn into never giving back. I wore his clothes more often than my own.

  We stepped into the elevator, and after pressing the button for his floor, he spun me around. Our lips met, and I leaned against him, his legs spread, so I nestled between them.

  “All afternoon, I’ve thought about you and me.”

  “In an elevator? Really? I’m learning all kinds of things about you today,” I whispered, as his lips traced a trail down my neck, settling into the curve, and he kissed a spot that made me gasp. He chuckled, his lips moving against the sensitive skin.

  “Ele
vator, bed, office, car. You name it and I’m there,” he murmured against my ear, his hot breath sending a shiver through me, or maybe it was his words.

  The ding of the elevator opening interrupted us, but luckily, we’d only arrived at his floor and hadn’t embarrassed any old ladies. He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He kept kissing me as he walked us down the hall to his door. I drew his face toward mine, deepening the kiss, needing his tongue against mine. He pressed me against the door, his hand against my ass as he gave me what I demanded. I heard his keys hit the floor as his other hand brushed against my breast. I arched, and he flicked his thumb against my nipple.

  “Jake,” I moaned, my legs tightening around his hips, causing him to thrust against me lightly. He dragged his lips from mine, nipping my lower lip.

  “I need to get us inside before I have to explain to the new captain why I was arrested for indecent exposure.”

  He shifted, leaning down to get the keys he’d dropped, placing his head level with my breasts. He brushed his lips across them, and my nipples puckered at the light sensation. A second later, he had the key in the door and we were inside.

  A few steps later, and I was pressed into the couch, his heavy weight on top of me. I slid one of my legs down his, tangling us together as our lips met and our tongues dueled. My hands found themselves under his shirt, running along the planes of his back, the heavy muscles shifting as he kept his weight from crushing me.

  I pushed the shirt up, wanting him to take it off, and he shifted up, grabbing the neck of it with one hand and pulling it off in a quick motion. He reached down, sliding both of his hands under my shirt and working it up. He made sure to touch every inch of me as he pushed it up, sliding his hand around my back to unhook my bra, while he was at it.

  He leaned down, pressing his mouth to my bare stomach, when we heard the phone ring. I felt his groan against my skin as he sat up.

  “You’ve got to fucking be kidding me.” My laugh was only slightly frustrated. We’d been interrupted more than once by his work. “Where is my phone?” He scanned the room, still kneeling between my legs and shirtless, so I enjoyed the view of his muscles as he twisted around, finally spotting his phone on the side table where he’d dumped his keys.

  “Kincaid,” he barked, more than a little frustrated by our interruption, based on the large bulge I could see pressing against the soft cloth of his workout pants. His finger traced a pattern on my stomach as he listened, and I could tell it was an address. Jake swore that writing or tracing the numbers helped him to remember them. “Alright, I’ll be there in a few.” His expression was contrite as he gazed down at me, closing his eyes momentarily as the bulge in his pants twitched. A smile flickered across my lips, knowing he had no desire to leave. He leaned down, giving me a hard kiss and a promise to be back soon. Moments later, he’d tugged on his shirt and was out the door.

  I straightened my clothes and hopped up to take a shower. Might as well get the sweat from our earlier workout off, since we weren’t working up to another one. He wasn’t back by the time I finished showering, so I knew he’d be late getting in. I sprawled back on the couch, wearing one of his t-shirts and flipped the television on.

  Hours later, I was awakened, when he picked me up.

  “Shh, go back to sleep,” he whispered, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. I rested my head on his shoulder as he cradled me in his arms, asleep again before he’d even laid me on the bed.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  His soft words caught me by surprise. It was still dark outside, and I thought he was asleep. Perhaps tracing my fingers over his chest had woken him up.

  Oops.

  I snuggled my head against him, and he placed a kiss against my hair.

  “I’m not sure. A penny for all of my thoughts? Seems a little cheap to me. Maybe a penny per thought,” I replied, trying to sort out the tangle of thoughts that were keeping me awake when I should be sleeping. I felt him reach over to the nightstand and a few seconds later say,

  “Eighty-seven.”

  I tilted my head up inquiringly, and he held out his hand. I cupped my own hand, and he poured the change into it.

  “Eighty-seven cents. So, I believe that affords me eighty-seven thoughts.” I curled my fingers to keep the money from escaping, and smiled.

  “Connor wants help proposing to Jules.” I felt him start in surprise, and remembered he didn’t know about the whole marriage thing.

  Well, damn.

  “I met a couple psychics. Real ones.” This time, I felt his head turn, but kept going. “I had a vision. Of the future. One I think is real.”

  “And?” he asked, knowing this was the one weighing on me the heaviest.

  “It was Carly. She was hurt, and I don’t know when or why.” He held me tighter, as tears escaped me. He ran his finger over my cheek, catching them.

  “Anything else?”

  “I think Danny is the one that’s going to hurt her.” The next words spilled out in a rush, unable to be contained any longer. “And there’s a door in my head, one that could give me the answers, but the cost … I don’t know what the cost would be.” I bit my lip as I admitted the last piece, ashamed that my fear outweighed my desire to protect Carly.

  “The cost is too high. It’s dangerous, that’s what you’re telling me.” I nodded my head against his chest, unwilling to look at him. “Addie, knowing what might happen is not worth you endangering yourself. Any of us would tell you that. Including Carly.”

  “But what if she … what if something happens to her, and I didn’t do everything in my power to stop it?”

  “Sweetheart, I love you, but you’re putting too much pressure on yourself. This ability of yours—it’s a gift. One that has helped us on multiple occasions, but visions are not exact, and not a one of us thinks differently. What you see might happen—might—and we both know the future can change. You’ve proven that.” He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes. “This door you’re talking about; it’s opened before, hasn’t it?”

  I nodded, unable to break the stare he had me locked in. “Jules was the first to open it. That night.” I waved my hand and sat cross-legged next to him. “She asked the question, and it was suddenly there. Nothing but a black void.” He rested his hand on my thigh, his thumb stroking my skin. “The next time, I was at Mom’s. She asked me something, and I woke up on the floor, with her screaming in my face.” His face was tight with worry, or maybe fear, emotions I was becoming intimately familiar with myself. “That time, I saw flashes in the blackness. Images. I think they were the future and the past. Just infinite possibilities.” His fingers had tightened on my leg with my words, and I set my hand on his. “The psychics … they’re a guy and his grandmother. She told me to leave the door alone. Never open it, unless someone could pull me back.”

  He was shaking his head, even as I said it. “No, that door stays shut. Do you hear me?” He leaned forward, his face in mine. “Possibilities. You said it yourself. Infinite possibilities. You could lose yourself in a place like that. And the risk isn’t worth it. Not for a chance to know what might happen.” He held my gaze, and the turmoil of his own emotions, the knot of fear, worry, and anxiety he felt at the thought of losing me to my own mind, slammed into me with his unintended question. I swayed at the force of them, my own face reflecting his emotions.

  “I’m sorry.” He cupped my face, kissing my cheek. “So sorry. I didn’t mean to push my emotions onto you. I should have been more careful.” I felt his head shake against my cheek. “The idea of a door in your mind, one that could be opened with a stray question. God, that’s terrifying.”

  “I know.” My hands gripped him, and he tugged me on to his lap. “But it’s better now.”

  “How could it be better?” he asked, his confusion apparent.

  “You know now. We can face it together.” I ran my fingers over the rough stubble on his cheek. “You can
pull me back, if the door opens. I know without a doubt; you can bring me back.”

  He blinked his eyes closed for a second. “Your faith amazes me.” He hugged me close, and I ran my lips along his jaw, the prickle from his stubble tickling my skin. It was a relief to have everything out in the open. I hadn’t realized how heavy the secrets had become, and while telling Connor had relieved some of the burden, it was nothing compared to Jake knowing. He’d been the first person I’d ever revealed my ability to, and in many ways, was the only one who understood the toll it took on me.

  “And what do you mean, Connor wants help proposing?” I winced, hearing the betrayal mixed with anger in his voice, and sought to soothe him.

  “He’s going to ask your permission. He just wants a perfect proposal. He thinks Jules deserves it.” I gave him a confident smile as he grumbled, “She damn well deserves it, putting up with him.”

  “This is true.”

  “Damn, he’s going to be my brother-in-law.” I laughed as he shook his head. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

  “She loves him, and he loves her. You should feel good about it,” I told him, pressing a kiss against his lips. He kissed me back, his lips moving against mine intently as his hand slipped under the t-shirt I was wearing. He ran his hand along my hip, shifting me forward as I wound my hands around his neck. His other hand brushed the bottom of my breast, causing my nipples to tighten, and I moaned. The sound had him flipping me on my back, his mouth pressed against my neck as his hands roamed freely under the shirt.

  The blare of the alarm interrupted us, and he stared at me in disbelief. “You’ve got to fucking be kidding me.” He peered down at the bulge tenting his sleep pants and shook his head. “At this rate, I’m going to run out of baseball stats to recite.” I laughed, my own frustration overridden by the exasperation on his face.

  “You think this is funny? Do you?” I saw his intent, but it was too late, as he’d started tickling me, catching one of my flailing feet in his hand and making me laugh helplessly as he tickled me remorselessly.