Buried Lies (Hidden Truths)

by Brittney Sahin

  “Until Olivia’s free, you’ll never get the chip,” Connor said smoothly as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and tugged me closer. Shielding me.

  Declan looked over at Andrei and Oleg. What was he thinking? My heart was thrashing wildly in my chest, and I wasn’t sure if I could remember how to breathe. Different scenarios, each with alternate outcomes, played out in mind.

  “What do you propose?” Declan clasped his hands in front of him and trained his eyes on Connor.

  “You let Olivia go, and I get you the chip. But she comes with me, and I make sure she’s released. Then the chip is yours.”

  “Where’s the chip?” Declan asked in a low voice, hiding his anger behind a thin veil.

  “At the bank,” Connor replied, and I maneuvered around to his side, curious to read Declan’s features.

  “Might as well open your father’s box while we’re there.” Declan pointed to the cages. “The bank opens at eight in the morning. We’ll leave then. You’ll be sleeping there for tonight.”

  Oh God, not again.

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” Connor shook his head.

  “If you really want to swap your life for this woman, then get in the damn cage!” Declan’s voice exploded throughout the room. The music above increased just in time to mask his shout.

  “It’s okay,” I whispered.

  “Olivia,” Connor’s voice was a plea as I willingly re-entered the cage. Blake moved past Connor and was quick to lock me back up. Glowering at him, I forced myself to ask, “Where’s Sean?”

  “Unfortunately, he has to die.” Blake removed the key from the lock and stepped up next to the empty cage, which sat a few feet away from mine.

  Connor stared at me behind bars. Then he lowered his head and moved inside the second small prison. There was no way I’d let Connor die for me, but I also knew Connor had no intention of doing that. Connor was never without a plan.

  Blake locked Connor’s cage and pressed his palms against the bars, staring at him. “Is her pussy really worth dying for? I sure as hell don’t think so. And believe me, I know . . .”

  Connor sprang forward, his hand reaching between the bars and grasping Blake by the throat. His eyes grew wide as his skin turned crimson.

  Blake pushed away from the cage, breaking from Connor’s grip and kneeled over, coughing.

  “Come on—leave the two lovers alone. It’s their last night together.” Declan motioned for Andrei and Oleg to head toward the set of stairs that led out of the basement.

  Blake re-approached the cage. “After you die, I’m going to fuck her again. And she’s going to like it,” he said in a low voice before Connor slammed one palm to the metal frame.

  How could I not have known the kind of man he was? I knew he was dominant and controlling, but no—he was a fucking psychopath. I shrank against the back of the cage as Blake followed Declan up the stairs.

  “So, you’re FBI?”

  I wasn’t all that surprised that he knew. I just wish it had been me who told him. If only I hadn’t listened to Blake, things could’ve been different right now. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but—”

  Connor held up his hand and leaned against the back of the narrow cage. “You don’t need to apologize. Trust me,” he said in a low voice.

  I didn’t expect that. “My boss, Blake, he’s on Konstantin’s payroll.”

  Connor’s eyes grew round. “Makes sense. I knew they had to have someone on the inside. There was no way they could have manipulated all this from the outside.” He was surprisingly calm, and I hoped that meant he wasn’t worried.

  “I’m sorry about what he said to you.” My face flushed with embarrassment.

  “That was Blake?” I saw him swallow as his hands curled into fists at his sides. Yeah, I wanted a piece of the prick, too.

  “He actually used my history with Konstantin. They chose your father’s company to prey on because they thought they could use our relationship to their advantage.” I wasn’t sure if they were recording us, but they weren’t about to learn anything new if they were.

  Connor took a few breaths. “They threatened my father. Sent him photos of me, Mason, my mother, and even you. If he didn’t work with Declan and make the Saudi deal, then they’d kill one or all of us.”

  “Me? Wow. They must have gotten their information mixed up. Your father wouldn’t care about me.” I was surprised to hear his father hadn’t willingly entered the deal. I never liked the man, so it hadn’t been a far stretch for me to imagine he’d partner with Declan to save his company. I guess I’d been wrong.

  I never would have thought that my ex-boyfriend would somehow lead to all of this, but I guess it takes the mind of a criminal to think up such an absurd idea.

  “My father felt guilty about you,” Connor admitted after a few long minutes of silence.

  “What? For calling me white trash and saying I was using you for your money?” I didn’t mean to say that. This wasn’t the time or the place, but my anger with his father ran so deep I couldn’t hold myself back.

  Connor’s sun-kissed skin lightened. “He said that to you?” He held on to the bars and hung his head low. “Olivia, it’s more than that.”

  I wasn’t sure if I could handle any more revelations. I’d met my max for a lifetime.

  “My father felt guilty because he lied to me about you.”

  My eyes remained on Connor’s bowed head, but I couldn’t speak.

  “He came home from the hospital showing me paperwork for a D&C. An abortion. He said that you demanded he pay your hospital bill because you didn’t have insurance. And he told me that he offered you money if you’d end things with me. Fifty-thousand.” Connor looked up, and my hand was pressed to my chest. I couldn’t breathe. “He was an arrogant prick. He had some PI research you, and he discovered that you lied to me about your age. I was furious with him, and we fought. I didn’t believe it, but when I called the hospital to ask about you, the nurse said you weren’t taking calls. She wouldn’t tell me what happened to you, but when I said I was the father, she whispered into the phone that the baby was gone.”

  “I had a miscarriage, Connor. A D&C is performed after a miscarriage, not just for an abortion,” I dragged the words from my mouth, almost choking on them. “How could you ever think that I would terminate the pregnancy?” I covered my face with my hands.

  “Olivia, I’m so sorry. I was young and stupid. I should never have believed my father. I was just so angry about losing the baby, and when he told me about the money, and I saw his credit card on the hospital bill, I snapped. I took off, ignored your calls, and ended up in the Marines. I never gave the truth a chance,” Connor’s voice broke.

  I looked up at him, pain striking me from so many angles. I felt like I was being punched all over again. “I didn’t ask him to pay my bill. I refused, but he did it without my knowledge. And yes, he did offer me money if I’d leave you, but I said no. God, he hated me so much . . .” The man was worse than I’d ever thought.

  All these years I’d hated Connor, and he despised me over a lie. “How could you believe him?” I whispered. “I was mourning the loss of our child. Alone and afraid.” I sank to the floor, holding my knees to my chest; it felt like I was losing the baby all over again. Losing my sister all over again.

  Everything was gone.

  And I was alone.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “None of this matters right now.” I shoveled the emotion somewhere deep inside, burying it.

  “It does matter, Liv. I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

  I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

  But I was stuck inside a cage, and a few minutes later, a thought occurred to me. “How’d you even find out the truth?”

  “My father knew he was going to die. He left his lawyer with a letter in the hopes I could help bring down Declan and Konstantin, but I barely spoke to my father in the last ten years, since the baby . . . I had no desire to rea
d what he had to say.” He laughed bitterly. “If I had opened it, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

  I rubbed my hands up and down my pants, trying to slow my heart as it fluttered furiously in my chest. I could finally begin to lift my bad eyelid, although it hurt like hell. “Connor?”

  “Yeah?”

  I wasn’t sure what I planned to say, but I allowed my heart the freedom to take control of my brain. “I think we should put the past behind us. Don’t you?”

  His light green eyes focused on me, and I could see a glimmer of hope on his face. But I also saw his hesitation—or maybe it was guilt—as the muscles in his face tightened. “Just try and get some rest, Olivia.”

  At some point, I must have heeded his advice and fallen asleep. Because the next time my eyes flashed open, Declan was standing in front of me.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Connor

  “She comes with us or no deal. I can’t trust that you’ll let her go once you have the chip.”

  “And how do I know it’s the real chip?” Declan folded his arms across his white T-shirt.

  “It’ll be legit. Just don’t kill me until you verify it. There are plenty of people you can threaten to hurt if I’m lying, right?” I was being sarcastic, but in part, it was true. Not that I needed to worry about that.

  Blake opened Olivia’s cage. I had to do my best to channel my anger elsewhere as he opened mine. I wasn’t sure who I wanted to kill first. The list kept expanding.

  “Do you think we’ll be able to let Olivia live with what she knows?” Declan’s lips twitched at the edges, but he didn’t smile. “Is your FBI friend at the bank waiting? We walk inside, and a team of Feds surround us?” He circled me, his eyes darting back and forth between Olivia and I. “No, Olivia and I will go separately and wait close to the bank. And Andrei will go in the bank with you. You can get the chip and grab whatever your dad stashed in that safe deposit box.” He stopped in front of me and smoothed a hand through his hair. “Once Andrei confirms you’re back in the car, safe and driving, with the chip and information, I’ll put Olivia on the phone, and she can verify when she’s free.”

  My face pinched together, anger running through me red hot. “That wasn’t the deal. Once Andrei and I park outside the bank, I need to hear from Olivia that she’s safe. Then I’ll go inside the bank.”

  Declan’s lips pulled together as he shook his head.

  “It’s this plan or no deal,” I promised. “There won’t be any Feds at the bank—I wouldn’t risk Olivia’s life.”

  Declan studied me, contemplating my offer.

  “Don’t do it, Connor,” Olivia cried out.

  Her face was covered in purple and blue, and I wanted nothing more than to steal her away.

  The sound of a safety being removed had my attention. Oleg’s gun was pressed against Olivia’s temple, and her eyes flashed shut. “Want me to just end her here and now?”

  “I won’t be far from the bank. If you screw me over on this, and your FBI friend rescues you,” Declan said, edging closer to my face, “you can be sure that I’ll hunt you down and torture Olivia right in front of you. And I won’t stop there. I’ll destroy everyone you care about.”

  “Konstantin wants the weapon today. We’d better get a move on.” Oleg sounded impatient.

  I moved to Olivia and touched her cheek with the back of my hand. I leaned forward and swept my hand through her hair. “We’ll be together again. Don’t worry. Maybe we’ll even eat at our favorite restaurant.”

  Her eyes focused on mine, and she inhaled sharply.

  “How romantic, Connor. You’re about to die, and you’re thinking about food.” Declan handed me my father’s envelope. “At least whisper something sexy in her ear. Not that you’ll ever have the chance to follow through . . .”

  My hand fell to my side, but I had trouble looking away from her.

  “Come on, Olivia. You’re going with Oleg and I. Blake, you can go with Andrei and Connor. If the FBI shows up, you know what to do.”

  “I’ll take Connor back to Konstantin’s place after. He’s growing impatient,” Andrei responded.

  “Fine. I’ll meet you there.” Declan motioned for Olivia to join him, and my heart grew heavy in my chest. “How does it feel to be back in the club where your sister died?” he asked as he and Olivia headed to the stairs.

  Olivia halted, and a strange sensation prickled my skin.

  I knew he only intended to let her go for all of five minutes while I was in the bank. But I only needed five minutes.

  “Now.” Declan took her by the elbow and forced her to move.

  “You ready?”

  I rolled my eyes at Blake before following him and Andrei up into the empty club. They had parked in the alley behind the club, in a white Range Rover.

  “I wouldn’t fucking touch me,” I said while spinning toward Blake, my chest heaving up and down after he attempted to push me into the back of the vehicle.

  “I don’t know what she sees in you.” Blake slipped on his shades. “The people women will do for money.”

  My hands shot out, bunching Blake’s T-shirt, and I brought my face close to his. “I’d advise you never to mention Olivia in my presence again. I don’t give a fuck if you have a gun. I’ll rip your face off,” I growled. The idea of Blake and Olivia in bed together crashed into my mind, and I had to do all I could not to twist Blake around and push him up against the car, to ram my fist into his smug jaw.

  Blake jerked free as Andrei came around next to us. “You guys have problem?” his voice thick with the accent of his mother tongue.

  Blake took his sunglasses back off and shook his shirt as though my touch had left him infected.

  “Let’s roll.” Andrei motioned for us to get in the car. He appeared to be the most civil of the animals I’d been forced to deal with in the last twelve hours. Not like that was saying much.

  I reached into my back pocket for my father’s envelope and held it in my hands as we drove. The letter was gone from the envelope—Declan had left only the key and passcode to the safe deposit box. Of course Declan would take it. I still couldn’t believe the lie my father had told me about Olivia. Life would have been so different if he hadn’t ripped my insides out.

  But I was angrier with myself. I should never have believed it. Olivia had called me several times when I left New York, but I sent her to voicemail each time, before finally chucking my phone altogether. She hadn’t believed my father’s lie—not until I never showed up again.

  I didn’t deserve her. But I’d give anything for another chance. Of course, we needed to survive this first.

  “We’re here.” Andrei slid into a parking spot across the street from the bank. He picked up his cell phone and called Declan. “We’re at the bank.”

  “Have Olivia call from her phone.” I waited with impatience for Andrei’s phone to ring.

  A few torturous minutes later, Andrei placed Olivia on speakerphone. “I’m getting out of the car now.”

  “Are you okay? Where’s Declan?” The envelope crunched in my hand as worry gripped me.

  “He’s still in the car. But Oleg got out. He’s watching me as I walk.”

  The busy street bustled behind her voice as she moved. “Connor, I’m worried about you,” she said breathily.

  “I’ll be fine. Just put some distance between yourself and them. And keep your phone on. I’ll call you once I’m out of the bank.”

  “That’s enough.” Blake grabbed the phone from Andrei’s hand and ended the call. “Let’s get this over with.”

  I ignored my shooting desire to snuff the light out of Blake and got out of the car. “It’ll look a bit strange with both of you going in with me.” I cocked a brow and folded my arms.

  “I’ll go with him,” Andrei said. He motioned for Blake to get back in the car.

  “I don’t like this.” Blake swung the car door open and got behind the wheel.

  “How much are they paying you to
betray our country?” I asked, and Blake glowered at me before slamming the door in my face.

  “Guess not enough,” Andrei said with a grin. He saw my surprise and shrugged. “Hate cops. Even dirty ones.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” We dodged cars as we rushed across the street, up the stairs, and to the entrance of the bank.

  “I’d like to open two of my safe deposit boxes,” I said to one of the bank managers after I approached her. I gave her the box numbers and my ID, and she began tapping at her computer screen.

  “Let me get the keys. I’ll be right back.” The woman disappeared down a hall of the massive bank, which featured a golden dome ceiling that reminded me of an old Catholic cathedral.

  “Let’s make this quick.” Andrei remained by my side as his gaze darted around the room.

  I spotted the woman coming back with the keys, and she escorted us down a different hall to a closed steel door.

  Once inside, she brought us to the first box, the one in which the chip was inside—not the real chip to the EMF gun, of course. But Andrei wouldn’t know the difference. The banker and I stuck our keys in at the same time. Then I entered my passcode, and we both turned our keys.

  The box popped out, and I retrieved the chip.

  Andrei held his hand out, and I handed the chip over to him. A smile of satisfaction met his lips as the banker and I made our way over to the next box. We repeated the same procedure, and I held my breath as the box popped open, not sure what I’d find inside.

  Thank God.

  I reached for the USB and held it in the palm of my hand. This time, when Andrei requested it, I shook my head. His jaw went tight, but he couldn’t argue with me and raise suspicion.

  “Thank you, ma’am.” We left the room and started for the bank exit, but someone bumped smack into me.

  “Sorry, man,” an Irish voice filled the air.

  “Watch where you’re going,” I grumbled before Andrei and I made our way out of the bank.

  “Where is it?” Andrei barked out the second the doors were shut behind us.

  I stopped at the top of the cement stairs that led out to the busy street. “Get Olivia back on the phone. I’ll give you the USB as soon as I know Olivia’s still okay.” I retracted my arm from his reach. “You don’t want to make a scene. There’s a cop car parked across the street and the bank security guard is just inside.”