Just another line-- another lie he fed me for years.
I pick up Adrian, cradling him against my chest. I try not to startle him so he doesn’t cry and we don’t make a scene, but I need to get out of here. I want out of here.
I have no desire to see, let alone talk to my ex-husband.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement and I know one of the agents is getting in position to grab my cart once I signal that I’m done picking out my items. I’m nowhere near done but I’m not going to get another chance to go out. This is it. Or was it before Noah showed up and ruined our only chance to get out of the prison they forced Adrian and me in for the last year.
Trying to calm the rage pouring out of me, I make my move.
And that’s when I see Gabriel Reyes. He’s standing at the end of the aisle, breathless but somehow still in control in front of me.
His eyes flit behind me and his jaw tightens. He flicks his eyes around, lifting his shoulder in what appears to be some sort of signal. I hear Noah mutter a curse behind me but he continues to advance towards me.
I’m spared from witnessing whatever exchange they get into when Agent To, the female agent assigned to me, hooks an arm around mine and talks animatedly about flowers as though we’re the best of friends. Seemingly undercover as a housewife from the nonsense she’s spewing about gardening, she walks me out into the backend of the parking lot where a Ford Explorer waits for us.
I barely get Adrian seated in his car seat before the car drives off in hurry with Agent Walker behind the wheel. Behind me, Agent To crawls to the back. She’s sitting on her knees, her weapon drawn and she’s scanning the area as we pass it with urgency.
What is going on?
WHAT THE FUCK?
I stifle the urge to make a scene and break my partner’s face as I watch an agent, whose name I do not even know, practically drags my wife away.
Gabe repositions himself in front of me, so I still don’t get a good look at what Ria is holding against her chest. My gut is churning and I have this feeling gnawing inside me that I know exactly what she’s hiding.
Gabe’s eyes flick over quickly to my left and I spot another agent with a cart walking down the aisle we’re in. As quick and quiet as a mouse like the Academy has taught us, this agent leaves his cart and takes Ria’s. Gabe grabs the cart left behind and walks over to me, a fake smile plastered on his face.
His eyes convey what doesn’t need to be said.
We’re undercover.
Play along.
“I only got to make two more stops at this ‘ere place, man, then let’s head on out before the missus starts ringin’ and gabs about how I’m takin’ too dang long to get her shit.”
His fake Southern accent would throw me off if I hadn’t heard him use it on one of our past cases.
I nod my head because God knows what would come out of my mouth if I speak now.
Clearly, my supposed best friend, my partnerandthe best man at my wedding knew where my wife was all along.
And from the looks of it, orchestrated the whole damn thing.
I’m going to let this play out until we’re in the car but then I’m done playing this game.
I want answers.
Then I want to see my wife.
Fuck everything else.
I’m laying Adrian down in his crib when I hear a car door slam and footsteps pound on the gravel as the sound drifts into the cabin. I hear the distinct rumble of Gabe’s voice right behind my door not even a minute later and then a heavy thud echoes through the crack under the door
I check that Adrian is still asleep and position myself in front of my dresser, my hand behind my back, ready to grab the Glock I have stashed in my nightstand.
The door whips open and I see Noah standing in the doorway, eyes wide and staring at me.
His chest is heaving and his hands are curled into fists at his side. There’s a patch of blood on his chin that looks like it dripped from his cut lip.