“I fed him fake leads about where you could be Ria. Noah didn’t know you were pregnant. He didn’t know about Adrian until today. He did not abandon you. He never stopped looking for you.”
I bury my face in my hands. I’m rocking with the gravity and the realization that Noah’s job did this to us. Separated us. Robbed him of a chance to be with his pregnant wife and son.
I’m struck with the hardest realization of all.
And I believed them.
“Does this also mean we’re still married?” I look up at Gabe, my voice an unsteady whisper.
“What does that mean?” Noah pushes Walker off of him and kneels in front of me again. “Why are you asking that?”
But I’m staring at Gabe because I’m not letting him get off easy.
Gabe nods his head once and I can tell he feels the weight of his betrayal.
“I know you asked me to serve him papers but you were under the impression he had done all this to you. I couldn’t do that to Noah or to you. I couldn’t do more damage to your marriage than I already have. I was still hoping we could wrap this case up soon, catch Sotnas and get you out of here before Adrian turns one. But when it wasn’t looking like that was going to happen, I gave you fake papers and told you everything was done so you would stop asking questions. I wanted you to stop fixating on the notion that Noah abandoned you when that was the furthest thing from the truth.”
I reach over and grab hold of Noah’s shoulder to keep him from leaping to his feet again as he rages and spits out a string of curse words.
“That makes absolutely no fucking sense!” Noah roars.
I don’t blame him. I’m about ready to throw hands myself.
Gabe knew.
He knew how hard the pregnancy had been for me.
How hard giving birth alone was for me.
How much I needed Noah yet he watched us both suffer.
And Noah? How could he not have known?
They were best friends. Partners.
Worked at the same company under the same damn boss.
How could he not have known they took me?
“I’m going to fucking kill you, Reyes. In case you can’t tell, you’re already dead to me.”
This time, I let Noah go.
He stumbles to his feet.
I continue to sit dumbstruck, watching as my ex––myhusbandlunges at Gabe.
I’m helpless to do anything, still reeling from all of it.
Noah continues to stagger towards Gabe, and Agent Walker yells for Agent To’s assistance to stop Noah from completely pummeling Gabe to the ground.
Gabe lets Noah take him by the collar, penance for his lies, for stolen time, for all of this.
A screeching wail comes out of the baby monitor, the telltale sign Adrian is up. I don’t even spare anyone else a glance before heading straight to my room.
I shut the door, leaning against it. I allow myself a minute to calm my racing heart and take deep breaths before forcing myself to smile at my son.
Adrian’s beady eyes and gums greet me as he continues to wail from his crib.