“Leo. Why couldn’t you ever find her?”
He rubs his hands down his face and goes to the kitchen, getting a glass of water. He hands me one too, and I take it.
“I told you, man. She was a ghost. There was nothing on a Leora Jean Laney. She never had a phone or any tech that I could trace. No bank account. She must have used cash, was paid under the table—fuck, I don’t know. She never got her license. You don’t need to drive in Boston. You can literally walk everywhere. She left no trace.”
“She changed her name.”
“How do you know?” He doesn’t seem surprised to find this out. I just solved the problem that haunted us the last eight years, and he says it like I just told him that peanut butter is made from peanuts.
“Her son came into the ER tonight. His name, it was so familiar. He was so familiar. Rune Phoenix. I asked the woman he came in with about his mom’s name—Leo Phoenix. I knew it was her. But then I realized the boy was seven years old…”
Gage suddenly spits his water out.
“He’s yours?”
Suddenly, it hits me…like a fucking train. Boston.
“Did you sayBoston?”
He pales, his eyes going wide.
“What? No?”
“You said she didn’t get her license, didn’t need to because you can walk everywhere…in Boston.”
He runs his hands through his dark hair. He’s nervous. That’s his tell.
“Yeah, you said her son was in the ER. Figured she would be in Boston if her son was.”
Gage has always been a shit liar. What the fuck is going on?
“Gage. I told you that after you said Boston.”
He is silent, staring at me with so much fear. I can see it in his eyes, he fucked up.
He knew.
He found her…way before I did.
“When did you find her, Gage?”
“Everett—”
My body takes over. My emotions fuel my legs, and they move of their own accord. Before I know it, I have him pinned to the fridge, the back of my forearm lightly pressed to his neck. He isn’t even fighting me. He’s taking it ’cause he knows he deserves this. And he definitely could get me off him if he wanted to. With his size and skills, he could have me pinned in a heartbeat. But he doesn't.
“When?” My voice is low.
“Four years ago.”
My world crashes down. My best friend. My Leora.Why are they all lying to me?
I let him go. I can’t fucking be near him right now. I stalk toward the front door.
“Everett! Fuck, I’m sorry, okay?”
I freeze. Sorry? He’ssorry? He kept Leo from me. He keptmy sonfrom me!
I can’t rein it in any longer. I spin on my heel and face the man I thought was my best friend, my brother.
