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“The closer the better so we can get this over with,” Sage interrupts.
“Alright, that sounds good,” I tell Haddie. I just hope that Lyric doesn’t call Trask. Haddie gets up and walks toward the front of the dining room. I don’t even look at Sage or the man following him. We go through the front lobby and Haddie opens a side door and walks in. We follow. Haddie turns and looks at us.
“Kelly, if you want me to stay, I will,” Haddie says, looking at me. It’s like she’s trying to read my mind, but I can’t let her hear anything that Sage has to say to me. I know Sage Mayson will not physically hurt me but that doesn’t mean he won’t completely trash my life. I chance it and look at the two men. The taller guy has a blank look on his face. Sage, though, I can see the fury in his eyes. This isn’t going to be pleasant, but I need to get it over with. I just hope this morning when I kissed Trask goodbye, it’s not the last time I feel his lips on mine.
“It’s alright, Haddie. I was just surprised. Everything will be fine. Please, take notes for me so I can catch up later on the baby shower.” Haddie looks at me and then she pulls me to her and gives me a big hug.
She whispers in my ear, “I’m just a yell away. You look like you need a hug. I can call Nick and he will be here in a matter of minutes if we need some muscle.” I laugh out loud. Sage’s eyes come to me.
“We’re good, Haddie, but thank you, I tell the woman I have come to think a lot of. Haddie walks out the door, and no one says anything until the door clicks shut.
“What kind of games are you playing, Kelly, and why are you alive and walking around when my woman, your twin sister, thinks you are dead?” Sage asks in a deep angry voice.
“Calm down, Cuz,” the other man says.
“Sit down. This is a long story which I am sure you already know part of,” I say in a soft voice. I don’t want to piss either of these men off further. The other man goes and stands by the door. Sage starts to pace the floor. I sit down before I fall. I feel so tired.
“I almost did die, or that was what I was told. I helped the girl that was taken the best I could and the next thing that I knew, I woke up in a hospital. I was given the choice of going to jail or testifying about some things that I had overheard and seen when I was with the man that kidnapped me and the other girl. The man thought I was too doped up to remember anything. I was scared and acted that way on purpose. The man was crazy. Special Agents Kace and Torres made sure I was put in witness protection. I couldn’t tell anyone the truth.” I tell the two men what I remember.
“Kim has been through hell thinking the last thing she told you was she hated you and that you thought she was using you.” I knew Kim would take this hard but there was nothing I could do to help that. I didn’t have an option.
“I knew she would, Sage, but I had no options if I wanted to stay alive and out of jail. I’m sorry about the way I acted toward Kim. I’m sorry for trying to steal your wallet that night in the club. I’m sorry for a lot of things I have done in my life. I am trying to make up for them by doing the right thing, but you can’t tell Kimberly that I am alive.” Sage stops pacing in front of me.
“I’m supposed to keep a secret like this from the woman that I love and who is my life for you? To keep you breathing? How do I know that you’re not going to change your mind and run again and then try to contact Kim? I don’t lie to my woman. We aren’t you, we tell each other the truth.” That stings. It’s the truth, but it still hurts. “That other woman that was taken was my cousin.”
“If I don’t testify, then the men they have locked up now will walk. I have changed or I’ve tried to, and I can’t let that happen. They will take more women. If I hadn’t run when I did, they could have targeted Kim. That’s what the man threatened. A set of twins on the black market would bring a bigger price. I did what he said, and that was to leave and go with him. If you don’t believe me, then contact Kace and Torres. They are still my handlers.” Then something occurs to me. “How did you find me? If you can find me, then so can the people that want to kill me.”
“We’re here on a case and it’s not linked to human trafficking or your case,” the other man says.
“We don’t owe her any explanations, Jax.” He walks across the room and sits down.
“What kind of scam are you running on this Stillman man that you have hooked up with? Are you drugging him or is he another john?” Sage asks.
“You better explain what the hell you are talking about and apologize to my woman!” I look up and see Trask and Botie standing in the doorway. It’s over. Life as I know it is over with. Trask looks like he could kill someone. He is over and in Sage’s face.
“Maybe you should ask your woman?” Trask looks at me. I fight back the tears.
“What’s he talking about, Kelly? Do you know this man, or do I need to show him some down-home hospitality?” I feel exhausted. What can I say? I could deny it all but what good would that do? I need to go. I need to get out of here and to do that I know what I need to do. I take a deep breath and hope I still keep everyone safe without losing my own life. I grab my purse and look at Trask or I should say I look through Trask. I am numb and I don’t see anything or anyone. I am trash and it’s time to dispose of me.
“This is Sage Mayson, and he has every right to be mad at me. Everything he has accused me of is true.” I keep going even if I don’t know where I get my strength. “Sage is married to my twin sister, Kim. Before they were married, I tried to drug him and steal his wallet so he didn’t like me. But he hates me because my sister needed a kidney and I skipped town so I wouldn’t need to give it to her. I am a bad person and I use people. I am a drug addict and I have used my body to get the drugs that my body craves. I’m sorry, Trask, but I am no good and you are better without me.” There, everything that I can tell them is out.
“You got that shit right,” Sage says. Trask is on him, but they are evenly matched. Botie and the other guy, Jax, try to pull them apart. I take the distraction as a time to run. I get outside the door and Haddie catches my hand and I look at her.
“Kelly, I don’t know what is going on, but I know that the person you just described isn’t the woman I have come to love as a friend. You need to forgive yourself before anyone else can forgive you. Just remember that. You are a good person and the pain in your voice when you just spilled your guts in there runs deep. Learn to love yourself, sweetheart. Now go. I know you need some alone time. This will all sort itself. Get yourself together because that man in there loves you and he is going to come find you.” Haddie pulls me to her and hugs me. Lyric is standing there, and I look at her.
“Everyone is running from something at one time in their life. I was running from my family when I first came here. It’ll be alright. You’re a good person,” Lyric tells me. I wish she were right. I run out the door and don’t look back. I can’t look back. I head for the interstate and send my distress text to Kace. I have a pickup time in San Antonio and now I just need to get there in one piece. The tears start and I don’t know if they will ever stop. My heart is shattered.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Trask
All I see is red. I want to destroy the hate this man in front of me is spewing at my woman. No one has the right to be so spiteful toward Kelly—the woman I have come to love with everything that I am.
“Man, I’m not your enemy,” the man says.
“Trask, get yourself under control,” Botie tells me. I hear him but I all I see is red and I want to destroy everything in my path. I need to protect my woman.
“Does everyone not see the woman in question is gone?” the bigger of the two men asks. What he says registers in my head, and I look around the room. Kelly is gone. I need to find her. I start to leave but Botie catches my arm.
