The Lies That Define Us Part 28

I sat back down on the bed beside her and smoothed my fingers over her cheek. "You have to tell me more than that. I need to know."

She sniffled and rubbed at her cheeks. She grasped the sheets tightly in her clenched fists and wrapped the fabric around her body like it could protect her.

"I don't know where to start," she whispered.

"How about the beginning?" She took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "Take your time," I told her, smoothing her wild hair away from her forehead.

I was still in shock, trying to process what she had said. Kidnapped? Ari was kidnapped? The words looped in my mind. I'd known she was hiding something, but I'd never imagined it was anything like that. I'd had so many questions for her too: When, where, why, how?

How was probably my biggest question. How was she taken, and how did she get away? Or did she even get away? Was she rescued by police? Or- "I was fourteen," her voice cracked on the words, "and I was walking home from school. Th-they came out of nowhere," she stuttered, "and pulled me into an SUV. There were several of them-big, burly guys, and I couldn't get away. They called me Scarlett, and I told them that it wasn't my name, but all they did was laugh and tell me it was now." She swallowed thickly, and I rubbed my thumbs over her cheeks, getting rid of the tears. "The one guy punched me, and I pa.s.sed out. When I woke up, I was on a plane and no one would tell me anything. They slipped me something so I'd stop screaming and when I woke up again I was locked in a bedroom." She bit her lip and more tears pooled in her eyes. "That's when he came in." Hostility filled her tone. "He's known mostly as Blaise, but that's not his real name. I don't think anyone knows his real name. It's safer for him that way."

"Safer for him?" I questioned.

She nodded. "He deals in all things illegal-drugs, organs, human-trade. You name it, he does it."

"Human trade?" I latched onto that. "Did he sell you?"

Her chin quivered and she looked away from me. "No, that's not why he wanted me."

"Then why?" I was baffled. "He obviously never touched you, so why would he need you?"

"He didn't need me," she spat, anger turning her face red. "I was an object to him. Something to sit in a corner and look pretty." She wet her lips, and whispered, "He wanted me to marry his son...I left the week before our wedding was scheduled. I couldn't do it, Liam," she sobbed. "Oh G.o.d I couldn't. I'd rather die than be his wife-be tied to that family in any way." Sobs racked her body as I wrapped mine around her, holding her close.

"Shh," I whispered in her ear, rubbing my hand up and down her exposed arm. "It's okay. You're gone now."

She sniffled and rubbed her face. Speaking through her tears she said, "Don't you see, Liam? I'll never be gone. A part of me is always going to be trapped in that f.u.c.king house, still in his clutches."

"Hey, hey." I held her close, and kissed the top of her head. "That's not true."

"I wish I could forget it all," she mumbled, burying her head in the crook of my neck.

"How'd you get away?" I asked her. If this guy was as crazy as he sounded, I didn't see how she managed that. Even a fighter like her.

"He got sloppy. I guess with the wedding approaching he felt like my position in the family was secure, so he stopped having me guarded twenty-four-seven. I figured out the schedule I was being watched, and I slipped out during one of the off times. I boarded a bus with all the money I'd been able to take, and I ended up here. Talia and Ollie took pity on me, and then there was you," she whispered, her fingers tracing my lips.

I took her hand, winding my fingers through hers. "Why didn't you go home? To your parents?"

I saw shutters come down over her eyes and she yanked her hand from mine. She gathered the sheets against her chest and rolled out of bed, speed-walking into the bathroom and closing the door.

I ran after her, but by the time I made it to the door, I heard the lock click in place. I tried the door anyway.

"Ari?" I laid my palm flat against the cool wood of the door. "What did I say? Talk to me, please."

I heard the shower turn on and then she called out, "I don't want to talk anymore, okay? Later, please?"

I leaned my forehead against the door, both palms flat against it.

I didn't respond, because frankly I didn't want to tell her it was okay. But what choice did I have? She'd dropped a major bomb on me, but she'd been keeping this a secret for four years, so I felt like I had to give her some s.p.a.ce. She had to feel emotionally crippled.

After a moment, I walked away from the door and dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a gray t-s.h.i.+rt.

I called for room service, and while I waited for it to arrive and Ari to emerge from the bathroom, I made myself comfortable on the bed and turned on the TV. I flipped through the channels until I found the one I was looking for. It was a sports channel covering the compet.i.tion tomorrow, and they were currently going through the stats on each player.

I sat up with interest when they got to me.

They went over my stats at first, like they always did, and then it cut to the commentators. I turned up the volume and zeroed in on the screen.

"Liam Wade shows promise. You know, Tim, I was doubtful about him. I mean, he's a rock star's kid so I figured this was a phase to try and gain some limelight, but the guy is good. He could come in and win it all. I wouldn't be surprised."

"He's good," the other man agreed, "but he has a long way to go. A lot of these guys have been doing this professionally since they were fifteen and he's only begun breaking into the scene."

"True," the first man nodded, "but you can't deny he has raw talent. Fan favorite Wyatt Perry might've met his match."

I threw my fist in the air in elation as the screen cut away to Wyatt's stats.

Hearing what the commentators had to say made me feel good. I could handle them saying I needed work, I knew I did because there's always room for improvement, but neither of them said I didn't belong, or that I'd only gotten to the compet.i.tion because of who my dad was. That last was a rumor that circulated often, and it p.i.s.sed me off like no other. My dad was a singer in a band, he had no ties to surfing, so when people acted like he'd somehow pulled strings to make my career happen, it more than stung.

But what those guys said made me feel like I was finally starting to belong in the sport.

There was a knock on the main door, and I stood from the bed to let room service in. They set up the food on the dining table and when they left I went to get Ari.

"Ari?" I knocked on the bathroom door. "Breakfast is here."

"I'm not hungry." Her voice was raw from crying.

"You need to eat," I pleaded with her, shaking the door handle. "Ari, please."

"Leave me alone. I need to be by myself right now."

My fists clenched at my sides, and I groaned into the room.

I had never felt more helpless than I did at that moment. Leaving her alone, I took a seat at the dining room table. I barely touched my own food because I couldn't feel hunger when I was so f.u.c.king worried about her.

Pus.h.i.+ng away the plate, I stood from the chair and went back to the bathroom. I didn't say anything to her. Instead, I sank to the floor with my back against the door.

Somehow, I knew she'd know I was there-that I was trying to comfort her in the only way I knew how.

Time pa.s.sed, and she didn't open the door.

I heard her in there, though, moving around and crying periodically with the occasional mumble.

Eventually it was time for me to pick up my parents from the airport, so I picked myself up off the floor and sighed. "Ari, I have to go."

Nothing.

But I hadn't expected a response.

I grabbed my wallet and phone. When I was out of earshot of the bathroom, I dialed Talia.

She picked up after only one ring. "Liam?" She sounded surprised. I couldn't blame her. I don't think I'd ever called her before then.

"Can you come stay with Ari? Ollie too. She's not feeling well, and I have to get my parents from the airport. She's in the bathroom, and I don't expect her to come out any time soon, but I'd feel better if you guys were here."

"Yeah, of course, we'll be there in a minute."

"Cool, thanks."

"It's not a problem."

She hung up and in under a minute there was a light, hesitant knock on the door.

I opened it up and Ollie whistled. "Whoa, and I thought our room was nice."

"I'll be back soon," I told them, easing toward the door. "I'm worried about her, so just keep an eye out." I pointed at the bedroom.

"We will," Talia a.s.sured me. "You don't need to worry."

"Thanks," I said and ducked out the door.

A car was already waiting downstairs to take me to the airport.

The driver opened the door, and I slid into the back. I should've been focused on the compet.i.tion, or even seeing my parents, but my thoughts were back with the girl crying in the bathroom. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her it would be all right, but I knew that would only be another lie shouted into the void.

The plane was f.u.c.king late. My leg bounced up and down in nervousness as more time pa.s.sed. Finally, after what felt like forever, I saw my parents coming down the escalator steps.

They weren't alone, though.

A slow grin spread over my face when I saw my cousin, Willow, and her boyfriend, Dean, behind them.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, "Is this a family reunion or what?"

Around me, cameras flashed. I ignored them, for the most part.

My mom and dad stepped off the escalator, and I hugged each of them and then Dean and Willow. That's when I noticed one other person.

"Grace? Is that you?"

"Hey." She waved, letting go of her suitcase to hug me.

I hugged her back. "I haven't seen you in years."

Grace was Dean's little sister, and all of us had grown up together since we were close in age.

I took a step back and looked her over. She was all grown up, and that fact only served as a kick in the gut for all I was missing out on back home. My distance had been my own doing, and it was time to change that.

"Why are you here?" I asked her-not rudely, might I add.

She shrugged. "It's my last chance to get away before I leave for college, so I thought I might as well take advantage of that fact."

I put a hand over my heart and hissed through my teeth. "I'm wounded. I can't believe you're not here for me."

"Well there's that, too," she shrugged with a laugh, "but the beach was more important."

We began to head out of the airport and I stayed beside Grace. "So...college? I can't imagine your dad is handling that well." Grace's dad was known for being overprotective of her-a lot like my uncle with Willow and her little sister Lylah.

"No, he's not," she laughed, her high-heeled shoes clicking along the tiled floor, "but he doesn't have much of a choice."

"What are you studying?"

"Business," she replied.

I lifted my brows in surprise. "Good for you, Gracie."

"Thanks." She smiled up at me as we reached the car.

"I'm starving. Can we stop for lunch?" my dad asked as soon as we were all in the car.

I wanted to say no, because all I wanted to do was get back to Ari-even if it was only to sit outside the bathroom door some more-but since I couldn't say no without giving a reason why, I said, "Sure."

We ended up stopping at a small restaurant on the beach that sort of reminded me of Mo's with its laidback vibe.

Once we were seated and had ordered food and drinks, I addressed Dean and Willow who sat across from me. Clearing my throat, I said, "I want you both to know that I'm sorry for how I acted when you came to stay with me. I was an a.s.shole, and I treated you both like s.h.i.+t. The last two years have been rough for me, but that's still not an excuse to be a d.i.c.k." I rubbed the palms of my hands over my shorts. Apologizing was not my forte.

Willow smiled, pus.h.i.+ng her blond hair off of her forehead. "Don't worry about it, Liam. It's okay. I'm glad to see you're happy now, and your mom was telling us on the flight over that you met someone?" She waggled her brows and giggled.

I shot a glare at my mom and then mumbled a reluctant, "Yes."

"I'm glad," Willow said genuinely. "You deserve it."

"How have you guys been? Still not going back to college?" I asked her.

She smiled at Dean and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "We're good, and no I'm definitely not going back to college. I still don't know what the future holds for me, but for now, that's okay."

"Good." I nodded. "I'm glad you're happy."

"We are," Dean replied.

I tipped my head in his direction.

It was still f.u.c.king weird to see them together. Growing up, all of us kids had been close, but Willow and Dean had always had some special bond no one else could touch. It was only natural they'd end up together, but it was still awkward to see them as a couple and not just friends.

"I'm going to try to get back home in the next week or two. I want to see everybody."

The table fell silent at my words.

"What?" I asked innocently. "Am I not allowed to come home?"