More Than Scars (42 page)

             
“I know!” he shouted.

             
“Liam is talking to them…”

             
“You have to come home now,” he groaned. “Like, now.”

             
“I can’t…”

             
“He has Mom Rissa…and he won’t talk to me. He wants you. He says you will know where to find them.”

             
I swear my heart stopped. I struggled for my next breath.

             
“I don’t care how you get out of there but you have to come home…and you cannot alert Liam…and you especially cannot tell the police. He says he’ll hurt her,” his voice cracked into a full on sob. “God Rissa I’m a damn cop…and my hands are tied…we…we can’t let him hurt her!”

             
I was seeing the black spots before my vision, but drew in deep breaths to hold it together. “I’m coming,” I whispered shakily. “I will be home soon. Stay calm brother.” I ended the call and immediately began tearing my pajamas off to dress. I didn’t know how I was going to do it…but I was going to make it to my brother in record time. Nothing was stopping me.

Chapter 21 Old Fears

             
I was just about to exit the side door on the servant’s side when my wrist was grabbed. I nearly screamed, but held it in. Swinging around I expected to find Liam…it was Ian.

             
“Where are you going?” He demanded. His blue eyes were not happy.

             
I shivered from the cold air that was now blasting through the open door. If we didn’t get through it the alarm would beep. I tugged my wrist to no avail. “Please, Ian, I have to go.”

             
“Not before you answer my question,” he whispered back hoarsely.

             
I looked at the alarm pad desperately. “Grab that coat…shove into those shoes…but please, I have to keep moving Ian.”

             
He obeyed swiftly and with trust, making it out the door before the alarm could begin its trill. He grumbled the whole time though. “If I hadn’t been in the kitchen to get a snack…where would you be heading?” He grabbed my arm again as I was fairly running toward the garages. “Stop,” he demanded, grabbing my shoulders and turning me back.

             
Tears started. “I can’t Ian…I have to go. I can’t tell you why…you will tell Liam and I can’t have him know! I just…I have to get home!”

             
He shook me a bit. “Why are you crying?”

             
I lowered my gaze.

             
“Did Liam say or do something to hurt you?”

             
I shook my head and began to sob and shiver all at once. It was so cold…and it was starting to snow. The shivering got worse. It was snowing that night! This could not feel more foreboding.

“Then why are you crying?” his voice softened.

“I have to get home.”

“Something happen with Liam,” he growled.

I shook my head. “No, it was just starting to be perfect,” I whispered. “And now my past is here again to ruin it.”

“Past?”

“I have to get home!” I was feeling panicked now. “Al is waiting on me.”

             
Ian tilted my chin so I had to meet his compassionate gaze. “Tell me what happened with Liam because I’m still not convinced this isn’t about him.”

             
“He loves me…I told him I love him,” I spit out and then smiled sadly. “He let me take off his mask,” I whispered. “And I found him flawless.”

             
The blue eyes lit. “Nerissa that is wonderful!”

             
I shook my head.

             
“What?”

             
“The crazy man who was in the house? He was my father’s…” I trembled as the snow started falling harder. “And now its going to ruin everything and…I have to go!”

             
“But why?”

             
I tried to pull from him, but he wasn’t having any of it. “Please!”

             
“Be quick and tell me then! We are friends aren’t we?”

             
“You can’t tell anyone! It’s important!”

             
“You tell me what’s going on and I will decide if it is important! I will help you leave the premises if it is important! Because trust me…you aren’t getting out of here without me!”

             
I blinked up at him.

             
“That’s right…I’m coming with you…regardless. Now speak.”

             
His compassion won me over and I was stumbling over my own words. I let out the whole ugly plan of a crazy man. By the end, Ian’s blues at gone dark navy. He grasped my hand and we ran for the garage.

             
“Liam will be done with the officers soon and note your disappearance. He will give word to the gate to not allow anyone out. We have to be quick.” We forewent my tiny car and jumped into his faster more reliable. We were allowed through no questions with Liam in the driver’s seat. I began to realize…I would not have made it off of the property without him. His presence in the kitchen had been a God send!

             
The snow was beginning to stick to the roads as we raced to my mother’s house, but I did not have time to fear the bad weather. I needed to get to my brother. I needed to get to his phone.

“You didn’t bring your phone did you?” Ian suddenly asked, as if reading my mind.

              I shook my head. “I didn’t want Liam following me.

             
“Good girl,” Ian sighed. “I didn’t know if you had figured out the tracker. That’s why he panicked so bad the day you took the girls and then not so bad the couple times you left the property after that…you took your phone those times. He feels in control when he knows he can at least get to you if he needed to. You know what this is going to do to him…don’t you?”

             
I felt tears on my cheeks again. “It’s going to wreck him…but what choice do I have?”

             
“You don’t,” he sighed. He drove us the rest of the way safely and silently, having been to my mother’s several times before.

             
We hurried up the stoop and I pushed my way into the building.

             
Al threw open the door for me and pulled me into a bear hug, choking on his own tears. “I didn’t think you were going to make it tonight!”

             
It was nearly three in the morning. I wondered if anything would happen tonight anyway. I wanted so desperately just to have my mother back!

             
“What is he doing here?” Al growled. He seemed a little enraged as he eyed Ian. “Why did you bring him?”

             
“I had no choice! Ian helped me get here,” I soothed him. “Liam was starting to put the place on shut down…he was my only way out.”

             
Ian stood there in his pajama bottoms, borrowed shoes, and Liam’s spare coat…looking a little out of place. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

             
“Come in,” I said softly, ushering him in. I closed and locked the door behind him.

             
“Does anyone else know?” Al asked in desperation.

             
“No one,” I promised him. “Ian and I both left our phones at home…so no chance of a trace.” I went for Al’s phone and scrolled through the recent calls. All were blocked of course.

             
“Liam will know by now that you are gone,” Ian said softly. He sat down on the couch. “Probably that I am gone now too.” He ran a hand through his dark hair, He is probably freaking out!”

             
I drew in a breath and looked to Al. “Can’t we tell him anything? He could do something crazy…that would jeopardize things worse if he is left in the dark. We should at least let him know we are safe. His first thought will be foul play.”

             
Al nodded.

             
I shrugged out of my coat and reached for Ian’s.

             
“But you left through the gate. You will be on security. Maybe he will think you ran away together?” Al looked from Ian to me.

             
I shook my head. “No.”

             
“We can’t tell him what’s going on Riss…and you are right…he can’t do something rash…so he has to know you are safe…but more than safe. He has to think you are untouchable for now. He can’t be tempted to come after you.”

             
“He knows Ian and I are friends…he would never believe I would up and…”

             
“He knows your emotional state when it comes to Dad…he will think you had a break…realized your true feelings…”

             
My head continued to shake. “I’m not lying to him.” My lips trembled. “Especially about something like that. Not after I told him I loved him…after he showed me his face!” Tears started once more. “I can’t hurt him…”

             
Al’s face softened. “I’m sorry Rissa…I know its hard, but…”

             
“No, I can’t!”

             
“He will leave you be for now if he thinks you betrayed him,” Al said firmly. “Think of Mom.”

             
I slumped down in a chair and buried my face in my hands.

             
Ian cleared his throat. “He’s right Nerissa. Liam simply knowing you are safe is not going to be enough. He will want to know why you left. He won’t accept a half assed excuse. He will come after you…send someone after you…he will do something without thinking.”

             
I lifted my eyes to his with disbelief. “Do you think he would believe I would run away after seeing him? I would choose you?”

             
“Look at his track record,” he said softly. “And after you saw him…what was his first words…his first reaction?”

             
My lip trembled. “He told me he would understand if I left.” I buried my face in my hands again. I let myself have my tears.

“It will keep him off our tail just long enough,” Al said softly.
“Long enough to get Mom back and to figure out the rest!”

“Just do it,” I moaned.

              I sensed Ian before me, before I felt his hands on my face. He pulled my hands away and made me meet his gaze. “We will fix it after. I promise…he will understand.” He brushed the tears. “This is about your Mom now. Let’s focus on her.”

             
I nodded and swallowed back the sobs that wanted to come. I didn’t want to imagine the crushing feeling Liam was about to have. Oh God…I wasn’t going to be there to comfort him! What was he going to do? I could only imagine the betrayal I would feel being in his shoes after making myself so vulnerable.

             
“How am I going to explain calling from your phone?” Ian asked, taking Al’s phone from him. He sat on the arm rest beside me.

             
“I’m blocked. I’ve always talked to him from the station. He won’t put it together.”

             
Ian nodded, took in a deep breath and dialed his brother’s number.

             
I buried my face in a pillow.

             
“Brother,” Ian sighed into the phone.

             
Adrenaline spiked in my veins.

             
“Yes, she’s with me. We…we’re…we’re heading somewhere to be alone for a bit.”

I worried my lip as he frowned.

“Yes it is at her consent.”

I hugged the pillow closer.

“She wants to be with me…she chose me,” Ian said a little breathlessly. This lie was hard on him.

I watched him from beneath my lashes, wanting desperately to hear Liam on the other side. I wanted to be there with my arms around him now, my face buried in his neck. Somehow I felt Liam could make this all better.

“Liam…I’m sorry. You…you’ve known how I felt and when she came to me tonight and asked me to leave with her…how was I to say no?” His Adam’s apple worked hard as he struggled with the lie. He listened to the other end. “Y...yes, I know about that…the unmasking.” He cleared his throat. “It was too much for her,” he whispered.

I bit back a sob. Such a lie!

Ian sat up and looked toward at again. “I don’t think she wants to talk to you,” he said softly. “She can’t” He drew in a breath and nodded. “I understand.” He stood up and held the phone out to me. “He says you owe him.”