Lie to Me (29 page)

Jones ignored Stone’s question. “Rumors also say you located your deceased wife in my Quad.”

Stone nodded, biting back the urge to ask him just how long he’d known Mack was Kella. “Yes. She’d been V-chipped and had lost her memory. Her memory returned in chunks after we met the first time. Your director was culpable somehow, but I’m not sure of his full involvement.”
You’re guilty too, you bastard
,
but I’m still working that out
. “He invited me to your Quad with the hint I’d discover the truth about Kella.”

“Still don’t know the whole truth.” James used the tip of his blade to pick dirt from beneath his nails.

“Kella doesn’t even remember what happened. I’m just glad I have her back and that she’s safe. I guess I’m officially a honeymooner.” He gave Jones a broad grin, not caring how well he sold the lie since he knew Jones had known who she was all along. “You’ll understand my need to return to her.”

Stone nudged past the other Regent, pushing the door open. He thought that’d be the end of it since Jones didn’t initially follow, but then he yelled out, “What was her former identity?”

Like you don’t know, you lying fucker
.

Halting his stride, and aware of the civilians milling about the Regency hall, Stone turned just enough to peer at Jones. “Mack Ellason.”

“Mack?” The Regent’s brows pulled together in mock surprise, but there was just enough overdramatic posturing to come across as plausible. “Impossible. I vetted her myself when she filed for her first dig. Her credentials passed all inspections. No way Mack is your wife.”

“Afraid she is.” James ridiculed him with a smarmy smile. “Your money maker is someone else’s chattel.”

Kella would hate to have herself called that, but Stone knew James played up their story. “I had my doubts initially too, but she knew things only Kella would know. I killed the vanity chip myself. Watched her change from Mack to Kella myself.”

Regent Jones mulled over the information, Stone suspected he plotted his next move. Given the sizeable state of Kella’s dig, he was losing a valuable asset.

“You understand I cannot just take your word for it. I’ll meet with her to determine the accuracy of your story.”

A few patrons actually stuttered in step over that, and the sharp glances told their own tale. Most everyone in the foyer likely knew Stone’s identity, and that two Regents faced off.

“My wife will
not
meet with you, Regent Jones.” Stone shortened the distance between them. “You go too far if you believe I’ll subject her to an inquisition. She’s my property, and I’ve proof of her identity. We both know my word is all that’s required. Are you questioning my word?”

A hard glint entered the other man’s eyes. “Not at all. Her dig—”

“Has been transferred into my name.” They stared at one another as Jones’s cheeks went ruddy. Stone could see the frustration in the other man’s eyes. Thwarted at every turn, and he knew Regent Jones was a man used to getting his way. Had the site been located within the Quadrant’s city limits, the claim would be lost to Kella and Stone. That it was beyond the city gates in the treacherous badlands, made it out of Regent Jones’s jurisdiction. “I’ve indulged my wife and granted her eight months to settle her affairs. If that’s a problem for you, we’ll leave immediately. Otherwise, we’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

“Of course.” Those two words seemed hard for him to utter, the blush in his cheeks deepening to spread across his face and neck. He gave a cursory survey to those present. “I hope you and your lovely bride will do me the honor of dining with me and my wife once you’re settled. My wife would enjoy the distraction from political parties.”

“Send me an invite.” Stone turned away, dismissing the other man. “James.”

––––––––

T
he moment they hit the streets, Stone breathed a sigh of relief. Something wasn’t right. “Find out where Kella and Reaper were during the Xeno abduction.”

That request caused James to stutter-step. “You think they’re involved with the X-Diplomats?”

“I hope the fuck not.” Putting as much distance from the Quad’s palace as fast as possible, he kept his strides wide and fast-paced.

James held step with him. Pedestrians moved out of their way to allow them to pass. “The holy terror might be feisty, and capable of this level of stupidity, but what in hell gave you this harebrained idea?”

Feisty, yeah, but he’d never shared with James the big dreams he and Kella had had almost a decade ago. “Something she said.”

“Care to share with the class?”

“Not so much what she said, but how she said it.” Stone was probably reading more into her reaction than he should, but he couldn’t shake his gut feeling. “She was extremely upset when we saw the accused terrorists executed in the square.”

“I’m pretty sure the shock value and fear is what Jones was going for. Easier to keep the cattle in line that way.”

“James, she was adamant they weren’t involved with the X-Ds. Like maybe she knows who the members of the group are, or she
is
a member.”

James smiled at a girl on the street, but didn’t look back, so he knew his buddy wasn’t truly interested. “I’m not buying into the conspiracy theory on this one, but I believe in trusting your gut. We’ll keep a sharp eye on her. You know that fuckwad of a Regent is plotting something too. He won’t let her slip through his fingers easily.”

“Yeah.”

“Underestimating him would be a grave mistake, Stone.”

“Since when do we underestimate anyone?” He blew out a breath. Who knew a woman would complicate his life so much? “I gave Kella her freedom, and bound her to me as my wife for eight months, with an exit clause then.”

“If she’s X-Ds, you’ll have to renege on that deal. Can’t let her keep that shit up.”

“Why not?” They entered the hotel. “As kids we dreamed of changing the system. This is a perfect way to start a revolution.”

“I don’t get paid enough for your bullshit.” James groaned. “Doesn’t matter. You were kids. We all dream big as kids, and then adulthood smashes the rose-colored glasses of youth and we accept that we can’t change the real world.”

What big dream of James’s had been smashed? “Changes have to start somewhere.”

Striding along the hallway to their rooms, James put Stone against the wall with a hand to his shoulder. “That type of thinking will put a target on your head.”

“I’ve already got targets on my head,” he scoffed. “This type of thinking is what’s required of a Regent.” Excitement zinged through his system. The chance at making a real difference beyond his Quad electrified him.

His buddy cursed, opened the door to his bedroom, and yanked Stone inside.

“Regents should be watching out for
all
their people and not just the ones that have money. I’ve always thought it wrong to indenture a girl simply because she tests positive,” Stone went on once the door was shut. “It’s why I closed the clinics, and you supported that.”

“Is this Kella talking? Motherfuck!” James palmed his forehead. “Closing clinics was the right thing to do in
your
Quad. Taking on the other Regents’ manner of handling X-genes is a suicide mission.”

“I own one of two of the only working teleport machines in the world.”
Most of the elite chose to use my machine because it is the most stable of the two.
“With one click of a button we eliminate their abilities to escape and make them vulnerable to an insurrection. I have the drone, I have assassins loyal to me, and soldiers ready to die for me. I am
not
without power here.”

“Jesus fucking Christ! You have a death mission.”

“Tell me this, James. If it’s okay to treat X-genes born to low-income families this way, why don’t we treat the privileged children the same? Why aren’t they auctioned to the highest bidder too? It’s a double standard.”

“I repeat. You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“It’s your job to keep me alive. If a thirty-year-old man fucked a fourteen-year-old girl, we’d string him up as a pedophile. Why are Xeno’s treated differently?”

“We didn’t make the rules. They were put in place for a reason, and you know it. You have one inkling your starry-eyed wife might be involved in the X-Ds and you’re ready to martyr yourself for a cause that doesn’t affect you. I need a fucking drink, and you need some sense knocked into you.” The glass decanter hit the rim of the goblet and made a sharp pinging noise as James made good on acquiring liquor.

“James, you know I’m right. By law, if you have a daughter and she tests positive, she’d be auctioned.” He wouldn’t back down. “How would you feel about that, brother? You willing to go along with the rules because they were put in place for a reason?”

James downed the liquor and poured another. Using his hand holding the glass, he pointed his finger at him. “I’m pretty fucking sure I’d want to kill you for not making her a special exception.”

“Hypocrisy.” Just as he thought, everyone cheerfully submitted to the status quo so long as their family remained unaffected. “Kella’s no longer starry eyed. She’s nothing like the girl we knew.”

“I liked the holy terror we knew.”

So did he, but he admired her current fortitude. “She’s jaded as all get out, and I can’t blame her. You weren’t there the day she was auctioned, you didn’t hear what potential buyers said about her, the way they viewed her like cattle, the things they openly spoke about
doing
to her.” His fingers curled into fists. “I wanted to bloody all their noses in her defense, but I had to play the coldhearted part of buyer because if I’d looked too interested my dad probably would’ve shut me down. I can only imagine how humiliated she felt. No girl should have to endure that. I’m not broken up that the new Xeno was abducted, provided she was saved and not sold on the black market.” Deplorable shit like that went on far too often. “It’s time for a change, James.”

“You’re a fool. And you’re giving me a headache.” He touched the glass to his forehead.

“If we’re not brave enough to make a change, how can we look our children in the eyes and say we did everything we could to make their world a better place? A safe place?”

––––––––

S
tone entered his bedroom a little while later, his aggression somewhat sedated after the guard stationed outside confirmed Kella and Reaper hadn’t left at any time during the day. He’d expected her to attempt an escape. Pleased she’d followed his request—for now—he put faith in his gut nonetheless.

Kella might not be an X-Ds, but at the very least she knew the identity of some. He’d bet his Regency on that speculation. That she might be playing fast and loose with her life irritated and worried him. Nothing much he could do about it. Until she trusted him enough with her secrets, providing her protection would pose a serious Catch-22. Earning her faith required patience and time, but he
would
discover her secrets.

Retro bolted from Kella’s lap to skitter around his feet, yipping in that high-pitched tenor that stung his eardrums. His wife gave him a hesitant glance as he knelt to fondle the kippy. When she discovered the creature was actually a rat with hair, he’d tell her he told her so because the kippy was the weirdest looking pet he’d ever seen. But sweet. Against his better judgment, he grew fond of the thing.

“You’re bunking with James tonight.” Maybe that’d suffice as a tip-off for Reaper to vacate the room right this fucking minute.

The two friends continued to play cards, ignoring his blunt hint. Not long ago Stone had been her best friend instead of Reaper. He wanted that closeness with her again. Untrue, he craved much more than friendship, but he would settle for camaraderie as a starting point. Anything to get closer to her.

Kella desired him, but for reasons that evaded him she denied her attraction. Unwanted jealousy slithered through him at her easy relationship with Reaper. There was no guarantee she wasn’t interested in the other man as a lover. But then she’d had plenty of time to engage in that liaison but the best he could tell, nothing sexual lingered between them.

She
had
responded earlier to Stone. Honest desire couldn’t be faked, and it spoke much louder than her denial. “You’re dismissed, Reaper.”

“Don’t be rude to my friend!” Fingertips white, she gripped the cards. He should teach her how to throw them like ninja stars. Her grip would be the first change-up. “We’re in the middle of a game.”

Stone gave her a one-shoulder shrug. “Then he shouldn’t cock block me, sunshine. Game’s over, Reaper. Beat it.”

“Stone!”

Reaper chuckled. “Mack, it’s okay.”

“Her name’s Kella.” Hearing the fake name irritated Stone, reminded him of the years he’d lost and her desperation to escape a life with him.

“No disrespect, but she’ll always be Mack to me.” His chair legs scrubbed against the floor when he pushed it away from the table. Reaper lingered, giving her a pointed stare. “Remember my advice.”

Something passed between them, but no words were spoken.

The moment Reaper exited through the adjoining door, she turned on Stone. “You were rude.”

“I was honest.” More than he could say for her. He placed the jewelry box on the table. “Yours.”

The moment she recognized it as the one he’d pilfered from her dig, her gaze snapped to him. “You knew it was me?”

“Yes.”

“How?” She fingered the etchings on the wooden box, popped the lid and surveyed the contents.

“It’s all there.”

“I wasn’t thinking you stole any.” She shut the lid. “How’d you know it was me?”

“Mark Evans had already told me Mack Ellason had information on my not-so-dead wife. You denied any knowledge of Kella, so I couldn’t figure out how you two fit together. When the cyber doc found your vanity chip and your Xeno ranking, the puzzle pieces fell together.”

“I knew Reaper shouldn’t have accepted your medical aid.”

“You’d be dead if he hadn’t.” Mule headed failed to describe her accurately.

“You’re not getting in my pants, Stone.” Changing the subject, she avoided his gaze, by focusing on stacking the deck of cards, taking the time to turn each card the same way. “So there was no rush to get rid of Reaper.”