Lie to Me (37 page)

“Your opinions on my leadership with my Quadrant don’t concern me. Your interest in my wife does. Especially when you demanded she submit to you once she was hale and hearty after her electrical punishment.”

“Told you of that did she?” Jones
tsked
her.

Kella sent an awkward glance toward Miranda, and the woman smirked.
Bet she led us into this conversation on purpose
.

“Yes, she told me you knew her identity that day, and you wanted her to say yes to becoming your fuck-toy. I waited to see how long it took you to confess your knowledge.” Stone laced his fingers with hers once again. “I don’t care what you think of Kella and me, or our story. Believe it or don’t, it’s none of your concern. Your interest in Kella
is
my concern, however.”

“Allow me to clarify my interest in Kella.” Jones slid the pad across the table toward Stone. “Hit play.”

When Stone made no effort to follow instructions, Kella pressed the play button. She wanted to know what put the gloat on the other Regent’s face. A dark, shrouded landscape came into view. “That’s the square.”

The video continued to play. Three people emerged, two were males, and one obviously female by the slender build. The trio conversed for a moment before the girl pulled a gun and shot both men in the head at point blank range.

Kella gasped and turned her face away.

“What the hell?” Stone’s question went unanswered.

Chancing a glance, she peeped with one eye at the screen. The girl stepped closer to the screen, her features clear. It was her own face she saw. Kella’s visage, and not Mack’s.

“Not knowing what your wife really looked like, I didn’t realize this was her until just recently.”

“That wasn’t me.” Horror filled her at the idea of Jones framing her. There was no way anyone who knew her would believe she’d murdered two people in cold blood. “You doctored this film.”

“Prove it, dear.” The smug bastard grinned.

“She was with me on the date of the timestamp.” Stone chucked the electronic toward Regent Jones. “Prove she wasn’t.”

Kella didn’t get a clear view of the date on the video to say if she was or wasn’t with Stone. That he defended her lent a sense of safety, but placed him at risk if he lied. That Jones accused her of murder felt surreal, and for a scary moment the world sounded muted as if she’d stepped outside of herself.

“Get her out of here, Reaper.” Stone’s command jerked her out of her haze.

Reaper responded immediately to her husband’s directive, hauling her out of her seat with a firm grip on her upper arm. She didn’t even think of arguing with Stone this time. Getting away from Regent Jones sounded like a fantastic idea.

Reaper came to an abrupt halt in the hallway. He placed a finger over his lips, and they took a moment to eavesdrop. Then someone closed the door, and their efforts at snooping vanished.

***

N
o one said anything while Kella and Reaper exited the room. The way Jones watched his woman almost had Stone going over the table to strangle the motherfucker. Jones coveted his wife, and Stone bet his interest had nothing to do with her dig, or her guilt over an alleged murder, but he probably desired the X-gene she possessed. Which made no sense given that Jones could’ve claimed Kella at any time he wanted over the last eight years, but hadn’t.

The moment someone shut the door to the dining area, Jones’s eyes shifted back to Stone. “The murder investigation has led to a clear involvement with X-Ds.”

Stone grit his teeth. “I just told you she was with me, so you’ve got nothing tying her to the X-Ds.” Wishing for a measure of control, he inhaled, but the threat to his wife fueled his temper. “If you even
think
about making a legal move against my wife, I will utilize the full strength of my station to unseat you from your position.” Planned to anyway. “And I
will
claim your Quad as my own.”

“None of that bluster is necessary, Regent Emmerson.” Jones’s sweet tone fell on deaf ears. “Have the X-Ds disband the newsfeed”—because none in the Regent-ran news had yet to figure out how to shut off the feed—“and I’ll consider this video child’s play.”

People were dead in that video. Hardly child’s play. That Jones referred to their deaths in that way sent a cold chill skittering along Stone’s spine. He rubbed the back of his neck. Was the asshole deaf or just being belligerent to further incite his anger? “I’m the wrong person to make that request to.”

“I also want the Xeno stolen from me returned.”

Stone slammed his fist down on the table. “I told you I have nothing to do with the X-Ds.” Not that he’d seen any proof that the X-Ds had taken the girl even if he were involved with them.

“But your beautiful wife is.”

“Are you taking a hallucinogenic? You can’t possibly think anyone in my entourage has anything to do with the X-Ds. Or that I’d allow my wife to be part of the terrorist cell.”

“You’ve not seen your wife in eight years. How would you know what she’s involved in?” Jones elevated his eyebrow, calling Stone’s bluff. “My intel says your wife is very much involved with X-Ds, Regent Emmerson, most likely a founder.”

“I’ve heard enough bullshit for one evening. I’d say thanks for your hospitality but instead, go fuck yourself.” Stone walked away without a backward glance, James hard on his heels.

“About a year after Mack arrived here, I discovered her identity. Mark didn’t realize he’d let her identity slip.” Stone halted, his back to the other man, as he spilled whatever confession he felt compelled to make. “I called Peter, told him your whore was here. He gifted her to me, told me you were happy to be rid of her. I’ve got a man on the inside, high in your ranks, ready to shut you out of your Quadrant and return it to its former glory. You’ve a choice, son. Tell the X-Ds to stand down, or hand your wife over to me tomorrow morning.”

“Remain calm,” James mouthed as Stone contemplated committing bodily harm. “We’re outgunned.”

He faced Jones, satisfied when his voice remained even. “Is that high-ranked man my father?” Jones just smiled, so Stone said, “He’s imprisoned as of two weeks ago.”

Stone took a moment to enjoy the humor vanishing from Jones’s face before turning and striding from the room. Once he hit the square, he ran to catch up with Kella. Until he had her in his sights, he wouldn’t trust she was safe.

She seemed relieved when she saw them. Yanking on Reaper’s shirt to halt him, they both watched as Stone strode toward them.

“You can do that?” Kella asked when he neared. “Take over his Quad like you threatened?”

Thoughts focused on what Jones claimed about Kella’s association with the X-Ds and his father’s ultimate betrayal, he could manage nothing more than a casual shrug as a reply to her question. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he guided her along the boardwalk while surveying their surroundings. “To protect you I would take all Quads as my own if need be.”

“Why didn’t I know this was possible? We were taught a Regent ruled with absolute authority.”

“It’s a secret only divulged to Regents. Can you imagine the coups that would happen if the populace knew?”

Other
spooners
could decide to elect themselves as the new Regent. Regents had done everything to protect their position and ensure less chances of a revolt.

––––––––

“D
ouble the guards on duty. Prepare for anything,” James instructed the other soldiers, going into counter-offense mode the moment they entered the home. “We need to talk, Stone.”

“Later.” All he could think about was his wife’s face on that video. The moment her appearance emerged on the screen, his blood had run cold despite her immediate denial. Maybe in a life or death scenario she could’ve pulled the trigger, but what the video showed was an unfeeling homicide. Kella was
not
capable of that level of coldness. Regardless of his faith in her, that irritating voice in his head wouldn’t shut up. Or maybe it was the devil on his shoulder that reminded she’d been less than honest more than once. Her prior deceit seeded his current doubt.

“Later we could be dead,” James argued.

His buddy had a job to do, and he understood where James was coming from, but Stone couldn’t focus beyond his wife’s involvement in the video and Regent Jones’s claims to her terrorist involvement. No, tonight he had to look his woman in the eyes and ask some very hard questions. Some he wasn’t sure he wanted honest answers to. “Deal with it, James. Security is your call. You don’t require my guidance.” James could do this job efficiently with his eyes closed.

“He’ll send his elite assassins if he comes.”

Kella’s out-there comment whipped Stone’s head about, and every eye in the room went to her. “How do you even know that?”

Reaper snorted. “Live here, and you won’t need to ask that question.”

“You’re fucking with me.” Was Reaper a part of Kella’s merry band of X-Ds too? Jones hadn’t implicated him, just Kella.
If
she was X-Ds like Regent Jones implied, he wouldn’t be surprised to discover Reaper as her partner in crime. They were thick as thieves. “He can’t possibly turn them on his citizens.”

“Three times last year,” Kella confirmed.

Reaper nodded. “There are sharp shooters in that elite group, James. And if I’m right, at least a dozen trained assassins. Maybe more.”

“This just keeps getting better.” James double-checked his weapon and once satisfied, the gun remained in his grip. “We need to pack up and leave right now before Jones has time to organize.”

“I can’t leave my dig.” Kella’s tone implied James’s suggestion wasn’t just silly, but ludicrous.

“He’d already be organized for an attack if he was going to do it. You’d have been jumped at his estate, and you wouldn’t have been allowed to leave. That’s the way he works. I’ve done my fair share of working with him.” Reaper just kept adding fuel to the fire burning inside Stone. “Mack, your life is more important. I do agree you need to leave town.”

Thank fuck her friend had some common sense.

Stone delivered her choices in a no-nonsense tone. “You’ve got twenty-four hours to either shut down your operation or hire people to guard it until we can return.”

“Our contract says I have eight months, and I demand you honor your commitment.” How cute. Her fingers curled into tight fists, and he bet she’d breathe fire if she could. By the look in her eyes, she was that furious.

Stone cupped her nape and yanked her up to her toes, meeting her almost nose-to-nose. “If our contract interferes with my ability to protect you, I’ll tear the motherfucker up and default on the deal.”

She screeched and punched him in the gut. “You lying, distrustful bastard!”

“Pot meet kettle,” he rasped through the discomfort from the well-placed hit to his stomach. “Who were the people slaughtered in the video?”

Her mouth dropped on a silent gasp. She gaped at him like the most innocent lamb in all of history. As if she hadn’t committed more deception than both of them combined.

“I’m with Stone on this one, Mack.” The more Reaper showed his good judgment, the more Stone liked him. “Jones is coming for you. The dig’s not worth your life.”

“Both of you, go to hell.” Although she included Reaper in that slur, she kept her focus on Stone, so he knew the brunt of the smear was directed toward him.

She stomped off with a huff, her luscious ass swaying provocatively as she stalked away.

“She’ll get over it.” Reaper eyed him warily.

Stone grunted. He worried more about her safety than her hurt feelings.

“You might want to guard your balls while you sleep.” James watched her stomp up the steps. “Or better yet strip search her to make sure she doesn’t have a knife.”

Oh, he planned to strip her soon. And there’d be some searching going on too.
With my tongue
.

“Or any vague tool she can use as a weapon,” her bodyguard added. “I trained her to kill with a fork and toothbrush.”

“Fuck me, the holy terror is the equivalent of a female assassin.” James’s grumble struck Stone as humorous, and he chuckled.

Of course Reaper gave Kella the oddest skillset, one sanctioned for men only. Given her delicate-flower-Xeno status, a class meant only to be pampered and coddled, never lifting a finger to do more than nurse a baby or brush her hair, the violent skills she possessed lent irony to her rank.

It pleased Stone she could take care of herself. He just had no intentions of her ever having to break a nail again to employ her expertise. Unless it was dig related. So why hadn’t she fought harder or hurt him more when he captured her in the crimson rain?

“I like him, James.” Stone rubbed the ache in his belly where Kella had hit him while deciding their future. “Reaper, do you have a place nearby where we can hide?”

“Uh...Yeah.”

He made mental note of Reaper’s hesitation. “Can we leave first thing tomorrow morning?”

“Sure.” Kella’s friend wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

He’s going to run with her
. Stone felt certain of that, but instead of addressing the man with his suspicions, Stone faced James. “Close the teleport to everyone.” Regents of other Quads would offer aid to Jones, so he had to anticipate any move and figure everyone rallied against him. “Gather the militia. I want Kella safe, and then we take this goddamn Quad from the prick running it.”

“That’s a bold move.” Reaper studied Stone, a curious gleam in the other man’s eyes.

“It’s more than doable.” James already had his cell out hitting buttons.

“I warned him not to threaten Kella, and he ignored me. I’ll follow through with
my
threat.” Stone felt no qualms about ripping power from Jones.

“What’d he say after we left?”

“You planning on running with my woman?”

They stared at one another for a moment before Reaper said, “Not so much, but walking you two into the safe haven might pose a problem. If I can take you, I will. If I can’t, Mack’s safety comes first like you requested when you hired me.”