Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(65)

He lifted his gaze and she gasped. “Oh, my boy, what’s happened to you?” She placed her hand on his cheek.

He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You’re thin, you’re pale, and your left arm is bandaged up. The last time you had that expression was…” Her voice trailed off. “When your father was killed.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Mama—”

“Hush up, Zach.” She squeezed his hand. “What are you doing here? Really?”

He shifted on the bed. “You’re in the hospital. Why wouldn’t I come?”

“Don’t try to protect me, Zach.” She let out a slow sigh. “You’re as bad at it as your father was.”

Zach pursed his lips, searching for a truth he could reveal. Anna Montgomery recognized every lie.

“Let me guess, your job got complicated. You don’t know where to turn. You came home because you had no choice.” She shook her head. “I recognize the signs. From Seth. From your father. You’ve been living a lie. Pretending to everyone. Even your brothers.” She gripped his hand hard, hanging on tight. “And me.”

Zach wanted to tug away from her knowing gaze, but he couldn’t. He simply bowed his head. “How did you know?”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Please. You never could hide anything from me, Zachariah. You’re transparent because you feel deeply.”

“No one else thinks so.” Except maybe his Jenna.

“Because they look with their mind, not their heart.”

“A human radar detector.” Zach smiled at his mother and a flash of insight hit him. “How many times did you tell Dad and John where I was?”

She shrugged. “I had a duty to protect you. I could see your struggles. You always believed you were different from your brothers.” Her smile turned sad. “But you weren’t, Zach.”

“I appreciate the thought, Mama, but you know as well as I do they never understood.” He didn’t add his father hadn’t either.

“If you’d asked, they would have gone with you on your mountain explorations.”

“Everyone?”

She chuckled. “Well, all except Caleb. He hates heights.”

Zach rubbed his eyes against the swirling of emotions. “I didn’t think they wanted to go.”

“Most see what they expect to see. I hope I see the truth.” A tear slid down her face. “Just like I know John may not make it…even though no one has told me anything.”

“He means a lot to you.”

She blushed.

“Mama?”

For the first time Zach saw his mother as a woman, a woman who had been alone for five years. A woman who could feel, and grieve, and love.

“I loved your father. I always will, but—”

He patted her hand. “I understand.”

“Now, you’ve surprised me. To think, I worried how you would respond more than the others.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about love and being alone the past few days,” Zach admitted.

His mother’s brow arched. “Really.” She settled against the hospital pillows. “Tell me about her.”

“I don’t love her.”

“Of course not.”

Zach shoved his hand through his hair. “I can’t love her, Mama. She and her son…we can’t be together. My life…it’s complicated.”

“You can’t ditch the subject. Not with me.” Anna sucked in a sharp breath and winced.

Zach leapt to his feet, his heart racing in panic. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She pressed a button. “Pain medicine is wearing off. Burns hurt like the dickens.”

Surprisingly enough, the nurse hurried in immediately and pushed morphine into the tube attached to Anna’s wrist.

“So odd,” she said, staring at her hand. “I can feel warmth moving up my arm and then going through my entire body.”

Her face relaxed a bit from the pinched look that made Zach’s heart clench. “Where were we?”

Her eyes fluttered.

“Don’t worry about anything, Mama. I’ll come back again.”

He kissed her forehead. She clasped his hand.

“Don’t let love slip away, Zach. It’s too rare and precious not to fight for it.”

She blinked several times, her eyes losing focus.

“Zach. Your father would be proud of the man you’ve become. Believe that.”

Her words slurred, then her hand went limp and dropped to the bed.

Zach swallowed, clutching her small fingers in his. “I wish you were right, Mama.”

He watched her breathe for several minutes just to make certain he hadn’t lost her. She was an amazing woman. He should have known he couldn’t hide anything from her. Jenna reminded him of his mom. She seemed to read him—all too well.

He’d thought he’d learned how to hide everything. Lies were second nature.

Had he been wrong?

He stepped back and stared at the woman whose unconditional love humbled him. He’d have to thank John Garrison for saving her. After he had a talk with the man about his intentions. John had been SWAT. They lived hard…and played hard if Gabe was any indication.