Infinite Possibilities (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2)(68)

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We arrive at the private section of the airport and exit the truck. Dr. Murphy arrives in a private car and Tellar helps her with her bags. Jared turns to Liam and me and says, “This is where I say goodbye.”

“No,” I insist. “What about Chad? We need your help.”

“I’ll look for Chad my way.”

“Why not join us?” Liam asks. “Consider it a private hire job.”

“I freelance for a reason. I work best by myself.” He flicks a look at Liam. “And the jury is still out on you for me, Liam Stone, but the book isn’t closed.” His gaze settles on me. “Take care, Amy.” He turns and starts to jog toward the building.

I dart after him. “Wait! Wait!”

Looking surprised, he faces me and I say, “You’re the way Chad reaches me.”

“If Chad calls, I’ll be in touch.” He softens his voice. “You can’t live thinking Chad will reappear, Amy. That’s not living and that’s not what Chad wanted for you.”

Wanted. Past tense. He thinks Chad’s dead. “And you, Jared, can’t live without hope, or you won’t be living at all.”

He studies me a moment, his lips quirking, a cold wind reminding us it’s November despite being in Texas, blowing wisps of light brown hair from the clasp at the back of his neck. “I haven’t really lived in a long time. I’ll be in touch.”

He starts jogging again and this time I let him go. Liam steps to my side and laces his fingers through mine. “He left because he thinks Chad’s dead.”

“He left because this isn’t his place or his way, not because of Chad. That doesn’t mean he’s gone. Either of them.” He motions to the plane. “We need to get you off your feet.”

I nod and let him lead me onto the same private plane we’d been on once before. The doctor fusses over me when I don’t want to be fussed over, and finally Liam and I settle into private seats beside each other in the back of the cabin and pull the curtain for privacy. With a blanket and a pillow, I lay on my side facing Liam, and he does the same. The engines churn louder and I think about how much has happened since that first time I’d seen Liam in the airport and sat next to him on the plane.

“That flight to Denver, did you have anything to do with me ending up in first class?”

“Of course I did. I asked if you were making it on the flight and there was one coach seat left. I paid the guy sitting in first class next to me fifty thousand dollars to take it.”

I gape. “You paid fifty thousand dollars to sit next to me? I don’t understand. You were flying commercial. You could have flown private for that.”

“I fly commercial often. I don’t believe in throwing my money away, but that fifty thousand dollars was the best money I’ve ever spent.”

“You didn’t know me.”

He reaches up and strokes my cheeks. “When our eyes met in that airport, I saw another lost soul. And baby, you will never be alone again.”

I curl my fingers on his cheek.





Chapter Twenty-One



Liam and I spend the entire flight talking about pyramids and I find myself excited to talk about my family and the many amazing things I experienced with them. Honoring them, as Liam had once suggested.

By the time we walk into his home, my home, I am exhausted, but I am eager to gobble down a pizza in bed with him, and when he calls it our “habit”, it creates a sweet, warm spot in my chest. Not since I lived at home with my family have I had habits I shared with anyone. I fall asleep in Liam’s arms feeling safer than I have in a long time but as I drift off to sleep, I cannot help but think of Chad, and wonder where he is.

“Honey, grab the mail?” my mom asks as she stirs a pan on the stove. “I’m expecting something important.”

“Sure, Mom,” I say, pushing away from the table where I was working on my homework.

Humming the new song I just downloaded off of iTunes that I can’t get out of my head, I leave the kitchen and head toward the porch, thinking I’ll never get used to my mom baking cakes rather than digging in the dirt beside my dad.

“You’re f*cking my mother? Are you insane?”

I stop walking at the sound of my brother’s angry outburst.

“You f*cked me,”the other man says.“I just wanted to show you how easily I can f*ck you and anyone near you. And she thinks she’s helping to convince me to let your father out of our deal.” A low laugh escapes him. “Good mommy.”

A rough growl escapes Chad’s lips and he shoves the man against the wall. “You touch my mother, or anyone in my family again, I swear to God, I’ll kill you.”

“You give me what is mine or you and your family will all be dead.”

“I don’t have it.”

“You’d better get it then.”

“I told you, I didn’t take it.”

“What’s going on?”

I jump at the sound of my mother’s voice behind me. She steps to the screen door and I hear a soft gasp escape her lips. She shoves open the door and repeats, “What’s going on?”

The stranger Chad was fighting with is walking down the stairs and I can’t see his face.