Secret Obsession (Carder Texas Connections #6)(58)

The ceiling crushed the playpen.

Noah held Jocelyn close.

“You’re alive.” Lyssa started toward him.

Archimedes rolled onto his back. “It’s not you. It can’t be you. You’re in Denver.” He stood, swaying, and clutched the remote to his chest. “You’ll pay!”

He flicked a switch and smiled. “Say goodbye to your sister.” He lifted a tablet computer showing a building collapsing.

Lyssa didn’t hesitate. “You bastard!” She ran at Todd, head-butting him with all her strength.

Archimedes skidded toward a wall. Noah handed a screaming Jocelyn to Lyssa. “Can you run?”

Above them beams split. Ashes rained over them.

“Duck!” Noah shouted.

She covered Jocelyn while Noah grabbed Archimedes by the collar.

The man laughed in his face. “She’s mine. I took her from her fiancé, I’ll take her from you. She’ll die by my side!”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a knife. He swiped at Noah.

“Hell, no.”

In a practiced move, Noah twisted Archimedes’s arm behind his back. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done. I promise you that,” he hissed in his ear.

A beam crashed right beside them, sparks flying.

“Get out, Lyssa,” he shouted. “Now!”

She stumbled to her feet. “There’s no way out!”

“We’ll die together,” Archimedes chuckled. “All you had to do was love me.”

Just then an SUV rammed through the front of the gym. Ransom and two other men jumped out. “Go! The place is coming down.”

The car backed out, leaving a gaping hole. Lyssa clutched Jocelyn and ran through. Noah held Archimedes firm.

“Move it,” he said rushing Archimedes through the door. To Noah’s left side a wall crashed down, barely missing them. Shrapnel pummeled over them, fiery weapons. One grazed his arm, setting his jacket ablaze.

He shucked it to the ground, and Archimedes broke free. He raced back into the gym.

“Stop,” Noah shouted.

“You’ll never take me.”

A huge creaking noise erupted from the walls and ceiling. Archimedes turned and stared, his jaw open wide, stunned.

Half the wall fell on top of, burying him in flames.

He’d killed himself.

*

NOAH PEERED INTO the burning gym.

Archimedes was gone. Dead.

Fire truck sirens filled the air. Lyssa walked over to Noah, carrying Jocelyn.

“What are you doing out of the SUV?” He put his arm around her, propping her up as she cuddled the baby in her arms.

“Are you hurt?”

Smoke poured from what remained of the gym. She coughed and yanked the tiara off her head. “I’m fine.”

“What are you wearing?” Noah asked.

“It was my high school prom dress. I thought my mom gave it away. He stole it.”

“Who was he?”

“Todd Davidson, a kid from my class.”

“Why did he do this, Lyssa?”

She rocked Jocelyn, praying the little girl would fall asleep. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice lowered. “The thing is, I only talked to him once. Some jocks were bullying them. I told them to stop. That was it. He turned it into some twisted love affair.”

Jocelyn whimpered. Lyssa jostled the baby and told Noah everything Todd had said in the gym.

Noah touched the baby’s soft skin. She looked so much like Lyssa.

Ransom walked over to them. “The second ambulance is en route.” He held out his hand to Lyssa. “I’m Ransom Grainger. Good to meet you and I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Lyssa...” She hesitated and looked over at Noah.

“It’s over. Use whichever name you prefer.”

“Alessandra doesn’t exist anymore. I like Lyssa.”

Noah gave her a quick smile. “Lyssa suits you,” he said. “I’ve gotten used to it.” He turned to Ransom. “How’s Elijah?”

“Not great, but he’ll make it. By the way, Reid’s out of the coma. He’s asking for both of you.”

“Tell him Archimedes is dead. Tell him everything,” Noah said.

“Marmie?” Jocelyn stared at Ransom, then at Noah, then finally at Lyssa. Her lip trembled. “Marmie?”

“Do you have a phone?” Lyssa asked Noah.

He pulled it out of his pocket. Lyssa quickly went to a cloud account she’d purchased under Jack’s mother’s maiden name and prayed Mary hadn’t changed the password.

She clicked on the link.

A video started playing.

Jocelyn’s ears perked up. She clutched the phone and stared.

“Mama!” she said, smiling. The little girl hummed along to “Hush, Little Baby.”

Noah leaned over her shoulder. It was Lyssa singing to the baby. A slightly younger Lyssa, her face had been a bit fuller, but it was her.

“Mama!” The baby hugged the phone to her.

A tear slid down Lyssa’s cheek. “Mary showed her the video. I knew she would.”

Noah stood solidly behind her quietly while the baby watched.

“Marmie?” she questioned.