Throne of Truth (Truth and Lies Duet #2)(33)

Did he not trust me with his employer?

That made two of them.

His languid steps didn’t fool me. He was packing and just itching to draw. He’d wanted this ever since he recognized me the night I picked Elle up at the Blue Rabbit and took her back to my place to fuck her the first time.

He’d glared into my eyes, and in that glimpse, we’d both relived that night in Central Park. The night when he’d come to claim sweet nineteen-year-old Elle and left me on my own. I’d expected him to say something. To say more than ‘he looks familiar’ but he hadn’t. He’d zipped his lips and let Elle decide who to believe I was.

I had to give him credit for that, at least.

“David, tell them to let him go.” Elle whirled toward him, looking to him to fix this. He might’ve stopped Elle from being arrested three years ago, but he hadn’t done it for me then, and he wouldn’t do it for me now.

His jaw tightened, his dark skin hiding stress and anger better than Elle’s pale complexion as he moved to her side. He didn’t touch her. Professional until the end. “Greg woke up and pressed charges. Mr. Everett hurt him. He’ll have to suffer the consequences.”

Elle growled, “Greg kidnapped me. He was seconds away from raping me. Penn stopped him.”

The officer with red hair mumbled, “Greg will be taken in for questioning, too, once he’s been cleared at the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Elle threw her hands up. “Are you kidding me? He’ll have a few bruises. He’s over-acting the entire thing.”

The office shook his head. “Reports of a bruised larynx and broken ribs have been confirmed by the doctors. It’s a serious matter, Ms. Charlston, and both parties will be dealt with.”

At least I’d hurt him.

He deserved to be in pain.

The rookie sidled up to Elle. My hackles rose as she said, “When you’ve returned home and eh, recuperated.” She looked at the state of Elle’s undress. “You’re required to come to the station to submit your statement about how Greg Hobson took you, what his intentions were in the cabin, and any outstanding issues we need to be aware of.”

Elle spasmed with anger. “I can tell you all that right now. In exchange for letting Mr. Everett go.”

I chuckled. “Come on, Elle. You know from experience they won’t do that. Just leave me like you did the first time.”

Her hands wedged in her stomach as if I’d physically hit her. “Do you think I’m that heartless?” She moved closer, dragging my gaze to her perfect body and just how fucking much I suffered when it came to her. Love her. Hate her. Adore her. Abhor her. I could never win.

Because I wasn’t telling the truth.

The truth was I’d never felt like this for anyone.

Ever.

I’m in love with you, you chocolate-kissing, night time stealing, gorgeous girl. And I’m pissed as hell about it.

My shoulders straightened. I would never tell her because she hadn’t earned my truth. The only person who had was Larry.

Fuck, Larry.

I had to talk to him the moment I was allowed a phone call.

The ginger officer guided me toward the stairs. “Time to go.”

“Penn, please!” Elle wrung her hands. “I believe you. Don’t punish me for fearing the worst.”

Was it wrong of me to want her to hurt just a little? To make her feel how awful it was not to have someone trust you.

Tears brimmed in her blue eyes, begging me to relieve that hurt.

I cursed her. But I couldn’t let her suffer.

Tugging against the cop’s pressure, I said, “Go into the kitchen. Above the fridge is a safe deposit box. Combination is 0619—19thof June.”

Elle half-gasped, half-sobbed.

Before she could say anything, I added, “Inside, you’ll find things that will answer some of your questions, but you’ll also find my emergency details. Call Larry Barns.”

“All right, enough chitchat.” The officer pushed me.

My feet descended the stairs. “Tell him I need his services again. Tell him I know I fucked up but he better come.”

Elle nodded, her hands grasping the banister as she stayed on my floor, and I slowly headed below. “Can you say it out loud? Admit what happened between us that night. Please...I need to hear that, Penn...”

Even now, she still had a splinter of doubt puncturing her trust.

Fuck, that hurts.

I smiled harshly. “The fact that you have to ask is all the answer I’ll give you.” I glanced down, judging how many steps to go. How many steps before I was trapped behind barbwire and bars again.

Tears welled in her gaze. “So you are Nameless?”

I shrugged. “I’ve never been called Nameless. But if you’re asking who I am? How can I tell you? How can I make you see what you don’t want to see?”

“But I do want to see. I’ve been dying to see for three years. I’ve been trying to find you, Penn. I—”

“Stop, Elle.” I didn’t want to hear her declarations of hardship. Of the occasional half-hearted search while she lived in her crystal tower and I rotted in a cell.

We reached the landing, ready to turn and vanish from Elle’s line of sight. I gave her all I could. I finally admitted my truth. “I can’t tell you who I am because I never told you my name. I could give you any name, and you would never know it was real because you never knew me.”