Dangerous Lies(41)

I stuck my finger into his chest. “You’re the one who ruined it.”

He snatched my hand in his grip. “Yes, this is my fault for making you feel betrayed, and I’m terribly sorry I’ve hurt you. You’ve been hurt enough, and I should have been up front with you, but believe me when I say I did it for your own good.”

I shook my head, tears falling down my cheeks. “And I thought I couldn’t be hurt again. This was a knife to the back, and I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

Jake kept my hand in his, and I attempted to yank it from his hold. “Be mad at me, but don’t push me away,” he demanded. “I hate that I’m causing you pain, but you know me, Cora. I’ve always been myself with you.”

A knock sounded on the front door, and Jake jumped, taking a protective stance in front of me, searching the area as if an intruder would walk through it. Then his shoulders fell when he saw my suitcases packed next to the door.

“You can’t leave,” he croaked. “Not like this.”

I stood and walked passed him, unable to meet his eyes. I had no idea who he was anymore, and although he said he was real with me, how could I trust him, and feel safe in his house when he’d lied about so many things?

“I need to think,” I whispered, slipping on my shoes and setting my hand on the doorknob.

“Wait until the morning. Please,” he begged, leaning against the front door. “You can’t take a cabbie this late at night. I’ll drive you wherever you need to go in the morning. Let’s be rational, now.”

“You need to move, Jake.”

“Cora, please,” he paused, his eyes beginning to moisten. I had to close my own lids. This was how Martin controlled me, welling with tears and apologies. I couldn’t let Jake do the same.

He took a sharp inhale. “I love you.”

My heart hammered in my chest. I loved him too, but I loved the man who he pretended to be, not the special service, high intense, military killer that he really was.

“Move, Jake. Let me go,” I said firmly, throwing my bag over my shoulder and grabbing my suitcase handle with my other hand.

Jake waited a moment, but moved so I could open the door. The cab driver smiled at first, but then became uncomfortable when he saw my tears and Jake following me in only his gym shorts.

“Let me get those for you,” he said, taking my bag. Jake glared at him.

“Cora, I don’t want this,” he whispered once the cab driver found the trunk of his car, throwing my things in it.

“You should have thought of that before.”

He took my hand and held it over his heart. His chest was clammy with sweat, his heart pounding wildly against my shaky palm. “It’s not safe for you.”

I craned my head in his direction. “Why would you say that?”

He sucked in his cheeks, a scowl forming across his forehead.

I shook my head in disbelief. “It’s Martin, isn’t it? You know him, don’t you?”

He swallowed. “He’s hired one of my co-workers in the states in the past. I asked him to check on Martin the other day.”

Anger fueled me, and I began smacking his rock hard of a chest over and over, pounding at him as if he was a punching bag. “You’re a fucking asshole!”

Jake stood there, letting me hit him while my tears flowed freely. “I was checking into him for you. That bullshit text he sent scared you, and I didn’t want you to be afraid.”

Giving him one last blow to the chest, I scrunched my fists together, shaking with anger and fear of the unknown.

Jake cautiously set his hand on my wrist, and I was too tired from my tantrum to immediately brush him off. “I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t planning anything, and if he was, I wanted to be prepared.”

I glared at him, flinching from his hold. “Make sure all of your guns were loaded? Is that it?”

“There’s more to my job than shooting, Cora,” he muttered. “Think of it like a game of chess. I have to have all of my pieces in place to protect my queen.”

I ground my teeth together, hating that his line made my heart skip a beat. Crossing my arms, I scowled at him. “And what piece was I in your game of chess before I slept with you?”

He furrowed his brows, not understanding.

Jutting my chin and standing my ground, I continued. “Did you work for Martin? Did he ever want you to ‘take care of me?’ Or, did you see my photo on his desk then decide to make me your conquest?”

He frowned, his eyes becoming stormy. “First, I thought I made it clear I’ve cared about you for a very long time. Second, I’ve already told you a co-worker had worked with him, and not in regards to you, and it was an insane coincidence. Third, you’ve NEVER been a conquest, and I’m a bit appalled you’d think so low of me.”

My arms remained crossed, apprehensive if he were telling me the truth or not. “I’m a bit appalled you didn’t tell me your real name or that you hunt people, but hey, who’s counting?”

“I should have told you before you came out to visit. I’m sorry.”

I shook my head, sucking in a breath as if it would help hold in my tears. “There’s a lot you should have told me a long time ago.”

The cab driver was standing by his door, tapping on the hood of the car. “Er… did you still need a ride? If you do, we should probably get going.”