Sweet Liar (Candy #2)(74)

“Heather’s parents watched the videos you and my mother made, and they sent someone to talk to my father.” Rubbing a hand down his face, he sighed. “They don’t like the idea of him going after Sebastian for personal reasons, and they’re willing to look into it.”

He smiled hesitantly, and I could tell he thought this was good news. “Don’t get your hopes up, though,” he hastened to add. “They want to talk to both of our fathers first, and they want to talk to me, but . . .” He paused, unsure of his next words. “The organization doesn’t make decisions based on right or wrong. It makes them selfishly, and it doesn’t like messes.”

I squinted at him, not knowing how to interpret that.

“That could be good for your father, Candy,” he explained. “As long as they believe us.”

I gave him a hesitant smile, but turned away so he couldn’t see tears of hope gathering in my eyes. It was premature to be hopeful, but I couldn’t help it.

“Did they show Victor the videos?” Lorraine asked with a slight tremor in her voice.

“No.” Jonah gave her a reassuring look. “Those videos were only for Heather’s parents. She promised he wouldn’t see them.”

As Jonah’s words sank in, I felt a potent combination of anxiety and restlessness. “When do they want to talk to you?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Soon. I have to go back.”

My gut clenched at the thought.

“My father’s being questioned now. After what he did to you, they decided to hold him, but I don’t know for how long.”

“Where?” I asked. “The same place they’re keeping my father?”

Jonah nodded. “A building they have about an hour away from here, closer to the city.”

Lorraine looked anxiously at both of us.

New York City. My father wasn’t far away at all and neither was Victor. “If you’re going back, I’m going with you,” I said.

Not appearing surprised, Jonah studied me for a long moment. “Mom, can we have a minute?”

Lorraine looked as if she was about to break down crying at the thought of both of us leaving, but said nothing. She pressed her lips together to hold back what was on her mind before leaving the room.

“What is it?” Jonah asked once we were alone. “Your hands have been fisted by your sides since you walked in here.”

He reached for my hand and uncurled my fingers. The tips were a dark purple.

“Stress,” I explained. When I tried to draw my hand back, he wouldn’t release me.

“I didn’t know stress could affect them this much, and you’re not wearing any Band-Aids.”

“I don’t have the ointment.”

He sighed. “Your prescription. I forgot. I could have gotten it for you when I went back.”

“It’s okay.” I pulled on my hand again and this time he released it. The black, frostbitten skin on my fingers was the least of my worries. “I am going back with you. You’re not talking me out of it.”

“Give me your hands,” he said, holding his out for them.

I sighed, glancing down at his open palms.

Jonah waited patiently. He seemed to have endless patience where I was concerned. After a moment, I laid my hands over his. His fingers closed around mine, and he tugged me to him so that we were pressed together with our hands held firmly between our bodies. Then he rubbed his nose along the side of my neck and breathed warm air onto my skin there.

I shivered, but it wasn’t from being cold. My eyes closed and I leaned into him. His warmth seeped into me until I was swaying on my feet. We stayed this way for a long blissful moment until he pressed a kiss to my forehead and stepped back.

When he opened his hands, mine were flushed and red. Seeing his effect on me, my cheeks heated just like my hands had.

“You may not tell me how you feel, but your body shows me,” he said quietly.

My body had never been confused when it came to Jonah. My mind was finally falling in line too. Whether he knew it or not, he was taking me with him. I wouldn’t let him go without me, and now that Victor was safely tucked away somewhere, I wanted to go home, even if just for a little while.





“I’m not a cat person,” Lorraine said, having a strange staring contest with Pumpkin, who was sitting on the floor in front of her.

I’d asked her if Pumpkin could stay here for a while since I had no idea what my house would look like when I got there. After I cleaned up, I could drive back and get him, but if the organization released Victor, I could be back here with Lorraine indefinitely or at least until Victor found me, but I didn’t want to think about that.

“Just clean the litter box once a day and feed him twice a day. It couldn’t be easier,” I said.

Her nose wrinkled at the words litter box, but she didn’t protest. Pumpkin was staying, and saying good-bye to him was a lot less awkward than saying it to Lorraine. I hugged her easily because she looked like she needed it, and because I figured a hug from Jonah was unlikely.

But much to my surprise, he bent down and loosely embraced her on his way out. She was so shocked, she hardly had a chance to hug him back.

“Nice,” I said to him as we walked to the Jeep.

He smirked, bumping his shoulder into mine. “Getting there. Understanding is easy because you do that with your head. Forgiveness is harder because that only happens in your heart. I get you better than you think, Seaborne. We’re so much alike, it’s scaring me right now.”