Behind Every Lie(83)

“No! No. Of course not! I mean, not that I remember. M-maybe we saw each other somewhere along the line, but …”

He was talking too much, the lie stamped inadvertently on his face. Even Eva could see it, a dawning realization settling gently across her face.

“How did you find me tonight?”

Liam pressed his lips together.

“Liam! How did you find me?”

He sighed. “I put a tracking device in your purse.”

Eva’s eyes widened. “Why? When?”

“I guess, I don’t know—years ago.” He shook his head. “You’re just so stupid sometimes!” he exploded. “So na?ve. There are some bad people in the world, like this guy!” He tilted his head at Sebastian, and Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I wanted to protect you. I’ve always wanted to protect you. Even from yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t even remember the night we met, do you? We were talking at the bar when my phone rang. I left to answer it, but when I came back you were talking to someone else. You are so beautiful, Eva, so sweet and innocent, but you trust anybody, everybody but yourself. I watched as he slipped something in your drink, and you didn’t even notice! He followed you outside and I knew what he was going to do. But I got to you first. I saved you.”

Eva’s face paled even further. She looked positively ill, her lips a disturbing shade of blue-white.

“I’m sorry about the tracking device. I know it sounds weird and creepy, but I swear, it isn’t like that. I wanted to keep you safe because I love you! That’s how I found you!”

Sebastian snorted a laugh. “Fat lot of good you’ve done here, eh?”

Eva looked down, crying silently. Only I could see the gentle sawing motion as she worked her way through the final threads of tape at her wrists.

“He’s right.” She looked at Liam, her face hard and cold. “You weren’t able to save me, Liam. Then or now. You’re the one I shouldn’t have trusted.”

Liam looked like she’d slapped him. He opened his mouth to reply but suddenly Eva exploded out of her seat. She lunged for the mug I’d dropped on the floor earlier, grasped the handle firmly, and smashed it into the side of Sebastian’s head. It made a hollow thunk as it ricocheted off his skull. He stumbled to his knees, clutching his head, the knife clattering to the floor.

“Run, Eva!” The words snapped out of my throat. I tried to stand but couldn’t, my hands and feet weighted like sandbags. I clutched my chest, my heartbeat suddenly slowing, as if the brakes had been put on. I collapsed into the armchair.

Eva wrenched the front door open, opening her mouth to scream, but Sebastian was already there. He grabbed her shirt and dragged her back inside. The material ripped and he tossed her to the floor. Her head cracked, a sickening thunk. She slumped onto the floor, stunned.

Sebastian kicked the door shut and leapt on her. She tried to roll out from under him, but he punched her in the face and she went limp, dazed.

Then the knife was in his hand, raised over his head, moving in slow motion toward her throat.

“Eva!” Liam strained against his restraints. The muscles in his neck were like cords as he tried to free himself.

I summoned every last shred of strength in me and threw myself out of my chair. The full force of my weight landed on Sebastian. We crashed to the floor, my body thudding hard into the fireplace grate. But he still had the knife, and suddenly he was on top of me, rising above me like a moon. I watched the knife’s downward trajectory, felt the steel burning as it slid into the base of my neck, like hot metal through butter.

Sebastian staggered off of me, the knife still in his hand. His face momentarily registered what he had done. He leapt on top of Eva, his eyes crazed, void of all reason.

I pressed my shaking hands to my throat, trying to stop the blood, but it was gushing out too eagerly, hot and sticky on my fingers. I stumbled to my feet, my slick hands fumbling for the fireplace poker. The knife in Seb’s hand slashed down, down, down toward Eva.

I lifted the poker above my head and smashed it into the back of Sebastian’s skull with all my might. Sebastian’s head cleaved in half at the back, making the wet shluck of a watermelon splitting. He hung suspended in the air for a split second, eyes wide, as if surprised that I had dared defy him. Then he crumpled on top of Eva, limp as a tissue, the knife in his hand clattering onto the floor.

“Eva!” Liam shouted.

“Oh my God!” Eva screamed, shoving Sebastian’s body off her and rolling away, staggering to her feet. “Oh fuck! Oh my God! What have I done?”

Nothing, I wanted to say. You are innocent. You always were.

But the words came out an unintelligible gurgle as blood pooled in my throat. I slumped to the floor next to Sebastian’s body. How fitting that we would die together after all these years apart. I should’ve known it would end like this. I should’ve known how easily things come unraveled when they were stitched together with lies.

“Mom! Mom!” Eva dropped to her knees. She tore her coat off and pressed it to my spurting neck. The pain was extraordinary, gripping me with razor-sharp talons. My pulse stuttered, my lungs crumpling like paper bags. “Oh God. Mom! What do I do? Tell me what to do!”

Our eyes met, and I wanted to tell her how absolutely perfect she was. How much I loved her. That I didn’t regret our time together, not one bit.