Cruel Lies - Ella Miles Page 0,15

second and seeing that it has already been blown out by Liesel. Then we both start shooting at the driver.

The men in the car barely get a return shot off before I’m spinning us back around and stepping on the gas.

“Is it over?” Phoenix says from the floor as Liesel and I roll up our windows.

I glance in the rearview mirror; the car behind us has stopped. I look to Liesel, who purses her lips and lets out a slow breath. She’s always said she doesn’t belong in this world and that she hates firing a gun. She hates the violence, but she fits in better than she will ever admit.

“Yes, the car isn’t following us anymore,” I reply.

“Good,” Phoenix pants next to me. Her hair is disheveled, and her forehead is sweaty. Now I’m regretting bringing her along; that car chase is going to be the least dangerous thing we go through.

The rest of the drive is uneventful as I pull up to the tarmac where one of Kai’s private jets is waiting.

“Huntress, go into the jet and tell them we’ll be ready to take off in five minutes. I need to talk to Dunn here.”

Liesel hesitates as she opens the door, but then she climbs out, still holding onto the gun like most women would a purse, completely at ease with herself. She’s turned into a mama bear willing to do whatever it takes to protect her child—fucking finally.

Phoenix carefully watches Liesel climb the steps into the jet.

“We’re on the same side,” I say.

Phoenix pulls the visor down and starts blotting underneath her eyes, where her mascara has run. She pinches her cheeks and then runs her hand through her hair before she faces me with watering eyes.

“We’re not.”

“Yes, we are. Liesel cares about Atlas and Rose just as much as we do.”

She shakes her head. “She hasn’t been around. She gave Atlas up. She—”

“She didn’t have a choice. Giving Atlas up was the best thing for him.”

“I don’t trust her.”

“She’s Atlas’ mother. She knows Rose is my kid. Don’t let your jealousy impede your thinking.”

She slaps me.

“I’m not jealous of Liesel. You can stick your dick into anyone you want. The only people I care about are Atlas and Rose, and I don’t trust your whore. She gave up Atlas, and Rose means nothing to her.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m not willing to risk our kids’ lives on your hunch, which is based entirely on wanting to fuck the woman.”

“What do you want, Phoenix? We need Liesel in order to end this. The kids are safe. So you either trust her enough to finish this together, or you go hang out with the kids until this is over—which will it be?”

She huffs like the decision is going to be the death of her, and then she pops open the door. “I’m coming, but it doesn’t mean I trust her yet.”

“You don’t have to trust her. You have to trust me.” I grab onto her hip, pulling her back into the car. “Can you do that? Trust me?”

“I trust you.”

I release her, and then we both get out of the car and walk up the stairs to the plane.

I don’t spot Liesel initially when I step into the aisle. For a second, my heart skips, thinking that she took off. We need her help to get the treasure, to protect the kids.

I need her.

But then I spot her blonde locks peek up over the last seat in the back of the plane. There are a dozen seats between me and her. Phoenix takes the first seat at the front, purposefully making me choose between her and Liesel.

I sigh and take a seat next to Phoenix. I don’t know how to fix the iciness between the two of them, but I’ll let Liesel think she’s safe for now hiding in the back of the plane. She’s not safe—not from me.

7

Liesel

This is never going to end.

Atlas will never be safe.

And it’s all my fault.

The plane takes off with Phoenix and Langston sitting in the front while I occupy the last seat—the furthest away I can be from them. I quickly change out of my flannel and sweatpants and into new clothes—dark jeans and a tight white T-shirt. At least it’s not a long-sleeved shirt like Phoenix usually wears.

I need to think, and Langston distracts me. My body comes alive when he’s close, and if he touches me…forget it. There won’t be any blood left in my brain to function.

I swore when I gave