Mack’s stomach lurched. He was going to be sick. It couldn’t come out like this. I hate liars. Why hadn’t he told her the truth when he’d had the chance?
“Or should I say McRae? That’s his real name. Braden McRae.”
“Liv, please.” Mack dragged his hands over his hair. Noah was yelling at Derek. Hop was yelling at Mack.
Mack heard none of it as Royce continued. “Son of Josh McRae. Murderer. Wife beater. Serving a life sentence at the Iowa State Penitentiary.”
Liv sounded small when she spoke. “You’re lying. His father is dead.”
“Liv,” Mack tried again. His voice was broken.
“Let me go,” Liv pleaded.
There was a rustling sound and then Royce’s sinister voice. “I always win, Olivia. Always.”
Another rustling sound and then panting. As if she were running.
Mack swallowed hard. “Liv, listen to me.”
“Shit!” That was from Derek.
“What’s going on?” Mack demanded, sweat dripping down his face.
Hop grabbed his arm again. “You sonuvabitch. What fucking lies have you been telling her?”
Mack yelled into the microphone. “Derek, what is happening?”
“She’s leaving. I’m trying to follow.”
Mack crawled to the back doors of the van—
Noah grabbed his arm. “Mack, what are you doing?”
Mack threw open the doors and leaped from the van. “Mack, wait!” Noah yelled. “If he sees you, you’ll blow this entire thing!”
Footsteps pounded behind him as he ran toward the back of the building. Noah grabbed him and swung him around and—what the fuck?—tossed him effortlessly against the wall. Where the hell had that strength come from?
Mack shoved at him. “Get the fuck off me. I have to find Liv.”
Noah grabbed his shoulders and held him against the wall. “She’s gone, man. She left.”
Mack threw Noah’s arms off. “What do you mean she’s gone?”
“Derek said she took off. He doesn’t see her. And you can’t go running in there.”
“I have to talk to her,” Mack said, sinking against the cold brick. “I have to . . . I have to tell her. I have to tell her why.”
Noah bent at the waist, panting. When he stood, he wiped his forearm across his brow. “Get back in the van. That’s all we can do right now.”
No. That wasn’t all he could do. He had to find her. Before he lost her forever.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
It was nearly eleven o’clock when the Uber pulled into Thea’s driveway. The only light in the house was from the master bedroom, which probably meant Thea was still awake and reading. Or having phone sex with Gavin. Either way, Liv regretted having to interrupt.
After ditching the gala, she had driven aimlessly, phone off, heart bleeding. She’d run out of gas just outside of downtown and had called for a car to bring her here. Liv thanked the driver and got out. She glanced up at the house just in time to see the bedroom curtain peel back. At least she wouldn’t have to knock. Her shoes wobbled on the uneven brick sidewalk that led to the front porch. The porch light flickered on when she reached the steps, and then the door swung open.
Thea walked out in a sweatshirt and flannel pajama pants. “Oh my God, where have you been? Everyone is going crazy—oh my God, what’s wrong?”
And then, for the first time in a long while, Liv threw herself into her sister’s arms and burst into tears.
Twenty minutes later, Thea rose from the couch and started to pace. “There has to be a reason he lied.”
“Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters! He didn’t just lie to you. He lied to everyone. There has to be a reason. Don’t you want to give him a chance to tell you why?”
Liv shook her head. “I can’t think right now. I don’t know what I want.” She choked on her own emotion. “I knew better than to fall for him.”
“Yet you did anyway. That should tell you something.”
Yeah. That she was a fucking fool.
Thea sank down next to her on the couch and took her hands. “I know you have a hard time trusting people, but—”
“This isn’t about trust! It’s about how I never seem to be worth the truth!”
Liv shook as the words exploded from her mouth, shocked that she’d actually said it out loud. Thea sank against the couch cushions. “What does that even mean?”
“You’re not worth all this trouble.” Liv whispered. “That’s what he said.”
“Who?”
“Dad.”
Thea shook her head. “When? When did he say that to you?”