Burning Your Lies (King and Queen Duet #2)

35

Huxley

Thirteen months ago

Hospitals have always made me feel uneasy. There’s something about the smell and monotonous beeping that grates on my nerves. But I have pushed aside my feelings to be here at least once a day for Savannah.

Phoebe Hayes is a temperamental woman. If I catch her on a good day, she will let me sit with her in silence. Only Mia is allowed in the room on bad days. When I knock on the door and she smiles at me, I know I’m in for a few hours of silence.

Mia walks towards her and gives the fragile woman a hug.

“How are you feeling today?”

“Where’s Savvy?”

She looks behind me. Even after nine months, she still searches for her daughter.

When Savannah was first sectioned, we told Phoebe the truth, and Mia held her as she cried. Eventually, the nurses had to come and sedate her because she was incontrollable. She was insistent that ‘the bad men’ had taken her daughter to ravish her. When we visited a few days later, she asked again, and we told her the truth. She had to be sedated again. So we mutually agreed to tell her a lie to save her from reliving the heartbreak again and again.

“She’s on holiday,”

I say.

“She’ll be back soon.”

Her lips turn upside down, and she falls back onto her pillows.

“My Savvy wouldn’t leave me. The bad men have got my Savvy. I just know it.”

She mumbles to herself while staring straight ahead.

“I spoke to her. She’s okay. She said she misses you.”

There’s a knock at the door.

“How are you today, Phoebe?”

The doctor gives her a warm smile.

“Did you enjoy your lunch?”

“My Savvy makes pizza for lunch.”

The doctor nods her head towards the door, asking me to speak privately. She waits until the door is closed before she sighs.

“Her bloods came back from last night. I wish I had better news.”

I look through the glass as Phoebe speaks to Mia. The troubled look on Mia’s face makes it’s clear they are talking about Savannah.

“How bad is it?”

She frowns at me with sympathy.

“The cancer is making it difficult to treat the infection. Ms Hayes has sepsis and her organs are now slowly shutting down.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. How am I supposed to tell Savannah? “Can’t you give her something to fight it? Double the antibiotics or something.”

She shakes her head.

“I’m sorry, Mr Ray.”

My chest caves.

“What am I supposed to tell her daughter? How is she supposed to…”

The doctor can’t possibly understand how complicated the situation is. She meekly places her hand on my shoulder.

“I would highly recommend her family and friends come and say their farewells.”

I stop outside Savannah’s room, bracing myself for this conversation. I stare at her through the glass. She’s curled up in her chair, staring out of the window. I take a deep breath and knock on the door before entering. “Hey.”

She looks at me, but doesn’t get up.

“You’ve been standing outside for five minutes.”

“How do you…”

A soft sigh fills the room.

“Just tell me, Hux.”

I sit at the edge of her bed.

“48 hours.”

She breathes in and then stills. “Cancer?”

“Sepsis. The chemotherapy fried her immune system. She can’t fight the infection.”

“I need to see her.”

“I’m working on it. The doctors need to sign a release form.”

Her eyes harden behind her unshed tears.

“Make it happen. I don’t care if you have to beg him. I need to be there. I need her to know she’s not alone.”

“I’ll do everything I can.”

She nods her head.

“Okay. I’d like to be alone, please.”

I know she wants to say more, but we’re both too aware of the cameras watching us. I want to reassure Savannah the plan is falling into place, but I just need to infiltrate his house without him knowing. Setting up cameras is impossible. Hacking his feed is even more farfetched, unless we have an inside man. Nobody but Elise and Xavier are allowed inside. He won’t even hire a cook or cleaner because of how paranoid he is. And despite how bubbly and smart she is, Elise won’t be able to jam the signal and snoop around the house.

I want to hold her and promise to give her a final moment with her mum, but I can’t guarantee that. Xavier is the one who holds all the power. And I know he will use it to hurt her as much as he can. Before departing, I steal one last glance at her and sigh. I get into my car and begin the drive to Xavier’s house.

When my burner phone rings repeatedly, I press the phone against my ear. “What?”

His deep voice is laced with irritation.

“Where is the money?”

I grit my teeth. This is the third time he’s called me in a month.

“I told you I will get it to you.”

“If I find out you double-crossed me, I will make your life hell.”

His feeble attempt at a threat makes me laugh.

“Chase Ashford,”

I muse.

“The coward who stole from his brother and fled the country.”

“He was going to kill us! We had no choice.”

“And if you ever threaten me again, I will go to Rowan and tell him where you are hiding. I couldn’t give a fuck if he kills Eliana.”

“No! Don’t do that,”

he begs.

“We just need the money so we can move on with our lives.”

I wonder whether to tell him Rowan is hellbent on finding her. He doesn’t care about the money and it makes me question what she did to incur his wrath. My contacts have told me he wants her found alive so he can deal with her himself.

“You use that money now and you’ll be practically walking to your deaths.”

“We’re sitting ducks right now. I know my brother. He will not stop until there’s a bullet in our brains.”

I could argue with him until I’m blue in the face, but I have bigger concerns right now. If anything, getting rid of the money will lessen my plate. If they choose to go against my advice and lead Rowan to them, that isn’t my problem. He hired me to smuggle them out of the country; not to babysit them for the rest of my life.

“Two weeks. I’ll knock three times on the door.”

“What are we supposed—”

I hang up.