“Then so be it. I’m done with the lies, with all the deceit. Do you hear me? I’m done.”

“How can you say that? I’ll never see you again,” she shouted, letting out a sob, her shoulders shaking as she collapsed on the floor, and I wondered if this was the first time I’d witnessed her true emotions. There was no telling what she’d lied to me about over the past couple of weeks, or what she’d done, and I wasn’t going to give her another opportunity to do more harm.

“I think that’ll be what’s best for the both of us,” I said, watching her blanch so hard I thought she might puke.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice a mere whisper as she clutched her stomach. “I’m sorry, Ash. I’ll do whatever you want. Whatever you say. I’m sorry.”

I ignored her and as soon as I opened the trapdoor, I dropped the ladder into the room below. Lily looked up at me, terrified and shaking as she shouted my name over and over. I put my foot on the top rung, ready to climb down to her, but stopped and turned to Maya, a person I should never have trusted, and would never trust again.

“Climb up to me, Lily,” I said. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

36

MAYA

Before Ash stood at the top of the ladder and made that promise to Lily, I already knew all of the trust between us, everything I’d worked so hard to rebuild, was gone. This was ground zero, and I pivoted, transforming my plan into a better, more sophisticated and permanent one. The foundation for it already existed, quite literally, in this garage, something I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to use, but now knew I had no other choice.

“Lily,” Ash said, reaching for her. “Are you hurt? Let me help you.”

He grabbed her hand as she emerged looking like a terrified, wounded animal, ready to step into the arms of her Prince Charming. I saw her fingers wrapped around a belt, realized it must have been what she’d used to make all that noise, throwing the buckle repeatedly at the trapdoor.

How very clever.

She climbed the last few rungs. Blood trickled from a wound on the side of her head where I’d hit her, and her clothes were brown and gray from the dirt and dust. If I’m being completely honest, she looked pathetic, and they were too busy with each other to notice me moving the few feet to my workbench, where my hand deftly closed over one of my power tools.