Love Divided (Fortis Security Series Book 3) Read online

  She didn’t know how long she lay on the floor by her wardrobe, but when her body was spent and her eyes had no tears left, she sat up, put the box back and crawled into bed. She fell into a fitful sleep.

  ~~~

  Jace sat by Lucy’s back door, with his head in his hands and listened as she sobbed. He felt like he had been stabbed in the chest the pain was immeasurable He had done that. He was the one who had made the beautiful, strong woman that was Lucy break. He stayed there and listened, and tears ran down his cheeks at the unfairness of it all.

  He loved Lucy, and had for so long; he could hardly remember not loving her. She was everything he’d wanted and now thanks to The Divine Watchers she was lost to him and so was her sister probably. He felt so angry and had nowhere to aim it.

  The team would understand but he was the new guy, and he didn’t want them to know. He wished Smithy was here, he would have his back and know what to do. He loved Dane like a brother but the fact was he was Lucy’s brother, and as was right he would want to be there for her.

  Fucking Divine Watchers had ruined his life. As he listened to his Luce hiccup her last few tears, he vowed to kill every one of those mother fuckers and make every one of them pay. He listened as Lucy moved around and then it went silent.

  He was freezing as he sat on the ground but he just couldn’t leave her alone. He was still sitting there an hour later when he thought he heard her voice. He looked around, but she wasn’t there, and then he realised it was in his head. He was hearing her thoughts, or more likely her dreams.

  The thoughts were all jumbled, but he could hear a baby crying and Lucy’s mother and a girl of about ten whom he recognised as Lucy.

  She was crying and shouting no! She felt guilty, he could feel the despair and desolation for what, he didn’t know. He, he grabbed his chest at the feeling, as if it was weighing her down and crushing her. Then she was shouting she was sorry and she didn’t mean it and begged her mother not to leave her.

  God, this was killing him. He stood and paced wanting to break down the door and go to her. To tell her it was okay and he would fix everything. But, how could he? He took a breath and listened with his mind and held his gripped hands in his hair as he concentrated, listening for her voice. She was silent, though, and he knew it was over for now.

  Turning abruptly, he stalked to his car; he kicked the door and found a small amount of satisfaction in seeing the panel buckle. Jace hunched in his jacket as it started to rain. His head hurt from all the shit he was thinking, and he rubbed his temples. He unlocked the car, got in and just sat there.

  He had never felt so desperate in his life. His friends were missing, the love of his life thought he had betrayed her and now hated him. He was about to lose his best friend, become a father by proxy, and now had a stupid fucking gift that only worked on people he didn’t want it to.

  Well, fuck his life thank you very much. Jace drove home through the torrential rains and ran up to his flat. He went straight to the bottle of Chase Vodka and walked directly to the sofa. Taking a swig from the bottle, he sat and switched on the television and flicked to The Big Bang Theory, then proceeded to get good and drunk until he passed out.

  Chapter Three

  Jace woke up on Boxing Day with a furry mouth and a jackhammer in his skull. Rolling off the sofa, he staggered to the bathroom. He looked like shit and felt even worse. His clothes were creased, and he still had his boots on. After taking care of business, he stripped off and took a shower letting the hot water wash away his alcohol-induced headache.

  Drying off he slung on some old worn jeans and a soft cotton t-shirt and went to the kitchen to make himself a mug of coffee. He wasn’t fit for anything without a cup of coffee first. Leaning on the kitchen counter, he thought of everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours.

  Of all the shit that had gone down listening to Lucy sob like she had last night had been the worst. He would rather take a bullet than listen to that. One thing was clear though, he couldn’t let her suffer like this, and as he couldn’t comfort her, he had to let someone else do it. With that in mind, he grabbed his jacket, phone, and keys, got in his car and set off.

  Pulling up outside Dane and Lauren’s house he began to wonder if this was a good idea. It was 10am on Boxing Day. Maybe I should just wait until tomorrow and let them enjoy this time together as a family. Then he thought back to Lucy sobbing and knew he couldn’t wait, and Dane wouldn’t want him to either.

  Exiting the car, the cold December air hit him in the face. The rain had stopped, and the temperature had dropped considerably overnight, coating the town in a white blanket of frost. He loved mornings like this, crisp and calm. He had hoped to spend many mornings like this with Lucy, either eating a late breakfast or going for a walk by the river.

  He shook his head to rid himself of the visions that would never come to pass. Feeling his neck prickle Jace knew he was being watched. Turning slowly, and surveying his surroundings he spied Mateo watching from the garden and smiled at him half-heartedly.

  “Hey dude,” he waved and started toward him. The boy was wearing a shiny blue bike helmet, knee guards, elbow pads, and was steering a very new looking bike towards the drive. Large double gates enclosed the whole inner driveway and garden making it the perfect place for a child to ride his bike in safety.

  Jace went through the gate, carefully locking it behind him.

  “Hi Sly. Do you like my new bike? Santa got it for me for being good and staying on the nice list,” he said in an exuberant voice.

  “That is the best bike I have ever seen,” Jace replied with a grin. It never failed to amaze him how children could lighten his heavy thoughts with just a simple sentence.

  “Sly!”

  He turned towards the door and saw Lizzie come forward with a happy smile. She reached him and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

  “What are you doing here? Is Lucy okay?” she asked looking perplexed. He ignored the question about Lucy being okay and answered the first.

  “I wanted to talk to you and Dane actually,” he said and watched her frown, a tiny crease forming between her brows.

  “Okay,” she said cautiously and turned to Mateo.

  “Mattie, I need to talk to Sly a second. Can you go manage on your own for a few minutes?”

  “Course I can, I’m not a baby,” he replied indignantly. Jace watched the interplay and caught the stern look and slight twitch of Lizzie’s lips.

  “I know you aren’t sweetie. No need to be mardy.” Liz said, and Mateo instantly looked contrite.

  “Sorry mummy,” he said and hugged her waist with his small arms. She returned his hug and absently ran her fingers over his cheek.

  Lizzie focused on him again then. She was wrapped up in a black and cream blanket coat and black jeans, and black riding style boots up to her knees. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, and her hair was in a sloppy ponytail. She still managed to look classy as hell, though. She was a nice woman, and Jace liked her.

  “Come on let’s find Dane.” She walked back towards the house looping her arm through his. Lizzie had always been friendly, and Jace hoped that he hadn’t ruined everything now.

  Dane was in the kitchen his arms around Lauren as he stood behind her while she buttered toast at the centre island. Both were dressed in jeans, and both had new slogan T-shirts on. Dane’s was a black one with ‘He shoots, he scores’ written on it and tiny little sperm swimming beneath it. Sly tried not to laugh. Laurens was pink and said ‘I humped and now I’m bumped.’

  “Nice shirts,” he remarked, with a smirk. Dane looked up, and a huge smile lit his face when he saw Jace. Dane grinned like a dog with two dicks at Jace’s comments about the tee-shirts.

  “Dan bought them,” he looked so proud and happy it made Jace regret what he was about to do.

  “What ‘s up, man? How’s Lucy feeling?” Dane swiped a piece of bacon from the plate beside Lauren earning himself a slap on the hand and earning her a k
iss on her neck.

  “I need to talk to you and Lizzie for a second,” Jace said soberly, and Dane picked on the tension in his voice immediately. He let go of Lauren and moved around the island.

  “Of course, let’s go to the office. Dad has taken over the living room with Mattie’s Scalextric track,” Dane said with a grin for his dad. Jace followed behind Dane his hands in his pockets and his head down. He opened his mind to see if he could read what Dane or Lizzie might be thinking.

  Dane was convinced Lucy had kicked him to the curb and was disappointed, which was kind of nice to know. Lizzie… Fuck. Lizzie thought Lucy was pregnant. God if only it were her. What he wouldn’t give to have Lucy carry his baby instead of Megan. He quickly quashed those thoughts and closed his mind. It was too much of a head fuck for him.

  They entered Dane’s home office, and Jace noticed that Lauren had already added her little touches to it. Pictures on the walls, school textbooks on the bookshelf.

  Dane stood with his ass resting on the teak desk near the window his arms folded over his chest, his legs crossed at the ankle. He seemed relatively relaxed but alert. Lizzie sat on the small two-seater sofa and undid her coat. Jace stood in the middle feeling totally adrift as if he had no centre and nothing to hold onto.

  “What’s up?” Dane asked. Jace looked at one of his best friends and sighed.

  How the fuck did, he explain this? Be blunt and just spit it out. That’s the only way.

  “On Christmas Eve Lucy came to my flat. She overheard a conversation I was having on the phone.”

  “Okay.” Dane said cautiously, “Go on.”

  “She heard me saying that I can’t look at her without wanting to be sick,” he looked at Dane who’s face had gone stormy, “She also heard me say I couldn’t be with her when her sister could be carrying my baby.” He said it quickly - wanting to get it out.

  Dane came up over the desk and flew at him; Lizzie drew in a sharp breath. Dane was nose to nose with him now.

  “Fucking explain now,” Dane growled shoving Jace in the chest until he hit the wall seemingly holding his anger in check by a thread.

  Jace shoved Dane back, paced away and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “When the Watchers took me. Something happened, and now Megan might be carrying my child.” Jace saw the fist, coming and did nothing to stop knowing he deserved to be hit. He staggered back as Dane caught him right in the jaw with a left hook. Lifting his head, he wiped the blood from his nose.

  Lizzie jumped up and got between them, holding a hand on each of their chests to keep them apart.

  “Dane no,” she shouted and pushed Dane’s chest back. She turned to Jace.

  “How could this happen I thought you loved Lucy?” she enquired quietly, her face pale and angry.

  “I do.” He said and sank to the floor defeated; Jace rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands.

  “Then why did you cheat on her with Megan?” Lizzie asked quietly as she sat down beside him.

  “Yeah, dick head. Was one of my sisters not enough for you?” Dane spat at him. Still pacing like a caged animal.

  Jace looked up at him sadly and then tried to explain everything that had happened at the facility where he and the others were held. When he finished, Lizzie was crying softly and holding his hand tight, and Dane was sat opposite him mirroring his position, a stunned look on his face.

  “So now she thinks the same as you did.”

  “Did you explain to her?” Lizzie asked softly. Sly shook his head, “No. I tried but we argued, and she shut me down.”

  “Does she really have a tummy bug?” Dane asked. Jace shook his head.

  “She spent yesterday eating junk food, watching movies and crying. Her heart is broken, and it’s all my fault.” Jace suddenly felt exhausted.

  “Not all of it,” Dane said and clapped him on the shoulder as he stood. Turning to Liz, he asked, “Did Luce text you back?”

  “No nothing. I can’t understand it she tells me everything,” her face paled as she stopped talking. “You did tell her it was Megan, didn’t you?”

  ’Jace’s heart started to race oh god, had he? He ran over the conversation in his head and realised that not once had he said Megan, he’d said ‘sister’. Surely, she wouldn’t think Lizzie and he would do that to her? But she believed he’d cheated, so why wouldn’t she? “No, I said, sister.” He heard Dane muttering some very colourful words under his breath.

  “Oh, My God, she thinks I slept with you!” Lizzie exclaimed, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. “I need to see her.” Liz jumped to her feet and started to pace from the desk to the chair and back again all the while chewing on her fingernail.

  “Yep, me too,” Dane replied.

  “Don’t tell her the details, please. I just can’t deal with it right now. Tell her it’s Megan, but let me explain to her in my own time please?” Dane and Lizzie looked at each other and seemed to communicate something.

  “Okay man. But you have a week. You shouldn’t beat yourself up over this, not when I’m around to do it for you.” Dane said trying to lighten the situation. Sly got unsteadily to his feet and made for the door.

  “Thank you and,” he stopped not knowing what to say. He put his hands in his pockets and tried again over the lump in his throat, “I’m so sorry.” He walked out into the cold air before Dane or Lizzie could reply and on autopilot drove home. Today was going to be spent getting drunk again.

  ~~~

  Lucy woke and instantly knew someone was in her house. She went stock-still and listened, then relaxed, realising it was Dane. What was he doing here and why the hell had he broken in? Rolling over she sat on the side of the bed and pondered her shitty life.

  Couldn’t she even wallow in her own misery in peace? Standing she padded to the bathroom and took in her ravaged face. Splashing it with cold water, she then brushed her teeth. That would have to do. If he wanted her dressed to bad, he should have called first.

  Entering her kitchen, the first thing she smelled was coffee and the second was Lauren’s cranberry and white chocolate flapjacks. Her brother was facing her, a mug of coffee in one hand, the other crossed over his stomach.

  Seeing her big strong handsome brother instantly brought tears to her eyes. She fought to hold them back, but they burst out on a sob. He held his arms out to her, and that was it. She rushed into his arms and laying her face on his chest cried her eyes out while he patted her hair and held her like he always had.

  After a few minutes, Lucy pulled herself together and pulled back wiping her eyes on her pink fluffy dressing gown.

  “Better?” he asked, and she nodded.

  “Lucy,” Lizzie said from behind her, and if she had been thinking clearly, she would have heard the tentative tone in her sister’s voice.

  “What are you doing here,” Lucy said not hiding her scorn.

  “Sly came to see us,” she answered.

  “Oh, I bet he did,” Lucy said nastily.

  “Luce, cut it out,” reprimanded Dane. Lucy pushed away from her brother and crossed to the coffee machine, avoiding any contact with Lizzie as she did. Concentrating on making herself a cappuccino, she tried to stop her racing heart. More calmly, she asked,

  “Do you know what she did?”

  “She didn’t do anything. You have it all wrong.” Dane said as he stood between the two women.

  “Really, so she isn’t having Jace’s baby then?”

  “NO!” Lizzie and Dane chorused.

  “Look, Luce, come and sit down and we will try and explain.” The devastated look on Lizzie’s face persuaded Lucy to sit down and hear them out.

  Seating herself at the small round wooden kitchen table, she ran her finger round the rim of her cup and watched the pattern the foam in her coffee made. She waited and avoided looking at her sister, whom she loved despite everything. Lizzie and Dane sat on either side of her and then Lizzie spoke,

  “Sly came to see us this mor
ning.” Luce tried to hide her wince as Lizzie said his name.

  “He explained what you overheard and wanted us to make sure you were okay.” Lucy felt silent tears fall down her cheeks and swiped them away angrily.

  Lizzie continued. “He said that you overheard him say that he couldn’t be with one sister while the other sister carried his baby.” Lucy heard the way Lizzie put emphasis on the word sister.

  “How many sisters do you have Lucy?” asked Dane, reaching for her hand. Clarity and understanding hit her like ten-tonne weight.

  “Oh, My God,” Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes flew to Lizzie, she felt bile rush up her throat and fought to swallow it away. She breathed deeply through her mouth to calm the sick feeling. Lucy looked back up at Lizzie after she had gotten control of her stomach. The pain in her sister’s eyes shamed her.

  “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed out, and her voice gave way.

  “Oh, baby girl,” cried Lizzie and flew to her sister’s side. In seconds, the sisters were in each other’s arms, and both were crying. Lucy felt Dane embrace them both with his strong arms and just held onto them.

  Why had she jumped to the awful conclusion that it was Lizzie without Megan even crossing her mind? Her sister had been her best friend all her life. How would she ever make it up to Lizzie? God, she was such a bitch.

  Breaking apart from the comforting huddle, the three siblings sat back down, but she and Lizzie held on tight to each other’s hands.

  “What else did Jace say?” Lucy asked half angry with herself for caring. She saw Lizzie and Dane share a meaningful look. “Come on tell me,” Lucy demanded

  “We can’t Luce, but I will say this, all is not as it seems,” Dane replied sombrely. “You need to talk to him and let him explain. He is hurting too.” Lucy didn’t say anything just nodded and reflected on what her brother was saying. When Dane decided not to talk, you couldn’t get it out of him with a crowbar. Shaking off the thousand questions in her head that for now were going to go unanswered, she jumped up from the table.