My heart clenches.
He knew.
He knew I had Alison’s heart.
Oh, God.
“Emery is alive because of Alison,” Quin says, gently reaching up to the gun. Damon’s grip on it loosens. “Please, Damon…” He wraps his hands around the pistol, slowly lowering it as Damon sinks lower than the ninth circle of hell. “I’m so sorry, Damon. I really am.”
Lost in his grief, Damon nods absently as Quinton glances up at me. "We need to call the FBI. Can you please go get me my phone?” I stare at him, unable to speak, unable to move. “I’m sorry, darling. I’m so sorry.”
Through tears, I whisper, “I’m sorry too.”
THE SECRET LOVE
QUINTON
The cabin is somber.It’s no longer a place of peace. For any of us. She won’t even look at me. She can’t. I never thought myself a liar but I am. The omission of truth makes me just as guilty.
Emery is shaken, completely in shock. But it’s Damon I’m more concerned about. He hasn’t moved from the couch in hours. He’s barely blinked. Refused to drink, to eat. He’s frozen. Catatonic. I’m tempted to bring him to the hospital. He needs help. More help than either of us can offer.
“Dr. Marquis?”
I glance toward the front door of the cabin as Agent Ube steps through the threshold. His gaze sweeps the crime scene that the local PD has taped off. He’s careful to avoid the markers as he approaches Emery and me.
“You said to trust you, Agent. You said I didn't have to worry about your team. Now look what happened." The anger in my voice reverberates through the cabin. Flashes of Simone'slifeless body invade my thoughts, turning my gut inside out. "She found us, and youfailedus."
Agent Ube furrows his brows, confused. "My team?" he asks. "What are you talking about?"
I pull out my phone and show him the text message exchange between the two of us. "You asked us to send your team here, Agent. You asked for our location."
Agent Ube blinks, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. Another FBI agent steps into the cabin, a young woman holding a computer.
"Sir," she says. "We found an abandoned car a few miles down the road. Lots of tech. Voice scrambler, tracker." She squints at the computer screen. "It looks like Ms. Laurent duplicated your phone."
My face pales. "She didwhat?"
The young agent addresses me, her voice tense. "I can't say for certain without running more tests, but it looks like she created a ghost number, used a voice modifier, and?—"
I hold my hand up, cutting her off. "So we were talking with Simone the whole time?" My jaw clenches, voice rising as my hands shake. "We gaveSimoneour coordinates?!"
Agent Ube offers me a solemn apology. "We will find out how she managed to bypass our firewall, Dr. Marquis. I'm very sorry that?—"
“Where’s Toni?” I ask through gritted teeth. “Have you tracked her down?”
Agent Ube shakes his head. “Our team hasn’t been able to locate her. I can guarantee you that she’s not in the States.”
“Guarantee me?” I ask, incredulous. “Apologies, Agent, but your word means very little to me right now.”
Emery shifts uncomfortably beside me, her voice meek and low. “Is it safe to go back to New York?”
I glance at her. “You want to go home?”
She shudders slightly. “I don’t want to stay here.”
Agent Ube looks over my shoulder to Damon. “Is Mr. Cavanaugh okay?”
No.
