Hailey's Truth (37 page)

Austin squeezed the keys, warring between his need to go to Hailey and his responsibilities to his job. “Let me get him.” If they hurried, he could take care of both.

Jackson stepped inside as Dr. Lopez started down the hall.

“Dr. Lopez needs to see us. I’ll be right there.” Dashing to the bedroom, Austin picked up his phone and dialed Hailey’s number. He swore—her cheery voice was telling him to leave a message.

“Hailey, it’s Austin.” God, where did he start? He sat on the edge of the bed, searching for the right words. “I really need to talk to you.” He heaved out a sigh. “I’ve made a hell of a mess of things—let you down. I want to fix it, need to fix it. Please call me when you get this.” He closed his eyes and rested his forehead in his hand. “I—I love you, Hailey. I love you so much. Please call me.” He hung up.

Jackson rapped his knuckles against the door, stuck his head in.

“Come on in.”

“You okay?”

“No.” Austin pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the building pressure.

Jackson stepped in the room and closed the door. “She loves you, man. You guys’ll work things out.”

“I don’t know. Why did I show her those fucking videos?” He rubbed his chin, stood up, restless. He bunched his fists, wanting to use them to pummel out his frustration. “I lost my cool…let her down like everyone else.”

“You fucked up a little. I bet you can patch it up when we get to L.A. Dr. Lopez just got off the phone with the Dean. They’re evacuating us tonight, tomorrow morning at the latest. Everyone’s packing. As soon as they find us a flight, we’re out of here.”

The idea of being back in L.A. was very appealing. He would track Hailey down as soon as they landed. They would sit down and talk everything out. Jeremy would still be a problem, so would Donte, but he had to fix things with Hailey first. “Let’s get packed.”

Austin put his phone in his pocket, still hoping Hailey would call him back.

Chapter 23

H
AILEY PULLED HER PHONE FROM her purse and glanced at the readout.
Austin
. Her thumb hovered over the “talk” button, trembling. Her heart hurt with each beat. She stared at his grinning face filling her screen as the jumpy rhythm of her ringtone continued. He wore his black ball cap backwards, accentuating the green of his eyes, the white of his straight teeth.

She had taken the picture moments before they suited up for her first official scuba dive. Austin had taken her hand, holding tight as they tipped back into the depthless blue. Unable to stand the memory, she shoved her phone in her bag, ruthlessly ignoring the double beep that told her he’d left a message.

The cab took a right, heading to the airport. Hailey was ready to board her plane and leave her “opportunity of a lifetime” behind. Her six weeks in Mexico had been an experience, one she would never forget, but nothing had ended the way she planned.

Hailey rested her weary head against the window, staring out at the impossible blue of the Caribbean. Miles out, Donte’s yacht gleamed in the bright sunshine. Jeremy was there—probably lying, possibly cheating and steeling. Her brother had played her for a fool. Even after Austin’s warnings, his pleading, she hadn’t wanted to believe the worst in him. But Jeremy’s rap sheet spoke for itself. There was no way to misinterpret his long list of criminal activities the way she had the videos Austin showed her. It still hadn’t sunk in that Jeremy wasn’t the man he pretended to be. She’d watched him do so many wonderful things over the last five weeks, but it was all a lie. Austin had been right, absolutely right, and now he was gone.

Hailey reached for her cell, retrieved Austin’s message, hesitated, unable to put the phone to her ear. What if his voice was flat and cold—the way his eyes had been in the living room minutes before?

Stomach churning, head pounding from the pressure of unshed tears, Hailey dropped the phone back in her bag. If she heard his deep voice before she was a little stronger, a little steadier, she was afraid she would crack into a million pieces.

She needed home, Morgan and Sarah, needed to rebuild a life she no longer recognized. In a month’s time she’d allowed Austin to become everything. She’d believed in the possibilities, in him wholeheartedly, and as a result had no cushion, no defense against the hurt, nothing left for herself.

Her money was gone, her academic career potentially lost, and the man she loved didn’t want her in his life. How would she come back from that? Where did she begin?

Hailey glanced at her watch, pressed her lips firm, and looked over her shoulder at Donte’s yacht fading in the distance. “Senor, stop please. We need to turn around. I have to go to the docks.”

The driver glanced in the mirror and sighed, muttered something, then made a u-turn. It was time to take a step, a giant leap, and begin the process of moving on, of rebuilding.

The taxi pulled up to the dock. Hailey paid the driver, grabbed her suitcase, started toward the launch. She recognized Desi by the small powerboat, glanced at his machinegun. She swallowed her unease as she remembered Austin’s questions about the need for such a weapon.

“Hello, Desi. I was wondering if you could bring me out to Donte.”

Desi’s brow shot up. All traces of the gentlemen he’d appeared to be the night she had dinner with Donte were gone.

“It’s very important,” she added.

Desi turned and spoke into his radio in rapid Spanish.

Hailey strained her ears, focusing on his words, only able to pick out a few.

Desi turned back. “Donte will see you. Come.” He took her arm, pulled her onto the boat more than helped her. “Your luggage will stay with me.”

She nodded. “I won’t be staying long in any case. I have a plane to catch.”

The motor rumbled to life and they were off. Hailey pressed her sunglasses more firmly against her nose as the warm breeze rushed up to meet her. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, trying her best to relax her shoulders. She would miss this—the speed, the wind in her hair, the tropical air.

Minutes later, Desi eased back on the throttle, slowing the boat. Hailey opened her eyes. They were almost there. It was time to face Jeremy.

The engine rumbled, idling, as they moved closer before Desi cut it altogether. Waves slapped against the sides, kicking up spray, misting Hailey with small drops as the boat coasted to the slip on the yacht. Another guard grabbed the rope thrown to him and tied off.

Desi turned. “Your purse.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’ve seen me with Donte several times. I’m not going to hurt him.”

He held out his hand. “Your purse.”

With a huff, she handed it over to be searched. Within seconds, her bag was given back. Desi took her arm and shoved her to the platform. Hailey skidded forward and caught herself against the railing.

“Easy there, Desi. That’s my sister you’re roughing up.” Jeremy smiled at her.

She stared at Jeremy, looking her fill at the man who was more a stranger than a brother. He’d entered her life broken and helpless, so precious and sweet when their parents brought him home. Now he was grown and still broken, but no longer helpless, no longer a victim. The man before her was a lie, an insult to the man their parents had wanted him to be.

“I need to talk to you.” She glanced at the three guards standing close. “Alone.”

His smile disappeared. “Okay.” He took her hand.

She pulled hers free. “Don’t. Just don’t.” She couldn’t stand him touching her.

Heat flashed in his eyes as he nodded. “After you,” he gestured grandly, sarcastically, to the upper deck.

Anger built with each step Hailey took as she thought of what she’d lost, of what she still might lose because she’d welcomed him back in her life. When her foot met polished wood, she whirled. “How could you? How could you, Jeremy?”

He crossed his arms. “How could I what?”

She laughed without humor as she stepped back from him. “Where do I start? Lying, stealing, the
extensive
criminal record you failed to mention. And worst of all…” She caught herself before she blurted out her knowledge of his connection with the Zulas. Something told her that her life depended on staying quiet. She shook her head instead.

“Worst of all, what, Hailey?
What
?” He advanced on her.

Shaking her head again, she backed away. “Nothing.” Hailey glanced over her shoulder and briefly studied the guards, their machine guns, the ornate ‘ZU’ tattoos on their necks. She looked back at Jeremy to meet his cold stare. What had she been thinking coming here on her own? “Just forget it. I should go.” She moved toward the steps, but Jeremy grabbed her. She cried out from the bite of his fingers against her skin.

“No. You came out here with things to say, so say them.”

“You’re hurting me,” she said between her teeth, more frightened than she wanted to let on. “Let
go
.” She yanked free and saw bruises already forming.

Jeremy stared at her arm, brushed his fingers through his hair. “Sorry. I’m sorry. You know I have a temper.”

“Save it.” She backed up another step. “There’s always an excuse for your actions, even when they hurt other people.”

“It must be hard being so damn perfect.”

“I’m not perfect, but I’m not a liar either.”

“Neither am I.”

Hailey yanked a paper from her pocket, unfolded it, shoved the page at him. “Let’s start with this. You told me you had a brush with the law over some underage drinking and a bag of pot. I guess you kinda forgot to tell me about the rest.” She pressed her fingers against the throb in her forehead. “Prison. You’ve been to prison. Twice.
Twice
, Jeremy.”

He shredded the paper, let the wind catch and carry the pieces away. “So what? I did my time. I’ve changed. You see the work I’ve been doing with Donte.”

More lies. “No.” She pointed her finger. “Don’t insult me this way. I’ve been asked to leave Project Mexico because of what you did.”

“What—“

“Shut up.” She couldn’t stand any more deception. Any lingering fear of her brother vanished. “Shut up until I finish. I foolishly thought you came to visit me this week because we were finally getting somewhere. I thought we were regaining some sort of connection, but that wasn’t it. That wasn’t it at all. You used me to steal from the people I lived with, the people I considered my friends.”

He glared, his voice growing quiet. “I didn’t steal from anyone.”

She kept going, full steam ahead, ignoring his denial. “I’m on the verge of losing everything.
Everything
. Do you get that?” She pushed him back a step. “Austin’s gone. You took every dime I have—had,” she corrected. “I very well may lose all of my college credits because they think I’m a thief.”

Jeremy shook his head as he looked to the sky, smiled. “You’re unbelievable. I’m not doing this with you, Hailey.” He turned and started walking away.

She followed. “You’re right. You’re not. I’m finished. I’m finished with you. You’ve used me for the last time.” Despite everything, it still hurt to say it. Flashes of the small boy gripping her hand in the hospital played through her mind.

He stopped, pivoted around. “Walking away again?”

“Yes. But this time I’m leaving because it’s
my
choice. It wasn’t before. You don’t get to do this to me anymore—lie, steal, manipulate. I love you, but I’ve had enough—more than enough.”

“You don’t love me,” he smirked. “You love some figment of your imagination—the person you wanted me to be.”

“No, I loved who I knew you
could
be. We all have choices to make. You made yours, now I’m making mine.”

“Spare me your sanctimonious bullshit, saintly sister.” Shaking his head, he turned and climbed the stairs to the third deck, never looking back.

Her eyes filled as she looked at her brother for the last time. She grabbed the railing, ready to leave.

“Hailey, what a wonderful surprise.” Donte stepped from the dining room she’d eaten in a month before.

“Donte.” She sniffed, blinking back tears as she smiled cautiously, remembering what Austin had told her. Somewhere beneath the handsome, classy exterior lived a brutal monster. She took a step toward the stairs. “I was just leaving. I have a flight to catch.”

“A flight?” He tipped her face to his, concern bright in his eyes. “What do you mean, Hailey?”

She gripped her purse and willed Donte to drop his hand. His touch made her skin crawl. “I’m going back to L.A.”

“But Project Mexico has just begun.”

“I know. It didn’t work out.”

He held her a moment longer before he let go. She glanced at her watch, more than ready to be on the boat back to the dock. “I hate to be abrupt, but I really have to go. My plane leaves in half an hour.” She would be lucky if she made it.

Donte’s brows drew together as he stared into her eyes. “You are troubled, my beautiful friend.”

“No,” she said too sharply, and his frown deepened. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “I’m just tired and ready to be home.”

“I have something for you before you go. I know you’re in a hurry, but would you be so kind as to wait? It will only take a moment.”

Why wouldn’t he let her leave? She looked down at the small powerboat, then at Donte. “Okay.”

“Just one moment,” he said as he held up a finger, smiled, and dashed away.

As Donte hurried off, Hailey turned, let out a shuddering breath, and braced her trembling hands on the glossy rail. She had to get out of here. A rush of panic consumed her with her need to be gone.

The buildings of San Miguel were so far away. She wanted to be there, waiting for her plane among the hustle of tourists. It was tempting to rush down the steps and demand Desi take her back, but she doubted he would leave until Donte gave him the okay.

Hailey took a deep breath, growing impatient as one minute turned to two, then three. Where was he? She stepped into the dining area. “Don—“ she stopped abruptly when she heard a woman’s muffled cries and a man shouting through the door.

Hailey took a step back, inching toward the deck. She heard the unmistakable sound of a slap. The man’s voice grew angrier as the woman cried harder. Hailey rushed forward and pressed her ear to the door, listening as the sobbing grew faint. Biting her lip, she turned the doorknob slowly, quietly, peaking down the long hall.

Hailey gasped and stumbled back. She saw one of the missing girls disappear around the corner with... “Mateo,” she whooshed out on a quivering whisper. “Oh God. Oh my God.” She hadn’t recognized his voice. He’d sounded so callous, so cruel. She inched away, terrified he would see her. She needed to get to shore, needed to get help.