Finding Eden(93)

"Thomas came here several years back when you'd turned eighteen to make me the final payment." He put the mask to his face and sucked in a breath and then brought it away again. How was his voice so deep and clear if he could barely breathe? I gripped Calder more tightly and he tensed.

"I had just gotten my diagnosis. Was already in this hospital bed. The docs told me I only had six months at the most and yet here I am." He laughed and I stared. "Figured there wasn't any reason not to tell him the truth. You know, time to clear my conscience and all that." He laughed again and vomit rose up my throat. "I killed his family. Broke into the rich professor's house. They weren't even supposed to be home." He looked off behind us for a second and then shrugged. "I thought he was going to drop dead right here before I got a chance to." He sighed as if that had not been the reaction he'd been looking for.

"You killed his family?" Calder said, his voice dead. "You stabbed them. It was you. All those years, he paid you for me, the man who had murdered his family." His voice sounded cold and matter-of-fact and it sent dread through my body. That's why, oh God, that's why Hector came back from that pilgrimage disheveled and…crazed. All those years ago. The truth slammed into me. It was the final piece that had broken him.

Morris eyed us with something that looked like disappointment on his sickly, bloated face. "Yup. That was the way of it. He just walked out of here. Didn't even try to kill me."

We were all silent for several, long moments. Finally Calder spoke. "That's because you're already dead." He grabbed my hand and started walking out of the room and I followed on numb legs, glancing behind me once. He was in shadow again and a strong chill went through my body.

"That's it?" he called. "Kieran? Kieran? Get back here, boy! Your father's giving you an order. Get back here!"

Calder picked up his pace, practically dragging me through the narrow space as Morris's big, impossibly booming voice called after him. Addy stepped out of the front room next to the doorway and she looked confused as we flew by her. When we got to the door, Calder turned to her and said, "You should get out of here. He's a dangerous man—"

We all froze as we heard something overturn, the oxygen machine, I assumed, and then Morris calling out for help. Demanding it. We all blinked at each other, our eyes wide with fear and surprise. None of us moved. Then the shrill sound of the heart machine that had been declaring the steady beat of his black heart suddenly flatlined. We stared at each other, no one moving. Addy took a deep breath and turned back toward the front room. We watched as she sat back down on a small wooden stool next to an open window and picked up the book she'd been reading and flipped one of the pages.

We opened the door and stumbled outside, sucking in big gulps of the open air. I followed Calder to the car and waited as he pulled clothes out of our suitcases. His movements were quick and jerky and he struggled several times with the easy task. "Calder—" I croaked. He shook his head, not making eye contact with me.

"Please, Eden, take those clothes off," he said, his voice cracking.

I nodded, struggling to hold back tears. We both stripped behind the car and pulled on the clean outfits and Calder kicked the ones we'd removed to the side, not bothering to pick them up. No one would notice a couple more pieces of mess on this lot anyway.

We got in the car, and Calder pulled out onto the road, his hands shaking on the wheel.

"Find a hotel," I whispered.

Calder gave no indication he heard me, but twenty minutes out of town, there was a sign for a hotel before one of the highway exits and he pulled off. We checked into the hotel, not speaking a word to each other. Up in our room, Calder went quickly into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. I heard the shower turn on and sunk down in the chair by the window.

I was still shaking, trying to get a hold of my emotions, trying to calm my racing heart. Naturally, Calder was devastated by what he'd just learned, I was sure even more so than me. I prayed the shower would give him a little time to compose himself and figure out what he was feeling. I was so eager to comfort him, but didn’t really know how. Every minute spent waiting for him hurt, but I knew in my heart he needed to be by himself for now. How much more betrayal could this man take? He was sold by his father. For alcohol and gambling money. My mind still reeled. How could anyone do that to such a beautiful boy? I wanted to fall down on my knees and sob. But I wouldn't. I would hold myself together for Calder. I would be his strong morning glory.

Fifteen minutes later, Calder came out of the bathroom and looked at me. His eyes were rimmed in red and I thought he'd been crying. My heart squeezed in pain and I stood up to go to him.