Page 20 of Unmasked

She studied him for a second, and he stared into her dark eyes so much like his own. He could practically see the wheels turning in her mind, and he watched as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. “Someone like... Everleigh?”

The heat licking over his skin intensified, and he fought the urge to squirm like a little kid.

“I—”

She was cut off when the door swung open. His gaze flew over her shoulder to Mason, whose body filled the doorway.

“There you are,” he said to Vivi. “I thought I heard you come in here.”

Vivi disregarded him completely and turned her inquisitive gaze back to Knox. “Am I right? Knox?” she prodded when he remained quiet.

Mason moved alongside Vivi and rested a hand on her hip. “I have a question about something in the Weaver file.”

She tipped her head up to him. “Just a sec. I⁠—”

But he didn’t give her a chance to finish as he slowly drew her toward the door. “I want to make sure I’m reading this correctly, and I need your help. I thought it was supposed to be…”

Mason’s words trailed off as he neatly maneuvered Vivi out of the room, catching Knox’s gaze as he did so.

Knox had never been more thankful for Mason’s interference than he was right that second. He knew his sister’s interrogation wasn't over, but Mason had bought him a short reprieve.

He raked one hand through his hair, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling. When had his life become such a mess? He liked things orderly, everything in its place. It seemed like everything around him for the past three months had been in constant upheaval, and he felt like he couldn’t do anything right anymore. Just once he wanted things to fall into place.

He yanked open the top drawer of his desk and pulled out the pack of smokes that stared up at him. He tapped the carton against the heel of his hand, preparing to shake one loose, then halted. He turned it over slowly, and the image of Everleigh, disappointment creasing her pretty features, flashed in his mind.

Smoking was a crutch—a way to take his mind off the things in his life he didn’t want to deal with. And he was tired of it. He stared at the red and white box then slowly extended his arm and opened his fingers, dropping the package into the trash can beneath his desk.

Strangely enough, a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders as the carton hit the bottom of the metal can with a soft thunk. If only he could cut every bad thing out of his life that easily.

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

THEN

Everleigh then drew in a deep breath and pressed one hand to her stomach. She had skipped dinner because her stomach felt like it was twisted up in knots. She lay there on her bed curled up on her side, and tears sprang to her eyes. What if something was wrong with the baby? She hadn't gathered the courage to tell her parents yet, but she could no longer put it off.

She padded downstairs to the sitting room where she knew she would find her mother. Still dressed in her expensive slacks and blouse, her mother twisted her pearls around one finger as she studied a sample of fabric.

Her mother’s gaze lifted to Everleigh’s when she stepped into the room, and she smiled as she extended the swatch Everleigh’s way. “Take a look at this, would you? I need a second opinion.”

“Mama…” The tears Everleigh had been holding back broke free as she approached her, and concern creased her mother’s expression.

“What's wrong, honey? Is your stomach still bothering you?”

“I think something’s wrong,” Everleigh whispered. “I need to go to the doctor.”

She grimaced as a cramp seized her, and she bent over at the waist. Her mother placed one hand on her back. “If you're having female problems, I can⁠—”

“You don't understand,” Everleigh gasped out as dizziness assailed her. “I think something’s wrong with…”

Another paralyzing cramp ripped through her, and the last thing she saw was her mother’s face before her eyes rolled up in the back of her head and everything went black.

Everleigh opened her eyes and blinked against the stark whiteness of the space around her. She lifted one hand to rub the sleep from her eyes, but she was stopped abruptly by a cord attached to her hand. She focused on the white monitor clinging to the tip of her finger, following the cord all the way to a machine next to her hospital bed.

The door to the room was ajar and familiar voices filtered in from the hallway. She made out her father's gruff tone and what she thought were her mother’s soft responses. She opened her mouth to call for them, but they stepped into the room before she could even form a sound. Her mother’s eyes met hers then quickly slid away.

A nurse clad in a pair of dark blue scrubs entered the room behind them and shot Everleigh a soft smile. “Good, you're awake. How are you feeling?”