Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (11 page)

Here it came.

Elizabeth braced for it.

“It’s not him.”

Livy pulled back to stare at her friend. “What do you mean it’s not him? He’s left his calling card.”

This was going to suck.

Well, it was time to come clean.

“Can I have a cup of tea?” Elizabeth asked, preparing for the oncoming conversation. “Then we can talk. I’ll fill you in on everything you need to know.”

“Absolutely. Oh, by the way, you look like hell.”

Yeah, she was aware.

Pregnancy and this mess popping up were the likely suspects.

Livy kissed her on the cheek and then ran her fingers over the baby bump. “I remember that first night I met Ethan. He always said he wanted a brood. You’ve almost caught up with us.”

She laughed. “I’m done after this one. Callen lucked out and got one more shot at it. He didn't get his girl, but I’m getting off the baby train, and fast!”

“We can keep trying,” he teased.

“Bite your tongue before I remove it,” she ordered. “By removing it, I’m taking off your whole damn head.”

Callen wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I love when you’re all riled up.”

Livy laughed, finally feeling a little better. She didn't know why she was surprised, Elizabeth always cheered her up. Having her there was amazing.

“Yeah, well, Gabe wanted a son. That’s why I have five girls. You men are so silly when it comes to the sex of a child.”

They crossed the room and Livy began getting the tea ready for her friend.

Her hands shook the entire time.

Elizabeth gave her boss the look, and he made sure everyone was outside helping with the body.

“Where are the kids off to now?” she asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“They’re going to the Whitehouse. How funny is that? When the president found out that the ex-director was killed on our lawn, and by
‘The Butcher’
, he was more than happy to have a sleepover.”

That spoke of Gabriel’s power in DC. You didn't just have your six kids sleep at the Whitehouse unless you were important.

“I’m so sick over this,” Livy said. “I can’t believe any of it. I really thought this was over.”

“Yeah, I didn't see this one coming either.”

That was a lie. Elizabeth always worried this would happen, and it appeared her biggest fears were correct.

Gabe sauntered back into the room and took a seat beside Elizabeth. He knew it was time.

“We have to talk, Livy.”

She looked back and forth between them. They both looked freaked out. That scared the hell out of her. Livy had two constants in her life.

Gabe was always her rock.

Elizabeth was never afraid.

You could always count on them.

“About what?”

“He’s not back for you,” he said, starting the dialog between them. He was only hoping that his wife would remain calm. The last thing he needed was for her to freak out. Only, he knew it was likely going to happen.

“What do you mean?”

She was confused.

“Of course he’s back for me. I was the one who got away. Then he killed the one man before going under.”

Oh, here it came.

“He didn't go under, Livy. I killed him.
‘The Butcher’
is dead,” she admitted.

“What?”

Elizabeth laid it all out for her. “After he attacked you, I used your statement to track him down. Seamus O’Brien was the one you identified, and he’s dead. He wasn’t some innocent man. He was the one who raped you. He’s not back from the dead, so I either killed the wrong man, or we have a copycat.”

She stared at her. “WHAT?”

“I said…”

Livy cut her off before she could say it over again. The last thing she wanted was to hear it again.

“I heard what you said. I just don’t get why you’d do it. You broke the law, and that’s never a good thing, Elizabeth.”

“I did it because…”

Livy dropped the teakettle. It crashed to the counter spraying hot water all over.

“One of you better tell me this is total bullshit. One of you had better have the goddamn sense to tell me this is some sick joke.”

Neither moved.

That said it all.

“You two killed a man? For me?”

“Shhhhhh,” hissed Gabe. “Olivia, we don’t need China hearing this.”

She didn't care.

She was pissed.

“I did it for you,” Elizabeth offered. “After the rape, you went right into the shower. We needed that DNA in order to have a case. You didn't want to testify…”

She was cut off when Livy swept all the delicate teacups into the sink with her arm.

“DON’T!” she said, pointing at her. “Don’t you dare!”

Elizabeth closed her mouth.

Yeah, this was about as volatile as she thought it would be.

“Don’t you dare put this on me! I wasn’t in my right mind, but I wouldn’t have condoned murder then, and I certainly don’t condone it now!”

Elizabeth closed her eyes. “Needless to say, I did what I had to do. You checked out. It was all on me.”

Gabe cringed. That was the worst thing she could say, and he knew it.

Livy’s face said it all.

“Go home! Get out of here. I don’t want to do this with you. I can’t stand here and pretend this is okay. You killed someone! I don’t even know who you are anymore!”

Elizabeth didn't move. She knew that Livy was going to lose it. They weren’t shocked by her reaction. This was
EXACTLY
why they didn't tell her.

Plus, if Livy thought she was going home, well, she was bat shit insane. That boat had sailed. She was up to her neck in shit and had to be there.

“I said, get out.”

Callen ran his fingers down her arm in support.

“You heard me. Get out of my house!”

Instead of listening, she glanced over at the man who was her brother at one time. “Gabe, do I have to leave?” Elizabeth asked. “His vote counts more. You’re being irrational. For this, level heads need to prevail.”

Livy gasped as if she was slapped. Then, she grabbed the sugar bowl and whipped it at the wall. It embedded itself in the sheetrock.

Gabe pushed the creamer toward her. “You might as well finish off the set. Don’t hit the dog. I like him.”

She glared at him.

How was he not furious about this?

“Are you done having your temper tantrum?” Elizabeth asked. Truth be told, she wasn’t the least bit shocked. Livy was Irish, and she had one hell of a wicked temper.

This wasn’t shocking.

At all.

“I did what I did to spare you what was coming. Your anger doesn’t change anything. I did what I had to do for you, and for Gabe.”

Tears filled Livy’s eyes.

“No! I don’t want to hear this. You know better than that, Elizabeth. What you did was lame, stupid, and dangerous. You made a huge mistake. What you did is inexcusable. We both took an oath to protect and serve, and you didn't do that. I was out of my mind that night. By doing this, listening to me while I was in that state, you could have killed an innocent man!”

She sucked it up.

It wasn’t as if she didn't think about all of this every day of her freaking life.

What Livy said hurt like hell, but she’d swallowed that pain once before for her friend, and she’d do it again.

She wore the bull’s-eye for all the anger.

Even as Callen moved closer, allowing her to lean back and into his body, she didn't say a single word. When he tried, she squeezed his hand to silence him. This had to level Livy, and she’d let her get it out.

That’s what friends did, even when it was painful.

“Out of all the idiotic things you could do, this was the biggest one. I can’t believe you.”

Livy stormed around the room, pacing in anger.

“You knew all these years and you didn't tell me?” she accused, pointing at her husband.

Gabe nodded. “We did what we had to do. I have no regrets.”

“None? You kept a huge secret from your wife. That didn't bother you?”

He stared at his wife. “If you have to ask me that, then you don’t know me.”

Instead of calming down, she tore into him. “Of course you both had this secret. You two were like Frick and Frack. Neither of you did anything without the other knowing. I can’t believe I didn't see this coming. You two always had your private secrets. I was always the outsider when it came to you two.”

Elizabeth braced for more angry words.

“Olivia,” Gabe began, seeing the look on Elizabeth’s face. It was as if she was being dressed down in front of a room full of her peers.

It wasn’t pleasant.

It wasn’t right.

“Get off her ass. She did what she thought was right. I applauded her choice then, and I still do. Had she not done it, I would have.”

That sat between all of them.

Finally, Livy started to crack. “Are you insane too? She could go to jail if this gets out. You’ll be arrested for being an accessory to the fact. I may lose both of you. All of our kids will lose one of their parents. That’s eleven shattered lives on top of ours.”

Livy lost it.

She started cursing.

At that moment, Ethan and Chris walked in mid-tirade, becoming privy to the free-for-all.

“What you did was illegal! I’m disappointed in you, Elizabeth! You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Ethan went to speak, but before he could utter a single word in his wife’s defense, he was cut off by the ME beside him.

“Hold on there!” Christopher Leonard demanded, as he entered the house. “Just stop right there, Olivia!”

Everyone turned around at his angry tone, including a bright red Livy.

“You’re tearing into her, but do you know what the hell she’s lived through since all of this went down? You had the balls to show up at her door two weeks after she took that madman’s life and tell her you had gotten married. You didn't even think about her. You promised to be partners, to be in each other’s weddings, and you made a commitment as friends. Only, you broke it when you ran off, destroying her damn heart.”

Livy went to protest, but Chris wasn’t done.

No, he was just getting started.

“She carried all that on her own. Not only did she swallow the shitty mess by herself, but she’s carried this for the last fifteen years while you played Mrs. Rothschild. You have no right to yell at her. She loved you enough to risk herself. Elizabeth covered this up for your husband because she loved him too. It’s easy to judge when you’re playing on that fucking pedestal, isn’t it?”

Livy closed her mouth—mostly in shock.

“When you walked away from Elizabeth, you damaged her. Her heart was shattered, and you didn't even care. It was all about you, and you didn't give a shit that you left a mess behind when you ran. I’m sorry that you were hurt, Livy, but you didn't exactly leave a trail of sunshine and fucking rainbows in your wake. Someone had to clean that up, and it certainly wasn’t you, was it?”

Even Gabe stared at him in shock.

Ethan was surprised to hear his ME lose it. It was proof of the bond between him and his wife. It was also the absolute truth, and he loved the man for it. After all, Chris Leonard had been there in the aftermath.

He was the only person who didn't bail.

“She did what she did for you, and you have the audacity to throw it back in her face after all these years. You moved on, but guess who you left behind?
HER
. Without Elizabeth’s sacrifice, do you think you’d have this life? Do you think this didn’t have an after effect of what she sacrificed for you both?”

Livy went to open her mouth.

“You should be telling her thank you, and not tearing into her. They protected you when you were at your weakest. That’s called love. Now she’s at her weakest, and you’re being a bitch. This is the definition of jackwagon, and someone has to have the balls to tell Gabriel Rothschild’s wife that!”

Chris glanced over at his boss. “I’m going back out with the dead body. I can’t do this now. I’m too damn angry. I refuse to stand by and watch someone I love be ripped to pieces—even out of anger.”

He walked out, using his cane, and the door slammed behind him.

Livy’s eyes filled with tears. Before she could say anything, Elizabeth had grabbed her coat and was pulling it on. “I have a case to work. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Elizabeth, wait!” Livy said.

She didn’t.

She couldn’t.

Callen followed, remembering his duty. He was to watch her back, and that’s just what he was going to do.

Again, the door slammed.

Ethan said nothing. He wanted to kiss his ME for that outburst. While Gabe was their boss, Chris was right. Someone had to protect Elizabeth.