THE FIFTH WITNESS

THE MAN I THOUGHT I LOVED

I crept out of bed the next morning but I didn't make it to the bathroom before Paul's voice reached my ears.

“Good morning, I thought you'd sleep longer,” Paul said and I turned around with a forced smile. It was barely five a.m. in the morning.

“And I thought you were still sleeping, good morning. I'll just be in there quickly,” I said to Paul and rushed off without waiting for his response.

“Of course, Amanda, the first time you want to do something spontaneous, you go ahead and do it excessively! How the f*ck do you wind up in bed with the people that work for the man who killed Sophie and wants to kill you as well!” I mentally scolded myself as I nearly scrubbed myself raw, hoping to wash away every trace of what happened last night.

By the time I came out, Paul was gone but he left a note about meeting me for lunch. Fat chance!

But I couldn't afford to let him know that I knew who he was. It was too risky. What I saw as an advantage was going to turn around and be a huge disadvantage to me if I do anything stupid.

But luck was on my side because lunch didn't happen and things conveniently kept coming up until it was almost two weeks later when Paul cornered him at the supply store.

"You are avoiding me," Paul said pointedly to me, he positioned himself so that there won't be any escape on my own part.

"I don't know what you are talking about," I said to him even though I couldn't hold his gaze and my heart was literally hammering against my ribs.

Paul's eyes narrowed.

"You moved your coffee time. You're taking alternative routes. You haven't been to the pier in three days." Paul's gray eyes searched my face. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You're a Blackwood," I wanted to scream but I forced a smile instead.

"I'm just working on a large project, it's taking up all of my time. You know how these things can be,” I said to him.Paul nodded, but his expression seemed unconvinced.

"Yes. Perhaps we can meet up when things quiet down,” Paul said in response and I nodded my head as I moved out of his hold.

"I'll call you later." I said to him, knowing fully well I wasn't that stupid.

Gradually, I started the careful process of disassembling my existence at Seaside Harbor over the course of the next week. I took fewer freelance jobs, updated my emergency fund, and paid my landlord three months' rent in advance. I even began to discreetly search for my next destinations.

But Paul to his credit didn't give up. He came around when I refused to take his calls but I gave him the same answer as always, ‘everything was fine.’

Until I couldn't pretend anymore.

“I think we need some Space,” I finally said to Paul and watched his expression cool.

"Space? I know what I want, Amanda and I want you,” Paul said in response but I shook my head no.

"Sometimes what we want isn't what's good for us." I said to Paul who answered me in a cool tone.

"That's bullshit, and you know it." Paul said to me, his intense gaze sharpening on me. I thought he was going to do something to me but to my surprise he turned and walked away.

Finally I had the tickets for the bus that would take me far away from here but I was stopped in my tracks at the bus station by someone dressed in a pulled down hoodie.

"Going somewhere?" A voice I painfully recognized said and I closed my eyes in distress.

I had been caught.

“Yes, a trip, I will be back soon. I got a job offer out of state. Good money.” I said to Paul, knowing fully well that both of us knew it was a lie.

“A job you say? You wouldn't be hightailing out of town for being caught, right Rory?” Paul said to me and terror threatened to choke me up.

He knew who I was! He knew who I was the whole time and I had been the fool to fall in love with him!

“So, what was this? Another job?” I asked him when I found my voice again.

For a brief period, Paul's face softened, until it returned to its blank state.

"It began that way. I'm not going to lie about that. However, what's between us, what I feel for you, is genuine. Rory, I love you,” Paul said to me and I felt like I had been slapped

“Don't refer to me that way. And after acknowledging that you have been deceiving me since day one, you don't get to stand there and declare your love for me," I said to him in response. Paul sighed deeply.

"Now that everything is known, I want to keep you safe,” Paul said to me and I scoffed in response.

"From whom? Marcus? Tough luck, you found me easily, who's to say the next person won't kill me first and ask questions later?" I said to Paul who sighed again.

“Yes, I am the only one alive that can protect you from Marcus, he is after all my brother,” Paul's words knocked the wind out of my lungs.

His brother? They were related?!

I didn't wait another second, I spun around and began to run as fast as I could. There was no way I was going to entrust my safety in any Blackwood's hands! I know first hand how they deal with betrayal.

I didn't get far before I was snatched up by my waist and thrown into the back of a moving truck.

I opened my mouth to scream but a piece of cloth was stuffed in my mouth.

“You might not like me, but I'm the only shot you have at surviving my brother and I'm going to make the choice for you,” Paul hissed in my ear as darkness welcomed me.