Love, Lies, and Other Ties

Chapter Forty-Nine

Liam's POV:

What the fuck is going on? Did I wake up or is this a dream. I've blinked and rubbed my eyes more times than I can count just to be able to clear the image in front of me. No matter what I do, she's still standing there with a soft smile on her face and a slight look of guilt. I'm so confused as to how she is standing in front of me when we're supposed to be going to her funeral in about eight hours.

"Mom? Are you real?" she laughs at me. The audacity of this woman to be "dead" and standing in my kitchen while laughing because I asked an obvious question. "Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry, honey. I just never thought that you would ever have to ask me that question. Yes, I am real," silence surrounds the kitchen and the rest of the house is so quiet that I could hear her breathe from across the large kitchen.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions and not much time to ask them so why don't I make us some tea and we can go to the library and talk so we don't wake anyone up?" she asked and I nodded my head and decided to go ahead and go to the library to try and wrap my head around how she is here and alive.

About five minutes later, she arrives at the library doors and I open them since her hands are full with a tray that contains some cookies and two cups of tea. The tea is supposed to help with restlessness and sleep but I don't think anyone would be able to sleep after finding out their dead mother is, in fact, alive and well. She sat down on one of the loveseats and pats the spot next to her for me to sit.

"No, thanks, I just want to understand what happened and why you're alive instead of dead like we all thought?"

"It's a little hard to explain," she began.

"I'm sure it is," I said sarcastically.

"Well, it began when I was in the coma. I could hear everything going on around me. I could hear when you came to visit, Kay, your dad, too. Everything was normal for the first few days I was in there. Then, at one point, I heard someone else enter the room. I could tell it was two men but I couldn't tell right away as to who it was but when they spoke, I knew right away that it was Trevor and one of his loyal followers, Eric."

"Wait, why does that name sound familiar to me?"

"Because Eric Connell is one of your father's trusted security guards. He has always favored Trevor over your father until we moved and broke away from Trevor after he was making some shady deals on the side and trying to get followers by going behind your dad's back on some things. We haven't seen him since before we moved out of this town. We thought he might have been killed but we never found a body.

"I recognized his voice in the hospital room when they were discussing that the both of them had a plan to make sure I was dead and that they got ahold of Carter. Of course, I couldn't move or scream when they were in the room but that's when you appeared at the end of the hall talking with Lydia, which you still need to fill me in on, but I guess just seeing you, spooked them and they ran before they could hurt me.

"About a week later, I woke up but the only one here was your father. After I got my bearings and remembered everything that had happened when I was out, I told your father and he came up with the plan to fake my death for two reasons. The first reason was to keep me safe.

"The second reason was that he will probably show up to my funeral or send Eric. They may try and approach Carter but we need them to think we now are weak when in reality, we know what their plan is and can prepare for what is to come.

"I heard that someone approached Carter today at the mall," I just shook my head while trying to process everything she had said. "Did she recognize him?"

"Not really. She said she had seen him a few times around her dad but that was it."

"I have a hunch that it might have been Eric. Trevor is slowly losing his followers due to not being able to take your dad's empire out from under him. He's using Carter to try and get back at both you and Christian. He knows once you're in power, if Carter's out of the way, the weakens you. She is his main target at this point."

"So, let me get this straight. You got hurt, you got better and now, you are willingly throwing my girlfriend under the bus to take down an old rival of dad's who happens to be the rival's 'daughter'? That's fucked up! What makes you and dad think I would let any of this slide?" I yelled at her.

"You weren't supposed to find out like this," she said.

"Ya know what, fuck you both! We are not using the love of my life as a damn lure that could get her killed. Come up with a new plan because she will not be involved," I gritted through my teeth and then left the library and headed back to be with Car.

>>>>><<<<<

Carter's POV:

I'm sitting in the pew on the front row at Liam's mother's funeral and I can't keep the tears at bay. The woman that for so long served as a second mother to me is dead all because Trevor is a power-hungry maniac. I can somewhat understand what they are going through since I lost my mother not too long ago.

I've been sitting on this bench by myself for I don't know how long so I thought I would get up and go find Kay or Liam or maybe even one of the boys so that I don't feel awkward sitting in an empty pew in an empty room. I walk out the doors in the back of the room and see everyone standing around and speaking in low voices. The weather outside is typical for a funeral, rainy and muggy.

Once I step into the room, all discussion stops and everyone turns to look at me with varying looks of anger and pity. What is happening? I look around and lock eyes with Kay and approach her. I try and wrap my arms around her but she pushes me back and looks at me like I've grown a second head.

"Kay, what's going on? Are you okay?" I ask her with confusion written all over my face.

"Am I okay? Shouldn't you know the answer to that? I mean, first you kill your mother and now you're the reason that mine is dead. If you would have just stayed away, she would still be here. Go away and leave my family alone," with that, she turned and walked into Loki's arms and away from me.

"She's right, ya know?" a voice says from behind me. I turn and find Liam leaning against the wall. "All you had to do was stay away from us and our lives wouldn't be ruined. You need to leave," he says and also turns and walks away.

>>>>><<<<<

I wake up sweating and tears running down my face. I'm alone in bed and it takes me a few minutes to realize it was all a dream. I just hope nothing bad happens at the actual funeral.

>>>>><<<<<

A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long between updates. My husband has been gone to training and I was alone with my two kids so I had no time to do this whatsoever. I also kind of have some writer's block. Hopefully I can kick it and update sooner. Let me know what you think or if you have ideas I would love to hear them!