Page 59 of Web of Lies

Riley

My eyes are glued to the TV screen. No matter which channel I switch to, the news anchors are reporting on the massive raid and wave of arrests of city officials tied to the corrupt Department of Public Safety.

The screen shows an old mugshot of Jackson, with his name flashing in bold letters. "Jackson Philips: Wanted."

Authorities believe he learned about the leak and fled the country before it was too late. Even his closest relatives believe this is the case. However, a handful of people know the truth: He is already dead, and his body has been disposed of.

I wrap my arms around myself and run my hands over my shoulders in a self-soothing gesture.

Although my colleagues at Hunt Corp. helped me erase all evidence of my connection to Jackson, and Hunt himself promised I had nothing to fear, as for the last five years, my alibi is bulletproof.

Yet, the pressure in my chest refuses to ease, and anxiety has been my daily companion ever since that day.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kyle's voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I turn to face him.

"Yeah, I'm just feeling overwhelmed," I mutter. "They've only scratched the surface."

"It will take time," he says, slipping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his embrace. "We'll be hearing about this for a while."

"I know," I sigh, leaning into him. Then, Kyle grabs the remote and turns off the TV.

"We have to leave soon."

I nod and pick at my cuticles. "I'm nervous about meeting your parents."

A soft chuckle rumbles in his throat. You don't need to be. My dad is stoic. My mom is more of a wildcard, but she means well. Besides, Noah and Evelyn are coming later. We won't be alone with them the whole night."

"That's my one ray of hope." A small smile tugs at my lips.

Forty-five minutes later, Kyle pulls into a gated driveway and follows a narrow path to a modern house.

As I glance around the front of the property, I'm taken aback by how modest everything looks.

Clean lines and neutral tones, a beautifully kept garden, and nothing flashy.

It's just... peaceful. I steal a glance at Kyle, then back at the house, struggling to make sense of it all.

I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this.

Maybe something darker, colder, and more chaotic. Something that mirrored Kyle.

"Is this where you grew up?" I finally ask.

"Yes," he says.

"It's so..." I pause, trying to find the right word on the tip of my tongue.

"Underwhelming?" he offers with a soft chuckle.

"Yes," I admit, caught off guard by how accurate the statement is. It's underwhelming as well as too peaceful compared to his personality and what I've learned about his family.

"You're not wrong." He lets out an amused huff. "As I told you before, they tried to give me a somewhat ordinary childhood," he says, seemingly reading my thoughts. "Or, well, their version of it. It was as ordinary as possible when your parents are a murderer and a cannibal."

"I can only assume," I whisper to myself.

"Let's go," he says, reaching for the bouquet of red flowers on the back seat. "I'm sure my parents have heard the car and are eager to meet you." My gaze meets his. "Are you ready?" he asks with a soft smile.

"As ready as I can be."

With that, we slip out of the car and are hit by the cool winter air. Kyle circles the hood and meets me halfway, placing his free hand on the small of my back to guide me toward the front door.

My heart pounds against my ribs, my nerves seething at the thought of meeting his parents. I’ve never met the parents of any man I’ve dated before. So, that alone is terrifying enough. But Kyle’s parents are in a whole different league.

When we reach the door, he shoots me one last look, to which I respond with a slight nod. He then pushes the door handle down, and the door swings open, revealing a beautiful entryway that is bright yet warm and inviting.

"Mom, Dad, we're here!" Kyle calls out, his voice echoing through the house.

"Baby Bear," a surprisingly high, yet sweet, voice calls back. And a moment later, a gorgeous woman steps into the entryway. She’s at least a head shorter than I am, with sleek, black hair falling over her shoulders.

Dressed in a flowy blouse and a long skirt, she looks effortlessly put together.

Right behind her follows a tall man who is about Kyle's height.

He has a full head of salt-and-pepper hair and is dressed in jeans and a simple sweatshirt.

I expect the woman to ignore me at first, but instead of rushing to greet Kyle, her eyes lock on me, and her face lights up with a bright smile. Before I can react, she reaches me, and her arms wrap around me in a gentle hug.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you, Riley," she says, pulling back just enough to look at me and take my hands in hers. "Kyle has told me so many wonderful things about you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Bennett," I say, the words tumbling off my lips while my mind is still two steps behind, struggling to keep up with her.

"Oh, no, that makes me sound old," she jokes. "Call me Kimberly or Mom, if you'd like. Evelyn calls me Mom, too," she says.

"I—" The words get stuck in my throat as I'm completely surprised by Kimberley's warm and welcoming, yet all-over-the-place, personality. Kyle told me to expect three cats in a trench coat, but I thought he was exaggerating.

"Mom," Kyle starts, but his dad takes a step closer and places a hand on Kimberly's back.

"Kim, my love, slow down," the man behind her says in a voice similar to Kyle's, but rougher around the edges.

"I'm sorry," she says with a chuckle as she takes a step back and moves to the man's side. "I got carried away with my excitement."

"I know," he replies, his calm demeanor suggesting he has the patience of a saint. "But you've got all night to get to know her."

He then turns to me, with a faint smile on his lips. "Hello, Riley. I'm Matthew."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I say, looking up at him.

His smile reminds me of Kyle's. That rare, calm, and reassuring smile of his.

Kimberly, on the other hand... My gaze shifts to her.

Her spirit and the way her lips curve into an energetic smile have the same spark as Kyle's extroverted personality.

It's almost as if he is the perfect blend of them both, in terms of both personality and appearance.

"Mom," Kyle says, drawing everyone's attention as he lifts the bouquet. "For you."

Her smile softens, and she takes the flowers from him, lifting them to her face. "Thank you so much," she says. "They're beautiful. I’m going to put them straight into water." Without another word, she turns and heads back to where she came from.

With a sigh, Matthew looks after her, then looks back at us. "Come in," he says, turning to follow Kimberly.

Kyle's hand lands gently on the small of my back and guides me down the hallway.

I let my eyes wander over the framed photos lining the walls.

Most of the pictures show happy family moments, such as birthdays, holidays, and vacations.

But what catches my attention most is how the boy grows up in the photos.

He goes from having chubby baby cheeks and missing teeth to being a teenager with messy dark hair and the same mischievous look in his eyes.

The older he gets, the more he looks like the Kyle I know today.

Once inside the dining room, my gaze falls on Matthew, who is standing by the already set table and gesturing for us to sit down.

"Thanks." I offer him a smile as Kyle pulls back one chair for me.

I sit down, and he settles beside me while Matthew takes his place at the head of the table.

A moment later, Kimberly joins us, carrying a clear vase with the bouquet in it.

She places it on the table before taking her seat next to Matthew.

Now that we’re all seated and the initial excitement of greeting each other has passed, the atmosphere feels quiet and almost awkward.

My heart rate quickens again, each beat echoing in my ears.

I sit paralyzed in my chair, staring straight ahead, unsure of what to do.

I feel exposed, like a deer caught in headlights, waiting for whatever comes next.

"So," Kimberly is the first to break the silence. "How are you two holding up?"

Matthew nods, his expression shifting as deep lines crease his forehead. "We've heard bits and pieces from Noah. Even Hunt called me."

"We're okay," Kyle says with a shrug.

"And you, sweetheart?" Kimberly turns her attention to me.

For a moment, I’m not sure what to say, and it's as if the words are trapped at the tip of my tongue.

I didn't expect this level of concern from people I don't even really know.

I shift in my chair, lifting a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"To be honest, I'm still processing everything that happened. It’s been a lot. "

"That’s natural." Kimberly reaches across the table and rests her hand on top of mine. "Take your time. No one expects you to bounce back right away."

"If there's anything we can do to help, anything at all, just let us know. We've lived through our fair share of madness." Matthew says, and my gaze shifts to him.

"That's an understatement." Kyle snorts with amusement beside me.

Kimberly flashes Kyle a quick glare, wiping the smile off his face, before turning her attention back to me. "We mean it. You've got people in your corner now."

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. "Thank you. I'm not really sure what to say."

"You don't have to say anything right now," Matthew says. "Just know that you're not alone."

"Exactly," Kyle chimes in as his hand lands on my thigh under the table and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "You're now part of our family, and we're hard to get rid of." His lips stretch into a smirk.

A smile spreads across my face, breaking through the anxiety that has been weighing on me.

I glance at Kyle, then at his parents. Not only have I found the man I love, but I've also found a family willing to accept me, with all my flaws. Maybe the idea of the future and what lies ahead of us isn’t as scary as I thought.

At the sudden sound of the front door opening, everyone perks up, and just a second later, the sound of claws skittering across wood echoes down the hall.

Fast, frantic, and excited. Then, Whiskey bursts into the dining room.

His tail is wagging so wildly that his entire backside is swinging from side to side.

He circles Kimberly and Matthew first, letting out a soft bark.

"Oh, my favorite boy!" Kimberly gasps, leaning down to greet him.

Hurried footsteps follow close behind, and then Evelyn appears in the doorway, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sorry, we're late," she says, as Noah follows right behind her.

"You're just in time," Kimberly says as she rises from her chair and claps. "Now, let's eat."

"Hold on," Kyle says, eyeing his mother. "Who cooked?"

My gaze snaps toward him, then back to Kimberly, who crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Excuse me?"

"Relax. I cooked," Matthew jumps in, rising from his chair. "But even if your mother had cooked, it would have been safe for all of you to eat."