The Lies That Binds

Chapter 152

The world seemed to blur as Piper watched through the window. The adrenaline coursing through her veins made every movement outside feel like it was happening in slow motion. Gabriel and Jasper were locked in a chaotic dance with the two masked assailants, while Mrs. Harper clutched her arm and huddled against the side of her house, her face pale with terror.

“Stay here!” Piper shouted to Noah, already moving toward the door before he could protest.

“Piper, no!” Noah called after her, but she was already outside, sprinting toward Mrs. Harper.

The grass felt uneven under her feet as she ran, her heart pounding. The sound of the scuffle—grunts, heavy footsteps, the metallic clink of the crowbar hitting the ground—filled her ears. Jasper wrestled one of the masked men to the ground, pinning him with brute force. Gabriel’s movements were precise and sharp as he disarmed the other attacker, his expression a mask of focused determination.

Piper dropped to her knees beside Mrs. Harper. “It’s okay,” she said, her voice shaking but steady enough to reassure. “You’re safe now.”

Mrs. Harper’s breathing was shallow, her hand trembling as she gripped Piper’s arm. “They… they came out of nowhere,” she stammered. “They were inside my house.”

Piper scanned her quickly, her eyes locking on the gash on Mrs. Harper’s arm. Blood seeped through the fabric of her blouse, the wound looking deep but not life-threatening. “You’re hurt,” Piper said, pressing her hands gently around the injury. “We’ll get you help.”

Behind her, the sounds of the struggle grew louder. Piper turned just in time to see the second attacker lunge at Gabriel, a knife glinting in his hand. Gabriel sidestepped with precision, grabbing the man’s wrist and twisting it until the blade clattered to the ground.

“Stop moving!” Jasper barked at the man he had pinned. The assailant thrashed beneath him, but Jasper tightened his grip, his expression grim.

Gabriel wasted no time, delivering a sharp kick to his attacker’s ribs that left the man wheezing on the ground. He knelt quickly, yanking off the man’s mask to reveal a thin, gaunt face with sunken eyes that glared back at him.

“Who sent you?” Gabriel demanded, his voice like steel.

The man spat at him, his lips curling into a defiant sneer. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Gabriel didn’t flinch. “Wrong answer.”

The sound of approaching sirens cut through the tension. Piper glanced toward the street, relief flooding her as red-and-blue lights reflected off the houses. The cavalry had arrived—but the sense of security it brought was fleeting. These men weren’t just random attackers. There was something deliberate about their actions, their precision.

Gabriel stood, his jaw tight as he scanned the street for more signs of danger. Jasper hauled the other attacker to his feet, keeping a firm grip on the man’s arm as he handed him off to the police who had just arrived.

“You’re going to want to keep an eye on these two,” Jasper said to the officers. “They’re not your usual burglars.”

Piper stayed beside Mrs. Harper, helping her to her feet as a paramedic approached. “She needs stitches,” Piper explained, stepping back as the paramedic guided Mrs. Harper toward the waiting ambulance.

When the immediate chaos subsided, Gabriel returned to Piper’s side. “Are you okay?” he asked, his tone softer now. His dark eyes scanned her quickly, searching for any sign of injury.

Piper nodded, her voice steady but low. “I’m fine. Just shaken.”

His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned toward the house. “We need to talk inside. Now.”

Back in the living room, the tension was palpable. Noah was pacing near the window, his fists clenched. Jasper leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Gabriel stood at the head of the room, his expression grim as he addressed the group.

“They weren’t random,” he began, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. “Those men were scouts. They were sent here to test our defenses, see how we’d respond.”

“Scouts?” Jasper said, his tone laced with disbelief. “How do you know that?”

Gabriel glanced at him, his expression unyielding. “Because they didn’t take anything. They didn’t even try. They were gathering intel.”

Noah stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. “Gathering intel for who?”

Gabriel’s gaze shifted to Piper, the weight of his answer settling heavily in the room. “For Anton.”

The name landed like a punch, stealing the breath from everyone. Piper sank into the nearest chair, her mind racing. She thought of the cryptic text, of the car that had passed by her house last night. It all fit together, and none of it was good.

“We need to increase security,” Gabriel continued. “Double the cameras, add patrols. This isn’t just about fortifying the house anymore. It’s about sending a message that we’re ready for him.”

“And what if we’re not?” Jasper asked bluntly.

Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “We will be.”

Piper watched them, her chest tightening as the unspoken tension between the men grew heavier. Jasper’s disdain for Gabriel was obvious, but it wasn’t just distrust driving him. It was jealousy, simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

“Gabriel,” Piper said quietly, cutting through the argument before it could escalate. “Thank you. For what you did out there.”

Gabriel’s gaze softened as it shifted to her. “I told you I’d protect you,” he said simply.

Jasper’s scoff was immediate. “Right. Protector of the year.”

“Not now, Jasper,” Piper said sharply, her patience fraying.

Noah, who had been silent, finally spoke up. “What about those guys? Did the police say anything?”

“They’ll hold them for questioning,” Gabriel replied. “But don’t expect much. If Anton sent them, they won’t talk.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Piper rubbed her temples, exhaustion settling in. “I need to see the footage,” she said after a moment. “We need to figure out how they got this close.”

Noah moved to the monitor, pulling up the camera feeds from earlier that day. The footage played out in grainy black-and-white, showing the two attackers slipping through the back fence and moving swiftly toward Mrs. Harper’s house. But as Noah rewound the tape, something else caught his attention.

“Wait,” he said, his tone sharp. “Go back.”

Gabriel leaned over his shoulder, his expression darkening as the footage replayed. This time, they focused on a figure standing at the edge of the street, partially obscured by shadows. The figure held a phone to their ear, watching as the attackers moved in.

“Who is that?” Piper asked, her voice tight.

Noah zoomed in, but the image was too grainy to make out any features. Gabriel’s expression hardened as he straightened. “Whoever it is, they’re working with Anton.”

“But how did they know they were here?” Jasper asked, his tone suspicious. “Someone must have tipped them off.”

The implication settled heavily over the room, the unspoken accusation slicing through the group like a knife. Piper’s stomach churned as she glanced at the others, the sinking realization that someone in their circle might not be as loyal as they seemed.

Noah broke the silence, his voice low and unsteady. “We have a mole.”

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