Part 11
Maria strolled into the cabin with a smile on her face. The sun was warm outside, not at all too hot to burn the skin. She should invite Michael for a quick trip to their island, see if the hut frame still stood and maybe relive the last time they were there. That was quite an experience, she thought, blushing.
It was so pleasant out that she immediately felt the tense atmosphere inside the kitchen when she stepped in. There she saw Michael sitting still, staring into the black liquid inside his mug.
He looked up at her when she stopped before him. "Where were you?"
Maria let the rather abrupt question pass. "Walking." She started to smile but saw him take a sheaf of note papers from the table and hold it up.
"What are these, Maria?" She couldn't think of a way to answer. "Is it true?" His voice was getting harder with every syllable, and for the first time since they met, she was afraid. "Are you betraying me?"
She closed her eyes for a moment. "Michael…"
"It's true, isn't it?" he exploded. "You've been lying to me all along. Who are you?"
"I thought I was going to be Maria Guerin," she said softly.
Michael was hurting too much to listen, or even to hear her. He thought he had found the perfect match for him. And to find her here, so far from home. It was almost as if for the first time in a long while of killing and watching his men get killed, for the first time… he was blessed. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and pushed his chair back, sending his chair crashing down. Maria winced and warily watched him stride to the window.
She approached him carefully. The last months she knew him, she could always calm him when he was tense with a touch above his heart. The contact seemed to ease the emotions they felt for one another to their partner, and with the silent proclamation of love he was relaxed.
So Maria went to him and gently laid her hand on his shoulder, urging him to look at her. She could not understand why she was suddenly so afraid. It wasn't right--this being afraid of him. Michael would never hurt her for the world.
"I love you," she whispered. "You know how much."
Please be angry. I can handle angry. But I can't handle this. His eyes were hurting so much. She did this to him.
"No. I don't. Because I don't know who the h-ell you are!"
"Mi—" Suddenly he grabbed her arms and pressed her body close to his, not in passion like he always did. She gasped in surprise, but didn't struggle.
"Are you a vacationer?"
"No."
"Did we meet by accident?"
"No," she answered again.
"Were you sent to spy on me?"
"Yes, but Michael listen to me—"
And then his large hand closed over her face. His palm pressed her lips painfully into her teeth, his fingers splayed over her nose, her cheek and eyes. "I'll speak now," he gritted silently. "You answer only when asked. I'm not going to hear anymore of your lies."
A gasp of shock from the doorway caught Maria's attention. She turned her gaze towards Liz standing there, watching. Of course. Maria knew the moment Liz arrived everything would change.
"Who are you?" he asked, without any inflection. And then he lifted his palm to let her speak.
Maria moistened her lips. Her eyes shifted back to Michael. She showed him all the regret and the apology in her green gaze. She wanted to say so much, to explain, to ask for help. But he only asked for an answer. Maybe she can get some in… "Maria Whitman," she said slowly, drawing out the syllables, tasting her tears on her tongue now.
"Princess," she heard Liz whisper in amazement.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Maria continued. "My bro—"
The hand that once covered her mouth flexed and stiffened, effectively commanding for silence. Without a word, he turned to leave.
Liz shook her head at the blonde staring into the direction Michael had vanished. "You used your own body to spy for your brother," Liz stated in wonder. "You used my best friend. You Terrans have no sense of propriety or even pride. You're a Princess!"
Maria bit her lip and stalked over to where the smaller girl stood looking at her disdainfully. "Us Terrans?! Us Terrans," she repeated. " We have everything you Antarians don't! We
have love and integrity. Something your people won't ever have!"
"Integrity?" Liz spat.
"I'm doing this to save my brother! And your king blackmailed me into spying on his own best friend. Where's the integrity in that? There are a dozen things wrong there."
Max… "You hurt Michael," Liz said, less harshly now.
Maria brushed her tears away with her palm. "Screw this! Alex will understand." She ran towards the door. She had to tell Michael. And if Max would go after Alex for this then so be it. Her brother had always said, that above everything was love.
In her haste, she tripped over the protruding bamboo and fell down the hard smooth steps. "Maria!" Liz cried from the top step. Maria didn't move. She remained lying there, and Liz hurried down and knelt beside her. She couldn't understand why Maria didn't get up. "Do you need help?"
"I'm bleeding," Maria whispered.
Liz looked over her for scraped and cuts. There was none. "No you're not. You're probably just sore. I'll help you up." She caught the other girl under her elbows and pulled her up. Maria staggered to her feet, but remained bent at the waist, clutching Liz bitingly. "Maria—"
"Oh God," Maria whispered. "I'm bleeding…"
She was going into some sort of shock. Her lips were pale, as was her skin. "You're not."
"Liz, I'm bleeding vaginally. I was going to have Michael's baby."
He was going to kick the door in and then drag Billy to the beach. He was going to drown him and bury him in the sand. And then the little crabs would eat his corpse out come low tide. He was going to let out some steam. And what better way than to kill the # who hurt a girl he was actually working for.
When he neared the cabin he heard raised voices, familiar.
"Useless! I sent you out here to do a simple job and you can't even deliver?"
"What can I do if she thinks she's in love with the guy? She won't tell me anything! He's got her wrapped around his friggin' pinky!"
"Stop
it! Let go. For the last time, Max, Michael is not betraying you.
He's the most loyal man you've got. He's your best friend!"
"This isn't any of your business, Isabel. And why won't he marry you? Ever think about that?"
"Max, can't you just accept the fact that we're not in love?"
"Billy. For once do something right. Call home. Tell them to execute the Terran king."
"For God's sake, Max!" Isabel screamed.
Michael head was whirling. Max sent spies after him. After more than two decades of friendship, he would suspect him of treachery. He slammed into the cabin and pulled the phone from Billy. He grabbed Billy's head and rammed it into the wall.
He turned to Max. "After everything—"
"Michael."
"Isabel, go home and free Whitman."
Isabel glanced towards her brother, who was sending her pleading looks. "I love you, Max. But you deserve this. See you, Michael." She grabbed her purse and fled the cabin.
