by Land, Alexa
Lee and I joined Rus and the Dombruso brothers in a black Range Rover, and I told my boyfriend, “You should know that Harris confirmed Douglas Poulos was working with him. I don’t think you had much doubt about that, but now you know for sure.”
“That’s both disappointing and exactly what I expected.”
As Rus drove us out of that abandoned neighborhood, Vincent turned around in the passenger seat to look at us and said, “When the rest of our family gets here on Friday, let’s go ahead and keep this story to ourselves, alright?”
Dante flashed his younger brother a big smile. “You don’t think your hubby and kids would want to hear about how you played Rambo?”
Vincent put on a pair of wire-framed glasses and frowned at Dante. Aside from the eyewear, they almost looked like twins with their dark hair, big builds, and short beards. “I’ll tell my husband, obviously, but my kids don’t need this information,” Vincent said. “Also, you enjoy this shit way too much, and you always totally overdo everything. We could have gone in with a fraction of that firepower and still rescued Beck while making the point that he and Speros are under the protection of our family.”
“I don’t believe in subtlety.” I felt like that should be Dante’s official motto. He added, “Besides, you know you loved every minute of it.”
Vincent grinned, despite himself, and admitted, “Maybe a little.”
Dante told me, “The helicopters are on stand-by to take us back to Catalina. Are you ready to go home?”
I said, “I need to do something first. There’s one last family member who needs to come with us.”
We made a stop to drop off Dante and Vincent at one of the waiting helicopters. Lee shook their hands and thanked them, and I gave both brothers a big hug and told them we’d see them in a couple of hours.
Once the brothers were in the air, Rus merged onto the freeway, and Lee kissed me and whispered, “When I found out Harris took you, I was terrified, Beck.”
“I knew you’d save me.”
“With more than a little help. For the record, you were totally right about Dante. He’s one hell of a man.”
“I tried to tell you.”
He said, “I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
“And I’m sorry I snuck off without you. That was impulsive and immature.”
“Neither of us has much experience with being part of a couple,” he said. “Maybe it’s no wonder that we both tried to handle things on our own. But my God, talk about learning a lesson the hard way.”
I closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder, and he stroked my hair and told me, “You lost your hat.”
“Oh. Yeah, it fell off when I was trying to escape.”
“Want me to find you a replacement?”
I shook my head. “It’s not important.”
“It isn’t?”
“I’m done trying to hide the fact that someone hurt me. It happened, and I’m okay now. Well, not entirely, but I will be. And I think I’d rather work on putting the past behind me, instead of spending so much time and energy creating the illusion that my life has always been happy and perfect.”
“I understand.”
We rode in silence for a while, and then I asked, “Does my uncle know what happened today?”
“No. Ren and Colt had gone to town with Elijah and Cassidy, and everyone else was at the house that used to belong to your uncle. They missed not only my meeting with Dante and Vincent, but the four thugs who showed up looking for you. We debated telling them you’d been taken but ultimately decided it was best not to alarm everyone while we went and got you back.”
“I’m glad they didn’t spend all day worrying. I want to message my uncle though, so can I borrow a phone? I left mine at Will’s apartment.”
Rus reached back and handed me his, and I messaged Ren with: This is Beck. I just wanted to let you know everything’s alright now. Dante and Lee have patched things up, and we’re all headed back to the ranch. I’m really sorry about what happened.
Since it was late, I didn’t expect him to get the message until morning. But he replied a few moments later with: I’m so glad to hear from you, Beck, and that’s all great news.
There was so much more I wanted to say to him, but I left it at: I love you, Uncle Ren.
As I handed the phone back to Rus, I asked, “What happened to the four men who showed up at the ranch?”
“After Dante and Vincent turned the tables on them, Dante called in some of his associates, who flew the men to Los Angeles,” Lee explained. “They’re being held at the same place as Harris and the men we captured tonight.”
“What are you going to do with them?”
“Tomorrow, Rus and I and the Dombruso brothers are going to go explain the new world order to Harris. I’m pretty sure he got the message tonight, but we’re going to make sure he fully understands that the Dombruso family is in charge now, and he’s expected to fall in line.”
“What if Harris doesn’t want to cooperate?”
Lee seemed confident as he told me, “He’s not stupid or suicidal, so he will.”
“I’m curious, what did you say to him after you punched him in the face?”
“I made it perfectly clear that if he ever comes within a mile of you again, I’ll make him suffer so horribly that he’ll beg for death.”
I grinned and took Lee’s hand as I murmured, “That’s my badass.”
* * *
Eventually, we pulled up in front of a peach-colored building in Venice Beach. Even though it was late, there was a light on inside Will’s apartment. Moments after I knocked, he flung the door open, grabbed me in an embrace, and asked, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Your boyfriend said you were in trouble before he rushed out of here a few hours ago! I tried calling you, but your phone’s here in my office. What happened?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it later, but right now I’m exhausted and just want to go home.”
He took a step back and murmured, “Okay. I understand.”
I took his hand and said, “Come with me, Will. Pack a bag, grab Madame Leota, and meet the family you have waiting for you on Catalina.”
“Are you asking me to stay over Easter weekend?”
“I’m asking you to stay as long as you want, and I’m hoping it’s forever.”
“We’ve talked about this, Beck. More than once.”
“I know, and I don’t expect you to commit to anything before you spend some time there and see how you feel.”
He asked, “What about the fact that no one knows you’re a prostitute? Am I supposed to lie about that?”
“Ex-prostitute,” I said. “I’m done with all the secrets and plan on telling everyone the truth about what I’ve been doing.”
“When did you make this decision?”
“I’ve known I needed to do this for a long time,” I said, “and everything that’s been happening helped put it into perspective. I was reminded of just how much my friends and family mean to me, and I don’t want this lie standing between us anymore.”
“I totally respect that. I’m just going to go with telling them I’m an actor, though. I don’t really want to put it all out there with people I’ve just met.”
I asked, “Does that mean you’re coming with me?”
“Yeah, but I’m not making any promises about staying long-term,” Will said. “I’ll just plan on spending the holiday weekend with you, and then we’ll go from there.”
I grabbed my phone, and he packed a bag, threw a coat on over his pajamas, and stuck his feet into a pair of Italian loafers. Then we both wrestled his reluctant cat into her carrier and joined Lee and Rus in the SUV.
As we drove to the helipad where our ride to Catalina was waiting, Will pivoted around in the passenger seat and asked me, “What exactly happened today?” I explained it as concisely as I could, and when I finished, he exclaimed, “Holy shit, Beck! How are you
not totally freaking out after something like that?”
I murmured, “I guess I’m just relieved that it’s over,” and Lee wrapped his arms around me.
* * *
Once we returned to the ranch, I got Will and his cat settled into a suite down the hall from my room. Then I took a long, hot shower before climbing into bed with my boyfriend. When I slid close to him, Lee hugged me and said, “You keep saying you’re fine, but how are you really?”
“I’m a lot of things right now. I really am relieved that it’s over, but I’m also full of rage. I hate Harris for what he did to me, and for the way he threatened you and my family.”
I thought about it, and then I added, “But you know what? I’m also really proud of myself. I discovered I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I ever realized. There were times today when I was absolutely terrified, but I kept it together and got myself out of there. Who knew I had that in me?”
Lee kissed my forehead and whispered, “I did.”
9
The next morning, Lee let me sleep in while he went into town for groceries. After that, he cooked a lavish breakfast for the entire staff. He sent me a text when it was almost ready, and I messaged him back and asked: Is anyone acting weird, since you were pulling a gun on Dante the last time they saw you?
He replied: Dante’s here with me, and we both apologized to everyone and explained it was a misunderstanding. Now we’re plying them with endless mimosas. I think that’s helping.
Will answered my knock on his door looking very stylish in a slim-fitting blue suit, white dress shirt, and expensive Italian loafers. I felt underdressed in my jeans and Seahorse Ranch T-shirt. Madame Leota accompanied him on a rhinestone-studded harness and leash, and I said, “I totally forgot to find a litter box for your cat last night.”
“There’s no need,” he said, as he and his feline companion stepped out into the hall. “She’s toilet trained.”
“You’re kidding.” He shook his head, and I asked, “How the hell did you manage that?”
“It took months to train her. But let’s face it, I have a lot of time on my hands.” As we walked downstairs, he added, “I remembered to grab her cat food, but I’m going to need more by tomorrow.”
“No problem. I can run you into town later. Also, we have a resident cat named Gerald, and you’re welcome to borrow some of his dry food if you ever run out.”
As we cut through the lobby, Will asked, “Why does this place have the word ‘ranch’ in its name, when it’s clearly a resort?”
“I told you we have horses. You probably didn’t see the equestrian center when we arrived last night.”
“You’re right, I didn’t. It’s still not a ranch, though.” I told him he had a point, and he said, “The name might be a miss, but this place is stunning. I love how open and airy the public spaces are, and the neutral color palette with pops of orange is surprisingly chic. I always thought it looked nice in the photos you showed me, but now that I’m seeing it in person, it’s even better than I’d expected.” That made me happy.
We reached the dining room, and before I could make any introductions, Vee rushed over to us and exclaimed, “Oh my God, you’re Will Kandinsky! I’m a huge fan. Huge! My name’s Vihaan Khatri, but everyone calls me Vee.”
Will shot me a skeptical look and asked, “Did you put him up to this?”
I held up a hand like I was taking an oath. “I swear I didn’t.”
Will turned to Vee and stammered, “Wait, so you actually know who I am?”
Vee flashed him a big smile. “Totally. I first heard of you in a magazine article titled something like ‘Hot young actors to keep an eye on’. Plus, I’ve been stalking you on Instagram forever.”
Will looked stunned. “That article came out eight years ago, so I’m sure you and my mom are the only people who remember it. She bought a scrapbook and stuck it on the first page. I can only assume the rest of the book is empty, which is pretty mortifying.”
“You’re gorgeous, so of course I remembered.” Vee pointed at me and demanded, “Why didn’t you tell me you know Will Kandinsky? Hmm? I want answers.”
“I kind of did. I told you I was going to meet Will Smith when I left for L.A. That’s his real name, but he doesn’t use it professionally for obvious reasons.”
“Well, at least you finally decided to share him with us, so I’ll forgive you.” He linked arms with Will and said, “Let me introduce you to our little family here at the ranch. After that, I want you to spill the tea on everyone in Hollywood.” Will was smiling as his biggest fan led him away, and Madame Leota trotted along as if she thought she was a dog.
I started to go get myself a cup of coffee, but was intercepted by Lee. He handed me a wonderful looking latte, kissed my forehead, and said, “Good morning.”
“Hi. It smells wonderful in here. Have you been baking?”
“Among other things.”
“Can I help?”
“No thanks, Dante is already lending a hand. I tried to tell him he didn’t have to, but it’s literally impossible to talk him out of anything. Breakfast will be served in five minutes.”
Everyone was seated around two big, round tables at the front of the dining room. I gave Ren a hug, and when I held on long enough to make it awkward, he asked, “Are you alright, Beck?”
I finally let go and sat down beside him as I said, “Yeah. Yesterday was a rough day though, and I’m really glad to be home.”
“Did something happen? I feel like I missed a lot, especially since Lee and Dante seem to be best buds all of a sudden.”
“Do you have time to talk after breakfast? There are some things I need to tell you.”
“Of course.” A crease appeared between Ren’s dark brows, and he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?” I assured him I was as Dante came into the dining room with two big baskets of muffins.
He put one on each table as he said, “The poppy seed muffins are my grandmother’s recipe, so obviously they’re going to be delicious. Leonidas made the sad-looking apple cinnamon muffins. I can’t be held responsible for those.” Lee chuckled as he rolled a metal cart into the dining room and began placing gorgeous plates of smoked salmon eggs benedict in front of everyone.
We all lingered over the absolutely delicious meal, and after Lee turned down my request to help with clean up, Ren and I took a walk down the long, private road that led to the resort. I told him what had happened with Harris the day before, and he exclaimed, “Holy shit Beck, you could have been killed!”
“I know, but I’m okay now, and nothing like that will happen again. Dante and his family are feared and respected by everyone in that world, and now that they’re on Lee’s side, we’ll all be safe.”
Ren muttered, “It’s hard to wrap my head around any of this. It just seems unreal.”
“It might not be the world you and I usually live in, but these things do happen.” As the breeze picked up, I glanced at the clouds that were beginning to gather and asked, “Did you talk to Dante about his involvement in organized crime?”
“Just briefly. He swears he makes his money legally now, but given his family history, he’ll never be able to totally walk away from that life.”
I said, “That’s what I thought.”
“Were you worried that Dante bought into the ranch using money he obtained illegally?”
“It would be pretty hypocritical of me to hold that against him.”
Ren looked confused. “What does that mean?”
There it was, my chance to finally come clean. I stopped walking and turned to my uncle, and then I finally admitted, “I’ve put a lot of money into this place over the last couple of years, and what I did to get it wasn’t exactly legal. I never knew how to tell you this. I’ve been afraid of how you’ll react, but I just can’t keep it a secret anymore.” I took a breath and finally said the words out loud. “I’ve been a sex worker on and off since I was eighteen.”
“What?”
; Oh God, was he really making me say it again? “I’m a prostitute. Or I was, until recently. I retired when Lee and I became a couple.”
It seemed like he was having a hard time processing what I was saying. “Since you were eighteen? You’ve been doing that for eight years, and I’m only now finding out about it?”
“Not the whole time,” I said, as I turned my gaze to the ground. “I quit for a while, then went back when I needed the income.”
“Why didn’t you come to me? I know I’ve been strapped for cash since the ranch opened, but why didn’t you ask me for money when all of this started? My tech company was doing great back then, and I could have given you anything you needed.” He looked so upset, and it made me feel awful.
“I was afraid of relying on anyone but myself. Also, it wasn’t like becoming a prostitute was some well thought-out plan. It sounds stupid to say it just sort of happened. I don’t mean like, oops, I accidentally became a hooker. But I was spending a lot of time in this club in West Hollywood and sleeping with pretty much anyone who wanted me, so when some guy offered me money for sex…I guess it didn’t seem like a big deal.” I glanced at my uncle, whose expression was unreadable. “I should have said no. But I didn’t, and it grew from there. In many ways, it was empowering, and I didn’t feel like it was bad or shameful. Not really.”
“Then I really don’t understand why you’d keep it a secret from me.”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you, too. I’ve lost so many people in my life, starting with my birth mom. After that, I lost more foster families than I can count. I’d be with them for a few weeks, sometimes months, but sooner or later each family decided they didn’t want me anymore. I thought those days were over when I was adopted, but that family got rid of me, too. No one ever wanted me, except for you.” My voice shook as tears tumbled down my face, and I blurted, “I’m so sorry. Please don’t disown me, Uncle Ren.”