Forbidden Lies
An Insta Love Bad Boy Romance: Book 3 of the Forbidden Series
Vanessa James
Contents
1. Copyright
2. Stay In Touch With Vanessa
3. Free Book
4. Join Vanessa’s ARC Team
5. Introduction
6. Chapter 1:Mary
7. Chapter 2:Caleb
8. Chapter 3:Mary
9. Chapter 4:Caleb
10. Chapter 5:Mary
11. Chapter 6:Caleb
12. Chapter 7:Mary
13. Chapter 8:Caleb
14. Reviews
15. Continue Reading
16. Free Book
17. More Books By Vanessa James
18. About Vanessa James
19. Stay In Touch With Vanessa
20. Join Vanessa’s ARC Team
Copyright
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Cover designed by Claire Meczes
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously . Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Introduction
Betrayal is the first thing Mary thinks when she sees her father in front of her. The man who wants to kill her and destroy everything.
As Mary learns the truth, she realizes her father is the one causing all the trouble. And, most of all, he isn’t the good guy he claims to be. As she learns more, she realizes that maybe the bad boy, Caleb, just isn’t as bad as she initially thought he was.
Caleb knows the truth. He knows who her father is, and when it’s revealed that he’s the one pulling all the strings behind the scenes, it forces Mary to make a choice. She could either leave all this behind her or stick with Caleb, a man with a bad reputation she barely knows.
Caleb also realizes that he cares about Mary more than he expected, and he learns, too, that maybe defying his father’s fate and changing his life is the solution to all of his problems.
As Mary and Caleb grow closer, they learn one thing, namely that love is possible. As the two learn more about each other, about their families and such, they are both left with a choice: Do they do what they feel is right? Or do they continue down the path of only listening to their parents?
Find out how the tables turn in the third book of this alpha bad boy series.
Chapter 1:Mary
Was Caleb okay? Did he survive the attack, or was he dead?
Everything had happened so fast. There was no time to think. I heard the sound of gunshots. Then, it had stopped. And all I was left with was my heart hammering in my chest like a piston bellows.
I looked to my right, OK, I looked to my left, I tensed. There was a man; he held a sleek pistol right there, and I tensed.
That person was here for either Caleb or myself. This wasn’t good.
I slithered through the bushes, trying to figure out if I could get to my house in time. I looked ahead, seeing that the person who shot at me was nearby. But, was Caleb okay? I couldn’t get that thought out of my mind.
It left me with a dead weight in the pit of my stomach. I needed to find him if only to feel secure as a result. I looked around, noticing someone inside the house. I raced there without heed for my own wellbeing. The sound of gunshots echoed behind me. I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was find Caleb and see whether he was all right.
Who could it be? Who was doing this? I suddenly burst inside the house, seeing my father on the ground. Caleb was grabbing his gun.
“Dad?” I croaked.
“Mary,” my father said blankly.
“Stay back Mary. He’s the one who ordered the attack on us. He’s trying to kill both of us,” Caleb said.
I couldn’t believe this. The sudden shock settling through my body, the realization that I was, indeed, at the mercy of his actions; it all made me feel on edge.
“Really Dad? Did you really attack him?” I asked.
“It’s not what you think, Mary”
“Oh, it’s exactly what I believe it is. Leave Caleb alone!” I cried out.
“But don’t you know he’s a lying bastard? His goal is to get you to join his side so that he can kill others,” my father tried to explain.
“Well dad, you’re no saint either. In fact, I feel like you’ve been lying to me this entire time,” I spat.
He looked at me with widened eyes, and then, I sighed.
“Dad, I know the truth. You’re the leader of The Skulls, aren’t you?”
He held his head low, still holding my gaze.
“I only run the show from the sidelines”
“But that still makes you an accomplice to everything that’s happening. Why did you lie to me, Dad? You kept telling me to stay away. Your men attacked me, and Caleb saved me.”
“It was just to keep you safe”
“Dad. Those guys were planning to rape me. And I know that you think Caleb is evil or some shit, but he's not. He’s a good guy, and I … I support him.” I couldn’t believe that I was telling my father all this. But deep down I knew it to be the truth.
The look in his eyes said it all. He didn’t know how to act. I could tell that he’d never been told no before in his life. He was never told off like just now.
“And, Dad, I know that you lied to me about my mother. She never ran away.”
“No, she did. She knew to stay away for her own good,” he said.
“No, Dad. You killed her. I figured that out shortly after I realized you were lying to me. You wanted me to stay naïve to the facts. But the thing is, I’m not backing down anymore. You’re a terrible person, and honestly … I should let Caleb do what he needs to do with you.”
I felt emotion wash over me. However, I wasn’t sure whether I felt good or bad. It was just some feeling, empty, sad, alone. It was only when I looked at Caleb that I realized that I was not alone. Somehow I knew that he would stand by me.
“You’ll regret that,” my father snapped.
“Maybe I will, Dad, but I also don't’ regret meeting Caleb. He’s helped a lot, changed me for the better, and I … I don’t know, he’s better to me than you’ve ever been.”
I could tell I struck a nerve. My dad suddenly scrambled away, despite the injury.
“Are you sure you want to make this choice, Mary? To stay with this … this asshole,” he said.
“Well, Dad, this “Asshole” has helped me more than you ever have. You’re a monster, and I wish I had met Caleb sooner. I know you’ve been a mess for a while, but to see you do this is just … awful.”
“You don’t understand. I’m trying to help!” he cried out.
“Well your help is anything but helpful,” I said to him.
Suddenly, I felt hands against my body. Pushing me against the wall, a gun up against my head.
“Listen, Mary, you just shut up, and listen to daddy, and you won’t’ get hurt,” the man said.
The cold
gun made my body stand on edge. I couldn’t believe this. I struggled to leave, but there was no exit. I was trapped.
I looked around in a panic, noticing that Caleb was behind my dad. I had no idea what he was going to do, what he would do. I felt the cold fear grow within my body.
Was I going to die? Was this the end? I didn’t know for sure, and I hoped that I was wrong.
I closed my eyes, and while I didn’t believe in God, unlike my shaman of a father, I hoped that, if there was someone above that I would get the help I needed.
“Dad, please. You don’t have to do this,” I said.
“On the contrary, I want to. You disobeyed the rules, Mary. You didn’t stay away, and I’ll make sure that you pay for your impudence,” he spat.
My father had a cruel grimace on his face. There was not a trace of fatherly love there. It was as if he was staring at one of the people he regularly offed. The tentacles of fear grabbed my heart. Was this it?
I was forced harder against the wall, my vision starting to blur. I could feel the gun’s safety click. The sound was almost cacophonous in the quiet room. I closed my eyes, cold fear coursing through my veins. What the hell was he going to do? How could my father do something like this?
And that’s when I heard it.
I heard a fleshy thwack. I couldn’t see what was going on. My vision was so obscured that I could barely make it out. I then heard a groan, a thud, and a gunshot right near my face. But I didn’t feel pain. I looked down at the ground, noticing my dad knocked unconscious. Caleb grabbed the gun, looking at me with a serious glance.
“Let’s get the hell out of here before it’s too late.”
I looked at him, nodding in response. He extended his hand, took it, and we both got the hell away from there.
Where should we go now? What should we do? I honestly didn’t know. The only thing I knew for sure was that I could trust Caleb, so much more than I could trust my own father, and that said a lot.
Chapter 2:Caleb
I grasped Mary’s hand, holding it as we got the hell away. I needed to keep her away from this crazy bastard.
We got back into my car, and I soon turned the engine on. We drove on out of there, but not before we heard the echo of gunshots in the distance.
“Shit,” I said to myself.
“What’s the matter?” Mary asked.
“I don't’ know, but I think your dad brought some friends. I’m pretty sure those are The Skulls.”
“What should we do?”
“The easiest thing would be to continue forward. We need to be careful. I think I’m going to have to take you to our hideout.”
I didn’t know how my dad would feel about this, how the guys would feel, but Mary looked at me with a pleading look.
“Whatever you need, I’m here for you. And I don't’ want to be alone right now either, she said.
“I don't’ want that either, Mary. This is bad. I didn’t know your dad was like that.”
“I didn’t know either, Caleb. I think something happened. I honestly don't’ know much about his past, or what’s going on, but … it worries me, you know,” Mary said.
“It worries too. I’m not sure what this means, or what’ll happen to all of us. But I want to believe that once we’re away from here that we will find the answers.”
I wanted answers, at least from my father. He would know why we were attacked. Mary moved her hand next to mine, and I squeezed it. To my surprise, the contact felt really good.
“I promise, I won’t’ leave you alone, Mary. I swear.”
“Thank you, Caleb. I’m sorry for … for being so scared. I didn’t know my own father would try to kill me. The fact that he pulled a gun to my head is … pretty scary,” she replied, shivering in response.
What kind of crazy bastard would pull a gun on their own kid? Well, I knew she had connections to the Skulls, but I just thought her dad funded the whole shindig with his preacher money. But I guess it’s deeper than that.
“If you’re scared, you can rely on me. I promise I won’t’ leave you.” It was then, for the first time that I realized that I meant every word I said.
“Thank you, Caleb. I’m going to have to rely on you. I feel bad for doing so, but it’s not like I have many others to rely on. I have no friends because of my dad. Everyone’s afraid of him, for a good reason … and well … you’re the first person who hasn’t hated me because of that.”
“Well, it’s not like you can help it. That’s your dad. I’m kind of in that same rut. Except, my dad isn’t trying to kill me. He’s just more interested in money than anything else,” I explained.
“Yeah, I had a feeling it was like that,” she replied.
“My dad is a rich, money-hungry bastard who is more interested in me taking over the family business than my own well-being, but I know that he wouldn’t try to kill me. He’d just have to rescind connections to the MC business,” I told Mary.
I mean, if I did end up leaving, it may not be the worst thing in the world for me.
“Do you want to leave the business?”
“Kind of. I’m not totally sure. I do feel like there’s a lot that I don't’ understand, a lot that I’m not sure of myself, but I do think that, once things start to go in a different direction, it’ll get easier,” I told her.
I guessed the bigger issue was dealing with her dad first. I knew my own parenting issues were definitely a big problem, but I didn’t have a father who was trying to ruin my life based on choices.
Mary stayed quiet as I pursed my lips, thinking about everything that had transpired. I didn’t mean to get her so involved in this, but that’s the way shit went sometimes goes down. We both stayed quiet, neither of us saying anything until we got to the MC. I saw the bikes there, and surprisingly, I saw my own father’s ride there too.
“What’s he doing here?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“My dad. He never comes out here, let alone on his bike. Something must’ve happened.”
“Oh no. Do you think it has to do with my father?”
“I’m not sure,” I told Mary. I didn’t know at all. It seemed unlikely, but who knows. I mean, they could’ve attacked multiple areas, and I think that’s what happened. Mary nodded.
“I want to come in with you,” she said.
I looked at Mary with widened eyes. Did she know what the hell she was getting herself into?
“Mary, if you come in with me … that solidifies your side,” I told her.
“I know. I want to work with you. I mean, my dad showed his true colors by trying to kill me. I can’t stay on his side anymore. I know you’re part of an MC that does have power and control over others, but … I’m not going to leave. I don't’ want to.”
That surprised me. I guess things did change for the better. I grinned, holding her hand as we stood up, looking in the direction of the MC. My dad was certainly in there, and it would be quite the confrontation. I didn’t look forward to it in the least.
“This wasn’t how I wanted you to meet my dad, but I guess that’s how it’s going to be,” I told her.
She nodded. And soon, we both stepped onto the pathway leading to the MC. This would change the game, it would change how everything went, and while I feared what might happen next, I knew that I could trust Mary. Deep down, I knew that everything would be okay.
I wanted to believe it would be so, no matter what the odds may be, and no matter what happened next.
Chapter 3:Mary
I couldn’t believe this.
Everything that had happened up to this point felt almost surreal. With the way my dad suddenly attacked me, the fact that I was now at the MC waiting to meet my fate, it all felt … so different for me.
I didn’t know how to feel about it. But I could feel Caleb’s presence nearby. He moved his hand, gripping my own, and I sighed.
Even though I feared the truth, I was at least partially reassured.
The MC was a lo
t nicer than I thought it would be. A part of me wondered if it was his dad that funded the whole thing. When we got to the entrance, someone spoke.
“Password?”
“Fire of life,” Caleb said.
The door opened, and I noticed Caleb nod slightly at the other person who was there. I guessed that was the person who kept watch to make sure everything was okay. When we got inside, I noticed the place was a lot nicer on the outside than on the inside. There were some couches, a small bar with stools before it, and various rooms in each of the corners. It didn’t feel run-down per se, but I guess they disguised this place as some sort of upper-class house so that people weren’t suspicious of it.
“Hey there, Caleb,” one of the guys said.
“Hey, Drew. How are things?”
“You didn’t hear? There was an attack at the south location,” he said.
Caleb’s eyes widened, and I immediately noticed the tone change in his voice.
“I see. Any dead?”
“No, thankfully. But they’re trying to take that location again. Someone said that they noticed The Skulls nearby too. They’re trying to control the territory,” Drew explained.
“Yeah. Well, I learned that Mary here has connections to The Skulls,” Caleb explained.
“Shit, is she going to tell?”
“Course not. She’s with me. She’s on our side. Her dad … he tried to kill her,” Caleb explained.
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