“I have to admit, you had me fooled for a minute, son. A relevant, but still unacceptable explanation, ending with your confession of obvious defeat. Unfortunately, you still have a hole in your story.” He strode toward me. “If Alek Johnson were paying you to have someone trail her, how did one of our men not see this coming? Normally, these types of things are planned out. They watch. They wait. They strike.” He gave me a knowing look. “I’m still not convinced.”
He was right. Those were the normal steps, especially if the person was a professional. But knowing exactly were Mia was assisted me with an explanation. All I had to do was speak the truth…in a sense.
“If our men didn’t see it coming, it means the people behind it were desperate. Maybe they couldn’t risk taking those steps. Maybe they skipped all reason and went for immediate action. It’s been done before. It’s not that rare.”
My father gave me a sinister grin as he walked back to the bar, swiftly poured himself another drink, then carried it to his desk. He took a seat, relaxing in his chair.
“Bravo, son. I put pressure on you and you handled it flawlessly. When we have to put out fires with clients, they always try to make it seem like we did something wrong. Never accept that.” He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his desk, looking over at me. “Not even when you’re at fault.”
He stood from his seat, making his third trip to the bar. Something was bothering him. My father drank, but he usually savored every minute of his scotch–unless he was in a hurry. Today seemed different. He was throwing them back like an amateur. He prepared another glass. This time, he poured one for me and held it out. Drinking with my father wasn’t something I took pleasure in, but I accepted it, trying to understand his last sentence. Not even when you’re at fault. Was he directing that toward me, or himself? I never appreciated the way he worded things when he was trying to prove a point.
“You need to do everything in your power to find her, son.” He gestured for me to have a seat as he sat behind his desk.
Although I was uncomfortable in the room, I still took a seat. I had a feeling he was getting ready to tell me bad news. My father had a tendency to portray things as being okay, then before you knew it, he’d deliver a fatal punch with the power to knock you off your feet–in a metaphoric sense. I hadn’t touched my drink before he explained.
“I had a short conversation with Fredrick Hall earlier today. Right before I turned on the television and saw the news about his daughter.” He leaned forward, calmly rubbing his temples, eventually looking back at me. “The bastard had the audacity to offer me a deal.”
I straightened in my chair. The news took me by surprise. “What kind of deal?”
“He promised to spare us if I delivered him proof of Alek plotting against him.” He cursed. “He informed me he has some damaging information that could affect us all, but he no longer has anything to lose.” He took a deep breath. “A man like that can be very dangerous.”
“What was your response?” I questioned. “And isn’t he concerned about his daughter?”
He nodded. “That was the second part of his deal. He wants us to bring her to him. If we do, he assured me we would be in the clear.”
“That seems like a huge request on his part,” I stated. “Did you accept or decline?”
“Neither.” He cleared his throat, leaning back in the chair. “I told him I needed time to consider his request. Our business thrives off the fact our clients don’t have to worry about others discovering their illicit affairs. If rumor gets around we betrayed a client, it will alter everything.” He took a deep breath. “On the other hand, the information he has could be more damaging.”
I swallowed, asking a question I wasn’t sure he’d answer. “What does he have on you, Stinson?” If my father was considering Fredrick’s request, there had to be a good reason.
“Every business is built from the bottom up, Wesley. You make friends and enemies. Along the way, you leave a trail. Even if it’s faint, there’s no way to make it completely disappear. Especially in the eyes of certain people.”
When he took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes showed something they didn’t normally display–fear. He looked at me carefully.
“What I’m getting at is I can’t deliver his request if I don’t know where his daughter is, Wesley.” He looked somewhat worried, which disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Delivering that woman to her father might be the best option.” He paused. “We’ll just have to be very careful and make it as discreet as possible.”
I stood, smoothing my hands down my suit and considering my next move. “Is that your final decision? It’s risky.”
He narrowed his eyes, clearly unhappy. “As of right now, yes, but if I change my mind for some reason, you will be the first to know.”
I started toward the door, then stopped and turned to him. “Has Justin contacted you? I was recently informed he was being released.”
My father was hesitant, but his voice displayed no concern. “No, he hasn’t, but he will.”
“Why do you think that? He knows—”
He cut me off, the venom in his voice catching my attention. “Your brother knows the alternative if he doesn’t face me.” He walked back to the bar, refilling his drink yet again. “You and Calvin don’t need to worry about Justin. I’ll take care of that situation myself.” He took a sip. “You just make sure Fredrick’s daughter is found. At least then I’ll know I have her to use as a bargaining chip in order to make things run as smoothly as possible. If those are his only requests, I will do anything possible to deliver them.”
I backed toward the door, considering his words. He wanted to use Mia as a bargaining chip. There was no way I was going to allow it to happen. Still, I nodded. My devotion to the family was expected. He molded me just right so I would mirror his tendencies, never considering those traits could be used against him.
“Of course,” I assured him, struggling to hide the disgust on my face. “I’ll put everything into play, starting with finding her.”
I walked out of his office and into the hallway, relived to finally be leaving. The memories brought me back to a place I thought I had overcome, but I quickly started to realize those embedded feelings might stay with me forever. I grasped the doorknob just as I heard a familiar voice.
“Wesley?”
I swallowed, taken aback by the sincerity in it. It appeared not everyone in the house had the same attitude as my father.
“Yes…”
I turned to face the woman who helped my mother raise my brothers and me. The only thing different about Beatrice now was the graying hair. She looked damned good for a woman in her mid-sixties. I tried to hide the impatience that had nothing to do with her.
“I can proudly say I helped raise a handsome young man,” she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to frame my face with her hands.
I closed my eyes and allowed her to remind me what it was like to be carefree, before I was given an ultimatum. The homemade meals. Knowing I was loved for me, not how I could benefit someone else.
Her eyes were sad when she looked up at me. “You have to let go of all that hate, my boy. If not, it will drag you right down to hell with it.”
I looked at her. She could always tell when something was bothering me and knew when I had reached that dark place. When my distaste for a certain person began to change me.
“I don’t know what—”
I stopped when she gave me a knowing look. I had long ago realized it meant she wouldn’t believe a single word of the lie I started to tell. Instead, I nodded, giving her hope about something I knew I might never deliver.
“I’ll do my best,” I whispered.
She backed away, seemingly satisfied with my response. “That’s all I’m asking, Wesley. I know it’s hard for you to come back here. I won’t even ask what brought you this way.”
I smirked. “Good,” I said jokingly. “I didn’t plan on telling you.”
E
veryone who worked for my family knew the truth, or at least suspected it, but they also knew better than to speak of it.
She wiped her hands on her uniform as her kind eyes laughed back at me, but the sadness in them couldn’t be missed. “You and those arrogant brothers of yours just behave, and be careful. It really made my day seeing you here.”
I watched as she made her way into the kitchen. When she disappeared, I started to turn around, but something made me wait. Moments later, a woman in a short, pleated skirt and a tight polo shirt passed by. Even though I couldn’t see her face, there was no mistaking who she was. I also realized she hadn’t been at the club in a few days because she was sick.
“Nina?” I whispered, appalled that she was in my childhood home. “What are you doing here?”
She walked up to me, confident and full of venom. The smirk on her face brought me down a few notches.
“I’m flattered you remembered my name, Mr. Black. It was good to see you, but I really must be going. It seems your father’s in need of my services.”
When she touched my shoulder, I froze. This woman I’d casually slept with weeks before pranced around the house like she owned it. I removed her hand with more force than I intended.
“He won’t keep you around for long, sweetheart. Enjoy his attention until someone else catches his eye.”
“We’ll see about,” she spat, walking back in the direction she was headed.
I thought about firing her on the spot, but knew I had fucked her, too, which would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. It appeared the forgiveness Beatrice wanted me to give my father steadily grew further out of my reach. His impertinence of bringing another woman into my mother’s house brought us right back to square one. He had no respect for her memories, or my brothers and me. My father was a man who lived his life the way he wanted, which included hurting as many people as he could along the way. I knew I was a victim just like many others, but forgiveness was a foreign concept to me. I guessed I would be taking my one-way trip to hell.
Chapter Eight
Mia
LEANING BACK AGAINST THE kitchen island, I looked down at the phone on the floor. There were so many outcomes based on what I chose to do, I couldn’t make an immediate decision. I was relieved at first, then reality started to sink in. Who could I call? I couldn’t trust anyone. Not my husband. Not Wesley. I wasn’t sure about Avery. Could I trust my best friend, or was our friendship void after everything I had learned? She had given me hints about everything, but in the end, my trust in her was on the line, just like everyone else’s. She was still Alek’s sister, which meant given her situation, Alek had a hold on her. He could stop her unlimited allowance at any time and give her an ultimatum, a reason to betray me.
The knowledge hurt me to the core. Avery was my best friend. My only friend. Regardless of the fact I hid so much from her, our bond had grown. It was one I honestly believed couldn’t be broken, even if her brother was behind my family’s destruction.
I shook my head in frustration. If I didn’t act quickly, I would lose the opportunity. It was only a matter of time before the woman realized she had left it. It was my choice to either give up and accept my current position or make a move by using every resource available.
I nervously bit my lip and reached for it. To my surprise, the phone, which felt heavy in my hand, was unlocked. I quickly punched in one of the few phone numbers I knew by heart. She picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?”
Avery’s voice was filled with sadness and regret, but I also heard a small amount of hope. I could picture her on the other end. Her eyes hollow, gaze distant. I knew she blamed herself for everything that had occurred. If I were in her shoes, I would’ve done the same.
I thought about hanging up and pretending I hadn’t called, not wanting to face the pain my disappearance had caused her. It would’ve been easy since the number couldn’t be traced back to me, but the knowledge that second-guessing was usually the wrong choice made me stay on the line.
“Avery?” I whispered, holding my breath.
I knew there was a possibility Alek stood beside her, realizing she would be my first contact if I got the chance to reach out, but I was also aware of their strained relationship. I couldn’t see them being around each other for too long.
“Shit, Mia. Where are you? Please tell me you’re okay.”
I heard her sniffing on the other end. I felt like shit knowing her distress was my fault. If I had listened to her in the first place, I wouldn’t have been in my current predicament. On the other hand, if I hadn’t taken the chance and met with Detective Anderson, I would’ve never learned what I had. I was possibly married to a monster. A monster who wasn’t ashamed of showing his face in broad daylight.
“Yes… I mean, no. I don’t even know anymore, Avery,” I admitted. “It’s just too much. It’s all starting to take a toll on me.” I paused before continuing. “The moment I think I can trust someone, I quickly learn they were against me all along. I just—”
Her response was immediate, her voice low. “You can trust me, Mia. I love you more than my own flesh and blood. You’re like a sister to me. I knew that long before you met and married my brother.” Her voice grew stronger. “The friendship we have… I would never take it for granted. What’s this about? Because I’m even more worried now than I was before you called.”
Her words gave me hope. They let me know, no matter what, I could count on her being on my side. Count on her always being there for me. I felt myself start to relax, preparing to share more information than I probably should. I knew a promise could be broken, just like her devotion to me could be withdrawn.
“I’m scared, Avery. I didn’t think this through. I never imagined I would actually get close to the person who—” I stopped, noticing my hands shaking. My throat had grown dry. I cleared it. “It’s a feeling I get. I know it’s not right, I’ve practiced forgiveness, but those images… They keep coming back to me, and I owe...”
I trailed off before finishing. My breathing had grown uneven, anxious. My palms were sweating.
“Mia, look. I’m going to call Alek. He’s been worried sick. He hasn’t slept since the day you were kidnapped. I honestly have never seen him like this.” I heard her moving around. “I’m going to come and get you so we can sort all of this out. I know Alek can help. He has connections. He knows people.” She swallowed. “I know I don’t give him credit, but one thing I know is that he has the power to help you.” I heard her keys jingle. “Where are you, Mia? I’m headed out right now.”
“No!” I pleaded. “Don’t tell Alek anything. Please. That’s the reason I was calling. I was hoping you’d be alone. You’re the only person I can trust, Avery.” I hesitated, praying she would understand without me saying too much. “When I contact you again, I need you to come alone. I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but I need to get as far away from Alek as possible.” I looked back toward the door nervously, aware that I didn’t have long. “I can’t give you any more details because I honestly don’t know where I am, but I assure you, I’m safer here than if I were at home.”
She was silent, probably considering what she should do. The last time she had gone along with my request, I was kidnapped. I started to wonder if she would decline when she finally answered.
“Okay. I won’t tell Alek anything. But I need to know one thing. Were you really kidnapped?”
I heard the confusion in her tone, along with hurt. I couldn’t be upset at her question. Everything I’d recently asked of her indicated I’d possibly set everything up. The secrets. The gaps in my story. The fact that I didn’t seem scared.
“Yes,” I responded, trying to hide the shame of knowing I was asking her to lie for me again, asking her to risk her already strained relationship with her brother. “I was.”
“The people who took you… Did they hurt you?” she asked. “I know sometimes—”
“No,” I interrupted. “Physically, I
’m fine. They just won’t allow me to leave.”
I almost said he, but stopped myself. Her warning the night I met Wesley was a confirmation of yet another mistake I had made. I should’ve paid more attention, but in the revolving game of life, I knew I couldn’t go back. I just had to move forward the best I could. My first mission? Finding a way to escape. However, I knew the task might not be easy because the person who took me was someone I had a weakness for. Someone who had a hold on me I couldn’t explain. It wrapped around me tightly, but I craved the feeling. Something I looked forward to. When he returned, I feared my only mission would be for him to possess me, but in my heart, I felt he was a monster, just like my husband. However, I somehow sickly desired this monster more than my next breath.
We sat on the phone for a few seconds, neither of us saying a word. I knew we were both trying to buy time, aware I might not be able to make another call. The one where I informed her I had escaped and she could come get me. I thought about the possibilities. Sadly, they were slim. This phone call meant nothing since I didn’t have any clue where I was and begged her not to call Alek. If I walked out the door, I knew there was a guard, maybe several. I could see Wesley making sure to cover all his bases, insuring I couldn’t escape.
“I have to go, Avery, but I’ll call you the moment I figure out a way to—” I sucked in a breath when I heard loud voices outside the door. “Bye.”
I hung up, making sure to delete the call from the history, placing it back onto the floor where it had fallen. I thought the person on the other side of the door would come in, but there were no rushed footsteps, the woman barreling inside. Instead, I heard two males whispering. The voice that caught my attention was a familiar one that gave me chills once before. The man who drove me home the night I had made the mistake that possibly led me right into my current predicament. The night I decided to be reckless, wild. The night my life dislodged from the tracks that went in a familiar direction, one I thought was safe. Right after that one indiscretion, everything changed.
The Illicit Revealed (The Illicit Series Book 2) Page 7