The Illicit Revealed (The Illicit Series Book 2)

by Brittani Marí

  Stinson took a deep breath, returning his attention to the window, rain beating against it. The view was depressing.

  “Righteousness,” he stated. “That is the one thing about you that isn’t like me, Wesley. You want to fix things. You want to make things right…” He hesitated, shaking his head. “It amazes me. Even though you carry my traits, that one difference is fighting to win.”

  He turned back to me. “Your brother is a traitor. And the woman you strangely care about is the daughter of a criminal. One who wouldn’t hesitate to end you the second he got the chance. Nothing about any of this can be made right, but what I’m curious to know is why you’re still standing here. Why didn’t he kill you?”

  I swallowed, telling a revised version of the truth. “When I gave in, knowing if I didn’t, Mia…” My voice trailed off as I leaned forward in the chair, staring at the floor. “I had the gun pressed to his temple. He was at my mercy, but there were too many men. I was outnumbered. Even if I had killed him, I wouldn’t have made it out.” I shifted in my seat. “So he and I came to an agreement. I surrendered, and he promised to let me go. I knew I had made a foolish choice when I was hit in the head with the butt of a gun, but when I woke up—”

  “He had kept his word,” Stinson added, shaking his head. “He kept his word, allowing you to live. It’s ironic, isn’t it? I take something from him, yet he spares you.”

  “He’s coming,” I said in a soft voice. “We don’t have to look for him because he will be coming for us soon. Like I said, the only way to survive this is to figure out his angle.”

  Stinson’s body grew rigid. The tension in it slowly dissipating as he struggled to rein in his anger. He kept his attention on me when he took his seat. “Let’s get one thing clear, Wesley. I want you to know that I’m not a fool.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes knowing. “You surrendered because of her. You surrendered because you knew if you killed him, his men would’ve killed you, leaving her alone. If there’s one thing you learn from this, Wesley, know that righteousness is dangerous and will get you murdered. There’s no place for morality in this life, son. I think it’s time you wrapped your head around that.”

  ***

  I stood beside my father and Calvin as we informed everyone about the breach. About Justin and his betrayal. My uncle Victor stood to the side. When our gazes met, I pieced together his warning. There had been three traitors. One hidden inside our circle, one running it, and my youngest brother. The traitor assisting in spreading the secrets that started our downward spiral. Fredrick wanted to see our empire burn just like so many others.

  As I stood there, listening to Stinson’s commands, I realized his kingdom was destined to be mine and I had no escape route. The people who warned me might have done it out of spite, but those warnings prepared me for what I didn’t want to accept. My time procrastinating was over.

  “Do they have any idea of a location, or why Justin might have done this?” one of the men asked. “This doesn’t add up.”

  Stinson bypassed the second question, answering the first. “No, but we do have footage of Fredrick’s daughter at the bank. Let’s check red light cameras around the area and see if we can get a visual, possibly giving us a trail. Besides that, let’s make sure we have guards at every building, salvaging what we can. We don’t want to lose too much to where we can’t recover from the impact.”

  Our plans were finalized, the men dismissed. My father eventually left, leaving Calvin and me alone. We stood in the middle of the warehouse, not saying a word to each other. Our cell phones vibrated, but neither of us answered. I finally broke the silence.

  “Did you know?” I questioned, studying him. “Were you aware Justin is only our half-brother?”

  Calvin hesitated, taking a deep breath. “I found out a few weeks before he was arrested. Justin was a wreck. He called me after receiving an anonymous envelope in the mail. It held DNA results, but they weren’t for our father. They were for someone else. I didn’t know who, so we arranged to meet in a few weeks. That never happened because he was arrested. Once he was, we didn’t talk about it.” He shrugged. “When Stinson was forced to tell me today, it all made sense. I just never imagined his father would be Fredrick Hall.”

  “Did you tell Stinson about the envelope? Clearly this was a setup. Even Alek finding out the identity of his wife… All this was planted.”

  “No,” Calvin responded harshly. “Justin came to me for help. He might not be Stinson’s son, but he is still our brother. Could you imagine finding out like he did? Knowing your entire life was a lie? Neither of us can say what we would have done in his position, Wesley. So let’s just move on. I’ve kept your secrets. The least you can do is keep mine.”

  I watched as Calvin walked out the door and stepped into his waiting car, realizing I wasn’t the only one who was righteous. It appeared Calvin had a conscience, too.

  ***

  The ride back to the club calmed me. I looked out the window as the rain poured down. The city of Houston illuminated the dark skies, and puddles on the ground reflected the buildings. This city had weighed on me. My morals started flowing into the sewer, just like the aggressive rain.

  The decision had been made. Calvin would run New York, and I would run Houston. The thought strangled me. I knew what my new title entailed. Stinson would be in the background, having the final say on my decisions. Calvin couldn’t have said it better when he mentioned not being in full control. I felt my father’s grip, but my acceptance loosened it and allowed me to breathe. It spared me, just like the many chances my father had given me. It was time I took my position seriously.

  As the vehicle pulled up to the front of the club, I casually stepped out. The driver rushed over with an umbrella, sheltering me as I walked toward the doors. I adjusted my suit and smiled at all the people waiting to go inside, despite the rain. The cover I had installed shielded most of them.

  Cameras flashed and women screamed my name, begging me for attention for one night, one hour.

  I didn’t pay any attention as I took the covered walkway inside. The double doors welcomed me into a place of solace, but I knew it would soon end. I knew it would eventually be littered with corruption once the war with Fredrick was over. The war that brought Mia into my life. The war that just as quickly ripped us apart.

  I just started walking up the spiral stairs when Jarrett called out. The music was loud, so I walked back down to meet him.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  He leaned against the railing. “It depends. There’s a man in one of the sections asking to speak with you. He claims he has information about Mrs. Johnson’s whereabouts.”

  I nodded, curious, taking the final step down. “Okay. Take me to him.”

  ***

  The club was full, so I bumped into several people as I walked to the other side. Jarrett and a few other guards led the way, but it was still a difficult task to get to the section the man occupied. When I finally made it to him, I slid into the booth, meeting the gaze of someone I had nearly killed a few weeks before.

  “Andre?” I asked, surprised. “I thought your last visit here would’ve made you question coming back, but considering I recently recruited you, welcome to The Siren.”

  The look in his eyes conveyed how uncomfortable he was, and the drink in front of him hadn’t been touched.

  “I have some information for you. In return, I want protection and no ties to your business.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, eyes narrowing. “With a demand like that, this information must be valuable. Depending on its importance to me, it’s possible I can arrange your request.”

  He looked up at me, his gaze searching mine. He quickly downed the drink in front of him.

  “I have an address,” he said softly. “You asked me to find information on the person who hired me. I didn’t want to go any further without backup, but when I discovered this person’s identity, I realized I didn’t want to be inv
olved at all.”

  He slid over a folded piece of paper small enough to fit into a fortune cookie. When I opened it, I saw an address.

  “Have you scoped it out?” I asked, putting the paper into the pocket of my suit jacket.

  “I haven’t gone past the gates, but I got a visual through the bushes lining the street. Guards surround the compound. I wouldn’t be here if I attempted to go inside.” Andre nervously shook his head. “Fredrick Hall is paranoid, Mr. Black. I would be cautious with your decision. Bring a lot of men because, unfortunately, you will lose some.”

  I looked over at the men guarding the section, not having to think about what I planned to do with the information.

  “You’re free, Andre. I’ll provide protection for a few months, just in case word gets out you provided me with this information. After that, you’re on your own.”

  I stood, stepping back onto the floor. As I made my way back to my office, I quickly began making the necessary phone calls to get things rolling. I passed Robyn at the bar, meeting her eyes. She had been right. Mia’s presence was dangerous, and I foolishly had every intention of facing the danger again.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Mia

  “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL me?” My words came out accusatory. “You knew about him this whole time, his family, yet you didn’t think I deserved to know? How his family is at the root of all this?” I shook my head. “You warned me Alek was bad, but Wesley’s no better.”

  My father turned from the board containing tacks and strings connecting different pictures. Pictures of people I had seen before. Places I frequented. My house. My car. He even had pictures of Alek’s staff. Then I saw a picture of the man with the familiar voice who dropped me at Avery’s apartment. I knew I recognized him. It all began to make sense. I noticed a red X on his picture.

  My father gestured for his men, except one, to leave the office. He looked at me curiously. I switched my gaze from him to my father.

  “I would like to talk to you alone, Dad. I think you owe me that much.”

  The man didn’t move, but when my father nodded, taking his seat, the man started for the door.

  “Don’t go far. I’ll call you back in shortly,” he told him, motioning for me to take a seat. When I remained standing, he sighed.

  “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you distracted.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes guilty. “I needed you focused, but aside from that, you were already torn after learning the truth about Alek. I didn’t think you could handle more in such a short amount of time. I know this has all weighed on you, angel.”

  I slowly sat down in the chair in front of him, wiping at the single tear trickling down my face. “This isn’t fair,” I accused. “The secrets. The lies. I tried to justify them because, just like you, I sought revenge for what happened, but when I sit down and think about it…really think about it…my mother is still gone, and nothing you can do will bring her back.” I blinked, wiping away more tears. “Nothing I can do will bring her back. You want to even the score, but your need for revenge has stolen years from both of us.”

  “Alyssa…” His gaze held mine, his guilt growing. “I know you’re hurting. I know you don’t think you can withstand the pain you feel, but you can. You will.”

  “Why didn’t you come back for me?” I choked out, trying to pull myself together. “Why didn’t you fight to clear your name? I needed you more than you could imagine. All those years, I pretended you were dead. That was the only way I could stop myself from hating you.”

  My father’s expression changed, his guilt switching to sadness, pain. His age showed throughout his features. Ten years had taken a toll on him. The planning. The worry. I couldn’t find it in my heart to pretend like everything was okay, though. It wasn’t.

  “You don’t mean that, angel. You don’t have it in your heart to hate anyone, which was why I was forced to move forward. I thought you were like me, but you aren’t. You’re just like your mother, Alyssa, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.” He leaned closer. “Unfortunately, that was the reason she ended up dead. She chose to stay with me, even with my faults. My lies. The cheating. I have to make amends for that.”

  I studied him as he spoke. “What do you mean you were forced to move forward?” I questioned.

  “I’m going to be honest with you, Alyssa. I’m not going to sit here and lie because if you were ever to find out, I would want it to be me telling you. I would want you to know my reasons.” He took a deep breath, placing his elbows on his desk and clasping his hands. “I arranged for you to meet Alek Johnson.”

  The blood drained from my face as my eyes widened. I gripped the arm of the chair. My breath hitched.

  He continued. “I made arrangements for you to be roommates with his sister, then everything basically fell into place. You two became good friends, and the moment Alek saw you, I knew you would become an obsession. You are beautiful, smart… Everything a man with his reputation would look for in a wife. I didn’t even have to intervene. Once you got married, you were in, living under the same roof as the man who ruined our lives. It was brilliant.”

  “You put me directly in the path of a monster,” I whispered. “You arranged for me to marry the person who—”

  “I did, but I saw his weakness for you. He had no intention of hurting you, angel. Even when I leaked your identity, he had no plans to harm you. That was the reason he met with Wesley instead of Stinson. He knew Wesley would be more understanding. He knew he wouldn’t act on impulse. He would investigate, watch you. Everything worked out because you had no clue of their identities.” He shrugged. “I just wasn’t expecting the current turn of events concerning your relationship with Wesley. It happened so quickly.”

  “You used me. You planted me in the middle of something you knew would turn in to a war. You couldn’t have been sure I wouldn’t be killed. I was in the danger zone for years, and you watching from a distance wasn’t a guarantee of my safety.”

  I stood up. The tears had dried, but my heart continued to break. “This war isn’t about avenging my mother. It’s about your own personal gain. It’s about the power you lost when, for whatever reason, you were targeted that night.”

  He stood, as well. “You wanted revenge, Alyssa. You can’t stand there and tell me you didn’t. I placed you in the perfect position to get it. Can you really fault me for that?”

  I opened the door, seeing the last man to leave my father’s office standing there, blocking my way. I narrowed my eyes at him before looking back at my father.

  “I did,” I admitted. “I couldn’t help but want it after suffering through those horrid nightmares you chose not to be there to help me through.” I swallowed. “However, this plan, the one where I’m clueless and you use me like a possession, isn’t close to what I had in mind.”

  I stormed up to the man blocking the entrance, who glanced at my father, then moved out of the way. I brushed past him and out the door, heading to my room. When this was over, I promised myself I’d wash my hands of everyone, including my father.

  ***

  I walked into my room, then shut and locked the door. If my father wanted to talk to me, I knew it wouldn’t be hard for him to get in, but I hoped he would grant me some space.

  He was wrong. He knew leaving me in the dark was unfair. He knew throwing me into a pool of sharks, hoping I would survive, was careless.

  I tried to convince myself I was overreacting, but then every other memory I had of him started to surface. A caring man would have come back home that night. A caring man would have attempted to save his family. He knew I would be out that night, but he had no guarantee I would escape death if I walked through the door. He felt remorse because he had chosen himself over his family. He kept his business hidden, but my mother and I were left to fend for ourselves.

  It was the clarity I needed. It was the clarity I had somehow forgotten. After all, it was how I knew Stinson’s name. The name my father mention
ed before walking out the door, not returning again until recently. He had definitely been aware of what was about to occur.

  I reached for the phone he had provided, knowing it was untraceable. I called the number of a person who had unwittingly been pulled into the web of lies.

  “Hello…”

  “Avery,” I whispered. It was late, and judging by her groggy voice, she had been sleeping.

  “Mia?” she whispered, surprise filling her voice. “I can’t believe it’s you. Alek told me about Logan betraying him. He also told me you left him, taking most of his money. What happened? Why would you do that?”

  I cradled the phone in my hand, crossing my legs as I positioned myself in the middle of the bed.

  “There are a lot of reasons, Avery. I just learned things that would shock you, but that isn’t why I called. I wanted to say goodbye. You’ve been a good friend to me, even through all the questionable things I’ve told you in the past, but you’ve also never judged me, which is more than I can say for a lot of people.”

  She was silent. When she finally spoke, I forced back tears, hearing the hurt in her voice, along with unmistakable kindness.

  “No matter what happened, Mia, I know you wouldn’t do this if you didn’t have to. I know you better than you think, and you don’t have a mean bone in your body.” Her voice broke. “My brother has hatred inside of him. He’s so much like our father, he doesn’t even see it. I wouldn’t be a friend if I asked you to stay.”

  “Thank you, Avery. You don’t know how much I needed to hear that.” I glanced down at the comforter.

  After a few moments of silence, she cleared her throat. “Is what’s going on with you really that bad, Mia? Will I ever get to see you again?”

  “Yes, it really is that bad.” I knew if I shared my troubles with her, she would understand, but there was no need for that. She didn’t need to know about my burdens. “Bye, Avery.”

  I hung up suddenly when I heard a noise outside. I scrambled off the bed, but when I peeked through the curtain of the balcony, I saw nothing but my father’s men. I walked back over to the bed and slid under the silk sheets, trying not to think about Wesley. If he had spared me back then, was loving him really that bad?