Seductive Truths (Seductive Trilogy)

by Becky Cairns

  ‘No, but you killed your own!’

  Silence fills the air around us. If a pin were to drop it would be deafening. Gareth’s expression is crestfallen and unbearable pain is etched into his eyes. A wash of guilt inflames inside at my accusation.

  In a voice that is not his own he croaks, ‘And I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I have to live with the fact that I killed my own flesh and blood. Every time I look at his pictures, my heart aches. Every time I see his smiling face, I remember the person he used to be. I’ve lost count the amount of times I wish I were dead too. My life has been nothing but disappointment after disappointment causing my heart to fill with hatred at everything and anything. The only light at this dark, dark tunnel is you. When you entered my life, nothing was the same again. No amount of whiskey drove you from my thoughts. I hungered for you constantly. My intentions were to tell you the truth, nothing more. But now…now it’s something out of my control. I don’t know what to do anymore, Alex. I don’t know what to do.’

  His head flops down in despair, causing his blonde locks to fall across his face, hiding his eyes in the process, but there is no denying his fatigue. He looks drained, lost and the fight he used to excel at is extinguished. He’s a broken man. This is who Gareth is now. There is no going back.

  I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what to think, what to feel. I don’t know who to trust or where I belong. How can I take this all in? How am I ever going to get past it? This…this is all…it is one massive screwed up world.

  Tired, lost and confused, I want nothing more than to leave. I can’t stand this room any longer, can’t stand the truth staring me in the face.

  ‘Get me out of here.’

  ‘And go where?’

  ‘Anywhere, I don’t care anymore just get me away from this hell you decided to drag me to.’

  ‘Fine.’

  Gareth goes to reach for my arm.

  ‘Don’t touch me,’ and with one last look at Thomas’s gorgeous, full of life photo, I make my way out to the van leaving Gareth to follow at his own will.

  

  The journey back felt longer and tedious. Silence all the way. It was a horrible feeling. I kept on trying to process everything he told, what I saw, but every time I thought I felt sick. Even now it feels like there’s a tiny animal inside eating away at my gut.

  Nothing makes sense. It’s just a load of…stuff in my head that I can’t process. William is not capable of killing, especially one so close. It’s impossible, it can’t be true. It can’t be!

  I shiver.

  The evening grows cold as the sun disappears and the moon rises. Another day has gone. It’s another day I find myself trapped in this distasteful life.

  Hills turn into towering building blocks and fresh air is replaced with the stench of sewage as we return to dank London back alleys.

  On second thoughts, I think I’d rather be back at the old farmhouse. At least I could see my brother again and not the drugged up arseholes and the monster beside me.

  The van slows and turns into a warehouse.

  We have returned.

  Gareth turns the engine off, but remains. Awkward silence. The only sound is the ticking of the cooling engine.

  ‘Look, Alex…’

  ‘Don’t.’

  ‘You do believe me rig…’

  ‘I said don’t,’ I snap, turning to look at him for the first time since I stormed out of the farmhouse. ‘I can’t think and to be honest, I don’t know what to think anymore. The man I loved and thought I could trust with my life turns out to be a killer. My brother kept secrets and the man I should hate with every fibre of my being is looking more and more likely the only one I can rely on, so excuse me if I’m not feeling myself at the moment, but my mind has been well and truly screwed up.’

  With that I yank open the door, slam it behind me and storm towards the lift. Gareth is right on my heels.

  As we wait for the doors to open I’m unnerved at his closeness. The warmth radiates off him and wraps me in a bubble. Even after everything, he still makes me feel safe. I just don’t understand why.

  Silence fills the lift as it takes us up towards his apartment. I unconsciously start to rub my fingers together, a habit of mine whenever I’m nervous or uncomfortable. The only minute sound is the tinkling of Gareth’s keys as he fiddles with them between his long, lean fingers that can do unexplainable things to my body.

  Come on Alex! Now’s not the time.

  Clink.

  Clink.

  Clink.

  Clonk.

  The doors seem to take an age to open when in actual fact only a second goes by.

  Numbly I step out into the darkened hallway, eyes trained on the floor, watching my feet, one after another.

  Click.

  The metallic sound of a lighter piercing the silence causes me to startle, hairs become prickly on my arm and there’s shortness of breath. I am left weakened.

  Embers of a freshly lit cigarette glimmers in the dark from a corner of the room then the light starts to lift higher and smoke disperses in the air. Instantly I get a musty, repulsive scent. It’s different to when Gareth smokes, there’s no lingering spiciness that I have come to find extremely provocative.

  Hearing the door close behind me, I automatically take a step back, searching for the protection Gareth provides. But he is already at my shoulder, gun drawn aiming down the intruder.

  ‘Who’s there?’ he spits.

  I unconsciously flinch as the floorboards creak under the weight of the person as they take a step towards us then another, rings of smoke evaporating in the air. Before the particles have chance to disperse, the person emerges through the intoxicating concoction and into the dim light provided by the street lamps outside.

  Oh God, please no.

  Brown orbs glint with a murderous vengeance. His mouth slants upwards into an evil smirk, turning his classical handsome face into an ugly dimension of himself. I have never seen features so harsh or threatening before, especially not on him.

  ‘Hello sweetheart. Long time no see.’

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  ‘William,’ I whisper.

  ‘Ah, so you do remember me then,’ my fiancé mocks. ‘I’m touched,’ and he dramatically places his hand over his heart, but everything goes to the back of my mind when I catch sight of the item clasped in his other hand. The shiny object sparkles dangerously. It’s a handgun; similar to the one Gareth has cocked and ready to fire. It is most likely the gun he had ordered from Gareth.

  ‘Do you like my little pet,’ he sneers, obviously catching my eye line. ‘It’s been my trusty companion for the last six months. I can always depend on it to get me out of trouble and to frighten off unwanted visitors. Well,’ he turns his beady eyes on Gareth. ‘Most unwanted visitors. Having a bit of trouble with a certain pest that keeps hanging around, always stealing what’s not his to have.’

  ‘You do not deserve her,’ Gareth spits. ‘Not after destroying her life.’

  ‘And you do? Ha! You make me laugh. You think you’re all high and moral, doing the right thing. You’re no better than shit stuck to the bottom of a shoe. You can wipe it away but the disgusting smell remains. You’re the lowest of the low. Everything you do you fail at. You can never have a normal life, whereas I on the other hand can. I have a respectful job, a comfortable house, friends and family who love me, plus the most beautiful fiancé ever.’ William smiles my way. How could I ever think that sickly smile was heart melting?

  ‘You are nothing more than an errand boy for those with power, you live in a barely tolerable apartment and the only companion you’ll ever have is the one currently being aimed at my head.’

  What the hell is going on here? This is not the man I fell in love with, the man I planned to spend the rest of my life with, have kids with. In appearance he is still William, but inside he’s no more than a stranger to me. I don’t like the feeling bubbling in my stomach.

/>   William’s hair is sticking out at all angles it’s as if he has been continuously gripping it. His brooding brown eyes are no longer the tender spirit I am used to seeing staring at me, but are now as black as coal, burning with rage and a bloodthirsty hunger for revenge. A week worth of growth covers his face, emphasising his haggard appearance. His customary charcoal suit is dirty and wrinkled a total contrast to his usual fastidious appearance. As I look towards his chest I notice he has a few more buttons undone than usual, giving me a tempting glimpse of his familiar, firm torso and I am mortified to admit, makes him look dangerously handsome, causing the pit of my stomach to simmer with unwanted desire. He is usually so meticulous in his appearance this is something new. He’s barely holding on to his sanity.

  What has happened to him?

  ‘Look at you,’ William stops about a foot in front of us, bringing the cigarette to his lips, inhaling then exhaling before continuing. ‘You’re past your sell by date. You are no longer in your prime. You definitely haven’t seen a gym in a year or two, obviously preferring the beer bottle to water bottle. You’re nothing, just a waste of space only good for donkey work. All you know is crime, you live for crime, and it’s in your blood. There is no escape, no matter how many times you try and change it; it will always creep up on you and take those down around you. So you see if you care for Alex here as much as much as I think you do, you’ll let her go. Give her to me and I’ll be on my way and leave you to get back to your miserable little life, I won’t bother you again.’

  William slowly reaches a hand out to grab my wrist, eyes remain locked on Gareth.

  I want to flee, hide behind Gareth’s secure bulk, but I can’t move. I physically cannot move. The one time I want my body to listen to my brain it doesn’t! It’s as if my muscles have seized up.

  ‘Don’t touch her. Don’t ever touch her again. If you’re as intelligent as I think you are, you’ll walk out of this room and never look back. You’ll forget about us and move on with your life, disappear never to be heard of again. Are you going to comply?’

  ‘Comply? Comply? You are too funny,’ he cackles. ‘You do know who you are talking to right?’

  ‘The question is do you?’

  ‘This is priceless. Really, you’re good. You’re really good. Good guy verses bad, but you’re more like a hero throwback. I have never heard of a criminal turning out to be a hero…’

  ‘She knows.’

  A dark cloud looms over William and his stance becomes rigid. I see the muscles working in his jaw.

  ‘You what?’

  ‘Alex knows. About you, about her brother, about everything, so as you see, your persuasion methods are pointless. She’d have to be stupid to go back to you after you murdered her brother. So why don’t you do us all a favour and fuck off, forget everything.’

  I don’t like this; I don’t like this one bit.

  My body begins to tingle.

  ‘The thing is,’ William takes control, his body much more relaxed. ‘It’s not easy to forget the woman I love, but that’s not where my problem lays. Over time I could no doubt forget her,’ bloody cheek! ‘Time’s a great healer after all. No, that’s not it. My problem is with you. I will never forget what you did. So no, I will not “fuck off” and forget everything. I will never forget the killing of my father and sister.’

  Oh God, now what! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse. This is turning out to be one hell of a nightmare. Is everyone simply out to get each other?

  ‘What?’ the gun slackens in Gareth’s hand.

  ‘Yes, I got to know your brother rather intimately in the end. He was dating my sister after all. Well, half-sister to be precise. Mark had guts. Misplaced and naive at times, but he had them all the same, a real criminal in the making. You should have taken some pointers, could have learnt a lot from him.’

  I turn to see Gareth’s face pale, frown marring his features, eyes a vibrant blue. His gun is now aiming towards the ground, total lack of control. William is getting to him.

  A smirk crawls onto William’s face and his eyes sparkle mischievously.

  ‘He did have a weakness though. He was a sucker for a pretty face. My sister was the perfect bait to lure him. Catching Mark was easy. Reeling him in was a doddle. Mark adored the ground she walked on. He’d do anything for her without a second thought.’ He takes a step closer. ‘If she asked him to jump in front of a train, he’d do it. If she asked him to take responsibility of all she’d done, he’d do it.’

  Now pretty much face to face, it is like a battle of wills. Who can out do the other, who will be the first to fall?

  ‘When she asked him to betray you and your father, he did it with a drop of a hat.’

  ‘H-he wouldn’t. He c-couldn’t. He loved us. Mark looked up to our father, thought the sun shined out of his arse. He wouldn’t betray him.’

  ‘You think that if it gives you comfort, but when it came down to it he preferred the supposed love of a woman to that of his family. Screw family loyalties, truth be told, he thought only of himself.

  ‘He hated my father. Despised me. Loved my sister. He was willing to forsake everything to be with her. More fool him.’ Glaring into Gareth’s eyes with disgust William continues. ‘He was nothing but a pawn in our game. Once he’d accomplished his task, he was surplus to requirements. You saved me a bullet bumping him off. I thank you for that. However, I’m not thankful for rushing out of my hiding place to find my remaining family lying dead on the cold, muddy ground. On that day, standing numbly as the rain thrashed me with its drops, I vowed revenge on the family behind the murder of my father and sister. No one was to be spared.’ William’s eyes turn to slits and his whole body is racked with spite.

  My breathing increases as the tension intensifies.

  ‘Not even sweet, innocent, Sammy.’

  ‘Wh-wha…’ Gareth stumbles backwards, his legs slacken.

  Oh crap! Is he admitting what I think he is? And I’ve been living with this man, sleeping with him, welcoming him into my family. Allowed him to interact with little Bethany. A child of similar age to Gareth’s dead son! No, no, no, no, no, no.

  My heart plummets, skin grows cold and clammy. I feel my head begin to spin and my hands shake. The tingles return.

  I gaze towards Gareth only to see tears welling up in his eyes, his lips quivering slightly. His shoulders slump, feet unsteady. The rise and fall of his chest is more prominent. The gun has fallen forgotten to his side leaving him open for attack. The soft glow from the streetlamps light up his ashen face. In the space of a few seconds Gareth looks ten times older, withered and scared. The lost little boy returns to his eyes.

  ‘Shame the babysitter got in the way. It was a life needlessly lost. But, it couldn’t be helped. She had to go, I couldn’t risk her blabbering to the police, or worse, you.’

  ‘You k-killed…you killed m-my s-s…’ Gareth stammers.

  ‘Oh no old boy, that’s simply not my style. Why would I want to get my hands dirty when I could easily get someone to do it for me? All it took was some choice words, a sum of money, throw a bit of vengeance into the mix and hey presto, I have the perfect goon. I was quite shocked how many enemies you have made. You haven’t been idle, that’s for sure.

  ‘If it’s any consolation, your son died as humanely as possible. It was quick, over in a matter of seconds. He wouldn’t have known it was coming.’

  ‘You k-killed my s-son,’ Gareth mumbles. ‘You killed my son.’ His voice cutting through the air like a sword, filled with rage. His body now ready for battle, but all this goes unnoticed by William as he carries on taunting his nemesis.

  ‘I couldn’t have your protégé growing up like you and have him hunt me down. He would have been fit and strong, in his prime. I, on the other hand, would be old and weak, nowhere near fit enough to take on such a competitor. Son gone, it only leaves you. So, here we are, with a gorgeous spectator to boot. No need to worry about precious Alex here, she’s too dear to
me to even think about harming. After all, I loved her enough to have proposed.’

  Gareth’s eyes twitch.

  Oh no.

  ‘You killed my son!’ then in a flash, he lunges himself at William, cigarette flies through the air and the gun lands at my feet with a heavy clonk. It’s lucky it didn’t go off!

  The horrible crunching noise of a well-aimed fist echoes about the room and William tumbles to the floor. Gareth dives on top, raining punch upon punch on any body part he can reach, pummelling William into the ground. Clothes are torn and blood is spilt from cut lips and grazed skin. A tussle ensues and I screech for help, but it falls on deaf ears.

  ‘Stop it, please! Please, stop…’ I whimper. My vision blurs as tears fall rapidly from my eyes. ‘For goodness sake, just…’

  BANG!

  The ear-splitting sound shatters the atmosphere.

  Two muscular bodies lay limp on the floor and my heart jumps through my throat. I take a shaky step forward.

  Oh no. Please God, no.

  Gareth’s body begins to shift unnaturally then is shoved unceremoniously onto his back. William gets unsteadily to his feet, gun in his right hand and crimson blood staining his white shirt.

  Oh Christ in hell, he’s been shot! Hold on a sec.

  He does not look in pain. Shock yes, but pain? And the blood stain remains the same. It’s not getting any bigger. Surely the blood would be flooding out of that wound, unless…

  A movement to my left catches my attention and a groan fills the air as Gareth’s large, trembling hand moves to shield his torn flesh and when he pulls it away it is covered in a layer of precious blood, his blood which is now rapidly soaking into his shirt and then spills onto the wooden floor, gradually forming a puddle of the sticky substance at his side.

  In that second my legs give way and I come crashing to my knees. With my heart feeling like it is being constantly ripped from my chest, I start to crawl over to Gareth’s side, slipping on his spilt blood as I get closer. I blindly grapple for the dying man’s hand.

  ‘Don’t die on me Gareth, please don’t die on me.’ Snapping my attention back to William I shout, ‘What have you done? Why William, why?’