Virtuous Deception

by Leiann B. Wrytes

  “If you care about that girl like I think you do . . . You need to go get her.”

  “What are you going to do about the money?”

  “Fuck it. Lewis is dead anyway. I think I’m going to leave for a while. John hasn’t been back since he left yesterday.”

  “Are you worried about him?”

  “Nah . . . I’m actually relieved. He would not be happy about the girl being gone. I’m going to leave before he gets back from wherever he is. It’s time for us to split anyway.”

  “Where is your brother?”

  “I don’t know, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. That’s my brother. You’ll have to figure it out. Be easy, youngin’.”

  John was never coming back. Armand had taken care of him personally last night while Michelle was sleeping. It was a precaution in case he couldn’t find their physical location. John had an itch he had to scratch daily. He was a slave to the pipe. Every day at the same time, he went to the spot for his juice. Last night, Armand was waiting for him when he came out. Armand was not a killer, but it did not take much to incapacitate John. He tried to get the location of the house from him, but John rebuffed him. Two moves and it was over.

  He went home and slept like a baby. Figured he had plenty of time to find Brianna with John out of the picture. Michelle had put him back on a timeline. Now he needed to find everything he could about Javan Harris. He showered quickly and sat down on the couch to make a few phone calls. Armand, like Lewis, had learned a lot from his tutelage with the Marx Brothers. He had been well versed in how to work connections and had gained a respectable number of friends just for being linked with them. His steadily increasing street IQ coupled with his attractiveness got him into some pretty exclusive circles. A few of those friends owed him a favor or two, and he had a feeling he would be cashing in on them pretty soon.

  He pulled out his laptop and Googled Javan Harris. The Javan Harris that fit the description recently won a city contract to oversee the construction of a new hotel. The address to his house and a condo leased to him was also listed in the search result. Armand wrote the addresses down and decided to start there first. Hopefully, Brianna would be in one of them, but given the time Michelle told him it took to get there . . . He knew it was not likely. He would check both because it was better to have a definite no than a probable yes.

  Chapter 44

  Michelle sat across from her mother in the living room. She had been there for the better part of an hour, and they still had not exchanged any words. She had not been able to speak, literally. She did not know what to say. She was pretty sure her mother wanted an apology for the way she had spoken to her, but Michelle did not want to give her one. Someone needed to break the ice in the room.

  “Mom, are you going to talk to me?”

  “If I say no, then, what will you do?”

  “I don’t know. Leave, I guess.”

  It was a stupid question. Michelle was her daughter. Of course, she was going to speak with her.

  “Tsk-tsk. Michelle, you are as stubborn as your father.”

  “You’ve been telling me that since I was a small girl.”

  Sophie laughed. Smiled a sad smile. “I’m glad you came back. I was not certain you would.”

  “I was not either, to be honest.”

  “Well . . . thank you.”

  Michelle did not respond. What was she supposed to say?

  “Any news about your sister?”

  “We’re working on it. I talked with her today.”

  “How did she sound?”

  “Afraid but strong.”

  “I hope Armand can find her. I do love her.”

  “I guess love hurts.”

  “Michelle, I’m sorry. I know I hurt you both. It was not my intention.” Sophie’s heart was bleeding. She hadn’t meant to hurt anyone. She was only trying to save herself. She hadn’t expected, nor wanted, any of this to happen.

  “Mom . . . I have spent the last month wondering if you were even my mother. I cannot tell you how betrayed I felt. There are no words for it.”

  “I was going to tell you; I just did not know how.”

  “We met at a restaurant, and I thought I was losing my mind when I saw her walk in. We just sat there for the longest time, staring in disbelief. It was unreal.”

  “Why didn’t you come to me, Michelle?”

  “What would you have said, Mom? We decided not to ask any of you anything, seeing as though, for all we knew, you had been lying to us our entire lives. We didn’t know who to trust.”

  All of this saddened Sophie. She thought it had worked out well for everyone. “So, where are Brianna’s parents?”

  “Funny you should ask that. The man that raised her . . . He’s sitting in jail right now, and her mom . . . Well, she was the woman at the funeral that upset you.”

  Sophie knew exactly whom Michelle was referring to. “Oh, I see.”

  “She didn’t know. She knows now.”

  Sophie furrowed her eyebrows, a silent inquiry. Michelle decided to respond to that query. “I told her. It was not a very pleasant exchange.”

  Sophie was certain it was not. Michelle had a temper like her father’s. The other day was one of the few times she had seen it. “Things didn’t go so well with us, either, did it?”

  “It went as well as could be expected, given the circumstances.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Trust me; it could have gone a lot worse. I could have gone my entire life and never known Brianna, and you would have let me.”

  “That’s not true, Michelle.”

  “Isn’t it, Mom? Sure, it is. Let’s not do this.”

  “This?”

  “This pointless argument. There’s nothing you can say that will excuse it. Nothing you can say that will change how I feel about it.”

  “I don’t want to change your mind, Michelle. I want you to understand.”

  “It’s not going to happen. Let it go.”

  “Michelle Kaye Lewis, I understand you are upset, but you still need to be respectful. I am not perfect. I have made mistakes and giving your sister away was one of my biggest.”

  “Really? Have you done something worse? Do I even want to know what it is?”

  Sophie bit her lip. This was going to be harder than she thought. Michelle was no longer angry; sadness filled her eyes. Her heart was hurting.

  “I just never expected anything like this from you. With Dad . . . I could see that coming but not you. We shared everything, but something this important . . . you withheld.”

  “All I can ask is that you forgive me, Michelle. Please?”

  “I’m trying, but I need some time.”

  “That’s fair.”

  Michelle knew she would eventually forgive her mother, but she did not know how long it would take or how to begin that process. Time would tell.

  “Did you ever tell Dad?”

  “Not when it mattered. He was never around anyway, so I doubt it would have made a difference.”

  Silence ballooned and settled back between them, each lost in their own thoughts. Trying to come to terms with the fact that their relationship would never be what it was; trying to decide if that was for the best or not. Michelle’s phone vibrated and disrupted the muted chords.

  “Hello?”

  “Michelle, I struck out at the addresses I found on record for Javan. I need a favor, and you’re not going to like it.”

  “Anything if it will help Bria.”

  “I need you to ask your mom to use her contacts to see if Javan has any properties registered to him that might not be public knowledge.”

  “My mom does not have any contacts, Armand. I have never even known her to talk to anyone besides my dad.”

  Sophie gave Michelle her undivided attention when she heard her name. Her interest was piqued. She was eager to help Brianna in any way she could, to redeem herself some.

  “Just trust me on this, Michelle and ask her. We ne
ed to know. It’s easier to deal with a definite no—”

  “Than a probable yes, I know. Hold on a second.”

  Michelle did not know what Armand knew about her mother that she did not. She trusted his judgment, however, and if he insisted, she would ask, even if it was a waste of time.

  “Is that Armand?”

  “Yes.”

  “News about Brianna?” Sophie was anxious. She had been wrought with worry since Michelle told her she had been taken.

  Michelle exhaled, slightly frustrated with her mother’s interruptions.

  “We think we know who has her. Some guy named Javan Harris has her. We need to get her, but we need a list of any property he owns that might not be listed publicly. Armand seems to think you can help with that.”

  “Yes, I can.”

  Michelle wished she could say that she was surprised, but the truth was, she didn’t know what to expect anymore. There was so much she didn’t know.

  “Armand, she said she’ll help. Just keep doing what you can, and I’ll call you back.”

  Sophie grabbed the phone and her address book. She scrolled through the names until she found the one she thought would be most useful. “I need the name.”

  “Javan Harris.”

  “Be right back.”

  Sophie walked into another room to make the phone call. She wanted privacy. The less Michelle knew, for the time being, the better. Michelle was already upset, and she didn’t want to risk making things worse. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she followed behind her mother and listened out of sight.

  “Mr. Sterling, how are you doing? Yes, sir, this is Richard’s daughter, Sophia. It has been awhile. I’m fine, sir, I was wondering if I could bother you for a small favor. Nothing too serious, but I’m trying to buy some land from a local, and I think he left off some properties on this listing. If I gave you a name, could you verify that the list he provided is accurate? No? Are you certain you can’t do this for me, Mr. Sterling? I realize it isn’t protocol, but I would hate for your lovely wife, Elizabeth, to learn of your little arrangement with your secretary over a little legal technicality. I mean, no one wants that, right? Oh, you can? I hope it’s not too much trouble. That’s just great, thank you so much. The name is Javan Harris. Yes, that’s right, Javan Harris. When can I expect it? Fifteen minutes is perfect, sir. Thank you so much, Mr. Sterling. I’ll be sure to let my father know how good you were to help me.”

  Michelle tiptoed quickly back into the living room and waited for her mom. She wondered who this Mr. Sterling was, but more importantly, when her mom took to blackmailing people. She guessed her parents weren’t so different after all. She started to wonder what else her mom had lied about it. She did it so effortlessly. How could a reasonable person possibly trust anyone like that? Who is this woman?

  She picked up her phone and dialed the number Brianna had called from. No answer. She hoped she was okay. Michelle’s exterior was calm, but inside, she was a ball of nerves. Finishing the task of discovering who their parents were was a necessary distraction for her, but now that she had uncovered the truth, she was left with empty hands. Hands that could do nothing at all to help her sister. She tried to relax her mind.

  She thought of her father, his laugh and the little wisdom he had shared with her over the years. She had not stopped long enough in her life to appreciate it very much, or him, for that matter, but she had to admit they had gotten her to this point. Live today as if you intended to be here. She remembered vividly when he said those words to her. He showed up late to her college graduation party. The guests were leaving and against her mother’s wishes, she was helping her clean up.

  He had tried to speak with her, but she had refused him. She was angry. Hurt. He had missed so many important snapshots in her life; in her mind, he was no longer a part of it. He had chosen not to be, but for an instant, at his persistence, she let him in. He clasped his arms around her, swallowing her whole, and whispered how much he loved her. He filled her heart with his pride and adoration. She was his baby girl, and there was nothing he would not do for her. Part of her believed him because she desperately wanted it to be true, but the part of her that resisted, that held on to every space left vacant by his disregard, was less than impressed with his wordplay.

  It was the last time Michelle was vulnerable to her father. She wanted the last feeling he gave her to be that one, what she was feeling at that precise moment. Protected, loved, treasured. Neither of them knew that when he released her, he would never hold her again. Now, she was sitting in the living room, in a chair she had seen him occupy whenever he was home. It was still hard to accept that he would never do it again. But Michelle felt something other than grief. She felt robbed. She would never get a chance to mend her relationship with her father. The opportunity had been taken from her. She wanted to blame someone. Her dad was young. His death was premature; she should have had more time. That is why she chose to at least speak with her mom. Life was too short.

  Sophie came back into the room, handing the list to her daughter. “I got the listing for the properties. I hope it helps.”

  “I hope so too.”

  Michelle called Armand and gave him three additional addresses: one for a condo in North Richland Hills, a house in Fort Worth, and a house in Allen. One of them had to be where Javan has Brianna. It just had to be.

  Chapter 45

  Brianna was pinned to the wall under his weight, choking as his grip increased. She pulled on his fingers, grabbing at his arms, trying to break free, but he only strengthened his hold on her.

  “Don’t fight it, Brianna. I know how you like it.” He clasped his hands together and pulled her up off the ground until her eyes met his. He could see the alarm in her eyes as she fought to breathe. “Bria, you intoxicate me. You’re making me do this. Why? This was not a part of the plan.”

  Brianna could not respond. She tried to shake her head in protest, but his grasp was so tight, she could barely move. She was slowly losing consciousness. She managed a weak “please” before she passed out.

  Javan released Brianna and let her fall gently to the floor. He stood over her marveling at her beautiful figure. He resisted the urge to take himself into his hand at the sight of her sleeping. He could feel his passion surging through him, his loins awake and thriving. Damn it, Brianna. She went and fucked everything up. Javan was upset with the turn of events. She was not supposed to react that way.

  He had everything planned perfectly. After the movie, he prepared lunch for her. Nothing but the best. He even serenaded her while he cooked. Javan had a voice comparable to Maxwell. The kind of voice that could make sound waves orgasm. He did not like singing and on some level was embarrassed by his ability. He didn’t consider it a talent or a gift but a vice. He hated it and the bastard he figured passed it along to him. To him, it was a weakness; it made him seem soft. Javan rarely sang for anyone, and this was the first time he had done so for Brianna. Today was supposed to be special, and he wanted it to be perfect. He knew she’d be impressed, and he was right.

  She seemed kind of tense after that scene in the hallway following the movie. He knew it had been a mistake to let her make the phone call. She had seemed anxious ever since, and he needed her to calm down. He thought a little music would do the trick. He sang John Legend’s, “All of Me,” and she loved it. It seemed appropriate to Javan. The lyrics described him and Brianna perfectly. He could not lose with her.

  Today, he wanted to make it official between them. Things were going about as well as he expected. The music had softened her defenses, and she had been drawn nearer to him again; that little distance he felt previously was dissipating. He had taken her on a tour of the house. She saw the nursery for their future children, his library, her home office, complete with a few of her favorite things, his weight room, a game room, and the in-ground pool in the backyard. He could tell that she was surprised with some of the rooms, particularly the nursery, but for the most, she took i
t all in stride and seemed fairly impressed.

  Javan was feeling optimistic. Brianna had even commented on the length of time it must have taken him to put everything together, considering all the details he included. For instance, he had the same paintings that hung in her office at work on the walls in the office he created for her. The nursery looked like it had been professionally decorated and was suited to welcome either a baby boy or girl. He had put a lot of thought into it. He was pleased with their progress until they got to the last room of the tour. It was time . . . the big reveal. He intentionally left it for the end.

  He placed a blindfold over her eyes, after much pleading and reassuring, leading her carefully downstairs to the living room and opened the big French doors. He brought her into the center of the room, retrieved his gift from its hiding place, and took his place in front of her. Once in position, he asked her to remove the blindfold, and Brianna did as instructed. She opened her eyes to what must have seemed like a million different pictures of her in various poses. Javan was not prepared for the horror that quickly framed itself in her face.

  She was everywhere but had not posed for one single picture. Javan had to call her name to get her attention. There he was, on bended knee, ring in hand, preparing to pose the most improbable question. “Brianna, I love you, and I hope I have shown you that.”

  She looked at him wide-eyed, confusion and panic lodged themselves in her throat. She hadn’t wanted to stay, but she could not get her legs to move.

  “Will you marry me? I love you.” Javan knew the answer. He stood and slid the ring on her finger, beaming and gushing with pride. His journey was complete. He felt like he had climbed Mount Everest . . . and in the next second, Brianna threw him from the peak. Sent his heart crashing to the bottom, draining his blood supply, taking his life. She did not say anything at first. She just stood there in muted shock, unable to speak. Her eyes darted all around the room. Bouncing between the pictures, the ring, and Javan. He thought perhaps she was overwhelmed by the moment, too filled with excitement to say anything.

  When he felt he could no longer bear the torture . . . It happened. Brianna broke her silence. “Are you fucking crazy? What? What is this? Where did you get these pictures? What is this place?”