The Rules

by Delaney Diamond

  “I’ll tell him when I’m ready.”

  “I heard the smile in your voice when you talked about him. If you’re serious about him, you have to be honest. Now, before he finds out on his own and everything blows up in your face.”

  Terri was fairly certain that wouldn’t happen, but she did have doubts, and those doubts reined in her natural inclination to declare her love for Gavin—shouting it from the rooftops—even as she basked in the warmth of his love.

  “Tell me again that you love me,” she said.

  His hand moved to her belly, pulling her tighter against his body. “I love you.” He kissed the top of her spine. “Did you kill someone?” he asked, amusement in his voice.

  “No.” But she had a sordid past.

  “I bet whatever you did isn’t even as bad as you think it is.”

  “What if it is? What if it’s really bad?”

  “It can’t be that bad,” he said with confidence.

  Terri twisted around and threw a leg over his hip, seeking his heat. She wanted more of this. Every single day, she wanted to wake up next to him or roll over in the middle of the night and feel his warm body.

  “You always smell good,” she said to his chest.

  “You smell better. Every time I see you, I want to eat you.”

  She giggled, running her fingers through the sprinkling of curly hairs on his chest. “Stop.”

  “I’m serious.” His arms tightened around her. “I’m not going to stop loving you because you did something bad. That’s not the way love works.”

  “I’ll handle it, Damian. Stop worrying about me all the time and worry about yourself and your family.”

  “You’re my family, and I can’t stop worrying about you.” His voice sounded resigned and defeated.

  Terri gnawed a nail. “I’ll tell him about my past. Soon.”

  “Will you let me know how the conversation goes?”

  “Yes.”

  They hung up a few minutes later, and Terri sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, the heels of her feet on the edge of the sofa.

  Over the years, she’d grown adept at answering questions about what she wanted to do with her life and where she saw herself in five years. She gave the same answer each time, extolling the virtues of being an entrepreneur and how much she wanted to run her own salon one day. Because those were the politically correct answers.

  The truth was, she didn’t want any of that. It was strange in this day and age to be ashamed or embarrassed about her real desires, but being a business woman sounded much better than admitting she wanted nothing more than to be a wife and mother. To have the security and protection of a man who really loved her. Each time she tried to go down that path, she had failed miserably, playing house with men she shouldn’t have.

  Her arms tightened around her legs, and she closed her eyes. She felt in her heart that Gavin was different, but he only knew one side of her. What would happen when he found out everything?

  Would he walk away? And take away this feeling that she enjoyed so much more than ever before. For once in her life, she felt…loved.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Gavin didn’t have any idea whether or not his ideas were good. The team Trenton assigned to work with him acted nervous in his presence. He was pretty sure they’d agree with any crappy idea he came up with simply because he was one of the owners.

  At a soft knock on the door, his head tilted up. He welcomed the interruption after staring at the designs on the easels for a long time without the spark of a better idea.

  “Come in,” he called. Ivy poked her head in the door. “What’s up?”

  The tentative smile on her face made him aware that something was wrong, and right away, he stood up from the desk.

  She came in all the way and clasped her hands behind her back. “How’s it going?”

  “Could be better. Not sure marketing and promotions is my thing. I can’t get an honest answer out of the team.”

  She smiled, a genuine smile this time. “It’s because they’re not used to you. They’re very candid with Trenton.”

  “I’ll talk to him about the situation because this isn’t working.” He waited.

  Ivy inhaled deeply and her eyes skirted away from his.

  Shoving a hand in his pocket, Gavin asked, “What’s going on, Ivy? You look like you have something to say.”

  “I didn’t want to do this, but…it’s about Terri.”

  Worry sliced through his stomach. “What about her?”

  His sister took another breath, her expression pained. “Remember Lucas thought that he recognized her from somewhere?”

  Recalling the night of Walt’s retirement dinner, Gavin nodded.

  “The reason he knows her is because she has a record.”

  “A what? You mean a police record?”

  “Yes. There was a big scandal in Atlanta over three years ago, and Terri was at the center of it.” Ivy pulled sheets of paper from behind her back. The name Candi Rayne appeared at the top of document. “I printed this from the Internet.”

  “Who the hell is Candi Rayne? Whatever she’s said about Terri is probably bullshit. You know how it is—people try to take you down when you’re on top. She’s dating a rich man, so now folks are going to come out of the woodwork and do everything they can to hurt her. I don’t want to see that shit.”

  “You need to read this, Gavin.”

  “Get it out of my face, Ivy. Seriously.”

  “Gavin, Candi Rayne is Terri Slade.” Ivy slid the papers across the desk to him, but he refused to look down.

  “Did Cyrus put you up to this? Because this is exactly the kind of crap he’d do.”

  “He doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Ivy said softly. She bit her bottom lip, an expression of pity filling her eyes.

  “You’re judging people now? That’s what you do? Because she made a few mistakes in the past, she’s not good enough for me? I thought you were better than that considering your fiancé barely passed the background test his damn self.”

  Ivy’s face went stony. “I’m going to let that slide,” she said, her voice as frigid as an Antarctic winter, “because I realize you’re having a hard time digesting this information.” She inhaled. “But I had to share this with you before someone else puts you, and the family, on blast. It’s only a matter of time, and frankly, you need to decide whether or not you can handle Terri’s past. Candi Rayne is only one of several aliases she’s had over the years.”

  “How do you know that?” Gavin demanded.

  “The photos.”

  Ivy lifted the top sheet but Gavin still didn’t looked down. He stared into his sister’s eyes, feeling as if the walls were closing in and he was about to be crushed under the weight. He’d known he should do a background check. For the Johnsons, it was as normal as conducting an introduction, sharing your occupation, or where you were born.

  But he’d stalled and eventually given up on the idea completely, even as doubts ate at him. Even when he listened to Terri’s hints about her past, he simply hadn’t wanted to see or hear anything negative. Now Ivy stood over his desk armed with a truth he didn’t want to face, backing him into a corner.

  The silence extended to an uncomfortable length, but Ivy didn’t move or speak, and neither did he. Dammit, he didn’t want to know the truth. He wanted to remain in the euphoric bubble he’d made for himself and Terri.

  He’d risked his life doing daring stunts over the years, but nothing scared him as much as looking down at the papers that sat on his desk.

  Finally, Gavin lowered his eyes and the walls that threatened to close in on him tumbled down and knocked him back into the chair. The muscles in his neck and shoulders tightened unbearably. That picture was her. The hair was different—cut short and brown with dark blonde highlights—but there was no mistaking the long lashes and saucy grin.

  ****

  Tonight was the night.

  Terri took her time rub
bing all parts of her body in the scented bathwater. She stretched her legs, scrubbing the loofah over her toes, ankles, and legs. She wanted to be good and tasty when her man came over.

  He didn’t sound at all like himself when he called earlier, but the good news she planned to share with him should change his mood. She hummed to herself as she stepped out of the tub onto the plush white rug and wrapped her body in the oversized white towel.

  She had an answer to his question, and her answer was yes. Yes, she would move in with him. She was ready and tonight she would tell him what was on her heart. That she loved him, too.

  She listened to the water empty down the tub drain in a loud gurgle and let down her pinned-up hair, assessing her face critically before she started putting on lotion. Even in the bathroom she smelled tonight’s dinner, a feast of his favorites ordered from the hotel restaurant. Their meal was warming in the oven, ready for Gavin’s arrival. She checked the time on the nightstand clock, noting he should be there soon. She donned a strapless cream dress and a pair of wedge heel sandals in a darker cream tone. Parting her hair in the middle, she let it fall into loose waves around her face and applied lipstick before going down the hall to the kitchen.

  She removed the food from the oven and set the table. She giggled, excited about her future with Gavin. As she finished pouring red wine in a decanter to breathe, she heard him at the door.

  Terri hurried into the hallway and admired Gavin when he walked in wearing a custom suit and carrying a briefcase. How her life had changed! She had a man who carried a briefcase.

  “Hi!” Terri hurried over and gave him a big hug, pressing the length of her body against his. But he stiffened, became downright rigid. Holding on to his strong upper arms, she pulled back and searched his face. “Rough day?”

  “Pretty rough.”

  He brushed past her and dropped his briefcase beside the sofa. After tugging off his tie and jacket, he tossed them on an armchair. That wasn’t like him at all. Poor baby. He must have had a really bad day.

  He poured himself a huge helping of wine and gulped it. “You have anything stronger than this?” he asked.

  “No.” Terri eased closer and watched him pour another healthy serving. “Babe, are you okay?”

  Gavin tossed back the second drink and then slammed the glass on the table. Terri jumped at the loud bang, surprised it didn’t shatter.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  He watched her silently, his upper lip curling into a sneer. Then he laughed a sinister, humorless laugh. “It’s true what they say, isn’t it? If something’s too good to be true, it probably is.”

  An uneasy feeling took root inside of her. “Not always.”

  “Always.” He looked dead at her, and the unease found its way into her chest cavity. His comments were obviously directed at her. But why?

  “I thought you were too good to be true, but you’re not,” she said cautiously. “I’m lucky we found each other.”

  “Lucky?” he repeated, a definite edge to his voice. “I don’t think so.”

  “Okay,” she said, struggling to better gauge his mood.

  “I hate fake people.”

  Terri swallowed. “Everybody does.” She fell silent, waiting to see what would be revealed.

  “You’re a fake.”

  Terri shook her head slowly. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You’re going to hold on to the end, aren’t you? I guess that’s what hustlers and con artists do. Deny, deny, even when you’re caught.”

  Terri’s heart raced. “No.”

  “That’s right. I know exactly who you are, Candi.”

  The realization that he knew about her past landed like a fist to the gut. The breath left her lungs in a rush. “My name is Terri. Terri Slade.”

  His nostrils flared, anger flashing in his eyes. Anger directed at her. “You’re not Terri Slade. You’re Felicia Linscott, from 16013 Washington Avenue, Apt. G. Born and raised in Hopewell, Georgia.”

  “No, no, no.” She shook her head. “Felicia is the past. Now I’m Terri.”

  “One brother, Damian Linscott.”

  “No.” She kept shaking her head, trying to make him stop. This couldn’t be happening. This was not happening.

  Gavin picked up the briefcase and ran his thumbs over the combination locks. They flipped open and he dragged out a bunch of sheets and tossed them onto the table—beautifully set for dinner. The documents fanned out on the dishes and covered the silverware. He continued, without even looking down at the papers—clearly having memorized every detail. “Let’s see, theft by taking, money laundering—” His mouth tightened, unable to go on. He snatched up one of the pages then dropped it, as if touching the evidence of her misdeeds sullied his fingers.

  Her eyes gravitated to the mugshots of the life she left behind.

  “What should I call you?” he asked. “Is it Lac-i, or is it Cand-i, or is it Trac-i?” Each name landed with the force of a sledgehammer. “You get a gold star for consistency. Traci, Candi, Laci, Terri. Argh!” It was a cry of anger, pain, and disappointment. “You damn liar!”

  “I never lied to you.” Terri hung her head and wrapped her arms around her body. Fifteen minutes ago she’d been euphoric, and now the perfect life she planned to live was falling apart.

  He grabbed her by the wrists and forced her to look up at him. She trembled at the fury in his eyes, heart beating so hard it hurt.

  “Did you use me?”

  “No.” Terri shook her head vehemently.

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “Because…because I love you.”

  He chuckled, his entire body shaking as if she’d said the funniest thing ever. The mocking laugh hurt, wounding her pride and reinforcing his utmost disdain for her. “Oh, you love me now? Now that you’re busted and I know the truth about who and what you are?” His grip tightened and she winced.

  “Gavin, you’re hurting me.” Her pleading voice penetrated the haze of anger and he immediately released her. Backing away, he crashed into the wall, staring as if he couldn’t really see her.

  “I was going to tell you,” Terri said, voice quivering.

  “When?” He fired in a tight, clipped tone.

  “I was waiting for the right time,” she mumbled. “You’re so angry. Let me explain. Please.”

  “Explain how you could be involved with a man who headed up a criminal enterprise. You participated in his activities. Explain.”

  “I never wanted to do those things. He made me do it,” Terri said in a small voice.

  “You’re a grown woman. Why didn’t you go to the police or tell someone in your family?”

  Clearly, no explanation would be good enough in light of the damning evidence. Her reasons sounded weak, even to her. Looking back on past actions, she felt nothing but disgust, but at the time, she’d been trapped, with no way out of her predicament.

  “I asked you to move in with me. I introduced you to my family.” Gavin sucked in a harsh breath. “You know who I am. You know my position. You know who my family is.” The disgust on his face twisted like a jagged knife in her heart.

  “You don’t know the whole story.” She reached for him and he recoiled.

  “You did good. Look at this place.” He swept a hand in the air, encompassing the room. “All that practice you had running scams and pilfering money from unsuspecting idiots paid off, didn’t it?”

  The cold churn of despair filled her heart. “I was going to tell you everything.”

  “Sure you were. You really think I’m an idiot, don’t you?”

  “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

  “That’s part of the con, isn’t it? Make me think I came up with the idea on my own?” He wagged a finger at her. “You’re good. You’re damn good.”

  Terri shook her head, trembling, but refused to cry. “I’m not a bad person. You’re wrong about me. What we have—”

  “What we have? Let me guess, I’m diffe
rent, right?” He laughed again, such an ugly, bitter sound. He advanced across the room, a menacing expression in his eyes. She felt the dining room wall against her back. When he clutched the back of her neck, she shivered from the memories of past abuse.

  “I will give you this…” His gaze ran down her attire—the sexy dress and heels she put on for him, and then waved his hand around the room. “All this…you earned it.”

  Her face burned. “Don’t.”

  “Matter of fact, I’m going to let you stay in the condo, just like I promised. See how generous I am? It’s already paid for, so what the hell. But the accounts, done.” His hand sliced through the air. “All the extras, done. You and me, done.”

  Terri wanted to yell and scream and tell him he couldn’t take back those things and he couldn’t treat her like this. Hurting from the pain of his rejection, she fisted her hands at her sides. Lifting her chin, she glared at him and managed to keep her voice steady. “Don’t do me any goddamn favors. I don’t need shit from you. I took care of myself before you, and I’ll do it again.”

  His honey-colored eyes flashed in annoyance. “Perfect. The sooner you get the hell out, the better.” He grabbed the briefcase and stormed off without the jacket and tie.

  Terri watched him march with long strides to the door. She grabbed onto the wall, forcing her feet to remain in place and not run after him. But when the door slammed shut, the finality of it sent her into a panic.

  “Wait!”

  She hurried down the entryway and grabbed the doorknob. Her breaths came in short, panicked huffs. Her fingers tightened around the steel but she held back from turning the knob.

  “Gavin.” The sob broke from her chest and tears doused her eyes, running over onto her cheeks. “You said—” The finality of his words slammed into her.

  Done.

  “You said you wouldn’t stop loving me,” she said in a broken whisper. She crumbled to her knees and dropped her forehead against the door. “I love you. And I’m ready.” He left her. She wrapped an arm around her hurting stomach, the pain of losing him wringing a deluge of tears onto her cheeks. “I’m ready.”