All The Pieces (Pieces of Lies 3)

by Angela Richardson

  “Clint, can I ask you something before we go in there?” She sounded as if it had been weighing on her mind for some time, even before this limo ride. There was so much sadness in her voice.

  “Yes. Ask me anything.”

  Truth be told, she never had to ask a question like that. I would always and forever be honest with Norah. The truth was the only way to get back into this girl’s heart. I was her open book. There was only one thing I was not telling her, but it wasn’t my secret to tell, nor was it the time. That time would be very soon, and I was no in no rush to get there. If I could, I would freeze time right now, so that moment would never arrive. Thankfully, Norah diverted my mind off that particular line of heart-wrenching thinking.

  “Why are you here Clint? Why are you helping me like this? I mean, you are being so understanding and supportive. It’s just, if you wanted to be friends, why didn’t you come to my art show in New York after I emailed you? I just don’t understand. What changed your mind?”

  It was yet another stomach punch. Another blow in this constant web of lies that she was always mixed up in.

  She didn’t know I was there? Of course she didn’t know, and I knew why.

  “What are you talking about Norah? I spent the whole night trying to get into your show, but I was refused every time. I tried, I really did. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”

  “Why couldn’t you get in?” She brought her hand to her head, like she was thinking hard. “Why didn’t security tell me? Or ask me about you?” I could already see her working it out in her mind as the questions tumbled from her lips. The answer was easy. The answer was obvious. Her eyes dropped before I even said his name.

  “Josh,” I said filling in the blank. “Josh wouldn’t let me in. Security told me he was in charge and that I was prohibited from seeing you.” Her eyes remained looking at the floor. “I am going to assume he didn’t tell you I was there, or you wouldn’t be asking me these questions.” I sighed. “You should know that Sam tried to get in as well, but had the same result.” She had a right to know that too. I wanted to be fair to everyone involved.

  “Oh.” Her voice was barely audible. “I’m sorry Clint. I didn’t know you were there. I had no idea...”

  This had to stop. For some reason Norah kept apologizing for everything Josh had done. It wasn’t right, and I couldn’t hear another ‘I’m sorry’ come out of her mouth.

  “Norah, please stop doing that.”

  “Stop doing what?”

  “Apologizing for Josh. It’s driving me crazy. And the more I see you finding out about everything he has done, the harder it is for me to understand why you are still here, trying to help him and get him back.”

  She blinked a few times, looking out the window as the limo came to a stop. Norah took hold of the door handle, about to open it, but stopped and turned to me. “It’s his life that is at stake here Clint.”

  She said the word life with genuine fear for his safety. Their bond went back a long way, long before me and Samuel. I couldn’t forget how much she cared for Josh, even if she was ignoring his obvious flaws. Their relationship quite possibly was up in the air, but their friendship was unconditional. She would do anything to help a friend. I tried to be softer and more understanding about what she was doing. “Yeah, I know it is Norah. I get it. I understand. It’s his life.”

  She bowed her head as she opened the door, gazing out as she did. “Yes...but his life, is part of mine.”

  She stepped out of the limo after uttering those words, which neither really explained her behavior or made sense to me in the way it should. There was something else in Norah’s head that was stopping her from the rage and the rampage she was known for when smacked in the face with such a stream of lies. She was acting out of character and I refused to believe it was from personal growth, maturity or acceptance of what Josh had done. No. No way. Norah was fundamentally passionate and headstrong, and not the type of girl who would allow these massive manipulations to be let go. It felt like we were all still holding secrets that we couldn’t share. Yes, I had mine, and Norah had hers.

  I followed Norah out of the limo to where we were met at a set of large double doors by the date party hostess who was quick to show us inside. She was a blond, in a black cocktail dress, wearing a set of black-rimmed glasses. She looked like a secretary in fancy get up as her hair was pinned back into a French twist, but I knew she would most certainly be a Lappell member. Everyone at this party except the dates were supposedly ‘elite’ Lappell or their Lappell substitutes like me.

  When we first entered the ballroom, we were presented with a tray of champagne flutes by a server. “Take a glass of champagne Norah.” I encouraged Norah to take a drink, hoping it would help her relax.

  She reached for the glass, but then stopped herself and pulled her hand back. “Uh, no thank you. I ahhh...need to be thinking clearly. I don’t want any alcohol clouding my judgment, especially for this.”

  That seemed to be a wise move on her behalf. Norah plus alcohol had somewhat unpredictable outcomes. My mind drifted back to the night I had shown up to beg her forgiveness in Morewell and she had answered the door completely buzzed. That was a night I’ll never forget for both the emotional and the physical outcomes. Norah had allowed herself to give into her emotions that night, showing me just how deep her love for me went. I never brought it up because she was so drunk, but she said things to me that night that she had never said to me before. She told me what she felt when she first saw my eyes. How she experienced a kind of insta-love feeling she thought was only possible in books and movies, and not real life. She also told me how scared she was that something that deep that could exist for her. How she wasn’t sure she deserved that kind of love. She didn’t remember any of it, but I didn’t forget a word.

  “So how do we find this Hamilton guy?” Norah asked me as she looked around nervously. The elite members and their lingerie-clad dates had started to flood into the ballroom. They stood around talking to each other about business and politics, all lost in conversation. The clothing or lack thereof on these ladies, didn’t seem to faze the members in the slightest. They looked as if it was just a regular night out. Nothing special. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was unnerving how normal this appeared to all the guests.

  We were just standing there, looking uncomfortable and out of place, our eyes darting to all corners of the mansion. I needed to try and figure out the best move to make. How do we get to Hamilton? How do we get noticed in a room like this?

  “Delia said we have to get his attention somehow. I just don’t know how we are supposed to do that here. I mean how do we stand out?”

  Suddenly the look in Norah’s eyes changed. The nervous air she had walked in with, lifted from her face. Her eyes closed slightly and then opened wide, revealing pools of chocolate confidence. The change in her facial expression forced me to take a breath. How could you not love a creature like this — Angel by day, vixen by night.

  “We make sure we get noticed Clint. That’s what we do.” She reached for her fur coat, undoing the buttons at the front, and pulling it off and handing it to me. She shook her hair a little and stood even taller in those black heels. This was not shy Norah from back at the mansion. This was not apologetic Norah from the limo. This was Norah on a mission. Tall, strong, motivated, and scorching hot. “Follow behind me, but not too closely okay,” she said handing me the coat. I couldn’t peel my eyes off her face or her body. Even if she had asked me not to follow her, I would have followed anyway. I was in a Norah state of mind.

  She flicked her hair once again and began to stride into the crowd in her designer lingerie and sky-high heels. Her hair was moving as if it had the wind in it. Her face and her body catching the eyes of every man in the room. She walked fiercely and determined, and there was not one person who didn’t turn to watch her, like they could see her move in slow motion. It was a surreal sight. She was a sexual magnet pulling every eye, and every hand her
way. To me, she was still a ray of sunshine, but to the Lappell, she was a sinful delicacy of light, paving its way through the darkness. She commanded the full attention of the room, and that was exactly what she was getting.

  I followed, drawn by my never-ending love and the primal urge to be near her. It wasn’t long before a number of hands reached out to hold her, and I felt my blood beginning to boil. I didn’t like the way the men slid their arms around her waist, drawing her into their bodies like they thought they had the right to. No one should be touching her. No one should have the privilege. A number of men began whispering into her ear. Offers perhaps. Promises of more. She smiled that sensual smile as she responded to their requests. I quickened my pace behind her as I watched man after man approach her. I could hear her asking for their names and when she didn’t hear what she needed, she kept moving. I knew she was looking for Hamilton, but it was taking every ounce of my strength not to throw her over my shoulder and run out of this place.

  Along with my eternal love for this girl came my jealousy, and it was about to explode into a ball of violence. Then, a handsome guy who was much younger than many of the other men here, latched onto her wrist. His hands danced around her waist, his face a little too close to her lips. He brushed his mouth around her neck as he spoke. Norah looked like she was trying to pull out of his hold, but his grasp on her wrist and his hold on her waist looked like it was tightening. She pulled away again as he drew her closer while she shook her head.

  That was it for me.

  I think my brain had left my body in that minute. It wasn’t rational thought. It was all instinct. Instinct to protect Norah. To protect what I believed and knew would always be mine. I ripped the guy’s hands from her waist and spun him to face me. My fist then connected with his face with a loud skin-breaking punch, dropping him to the floor. Blood spurted from his nose.

  “Clint!” Norah yelled. The room came to an eerie silence as everyone turned towards us to see what had happened. I don’t know what came over me. Built-up anger from what Josh did to our relationship. Seeing men paw at Norah and not being able to do anything about it. Samuel’s threat on the plane. It was rage sitting in the palm of my hand that connected with this guy’s face the moment I saw him trying to make Norah do something she didn’t want to do.

  Then two security guards appeared beside us. Fuck. I was going to get us thrown out. My caveman actions were about to have severe consequences for our plan. I knew Norah would hate me for destroying a chance to see Hamilton. I had majorly screwed this up.

  “Hamilton would like to see the two of you,” the bigger of the two security guards said in a low deep voice. “Privately.”

  My breath faltered as I turned to Norah. There was a God. And lucky for me, he liked a good fight.

  The security guards led us to an elevator and then to a third level, where there was door upon door for private rooms. I shuddered to think about what was going on in those rooms, for everyone to see. That was what this party was about after all. We arrived at a room that was dimly lit as we walked in. There was a lamp that illuminated a corner in the room, while the rest of the suite was in complete darkness. The security guards took us over to where a man was seated in a chair in the corner of the lit section of the room. As we got closer, we both recognized the man that we had seen on Delia’s laptop.

  It was Hamilton Brooks.

  We stood staring at him, waiting for him to talk first. His beady eyes soaked up the way Norah looked in her black bra and panties. The urge to punch again was already back in my hands. But luckily for the old bastard, he began to speak.

  “I’m impressed Ms. Rossi. I’m impressed that you managed to track me down, and impressed that you came to this event, dressed like that.”

  “Where is Josh?” Norah snapped, not biting at his comments and getting straight down to business.

  “We’ll get to that, but first, a chat.” He looked over to me and then back to Norah. “I see you’ve come with Mr. Weston as your date. Now hopefully it was explained to you, that if you come here as a date and not as an official Lappell member, then there are certain expectations you are expected to fulfill.”

  “Hamilton...” I tried to interject.

  “Quiet Mr. Weston. I’m talking to Miss Rossi. Or would you prefer to wait outside while we speak?”

  I shut my mouth. I had zero control here so I had to be careful. I had to make sure I could stay and protect Norah. Being thrown out and leaving Norah to fend for herself was the last thing I wanted.

  “Firstly, I just want to tell you Miss Rossi that I’m a big fan of your father. Huge. You don’t know how pleased I am to have his daughter with us, so thank you. It’s an honor to have you here this evening.” Hamilton’s grin then changed to something different, more sinister, his shoulders leaning back in his chair. “And second, I know exactly where Joshua Hollows is and I know how you can get to him. So if you want that information, you’re going to have to play while you are here at this party.” He raised a hand and pulled two fingers together with a tiny space between them. “Just a little bit.”

  “No Hamilton, Norah won’t...”

  “What do I have to do?” Norah cut me off, eying Hamilton carefully.

  “Well, since you’re Mr. Weston’s date, I want to see you...dance for him.” He twirled his finger in the air. “Seductively.”

  “Norah, ummm, no, you can’t do this...”

  “Okay,” she said, her voice steady, her gaze not leaving Hamilton’s face. She was taking the ‘no fear’ approach, but I knew she must have been trembling on the inside.

  She swallowed as she stood in front of me, her back against my chest. Then, as if there was music in the silent room, she began to move up and down, her body going from side to side. Her arms were gliding along my chest, drawing in my body, as she continued to move to imaginary music. She kept her eyes partially closed as she danced around me, touching me, trying to look as if it was real and erotic. I tried to see into her eyes to see if she was sad, scared, broken; but she wouldn’t look at me. Wouldn’t glance to see my reaction. She was doing what she needed to do. She was damning her own morals and reasoning for him. For Josh. And I hated him for it.

  “Very nice Lenorah. Very nice,” Hamilton complimented as Norah stood side by side with me now. She took a few short breaths. I was hoping for Norah that this would be over very soon.

  “Now,” Hamilton began, his head going from Norah's face and then to mine. “Kiss him.”

  Norah’s body tensed beside me. “What? You can’t be serious?”

  “Would you prefer to be asked to do what the other dates and the members are doing instead? Now tick-tock. I’m getting bored...and forgetful about where Mr. Hollows is.”

  Norah cleared her throat. “Alight. Fine.”

  She turned to me and stared up into my eyes. They were glossy, like she was doing her darnedest not to cry. I could see her humiliation and pain for having to perform like an animal for him. And now she was being forced to kiss me. I know she didn’t have to, but I also knew we had no other option at this point. He was the only way to Josh, and Norah would do anything he told her to if it meant his safe return.

  Norah hooked her hand around my waist. I could feel it shaking. I wanted more than anything to steady it with my own. I wanted to comfort her, and draw her hand to my chest to show her that I would help her get through this, but all I could feel were her shaking fingers.

  She lifted her head up to mine and immediately shut her eyes. Was she imagining she was about to kiss Josh right now? Whatever was going through her mind, she was doing her best to try and hide her emotions, keep her face steady and controlled. I closed my eyes too. I couldn’t watch her struggle through this, especially with me. It was cutting a lot deeper than I expected.

  As soon as I closed both eyes, I felt her lips gently connect to mine. They were restrained, hesitant and also trembling with the rest of her body. She pulled away quickly and stepped away from me, still not ma
king eye contact.

  So that’s what a loveless kiss feels like.

  Hamilton shook his head. “Now, now Ms. Rossi. You are going to have to do better than that. Look, I will make you a deal. You show me a kiss worth remembering, and I will show you where Joshua Hollows is.”

  Her back stiffened as she glared at Hamilton. I knew she didn’t want to do that again. I saw her swallow, but then finally breathed out, “You promise you will show me where Josh is?”

  “Yes Lenorah.” He held his palm over his chest, like it really meant he was being honest. “I swear.”

  She turned to me now, finally meeting my eyes, a grave look on her face. She leaned into me and whispered, “Clint, I’m sorry you have to do this. I know this must be the last thing you want to do with me, but I will need your help this time. Can you help me make it look...”

  She couldn’t finish. Was she crazy? All I had thought about in the last six months between the nameless faces of women who tried to get my attention, were her lips, her smile, her voice, her face. This was something I had to hold on to for as long as she allowed. Last thing I want? No, it was the first and only thing I’ve ever truly wanted in my life.

  I put my hand gently on her waist, softly, so she knew she had nothing to worry about. “Norah, I will help it look believable. I’m here to help you. Let me help you as much as I can, alright? You need to relax. Follow my lead and I will take care of the presentation. Just keep your hands on my hips. Are you going to be okay to do that?”