Sex & Lies

by Michelle Iannarelli

  “Craig? Why was Craig with Ryan?”

  “Look, I will explain on the way. Go grab your shoes.”

  Alex ran back up the stairs to get her shoes.

  Miguel didn’t want to have to explain but he certainly wasn’t going to lie to Alex. He had hoped to keep her in the dark about Ryan’s safety and the Grimaldi family.

  Ryan arrived at the hospital. Darla sat in the waiting room while Craig followed Ryan into the ER and stood guard outside his door.

  The doctor walked over to Ryan and started to examine him. “Ryan, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?”

  Ryan mumbled. “Faith.”

  “Open your eyes, Ryan. You’re in the hospital. You had an accident.”

  Ryan blinked a few times before his eyes opened fully. “Car…hit me.”

  “It sure did. I’m Dr. Martino and I’m going to take care of that leg of yours.”

  “Does…Faith know?”

  “I can have one of the nurses call someone for you if you’d like?”

  “My phone, it’s in…my pocket.”

  The nurse reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. Ryan lifted up his hand and put his finger on the reader so the phone would unlock. “Faith should be in…my recent call list.”

  The nurse dialed the phone and handed it to Ryan.

  “Hey, Sexy.”

  “Faith…”

  “Oh my God, Ryan, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m ok…can you come to…the hospital?”

  “What happened?”

  “I may have broken…my leg.”

  “I’m on my way. I love you.”

  “Me too.”

  Ryan handed the phone back to the nurse. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m going to get you up to x-ray to see about that leg.”

  “If Faith comes…”

  “If Faith comes, I will have her sit right here and wait for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Miguel and Alex came rushing into the ER and Alex went straight for the desk. “Can you tell me where Ryan DiPietro is?”

  “Are you a member of his immediate family?”

  “I’m his sister.”

  “I will go and see what I can find out. Wait here.”

  Alex paced. “I still can’t believe that you think this was intentional.”

  “Alex, we can’t discuss that here.”

  “Alex.”

  Alex turned and Darla was standing there. “Darla, were you with my brother?”

  “No, he left before me. By the time I walked out he had already been hit. All I saw was the car speeding away and then Craig, your brother’s friend, jumped out of a car and ran over to him.”

  “Where is Craig now?” Alex looked around.

  “He went inside the ER with Ryan.”

  “ALEX!”

  Alex spun around and Faith flew into her arms. “Faith. I was going to wait until I heard something to call you.”

  Darla looked at Faith and knew she must be the one Ryan was seeing.

  “Ryan called me and asked me to come.”

  “Oh good, then he is conscious.”

  Faith looked at Darla. “You were with him?”

  “We were working late on a case. He left before me but then I saw him after the accident and stayed with him.”

  Faith was a little jealous but grateful that Ryan wasn’t alone. “What happened? All Ryan said was that he thought he broke his leg.”

  Alex grabbed Faith’s hand. “He was hit by a car.”

  “A car…”

  “Hello, I’m Dr. Martino, Mr. DiPietro’s doctor.”

  “I’m Ryan’s sister.”

  “Should we speak in private?”

  “No, you can speak freely here.”

  “Well, I will say that your brother is a very lucky man. He seems to have nothing more than a concussion and a badly bruised bone in his leg. I think his briefcase saved it from being broken.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “Are you Faith?”

  “Yes.”

  “He’s been waiting for you, follow me.”

  Faith smiled. Alex patted her on the back as she walked by her. “Tell him that I love him.”

  “Ryan!”

  Ryan looked up and smiled at Faith. “Hey, Love.”

  Faith hugged him. “I was so worried.”

  “I’m fine. I’m feeling much better now.”

  “How did you get hit? Weren’t you looking? Or was that when you were texting me?”

  “It was after I texted you and I thought I looked but the next thing I knew I was hit and then woke up here.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever…”

  “Hey, I’m fine. Stop thinking crazy thoughts.”

  “Can I take him home now?”

  “I’d rather he stayed overnight for observation.”

  “I want to go home.”

  “Ryan, don’t you think that the doctor knows best?”

  “Sounds like you have a smart woman right there.” The doctor smiled.

  “Fine. I will stay but I’m leaving before breakfast.”

  “Deal.” Faith kissed Ryan.

  MIGUEL, MILES AND DANE all met to discuss Ryan and their plan of action.

  “So now what?” Miles looked up at Miguel.

  “Dane caught the driver and the police have him in custody but he isn’t talking.”

  “Why were you on a security detail?”

  “I needed to talk to Craig so I let Hanson take a dinner break.”

  Miles nodded. “Ahh, lucky you.”

  “Gave me a brief thrill.” Dane laughed.

  Miguel sat back down. “Can you make sure that both Alex and Faith have around the clock security, Dane?”

  “Done.”

  “As much as I don’t want to upset Alex, I’m going to tell her what’s going on. Lord only knows what she’d do to me if she found out and I didn’t tell her.”

  “Another reason why I remain single.”

  “I used to feel the same way but once I fell in love with Alex my whole world changed.”

  “Wait, it gets so much better once you have a child.”

  Dane looked at Miguel and Miles and decided he better get going before he started to think like them. “I’m going now, you two can continue sharing your sappy stories.”

  Miguel grabbed Dane by the shoulder. “Man, I hope you find sappy one day.”

  “Yeah…NO!” Dane walked out.

  “Ready to go home?”

  Ryan looked over at Faith and smiled. “More than ready but I need to go to work.”

  “Work! No, you are going home to bed.”

  “I have to get to court.”

  “Ryan, they can postpone. You need to be home in bed.”

  “She’s right.”

  Faith gave Ryan a victory smile, before looking over at the doctor. “Thank you.”

  “Ryan, you have a concussion. I’m recommending that you take a few days off and rest.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “You can suffer long term problems. Headaches, trouble concentrating…”

  “Or nothing?”

  “Look, I can only give you the best medical advice I have to offer and that would be to stay home for a few days and rest.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Martino.”

  “I will have them send up a wheelchair for you. Good luck.” The doctor turned and walked out.

  “Faith, I need to get to court.”

  “You need to take care of yourself. Please, Ryan.” Faith pouted.

  Ryan couldn’t resist her pout. “Ok, I’ll stay home but just for a few days.”

  Faith grabbed Ryan and kissed him. “Thank you. I love you.”

  Alex walked into Miguel’s study and he pulled her down onto his lap. “Sweetheart, I need to talk…”

  Alex jumped up from Miguel’s lap. “Oh no, you promised…”

  “Alex, I’m not leav
ing. That I did promise.”

  “Then what is it? Oh God, is it Ryan?”

  “Ryan is ok…for now.”

  “For now?”

  Miguel reached out and pulled Alex back onto his lap. “I am going to be totally honest with you even though I hate the thought of upsetting you but I promised that I’d never keep secrets or lie to you again.”

  “Miguel, you’re scaring me.”

  “Remember when Ryan was beaten up and I had people watching him?”

  “Yes, but you said it was a false alarm.”

  “Yeah, first he’s beaten up and now he’s hit by a car. Seems suspicious to me and it just so happens that both the men who beat him up and the one who hit him were hired. I may not be able to prove it but I am sure I know who is behind it.”

  “Now I really am scared.”

  “I have security details on Ryan, Faith and…you.”

  “Me?”

  “Alex, when these people want something they will hurt anyone to get what they want and I’m not about to allow anyone to hurt you.”

  “But why are they after Ryan?”

  “Alex, you can’t discuss this with anyone. The Grimaldi family is very powerful and dangerous. Ryan has been working on a case against them in conjunction with the District Attorney’s office.”

  “Why doesn’t he back off then so…”

  “Alex, it isn’t that simple. You know that.”

  “What I know is that I don’t want to see my brother get killed.”

  “Neither do I and that is why I have security details on all of you.”

  Alex hugged Miguel. “Thank you for loving me so much.”

  “Ryan and Faith don’t know anything about this, I wanted to tell you first. I am going to try to talk some sense into your brother. I know that it probably won’t do any good but I was going to try anyway.”

  “Maybe if I go with you he will listen to me.”

  “Why don’t we have breakfast and then a little sex before we go.” Miguel winked.

  “You always know how to cheer me up.”

  “That’s because I love you so much, Mrs. Cruz.”

  Alex smiled.

  Faith opened her front door and Ryan hopped in. “I wish you would have let me get you a wheelchair.”

  “Faith, you’re lucky I’m using crutches, don’t push it.”

  Faith closed the door and then walked back over to Ryan and stood in front of him. “How about we get you to bed?”

  “Come with me?”

  “You need to rest.”

  “I’ll rest while you saddle up and ride this big boy.”

  “Oh so that is how it’s going to be. I literally have to sit on you to keep you in bed?”

  Ryan nodded before kissing Faith.

  Alex knocked twice before Faith opened the door in Ryan’s t-shirt. “Ewww…were you and Ryan…no don’t answer.”

  Faith blushed when she saw Miguel standing there and slammed the door. She ran back into the bedroom.

  “Who was at the door, Love?”

  “Alex and Miguel. I ran back in to pull on some shorts.”

  Ryan sat up. “Whoa.”

  “Are you alright?”

  “I got up too fast.”

  “You stay here. I’ll go let them in.”

  “Let them in?”

  “Yeah, when I saw Miguel I freaked and slammed the door on them.”

  Ryan laughed. “You left them outside. Oh, Faith.”

  “Did you want McHottie to see my goods?”

  “You mean my goods.” Ryan smiled.

  Faith leaned over and kissed his cheek before she walked back to the door. Faith opened the door and found Miguel and Alex kissing.

  “Oh, Hi!”

  Alex pulled away from Miguel and looked at Faith. “We were just keeping busy.”

  Faith giggled. “Come in.”

  “I’d ask how Ryan was doing but I see that you’re keeping him in bed.”

  “A girl does…what a girl must do.” Faith laughed and so did Miguel.

  “I believe Alex has used that tactic on me in the past.”

  Alex smiled. “So can I see him or did you wear him out?”

  “He’s in the bedroom. I told him to stay in bed because when he sat up he got dizzy.”

  Alex knocked and then walked into the bedroom. “Hey!”

  “Hey, Sis.”

  Alex sat down on the bed and Ryan reached for her hand. “Please tell me this hand wasn’t up Faith’s hoo-ha?” Alex laughed.

  “Nah, that hand was up her ass.” Ryan laughed as he watched his sister cringe.

  Alex shook her head and then she looked at Ryan. “Ry, I’m worried about you.”

  “I’m fine. The doctor said that I just needed to take it easy for a few days.”

  “Miguel told me that you’re working on a case that involves the Grimaldi’s.”

  “And he thinks that they have something to do with this?”

  “He does.”

  “I’m not backing down, Alex.”

  “Ryan, I don’t want to see you hurt…or worse.”

  “If I know Miguel he already has people protecting me whether I want them to or not. That’s why Craig was there when I got hit. I’m no fool. I knew he never had them stand down after I got my ass kicked.”

  “Ryan, we care about you.”

  “YOU care about me. Miguel only cares about you.”

  “Whatever. I love you and I refuse to live without you, so you had better just deal with it if you’re not going to drop this case.”

  “I love you too and that is the only reason I’m not going to fight you on this.”

  “Miguel has security for Faith and I too.”

  “Is he still here?”

  “Yeah, I left him talking to Faith.”

  “I don’t want Faith freaking out about this.”

  “Ryan, you know she’ll be pissed if she finds out you kept this from her.”

  “Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t find out.”

  “Miguel, thank you for making Alex so happy.”

  “She is my whole world, Faith. I’d do anything to make her happy.”

  “I hope Ryan will say that about me one day.”

  “So far, you’ve worked miracles. I never thought he’d settle down. Give him some time.”

  “Miguel, Ryan wants to see you.”

  “Excuse me.” Miguel walked around Faith, kissed Alex on her forehead and then headed into the bedroom.

  “Close the door.”

  Miguel turned and closed the door. “What’s up? How are you feeling?”

  “I’m ok. Alex told me what’s going on. Thank you for looking out for my sister.”

  “No problem. As much as I don’t like having to worry about Alex and wish you’d back down, I admire your strength and determination to see this through.”

  “I need a favor.”

  “Anything.”

  “I don’t want Faith to know about any of this.”

  Miguel raised his hands up. “Uhh, that is a bad idea. Do you know what happens when a woman finds out you’ve kept a secret?”

  “She worries too much already and I don’t want her to be in a constant panic.”

  “Fine. She won’t hear anything from me.”

  Ryan reached out his hand. “Thank you.”

  Miguel shook Ryan’s hand. “You’re family, no thanks needed.”

  FAITH PARKED IN FRONT of Ryan’s office. “I wish you’d stay home another day.”

  “Faith, I’ve been home for two days and I’ve been fine.” Ryan kissed Faith. “Pick me up at five.”

  “Ok, I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Ryan got out of the car and Faith watched as he limped into work.

  Ryan sat down at his desk and Darla walked in. “Welcome back!”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ve handled all of your appointments and the judge postponed the Grimaldi case until Monday after I explained about your ac
cident.”

  “You’re the best.”

  “She is, isn’t she.” Zac smiled. “Welcome back. Need anything?”

  “Actually, Darla, would you mind giving Zac and I a minute to talk?”

  “No problem.” Darla turned and walked out closing the door behind her.

  Zac sat down. “What’s up?”

  “I want to apologize about Faith.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t handle that too well.”

  “There’s something else. Faith and I, we talked and we’re dating now.”

  “Ok.”

  “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.”

  “It was bound to happen sooner or later. It’s no secret that she is in love with you.”

  “Zac, look, I’ll understand if you want me to resign.”

  “No way. We’ll get through this.”

  Ryan extended his hand and Zac grabbed it and shook it.

  Dane was sitting at Lacey’s desk waiting for Miguel. Lacey came around the bend and saw Dane sitting in her chair. “I’ve been replaced.”

  Dane spun the chair around and smiled at Lacey. “You, My Dear, are irreplaceable.”

  “Everyone can be replaced.”

  “Perhaps, but they would not be as beautiful as you.”

  Lacey could feel her cheeks heat up. “Do you enjoy embarrassing me?”

  “No. That was not my intention. You are a beautiful woman and it bothers me that you don’t see that.”

  “Dane, are you harassing my employees again?” Miguel smiled and then winked at Lacey.

  “Migs, hey.”

  “I’m actually here to say goodbye.”

  “Goodbye?”

  Dane looked back at Lacey. “My time here has run out. I need to head back.”

  Lacey was disappointed to see him go. “Well, you take care of yourself.”

  Dane placed his hand on her cheek. “You take care of yourself.”

  Dane turned back toward Miguel. “Keep in touch, Migs.”

  “Watch your back.” Miguel hugged Dane.

  “Always.”

  And just like that Dane was gone again.

  Ryan was sifting through paperwork when he heard his cell phone ding. He reached for it and opened his text messages. There was a message from an unknown number.