Tangled Lies (Web of Secrets Book 1)

by Reana Malori

  Her involvement with him is what got her in this situation. Not only was her life in danger, but her family’s lives as well. It hadn’t been planned this way, but sometimes, life had a way of creating obstacles and hazards that had to be navigated. A voice came over the intercom.

  “Yes?”

  “Tristan Lucarelli is here to speak with Mr. Raymond Sperry.”

  The voice on the other side went silent for a few moments, as if questioning whether to open the gate. As the gate slid open, Tristan found himself releasing a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

  Feeling his regular, non-business phone buzz as a text came through, he looked down at the screen. His lips curled in a smile as he read the words.

  Camille: Hi baby

  Tristan: Hey, beautiful. What’s up?

  Camille: I’m gonna head to my place tonight

  Tristan: Why?

  Something about her going back to her own place didn’t sit right with him. He knew it was too soon for her to move in with him. The thought shouldn’t even be in his head right now, but it was. Just the thought of sleeping without her next to him made his gut clench. She needed to be with him so he could protect her. Hold her close to him.

  Camille: Thinking maybe you need some space.

  Tristan: No.

  Camille: Don’t you need a night without me?

  Tristan: Never. You belong with me. It feels right.

  Camille: You belong to me also.

  Tristan: Come home to me after work. If you don’t, I’ll come find you and drag you back to my house.

  Camille: Fine. You know you’re a bully, right? Be there around 6

  Tristan: That’s my girl. Talk later.

  That she actually thought she’d stay away from him a full night was laughable. When she was with him, he slept like the innocent he’d never been. Not even as a child. Camille made him smile again. She made him dream of things he’d never thought could be his.

  A picture of her big and round, his child growing in her stomach, brought a smile to his face. Yeah, that’s what he wanted. Camille with his last night, his baby growing inside her body, and the two of them together living their best life.

  He could have that. Would have that. All he needed to do was get through this meeting with her father and kill his cousin Marco before he tried to harm anyone Tristan cared about.

  Easy.

  Once they pulled up to the front door, Tristan gathered his thoughts and stepped out of the car. The front door opened. He was expecting to see Raymond Sperry welcoming him into his home. Instead, Camille’s mother stood there with a stern look on her face.

  “Tristan Lucarelli. I haven’t seen you in ages.”

  Surprised at her words, he chose to stay quiet. There were memories of Beverly Sperry floating around his brain.

  “You were just a small little thing when I held you in my arms. Of course, that was when your beautiful mother was still alive.” Stepping back, she opened the door wider, allowing him to enter the home.

  All he could do was smile at her. Tristan didn’t know she knew his mother. He thought the relationship between the two families had only involved the men. Not the women. Interesting. Looking around, he noticed the house was smaller than his uncle’s, but it was homier. More lived in. He could see family pictures and kid’s drawings in silver frames covering the walls. Itching to get closer to confirm the kid drawings were done by his Camille, he took one step before Beverly called out to him again.

  “Raymond was finishing up some calls, but he knows you’ve arrived for a visit.”

  At the last words, her eyebrows lifted in a combination of question and challenge. He’d never darkened their doorstep before, so stopping by for a friendly visit would be unheard of. They both knew he was there for another reason. Since he wasn’t giving anything away, and neither was she, they were at a standstill.

  “Tristan? Son, what are you doing here? Unannounced, I might add.” Wearing a pair of black workout pants, a royal blue pullover, and a pair of black leather slippers, Raymond looked like any other man relaxing inside his house on his day off. Who knew that underneath that everyday man façade, lay the heart of a killer?

  Did Mrs. Sperry know what her husband was capable of? Glancing at the beautiful older woman as she watched her husband approach, he wondered just how much she knew? She’d known his mother, which must mean she knew how her husband and his family were connected.

  “Tristan? You didn’t answer my question,” Raymond interrupted his internal musings.

  “Yes, I know this is unexpected. Something has come to my attention, and I wanted to speak with you about it.” He continued speaking in code since he wasn’t sure how much Beverly knew. Briefly turning his gaze to her, he smiled, before turning back to Raymond. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

  Raymond glanced at his wife before turning towards a room off to the side. “Let’s go in here. Want a drink? Oh, before we get to talking. Do your men need anything? Water?”

  Tristan shook his head. “No, they’re fine. I have full coolers in all my vehicles. Just in case.”

  “Okay. Drink?” He asked again, walking over to the corner bar.

  “Yes. That’d be fine.” Gazing around the dark-paneled room, he noticed the décor of this room also boasted family photos, hand-drawn pictures from a child in places of high honor, magazines, and what looked to be business papers and reports strewn around.

  “Please, have a seat.” Beverly came up beside him, motioning to one of the leather chairs across from a small loveseat. Raymond brought her a drink, then walked back to the bar and picked up the liquor-filled glasses for him and Tristan.

  “Here you go,” he said, before sitting down in the other leather chair next to Tristan. “Now, what did you want to talk about?”

  Tristan looked over at Beverly Sperry, pausing before speaking. Beverly spoke up. “Don’t let the façade fool you. I know what my husband’s been up to for more than thirty-five years. We have no secrets. None. That you’re here means something’s happened. That something either involves our beautiful little girl, or it means my husband will be coming out of retirement. Either way, it’d be best to tell us both at the same time.”

  Laughing low as he took a sip, Raymond chimed in. “She’s right, you know. People don’t realize just how involved she is. It’s her beauty that fools you. No one thinks someone who looks like her could ever understand or be involved with the things best left in the dark. Hell, this woman could lead a damn army of demons and not bat an eyelash.”

  Tristan shook in his head, shocked. Beverly was blushing from that sorta-somewhat-crazy compliment. No wonder Camille had her own way of thinking about the world.

  “Go on, son, we’re listening. What’s going on?”

  Since Raymond had asked the question, that’s who he addressed. “Marco. He’s going to betray the family. Uncle Roberto has been tagged. As have I.” Looking back at Beverly, he noticed her eyes were hard, focused, and she was waiting for the rest.

  Smiling at him, she nudged him to continue. “There’s more, right? Unless why come to us? If this were only related to your family business, we would have no need to know this information. What else did you come to tell us?”

  Oh yeah, she was just as deadly as her husband. “He knows I’m with Camille. That I—that she—holds a special place in my life. You, Mr. Sperry, are also on that list. As is Camille.”

  “Over my dead fucking body,” Beverly spoke up.

  Tristan wouldn’t tell her that was a distinct possibility. No, he didn’t tell his aunt, and he wouldn’t tell her. Not because they couldn’t handle it because he knew they could. It was more that he knew it was his job to protect the women of his family. And with how he felt about Camille, Mrs. Beverly Sperry was going to be part of his family very soon.

  “Honey, slow down. Just hold on a second,” Raymond interjected. “I’m sure Tristan has a plan for how he wants to han
dle this, right?”

  Leaning back, Tristan smiled. “I do. Just need to make sure I keep Camille safe.”

  “Does she know what’s going on?” Raymond asked.

  Shaking his head, he sighed. “Not yet. But she will. I needed to set some things in motion first.”

  “Tristan, you need to tell her,” Beverly snapped. “My baby knows how to handle whatever comes her way. But only if she’s prepared.”

  Tristan had no doubt this was true.

  Raymond spoke up after draining his glass of whiskey. “Her momma and I tried to raise her in a way that she wouldn’t fold at the first sign of trouble. If she feels the same way about you that you feel about her, she’ll stand by you.” Looking over at his wife, he smiled softly before speaking again. “Sperry women are stronger than you think. If your relationship is going where I think you want it to go, you’d be lucky to have her by your side.”

  Tristan was glad he’d decided to come and speak with Raymond. Sure, he could have handled things a different way. On his own. But he knew it was better to have people he could trust. Placing his own empty glass on the coaster to free up his hands, he stood. “Here’s what I’ve come up with so far…”

  CHAPTER 10

  “Ah, Tristan.” Words escaped Camille’s lips on a sigh as her slick channel readied itself for what was coming next. She didn’t want to open her eyes in case this was a dream.

  “Look at me, Sweetheart.” Tristan’s voice called out to her. The warm brush of his breath caressed her hardened nubbin, and she knew he’d been priming her body as she still slept.

  Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she still couldn’t believe life had gifted her with a man like him. Not only was he caring and took care of all her needs, he never left her unsatisfied. He’d go without his own release for her. Not that sex was the only thing between them. There was so much more. The past two weeks, he’d been more attentive to her needs. Not letting her out of his sight for any length of time.

  Sure, she went to work each day and saw her friend Shandra. Hell, she’d even met up with D for lunch a couple of times. Always with a few of Tristan’s bodyguards around. He said it made him feel better. She knew it was more than that.

  Now that she’d been dating him for over three months, she also knew more about how he conducted business. She never mentioned anything to him or stuck her nose where it didn’t belong, but she knew. She also didn’t give a shit. As long as he kept her safe and his business didn’t hurt her, she could wait a while longer for him to open up.

  His large hand tapped the inside of her thigh, “Open your eyes, sleepy-head. I know you’re awake. You get nothing until I see those beautiful eyes looking at me.”

  Unable to do anything else, she looked down at him. “Good morning, baby.”

  “Not yet, but give it a few more minutes.” Just as he said the words, she watched as his tongue came out to lick her pussy from bottom to top.

  She moaned deep in her throat, her back arching at just how good it felt. When he reached the top, his tongue swirled around the hardened bundle of nerves peeking out from her lower lips. Pausing, he grabbed her clit with his lips, suctioning hard, as if it were his favorite lollipop. His tongue flicked and twirled the hard nubbin. His hands wrapped around her thighs, pulling her body closer, holding her steady for his unending assault. Legs widened in sheer ecstasy, she released his shoulders and tried to grab at his short hair.

  Delirious with desire and overwhelmed by the intensity of the feelings coursing through her body, she couldn’t prevent the yell from escaping. “Oh, God! Yes,” she gasped. “Just like that. Please more. Don’t stop,” she pleaded in a strained voice.

  Electricity coursed through her body as the man between her legs loved on her body so damn good. He was the absolute fucking best. If she could have this every night, her life would be complete. Her leg was lifted by one of his hands and placed over his shoulder as he seemed to settle in for a good meal. Thank goodness they were lying down because her body was limp as a noodle. Leaning her back against the pillow, she let go and allowed herself to simply feel.

  After he’d sipped from her fountain until he was satisfied, he placed a soft kiss on her nether lips. Moving up her body, he kissed a path up her stomach and breasts—taking time to kiss, lick, and suckle each one—before making his way to her mouth.

  Kissing her deeply, she could taste her essence on his lips and tongue, and it made her channel slicken even more. The things he did to her, and made her want to do to him in return, were overwhelming. She’d never get tired of this.

  Tristan broke the kiss, his lips moving over her neck and shoulder. “I’m going to give it to you so good this morning. I want all of you. Don’t hold anything back from me,” he growled low in her ear as he slid his thick cock inside her body.

  Camille gasped as he surged inside her, then moaned as he continued to fill her body with his heat. She was primed and ready for him, but her man was very well-endowed. Sighing loudly, she whispered in his ear. “I love you, Tristan.”

  His body froze for a moment, and she thought she’d said the wrong thing. If he didn’t want her love, that was fine, but she wouldn’t stay here with him while he threw her love back in her face. Tristan lifted his head, his brown eyes staring into hers. Face stoic, and body rigid as his cock nestled inside her, Tristan just stared at her for a few moments.

  Just as she was about to get annoyed with his non-response, he began pumping his hips. “Yeah, baby. I know you do.” His lips turned up in a smile as he reached back to her legs, lifting them higher on his waist. “Open up. Give me what’s mine, Camille.”

  She wanted to protest that he didn’t say the words back to her, but then he hit a deep spot inside her channel, and words failed her. The only thought in her mind was that she wanted more. Needed more. Her moans became louder as he stroked in her body. She knew there were at least a couple of people in the house, there always were. But she couldn’t think about that right now.

  Begging. Pleading. That’s all she knew. Every fucking time he was inside her.

  He nibbled on her lips before moving his lips lower to kiss her neck, collarbone, and then her breasts. He broke away from her, brought his lips up to her face, and whispered. “Camille, let me see you. Let me see how good I make you feel.”

  He seemed insatiable. Not that he wasn’t always like this, but this morning seemed different. He was overwhelming her with the fluid motion of his body and the sheer size of his cock. She tightened her muscles around him, and her climax hit so hard, her body began convulsing up and down.

  She was fucking him like he was fucking her, and it felt good to let herself just be a woman. There were no demands on her other than to enjoy, relax in his arms, and let him lead the way. Only with him was she comfortable enough to allow herself to be free.

  He lifted his body up and came to his knees. He grabbed her around the hips and began pounding inside her even harder. Her lower body lifted from the bed as he slid in and out of her pussy. “Yeah, baby, just like that.”

  Eyes half-closed and glazed over from her intense orgasm, she held onto the feeling for as long as she could. As Tristan’s thrusts became more erratic, she knew he was almost there with her. He thrust his hips forward, embedding his member inside her to the point it couldn’t go any further. His shout preceded the warmth coating the inside of her body.

  Thank goodness she was on birth control.

  Tristan dropped to the side with a huff. Their bodies were covered in sweat from their morning exertions, but she couldn’t help but smile. These were the mornings she wished she could call into work. Well, she could if she wanted to, but there was too much going on.

  “C’mere,” Tristan drawled. “You’re too far away.”

  She giggled as he pulled her backside into his front, cuddling them close together. “I have to go to work.”

  “You don’t. Stay here. Relax for the day. I’ll call in a se
rvice to give you a spa treatment. Call Shandra and invite her over for the day.”

  Camille turned her head to look over her shoulder. “Stay here? Invite Shandra over?” He’d never volunteered his house for something like this before. He liked Shandra, she knew he did, but he’d never offered the use of his house for an all-day spa treatment. Hell, she didn’t even do all-day spa treatments. She’d rather go to the gym and hit the bag for a couple hours.

  At her continued look, he pulled back, “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Camille knew he was holding something back. Was something going on that he was trying to hide from her, or was it his natural behavior? Either way, she didn’t like it one bit. If they were going to be together, she needed him to be truthful. All the time. Not some of the time. There was no way she could live a life of half-truths.

  “Tristan, what’s going on?”

  “What do you mean?” He asked, rolling away from her and getting off the bed. “Nothing’s wrong, baby. I just thought you may want to stay at home today. You’ve been working too hard.”

  Smiling, she sat up, the sheet covering her naked breasts. “Yeah, both during the day and at night when I’m with you.”

  Coming around the other side of the bed, he stood in front of her in all his glory.

  Licking her lips, she wanted to take his length inside her mouth. It would be so easy to start their play all over again, but she had to stay strong. “You can’t tempt me, Tristan.”

  Taking his hand, he placed it under her chin. “I’m not trying to tempt you, Sweetheart. Been there. Done that. And you taste very well, thank you very much.”

  Slapping his hand away, Camille laughed as he leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. Tristan turned to walk toward the large closet, opening both doors before walking in. She liked it when he did that. Seemed like such a small gesture, but to her, it showed that he wasn’t trying to shut her out.

  Considering the life he led, she shook her head at her thoughts. Him keeping the closet open meant more to her than his sharing what was going on in his world? No. That would be ridiculous. On the other hand, she knew once she was brought into his family life, things wouldn’t be the same again.