Echo (The Butterfly Series Book 3)

by Isabella Redwood

  ‘We are,’ I replied jubilantly as she hugged and congratulated me.

  ‘This is wonderful news, I’m so happy for you both. We are, aren’t we Cross,’ she uttered as he moved closer under duress.

  ‘Congrats, Lexi. Please understand I just wanted my family back. You above anyone should be able to understand that,’ he began as Nicholi turned around, like a fuse that had just been lit and Cross had connected the explosive.

  ‘Don’t you dare try to make her feel guilty for not immediately trekking halfway across the country at your belligerent request. You look after your family; I will look after mine and let’s be clear. You endanger my family again and it will not be this pleasant an exchange.’ His voice dropped an octave and sounded so menacing I felt my breath catch as he took my hand and led us away to meet our awaiting car.

  ‘I think we all just need to calm down and breathe deep, a little.’ I buckled JC in who was nodding off again and Nicholi huffed in response.

  ‘I’m perfectly fine now.’ He gave our destination to the driver as I eyed him suspiciously.

  ‘Really, huh. Well, I must have just imagined you nearly exploding over JFK airport then.’

  He pulled me closer and I rested my head on his shoulder.

  ‘Feeling any better?’ His voice finally back to the level I was used to and I nodded in response, hoping that would ease some of the resentment he was feeling towards Cross.

  ‘I just want to keep us safe and doing things like that, wholly unprepared, is when you are at your most vulnerable,’ he began as I interrupted.

  ‘She is so ill, though. Do you really think she truly poses a threat to us now?’ This was something I had gone back and forth with since hearing the news of her escape.

  ‘I’m not taking any chances.’ Nicholi sounded resolute as we pulled into The Carlton hotel and scooped up JC to check us in.

  JC had fallen asleep again as soon as I had put him into bed and Nicholi had run me a bath at my request, hoping the steam would help with the congestion.

  ‘Fancy company?’ he asked, perching on the edge of the bath as I welcomed him in with open arms.

  ‘I hope you and Cross can make up soon. It is pointless arguing and there is a huge part of me that understands why he wanted the girls back with him.’ I took the sponge to wash Nicholi, his chest hair tickling my nose as I kissed a trail along.

  ‘It was a low blow to say that to you and does not excuse him dragging us out like that,’ he began and I interrupted.

  ‘Tables reversed, we would have done exactly the same,’ nodding as he shrugged to object and a sensual smile crossed his lips.

  ‘You feeling too ill…’ His voice husky as his hands traced the outline of my hips down.

  ‘Never,’ I whispered as he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped my legs around him, quickly forgetting any upset and instead losing ourselves together.

  We had slept for several hours when JC woke up and was ready to eat. Nicholi called room service while I attempted to explain why we had left and what we were doing at a hotel.

  ‘We will go back home tomorrow, Jake, and I have a hiking trip for those bears planned.’ He tickled JC to lighten the mood again.

  Checking my phone, Sophia had sent a message congratulating us again on the engagement and confirming the twins were feeling much better.

  Nicholi had been making calls again and I was just about to get dressed when a text message came through. I did not recognise the number and opened the message with curiosity.

  I am not going to hurt anyone of you. I just want you to know that.

  Almost dropping the phone, I ran over to Nicholi and showed him the message. He tried to trace the number, but it came back as a throwaway cell phone.

  ‘Let’s go back to Connecticut. The sooner we are in Alaska the better,’ he nodded, and reached for his phone to make a call.

  I gathered up the small amount of things we had and joined him and JC watching television while we waited for the car to arrive.

  At the house, Earl had made us lunch and I went to rest, still feeling crappy, but not wanting Nicholi to know just how much. We would be leaving for our flight tomorrow and Jacob was playing with his dad in the office. I sat down on the bed, staring at the text message I had received.

  Forwarding the message to Sophia, I waited for her to call me back.

  ‘I don’t know, Lexi. I just think we should be extra cautious and try not to dwell on this all. I thought it was all over, but we have each other and that is all that matters.’

  I contemplated telling her what dad had said.

  ‘Soph, has dad contacted you?’ Bringing up the subject, but not wanting to cause more problems, I avoided telling her what he had actually said to me.

  ‘No, but if he contacts you just ignore him. He is a lonely old man with nothing better to do. Hey, I bought you a little something back from Paris.’

  I could picture her smiling through the phone, just as we did as kids when it was our birthday or Christmas and we had a gift for the other.

  ‘I’m so sorry your honeymoon was ruined. Thank you for the gift. Looking forward to seeing you again. Will you come out to Alaska soon?’ Knowing they already had most of their things there, it made sense given everything that had happened for us all to be together again.

  ‘We had an amazing time and I am just so grateful for any time we have together. Cross is so pissed with Nicholi, but I think it is misdirected completely and he is just hiding how he feels about his mother and projecting the anger onto Nicholi. You always throw it at the ones you love the most,’ she sighed.

  I remembered only too well the arguments we would have as kids together.

  ‘I think if you can get him to agree to come to Alaska it would benefit us all.’

  The twins awoke and she had to go, promising to speak with Cross and let me know.

  Flopping onto the bed, I heard the bedroom door open and turned as my husband to be smiled in the doorway.

  ‘Do you have any idea of the effect you have on me?’ My heart was racing at his proximity and melting at the same time.

  ‘I came to apologise for getting so mad earlier. I just want you to know that it is never my intention to scare you. I just love you so much, it hurts when I feel like someone is jeopardising your safety. I can’t bear it.’ He looked so vulnerable I wrapped myself around him and longed to make everything okay again.

  ‘We are all safe and I feel the exact same way about you,’ I began, but Nicholi’s lips meeting mine had me forgetting everything other than that moment as his hands caressed my breast and wandered lower, stroking every inch of me and leaving a fire in its wake.

  ‘The effect I have on you. Let’s just say I’m not immune either. In fact, I am the most susceptible,’ he grinned wildly as I moved to kiss him all over and help him forget everything, but our future and us together.

  Packing up what we would need for the whole summer in Alaska, I watched Nicholi and Jacob playing from the window. My eyes wandered to the forest and the spot I first saw him, to the sight of Larissa and my father kissing.

  She had turned as she saw me approaching, but I never saw her face. What had caught my attention? Trying to trace through the tapestry of my memories, each sketch vaguer than the last until I saw the eyes I loved so deeply. They were not the eyes of my love, yet so similar.

  Dropping the plastic dinosaur I was holding onto the floor, it bounced across the room and made me startle back into reality.

  During the flights to Alaska, I was turning everything around in my head at full speed. Nicholi, completely exhausted had fallen asleep shortly after take-off and I was distracting myself playing cards with JC.

  ‘Hey, we are landing soon,’ I whispered, kissing his cheek tenderly as he opened his eyes and I stared into the sapphire pools that I knew so well, I could feel the memories pour over me, like a coat of armour.

  ‘Sorry, wow I am such great company.’ Realising he had slept the whole flight and brushed h
is hands through his hair.

  I bit my lip.

  ‘You are the best company,’ I grinned seductively as we disembarked and boarded the seaplane home.

  ‘It is so good to be home.’ Nicholi smiled with relief as we all nodded in unison and I made a start on dinner. Preparing to heat up some lasagne and making some salad, I was completely distracted and did not hear him calling my name until his arms were around my waist and I startled.

  ‘Hey, what’s wrong? You have been distracted since we got back,’ his brow furrowing as I tried to decide whether to share the information I had deemed earlier.

  ‘I remembered something, but I don’t want to cause us more anguish for no reason. We have been through enough the last forty-eight hours,’ I began as Nicholi put his finger over my lips and planted a chaste kiss.

  ‘Please tell me.’ His hands securely wrapped around me and I took a deep breath, hoping I was not just adding oil to the fire.

  ‘The day I saw you for the first time and then found my dad with Larissa. The lawyer made me think and it was something I had not paid any attention to before. He asked me did I see her face.’

  Nicholi was trying to race ahead with where I was going with this, but drawing a blank, silently urging me on.

  ‘When someone startles you, you turn around and she did, but I never saw her face. I was watching you outside earlier playing with JC and my eyes wandered over to the forest.’

  ‘You saw something else?’ his eyes burrowing into my memories as I saw those eyes again, but not my Nicholi’s.

  ‘Someone else startled me and I turned to see them. I remember the eyes so clearly, they were yours, but not yours.’

  He was looking at me so confused, and then the dawn of realisation washed over us both.

  It was Nicholi’s father.

  FOURTEEN

  ASSUMPTIONS

  I stared at the man I loved as he processed the information, each word twisting a happy memory into sheer bitterness as he considered what we now knew.

  ‘So he knew Larissa was having an affair years ago. Guess it being her and all, it was no surprise.’ I did not know what else to say.

  ‘Yes, I guess,’ he mused, lying back on the sofa next to me and taking my hand. ‘These last few days have just been one thing after another and I am exhausted.’ He ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes.

  ‘I will go get you some dinner, sit here and relax.’ Padding to the kitchen, I blew my nose for the billionth time.

  ‘Momma, I’m hungry, is dinner ready yet?’ JC asked, peeking his head around the breakfast bar.

  ‘Yes, baby. Can you set the table please?’ handing him the cutlery. I wanted so desperately to ease the tension surrounding us.

  I served dinner and everyone seemed much more relaxed after, but I knew Nicholi was overthinking things.

  ‘How about a massage later?’ rubbing his shoulders as I cleared up and JC helped load the dishwasher.

  ‘That sounds perfect, thank you.’ Nicholi kissed my cheek and went back to the office to work for a bit while I bathed JC and settled him ready for bed.

  I had taken a shower and got into my pyjamas when Nicholi finally came upstairs. Grabbing some body moisturiser, I escorted him to the shower and put a towel out on the bed.

  ‘I am sure being spoilt.’ He kissed my neck as I instructed him to lay back. I could feel the tension knots in his neck and shoulders and I tried to massage them away, but the anxiety was oozing out as he took my hands and flipped over.

  ‘You have always been completely honest with me and although I always want to protect you first, I have, to be honest with you too.’

  I nodded and sat down, bracing myself for the blow he was about to hit me with.

  ‘Okay, what is it?’ I asked.

  He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

  ‘I have been going over everything in my head and I think this highly unlikely, but I have to just say it.’

  I felt myself hold my breath.

  ‘I am wondering if my father was the other person we think Larissa was working with.’

  I gasped at the sheer possibility.

  ‘No, Nicholi, that, no. Why?’ Unable to form a complete sentence, the words too heinous to be spoken aloud.

  ‘Ultimate revenge for sleeping with his wife, I don’t know, but I just had to say it and see if you want to take any further action.’

  I sat and pondered for what seemed like ages, but in reality was barely a minute.

  ‘No. I think opening that can of worms will just hurt more than help. I will tell Sophia, keeping secrets just isn’t conducive to a healthy relationship.’ I sounded like an agony aunt as Nicholi smiled and kissed my head.

  ‘I love you, so much.’ He held me tightly as I felt my heart rate steady again.

  ‘I love you too. Let’s get to bed. I’m beat.’ I yawned and Nicholi nodded enthusiastically. He fell asleep within minutes of his head hitting the pillow.

  I stroked the stray hair that had fallen across his eye away as the realisation of what he had said was sinking in. Would his father really have killed part of my family to get back at my dad? No, it was impossible to believe, but there was one person who could help me answer these questions.

  Picking up the phone, I felt guilty for not waiting until Nicholi awoke, but I could not sleep, not with this knowledge branding my brain.

  ‘Hi, Mia, sorry is this too late to call?’ I asked, spinning my chair around with anxious knots fuelling me on.

  ‘No, honey, never too late. Are you feeling any better? You still sound so poorly.’

  Such a wonderful blessed woman. The loss of my own mother was profound, but I could not have asked for a more perfect mother in law.

  ‘I am thank you. I wanted to ask you something that I remembered today. I have spoken with Nicholi, but he does not know I am calling. He is exhausted after the last few days and I just wanted him to get some rest.’ Trying to explain as best I could.

  ‘Of course, darling. I completely understand. I am so glad you felt able to come to me. How can I help?’ she replied compassionately as I pondered where to start.

  ‘I remembered the day I found my father with Larissa, Angelo was there,’ I began as she gasped.

  ‘Oh, sweetheart. I don’t know what to say?’

  ‘Mia, Nicholi and I have been thinking for a long time that Larissa was not working alone with the murder of my family. I don’t know how to say this other than to say it,’ I stammered trying to form the words.

  ‘Do you think Angelo would have been involved, revenge against my father for example?’ My voice barely a whisper as she silently processed.

  ‘It is true indeed that the Angelo Veneto of today was not the man I married, but I can categorically say without exception, he would never have hurt children.’

  I instantly felt the relief swarm over me, like a worker bee, suddenly having a relief force arrive.

  ‘Thanks, Mia. That is what we were thinking too, but I just had to make sure. I hope I didn’t bring up too many bad memories.’ I felt so guilty for calling and resurrecting the astronomical pain she must have suffered at the hands of Larissa.

  ‘Don’t worry, dear. I have some incredible memories too; look at that man of yours. Angelo was a very good man who made some terrible mistakes. But throughout it all, I still see glimpses of the man I married when I have the misfortune of having to be in the same room as her,’ she confirmed, sighing deeply once more.

  I changed the subject quickly and talked about the engagement with future wedding plans for a little before I too was completely shattered.

  ‘Goodnight, sweetheart, sleep well.’

  I hung up the phone and re-joined Nicholi. He was still fast asleep and having checked on JC, I was asleep within minutes.

  The rain was pouring down overhead as I tried to open my eyes and process what was happening. Looking down I saw the face that had haunted my dreams for years, but instead of the hideous smirk that was her fo
rte, she looked totally crestfallen. A tear slowly fell from her dark eyes as she brushed it away embarrassed.

  ‘I just want you to know, if I could go back and do things differently I would never have hurt any of your family. I am so sorry.’

  The voice faded as she was sucked away into a vortex and I jumped up out of bed.

  ‘Lex, what is it?’ Nicholi was by my side as I looked around the room, making sure we were alone.

  ‘Sorry, just a dream,’ I whispered, my voice groggy as I reached for the bottle of water by my bed.

  ‘I’m so sorry. Are the nightmares back now?’ Nicholi asked looked heartbroken as I shook my head quickly.

  ‘No, it wasn’t a nightmare. She was apologising. I think she really meant it.’ Sitting down on the bed, I composed myself.

  ‘It is just a dream, baby,’ Nicholi sighed and I nodded.

  ‘I just mean don’t let that make you less cautious.’

  I leaned and hugged him.

  ‘I know, just a dream.’ I lay down and snuggled next to him as we both fell asleep and I drifted into dream world again.

  ‘Good morning,’ Nicholi announced as he placed a tray by my side. ‘I can do cereal and toast,’ he joked, as I grinned and blew him a kiss.

  ‘That is so sweet, thank you.’ I smelt the fresh flowers he had placed on the tray and JC joined us.

  ‘I have yours downstairs,’ he advised and JC padded away switching on his cartoons.

  Reaching for my phone, I checked messages and noticed I had a missed call from Sophia. Dialling her number, I took a bite of my toast and lay against my pillows looking at the glorious day outside.

  ‘Hi, I just saw you called. How are you all doing?’ I asked, sipping my orange juice as she explained they were much better.

  ‘I was hoping we could come and spend the rest of the summer with you. Cross does not have any cases pending and has a ton of research to do that he can do remotely and I miss you and JC. Do you think Nicholi will be okay?’ she asked as he walked through. He sat down next to me pinching a slice of my toast and smiling so seductively.