Echo (The Butterfly Series Book 3)

by Isabella Redwood

  ‘Yes, I always knew she still loved him, but he hid his feelings so well, I would never have guessed. I mean, I knew he never loved Larissa. It was purely a marriage of convenience, but that he never stopped loving my mom, is a surprise.’ He shook his head utterly incredulous.

  ‘Maybe it was a ruse, to keep your mom safe. If Larissa knew how he still felt about her, she would be in danger.’ I mused as Nicholi kissed my nose.

  ‘Yes, you’re right she would have. My beautiful and brilliant wife. How did I ever get so lucky?’ He kissed me so passionately I lost any train of thought and just longed to return to the bedroom.

  The rest of the week flew by with us spending as much time as possible in the bedroom, mixed with eating and sightseeing all the romantic places in Rome and Venice we had not had time to experience last time we were here.

  Riding on a gondola, our last night in Venice, I wrapped my arms around Nicholi as the water flip-flopped against the side of the vessel.

  ‘This has been the most perfect honeymoon I could ever have wished for.’ I nuzzled his neck as his arm tightened around me and I looked up in shock.

  ‘What is it?’ I turned to face him and tried to read his expression, as he ordered the driver to pull over so we could get off.

  ‘It is probably nothing.’ He took my hand and we walked at a steady pace back to our hotel and straight into the elevator.

  ‘Nicholi, what is it?’ I felt the nervous vibes emanating from him echoing around the enclosed space.

  ‘There was a guy. I have seen him several times today. At first, I assumed it was a coincidence, but now, I don’t know. We will leave tonight.’ He called to change our flight schedule and I was quickly filling the suitcases when there was a knock on our door.

  Nicholi opened it tentatively and pushed me behind him.

  ‘Who are you and why the fuck are you following my wife?’ His voice calculated and menacing as I stood silently behind the door watching Nicholi’s expressions closely.

  ‘I do not mean to trouble you, Sir and I can assure you my intentions are business related only. My name is Mr. Michaelson and I am a lawyer. I have been searching for your wife for a considerable amount of time and I urgently need to speak with her.’

  Nicholi turned to me and I shrugged completely unaware of who he was or what he wanted.

  ‘I will meet you in the bar in ten minutes.’ He closed the door abruptly as I took his hand.

  ‘I have no idea who he is.’ I shook my head as Nicholi showed me the photo he had discreetly taken on his phone earlier.

  ‘We can leave via the back entrance, no need to stay and hear what he has to say.’ He suddenly looked grey and I paused.

  ‘No, I want to know what he has to say.’ Not believing I was actually saying the words, but I could not go back to a life of not knowing and always being afraid of who or what was going to jump out of a box at the least expected time.

  ‘Okay, let’s go.’ He took my hand as I saw his gun was in the inside pocket of his jacket and I cringed that we had brought it with us on our honeymoon. He clearly had come prepared and it made me anxious for what we were walking into.

  ‘I would not let you do this if I did not think we were safe. I have two guards who have been with us the whole time and they will be close by.’

  Completely oblivious to this information I shook my head. It would never be over.

  ‘Nic, will we have guards forever?’ Not wanting to think of every family vacation being accompanied by ex-military men watching over us at every moment.

  ‘I have to keep you safe. As much as I would like to believe with Larissa gone there is no further threat, I cannot take that chance, any chance with your and JC’s safety.’ He pulled me into his arms as I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, smelling his cologne that instantly comforted me and I longed to go back to twenty minutes ago where I was completely oblivious for a moment.

  ‘Mr. Michaelson, this is my wife, Alexa.’ He pulled my chair out as I surveyed the man before me. He was around late forties, clearly a lawyer and one that I did not remember, but knew was about to.

  ‘Good evening to you both and I apologise for my sudden interruption to your vacation. Alexa, I have been searching for you for many years and this is a pressing matter.’

  I sighed deeply, squeezing Nichol’s hand. This was going to be bad; I knew it.

  ‘Alexa, I was your mother's attorney and there are things you need to know, things she wanted you to know.’ He handed me a file that I took, my hand shaking as Nicholi wrapped his arm around me.

  ‘Is that everything, Mr. Michaelson? I trust we will not see you again?’ his voice low and menacing as the lawyer nodded politely.

  ‘There is just one more thing, Alexa. The file is for you to see only. This was not meant to be seen by your sister Caitlan.’ He stood to leave as though he had dropped a bomb and was quickly taking cover from the shrapnel that would no doubt be falling like acid rain. Eating into everything we thought we knew and leaving nothing but corroded memories.

  Walking to the awaiting car that had been prefilled with our luggage from the guards who Nicholi had bought on our honeymoon, I sat down completely in a daze clutching the file like it had my life secrets but was toxic to the touch. I just wanted to fling it out of the window and never have to be in the position where I was choosing to lie to my sister again.

  ‘Lexi, do you want me to read it first?’ Nicholi stroked my cheek as I turned to meet his eyes.

  ‘No, we will do it together.’

  **

  EIGHTEEN

  CELEBRATIONS

  It had been five months since we had returned from our honeymoon. Today would be our ultrasound and I was so excited to find out the sex of the baby. JC and Nicholi were convinced it was a girl, and I a boy. JC was so excited he was asking every ten minutes if we were ready to leave and as he saw Nicholi pull into the driveway, he could not contain himself any longer.

  ‘Momma, Daddy is here, we can go now.’ He grabbed his coat off the hook and handed me mine as we opened the door to greet Nicholi.

  Staring at the man before me, his jacket zipped up and scarf wrapped around his neck, he looked like the hottest snowman I had ever seen.

  ‘Baby, it is freezing. Get your scarf.’

  Ever the protective husband, I wrapped my arms around him.

  ‘I missed you.’ Breathing in his cologne, finally at peace now he was home with us.

  The revelations we had discovered while on honeymoon were forever floating around in my mind. Sometimes I could push them down and for a few minutes, hours even I could forget. However, like the ever-dependable buoy bobbing around in shipping lanes, ready to guide lost vessels, it always returned.

  Waving to our ever-present security team, I buckled up JC and climbed into the passenger seat, pushing the buoy down one more time. Desperate for a few hours where I was not constantly worried about my family members.

  Arriving at the ultrasound office, we checked in as JC watched the fish floating around in the aquarium. I knew it was coming and was counting down, three, two, one.

  ‘Momma, can we get fish?’ Ever the animal lover, we were building quite the menagerie with two dogs, a cat, rabbit, and horses at the ranch in Colorado.

  ‘Mrs. Veneto,’ the assistant called out and I smiled widely. That was me, I was Mrs. Veneto and as I turned to my adoring husband, taking his hand, I was utterly happy.

  ‘Okay, we ready to find out the gender?’ We all answered with a resounding yes. Watching our little one bounding around on the screen, waving its hands and kicking its feet, I had to wipe my eyes several times. This was a dream come true.

  ‘Say hello to your new daughter.’ I heard myself gasp, completely surprised and Nicholi did his knowing nod, he had been right all along.

  ‘Momma, we can buy her a pink fish,’ JC grinned broadly, as we all laughed together. Clutching the ultrasound pictures in my hand, Nicholi’s hand in the other, we walked on air back to the car wit
h our son and now daughter in tow.

  ‘I can’t believe it; I was convinced it was a boy.’ I rubbed my hand on my belly as my daughter kicked in response.

  ‘She is going to be just as beautiful as her momma.’ Nicholi kissed my hand and was positively glowing. He was so excited, wanting to be a part of everything, massaging my feet, not letting me lift a thing without assistance. It melted my heart when he would talk and sing our baby to sleep, reading her a story every night.

  ‘She is going to adore her daddy, as much as I do.’ I kissed him on the cheek, our eyes lingering, the fire stoking as we pulled out onto the road and I called Sophia.

  ‘Did you have the scan? What is it?’

  No hello, straight to business. I could feel the excitement bubbling out of her into the phone.

  ‘We did, but you will have to wait until the party.’ I felt terribly mean, but knowing the gender reveal party would be so much more fun if nobody knew.

  ‘Is JC there? I need to ask him a toy opinion question for Christmas.’ Trying to sound coy and failing miserably.

  ‘He is sworn to secrecy on the lives of the fish he wants. You will not get anything out of him.’

  I giggled as she audibly sighed.

  ‘Okay, mean sister, speak to you later. Love you.’ I hung up the phone and smiled wildly until I saw the reflection in the wing mirror and I was back in the car with Nicholi in Venice.

  **

  ‘Ready?’ Holding the gaze of the man I loved, ready to reveal whatever dark secrets were hidden in the folder and terrified it would somehow change things.

  ‘Hey, nothing will change, I love you no matter what.’ He squeezed my hand reassuringly as I took a deep breath and opened the file.

  Dear my beautiful daughter Lexi,

  If you are reading this, something terrible has happened and I pray with all my heart, you and your sister and brother are safe and well. Know my darling that I endeavoured always to protect you, but I know I failed you. I did not have your strength or conviction and for this, I am deeply ashamed.

  The information in this folder is for you to see and decide if and when Caitlan and Seth are told. I made a terrible decision that affected everyone involved more than I can ever say. I should have left him years ago. Please, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but most of all, you must protect Seth from the pain this information will undoubtedly cause. I love you, my baby and I always will.

  Momma.

  Reading the letter aloud, I could barely finish, choking on my words as I forced my way through the pain it was inflicting. A thousand knives stabbed through my chest as Nicholi pulled me into his arms and dulled the pain.

  ‘We don’t have to do this, not now.’ He stroked my cheek and raised my chin to look into his eyes.

  ‘No. We need to.’ I closed my eyes as his kissed my lips tenderly.

  Opening the file again, the second document was a birth certificate. I Stared at it for the longest time and could not seeing anything, until Nicholi breathed in sharply and I followed his eyes.

  ‘Seth was not my dad’s son.’ I turned the page to see an adoption certificate.

  ‘He adopted him two years later.’ Nicholi’s voice barely a whisper as we both tried to digest the information.

  Opening the envelope, I recognised the handwriting immediately, Larissa. A series of letters from her to my mother concerning Caitlan and Cross.

  ‘She wanted mom to stop Caitlan talking to him. Wow, she really hated Caitlan.’ The vehemence words that were carved into the paper concerning her feelings towards my sister and Cross being together were terrifying. She sounded more crazed than I could ever have imagined in my most haunted nightmares of her.

  Next was a legal document, she had purchased a house in the UK, and there were plane tickets for us all with brochures of universities in the area.

  ‘She was planning to take us to England? I don’t understand,’ shaking my head and getting more aggravated by the second. This was not solving anything, just leaving me with a thousand more questions.

  The last document was a letter from our father. He was begging her forgiveness and confessing his undying love for my mother, pleading with her not to leave him. That was dated September 1st and I tried to remember back whether that was when my mom started having doubts about leaving him.

  ‘I think, but can’t say for sure, that this letter stopped her from going ahead with the divorce. But something must have happened afterwards to change her mind.’ Closing the folder exasperated, something slipped out and Nicholi reached to retrieve it.

  ‘Another letter from Larissa. Stay away from my family or we will destroy yours. Dated September 30th 09.’ His hands were steady as he put the letter back into the folder and wrapped his arms around me.

  ‘Nic, we will destroy yours. There was somebody else all along. This is never going to be over.’ The tears engulfed me as Nicholi held me and the fear set in once more. Now I had three people to protect.

  ‘You are not alone, this time, Lexi, and never will be again. I promise you. I will keep you all safe.’ He held my face in his hands, protectively.

  ‘What about you? I can’t lose you, Nicholi, I can’t.’ I shook my head, the toxic thoughts filtering through, causing chronic pain.

  ‘Hey, that will never happen. I am never going anywhere without you.’ He kissed me passionately as I lost myself in his kiss and tried to vanquish the fears.

  **

  ‘Lexi, where are you?’ Nicholi waved his hand in front of my eyes. We had driven home and I did not remember moving from the clinic.

  ‘Sorry, I was daydreaming.’ I tried to force a fake smile, but he saw right through it.

  ‘Okay, JC, Mickey, and Bart need a walk. Can you go get them on their leashes please?’ Nicholi opened the door for him and led me into the kitchen. He poured me a glass of water. I sat down and graciously accepted it, downing it within seconds.

  ‘Better?’

  I nodded. ‘Thank you.’ Still clutching the ultrasound pictures in my hands I watched as Nicholi looked at me, his brow furrowing.

  ‘Lexi, I think it is time to tell Sophia. She may remember something you don’t and it could help lead us to Larissa’s accomplice.’

  This was not the first time he had brought it up, but this time, I was finally seeing his point clearly. Sophia and our dad had developed a relationship again, albeit strained, and I was terrified of destroying that with revelations that would not necessarily do anyone any good.

  ‘I know, but if she doesn’t know anything, then we are destroying the relationship she has with her dad. I can’t do that.’ I shook my head and closed my eyes, sighing deeply. I wish I knew what to do.

  ‘A relationship based on lies, Lex, your mom was leaving him and there were obviously good reasons for this. Sophia knew that anyway so I don’t know what you are afraid she will learn by seeing the folder.’ He was utterly confused and I did not know how to explain.

  ‘For years she thought we had the perfect family, and then the revelations about our father came out. To know our mother had cheated also, I don’t want to destroy all her memories.’ I knew I was not making real sense, but Nicholi shrugged and dropped the subject, something I loved him deeply for. He knew when to push me and when to let it be. Reaching for his hand, I placed it on my belly.

  ‘Our daughter wants you to tell her a story.’ She always kicked wildly when she heard her daddy’s voice and I wanted to bring back the happy memories, closing the others behind an impenetrable wall, for now at least.

  Walking the dogs, JC bounding around throwing them their balls, I looked up at the sky. Snow was definitely on its way, the pink marshmallow clouds were floating gracefully into place and I could feel the chill penetrating my bones.

  ‘I think we are due a ton of snow.’ I snuggled next to Nicholi and wondered if we would have to cancel the party tomorrow.

  ‘I think you’re right. I will check our supplies, and stock up on firewood.’

/>   Ever the provider and I leaned my head on his shoulder as JC continued to teach his new puppy to fetch.

  Walking back to our house, I could not help but stare in awe. We had moved in a month ago and it still had that new house smell. The four-story structure was set on four acres with huge steel bound gates at the entrance. Nicholi had agreed to my butterfly embellishment so they did not look so frightening, but gave us both the reassurance we craved. No one was getting in here.

  The two pillows centered us as we walked to the front door with the wrap around porch and swing that I loved to sit on at night with our blankets and watch the stars overhead.

  Inside was just as exquisite with open fires, maple wooden floors, and elegant coving all around the rooms. We had installed stained glass mosaic pieces into each fireplace and they glistened around the room with the crystal light fittings bouncing it back.

  Sophia had helped with the interior design and JC had his under the sea room which was about to be occupied by an aquarium of fish and I was starting to plan the baby’s room.

  Our master bedroom had been designed with intimacy and comfort at the forefront. We had decided on the four-poster bed with silk drapes to match that which we slept in on our honeymoon. Moody blues had been used around the room to accent the relaxing design with a spa bath and walk in shower for romantic nights alone.

  Nicholi had built me the biggest closet I had ever seen and my clothing weakness had all the room it needed and some.

  Spiral stairs linked the floors with a grand mahogany staircase flowing through the entry way and towering over anybody who entered the house.

  ‘Can I just say how much I love the house you built for me.’ His hand was in mine as we stared adoringly at our dream forever home.

  ‘You are very welcome and a certain person is going to be thrilled with the stables when they are ready.’

  I peeked at our latest construction and nodded. We were bringing the horses up from Colorado in time for Christmas, with one young horse, JC’s Christmas gift. Nicholi had been waiting to find out the sex of the baby and now we knew he would ask my grandfather to select one for his baby girl.