by Sam Crescent
Tears flooded her vision once again.
“I’m with you, baby.”
“They were here,” she said. “This was where they were killed.”
“I know. We know.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “You’re not alone anymore. You’re here, where you’re supposed to be.”
She started crying, allowing the tears to fall. Pulling out of his arms, she stood in the spot where Lionel had taken his last breath. When she finally had her shit under control, she left the table, and made her way toward her father’s desk. Opening the drawers, she saw they were empty.
“We completely cleared everything,” Maddox said.
“You did.”
“Yeah, I did. There was too much risk. Your father knew the risk and would have wanted me to.”
She hit her elbow on the desk, like she’d seen him do many times. The secret drawer opened up, and popped out. She stared down at her father’s gun and knife. She held it up, seeing the name Santos inscribed onto it.
“You are Ruby,” Jacob said.
“You had your doubts?” Ruby looked over at the oldest brother.
“Of course I had my doubts. You could have been anyone.”
That she could understand. Putting the weapons down on the desk, she stood up. “Those are mine.”
Leaving them alone, she went toward the stairs, going up to her room.
Everything was exactly the way she left it, and she winced at the horrible shade of pink.
“What are you looking for?” he asked.
“Someone killed my family. Someone who wanted their secret silenced, and I want to find out who it was.” She left her room, and made her way toward the final floor of the house where her brother’s bedroom was. Kicking open the door, when it wouldn’t open, she made her way toward his desk.
Oliver had followed her. She gave the desk a shove, and used all of her body weight to move it.
“How do you know all of this?” Oliver asked, when she lifted up the carpet and the floor board. She pulled out the metal safe and went toward the window. Opening the window, she climbed up, and Oliver gasped. “You’ll fucking fall.”
She reached out, finding the key that was attached to a little piece of string.
Showing off the key, she went to the safe, and unlocked it.
Inside were a couple of files, and she pulled them out.
“I’m ready to head back to your place now,” she said.
“Your place?” Maddox asked.
“She’s staying with me.”
Ruby held the files to her chest, and made to pass Maddox.
“I think I should have them.”
“No. These are mine. My brother told me where he’d put everything I needed. This is mine, not yours.”
“How do you figure?”
“My brother told me where his hiding places were.”
Maddox folded his arms. “So where were you hidden that night?”
“Follow me.”
She made her way down to the main floor toward the closet. She opened the door, banged on the wall, and moved out of the way. “That’s where Lionel put me. It’s secure, and secret. No one but me and Lionel knew about it. He put it there when our parents were away on one of their many get-togethers. Now, if you don’t mind. I’d really like to get home.”
****
Later that day Maddox sat at his table with his wife and sons.
“So it’s really her?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes, it’s really her.”
“You should have seen her, Mom, she knew everything. The secret compartment in the desk, along with Lionel’s secret stash,” Jacob said.
“Did you know about them?” Charlotte looked between Maddox and Jacob.
Jacob shook his head. “No. I didn’t know about it. Lionel was very secretive. He told me he had prepared Ruby in the event of his death. I had no idea this was it.”
“The Coltons are getting close,” Abel said. “Oliver discovered they had approached Randal, and he was fucking the guy’s wife. Didn’t take a lot to torture the information out of the guy.”
Maddox had already known about the betrayal from Lionel, and it pissed him the fuck off. The Coltons had been punished years ago, and his own father had tried to make sure that they didn’t have any backlash from them.
“Have the Coltons approached?” Charlotte asked.
“No,” Maddox said, sighing. Usually by now their enemies had reached out, and given them their special message. He didn’t know what the fuck to expect anymore. The Coltons were picking off their men one by one, and if they didn’t kill them, then he or his sons had to deal with it. He was getting bored of killing men that were once loyal.
“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked, taking hold of his hand.
He nodded. “Lionel took a lot to his grave, and I need to get my hands on those files.”
“You can ask her for them.”
“If she had any sense, she wouldn’t allow anyone to get them,” Maddox said, rubbing his eyes. “Have we heard from Oliver?”
“No. He hasn’t said anything,” Jacob said, putting his cell phone on the counter.
Maddox started down at the cell phone, hoping they found out the betrayer soon. He thought he’d gotten him ten years ago when he killed the Santos’s main man.
“What if the guy’s someone close?” Rick said, speaking up.
Maddox looked toward his brother, seeing the strain the visit was having on him. Rick found life easier in England, when he wasn’t pulled into the death. He helped people avoid death, whereas the Dentons were known for bringing it.
“How do you mean?” Maddox asked.
“Whoever betrayed us and the Santoses ten years ago was close to all of us. Close enough to know what Lionel was doing. Close enough to know that he found the identity. Also, we have to assume that man or woman, is working with them now,” Rick said.
“It’s someone close to home.”
“Yes.”
Rick was known for not trusting people. He didn’t allow himself to get too close with anyone outside of the Denton name. At times it surprised Maddox that his brother had even found the love of his life.
“We’ll find whoever is responsible.” Maddox was going to be sure of it. Ten years was a long time to wait to avenge the death of his friends, and he didn’t like waiting.
He was going to make sure whoever betrayed him suffered.
Chapter Seven
Ruby stared at the boxes of clothes that had been there for her at Oliver’s apartment when they got back. The files were in her bedroom, and she’d put all of the clothes into the closet. Pulling Oliver’s clothes off, she changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt, liking the feel of them more than the baggy clothes.
Leaving her room, she found the apartment empty, so she went toward the kitchen. Opening up the fridge she found it fully stocked, and smiled. Next, she opened each of the cupboards, and stroked the designer mixer. The kitchen was perfect, and reminded her exactly how much she’d loved cooking and baking.
Growing up, after training, she’d take time in whatever kitchen she was allowed to visit.
Unable to resist, she got a baking pan, which for some strange reason Oliver had, and greased it up. Next, she pulled out flours and other baking ingredients, which made her chuckle. Why did he have all of this?
Within minutes, she had a batter measured out, and to her, it was perfection.
“You’ve already found your way around?” Oliver asked, walking into the kitchen.
“Do you bake as well as dance?”
“Nope. Mom brings stuff over all the time. She’s the one responsible for stocking everything up. What are you doing?”
“I’m doing a cherry almond bread. I haven’t made it in so long, and I couldn’t help. You wouldn’t let me stay at my bug infested apartment, so I figured I could make myself at home.” She’d already prepared her pan, and was pouring the batter inside, and placing it in the oven.
> “No, no, make yourself at home.”
“I love cooking, and baking.” She paused, recalling the many times that she was home, and bored. The kitchen was where she found the most comfort.
“What are you doing, sweetie?” Lionel asked, taking a seat at the counter.
“I’m making some bagels. Mom’s being mean again.”
“What is she doing?”
“Putting me on another diet. I didn’t fit into girls size pants, and now she thinks I’m too fat.” She kneaded the dough, putting all of her frustrations out on it.
“You are perfect, honey. Ignore Mom. she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“She said if I’m not careful I’ll end up fat and ugly like her.”
“Nah, you’ll never end up like her. It’s not possible.”
Pulling out of the memory, Ruby cleaned the counters, and sat down on the chair, staring at her hands. The pain in her back was still there from the fight she’d had over a week ago. There were bruises, and old scars from a few wounds. “You know, I was going to be a cook. I was going to study in a French kitchen, and become a chef. No matter what my parents wanted.”
“I know.”
“It never happened.”
“You were determined to exact revenge.”
“Yeah. I’ve never been on a single date, or spent time with a guy.” She turned to him. “Being around you is the longest I’ve ever been around anyone. Isn’t that weird?”
“Not weird. I’m not one for company. Besides my family, I can’t stand being around anyone else. No one understands,” he said.
“I’ve not had sex either. You know? My life has just been focused on one thing, and now that my answers are in those files, I’m scared. What if the guy’s dead? What if he’s living a perfect life?” She swiped the tears that were once again falling, and driving her crazy.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“No. I’m really not okay. I feel like I’ve lost who I am. I mean, look at me. This is not who I am. I’m the girl that other girls used to bully because of my weight.”
Oliver got up from his seat and moved beside her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she found herself holding onto him, needing his touch more than she needed anything else.
He kissed her neck. “This is who you are now, and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”
“I can’t stand this. I want to be happy.” Since seeing the video of Lionel telling her who to trust, and actually hearing her brother, it had been like all of her questions had been answered.
Oliver pulled her off the chair, and wrapped his arms around her.
She was surprised by how comforted she felt at his touch.
“I’m here, Ruby. You’re not alone.”
“I thought you were supposed to be a monster.”
“I am a monster, but when it comes to you, I can’t do it.”
“Why?”
“Have you ever heard about the Dentons, about the curse we face?”
“Curse? No. I only know that you guys are pretty deadly.”
Oliver blew out a breath.
She wondered what was wrong with him. “The Denton men have a, er, skill.”
“A skill?”
“Yeah. When we find the woman for us, that one woman who is going to be ours for the rest of our lives, we know that she is the one.”
“Oh.”
“You’re mine.”
“Excuse me?”
“In the alley, when I finally saw you, I knew you were mine. The woman destined to be mine.”
Ruby froze, not knowing if this was something insane, and crazy. Instead, she went with laughter. Putting a hand to her stomach, she pointed at him. “Ha, ha, ha, that is so funny. You’re so funny.”
He didn’t laugh along with her.
“It is supposed to be funny, right?” she asked.
“It’s not funny. This is my life, and it’s your life as well.”
“My life? You’re telling me that some kind of freaky curse on your family, and now you’re claiming that you want me? That I’m supposed to be yours?”
“Yes.”
“And you expect me to be okay with that?” She didn’t know what this man wanted from her, and right now, she really didn’t care. The timer went off, and she moved away from him, taking the bread out of the oven, and placing it on a cooling rack.
“You have to be okay with it.”
“Okay, so let’s deal with this logically.” She spun back around to face him. With the new clothes, she felt like herself. “You’re saying to me that your family, all of the Dentons, have no choice in the women they fall in love with. It’s fate? Destiny? Some freaky shit?”
“Pretty much.”
“Even your parents?”
“Yeah, even my parents.”
“Jacob?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“Abel?”
“Yep.”
“Damian?”
“Nope. Betty isn’t his.”
“Wait. He had a kid with a woman, and she’s not even the right one? What happens when he find the right woman?”
“Exactly the same as my uncle Stuart.”
“What happened with Uncle Stuart?” She couldn’t believe what was happening right now.
“He married his high school sweetheart, and then discovered his woman was the nanny, or the babysitter.”
“Oh my God!”
“Yeah. So he ended up breaking hearts, and it caused a lot of trouble.”
“I can’t believe it.” She rolled her eyes, hoping he detected the sarcasm in her voice.
“Look, I just want you to be happy, okay? I’m willing to wait, and—”
“I can’t deal with this right now.” She held her hand up, silencing him, and then leaving the kitchen.
Of course, Oliver followed her. “You can’t fight this, or walk away.”
“I can do whatever the hell I want.” At the doorway of her new room, she spun around to glare at him. “You’re not my boss. You’ll never be the boss of me, and right now, I really don’t want to talk to you.”
“You’ll come around.”
“Oh, I will, will I?”
“Yeah, Mom, Lou, and Harper, even Michelle came around. You can’t resist it.”
Stepping back, she glared at him. “Resist this!” She grabbed the door frame, and slammed the door in his face.
How dare he!
She wasn’t some kind of machine, and there was no way she was going to be putting up with his crap. Not now, not ever.
Moving toward her bed, she picked up the private files that had been waiting for her to take.
Instead of opening them, she went to her cell phone, and dialed her contact’s number.
“I wondered when you were going to be in touch,” Lewis said.
“I’m sorry. Can you do me a favor, and find everything you know about a family called the Coltons?”
“I thought you were after the Dentons.”
Lewis was a one of a kind friend. He was tall, thin, and a total nerd. She adored him, and he was the only person she’d gotten close to during her time in foster care. He was always there, watching her back, and helping her to get anything she needed. Lewis was the reason she had so much information on the badass family.
Biting her lip, she sat down, and rubbed at her eyes. “They didn’t kill my family.”
“I tried to tell you that.”
“Look, I know what I heard, and someone knew about them. I want to know everything about the Coltons, and can you find a tail from my brother ten years ago? I want to know who he was looking for.”
“Ten years ago? You know they still had computers then.”
“Exactly, and you said everyone has a fingerprint even when it comes to computers, and I’m trusting you.”
Lewis sighed. “Fine, fine. I’ll do it. Will you try and stay safe?”
“Yeah. There’s something else.”
“What, my little love bug?”
She chuckled. “Have you heard about the Denton curse, or something related to the Denton and their women?”
“Ah, the legacy.”
“The legacy?” She frowned.
“Yeah, I did try to tell you about it a few months ago. You weren’t interested. The men have this ability, like a sixth sense or something. When they know the woman that is supposed to be theirs, it’s instant. They can’t fight it.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, it’s freaky shit, but damn, I wish I felt it as well. I’d love to be able to discover my woman.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Don’t you think it would be magical?”
“I don’t know. I’ve not really thought about it. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Talk soon.”
Before her friend could say anything more, she hung up the phone.
Her heart was once again pounding, and there was a small flicker of hope. She didn’t know what it meant, only that it was strong.
Could there be a future here for her?
****
Three days later
“This fucking sucks!” Oliver said, collapsing into the spare chair at his father’s office. Maddox was on the phone, and glaring at him to be quiet.
“What sucks now?” Jacob asked, reading through the newspaper.
“The one sided element to our fucking curse.”
“It’s not a curse, it’s a legacy,” Abel said.
“Yeah, and your women were much more compliant to it.”
Abel burst out laughing at the same time as Jacob.
“What the fuck are you two laughing at?” he asked.
“You thinking that our women were actually okay with that we told them,” Jacob said, chuckling. “You’re so fucked in the head.”
“Wait, you’re saying that Lou wasn’t?”
“I had to work damn hard to even go on a date with her. She hated the Dentons, and our family. Some days I actually think she hates us for good reasons.”
“Lou doesn’t blame us. It wasn’t our fault,” Oliver said.
“I know, but still, Riley’s death still hurts Lou. I wish I was able to take that pain away.”
“There’s only so much you can do,” Abel said.
“This one sided stuff is a nightmare. You know Ruby burst out laughing when I told her! She thought I was joking around, having some kind of laugh with her.”