Pieces of Truth

by Angela Richardson

  Robert spoke up from the driver’s seat. “Your Dad will explain when he sees you. You know we are not allowed to say anything.”

  I sighed. Of course I knew that, which is why I never asked my father’s men anything to begin with, but today it seemed all too coincidental that I had been requested to be in my father’s presence after just learning about the contract that Clint had put on Samuel. Fear suddenly crept up inside me. The contract and my Dad needing to see me. Was I about to get some terrible news? Was I about to find out that Devon Lockley completed his job? My heart rate began to skyrocket as we pulled up outside my father’s building.

  “You’ve been here before haven’t you Lenorah?” Dino asked, staring blankly at the building, waiting for me to respond.

  “Once,” I said, but it had been a number of years ago, and it was on one of the occasions that I had to stay here for protection when my father was faced with some kind of heated business deal. The layout of the inside still felt familiar in my head. I was sure I could still find my way around if nothing had been changed since I was here last.

  “Do you know where his office is?” Robert asked hopefully. I don’t think he wanted to waste time escorting me into the building. I was pretty sure my Dad’s office was situated on the second level, just outside the elevator doors.

  “Yes, I’m pretty sure I can find my way.” I climbed out of the car and quickly raced up to the building’s stairs at the front entrance. The front door was unlocked which didn’t surprise me. People in the neighborhood were well aware who owned and operated from the building, so you’d have to either have no idea, or be really stupid to venture in without permission.

  As I entered, I saw a long stretch of hallway and numerous office doors. I also saw the elevator at the end of the hall which I walked to and took up to the second level. I had buttoned up Josh’s shirt and tucked it into my jeans, trying my best not to look like I had fled an apartment and almost been in a car accident. My Dad had a knack of knowing when I was doing things I shouldn’t be. He really didn’t need to have me followed, because he could read me like a book.

  My father’s office was just off to the right as I stepped out of the elevator, exactly how I remembered, and his door had been left open slightly as I approached. “Dad,” I said, knocking gently on the door before going in. I heard the shuffling of papers and another door close before my Dad opened up the door fully to greet me. He had a huge Italian grin plastered on his face, and I had to contain my surprise. It was unusual to see his face so expressive with any other emotion besides anger or hardness. Something big had happened, and even with his grin, I couldn’t tell if it was good news for me or not. Our ideas of right and wrong were at opposite ends of the spectrum most of the time.

  “Lenorah, my beautiful girl. I am very happy to see you.” I couldn’t help but smile back at him, hoping this was a good sign, even though my father’s elation could easily be because of Samuel’s demise. Although I didn’t think he would throw it in my face like this.

  “Are you OK Dad? What’s wrong? Is someone hurt? Someone I know?”

  My Dad looked at me, like he knew what I was really asking, and his face softened. “Do you think something is wrong? Is that why you think I brought you here? I must say, I’m hurt that you think I would do that to you. No Lenorah, it’s not bad news. Today is a very good day, for both of us.”

  Both of us? Really?

  “You don’t look convinced,” my Dad observed. I wasn’t. I was still thinking about Josh and Samuel.

  “Well excuse me Dad, but I don’t see how Josh working for you, and you still wanting my ex-fiancé dead, makes our concept of what makes us happy, the same.”

  My father then laughed. He was laughing so hard, using every ounce of his body to express his humor. This was another side of him I rarely saw. Whatever was going on, I still didn’t believe it benefited me in the slightest. No way would any work my father was involved in make me happy. But he was laughing at me, I was sure of it.

  “I’m glad to see my pain amuses you.” I was so confused by his reaction. It didn’t make sense.

  When he finally stopped laughing, he began to shake his head. “It’s so funny you said that. It really is. Lenorah my dear, take a seat.”

  I was looking at him like he had sprouted a new head, and then I proceeded to do what he told me, taking a seat near his desk. The moment he sat down, his face changed again to stern and focused. It was all business now, and important business at that.

  “Lenorah. I have something to show you in the next room, but before I do, you need the following pieces of information before you make any decisions. It’s very important that you listen carefully. It could mean your happiness, and please know, that whatever you decide, you now have my total support.”

  My eyes were wide with anticipation. I took a big gulp of air and leaned back in my chair, hoping and praying that what he was about to tell me wasn’t going to send me into a further state of darkness I would never be able to climb out of. I was so close to falling over the edge of being completely broken on the inside, that one more hit was surely going to send me into an eternal tailspin. This moment could change me in the worst possible way and there was nothing I could do, except sit and wait.

  “As you know,” my Dad started, “I have always been a big fan of your friend Joshua. The boy really cares about you. He did in high school, and then when he sought me out for help when you were in trouble with the Lappell in Morewell, we developed quite the bond. The boy has a knack for business and problem solving. I know how well he is doing putting together business deals for the Lappell with maximum profit at minimum risk. It’s very impressive. He runs deals for the Lappell, specifically Kyser Harkin, an old associate of mine.”

  That was the most I had ever heard my father say about anyone in my life. I had no idea what he thought of Josh, and it was an even bigger surprise that he used the words ‘big fan’ and ‘bond’. Was this his way of softening me up before telling me about what kind of jobs Josh was doing for him? I didn’t appreciate the build-up. I just wanted my Dad to be honest with me.

  “Yes, I already know what Josh does with the Lappell. I also know he is working for you too. I can’t believe you would hire Josh...I can’t believe you would...”

  My Dad’s face hardened. “Stop right there Lenorah. Stop talking and listen to me right now.”

  I clamped my mouth shut. I leaned back in my chair and waited, hoping and praying that what my father was about to tell me was not going to send me spiraling. In the span of a few days, I had lost all the love and friendship I believed was real. The realization of all that loss had not quite caught up with me yet. I was standing at the edge of a total meltdown and the idea of taking Tess up on her offer in Europe, was the best idea for my next move. Being so close to the precipice of being utterly shattered into millions of tiny pieces was at the forefront of my mind. It was dangling in front of my face. This moment could change me forever, and I was terrified.

  “Lenorah. As you know, I have always been a bit wary of your, ahem, suitors. Even your friends. They really have to prove themselves in my eyes before I think they are good enough for you. I know I’ve been overbearing and a little too protective, but you know why. I want you to be happy with people I can trust.”

  I nodded and waited for him to continue. I didn’t want to interrupt.

  “Your friend Joshua continues to show how much he cares about you, because when he showed up here over a month ago with this proposal, I thought he was delusional. But then he showed me the benefits, the profit, the lack of risk and the growth of clients and the potential partnerships for the deal. I was quite frankly, impressed.”

  Proposal? Josh saw my Dad about a proposal - what proposal?

  “I have to say, I had my doubts through the whole deal, but the boy pulled it off. I don’t know how he got Michael Voltaggio to agree and sign off on it, but he did. It’s all settled now.”

  Michael Voltaggio? Proposal? No
w I’m totally lost.

  “I’m still not quite following,” I said, not understanding what my father was trying to tell me.

  “What I am saying Lenorah, is that your very good friend Joshua, put together a highly profitable business deal between myself and the Voltaggios that has settled a lifelong dispute between the families. And he did it for you. So you could be happy and make the choices you want to make.”

  I heard what he said, but I couldn’t believe it. Was it true? Could this deal really be true? No more feud?

  “Are you serious? Josh put together a deal for you? Is it legal?” I shouldn’t have asked that, but it kind of found its way out of my mouth.

  My Dad looked at me like I should have known better. “All you need to know is that there is no longer bad blood between us and the Voltaggios, and if it all goes well, we will be in business with them for a long time to come.”

  I swallowed, already knowing what the answer to the question I was about to ask would be. “So Josh isn’t working for you then?”

  “No, of course not. He just put together the deal. Helped bring in all the elements. He did this for you.”

  I was drowning in my own heartache as I realized I had made the worst possible assumption about Josh. I had just run away from the love of my life because I believed he was just like my Dad and Clint and Samuel. Like all of them. Now I find out he is exactly who he always was to me, the guy who would do anything to make me happy.

  WHAT HAVE I DONE?

  “There is more Lenorah.”

  I tried to summon what little strength I had left, knowing I had just thrown away my one true love. “More?” I squeaked out.

  “Yes, Josh didn’t take any slice of this deal as payment for putting it together, even though he could have received a sizable return. He deserved one. He had only one request from me.”

  This was going to be like an arrow through my heart. I could sense it. “What was his request?”

  “He wanted me to speak to Kyser and get the hit called off Samuel from their hit man, Devon Lockley. Josh couldn’t stop that, but he knew I could call in a favor. So I did. He didn’t want you to have to worry about Samuel’s safety anymore.”

  I shut my eyes that had fallen closed from the weight of regret I had from running away from Josh and not listening to what he was trying to tell me. Josh had changed everything. He took away the contract that Clint had placed on Samuel’s head, as well as my father’s hatred for the Voltaggios, all so I could be happy, and I didn’t even let Josh explain himself. I judged him so quickly, thinking he was just like Clint and Samuel, playing games and lying to me, but he wasn’t. He never had been like them. He selflessly wanted me to be happy, and did everything in his power to make that happen.

  It was an intense and overwhelming sense of clarity which dissipated all doubt and fear I ever had about Josh. Then like a bullet in my heart, I felt it. Fear. Huge blood-curdling fear that I may have lost the only thing that was real for me. All I knew right now was that I needed to find Josh.

  I stood motionless in the room as I tried to formulate my next move. I didn’t realize I had been standing frozen with my mouth open, staring at my father.

  “Are you alright Lenorah? You should be smiling. This is all good news.” I closed my mouth and tried to bring myself to smile at my Dad. This new information was wonderful, and I should have been more excited about all my worries finally coming to an end, but I wasn’t. All I could think about was the monumental fuck-up I had made with Josh.

  “I have a surprise for you,” my Dad said, interrupting my train of thought.

  My father got up and stood near an adjoining door in the room, and motioned to me to come over and stand next to him with his other hand. I half stumbled out of my chair and walked over to stand next to him, waiting to see what more he could possibly shock me with. I looked at his hand fisted tightly on the door knob. For some reason, he wasn’t completely relaxed about what he was going to do next, but he was doing it anyway.

  “This is my way of saying sorry to you Lenorah. It’s a sorry for everything I’ve done in the past year, and what I took away from you. You’ll understand when you walk through the door, but whatever you choose next my girl, you will have my blessing no matter what. But Lenorah, choose wisely. You know all the facts now. It’s your future, and your happiness, and I support this choice, whatever it might be.”

  He gave me a light peck on the cheek and slowly opened the door. My breathing quickened as I looked at the figure, standing, waiting for me on the other side.

  It was Samuel.

  Chapter 24

  Uncovered

  ~ ~ ~

  My Dad closed the door, leaving me and Samuel staring uncomfortably at one another. Actually I was the uncomfortable one. Samuel looked calm, even happy. How could he even dare show his face right now, like this? This was beyond surreal. Samuel Voltaggio was in my father’s building, with his permission, in a room, waiting for me, with my Dad’s help. Am I dead and I just don’t know it? This felt like some alternate universe, but it was real and it was happening and I didn’t know where to begin.

  Samuel suddenly looked nervous. Maybe it was his surroundings, or the fact my Dad was in the next room or that we were finally able to see each other with no fear lurking in the background. All our past encounters were always filled with worry, and now that was gone, and here we were. The past meeting in the present, with no potential danger forcing us apart.

  He was wearing black slacks and a white T-shirt like a fifties greaser. On anyone else, the look would have been stupid, but with Samuel, it suited him down to a tee. His black hair was combed back and his naturally tanned olive skin looked even darker. I couldn’t escape that dark look in his eyes he had always reserved for me, and he made sure I couldn’t miss it. It surprised me that he could look so relaxed and sexy with those eyes, when he had caused me great heartache and pain. He had started this all by putting a hit on Clint first, and yet, he stood there, smiling softly, his eyes lingering on mine with want and need, and without a care in the world. He started a series of events that brought my world crashing down.

  “Lenorah Rossi. I am so happy to see you.” He said it like we were just meeting for the first time, and perhaps that’s what it felt like for him. Maybe if this had been our beginning we would have had a much different ending, but we couldn’t go back in time. We couldn’t change what had been done, what he had set in motion. I had not forgotten Morewell and his manipulation there, as well as the contract he put on Clint; the gifts, the gala and the truth and dare party. He had tried to split us up in a really underhanded way, causing so much anguish, hurt and pain. Everything was different for me now. I did not see Samuel the same way anymore.

  “I wish I could say the same Samuel, but I can’t.” I stayed where I was, keeping my distance from him. I wasn’t completely unaffected by his looks, but I knew where my head and my heart now was, and it was not here.

  Samuel, seeing my distaste towards him, walked right up to me, closing the distance he didn’t want between us any more. He gripped my shoulders. “Why? Why would you say that? Is it about the gifts? Were they too much? Oh Len, they were just to show you how much I still love...”

  I punched him hard in the gut, sending him wheezing to the ground. I couldn’t help it. It was a reflex to him just brushing aside the ghastly things he had done. How he could push them aside like that just made my head snap and my hand react. The nerve of him to think it was just about the gifts.

  “Are you fucking serious Samuel? You think this is about the gifts? What the hell is wrong with you? I should hit you again for what you did.” I thought about it again, my hand twitching to connect with his face this time, but I held it with my other hand, restraining my anger from getting out of control.

  Samuel was on all fours on the ground, trying to catch his breath. He looked up at me from the floor, his face strained and eyes glazed. “I take it, you didn’t like the gifts.” He looked genuinely confu
sed by my attack. His eyes became doe-eyed as they stared up at me in pure bewilderment, and for a second, I doubted what I knew. Could I be wrong right now? As he continued to stare at me, my anger softened.

  Damn my beating heart!

  I helped him up from off the ground. “Get the fuck up Samuel!”

  Samuel coughed some more as he got to his feet, still holding his stomach like it hurt. “What the hell Len? You beat me up because of some diamonds and my car. Oh come on. Fine. I’ll keep the car. I just thought you’d love Cherry, I...”

  I pushed his chest, hard, sending him flying backwards on his feet. What the hell was going on? Why wasn’t Samuel acknowledging the other terrible things he did? Was he hoping I would just look past them, forget about them, turn a blind eye? Was this guy crazy?

  Samuel regained his footing, now standing up straight, a different look on his face. He knew I wasn’t fooling around. I was dead serious.

  “Are you really trying to push aside what you did? I can’t believe you would do that. Do you have any idea how much pain it caused me? How can you even look at me right now?” I was throwing my pain and confusion at him. I needed to get my head around his dismissal of everything else. Why would he do this? How could he act this way?

  Samuel’s face looked like he was thinking deeply, trying to process my words and reaction, but not coming up with any kind of reasonable explanation. “Len, you are going to have to tell me why you are so angry, because I don’t understand what is going on.”

  I wanted to push him again, but instead I just wound my fists up into balls as I tried to keep myself from going on a full-blown violent rampage. “Fine Samuel. I will give you the list of reasons I am acting like this right now. How about the fact you put a contract on Clint first, starting this whole fucked-up situation? Why would you do that? Did you do it on purpose so Clint would do the same back and hope I didn’t find out about it? I swear you two are as thick as each other. Both fucking insane!”