Black Truth (A Twisted Fate Series Book 2)

by Kristin Mayer

  I nuzzled him. “I hope De Luca takes him.”

  “He will. He wants revenge.” His confidence held no doubts. “Let’s check you out. I hated how much stress this put you under.” With efficiency Gabe checked the babies’ heart rates. Everything was fine regardless of how rattled I still felt. Gabe rubbed my back, and I held onto him.

  A thought suddenly occurred to me. One I hadn’t imagined I’d want if given the chance. “Can I see him?”

  Gabe’s eyes bugged out. “Yo-you want to see him? No. Absolutely not.” He vehemently shook his head to emphasize the point.

  I understood Gabe’s reservations. I had them also, but this was something I needed to do. “Gabe, I need to do this for closure of Dad’s death.”

  Through all of this, Alex had left us with were more questions than answers. I wanted this part of our life closed. And with De Luca more than likely taking him, this was my only shot.

  “Let me ask him. I’ll tell you everything.” His voice was frantic and pleading.

  Gently, I kissed his lips. “This is something I have to do or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

  Understanding dawned and he said, “The Kevlar stays on. You keep your distance. If I get the least bit concerned, you’re leaving.”

  “That’s fine.” The Kevlar was an irritant, but it kept me safe … well safer.

  We stood and Gabe radioed directions to prepare the men for us to come to the barn. After I put on some shoes, we left the premises hand in hand. Andre and two other men surrounded us with their guns still drawn.

  Had I made the right decision?

  Everyone was still on high alert. Rightly so, but the stress of the situation penetrated me to my core. Yes, I needed answers or I would forever wonder.

  The warmth from the lights inside the barn glowed in stark contrast to the evil lurking inside.

  Night dew from the grass gathered on the soles of my shoes. The stars twinkled in the sky as the cool breeze blew.

  Ironic such disaster lay behind the barn doors when such peace resided out here.

  When we made it to the door, Trent stepped out. “You sure you want to do this, Willow?”

  “I need to know if he murdered Dad.”

  Trent glanced to Gabe who nodded. “I won’t deny Willow closure. I’ve offered to talk to him instead, but she wants to do this.”

  With how close Trent had been to Dad, I thought he’d understand. Trent blocked the door, the turmoil evident on his face.

  I touched his arm. “I need to do this. If it was about your sister, wouldn’t you want the same thing if there was a chance to get answers?”

  Trent’s jaw locked as he held his emotions at bay. With his sister committing suicide, he had a lot of unanswered questions.

  After another moment, he stepped aside, not saying a word.

  The door swung open. Five men with guns drawn surrounded Alex and Harley who sat in chairs, bound and gagged.

  “Remove Alex’s gag.” The command from Gabe was followed swiftly.

  As soon as the gag was removed, he spit and wiped his chin on his shirt. Our eyes met and I saw nothing but hatred in Alex’s. The cold glare I grew accustomed to when we lived together met mine.

  “Well, if it isn’t my brother’s whore. You were a terrible wife. Always bitching and complaining.”

  Surprisingly, the words had no effect. “Your mother called me something similar.” Alex flinched at the word mother. “I heard you killed her.”

  His lips thinned. “No, you two killed her. She demanded I bring Alex Junior to her.”

  The thought of the innocent little boy I’d met flashed through my mind. Chasity would have ruined another innocent soul.

  Alex’s mouth hardened. The broken man showed through the cracks. The years of mental abuse taking its toll. He was beyond repair. Alex tested his restraints and Gabe took a step forward while I went the opposite way, waiting to see if I needed to leave. The movement stopped.

  Beside him, Harley watched us. I asked, “Why did you do it?”

  “Do what?” Alex practically spit the words.

  “Seek me out. Make Gabe’s life hell. Kill my dad.”

  His head shook. Again the shattered man appeared before he masked it with hatred. A calculating look passed over his face. I wasn’t sure he would tell me. For a couple of minutes Alex stared at me deciding. Finally, he spoke, “It’s all part of the game. And I always win the game. Your dad got in the way. He knew. Somehow he knew after he questioned me about proposing to you.”

  I swallowed. Dad must have asked him about the secret he told Gabe about us going to the spot where he proposed to Mom. It was hard to keep my lips from trembling. Dad had been murdered. Taken before his time.

  I pressed forward. “Did you know he met Alex Junior?”

  No response.

  I tried again. “How did he die?”

  “Poison. Strychnine.” The words were spoken with true satisfaction.

  I gasped and tears welled in my eyes. Pure evil stared back at me with a look of complete enjoyment. Harley watched him with an unreadable expression. Reliving anything would give Alex more power than he deserved. He wanted to lay all the details out so I would forever remember them.

  “I’d followed him the entire way home from the school, jamming his cell phone signal. He was probably trying to call Trent. I walked into the studio where he was sending an e-mail. I held him down while I forced him to ingest the poison. I assured him I’d take real good care of you.”

  The tears fell and Gabe put his arms around me.

  “His dying word was your name.”

  The satisfaction on his face made me sick. I needed to leave. “I-I-I want to go back to the house.” No more. This was part of Alex’s sick game to break me.

  I turned to see Trent’s glower at Alex. Dad’s death had been worse than I expected. So much worse. It was the black truth emerging from all the white lies.

  Gabe’s arm around my waist barely registered as he propelled me from the barn. He ordered, “Don’t knock him out. I need to question him first.”

  Behind me, my father’s killer screamed, “Come back, bitch! We’re not done! I want to tell you how he begged!”

  As we exited the barn, he continued to call after me. I covered my ears with my hands. The tears fell faster than ever, causing my vision to blur. I stumbled, but Gabe was there to pick me up as I sobbed into his chest. Alex’s screams continued to penetrate the air until we closed the door to the house.

  Gabe turned to one of the guards. “If De Luca calls, tell him he can get Alex and Harley in two hours.”

  I cried harder as Gabe stroked my back. “I know, sweetheart. I know. I’m so sorry.”

  “He’s a monster.” How had Gabe survived all those years like that?

  He held me tighter. “I know. I wish you hadn’t gone out there.”

  “I needed to know.” It was hard to regret a decision that gave me answers so I wouldn’t always wonder, but I hadn’t expected the brutality of the situation. As the sobs erupted from me, Gabe comforted me. Soon nothing was left and I felt empty.

  “I need to go finish sorting things out, sweetheart.”

  Numbly, I nodded.

  “Andre is going to stay with you. I’ll be back.”

  Gabe pressed his lips against my forehead. He said something to Andre I hadn’t the energy to process and left me on the couch. He walked out the door while I worked to right myself mentally.

  At some point, I laid my head down on the arm of the couch. Mercifully, sleep found me. A light jostling stirred me.

  “Gabe?”

  “It’s me. I’m taking us to bed.”

  Early morning light splattered through the windows. Other than our footsteps, the house was quiet. “Where is everyone?”

  “Rotating their posts. We’re safe.”

  A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed past it. “Where’s Alex?”

  “Gone. De Luca took him and Harley.”


  Sleep subsided as I remembered what Alex had said. He’d watched Dad die. A few tears slid down my cheek. We entered the bedroom and Gabe locked the door. He placed me on the bed before he removed the Kevlar. In all the sadness, I’d forgotten to take it off.

  As soon as Gabe crawled into bed, I nestled beside him. “Did you find out anything else?”

  He cleared his throat. “We did. Do you want to know?”

  “Is it as bad as what he’s already told me?”

  “More of the same, but not about your dad.”

  Did I want to know? Yes, I needed to know. Tonight I would find out everything there was. Tomorrow I would start the healing process. “Yes, tell me.”

  Gabe’s fingers rhythmically stroked my back. “The man they found burned was a third accomplice named Brian Holder. He tried to steal the Botticelli with Alex and Harley.”

  I lifted my head. “Wait, Alex was there at the theft?”

  “Yes. Harley was supposed to kill Brian once the painting was taken. Trent found them too fast. Somewhere through all that, Alex decided to become me. He told Harley. In exchange for Harley’s help, Alex promised to give him Candy.”

  My brows scrunched together. “He bartered his wife?”

  “Yes. Alex found out Candy had cheated on him. He planned to kill her, but Harley stepped in. In exchange for Harley’s help, he got Alex Junior. They were going to disappear with the money from the trust.”

  A headache loomed in the back of my head. “How did Alex get the partial dental identification?”

  “He had his lower left teeth pulled and placed in Brian’s before he died. Before, he had a cast of them made for a bridge to replace them. As suspected, he killed Commander Taylor, the coroner and Brian. They were all being blackmailed to do Alex’s bidding and manipulated the reports to hide any inconsistencies. After I came back, Alex started cleaning up his mess. He decided to finish what he started. Alex sent the note to you in Italy and at the art gallery with the finger.”

  “Why?”

  “I finally had something worth losing. It was all a fucked up game to make me suffer. I know it seems like there should be more of an explanation. If there is, Alex is taking it to his grave.”

  A shiver ran through me, which caused Gabe to pull me closer. I placed my head on his chest. Alex truly was a terrible being. Everything felt icky when it involved him.

  “What happens now?”

  “De Luca took Alex and Harley. He promised we would know they’d been dealt with permanently.”

  There was so much to process and understand. He held me close and I knew he would never let me go.

  It was over.

  The game Chasity cultivated was finished.

  It was late afternoon as I walked along the back of the property with Gabe. A stillness settled over the place and I felt contentment.

  Events from the night before played over in my head. True to my word, I worked on healing from all the hate. It would take time, but with Gabe by my side, we would find our happy ending. The only outstanding issue was whether De Luca would keep his word and stay away. Though he knew we lacked incriminating evidence to turn him in, we still wanted to be watchful. The men stayed in place for now. Security would be needed for the foreseeable future.

  I glanced to the barn. It was empty now when only a few hours ago, a man I despised had been there. How things changed. It was as if the incident had never occurred.

  Had Alex loved his son? I believed he had. It had to be the only human piece left in him. Maybe I wanted to believe he loved him. At the core of all people there was good.

  My thoughts might have been naïve, but it made the world a little less scary.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “Alex. He’d lived with me for nearly six months yet he was a stranger. Last night, I saw all the hate spew from a battered and broken man. It’s a tragedy what your mother did to you boys.”

  “It is.”

  Thank goodness Gabe had been strong enough to survive.

  We took a turn down the path I walked millions of times through the years. The trees created a magical feeling canopy.

  The time had come for us to move on. Sun filtered through the trees, giving them a luminary feel. At the end of the path was the gazebo. Letting go of Gabe’s hand, I walked to the center where a fountain bubbled with water. This had been Dad and Mom’s special spot. The place he proposed to her.

  “This is the place—” I turned to see Gabe on one knee. My hand went to my mouth as a jubilant laugh left me.

  “Willow Loren Russo, I have spent my entire life looking for you. You are the sun that chases away my darkness. I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Will you do me the honor of not only being the mother of my children, but my wife?”

  I threw my arms around him, knocking him off balance. Gabe braced me against falling and took the brunt of it. Another giggle left me.

  “Is that a yes?” he asked.

  Oh no, I had forgotten to answer. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Kissing him with all my might, I bound myself to him. Then, I remembered. “We can have sex! I can have sex now.”

  “As my fiancée.”

  My smile grew. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Me, too. Would you like to see your ring?”

  “Yes! I have a ring!” I nearly squealed with delight as he opened up the ring box. The sapphire diamond I thought was lost forever sparkled back at me. My throat tightened. Barely above a whisper, I asked, “Where did you find my mother’s ring?”

  Delicately, Gabe took it from the box and slipped it on my left index finger. “I left something out about the day your dad told me about your tradition to come here to remember your mom.”

  I gazed at the diamond with reverence.

  “Before your dad told me the story, I’d asked for your hand in marriage.”

  My eyes connected with his. “You did?”

  “Yes. And he gave me the ring for safekeeping. It was his approval.”

  “This is perfect. Thank you for giving me the world.”

  He stood with me in his arms like I weighed nothing. “Now, on to your next surprise.”

  Our car pulled up to the Whitmore Hotel. The bellman hurriedly got our luggage from the trunk and took it inside.

  “Evening, Signorina Russo, Signor Thompson,” Tomas greeted us. His familiar face reminded me of my last trip when I’d been here with Carson.

  “Hello, Tomas. How’s your daughter?”

  “Very good, Signorina Russo. That is sweet of you to remember. I received the art supplies you sent her. Gratzi. She loves it and made you a card. I’ll bring it tomorrow.”

  I gave him a brief hug. “I’m so glad. I can’t wait to see what your little artist made.”

  “It’s wonderful to have you back.” With an outstretched hand, he welcomed us into the hotel. “We have everything arranged as you asked, Signor Thompson.”

  I glanced at Gabe who gave nothing away.

  “Gratzi, Tomas.”

  The grandeur of the hotel remained the same. Low classical music filled the atmosphere. The white marble floors had distressed gray marks through them. In the center of the room, the giant crystal chandelier hung massively over a ginormous flower arrangement wider than I was tall. The fragrant flowers of white lilies and violets permeated the air—both symbolic flowers of Italy. Everywhere you looked, another treasure waited to be discovered like the sculptures in the corner of the room.

  Smooth polished marble met my hands as we climbed the three stories of the grand staircase. As we rounded the corner, I felt the heat of Gabe’s stare and stopped. My stomach clinched with anticipation of things to come.

  We were about to have each other… finally.

  I wasn’t able to take my eyes off the way Gabe’s muscles moved. For so long I had worked on squelching the desires to make the need for him a little more bearable. But now, nothing stood in our way.

  Money exchanged hands before Tomas left the room. In
a haze, I waved good-bye but nothing deterred me from the man I loved. We had survived against so many odds.

  Click.

  The lock moving into place heightened the sexual tension as heat radiated off my skin begging to be touched.

  Gabe faced the other direction with his back to me, the anticipation building for when he took what was his. Me.

  “Undress, sweetheart. When I turn around I want to see you.”

  A little smile formed because of what I had on underneath my lavender sundress. Francesca packed some lingerie with a note that told me to use it wisely. Oh, I planned to.

  The energy between us grew and I quietly slipped my sundress over my head.

  Holding the fabric out to the side, I let it drop. Gabe turned with a deliberate control and his eyes heated with an intensity I remembered from the last time we made love. With measured steps he strolled to me. The heels of his shoes sounding against the marble.

  The heat from his body met mine, creating an almost combustible inferno. My breathing sped up, but still he kept a millimeter of space between us. I itched to reach out and feel his body against mine, but I waited.

  An agony to have him built slow and steady as he walked around me. The heat of his skin licked mine as my nipples puckered, waiting to be stroked and begging for attention. As he passed behind me, his fingertip touched the upper part of my shoulder, and with deliberate slowness he trailed it across my back. The minuscule touch became the worse kind of torture.

  “You are fucking gorgeous and mine to have.”

  “Yes.” My breathy reply gave him the answer he needed.

  His fingertips skimmed the tops of my panties as he came around to my front. “Are you wet?”

  “Very. I need you inside of me.”

  “It’s taking every ounce of control to savor this.” His finger dipped below my panty line, causing my stomach to tingle.

  I wanted Gabe to lose control, but the reward when he did would be that much greater. A needy whimper escaped as his hands reached the sides of my panties where they tied together. The sound of fabric swooshing filled the silence. The air kissed my now bare skin as my panties dropped to the floor.