by King, Dean
“Let me go! Let me go!” Beth twisted this way and that, but couldn’t free herself.
Downstairs, Miranda had covered her ears. When she heard Frank and Beth pounding down the stairs, she knew this would be one of the hardest things she'd ever had to face.
*****
Nina stood in her bedroom, with her arms crossed over her chest. She vowed she wouldn't let him see her panic.
Rafe leaned against the door. He knew this would be difficult, but it was harder than he thought. Beth firmly believed he would hurt her mother. But if Nina’s looks could kill he would be dead right now.
“I don’t know why you’re here. I’d call you by your name, but I don’t know if it’s yours for real.” Nina said sarcastically with a frown.
Rafe feasted his eyes on her. She wore a pair of pink shorts and a white tee which hung from her shoulders. Her hair was scattered about her shoulders and her pretty lips were tight.
“I love you, Nina,” Rafe said simply, as he edged towards her. “I never did those things you saw. It wasn’t me, I swear it.” At her doubtful look, he spread his hands wide. Barely inches away, Rafe wanted to touch her, but he didn't dare try to.
“Yes,” he continued. “I’ve lied to you. I lied about so many things, but it was because I didn’t know what I wanted. I wanted to know more about you. I had no clue you’d taken my heart. By the time I realized it, it was too late. I wanted to tell you the truth. If you can look into your heart and forgive me, I’d be the happiest man on earth.”
Nina objected. “You can’t change what I saw! Everything we did, everything you taught me, everything you made me feel was cheapened! I feel so dirty.” She turned her back to him.
Rafe couldn't stop himself. He took her into his arms even as she fought his hold.
“No, please don’t,” Nina cried, “You’ve hurt me enough.”
Rafe ignored her. Clasping one hand around the back of her neck, he turned her to face him and took her mouth in a fierce kiss. Long moments past before she responded. Her hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer, her mouth as hungry for his as he was for her.
Nina froze as images of him with those other women flashed into her mind. She shoved him away. “I won’t be a toy for you, Rafe! Not now, not ever! Get out of my house.”
“Nina, it was my brother you saw,” Rafe insisted with frustration.
“Oh please, another lie? How do I know it was your brother?” Nina snapped. “You could tell me anything and I wouldn’t know the difference.”
“It’s the truth.” Rafe went to the door and yelled downstairs. “Frank, get up here.” He opened the door wider as Frank ducked into the room. “Where’s Beth?” Rafe asked.
“Mother has her.” Frank said.
Nina folded her arms over her chest, her lips tight. “So you have a twin. So what? He wasn’t even in town, and if he was, how did he know where we would be?” Desperate eyes went from one brother to the other. Nina wanted so bad for Rafe to prove her wrong, but she was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to.
“I’m Frank. Hello, Nina.” He held out his hand, but she refused to take it.
“Tell me what’s going on? Was it you or your brother I saw that night?” Nina sharply asked Frank.
“When I was in Spain, my mother told me of Rafe’s girlfriend. That he might be falling for her. But when she told me you had three children, I figured I had to stop this. I thought you were just a gold-digger. So I decided to break it up. But I saw the look on your face when you thought I was Rafe. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I didn’t know you really loved him.”
Nina’s eyes swung from one to the other. They seemed to be identical, even in the way they spoke. But Frank’s eyes held a glint of something dark, and maybe a bit of cynicism, that wasn't in Rafe‘s. She looked the length of Frank; he didn't dress like Rafe. This man dressed flamboyantly, where Rafe always favored serious and dark colors.
Frank held out his hand again. “Can you forgive me?”
“That was you I saw, not Rafe?” An ember of anger still burned deep within her.
“Well, yes. Rafe could never look this good. You liked what you saw, right?” Frank grinned.
“Get out Frank.” Rafe ordered.
“Come on, you liked what you saw, right? You’re kinda hot yourself. I could meet…” The door was shut in his face. Rafe leaned back against the door. His heart lifted a little at Nina’s bemused expression.
“He’s strange.” Nina frowned.
“Always was. Do you believe me? I swear I’ve had sex with no one but you since long before you came along.”
Nina felt her heart singing. He hadn't lied. It wasn’t him! She wanted to kiss him. But she looked at him through narrow eyes. Doubt lingered. “What about Miranda? Why did she come into our lives? Why lie about that?”
“After you told me about the children, I thought they were yours by some long lost lover. I was hurt, terrible hurt. I fought with myself for a long time. So long that you stopped coming to the club. I didn’t want you to know I’d seen you at work, so I asked my mother to look you up for me, and to tell me where you’d be. She became angry with me after meeting you. She fell in love with you and the kids. She said if I was not man enough to love the children as well as the mother, then I didn’t deserve you all.” Rafe walked closer to her. His hands caressed her shoulders and bare arms. “I had to keep seeing you, you were under my skin. Besides, I knew you would be at work. So I made up the excuse of bumping into you in the parking lot.”
Nina frowned up at him. “So you weren't out of town? Another lie.” She pulled away from him. Turning, she walked to her window to stare out at the boys playing in the warm evening sun. “What do you mean you knew me from work? I don’t remember seeing you there.”
Rafe walked to her, and pulled her into his arms, he cleared his throat. “I have something else to tell you.”
Nina sighed, turning to face him. “What? Another lie?” Her eyes begged him to say otherwise, but he only shrugged. Nina pulled away from him. “Tell me.”
Rafe swallowed hard, he would’ve never believed telling a woman he was rich would be this difficult, but he knew Nina, a lie, was a lie. “I own the company, Nina, along with many others.”
Her eyes narrowed at him. “What company, Rafe? Not Triple M Enterprises...”
He nodded. “It’s for Miranda Michelle Montoya. My father named it after my mother. They started everything together.”
Nina shook her head, a weak laugh departing her dry lips. “This is great,” she cried. “Just great! Wonderful. What else is there, Rafe? I guess next you're going to tell me it was you who was following me all this time. You put the snake in my car, or maybe it was you who flattened my tires?” She was shouting now. “What else do you need to get off your chest? Have you been trying to scare me into your arms? Are you the one who almost ran me off the road yesterday? Did you lock me in that closet?”
Rafe went to her. Taking her arms in a tight grip, he shook her. “What are you saying? I would never do that. Since the ball, I’ve had a bodyguard on you and the children.”
Nina gave a bitter laugh. “Since I met you, nothing has gone right, Rafe. Now I find out that the man I love is the biggest liar in town. What am I supposed to think?”
“I would never hurt you Nina,” Rafe growled. “I wanted to tell you this later, but yesterday we caught the man responsible for harassing you.”
Her eyes widened, “What?”
“Yes love, we caught him.”
“Do you mean the tall blond? The one who says he’s going to kill me?”
“He won’t be killing anyone,” Rafe said. “After the incident yesterday, the undercover police officers called to say he had the guy. You can rest easy now. It’s all over.” He didn’t tell her that he was going to question the guy himself.
“It’s over?”
“Yes, love, it’s over,” Rafe frowned and went to her. “Nina, darling, look at me.”
Nina sho
ok her head, she was happy, but at the same time she felt so betrayed. “Thank you for that. I haven’t been able to sleep, worrying about when and where the next attack would be from.” She cast a sad glance in his direction. “I don’t know if I can trust you any more.” She whispered.
“You can trust me Nina, I swear it!” Rafe wanted desperately to have love shining in her eyes again, instead of the dark look of suspicion.
Large liquid eyes met his. “What about the club? Do you own that, too?”
“No, it’s Frank’s. I was just there looking into some things for him. When I saw you sitting at the bar that night, I knew you weren’t there because you wanted to be. I was just trying to scare you away. But it turned into so much more.” His warm breath fanned her face. “More than I ever expected.”
Nina was reeling. He owns the company? It didn’t seem possible. “You know me from work?”
Rafe laughed softly. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it. “Yes, my love, I do. You’re the best financial officer I have.”
Her dazed eyes caressed his face as if seeking a clue as to who he really was. “But I don’t remember seeing you. Oh, goodness,” She said as it all began to sink in. “You own that company?”
“Don’t worry about that right now. Nina I want you to marry me.” Rafe pulled the black velvet box from his pocket and opened the lid. “I’ve carried this around for months, trying to get the courage to ask you.”
Nina gasped. Winking up at her was a great marquee diamond solitaire, held by an elegant gold band, it rested on a cushioned bed of black satin. She looked up at Rafe. He’d told her so much, she needed time. “I need to think, Rafe. I keep seeing you with those other women. I…I.. don’t know. All the lies, you owning the company, it’s all too much...”
Rafe sighed. This was going to be harder than he’d expected. Then his face lit up. “Come on, I’ll prove it wasn’t me.”
Rafe grabbed Nina’s hand and pulled her out of the room and down the stairs. “Mother, Frank, do me a favor and take the children to your house. We have to get some things straight...” Rafe, with Nina in tow, headed towards the front door.
“No! Where are you taking her?” Beth screamed at them, panic widening her eyes as her mother and Rafe trotted down the walkway. “No! Don’t you take her away!”
Nina saw Beth’s face, with Frank still holding onto her. “Let me go Rafe, I need to speak to her.”
Rafe turned, they were halfway to his truck. “You stay here I’ll handle this.”
“No, you’ll scare her.”
He caressed Nina’s tense face. “If you’re going to be my wife, then you’ll have to trust me with your children.” Nina considered this, then gave him a tight nod and stood still.
Rafe walked to Beth with determination in his eyes.
“You better not take her away!” Beth screamed at him.
He stopped in front of her. “How old are you?”
Beth paused, glaring at him through watery eyes. Her chest heaved with the force of her anger. “You know how old I am.”
“Yes I do. But do you? You’re sixteen now. Why are you acting like you’re five?” He stood with his arms folded across his chest, watching her. “Let her go, Frank.” Frank dropped his arms.
“I won’t let you hurt my mother any more.” Beth squared off with him, her head thrown back to stare into his face.
“I love your mother. I know you’ve been with her since you were a baby, but it’s time for her to have a life of her own. That doesn’t mean you won’t be in it. It means she’ll now be complete. I plan on making all of you my family. I know that loving her means loving the complete package.” He paused. “Beth, all I’m asking is that you give me a chance to be a part of your lives.”
Her arms remained in place. Beth looked past Rafe to where Nina stood. “I don’t want you to hurt her. She’s all I have and I love her. When you hurt her the other day she was so sick. What if you… What if you make her even sicker? What if she doesn’t want us any more because of you?”
“That will never happen, I promise you. Nina loves you all so much she’d drop me in a heartbeat if you told her to.” Rafe didn’t want to encourage her, but knew he had to earn her trust.
Beth looked thoughtful, and then turned back to Nina. Her mother nodded from down the walk, as did Miranda when Beth looked into her eyes.
Rafe spoke again. “I’ll have her back to you in no time. I just need to show her something, that’s all.”
“Are you sure she wants to go with you?”
“Yes,” Rafe confirmed.
Beth nodded tightly. “Okay, but have her home in one hour. Or please call me.” Rafe smiled at that. He patted her arm, then made his way back to Nina.
“Is she alright?” The anxiety in Nina’s voice caught him.
“She’s fine. It’s you I’m worried about. Come on.”
fifteen
Rafe led her into his apartment building. Nina had been terribly quiet on the way over. He prayed he could save what little love she might have for him. That she could see through his deceptions and love him, anyway.
Nina let her eyes take in the plush surroundings, now she saw it through different eyes. “Why are we here?” She asked as they entered an elevator.
“Hey, Tony, how are you doing?” Rafe called as they walked past a small man wearing a blue and gold doorman’s uniform.
“Oh, I’m fine,” Tony was saying. “Mr. Montoya, how are things with you?”
“Fine, fine,” Rafe gestured to Nina. “This is my fiancée, Nina Manchester. Nina, this is Tony, he works the day shift. He’ll let you in whenever you need.”
Nina gave the man a weak smile. Her eyes skirted to Rafe, for the first time she looked at him. Montoya, what a fool I’ve been. Why didn’t it click before? They continued into the elevator and headed up. Nina had never felt so exposed, so unsure of herself.
“Rafe, why are you bringing me here?” Nina tried again.
“I’m going to prove to you once and for all that it wasn’t me with those women.” Rafe pulled out his key, inserted it into the lock, and opened the door.
“How are you going to prove it? Besides, I believe you. You don’t have to go through all this.”
Rafe led her into the spacious apartment. “I’ve given you no reason to trust me. I just want to prove to you that I would never do what you saw.” Rafe caught her hand and pulled her along with him. “I went to the club and picked this up. Frank likes to have his little escapades taped.” He guided her into a black leather chair in front of a widescreen television. “Now, watch this.” Rafe put the compact disc in the video player. Grabbing the remote, he pressed play.
Nina quickly looked away as the images appeared on the screen. They were already burned into her mind, and would be there for the rest of her life.
Rafe watched her. He saw when she shut her eyes, the torment on her face very real. He forwarded the tape and stopped it at where he needed. “Look at this, Nina,” he gently asked.
“No, I don’t want to see it,” she whispered, her hands clenched into fists.
“Look at it,” Rafe snapped. “I need to show you how to tell the difference between me and my brother.”
Nina nodded and lifted her head, slowly opening her eyes. “I know how to tell the difference,” she said quietly. “All I have to do is look into your eyes.”
“That’s fine, but I need to show you one other difference. Now please look at the screen.” Hesitantly, she turned to face the TV, on the screen was an enlarged view of a man kneeling between the legs of the women. Rafe pointed at the frozen image. “Do you see that red strawberry on his right butt cheek?”
Nina squinted. The mark was small but clear. “Yes. I’ve never seen that before.” She spoke in a hushed voice.
“That’s because I don’t have it. Only Frank has that,” Rafe whispered.
Her heart light from this knowledge, Nina looked at Rafe. Love shined bright in her eyes. She wrapped her arms a
round him, and kissed him deeply. “God, Rafe, you don’t know the torment I’ve been going through. I kept seeing you with those girls. I thought I’d loose my mind.” Her tears began to flow, wetting his shirt.
Rafe held her close. “Baby I know how I would feel had I seen you doing that. I would’ve been ready to rip someone to shreds. I could never cheat on you, Nina.” He took her mouth in a deep and searing kiss.
Nina broke the kiss and then slowly moved away from him.
Rafe was puzzled “What is it? Don't you believe me?”
She nodded and leaned back against the couch. Her expression of intense relief quickly evaporated. “I believe you...”
He could hear the question in her strained voice. “But?” He prompted her.
“But I still don't know if I can trust you. You lied about so many things. I mean, what is our relationship based on?” She answered her own question. “It's based on a lie, and not just part of it. The whole thing is based on nothing but lies.” Nina felt completely numb. “How can I trust you, knowing what I know now?”
Stricken, Rafe stared at her. “Nina, what are you saying?”
Swallowing hard, she looked down at a black button on his shirt. “I'm saying I want to believe I can trust you, but it's going to take time. I'd like to know that the man I give my heart to will love me in return. I must be able to trust in that, Rafe.”
“You can trust me, Nina. I swear it.” He pushed his fingers through his hair and got up, then began pacing the room. “How can I prove it to you? You tell me what I can do.” Rafe held his hands out in a pleading gesture.
Nina stood up and walked to him. Lifting one of his hands, she spoke from her heart. “I love you, Rafe. I love you so much it hurts. So much that when I found out all these things about you, I was crushed. As if I was in love with a lie. I don't know you. Can you understand what I'm saying?”
He clenched his teeth, the muscle in his jaw working to contain his need to beg her to give him a chance. Under hooded eyes he asked. “Are you saying it's over between us?”