Identity: …………..People aren’t always who you believe them to be (Miss Taken Identity Series Book 2)

by Scornavacca, Cleo

  “It’s a Mango Protein Smoothie. It’s good for you.”He said as he walked out of the bathroom drying his hair with a bath towel.

  “Ah, so this is what you meant when you said you were getting me something to drink. I smiled.

  “Yes, and I’m going to make you one every morning. It will ease your queasy stomach and give you the nutrients that you and our baby need.”He was stating a fact.

  “Hmmm...when did you become an expert in pregnancy, Mr. Kane? I asked playfully.

  “I’m no expert, but what I do know is that you need to stay hydrated and that should help ease the queasiness. The protein and nutrients goes without saying. You’re eating for two now. If you feel you can’t eat, then you’ll drink your food. I’m not taking any chances with you, Rain.”He was sweet, but very serious.

  “I love you, Dominick.”I said, feeling much better. Feeling everything was going to be fine.

  We sat down on the couch. I definitely had a feeling of renewed energy. Dominick seemed like he did as well. I took the glass with the smoothie and sipped it slowly. It was delicious and so refreshing. Dominick grabbed his coffee and settled back into the couch. Now we needed to get serious. I wanted to get this story over with and the details of what I knew out and in the open, so we could move forward towards our new life together.

  “Are you okay to continue, Rain?”He was cautious.

  “I’m ready.”I gave him a reassuring smile.

  “Okay, then tell me, baby.”He appeared serious and ready to deal with whatever I was about to say to him.

  “Well, like I said before I went to see my dad while you were on business. I told him how we really met and of course, his reaction was less than nice, but when I explained to him that I was in love with you.....

  “Wait... you told your dad you loved me back then?”He seemed confused.

  “Dominick, I think I may have loved you from the beginning. Well, not when you originally kidnapped me, but not much longer after that. I was just too stubborn to see it. I needed to control every aspect of my life and you were taking that away by kidnapping me. But as the days went on, I just knew you were different. I knew you got it. You understood me, maybe sometimes more than the others in my life.”I stopped and waited for his reaction.

  He placed his coffee cup down on the table and pulled me into his lap. He took the smoothie and place it next to his coffee, not letting go of me, as he did. He settled back into the couch and looked into my eyes and gave me a shy, but bright smile. I smiled back. He started to stroke my hair and then he leaned in and kissed me gently.

  “Rain, you don’t have to go on if you don’t want to. I’m happy with this, with us. With our‘Somewhere’. The hell with everything and everybody else. We’re together and you’re pregnant. All I’ve ever wanted was a real family. You’ve given me that now.”He was so serious and poured so much out in that statement.

  Although I appreciated what he was saying, I knew perfectly well that Dominick would always be curious and I didn’t want this to be a black cloud hanging over our heads. I wanted a clean slate with him. I was able to give him the family he wanted; the family I wanted, but first I had to clean up what our families put in motion all of those years ago.

  “Thank you, Dominick; but I need to do this. It will always be our unfinished business. I need to put it behind us, so we can go forward and not have it as a constant obstacle in our relationship. I know you would be okay if I stopped the conversation here, but what I have to tell you affects you and me and our baby. I promise it will all work out in the end.”I stopped and held my breath, as I waited for his reaction.

  He let out a deep sigh.“Okay, maybe you’re right. Tell me what I need to know.”He seemed very confident that he would be unaffected by what I was going to say, but I knew better.

  “After my dad calmed down a little, I explained to him that you had taken me, because you wanted your father’s share of Kane & Medici. I thought he was going to get angrier, but instead he went over to the safe and pulled out two envelopes. One containing your dad’s last will and testament, among other things. The other was a letter addressed to me personally.”

  “To you, why to you?”Dominick seemed to be confused, but curious.

  “My dad said that he didn’t own the business. Mr. Kane left his share to someone else.”

  “Who the fuck did he leave my birthright to?”I knew he’d get angry.

  I froze in his arms.“I’m so glad you’re able to remain calm, Dominick.” My voice was clearly sarcastic.

  “I’m sorry, baby. I won’t interrupt you again. I promise.”He’s voice was sweet and soft.

  “My dad seemed very concerned about what the papers were going to reveal to me and quite frankly, he seemed lost. Then he said he knew that he couldn’t keep this from me for much longer. Plus the fact that we were a couple made it a good a time as any to tell me the truth.”

  “I knew it! I knew he was lying to you!”Dominick interrupted me again. No surprise there.

  I grimaced.

  “Baby, I promise, I won’t do it again.”He was genuine in his statement. Let’s see how long it lasts this time.

  “Dominick, just let me finish, okay?It’s hard enough without all of your comments and interruptions. You’ll have all the time in the world to yell and scream when I’m done.”I was frustrated, but not defeated.

  He just nodded. He knew I meant what I said.

  “Anyway, after my dad had stated that he wasn’t the heir to your father’s share of Kane & Medici, I asked him who was. He said it was me.”I grew smaller in his arms, but never looked away. I waited for his reaction.

  Dominick looked at me and started to grin. This was not the response that I was expecting. It was much better.

  “I’d have to say Rain, my father made a good choice. I guess I did kidnap the right sister.”Dominick was almost playful and I was becoming increasingly confused.

  “Wait, you’re not angry?”I asked.

  “Baby, of course I’m still pissed that my father basically disowned me, but in the end my family still owns the interest in the firm. Rain, you’re my family and that baby inside of you is my family and the firm and all of it’s interests will belong to both of you.”He was matter of fact in his statement.

  I wasn’t buying his reaction. It was too easy. There must be more. It was time for me to brace myself, I think.

  “Rain, I know you have to tell me more. I can see it in your body language. You’re very edgy. Let me just say what I need to and then you can finish.”He said.

  I nodded.

  “I lied to you.”He stated.

  I felt queasy from his statement and my heart dropped into my stomach and my ears felt like all noise stopped.

  “I knew that you and Raven were identical twins before I even devised the kidnapping plan. I researched your family. I’m not a stupid man. I don’t make mistakes. What I didn’t know was that you were going to be at dad’s townhouse that morning. When the call that came from your dad’s house phone said that Miss Medici needed a car that morning, I thought it was for Raven.”

  “You had my dad’s phone monitored?”I was in shock.

  “Yes, of course. I was serious about my plan. I wanted my father’s share of that business. Then when you arrived here that morning and Gerard said you were wild and somewhat uncontrollable; for a brief moment I thought they took you instead of Raven. Only after I had seen your reaction to the broken camera, did I know that it was you for sure, Rain.”He stopped and waited for me to gather my thoughts and my questions.

  “You played along the entire time knowing I wasn’t Raven. All of the screaming and tantrums were an act?”I was numb.

  “Yeah baby, I’d make a pretty good actor, huh?”He teased.

  “I can’t believe it, you knew. Then why all the drama with Darian that evening? You know, when you appeared to have just discovered that I was Rain and not Raven?”

  “I didn’t know how to approach you about your little ac
ting role as your sister Raven, so I approached the subject with Darian. The few times I took her out and the day I bought your artwork, she mentioned you. So I mildly asked her how she knew you without revealing my intentions. I didn’t want her to become suspicious. Plus, I didn’t want her to know that I kidnapped you. She may have called the authorities on me. That woman loves drama and if she thought she could save the day and get some free publicity for her business, I wouldn’t put it passed her to turn me in.”

  “You were still taking a huge risk, Dominick.”

  “How so?”He didn’t seem to know what I was stating.

  “Well, how did you know that I wouldn’t tell her what you were doing with me?”

  “Honestly, I didn’t know. I took a chance knowing that you were Rain and that you wanted to protect your family so much that maybe you yourself would also stay quiet. Then when you played along I knew it was okay.”

  “Yeah, but later that evening when you came home, you were livid. You were so angry with me. Remember when you grabbed me and put me on the bed to see my tattoo. That didn’t seem like the act of a man that knew what was really going on.”

  “I knew who you were Rain, but after I left here to drive Darian home she explained that the newspapers never really revealed all of the things that went on in your life. She said you were very sick for a very long time and it was only after your mom passed away that she discovered what an amazing photographer you were and that the two of you connected through her business. I was starting to feel things for you then. I loved the way you joked. The way you smiled when you thought no one was looking. I even loved your smart-ass remarks and the way you stood up to me. No one ever tries to take me on. I respected that. Yet, I felt very conflicted that I had taken you after Darian revealed how sick you truly were.”

  All of this came as a huge shock to me. Plus, Darian knowing about my childhood. I needed to investigate her intentions at a later time. We barely knew each other except for our business contact, yet she knew way too much about me. How was this possible? I can’t think about it now. I have to put it on the back burner and concentrate on what Dominick had just admitted to me. That he had feelings for me almost immediately, like I did for him.

  “While playing along I started to feel something for you. Something I never felt with anyone for my entire life.”His voice cracked.

  “So the whole time as your feelings were growing, they were always for me and never for Raven?”I started to cry.

  “Yes, Angel. I only ever had feelings for you.”With that statement, he leaned in and took my mouth and wiped my tears. I was completely overwhelmed.

  Once settled with the revelation that Dominick had just confessed to me, I decided I needed to finish this. He told me the truth. There wasn’t any yelling or accusing. I felt no malice. I was really happy that I was the one he truly loved. This was going to make what I had to say to him harder, but I knew that together we were going to be stronger in the end.

  “I really need to finish telling you my story, especially now more than ever.”I waited for his response.

  He nodded silently and understood, so I continued.

  “Once I left my dad’s office with all of the papers, well, I asked my dad to keep the legal documents giving me the firm in his safe for the time being; he asked me not to turn the firm over to you. I told him that my decision was going to be a difficult one and that I wanted it to be best for both you and him. Anyway, I called Tommy and told him briefly what happened. I told him I was going to the apartment to read the letter from your father and that I would explain everything later. I want you to know I had all intentions of telling you this information on Thanksgiving weekend, but what your father said to me in the letter made me wait until after the holidays.”

  “Baby, you didn’t tell me about any of this after the holidays.”He was even more confused now.

  “I was going to tell you all of this when Tommy drove me down here last week. Then......

  “I acted like a crazy man and you left me.”He was quiet.

  “I should have never left you.”I held his face in my hands.

  “Rain, you had every right to leave. I was wrong. All I was trying to do was protect you, but instead I was loud and out of control. Shit! You were carrying my baby even then. I acted so irresponsibly. I just couldn’t focus on what was important, which was you. Although in my own twisted way, that was what I thought I was doing. Please forgive me.”He lower his head into the nape of my neck and held me tight.

  “Hey, there’s nothing to forgive. It’s just us now. Well, us and this little one inside me. We’ll be okay, Dominick. I promise. No more running away. Let’s just work it out. Just like you said before.”I held him as close as possible. I needed to reassure him before I shocked him with the news that he was adopted. This was going to be the hardest thing I had ever done in my entire life.

  “Okay baby, go on.”He was exhausted.

  “Are sure you want me to continue? This is not going to be easy.”

  “Yeah, let’s finish it. So we can be together.”

  “I read the letter from your father. He stated much to my surprise that he was in love with my mom. He said he never told her because she married my dad. The fact that he and my dad were not only business partners,but lifelong friends made the whole thing very difficult. I personally was shocked by this revelation and it seems like my dad never knew. Maybe that’s for the best. My dad had revealed to me the reason why your father hadn’t left you the business, but didn’t totally understand it himself. Then your father started to explain his relationship, or lack thereof, with you and your mom in the letter and this helped me more in understanding what had went on all of those years ago.”I stopped to see if Dominick needed a break.

  “Go on, Rain.”He stated, as if he knew what was coming next, but how could he?

  “He said that he was very proud of you and loved you very much, but all of the problems with your mother and all of her interference caused him to break away. Dominick, he said your mother did something very deceiving that he could never forgive. He said she didn’t admit to it, but later he found out the truth and that’s why he walked away. He did say, however, that he tried to build a relationship with you, but Elise caused problems at every turn.”I knew this was when I had to tell him about the adoption, but all of a sudden I was filled with fear. I started to tremble and could barely breathe.

  “Baby, it’s okay. I know what you’re going to tell me.”

  “What? You couldn’t possibly know. My dad said you were never told any of what I’m about to tell you.”I was getting more upset by the minute.

  “True, I didn’t know that my father loved your mom, nor did I know that he left you Kane & Medici. I thought your dad received the business, so that’s why I put this whole thing into motion. Rain, if you’re scared to tell me that I was adopted, you don’t have to be scared anymore. I already knew, baby.”He looked at me with deep concern.

  I started to cry. Not a quiet release, but an ugly gut wrenching cry. A cry that hurt, that made me feel sick, yet in some strange way relieved. A cry that I couldn’t control. I just wanted to crawl out of my body and not feel this. I knew he said he that knew about the adoption, but how could he? Did he guess? Did I just confirm it? Did I drive the knife in his heart even deeper? This isn’t what I wanted for him. I just wanted to be truthful and work it out. All I’ve done is create more problems. I lowered my head and couldn’t even look at him. I knew he said he knew already, but now it was truly out in the open and he had to face it, but he wasn’t going to have to face it alone. The anger he was always carrying around with him made sense to me now. He knew, but how?

  “Rain, stop baby. It’s going to be okay. It’s all going to be better now. Don’t cry anymore. This isn’t healthy for you or our baby. You need to hear me and do as I say. Calm down.”Ironically he was taking care of me, when it should have been me comforting him.

  I looked up at him for answers. He knew what I was
asking.

  “I didn’t really know I was adopted until my mother died. I had to clean up her papers and there were things that led me to believe that I was adopted. They weren't clear proof, but strange documents and letters to Italy. It was a idea that I had in my head before my mother died, but she never told and then when I found the papers I thought it may be true. I wasn’t speaking with my father, but I did ask him. He just dismissed me as he always did and neither confirmed or denied my questions. You confirmed my suspicions, finally. I’m glad you did. I’m glad you’re the one sharing this with me. Those thoughts haunted me for a very long time. Now I can free myself from them and be with you.”He stated.

  “Dominick, I understand what you’re saying, but don’t you want to know who you really are? Who you’re birth parents are and what happened all of those years ago?”I questioned him.