by Chiah Wilder
In the bathroom, she took out a small jar. She’d bought the charcoal mask the other day when Sylvia had come to Alina to go shopping with her. She’d been thrilled since she hadn’t seen Sylvia since the night Diablo beat up her dad. Sylvia talked her into buying the mask, telling her that charcoal facials were all the rage in Hollywood.
While slathering the cool black cream on her face, excitement tingled inside her. Celebrating her birthday with Diablo was beyond special. After rinsing her hands, she laid down on the bed while the mask tightened her face as it dried. Sylvia had also talked her into buying a skin exfoliator and several body creams, so her idea was to pamper herself to the max and make her skin as smooth and satiny as possible. Fallon had never spent a whole day getting ready and it felt decadent to her.
As the mask continued to tighten on her face, she closed her eyes and let her mind drift.
* * *
When Diablo came at seven o’clock, the desire in his eyes as he checked her out from head to toe made her day of pampering worth it. Without saying anything, he yanked her into his arms and peppered the side of her neck with kisses. “You smell and feel real good, woman,” he said against her skin.
Pushing back, she tugged his beard and kissed him on his soft lips. She stepped back and looked at his amazing physique covered in tight black jeans and a black shirt with blue pinstripes that hugged his defined biceps and pecs. The way his muscles rippled when he moved made her nipples tingle and her panties dampen. “You look so sexy and handsome,” she said in a soft voice.
Diablo tugged her back to him and cupped her ass cheeks, digging his fingers into her pliable flesh. “You look fuckin’ hot,” he said thickly as he bent down and kissed her.
Moaning into his mouth, she looped her arms tightly around his neck and brought him closer to her. She would never get tired of kissing him; he had a way of turning even a simple kiss into the most intense experience.
“We better get going or we’ll end up staying in tonight,” she said while pulling back.
“That works for me.” He winked at her, then swatted her butt.
“I figured it would, but you promised to feed me.” She smiled as she took out her compact. From the corner of her eye, she saw Diablo watching her intently as she reapplied her lipstick and gloss. She snapped her compact shut. “Ready?” He nodded, putting his hand on the small of her back as they left the apartment.
Antlers Steakhouse had been the premier restaurant for the past forty years. Its quality service, food, and atmosphere came at a steep price, but for the diners who came from as far away as Durango, it was worth it. Dark mahogany walls and rich burgundy leather chairs gave the restaurant its old-world charm.
Fallon sipped on a glass of Chianti while Diablo drank a Corona. Light jazz slowly played on the overhead speakers, and the soft lighting made his eyes glow. He gazed at her with such tenderness in his eyes that she thought she was going to lose it. All through dinner, he’d leaned over and given her small kisses and soft strokes against her cheek. Each time he touched her, a spark ignited inside her, sending her arousal to new heights. By the time they were finished eating, it was all she could do to keep herself from jumping in his lap and grinding her aching sex against his bulge.
“Do you want anything else?” the waiter asked as he cleared the crumbs from the tablecloth.
“Bring us a piece of your chocolate cake, with two forks,” Diablo said.
Fallon laughed when the waiter placed a large piece of cake in the middle of the table, gave each of them a fork, then left. “This looks so good. And the frosting is dark chocolate.”
Diablo scooped some with his finger. “Taste it.”
She opened her mouth and her lips clamped around his finger, licking and sucking the velvety frosting off it. “Delicious.”
A low growl came from his throat as he broke off a piece of cake and fed it to her. Then he put his fingers in his mouth and licked them. She captured his smoldering gaze with hers, and when his hand slid under the table and onto her thigh, she gasped at his touch. “You’re the most beautiful woman here tonight,” he murmured. His fingers inched closer to her throbbing sex, making her shift in her seat. “If I put my hand on your pussy, are you gonna be wet?”
His words sent electric sparks from the top of her head to the opening between her legs. She could feel the wetness coating her panties, and his hand was so painfully close. Her need for him was great, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel his long fingers slip between her aching folds.
Then, somehow, he undid her zipper. The desire coursing through her had been so great that she hadn’t even felt it. Oh God! It feels so good. His fingers had slipped under her crotch and were sliding between her puffy folds. She was sopping wet; she could feel it, hear it as his fingers moved back and forth slowly, and smell it. I can’t believe I’m letting him get me off in public. But it didn’t matter. The only thing she was aware of was how exquisitely Diablo was doing just that. The pleasure was off the charts, and she slid down slightly and spread her legs wider to give him better access. Diablo flicked her aching spot with his fingertip as his middle finger broke through her wet slit and plunged deep inside her. Pleasure and release racked her body with a series of shudders. She soared with delirious pleasure as his mouth covered hers, swallowing her moans.
Grateful that they were nestled in a corner, looking out at the town’s lights sprinkled below them, Fallon straightened up and zipped her pants after Diablo removed his hand. He slowly licked his fingers, his gaze locked on hers. With reddened cheeks, she gripped her water glass and took a big gulp.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” he said.
“I just had an orgasm in a restaurant.” She took another gulp of water.
“I know. I gave it to you.” He winked.
Smiling, she shook her head. “You’re older than me. You’re supposed to mentor me, not corrupt me.”
“Corruption is a helluva lot more fun.” He kissed her cheek.
“It is.” She took his hand and kissed it.
After Diablo paid the bill, they went to the Twilight Lounge where they danced to tunes from the 50s through the present. By the time the evening was over, Fallon was exhausted, tipsy, and happier than she ever thought was possible.
On the ride home, she let the cool October wind dry her sweaty body. She’d never danced so much in her life, and the big surprise was how agile Diablo was on the dance floor. Tonight was perfect. She gazed up at the stars strewn over the dark sky and hoped her mom was looking down and smiling at her. I’m okay, Mom. Even though the DNA results hadn’t come through, she knew it was her mother; the locket proved it. And it made her feel better to think of her mother watching over her.
When they arrived home, Diablo surprised her with two beautifully wrapped gifts. Holding up the sexy teddy, she winked at him. “It’s beautiful, but I think this is your gift too.”
“Fuck yeah, sweet pea. I want to see it on you in a few minutes.”
She laughed as she opened the gold foil wrapping. The perfume box made tears spring to her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. Opening it, she inhaled deeply, then dabbed the perfume on her pulse points. “I love it. The scent is me. It’s so light and aromatic. Thank you, honey. You’re the best.” She threw herself into his waiting arms and held him for a long time.
She stood up, her perfume bottle in one hand and the teddy in the other. “Let’s go into the bedroom so I can show you how grateful and happy you’ve made me.”
He leapt from the couch and followed her.
A couple hours later, Fallon sniffed her wrist for the umpteenth time, then ran her hand across his smooth chest. Diablo was already sleeping and her eyelids were drooping. She watched the slivers of moonlight as they slid through the curtains and cast patterns on the carpet. Memories of the evening filled her mind as her eyes began to close.
Best birthday ever.
And then all at once, sleep overcame her.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
A few days after Fallon’s birthday, she received a phone call from Detective Contreras. She was at work, and when she saw his number, she quickly ducked out of the store. Except for Diablo and her dad, she hadn’t told anyone about her mother.
“Hello, Detective. I hope you have the results,” she said as she walked around the corner.
“I do. From the DNA tests and the positive identification of the locket, your picture, and the clothing that has been identified, I regret to inform you that the remains found at Bison Peak are that of your mother and a man named Richard Blather.”
Even though she’d been absolutely sure, hearing it aloud tore at her heart. “I knew it. I guess I was just holding out a sliver of hope that it wasn’t,” she whispered.
“I understand. I’m sorry for your loss. You had some of your mother’s DNA in your test. We also tested your father’s DNA.”
“Why? He wouldn’t have my mother’s in his.”
“Just a comparison since you’d have some of his. A person doesn’t inherit all her parents’ DNA, but she will have some of each. Is your father your biological dad?”
“Yes. Why’re you asking me that?” Ice filled her veins.
“It’s just that your DNA didn’t have any of his. Have you ever seen a copy of your birth certificate?”
“No, but my parents used it to get me into school and I have my dad’s last name—Richardson.”
“Maybe he adopted you.”
“He didn’t. It’s my dad. I think my mom would’ve told me if he wasn’t. Why would she lie to me?”
Contreras’s sigh was audible. “I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that you don’t have your dad’s DNA, which indicates that you and he are not biologically related.”
“Your test is wrong.” The pounding in her ears made her head ache.
“It’s not. The lab tested and retested it many times.”
Dad’s not my real dad? What the fuck? Her mind spun as she tried to concentrate on what the officer was saying. How could that be? Why would he raise me if I wasn’t his kid? This doesn’t make sense. Something’s obviously wrong with the test results.
“I’ll need you to come to Sheriff Wexler’s office tomorrow. I want to go over a few things you’ve told us about your father.”
His words jarred her back to the conversation. “Is my dad a suspect?”
He cleared his throat. “We always look closely at the ones closest to the murder victim. It’s just routine.”
Bullshit! They suspect Dad. I wondered why they took his DNA. That phony reason the detective gave me doesn’t make sense. They think Dad killed Mom and Rich.
Her father’s cold, mean words when she’d called him after she learned of her mother’s death rang through her ears.
“Does tomorrow at noon work?”
“Uh… sure. It works.” This is too much. I don’t know what the fuck’s going on.
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow. Again, Fallon, I’m sorry for your loss.”
Fallon stared at the screen as she slumped against the brick wall. I’m going to be sick. She bent over and dry heaved. He can’t be right. Dad wouldn’t hurt Mom, and Dad’s my real dad. But he’d been so mean to her over the years. A lot of biological parents are mean to their kids. I can’t stand this.
Walking back to the store, images of her dad filled her mind. Everyone always said we didn’t look anything like each other, but I’ve seen kids who don’t look like both parents.
“You look sick,” Jerry said as she reentered the store.
“I am. I have to take off. Stomach flu, I think.” She pushed her hair off her damp face.
“Go on. Take care of yourself.”
Head bowed, she said, “Thanks, Jerry. I owe you.”
In less than fifteen minutes she was sitting in her apartment. She’d been so upset that she’d forgotten to call Diablo to tell him she was leaving so he or a prospect could follow her home. At that time, it didn’t matter; all that mattered was finding out what the hell was going on. She grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and sat at the kitchen counter. With shaky hands, she plugged in her father’s number.
“I didn’t think I’d hear from you. You’ve been ignoring my calls,” Charlie said.
“I didn’t like what you said about Mom. You acted like you didn’t care about her.”
“I was angry. Your mother hurt me a lot by what she did. I shouldn’t have said those things about her to you.”
Her cold hands tingled. “The detective called me. He said it’s Mom for sure. He took my DNA and compared it to hers. He said he asked you for DNA too.”
A long pause. “I heard they made a positive identification. They take everyone’s DNA in these cases. It doesn’t mean anything. How’ve you been? You had a birthday this past Friday. Happy Birthday.”
She froze. In that instant, she knew he wasn’t her dad. She knew he’d murdered her mother and her lover. “You’re not my dad, are you?”
A much longer pause.
“What the fuck made you say that?”
“I don’t have your DNA. I put up with all your abuse, your hate, your punishment and you aren’t my real dad?”
“I fucking took care of you. I fed you, bought you clothes, gave you a place to live. That’s what a father does, Fallon.”
“But you never loved me! Why did you keep me after Mom was gone? All you did was hurt me.”
“You ungrateful bitch! I gave you my name and a home. It was a helluva lot more than your real dad ever did. He never wanted you. He wanted your mom to have an abortion. You want to know about your dad? He was married with a family of his own. He couldn’t have you tainting his good name and standing in his community.”
Married? No. He’s lying. He’s still trying to hurt me. But then she remembered the lawyer telling her why her mother and grandmother had a falling out. It’d been about her going out with a married man.
“Your mother spread her legs for him and got herself knocked up. Your high and mighty grandmother threw her out, so she came to me. We’d been friends, but I always loved her. I watched her fuck half of our high school, but when she needed help, she came to me. She said she’d try and make me a good wife. I gave her fucking respectability and you a name. And what did Joanna do? She turned you against me and took on a lover. She deserved what she got.” He laughed dryly.
“She didn’t turn me against you—you did. Why did you keep me?”
“Would you rather have gone to foster care? No one would’ve kept such an ugly, stupid girl around. You should be thanking me instead of accusing me, you cunt.”
“You’re sick. Hate and vengeance have made you crazy. You crippled me, you fucking asshole!”
“You think you’re something now that you’re living with biker trash? You’re nothing but a whore, just like your mother. The only difference is that she was beautiful and you’re fucking ugly. Shanna was right. I should’ve thrown you out years ago.”
“I wish you would have. I hate you. And I know you killed Mom and Rich. You’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“You better watch what you tell the cops. I know where the fuck you live. I know where you work. I know everything you do.” His words curled around her nerves and squeezed hard.
He put the dreadlock guy up to spying on me. “Don’t threaten me. You’re going to get exactly what you deserve. And Mom did love you. You just destroyed it like you do everything.”
“Don’t say a word—”
She hung up, her teeth chattering and her body shaking. Everything in her life was different from what she thought. A few days before, she was on top of the world, and now she was reaching the dark abyss of despair.
How could he be so cruel? He killed Mom. He tortured me. I have to tell Detective Contreras.
Ignoring the incoming calls from Charlie, she called Contreras and told him everything that had happened. She even told him about the monster throwing her off the roof years befor
e. He told her to be careful and he’d see her the following morning. Somehow, she’d felt better telling him about everything. Charlie had destroyed her life and her mother’s.
She went to the closet and took down the shoebox of photographs, scrutinizing the face of a man who was with her mother in many of the pictures. Her mother’s eyes shone with love in a lot of them as she looked endearingly at him. Looking at them objectively, Fallon saw that she shared similar facial features with him, especially his mouth and freckles.
He’s my father, but he didn’t want me.
Her cheeks glistened as she stared at him for a long time. Then she wiped the dampness from her cheeks and ripped the picture to shreds.
Chapter Thirty
Charlie had been sitting on one of the straight-backed chairs staring out at the street. He knew it was only a matter of time before they’d arrest him. That fucking Contreras and his sidekick executed a search warrant. He cursed himself for keeping the photographs he’d taken of Joanna and Rich when he was surveilling them. Many of the sales trips he’d told her he had didn’t exist. He’d stayed in town at the hotel, following them as they frolicked and flaunted their depraved love in his house. And the way Fallon had laughed and hung on to Rich whenever he’d come over made him hate her even more.
I know Fallon’s been yapping her mouth off. Ratting me out. What a bitch. Just like her mother. I should’ve killed her when I had the chance. He’d thought about it the night he’d come home from murdering Joanna and her lover. He’d been trailing them that morning, and when they’d gone to Bison Peak for one of their hikes, it’d been easy. He’d put two bullets in Rich’s head, enjoying how devastated Joanna had been, and then he’d raped and beaten her to death. When he’d gone home, Fallon had been surprised to see him. He’d told her that her mother had called and said she was leaving them. Fallon had been inconsolable.