Lethal Love: Deceit can be Deadly

by Perri Forrest

  Whew! So, he’s not here for me.

  But… why not? Damn…

  Relief set in. My palms were sweating like crazy. I took that moment to subtly rub my hands together just in case I needed to shake his.

  “Yeah, too long. I thought that it was you, but wasn’t sure until you turned around.”

  “Oh, you’ve been here for a while?” Mr. Canton asked the stranger.

  His eyes—those pretty-ass blue eyes—roamed to me, where they lingered for a few seconds. Then he answered, “I… uhh… yeah, been here for a bit. Just waiting on our food to arrive.”

  Mr. Canton looked over his shoulder. I saw her before he did. The familiar woman, with her titties spilling out of a too-tight tank, who had been sitting at the table with the attractive dark-haired, Kastellanos man. I didn’t recognize her until she was right up on us, because her hair was red now. When I knew her, it was brunette. “Would the two of you like to join us?” Mr. Canton asked.

  “It’s quite alright,” she responded for the both of them, wearing a smile way bigger than it needed to be.

  The guy looked at me again.

  Are you looking for my approval?

  Or my reaction?

  He then looked to the Mr. and Missus, before speaking. “This is my sister, Jennifer. We’re actually just getting in some sibling time before I go and get my hands dirty.”

  Your sister, huh? Okay. I found myself nodding when I didn’t even mean to. I guess I did approve—that she wasn’t his woman.

  “You must be very proud, Jennifer,” Mr. Canton remarked. “Your brother is always on the move.”

  “He really is,” she said, her eyes on me. “And he should probably be getting back to work now.”

  She was bothered, and that made me want to laugh out loud. The man had just said they were waiting for their food. So, he wasn’t ready to leave. She was, though.

  He shot her a look that I didn’t miss at all. “Hold on a sec, Jenn.” His delivery was firm, but just friendly enough for us not to catch the irritation—but I did.

  Mrs. Canton and I exchanged brief looks, while Mr. Canton dove in with introductions from our side. “Well, this beautiful woman here, is the woman I’m proud to call my Missus,” he said, reaching to caress his wife’s back. “And that beauty there is Nova Levine—a woman my company would be nothing without.”

  “Hi…” I extended my hand. “He’s giving me way too much credit.”

  “Bullshit!” Mr. Canton blurted. “Pure facts. This woman can spin a luxury vehicle like nobody I’ve ever seen. She knows her shit and gets the job done.”

  “Mr. Canton…” I blushed. “The cars sell themselves.”

  “Hogwash,” he spat.

  “I second that,” Gayle chimed in. “She’s a dynamo. And like a daughter to us. With that being said, and since my husband seems to hold you in high regard, I think it would be nice for you two—”

  “So, Leo here…” Mr. Canton, possibly from seeing the look of horror on my face, broke in just in time to keep me from ultimate humiliation. Mrs. Canton was a sweetheart, but my God! The lady was something else. “… He’s into developing land and making it beautiful. His builders have built some of the most amazing structures from the west to the east coast.”

  A builder, huh? Nice. Instinctively, I looked at his hands. Big, with nice-sized thumbs.

  Okay, Leo the Builder.

  What wasn’t nice was the look that his sister kept giving me. Even in her silence, I smelled the anger. Ignoring her, my eyes once again found the man’s hands. I had no business doing anything like that. But they were big and strong. And so was his presence. Way too nice on the eyes, which probably meant he was a part of the canine crew. Probably with more women than he could count on both hands.

  “So, you build homes, young man?” Gayle asked.

  “I do. Just finished a new section over in Boca Park Bridges.”

  That’s where I’ve seen you! Those trucks with your name etched on the side. And the signs!

  “Boca Park?” I piped up immediately. “That’s where I live.”

  He smiled and I truly almost melted. That smile was everything. “I recognize you,” he said.

  I brought my hand to my chest in surprise. “You recognize me?”

  “Yes, I was in your neighborhood last week checking in with one of my subcontractors.”

  While Mr. Canton sat quietly, I felt Mrs. Canton’s eyes floating back and forth between the two of us. She was still in Patti Stanger mode, and playing millionaire matchmaker.

  “Well, pretty soon you’ll have neighbors moving in,” he pointed out.

  “That’ll be good. I look forward to seeing the rest of the development come alive.”

  “I’m sorry, everyone…” The sister had finally spoken out again. “I really need to… umm…” She snaked her arm through her brother’s. “… snag my brother.”

  “Actually, if my friend’s offer is still open to join, I think we’re going to do that.”

  “The offer is absolutely still open,” Mr. Canton said. “We’d love to have you.”

  Yes, Leo Kastellanos, we’d love to have you.

  I was laughing on the inside watching Jennifer pout her way back to get her things from their table. When she returned, we all moved to a bigger space that placed me and her directly across from each other. I made sure to smile often, while I waited for things to get interesting.

  14 | Raquel Long

  Clark County Detention Center

  “Excuse me, officer. Do you have an estimated time when my client will be brought out?” Raquel looked down at the expensive watch on her wrist, annoyed at having been in the waiting room for close to an hour. “It’s been a minute and—”

  “I’m not sure.” The tall, light-skinned man with solid upper muscle sucked in his bottom lip, unashamed to show his lust, even in a room filled with people. “Yeah, I’m not sure. But it’ll probably be pretty soon.” He scanned her top to bottom and then looked into her eyes, with a faint smile.

  As if… boy please, Raquel thought to herself.

  “Thanks…” Raquel mumbled after the guard walked away. Thanks for fucking nothing, asshole.

  She went back and hovered at her seat, looking around at the place. Yellow pastel blanketed the walls. The fluorescent lighting made Raquel want to scream out loud. It was the most depressing sight she had ever laid eyes on, and couldn’t wait for the visit to be over. She was sure the environment was designed with purpose. They intended for those riding for these prisoners, to do it in the worst possible condition.

  What seemed like an eternity later, Drew emerged from behind a heavy door at the far end of the depressing space. The only thing that brought her there was job security. She had sworn, under oath, to defend the derelicts of society; but those derelicts were able to pay her high fee more than a few times over. And even with all their wealth, and the lame-ass reasonings for the crimes they committed, Raquel couldn’t help but feel disgust for a select few.

  Ugh. Her shoulders flexed; her nose scrunched. The room was full of un-sanitized, picnic-looking benches, ride or die baby mama’s, and fatherless children who were probably already calling some other man ‘Uncle’.

  “Drew, you look horrible,” were Raquel’s first words when he finally got to the table.

  “Thanks counselor,” Drew shot sarcastically. “I don’t suppose Nova is with you and waiting to make some kind of grand entrance…”

  Raquel shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

  “So, she’s just thrown in the towel. Wow. One mistake on my part and she’s done.”

  “One mistake?” Raquel was lost on his logic.

  “One. Since when did it become a crime to fuck another woman? Because that’s all I’m guilty of. How nice it would be to get my dick wet right fucking now.”

  Well you’re in the right place. I’m sure you can find you a nice little girlfriend while you’re here.

  “Your priorities sure are in the righ
t place, Drew.”

  “Raq, I don’t belong here. I want the fuck out of this place. I want the food I’m used to. I want to lie in my own damn bed.”

  Uhhh… Drew… lying in your own damn bed is what landed you here.

  “Drew—”

  “Raquel… I want to be able to soak up the sun on my own fucking deck. Hop on a plane to San Francisco just because! Believe it or not, I want to get back to fucking work. I hate the goddamn place, and the people that I work with; but after being here, I’d probably lick the goddamn floor of my office.”

  I don’t think you’ll be licking anything but wounds, Drew…

  Remorse flooded Raquel’s green eyes. “Umm… I don’t think that’ll be happening, Drew…” She hated to be the bearer of bad news, but it had to be her. “The DOE has taken you off payroll. Issued your final paycheck, and paid out on any unused accruals you had.”

  “Wait a minute.” Drew’s head twitched side to side, as if trying to relieve himself of a bug that wouldn’t go away. Any life in his eyes, died. It seemed as though the wind had just been knocked from him. “W-w-what?” he stammered.

  “With your Q-clearance… well, you already know. It’s federal. You signed a bunch of declarations for that clearance. Was interviewed by the FBI… for that clearance. Just like anybody else with that level of authority, Drew. That’s a high honor that the government doesn’t play around with. And so, your arrest hit radar immediately. Anyone with a ‘Q’ has notifications in place—anything from traffic tickets… to murder. I’m so sorry.”

  Drew reached for his temples, applying pressure in circular motions. “I’m fucked. I didn’t even stop to think about my clearance. Fuck. I just passed on my annual physical too. Goddamnit…”

  “Yeah, they don’t play about that. They were on it. I got the paperwork yesterday.”

  “I mean, does it say anything in the documents about reinstating me if I’m proven innocent? The government is so full of shit. As many late nights and early mornings as I’ve given to their asses. This…” He paused, close to tears. “This is bullshit, Raquel. You have to fight this. You have to fight it.”

  “Drew, listen to me,” she said sternly. “Calm down. There’s more.”

  “More what?”

  “Well, first. I do have two pieces of good news.”

  His shoulders rose then fell. “Let me hear it.”

  “First, they still haven’t recovered a murder weapon.”

  Drew shook his head, blowing air through his fist. “Okay, so how is that good for me? I’ll answer it for you… it’s not.” He shook his head, sighing heavily. “Just give me the rest of the so-called good news. Because so far…”

  “Okay well, there were two traces of semen on, and inside of the victim—from two different subjects.”

  “I risked it all for a slut.” He shook his head. “Wow. Two?” Drew whispered in shock.

  Raquel nodded, then followed with, “Yes… two. So, is there more to the story than you’re telling me? Did you guys engage in—”

  Drew closed his eyes, and pinched his lips together. “Don’t even say it, Raquel,” he hissed a low growl, as he opened his lids again. “I. Was. Not. There.”

  “But Drew, evidence puts you there.”

  “And the evidence is a lie. Until my ass is blue in the face, I’ll be saying it. And why say that you had good news when none of it’s good? Is this shit a joke to you, Raquel?”

  “You sound crazy. My work is never a joke. Stop being disrespectful.”

  “Well, you’re pissing me off.”

  “Well get un-pissed, because I’m trying. The only thing I can do at this point is try to establish reasonable doubt. It’s tricky, but I’m looking for angles.”

  “All I heard was tricky and try. No consolation for me there. None.”

  Raquel felt sorry for Drew as the chest area of his jumpsuit, rose and fell. She knew he was battling with the incessant knock of defeat. A part of her wanted to believe his declaration; it hadn’t changed at all. But for as long as she’d known him, Drew Levine had been an expert liar. But what didn’t lie, was the evidence. And it had mounted to damn near irreparable heights.

  “Drew…”

  “Raquel…” he stated firmly, without a blink in sight. “Do your job and get me out of here on bail while you figure this shit out.”

  “Doesn’t work that way.”

  “Is it me with the credentials or is it you? Get a P.I. on this and find out who tampered with the sperm samples! Because it’s not mine. I hadn’t fucked that slut—”

  “Lower your voice, Drew.”

  “That is not my sperm. There’s two other people—”

  “Drew, Royce was pregnant...”

  15 | Drew Levine

  Drew rocked back and forth on the bottom bunk in his six-by-eight cell. It was his version of meditation. His eyes hadn’t opened in close to fifteen minutes, as he tried to figure out how to incorporate prayer. Prayer had never been a part of Drew’s world, but today, he wanted to see if he could summon some heavenly assistance. If there was ever a time he needed it, it was today. He had spent far too many days from his life, and he wanted to get back to it. There was so much he had taken advantage of—namely all he should be thankful for. He wanted the chance to make that right. The chance to wake up each morning and give thanks to a higher power for allowing him the privilege he had, the success he had… everything and anything. He just wanted the opportunity to do it all over and show God that, in just a few days he had evolved and saw the errors of his ways.

  Over the past few days since his transfer from county jail, Drew had fantasized about opening his eyes and having the past be a total dream. All of it. He wouldn’t mind starting all over again—from birth. Actually, any starting point, before he first decided to park his dick inside of his wife’s best friend. Without knowing it, that had been the start of his downfall. He knew that he should have ended it even before the threats of exposure, from Royce. She was dead set on telling Nova. She felt guilty, but she also wanted the life that came with being his woman. To be able to have that, she wanted Nova out of the way, and made no secret about it. Especially, after he was dumb enough to invite her into his and Nova’s bed.

  For the past two months, the threats to destroy his home life were constant. No amount of reasoning made her back down. It didn’t stop Drew from trying to reason, though. Reasoning never worked. He could count the times that he’d shown up, only to be met by a nude Royce who would immediately drop to her knees to service him. Her blow jobs were the one thing he couldn’t turn down. It was his drug of choice and left him high every single time. The woman’s mouth was made of pure silk; and her tongue knew its way around a dance floor. Not only that, her throat was as deep as a tropical aquarium.

  Drew’s dick jerked inside of his prison pants, catching him off guard. He leapt from his bunk and went to stand against the wall near the toilet.

  What the fuck, man! he inwardly scolded himself.

  Your life is on the line and you’re thinking about a blow job!

  My marriage. My job. My life… all gone.

  And now came the news that Royce was pregnant. A lot of sex happened between them. And as much sex as they had, he could very well be the father of her baby. Drew shook his head side to side in slow motion remembering his irresponsible actions. Each and every one of those times, he intended to strap up. But he had failed—miserably.

  Fuck…

  Nova…

  The look on Nova’s face when the detective took it upon himself to outline the details of the affair, had periodically come back to haunt Drew. The look in her beautiful brown eyes. It hurt him to know that she was hurt. But he still felt that at the very least, she owed it to him to hear him out. When they’d gotten married at the courthouse, she recited, “For better or worse…” Yet she was nowhere to be found while he was at his worst.

  It wasn’t all his fault. Part of it was hers for not being there the way he needed. Always
putting that goddamn dealership before him. Mr. Canton this, and Mr. Canton that! She wasn’t innocent. She had neglected her wifely duties.

  She had driven the vehicle that led him to another woman’s bed. So, she at least owed him a conversation where he could tell her his side of everything. It was the perfect time to discuss accountability, and they both had some purging to do.

  Surely, by now she knew that there was the possibility of another man in Royce’s life. It would confirm that the affair was just an affair—nothing more. Maybe once he convinced her that it was nothing serious, she would be in a space to forgive.

  I just need her to listen.

  I’m sure if she did, she’d come around.

  But just as soon as his spirits began to lift, something hit Drew that hadn’t before. It was like it took place in slow motion, striking him like an impromptu rush of wind. He brought a balled fist to his mouth, and held it there as the epiphany sucker punched him in the core of his soul. His head bobbed slowly as his brain completed a data download—a download coming from a whole different server, with a whole new batch of information for him to make sense of.

  And when the download completed, with watery eyes, all he could think to say was, “Motherfuck….” He inhaled a heavy sigh, as he gasped for air. “Mother…fuck…” he managed, in shock, after moments had passed.

  With so much chaos going on, and him being focused on getting everyone to believe him, he hadn’t stopped to consider it at all. And the ‘it all’, packed a punch that almost brought him to his knees. It had flown high above his head. Until now…

  16 | Nova

  After having eaten a great meal, I was pretty close to worthless. The way I felt, I could’ve easily gone home and crawled into bed for the rest of the day. Had it been anybody other than Mr. Canton, that made the request, I would have already made an impressionable dent in my workload. But in the end, I was glad that I went. Being around their energy helped in many different ways. The one that stood out was their love and how organic it was, real. Whatever I decided to have with a man later—or if at all—needed to be something of a replica. Otherwise, it would be returned to sender priority mail.