White Lies (A Twisted Fate Series) (Volume 1) Page 7

  I hadn’t spoken to Eva since I got married. I wasn’t even sure if she knew I’d been married. Alex stayed out of the public eye with me. And with all his issues, I’d only told a few close friends about us. It shamed me that I allowed him to control so much of my life.

  My own show… it was unbelievable. Astounding. Surreal. Normally, I’d share the showcase with several artists. This was the perfect timing for something positive to happen, giving me a glimpse that hope existed. I was truly achieving my dreams regarding my career.

  A hand patted my shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, Willow. Your dad would be proud, too.”

  A lumped formed in my throat. “That means a lot, Carson.”

  I often wondered what Dad would think of my life now with all the mistakes I’d made. Mom, too. At least they were together now. Their deaths were sudden, and I was missing so many words of wisdom. Nonno had many for me, but it wasn’t the same.

  Carson walked toward the house and called over his shoulder. “We’re leaving in one hour.”

  “Where?”

  No answer. Half the time, I thought he aggravated me on purpose.

  Four hours later, we pulled up the drive of a gorgeous two-story house located on a private beach in Newport, Rhode Island. I wasn’t a fan of flying, especially in small private planes like the one Carson owned. Heights made me nervous. Carson knew this, of course, and drove instead.

  The front porch lights were on, and the sun was setting behind the house, creating a cascade of orange and red. “Who owns this place?”

  “Potentially me.”

  I spun around. “Carson, this is gorgeous.”

  We walked around as I took it all in. The place was amazing—definitely Carson’s taste. There were cobblestone paths surrounded by plants. I meandered about as Carson stayed near the car. It was as if I’d entered another place—truly mystical.

  Birds chirped in the distance, bringing a smile to my face as I touched a red petal from a rose bush. I plucked it and smelled it, appreciating the beauty.

  I emerged back onto the driveway and found Carson leaning against his car, waiting for me.

  Looking up, I saw a glass deck that disappeared around the back of the house on the second story. The view must be amazing from up there, creating an artist’s paradise. If Carson bought it, no doubt I would be over here to draw.

  “How did you find this place?”

  The house was modern with metal trimmings and windows. It was impressively large. I lived on the beach, but this was a dream vacation home. I stepped up onto the front porch to keep looking.

  Carson joined me. “I’ve been looking for a place to relax and unwind away from the Hamptons. This came on the market, and they’re holding it for me.”

  I quirked a brow. “Holding it for you?”

  “Yes, for a price. They’re giving me a few days to make an offer without entertaining any other bids. It’s why they staged it for us to spend a couple of days here. After we leave someone will come to clean.”

  Carson had expanded the family business internationally. Whitmore Hotels was a chain of five-star hotels that put all others to shame. With Carson being an only child, he was inheriting a multi-billion dollar business. The plan was in five years his father would step down as CEO. Until then, Carson learned every aspect he could. "Workaholic" was an understatement when it came to him.

  Turning, I gave him an incredulous look. “Well, hopefully they’ll put whatever money you put down toward the purchase price. This is amazing. It’ll be good for you to unwind. You work too much.”

  The slate entrance led to the massive metal doors. He entered a code, the door clicked open, and we walked inside. Someone had been here to stage the lighting. The interior decorating was phenomenal. It was modern, edgy, and comfortable. As I walked toward the glass windows, I wished I’d brought my paints.

  “I brought you a sketch pad in case you get inspired while you’re here. I know I sprung it on you last minute.”

  I gave him a quick hug. “You’re the best. I think a change of scenery was just what I needed.”

  Thunder rumbled, interrupting the slice of heaven before me. A storm brewed in the distance, dimming the bright colors of the sunset. I loved when the sea was choppy. It was beautiful watching the waves thrash about, creating sprays of color when they crashed into each other. Right now it mirrored me, internally.

  “Let me get our stuff. The fridge is stocked. I figured it would be nice to stay in, relax, and roast marshmallows in the fireplace like we did as kids.”

  Our parents let us have sleepovers as children. I missed those times. “That sounds heavenly. It’s been a while since we’ve done that.”

  “I know. I think we’re overdue.”

  “Oh my gosh! These are so good!” I popped another perfectly browned marshmallow into my mouth. The rain beat against the house, which—given the amount of glass—echoed throughout, creating a cozy feel. I loved rain storms.

  The air conditioner worked to keep up with the heat from the fire. Pillows and blankets were sprawled beneath us as I put another marshmallow onto my roasting stick. It was late… nearly midnight. We couldn’t stop laughing as we reminisced about our childhood.

  Carson’s marshmallow burst into flames, and I snickered. He never had the patience to hold it at a proper distance to get the perfect golden color. Moving his stick rapidly, he tried to extinguish the flame, but that released his marshmallow right into the fire. “Damn it. Such a fucking pain. Why the hell can’t I get this right? I run a fucking empire of hotels and can’t roast a damn marshmallow.”

  Whistling, I twirled mine in slow motion, not saying a word. A minute later, perfection was achieved again. I brought the stick toward my mouth when Carson snatched it. “Carson! That’s mine.”

  He shoved the marshmallow in his mouth and smiled around it in victory. Smacking his lips together, he nodded his head. “That was good.”

  I put down my roasting stick and picked up a nearby throw pillow. “You stole my marshmallow. You must pay!”

  “You’ve had like six of them. I’ve only gotten two.” Carson backed away a few inches, bringing him closer to another pillow.

  I giggled. “Then stop trying to incinerate them.”

  As he turned his attention to reach for his pillow, I launched mine at him, landing a direct hit to his head. “Hey, you’re firing at an unarmed man.”

  The bag of marshmallows was closer, and he abandoned his reach for the pillow. He grabbed the handful of the sugary goodness, instead. “Carson, you’re going to make a mess!”

  He shrugged. “Are you scared, Willow?”

  “Never!” Another laugh escaped before the marshmallow hit me smack in the face. That meant war. My skewer still had some gooey stuff on it. I picked it up and swiped it across his cheek.

  Carson’s eyes grew big, and he snatched my foot and began to tickle it. I was going to pee my pants. He knew my weaknesses. “Are you ready to call uncle?”

  I thrashed, trying to fight him off. “No!”

  The tickling persisted. I would not give up. I refused. I reached for a pillow and hit him on the side of the head, causing him to release me. We laughed as we scrambled to our feet, preparing for what the next one would do.

  “Do you want to call a truce?” His blue eyes danced with fun. This was exactly what I needed. “What’s it going to be, Russo?”

  CRASH!

  We jolted and swung our attention to the back porch, where the noise came from. In a flash, Carson headed to the door. The rain pelted harder. It was like a monsoon. The weather was unseasonal.

  “Be careful out there. Do you want an umbrella?”

  He flicked on the back porch light. “Nah, I’m good. Let me check. I’ll be right back.”

  He opened the door, and the sound of the storm intensified. Carson stepped outside into the rain. The door remained open as the rain made its way in. Quickly, I grabbed one of the kitchen towels to clean up the mess.

 
Lightning struck, illuminating the angry night sky.

  The storm was getting worse. I waited and watched for Carson to come back. When I was on the verge of going after him, he came back inside and shook out his long hair. It sent rain droplets flying everywhere. He was soaked. “The storm knocked over the umbrella. It’s getting bad out there.”

  Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. “Do we need to secure anything?”

  “No, everything else looks good.”

  Carson headed to the guest bathroom and reemerged with a towel to dry off with. A yawn escaped me as I took in our mess. “I’ll clean up the rest of this in the morning. I think this girl is headed to bed.”

  “Night, sleepyhead. I’m going to work a little bit in the study. The Italy hotel should be getting in any moment.”

  Placing a few of the pillows on the couch, I asked, “Are they getting any better?”

  “I don’t think so. We’ve had several reported thefts. So we’re adding some security per Trent’s recommendations. I’m hopeful it gives us some answers.”

  The fact that Carson allowed Trent so close to his hotels spoke volumes. The problem in Italy sounded terrible. Managing people was not my forte. I preferred it to be me, the canvas, and the paint. It was a perfect combination. “Ugh. Better you than me. Enjoy working while I get my beauty sleep.”

  “Night, Willow. Trent is headed back from Italy in a couple of days. He said he would make his schedule clear whenever you wanted to meet.”

  “Sounds good. Night, Carson.” I walked up to him, and he gave me a brotherly hug. “Thank you for the wonderful evening. It was what I needed after the hellish couple of weeks.”

  “Anytime, angel. I’ll see you in the morning. Get some sleep.”

  “I will.”

  Heading to a bedroom upstairs on the opposite end of the house from Carson’s, I got under the covers. I was so exhausted, I barely remembered my head hitting the pillow.

  I felt a light pressure on my cheek. Wait… someone touched me. A startled scream was cut off as a hand covered my mouth. I froze, terrified. On the verge of thrashing, the familiar accented voice said, “Shh… it’s me.”

  The low, hoarse whisper sent a warmth through me. He was here again. Abruptly, I sat up and scooted away. “What the hell are you doing? You can’t come in here unannounced like this and scare me like that.”

  I felt him shift further away. “I’m sorry about that. I forgot to give you something last time we talked to keep that from happening. I don’t want you to be frightened of me.”

  My heart slowed as I drew my knees up. “I don’t have any idea who you are. I’d be crazy if this didn’t make me a little nervous.”

  He chuckled. It was deep in tone. “Very true.”

  The room was pitch black. The curtains were drawn and nothing was detectable. Again my body felt drawn to him and I had no idea why. The realization scared me. I wanted to reach toward him, but I ignored the urge. To feel such familiarity with someone I knew nothing about scared the hell out of me.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “I have my ways.”

  I blew out a frustrated breath. This was getting me nowhere. My logical side said to scream bloody murder and get him out of my life. But… there was something else… something big holding me back. “Willow, I swear I’m not here to hurt you. If you want me to leave, I will.”

  His weight left the bed, and I blurted, “No, don’t go!”

  My hands went to my mouth. I sounded desperate, which was unlike me. I wasn’t in complete control of my thoughts around this guy.

  “I’ll stay. But if you get uncomfortable, tell me and I’ll leave.”

  Where was his accent from? It had to be Irish. I racked my brain, but I wasn’t able to think of anyone I knew with an accent this strong.

  I blindly reached for the light, but his grip stopped me. Tingles erupted all over my skin where we touched, and I sucked in a breath of air. He didn’t release me, and his grip was fuzzing my thoughts. I needed to regain control. “Why can’t I know who you are?”

  “For now, it’s safer this way, Willow. I promised someone I would always protect you.”

  Promised someone? Who? The possibilities raced through my head.

  “Was it my dad?”

  “Yes.”

  He’d known my dad. “How’d you know Dad? Do I know you?”

  His hand touched mine, bringing an odd comfort. “I promise you, I’ll reveal everything when I can. I’m trying not to lie to you, Willow. I know after what Alex did to you, along with things to come, you need honesty.”

  I blew out a frustrated breath. “Why are you here if you’re not ready to give answers, only more riddles?”

  A pregnant pause permeated the air, and his thumb brushed against my lower lip. “I needed to tell you something. It wasn’t safe to call you.”

  Closing my eyes, I focused on his touch—strong yet gentle, rough yet soft. In the blink of an eye, the warmth was gone. Instantly, I missed his touch. What the hell? I missed his touch? The pressure of my teeth against my lower lipped helped eradicate the feeling, giving me something else to focus on. Without thinking, I reached forward, and his hand stopped me again. A quick intake of air settled between us.

  Was I affecting him?

  “What did you need to tell me?”

  “Commander Taylor is having you followed. Your phone is tapped.”

  I leaned against the headboard, feeling all of the air leave me. “Why?”

  “He knows you visited Cocktails. The paperwork to get the tap cleared showed it was to monitor for any clues about Alex’s death. It was tapped within twenty-four hours of your visit.”

  Who knew me at Cocktails? I replayed the events from that night. No one had seemed the least bit interested in me or even showed the least bit of recognition. I’d never been there before. The only connection was Alex, and I highly doubted he’d told his other wife about me. That would have gone over like a house on fire. Was Commander Taylor having me followed?

  I went through the possibilities as dread filled me. On a whisper, I asked, “How did he know?”

  “Harley called him. He knew about Alex’s plan.”

  My spine went rigid. When I’d seen Harley at Cocktails, he’d given no indication. None. “H-h-he knew?”

  “Yes.” My heart was racing, and I realized the man had his thumb on my wrist where my pulse pumped through my veins. “I’m going to keep you safe. I swear it. I get you’re scared, but this is why I have to work in the dark like this without you knowing.”

  His honesty took me back. It was confusing, finding comfort in his words. What was I getting myself into? I wasn’t sure.

  All I knew was Alex had royally fucked up my life. Each day, it grew easier to hate him and not feel guilty. I swallowed hard, preparing myself. My voice quavered. “What did he say?”

  A thumb stroked my bottom lip, and I realized it was quivering. It was as if this man had the ability to see in the dark. I found myself calming as he continued his soft, reassuring touch. “Harley asked Commander Taylor what he told you when you visited the precinct. Commander Taylor lied and left out the majority of it, saying he let you keep believing the lie. Harley demanded you be watched. Today the patrols let up since you’ve done nothing for almost a week. It was the first time I’ve been able to get to you.”

  Harley, Commander Taylor, and God only knew who else were in on Alex’s games. “Did Alex come after me because of my money? Is that why he was so insistent Nonno hand it over?”

  I knew the answer, but I wanted it confirmed. The thumb disappeared again, but his hand remained on my wrist. “Alex had a lot of debt.”

  “What kind of debt?”

  “He owed a few different loan sharks several hundred thousand dollars. So far, I know of at least two million dollars he was on the line for.”

  Over two million dollars. That was an insane amount of money. “Does Candy know about the money?”

&n
bsp; “From what I can tell, she knows a little but not the full extent. She’s stripping again at Cocktails.”

  Wow, that was fast. I knew what I was asking was trivial, but so many questions still remained unanswered. “How long had they been married?”

  “Five years.”

  Five years! Five years! Five damn years! I felt sick and grabbed my stomach. Alex had already been married long before I entered his life. I was for sure the other woman. The man’s hand followed. “Did you find out if you’re pregnant or not?”

  I shook my head but then remembered we were in the dark. “No. I won’t know for a couple more weeks.” I paused as my mind wandered. Harley knew about me. No doubt there had been a plan. “Are they going to come after me?”

  “I don’t know. There are a few more things I need to find out first.”

  “Like?”

  “Like what their plan was to get the money and who was in on it.”

  These people were dangerous. “How will you find out?”

  “I have my ways, but I can’t share yet. I need you to be careful by staying at your place as much as possible. I’m going to give you a burner phone so we can keep in touch. I meant to give it to you at the bar the other night.”

  Things were spinning out of control. No, wait. Things were out of control. This was crazy. I was trusting this man way too fast. I scooted back, needing some distance between us to clear my head. He followed.

  His forehead came to mine, and I stayed completely still. “I get that I’m asking for a lot of trust after you’ve been to hell and back. Maybe this will help. Your dad told me something only you and he would know.” He cleared his throat while I worked on staying unaffected by the minty smell of his breath brushing across my face.

  “Wait? My dad told you what?”

  “He told me about when you went to Italy, how you would go to the spot in the woods behind your house where he proposed to your mom. You both would lay flowers in the spot and share your memories. Even your Nonno didn’t know this.”

  A tear slid down my face. That was something only Dad and I knew about. It was our secret—something we’d done to treasure Mom’s memory. No one knew but us. “Why did he tell you that?”