Bare All

by L M Allen

  “The same way the tape I saw had your face, I suspect.” I gasp, and Will looks unbelievably guilty. “I’m so sorry, baby. I should have told you. I—”

  James’s anguished cry fills the air, and I flinch at the sheer volume. He lunges, but Will steps in front of me and blocks him.

  “I’m gonna kill you,” James snarls. “And then I’m gonna fuck her good. For the first time ever, she’s gonna know what it’s like to have a real man inside her. I know she wants me. She told that guy Sid she would do me.”

  “Because we knew you were listening,” I gasp. I need Will to know it wasn’t true. “We knew you bugged the office and the house, and I wanted you to show your hand. I was sick of pretending. Sick of playing your stupid little game. I wanted to get back to my husband, and our family.”

  Will’s shoulders rise with his breath. “Sounds like a rape threat to me.”

  “It’s not rape if she wants it.”

  “She doesn’t. And she’d rip your balls off if you come anywhere near her,” I snarl.

  “Well...I think you’d change your mind. I could make you come so hard, Eva.” A growl is ripped from Will’s throat as he lunges and swings, sending James flying across the room before crashing into the back wall with a thud-thud, as he falls to the floor.

  “You will never touch my wife,” Will growls as he stalks over and hauls James to his feet by his shirt.

  “Like you fucked my wife, you mean?”

  “I didn’t rape her. There’s a difference. She wanted me.” I flinch again at his words and try not to take them personally. Or picture it. Fuck my stupid brain! “I did the job Jacob Stone paid me to do. I got between his friend and his wife, so that he could move in on her. He was in love with her. Not me.”

  “I don’t believe you,” James spits.

  “No? Ask him. Ask him for the file. Ask him why he paid me a five hundred grand bonus called Penny.”

  “He wouldn’t.”

  “Wouldn’t he? I suppose he wouldn’t buy another house in Cambridge either? The house he gave Penny a key to? I suppose he wouldn’t have moved her in there, pregnant with my daughter? I suppose he wouldn’t have drawn up adoption papers for my baby, before she was even born? There’s a problem though. I can prove it all. So, think again. And know that he would. And he did.” Will releases his fistfuls of James’s shirt and blinks, before he walks slowly back over to my side, like he’s just realising I’m still here. He stops, a step away, asking permission. I move forward, closing the gap, and wrap my arms around him as he envelops me. And I finally feel safe. And grounded. Home.

  “Is that true?” James’s voice invades my bubble, and I hate him a little bit more.

  “Every word,” Will says, breathing deeply and stroking my hair. “I don’t have to prove it, but I could. All of it. With a money trail.” He takes a half pace back, one hand on my waist. He hooks a finger around my chain and tugs gently, until my ring is freed from my top and lying across my heart. He closes his eyes and sighs before he continues speaking to James. “But here’s the fun part. You can ask him yourself.”

  He slides his phone from his pocket. “You get that?” he asks whoever is on the other end. And seconds later, the door flies open and Sid drags a man I half recognise into the room, his arms pinned behind his back.

  “You’d better have a good fucking explanation, Jacob!” James roars. Sid releases him, shoving him forward. His eyes flick to mine and back to his target.

  Jacob, whoever he is, looks like a broken man, his head bent, his eyes downcast. There’s no fight left in him.

  “What do you care? You didn’t want her,” he accuses.

  “She was my wife! You were supposed to be my friend!”

  “Your friend?” he sneers. “No. I was just waiting for you to fuck up enough that she’d realise I was better for her than you ever were. But she never did. Even when I...broke her heart.

  “I’ll never forgive myself. I broke her heart when I introduced her to him.” His scathing glare slices to Will, his lip curled back over his teeth. “And she still didn’t want my arms to comfort her...” He’s close to sobbing. I could almost feel sorry for him. Almost. But not quite.

  “That’s why you did all of this.” He waves an outraged hand in our direction, and Will holds me tighter. “It was revenge for you. Not me. It wasn’t for me at all.”

  “I needed access to your studio. Your video editing skills. Nothing else. I knew what you could do after you showed me the fake you made for that mob guy.” We all jump and look at the door when it’s almost ripped from its hinges. And Davey enters the room. Behind Dan. Will shifts his weight slightly.

  Davey’s eyes meet mine, just for a second. A reassurance. Dan’s gaze is boring into the guy gaping at him. He stops, arm’s length from James. “You? You made that video?” His voice is low and dangerous. It makes the hairs on my arms stand up. He holds up one finger. “Before you speak. You lie to me. Just once. And you will live the rest of your miserable life in a pit of pain. Answer my questions, and I’ll go easier on you. Now, you were saying?”

  James swallows hard. He nods, almost imperceptibly. “I’m sorry? What was that?” Dan demands.

  “Yes.” James’s reply is whispered and shaky. “I made it.”

  Dan leans closer, nose to nose, and growls, “Why?”

  “I...I was asked to...”

  “Do I look like a guy with time to kill? Who! Who asked you to make it!”

  “Y...yo...your father.”

  Dan recoils, actually stumbles. His face flies to Davey’s. Davey only lifts an eyebrow. That’s Davey for: I told you so.

  “My father? My father asked you to make a deep-fake sex tape? Why?”

  “He...said...that it was for your own good. To keep you in the business. It was supposed to keep you and your brother separated. And to...end...the enemy’s daughter.”

  Dan’s eyes slice to mine, and I look away. “You...were never...? Eva? You weren’t...?” I force my gaze back to his.

  “No. I was never.”

  “My brother didn’t sleep with my wife,” Dan whispers, as though it’s a fucking revelation. “Gary...”

  And I get it too. It was about Gary. Just like Will said it was. Dan really thought his brother had betrayed him. I’m not sure I was even relevant. I could have been anybody. Anybody...except I’m also my father’s daughter. The man who infiltrated their inner sanctum. I was supposed to die.

  It was revenge on a dead man, and it was supposed to keep one brother at war with the other. It half worked too.

  “Eva...” Dan swallows hard and takes a step towards me. Will, Davey and Sid all move closer to him and Dan freezes, stock-still. “I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I’m...I should have known.” He watches my face for a reaction, but I don’t have one. I already knew I did nothing to deserve what happened.

  Dan turns back to James when he shuffles a step to the side, his eyes moving slowly over his body like he’s choosing where to hurt him. Which bones to break first.

  “You know the deal, De Luca. You got the information you needed. Now, you tell me what I want to know.”

  Dan reels off an address in London, his eyes never leaving James’s. Davey picks up his phone and repeats the same information, before stowing the device back in his pocket.

  “Sit down, Blue. You’ve had a hell of a week.” Davey’s hand goes to my belly, smoothing over my bump, and I hear Dan clear his throat. I refuse to look at him.

  “A week?” I laugh, and Will pulls out a chair for me. “I think it’s been a bit longer than that.”

  “Do you want anything, baby? A drink? Or food?” he asks as I sit.

  I shake my head. “Just you.” Will kisses my hair and moves in close, his arm around my shoulders, my head resting on his waist as he stands beside me.

  Chapter 25

  It’s been an hour. Will is right by my side. Dan is standing an inch from James; Davey is standing half an inch from Dan. Jacob is curled up in th
e foetal position, sitting on the floor, and Sid is guarding the door. And I really need to pee. “Excuse me.” I stand, and Will moves with me.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I need to visit the ladies.” I give Will a little smile and walk around him, so I’m a bit surprised when he follows me out. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m staying with you.”

  “Will! I’m only going to the loo.”

  “So am I.” He takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, and I don’t even want to argue the point. I just shake my head and let him lead the way. I’m dying to talk to him. To get him alone, but this isn’t the time. Will squeezes my fingers like he’s thinking exactly the same thing.

  When we come back, not ten minutes later, there are two more men in the room. One has a black hood over his head, his arms tied behind his back, and Frankie is pinning him to a wall.

  “Hey, boo.” Frankie smiles at my wide-eyed, wide-mouthed expression, totally unconcerned with the situation. Just another day at the office.

  “Hey.” I clear my throat.

  “Let him go,” Dan growls. The man’s head whips around towards the sound of Dan’s voice, although he can’t see him through the hood. Frankie raises an eyebrow at Davey, asking what he should do. Davey nods his okay. Frankie releases him but the man doesn’t move.

  Frankie steps away. Dan moves into Frankie’s position. He pulls off the hood and Daddy De Luca is staring blankly back at his youngest son. They look very much alike. It’s creepy.

  Dan grabs a handful of his hair and smashes his fist into his nose. Again and again, until his father, his own father, is just a howling mess of snot and blood.

  “Now, now,” Davey chides, pulling Dan away. “You don’t get to have all the fun. I’ve been waiting to get my hands on this arsehole for way too long, to stand here and watch.”

  “You faked it!” Dan screams, his neck corded and his face reddening. “You bastard!” He swings again and knocks the older man clean out, his head cracking against the wall before he hits the floor.

  “Awww. Now I’ll have to wait for him to wake up,” Davey pouts. “But that guy. He’s all yours.” He nods towards James, who recoils. His eyes dart around, looking for an escape route that doesn’t exist.

  “What about him?” Dan asks, his attention on Jacob still curled up on the floor.

  “Oh, his arse is mine,” Will tells him in a cutting tone. Jacob doesn’t react at all. Like he’s already accepted his fate.

  Someone knocks on the door. We all look around and Sid, Frankie and Davey step in front of the man splayed on the ground, blocking him from view. Stefan peeks his head around the door.

  “Eva? Your girls are asking for you.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Stefan.” I rush out after him, but the girls must have known where we were. Summer charges at me, closely followed by Mae. “Whoa! Hi, monkeys!”

  Shit! Shit, shit, shit! I need to get them out of here. “Let’s go get some juice,” I tell them excitedly, and gently push them away. Away from this chaos.

  And Davey steps into view. “Hey, Baby Blue!”

  “Angel Davey!” Summer squeals, and launches herself at her uncle, while Mae is quickly scooped up by Will. And then I realise why. Dan is right there. His eyes only on Summer. She glances over when she feels him watching her. She tilts her head.

  “I fort yow were Uncle Gawy. But you’re not.”

  “No. I’m not...I’m...Dan. Gary’s brother.”

  “Hewow. I’m Summer.”

  “I know who you are,” he says softly. His face is so tormented. I can’t stand it.

  “Shall we go, girls? I could use a drink.”

  “Wait! Wait, please. Just one minute. Please.” I swallow hard, my lungs shaking. He steps closer to Davey and Summer. Davey angles Summer away from Dan, his face set hard. A warning. Dan speaks softly. Keeping his distance, not moving at all.

  “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”

  “Why?” Summer asks, her nose wrinkled. “Do yow know my mum?” Dan nods, his throat bobbing as he swallows. “And Angel Davey?” He nods again. “Do yow know my daddy?” The colour drains from Dan’s face as he realises what she’s saying. “Yeah. I know him too.” Dan’s voice is tight. Raw.

  “I’m four. How old are yow?” she asks, glad to be able to talk to the adults with no one interrupting her.

  “I’m thirty. A lot older than you.” He smiles, and his hand lifts a fraction before it falls back to his thigh, like he’s dying to touch her but doesn’t dare.

  “My mum is having a new baby swoon. Me and Mae will be big sisters.”

  “I think you’ll be the best big sisters ever.”

  “Come on, now,” I encourage lightly. I need to move. I need to not be here a second longer. I inch away, just one step down the corridor, then another.

  “Summer, you go with Mae now and get that juice, okay?” Summer nods, and Davey sets her on her feet. Then she moves the wrong way. She darts to Dan and hugs his legs. His hand rests lightly and hesitantly on her head, like he’s scared he’ll hurt her, and I can’t breathe. His eyes meet mine, a soft smile on his lips.

  “Bye, Dan,” she sings, and grabs Mae’s hand as they dash away down the corridor. They run off in front, skipping ahead as though that wasn’t one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

  “She’s beautiful, Evie.” He smiles so sadly, watching her go. “She’s amazing. You did a great job.” I just nod and turn to walk away.

  I spin around when Dan’s roar echoes off the walls. “No!” And he dives through the air, throwing himself between me and the bullets that tear from the weapon Jacob Stone just fired.

  Jacob is killed on the spot. A bullet between his eyes. I don’t know whose, but Dan is bleeding out on the ground. And I’m torn. I want to get my girls out of here, but I don’t want him to die. Not here. Not now. Not with his daughter feet away. I look around and the girls are gone. The decision is made, and I run towards him.

  I yank off my jacket and wad it up, pressing it hard to the wound. “Go! Stay with the girls!” I tell Will. “And call an ambulance!”

  Will looks just as torn, but runs off after the girls. Dan takes hold of my wrist, pulling it away. “Leave me, Evie.”

  “No! No, you don’t mean that.” I redouble my efforts to stem the bleeding.

  “Look at me.” He coughs, and blood bubbles from his mouth. My eyes meet his at last. I can see the pain. But I can see how happy he is too. “I do. Please. I...have no right to ask you for anything, but please...will you do this for me? Will you let me die in peace with my daughter’s scent still in my nose. Her voice still in my ears. Knowing I finally did something right.”

  I allow him to move my hands away, tears streaming down my cheeks. “You’ve saved me one too many times, Evie. My luck just ran out.” I shake my head no. No! But he’s already slipping away. The light in his eyes has faded.

  I watch Will run back towards me, his phone at his ear, his eyes wide with shock. And I can do nothing but sit here and watch.

  Will pulls me to my feet, my blood-stained hands shaking and loose at my sides as he presses me to his chest, his lips in my hair.

  I watch the paramedics run down the corridor, the stretcher held between them. One guy leans down to take Dan’s pulse. I know he’ll be colder now. There will be no thump-thump under the fingers pressed to Dan’s neck. The paramedic raises his eyes to his colleague and shakes his head.

  The second guy kneels at his side to start chest compressions, but the older guy stops him. It would do no good at this stage. The pool of blood is too big. Dan is dead. And I’m still waiting to feel something. Anything... anything except relief.

  We watch them lift Dan’s body onto a stretcher and carry him away. De Luca Senior came round at exactly the wrong moment, only to discover that his son is dead. The guy who pulled the trigger is already cold with a bullet in his own head. No chance for revenge.

  So, he turns his a
ttention to the only man he can blame now. James. James cowers away when the head of the De Luca family strides towards him. Davey, Sid and Frankie make no move to stop him.

  Will catches me when my knees finally buckle, and he lifts me into his arms, safely pressed against his chest as he strides towards the lift.

  The doors slide apart, and Will steps in. “I can stand.” He shakes his head, not speaking. “Will, I must weigh a ton now.”

  “No, you don’t. I’ve got you both.”

  “I know you do. But I can still stand.”

  When the lift delivers us to our floor, Will carries me over to the door, only reluctantly putting me down when he needs to reach a key.

  He follows me inside, and I grasp his hand tight as we both sink to the sofa, still trying to take it all in. Will is the one to speak first. His voice is hoarse. “It should have been me, Eva.” I gasp, my face flying to his.

  “What are you talking about!”

  “He saved your life. Not me. It should have been me.”

  “No! No, Will.” I move closer to him, as close as I can get without physically sitting on his lap. “No. Don’t ever say that! I couldn’t...I couldn’t live without you. If that had been you...” Tears flood my eyes at the thought. “How can you say that!” I yell. “How could you want to be taken away from me and the girls!”

  “That’s not what I meant. I meant that...now he’s always going to be the man who saved you...and...Jacob tried to shoot you!”

  I scoff. “No. Will. Of all the men in that room today, more than capable of heroics, I’m glad it was him. I’m glad it was him, because it would devastate me to lose anyone else... but it would kill me to lose you. This.” I take his hands and put them on my cheeks. “This should be you. This is where you need to be. With me. Not in a morgue.”

  “You’re not... upset? Or...” My face screws up, but I answer him honestly, if quietly.

  “No. Does that make me a bad person?” Will inhales, quick and sharp.

  “Baby...” He shakes his head. “Does it make me a bad person that I’m glad? Not that he’s dead. But that you’re not...upset?”