TRUTH

by Sherri Hayes

  It took a long while before her tears subsided, and her breathing returned to normal.

  “How are you feeling, Brianna?”

  “I didn’t mean to do something reckless.”

  I cupped her face gently with my hands and kissed her forehead, before tilting her head up so I could look into her eyes. “I know you didn’t mean to, Brianna, but I can only do so much to try to keep you safe. You have to help me by doing your part. That means not opening the door without knowing who it is. It means paying attention to your surroundings, especially when you’re out in public or not with me. I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t know if I could take it.”

  “I’ll do better, Sir.”

  “Good girl.”

  I gave her a soft kiss, and she met my lips eagerly. It could have easily gotten out of control, but I broke the connection before it got that far. As much as I would have loved to get lost in her and forget about everything else, there were still a few things we needed to discuss. I laid her head back on my shoulder and hugged her close.

  “Your father went to see Ross last night.”

  She tensed but didn’t comment.

  “He was upset I wouldn’t let you leave with him.”

  “I don’t want to go,” she whispered.

  “Shh. No one is going to make you go anywhere you don’t want to go, Brianna.”

  She pressed her face into my neck and played with the buttons on my shirt. I’d gone ahead and put on a dress shirt and slacks earlier, but I should have known better. By the time I was ready to leave for work, it would be wrinkled. Brianna loved to play with the front of my dress shirts.

  We sat there for several minutes before she finally spoke up. “Why?”

  “Why what?” I asked, brushing my lips against her hair.

  “Why did he . . . why did he let . . . Ian . . . have me?”

  I sighed and held her tighter, knowing this was going to be difficult for her. She must have blocked out most of the conversation I’d had with her father.

  “He says he didn’t. He claims he doesn’t know who Pierce is.”

  “How?” she asked, holding tighter to my shirt.

  There was a part of me that didn’t want her to know this. I wanted to shield her from the pain. Logic, however, told me I needed to tell her. This was her life. She’d suffered for her father’s mistakes, and she should know the extent of it.

  “When your mother got sick, your father started gambling. He got in over his head and had to borrow money from a man named Dumas to pay off his debts. He says he didn’t want to involve you, and a part of me buys that, but it doesn’t change what happened.”

  She was quiet for a long time, but I waited. I knew she’d want more, but I wanted to give her a chance to digest the new information I’d provided.

  “But . . .”

  “But what?”

  “The car. What about the car he sent for me?” My shirt was bunched tight in her hands. There would be no saving it.

  “Your father says he went to see Dumas that day and that Dumas brought you up in conversation. Dumas said he wanted to meet you. The car was his idea, according to your father. You were supposed to be joining them for dinner.” I paused. “When you didn’t arrive, Dumas let your father know that his debts had been paid in full.”

  “Ian,” she whispered.

  “Yes.”

  There was a long pause.

  “So, John didn’t know? He didn’t . . . sell me?”

  “That’s his story.”

  “You don’t believe him?”

  “I don’t know if I believe him or not. He’s an officer of the law, yet at no point in time did he file a missing person’s report for you. If he wasn’t involved, why didn’t he do that? If I suspected my daughter had been taken, I would move heaven and earth to find her.”

  Chapter 7

  Brianna

  Stephan held me in his lap until Lily arrived. Even then, he seemed reluctant to let me go. It was only as I noticed his struggle to release me that I realized how much what I’d done must have bothered him. It wasn’t just me my bad choice affected, it was him, too.

  He answered the door, and I hung back. Lily was dressed in one of her designer suits and had a large plastic bag in her arms. Stephan took the bag from her, and she walked over and hugged me. I hesitated for a brief moment, before hugging her back. In some ways, it felt odd having her comfort me after what I’d done. It was different with Stephan, almost as if we were comforting each other. Lily didn’t need comfort. It was all for me, and I didn’t feel as if I deserved it.

  We walked over to the table where Stephan was laying out the contents of the bag Lily had brought with her. There were sandwiches, chips, and cupcakes with icing towering so high it was almost as tall as the cake part.

  I waited until both Stephan and Lily took their seats before I sat down. They both selected a sandwich. I knew I should follow their lead as well, but I held back. I wasn’t sure why, exactly, other than the guilt I still felt. Stephan reached over and took my hand. I looked up to meet his gaze.

  “Stop worrying about what you can’t change. We learn from our mistakes, and we move forward. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  He smiled.

  “What kind of sandwich would you like? Lily brought a little bit of everything. I think maybe she bought out the store.”

  “Very funny, Stephan.”

  He chuckled and then turned his attention back to me. Although he didn’t say anything more, I knew he was waiting on me to pick a sandwich. I reached out with my free hand and took the one closest to me. He tightened his hold on my fingers for a second before releasing them and unwrapping his own sandwich.

  Over lunch, Stephan and Lily mostly talked business. There was supposed to be a board meeting on Friday to approve the new chief financial officer. He would be the man taking Karl Walker’s place at the foundation. From what they said, he sounded like a nice man. I could only hope he was nothing like Karl and would leave me alone.

  Once we were all finished, Stephan stood. I knew he’d be leaving soon, and I didn’t want him to go.

  “Stop looking so sad,” he said, gently cupping my chin. “I’ll be home before Lily has to leave.”

  I nodded, and he leaned down to give me a kiss before strolling across the room and disappearing into his bedroom.

  Lily began to clear off the table, and I jumped up to help her. She smiled but didn’t say anything. It made me wonder how much she knew, how much Stephan had told her. I didn’t care that she knew, exactly, but I didn’t want her to be disappointed in me, too.

  We’d just finished wiping off the table when Stephan reappeared. He’d changed his clothes and was now wearing a light blue shirt with a pinstriped jacket and tie. As he walked toward me, it felt like something was flip-flopping in my stomach. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt it—Stephan had a way of making my body react in ways I was only beginning to understand.

  He came to a stop in front of me and pulled me into his arms. “I’ll be in a meeting this afternoon, but if you need me, call.”

  I nodded.

  “I want you to talk to Lily today about waxing. I know you’re nervous, but I think she can help you with that. She can answer any questions you have.”

  I pressed my lips together and nodded again. He ran his thumb along my bottom lip until I relaxed my mouth, then cupped my cheek and tilted my head to bring it at exactly the right angle to meet his lips in a kiss.

  There was nothing soft or gentle about this kiss. He nipped at my lips with his teeth before plunging his tongue into my mouth and taking. By the time he separated his mouth from mine I was panting and holding on to his arms, fearing I might lose my balance since I was so lightheaded. He was breathing hard, too, but he was smiling down at me.

  He pressed one short kiss to my forehead before turning to leave. Then he walked across the room, picked up his briefcase, and opened the door. Seconds later, he w
as gone, and I was left alone with Lily.

  I stood there unmoving for a while, staring after him. He’d said I needed to talk to Lily, and as much as I didn’t want to, I would because he asked it of me. I also had to return Cal’s call. After weighing my two options, I decided I would try Cal first. Without saying anything to Lily, I went to pick up my cell phone from where it had been charging overnight and dialed Cal’s number.

  “Anna!” His voice was so loud, I pulled the phone away from my ear for a second.

  “Hi.”

  My voice shook slightly. I wanted to talk to him, but at the same time I didn’t. John had been to see him, and I had no idea what he’d told him. Would Cal believe my father or me?

  “How are you? Are you all right?”

  “Yes. I’m all right.”

  He released a loud gush of air, and I could hear how relieved he was. If he was happy I was okay, that had to mean he believed me, right? I walked over to the couch and curled up into the corner, pulling my legs under me.

  Lily was still in the kitchen, but I could tell she was listening. The thought crossed my mind that maybe she’d tell Stephan and he’d be upset, but I knew better. Stephan told me I could talk to Cal any time I wanted. I locked gazes with her for a second before refocusing on my phone conversation.

  “I’m glad you aren’t hurt, Anna. I was worried. Did Coleman tell you that your dad came by my place last night?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  He paused.

  “I’m sorry he scared you. If he was anywhere near as worked up with you as he was when he got here, I know you had to be frightened. He told me what happened. Not every detail, but the basics. He thinks Coleman is the one who took you and that he’s brainwashed you.”

  “He’s not like that. Stephan has helped me so much. He wouldn’t hurt me.”

  “I know you believe that, but . . . Anna, I’ve heard rumors. About Coleman. I don’t know if they’re true or not, considering the source, but I want you to be careful. If you ever need or want to leave him, you call me and I’ll come and get you, all right?”

  “What rumors?”

  He was silent for a long time. So long that I didn’t think he was going to answer.

  “Cal?”

  He sighed. “Promise me you won’t get upset?”

  “I’ll try,” I said, bracing myself for whatever bad thing he was going to tell me.

  “About a week after Coleman fired Karl Walker, I ran into him in a local bar. I don’t think he recognized me. He was three sheets to the wind by the time I got there. He was talking to whoever would listen, and when I heard him mention Coleman, I moved closer and started paying attention.”

  I wanted to forget about Karl Walker. He was a vile man, and I was glad Stephan fired him. If he was making trouble for Stephan, however, I knew I needed to find out. I didn’t want someone doing something or saying something that would hurt him or his business.

  “What did he say?” I asked when Cal didn’t continue.

  “He said Coleman liked to hurt women.” After he said it, he let it hang in the air.

  “He wouldn’t do that,” I said, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see me.

  “I’m not saying he would or he wouldn’t, but Karl mentioned one of Coleman’s old girlfriends. He said she’d told him all about Coleman tying her up and beating her. And after what John told me last night about Coleman tying him to a chair . . . I’m wondering if it might be true.”

  “No.” I shook my head back and forth, violently denying his claims.

  A hand touched my arm out of nowhere, and I jumped. Lily. She was sitting beside me, her face full of worry.

  “Are you all right?” she asked, rubbing her hand up and down my arm.

  I took a deep breath and nodded.

  She didn’t look convinced.

  “Who is that? Doesn’t sound like Coleman. Who’s with you?” Cal’s voice cut through the fog clouding my brain.

  “Lily.”

  He paused.

  “Lily Adams? The event coordinator?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why is she there? Is something wrong?”

  “Lily’s a friend. She’s staying with me this afternoon while Stephan’s at work.”

  “If you didn’t want to be alone, I could have come and stayed with you, Anna. All you had to do was ask.”

  I pressed my lips together, unsure how to answer. Stephan didn’t want me to be alone with Cal. I didn’t think it would be good to tell him that, though.

  “It’s okay. I like Lily.”

  He sighed again, but this time he sounded frustrated.

  “Just be careful. I know you trust Coleman, but I don’t know that I do.”

  “He won’t hurt me,” I said again, insistent.

  He paused, and I wondered if he was going to argue with me.

  “What do you want me to do about your dad? He wants to see you, and he wants me to help him. I won’t, though, unless you want me to.”

  It was my turn stay silent. What did I want? I knew I wasn’t ready to see him again. Maybe I never would. That’s all I knew for sure right now.

  “I . . . I don’t want to see him.”

  “Okay.” He paused. “I don’t know what I’ll tell him, but I’ll figure out something.”

  “Thank you, Cal.”

  “I’d do anything for you, Anna. I hope you know that.”

  After that, we talked a little about his morning. He told me how he’d gone to a jobsite where there’d been a water main break and he’d had to wear boots up to his waist to walk through the basement. His description of him walking in the bulky rubber made me laugh.

  He didn’t ask any more about Stephan or John. I got the feeling he knew it would upset me if he did. All too soon he had to go, and we said good-bye. He promised to call me again soon.

  When I hung up the phone, Lily was still sitting beside me. The frown was gone, but she still looked concerned. I didn’t want her to worry.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I nodded.

  “All right,” she said, hesitant.

  The two of us sat for a long time, not saying anything. I knew she was waiting on me. She had to have heard what Stephan had said to me before he left, that he wanted me to talk to her, and she was obviously giving me time.

  I hated that I was so nervous. I didn’t like being afraid. Ian had always waxed me himself. He’d made sure it was as painful as possible, and it had usually been followed by some kind of sex. I would already be sore from the waxing, and he would always wear a big smile when he’d see me wince or try to get away from him, knowing I was strapped down and not going anywhere.

  As I relived the memory, breathing became more difficult. My chest constricted, and I felt trapped all over again.

  “Brianna?”

  I didn’t answer. Lily sounded far away.

  “Brianna? Can you hear me?”

  I felt her hands on my arms, my face.

  Not real. It’s not real.

  I tried to take a deep breath. Then another, fighting the images I was seeing. Lily is real. She’s here. Now.

  The pressure in my chest eased. My breathing slowed down, and I began to feel calmer. I had no idea how much time had passed before I opened my eyes again and looked at Lily.

  “Better?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “Do you need me to call Stephan for you?”

  I shook my head.

  I did want him there, but I also knew he was working. As much as I wanted him with me, I knew I was safe. Lily wouldn’t hurt me, and it was just her and me. I was fine. I would be fine.

  “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

  I swallowed.

  “I was . . . remembering.” Just mentioning it again had my chest tightening, my breath quickening. I grabbed hold of Lily’s hand, wishing it were Stephan’s.

  “What were you remembering?”

  “Stephan . .
. he wants me to talk to you about . . . about getting waxed.”

  “I know. I heard him talking to you.” She gave me a small smile.

  “I was remembering . . . the last time.” Closing my eyes, I tried to block out the images that once again threatened to creep into my head.

  “Oh,” she said.

  Lily released my hands and looked out the large windows showcasing the city. It was a beautiful view of downtown Minneapolis. I never got tired of looking at it.

  “He used that to hurt you, too.” Her voice was flat as she said the words. She didn’t ask it as a question. She stated it like it was a fact. I was beginning to realize that it was hard for people to fathom all the ways Ian had devised to torture me. If something could be twisted to cause pain, humiliation, or even discomfort, he found it and used it.

  “What’s it like?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from my time with Ian. If I continued to talk about it, I would go into a panic again, and I didn’t want that. Stephan wasn’t here, and he was the only person who could make me feel better afterward. Even now, I felt how far away he was, and I wanted him here with me.

  “Waxing?” she asked.

  “Yes. I never had anything waxed . . . before.” I didn’t have to elaborate. She knew what I meant.

  “Well . . . it does hurt some, but only in certain spots and it’s not that bad. Plus, after a few seconds the pain is gone and so is the hair.” She smiled.

  “They don’t . . . do anything . . . else?”

  She bunched up her nose. “No. I mean she has to touch you in order to get the hair, but that part doesn’t hurt or anything. And it’s not sexual at all, if that’s what you’re asking. She just removes the hair and then it’s done.”

  “She?”

  Lily giggled.

  “Julie is my esthetician. She’s really nice. I think you’ll like her. I’ve been going to her for years, and she’s always been great.”

  “Will you . . . will you go with me?”

  “Of course. Besides, I doubt Stephan would let you go alone, especially not your first time, knowing how nervous you are.”