The Betrayal
Page 29
She sighed and told him the truth. “The thing with Charlie and Eric and my uncle. And even my aunt. I still can’t conceive of how it all happened.”
Declan drew her close against him. “Me either. I’m just grateful Stanford and Stoltenberg are locked up. At least you’re safe from them.”
Chloe shuddered. “I never would have dreamed Eric could be so violent. When I interviewed him, he seemed like a harmless boy.”
“You just never know.”
She thought of her uncle and aunt and the life of deception they’d lived for so many years. “You’ve certainly got that right,” she said sadly.
“I hope you’re not still blaming yourself?”
She unwittingly made a sound of distress in the back of her throat and then bit her tongue. Declan pulled gently away from her and sat up against the headboard.
“I thought we’d been over this, sweetheart?”
He said it gently, but tears still burned behind her eyes. He smoothed a lock of hair back from her forehead and her heart melted at the tenderness in his eyes.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out on another sigh. “My head knows you’re right. It’s my heart that will take a little more convincing.”
He kissed her softly, gently as if trying to assuage the hurt that still lingered inside her. The hurt and confusion and pain on her father’s face when he’d been told about his brother would stay with her forever.
But none of it was Declan’s fault. Honorable, kind, smart and just downright gorgeous was the only way to describe him. He’d looked after her like she was the most precious thing in the world and she couldn’t help but love him for it.
She loved him.
“When do you get your cast off?” Declan asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“Hopefully, in a fortnight. It will be good to get rid of the crutches and get back to normal. I hate to think how my garden’s fared. Mom was going to see to my pot plants, but…” She shrugged and hoped he’d understand.
“You miss your apartment.”
Chloe compressed her lips and nodded. “Yes, I do.”
Declan’s smile looked a little forced. “So what are you saying? You’re sick of me, are you?”
Heat crept across her cheeks. She shook her head. “No, of course not. You’ve been wonderful, amazing. I couldn’t have managed without you. I-I’m so grateful for everything that you did.”
He frowned. “Grateful? I don’t want your gratitude. Don’t you know? I’ve fallen in love with you, Senior Investigator Sabattini.”
Chloe stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her heart began to pound.
“Y-you love me? Are…are you sure?”
His frown darkened. “Of course I’m sure. I’m thirty-four years old. I think I’ve been around long enough to know how I feel. Having you around these past weeks, being able to take care of you—I want to be able to do that every day of our lives.”
He drew in a deep breath, his gaze fixed on hers. “It wasn’t until you were hurt that I realized how deeply I’d fallen for you, but since you’ve been here, in my home and in my heart, there’s nothing about the idea of sharing my life with you, that doesn’t feel right.”
Hope and joy flooded through her. She grinned up at him. “You barely know me. You haven’t even been to my apartment.” She looked around the tidy room. “You’re obviously a neat freak. I could be the biggest slob around.”
The twinkle in his eye belied his heavy sigh. “You’re right. I am a neat freak. It’s a consequence of being nagged every day of my youth to pick up after myself and put my clothes away and keep my room tidy. I guess with seven kids in the house, Mom had to be a cleaning Nazi or else there would have been absolute chaos.”
“Seven kids? You really have seven brothers and sisters?”
“Six, actually. I’m the seventh. And yeah, I have four brothers and two sisters.”
Chloe shook her head, amazed. “The night we went for that bike ride, I peeked at a photograph in the spare room. I recognized your brothers and parents from the hearing and I could see the family resemblance between you and the girls, but I didn’t think about the head count.”
“Yep, there are five of us boys, starting with Tom. Then there are the babies—Josie and Chanel.”
Chloe shook her head again. “Wow, what a family. I couldn’t help but notice at the hearing how close you all appeared. It was nice to see them there, offering you their support.”
“Yeah,” Declan smiled. “It was. We’ve always gotten along. Clayton lives here in Canberra and Riley’s up near Mom and Dad in northern New South Wales. Tom and Brandon are both in Sydney.”
“Where are your sisters?”
“The girls share an apartment in Brisbane. They both went to Uni up there.”
“What did they study?” Chloe asked, fascinated to know more about his family.
“Josie’s a child psychologist and Chanel’s a doctor.”
Chloe heard the love and pride in his voice as he spoke of them and it warmed her through and through. Despite recent events, she still believed in family and always would.
“They’re lucky to have you looking out for them. As am I,” she added, holding his gaze.
Declan stared back at her, his eyes dark with emotion. “Does this mean you’re considering moving in with me permanently?”
She nodded. “I’d love to.”
His breath whooshed out. He chuckled and then laughed. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I’ve gotten used to being waited on hand and foot. Why would I move out now?”
“But what about your apartment, your garden?”
“I can always relocate my pot plants. You have a decidedly nice balcony that could do with some greenery.”
Her smile was reflected in his eyes. He bent his head and kissed her.
“I love you, Chloe Sabattini.”
“I love you, too.”
He pulled back and stared at her? “Really? Do you really? You don’t have to say it just because—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “Haven’t I already told you, you talk too much? Of course I love you! How could I not? You’re honest and caring and decent and proud. You’re honorable and selfless and you genuinely care about other people. You love your family; you said you love kids. What’s not to love about all that?”
His face filled with joy. He shook his head slowly back and forth. “I can’t believe that through this entire nightmare, I’ve found you. I would never have believed it! If I had to go through it all again in order to have you, I would.”
Chloe gasped. “That’s… That’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard. I-I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything.” Just kiss me and show me how much you love me.”
Elation flooded through her. She couldn’t stop the grin that stretched her lips wide. Moving closer, he drew her into his arms. Her lips found his and she set about showing him just how much she meant it.
EPILOGUE
Four months later
The opening bars of the entrance hymn pealed through the loudspeakers of St Patrick’s Catholic Church and filtered through to Chloe where she waited with her father in the little room just off the narthex. Nerves jangled in her stomach. She smoothed down the panels of her white antique-satin-and-lace wedding dress and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Her heart tightened with emotion at the woman who stared back at her.
Her hair was gathered into a loose knot at the base of her neck. Tiny, hot pink satin handmade roses were tucked amongst the strands. Artfully arranged tendrils escaped to frame her face and gave her a look of ethereal beauty.
Standing at her side, her father patted her hand and did his best to hold back his tears.
“Your mother’s beside herself with joy to know she’s lived to see your wedding day. She’d just about given up.”
“How about you, Daddy? Are you happy?”
“I couldn’t have chosen better for
you myself.” His voice was gruff with emotion. She tightened her grip on his arm and offered him a wobbly smile.
“Thank you, Daddy. You don’t know how much that means to me.”
He swiped at the tears that slid down his cheeks. “You look beautiful, bambina. The prettiest bride I’ve ever seen.”
Her smile widened and she brushed at the moisture in her eyes. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Just to my girls,” he replied. His eyes twinkled, though they were still tinged with the sadness that had shadowed them ever since his brother’s death. “Let’s go and get you married.”
As the music swelled, she entered the church on her father’s arm. The congregation stood and turned as one to greet them. Declan’s nieces, Cassie and Olivia, had gone in ahead of them and had strewn pink and white rose petals along the aisle. Chloe breathed in their heady fragrance.
Her sisters, Cathy and Antonella and her best friend, Savannah, all dressed in hot-pink satin, took their places at the front of the church. There wasn’t a hint of Savannah’s devastation over her recent breakup with Jonathan evident on her face. Her friend couldn’t have looked happier.
Chloe’s father led her slowly down the aisle. He nodded greetings to friends and family, his face glowing with pride.
Declan stood before the altar, waiting for her. His eyes shone with love and his soft smile was full of adoration. It seemed to take a lifetime, but at long last, she stood by his side. He tucked her hand in his and bent low to whisper in her ear.
“You’re even more beautiful than I imagined. You’re the woman of my dreams, the woman of my heart. And by the way, I love the pink.”
The ceremony passed in a blur of heartfelt vows, gospel readings, hymns, happy tears and laughter. When it was over, Declan pulled her into his arms and kissed her to the sound of tumultuous applause. His entire family was crammed into the first five pews and from the smiles and catcalls emanating from his side of the church, they couldn’t be more pleased.
Chloe looked across at her side of the church and smiled at her family gathered there. A shadow touched her heart at the thought of her uncle, but she made an effort to brush it away.
“Hey, beautiful, are you all right?”
Declan’s gentle prodding brought her back to the present. She smiled and kissed him. The memories of those awful events, her family’s anguish and shock over the tragedy, her own grief and devastation, would stay with her for a long time to come.
But today… Today was not a day for dark memories. Today was a day for overwhelming joy and celebration. The man she loved with all of her heart, had just been declared her husband. She clung to the thought.
“I’m great,” she whispered. “Right now, I’m the happiest woman alive.”
NOTE TO READERS
I do hope you have enjoyed reading Declan and Chloe’s story. Having had a close family member suffer through a similar situation as Declan, it was a story near to my heart. As a lawyer, I firmly believe in one of the tenets of our criminal justice system that states a person is innocent until proven guilty. Where the system falls down is when a person’s life can be ruined from nothing more substantial than mere allegations. Sadly, it happens all too often.
Please feel free to leave a review for The Betrayal. Every review is appreciated and really helps a new author like me.
The Deception is Book Five of the Munro Family Series and is Will and Savannah’s story. You met Savannah in The Betrayal as Chloe’s ambitious reporter friend. Savannah has had a difficult past and one you will discover in her story. I’m sure once you’ve read it, you’ll agree with me that she more than deserves her happy ending.
Here’s a sneak peek:
Ambitious newspaper journalist Savannah O’Neill will do anything for a story, even if it means pretending to be a prostitute in Sydney’s most exclusive brothel. She’s there on a tip-off that underage girls are being held illegally and kept compliant with illicit drugs. What’s more, unidentified bodies of young women have turned up in Sydney Harbour and at least one of them is linked to the brothel.
Detective Will Rutledge has vowed to destroy the man he holds responsible for his brother’s suicide. Vince Maranoa is the kingpin of Sydney’s illegal drug industry: He’s also the owner of the city’s most exclusive brothel. Working undercover with the New South Wales Drug Enforcement Agency, Will is determined to put Maranoa behind bars.
When Savannah and Will cross paths at the brothel, there’s an instant attraction, despite the fact she presumes he’s a cohort of the crime boss and Will assumes she’s a prostitute under Maranoa’s employ.
With both of them determined to pursue their personal agendas to infiltrate the covert life of Maranoa, they will both be left gasping when the brothel’s secrets are finally revealed…
The Deception will be available in July, 2014. Click here to sign up for my newsletter if you would like to receive news on upcoming Munro Family stories, release dates, book launches and other snippets. I love to hear from my readers. Please feel free to contact me at christaylor@antmail.com.au. Let me know who your favorite Munro family member is.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As usual, no book comes into being without a lot of help and support by my friends and family. A world of thanks must go to my friend and fellow author Angela Bissell, critique partner extraordinaire, and a girl who loves the Munro family as much as I do.
To Pat Thomas, the best editor in the world, thank you for believing in my vision for Declan and Chloe. It wasn’t always easy, but we got there in the end. To Alisha and Damon Za, thank you for yet another fantastic cover. To my sister, Nicole Guihot, thank you for your excellent editorial comments and suggestions. Nic, I hope you like the final result.
To Amy Atwell and her dedicated staff at Author EMS who are so much more than book formatters. Amy, once again, thank you for your magic.
To the fantastic writer organizations such as Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of New Zealand for all the help, support and encouragement they offer new and aspiring writers, including me.
To my readers, thank you for your support and love for the Munro family. Your encouragement and enjoyment make this journey all worthwhile.
And lastly, to my friends and family, especially my husband and children. Thank you for putting up with late dinners and even later conversations as I’ve emerged day after day from the sometimes scary but always enthralling world I’ve created on my computer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Taylor grew up on a farm in north-west New South Wales, Australia. She always had a thirst for stories and recalls writing her first book at the ripe old age of eight. Always a lover of romance and happily-ever-afters, a career in criminal law sparked her interest in intrigue and suspense. For Chris to be able to combine romance with suspense in her books is a dream come true.
Chris is married to Linden and is the mother of five children. If not behind her computer, you can find her doing the school run, taxiing children to swimming lessons, football, ballet and cricket. In her spare time, Chris loves to read her favorite authors who include Richard North Patterson, Sandra Brown, Kathleen E Woodiwiss and Jude Devereaux.
You can find out more about Chris and sign up for her newsletter at her website:
http://www.christaylorauthor.com.au
Follow Chris on Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/christaylorbook
Join Chris on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/christaylorwriter
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright © 2014 by Chris Taylor
(All Rights Reserved)
LCT Productions Pty Ltd
18364 Kamilaroi Highway, Narrabri NSW 2390
ISBN. 978-1-925119-06-0 (Ebook)
ISBN. 978-1-925119-07-7 (Print)
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. The scanning, uploading, and distribution o
f this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
The Betrayal is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
The Munro Family Series
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24