“Thank you, dad. I’m still the son you raised. I’ve just been so lost without her that I didn’t want to pass all the pain I was going through onto you. And before you say that’s bullshit, it’s how I felt and still do. I’m technically your first born, and I’ve always handled my problems on my own, knowing I could come to you if necessary. And today is one of those times. Have you seen today’s paper?”
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t. I was out the door early this morning and haven’t had the opportunity to peruse any of my usual papers.”
“What about the news? Dad, I know you wake up to the morning headlines, so I can’t believe you don’t know what I’m talking about here!” I practically shouted at my father while balling my fists at my side.
This case had me in knots, and it’s hardly begun yet.
“Jacob, why don’t you just tell me what I don’t know, and we will take it from there.”
He sounded irritated with my dancing around it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say it. I took the newspaper from my messenger bag and handed it to him. He took the paper, and I saw his eyes go from irritation to shock.
“Oh, holy hell! Murdered in prison? I guess this only means one thing…” my father muttered under his breath.
“Excuse me? Why would you say that? It’s now your turn to tell me what I don’t know. Talk to me, dad.”
“I say this because his revenge has finally been carried out. I never believed he would allow Michael to just walk away clean and have the opportunity to live his life freely one day, knowing what he did to her.”
“Dad! What the hell? You’re talking in circles. To whom are your referring?”
“Jacob, have you been so far away from your family that you sit here and act like you don’t know to whom I am referring? Wake up, son! If you don’t know, then you damn well should know who I’m talking about. Jack Vanelle, Nicolette’s Uncle, who turns out is really her biological father! Come on, you really didn’t know?”
My father looked beside himself as I was completely stunned, but now the pieces were beginning to fit.
“No, I did not. How do you know all of this?”
“Simon told me. Years ago, after the rape, many truths came out about Nicolette’s family history. She shared it all with Simon after discovering it herself. She was protected from the truth until her parents felt it was the right time to tell her, and then the rape happened. Her Uncle Jack is her biological father, but Mason Vanelle is her father in all the ways that matter.”
“Wait…did her mother have an affair with the brother?”
“No, nothing like that. Mason could not give his wife a child, so Jack helped make their dream come true, and it was agreed that Jack would always be known as her uncle and nothing more. Jack was extremely protective of Nicolette, and when he discovered she had been attacked, he became enraged and immediately flew out to be by her side. She knew none of it, but one day while she was in the hospital, she overheard her parents and Jack arguing, and that’s when the truth of her parentage came out. On top of everything else that sweet girl was going through, learning this information divided her family even more.”
“Simon was there for her throughout it all, and even when he thought he lost her, he never gave up hope on being with Nicolette again. Then you know what happened next. They did reunite, the trial happened, and then Michael St. Clair began his sentence for what he did to her.”
“Tell me more about Jack. Why did you instantly come to the conclusion that he must be responsible for St. Clair’s death?”
“Jacob, I’m sorry I ever mentioned it. I really thought that Simon shared this with you and your brothers.”
“Well, he didn’t, dad, so now you tell me. I would rather hear it from you rather than reading it in a file.”
My father deeply sighed while looking at the newspaper again but continued to tell me the story.
“Jacob, your brother once told me that Jack may have been connected to the mafia back in his younger years in Chicago. The argument that Nicolette heard was about just that: how Jack provided for his family and took care of things his parents could not provide. They were immigrants from Italy with little money to their name. They worked endless hours to provide for their family, but Jack couldn’t bear to see his parents work and work and not have much to show for it. The Vanelli parents lived a simple life, whereas Jack’s life was not, at least not in the beginning. He did some things he wasn’t proud of but justified them as a means to an end, because it was about survival. That was his past. To my knowledge, he runs a legal business in Chicago and lives his life out in the open with his wife, Sara. They run their business and are pillars in their community. But…”
“But what?”
“I also know that Jack had threatened Michael when he was in the hospital, and he vowed to see him dead for what he did to his daughter. His words…not mine. I guess when it was all over, he confided in Nicolette about his anger and what he could have done, but he told her that he didn’t because of promises made to his wife and brother. Ultimately, anything Jack would have done to that boy would inevitably hurt Nicolette, and he would never do that.”
I interrupted, “But then again, dad, the minute you saw the paper, that’s exactly what you thought. And I’m afraid if your initial reaction is correct, then Nicolette will be hurt by this in more ways than one. And that’s why I’m here, dad. I’m here in LA to prove the FBI’s suspicions that, in fact, Jack Vanelle is responsible for the death of Michael St. Clair, and it is my job to bring him to justice.”
My father turned ashen, and then he walked over to his cabinet to fix himself a drink. He poured me one too and gestured to me to sit beside him on the couch. I took my drink and gulped it down, debating if I wanted another one. I had no reason to return to the field office today, so I decided that I might as well drink with my father and hope he could help me out of this fucking mess.
We remained quiet while both of us drank our second shot of scotch, and then my father turned to me.
“Jacob, have you told me everything?”
“No, sir, not by a long shot. I’m not only being pressured by my reporting director, but there’s this guy from New York who is also on the case. His name is Dante Marino, and he is hell bent on making Jack burn for this. He was defiant from the moment he introduced himself to me. And then we were left alone, and he showed me his true colors. He was trying to get a rise out of me for some reason, feeling me out, and then he mentioned Minela, and I just about lost it and choked him to death. Dad, his eyes were laughing at me. It was like he knew something I didn’t. If I don’t take on this case, then I will never know what he knows.”
“Do you think he knows what happened with Minela?”
“I do, and if not, then he’s a really good actor to make me think that he does.”
“I have connections all over the world, Jacob, and I could probably obtain some intel on Marino, probably just as effective, if not more, as your fancy computers.”
“I have no doubt about that, dad, and yes, I want your help, but no one can know about this case or my involvement.”
“That’s going to be a little difficult, son. As soon as Simon learns about Michael, he’s going to fly into protection mode for the sake of his wife and unborn child.”
“What?”
“You heard me right. After years of trying, Nicolette is pregnant, and Simon is on top of the world with this news. They have been through so much and have come out stronger than ever before.”
“Dad, I swear I will make this right and no harm will come to Nicolette. My hands are tied, dad. I have to take this case. If I don’t, then I’ll lose my shield and Marino will go after anyone that leads him to Jack, regardless of who he hurts. They are using my connection to get to Jack, which as you say…leaves me in an impossible situation. It is my duty to bring the bad guys to justice, but how can I do that and not hurt my brother and his wife at the same time?”
“I don’t have the a
nswers this time for you, Jacob. I wish I did. As for Simon and Nicolette, they are away right now. They left a few days ago and will not return until next week.”
“Where are they?” I questioned.
“Simon and Nicolette are out on discovery. He’s doing some diving off the coast. He said at times they would be out of reach, but they have their satellite phones to keep in contact if an emergency would arise.”
“Is that safe for Nicolette? I mean, with her condition and her past history with the miscarriages?”
I only mentioned that painful fact because even though she was assured by her doctors that she could have a child again after the rape, that wasn’t how it turned out. Nicolette did suffer two more miscarriages after her near fatal one. My brother was devastated but remained confident that they would have a family someday, and now that day is coming soon. It just gives me all the more reason to protect them from harm.
“She’s doing great. She’s just beginning her second trimester and was cleared by her doctors. The ship is fully equipped with a trained staff. They love the ocean, and she wanted to go with Simon. She was so excited, he couldn’t stop her.”
“So then they don’t know about Michael?”
“I don’t believe so. If yes, then Simon would have phoned me the minute he did.”
“This is good news, better than I expected. With Simon and Nicolette away, their absence buys me some time to figure things out.”
“What about your mother? Please, Jacob, promise me you’ll find some time to visit her.”
“I will, dad, I promise, but I need to get back to my hotel and begin working on things. Please do what you can here, and I will be in touch.”
I quickly gathered my things and made my way to the door with a better resolve than before I walked in. He stopped me before I could leave.
“Jacob,” he said in his most stern voice, “please be careful.”
“Always!” I bear hugged him and then headed out.
There was no fucking way a guy like Marino was going to back me into a corner without me trying everything in my power to claw my way out of it. He played dirty, this I knew from the minute I met him. He was cold and calculating. But Marino had a weakness just like everyone else. I just had to find it and use it to my advantage.
No way would I ever allow anyone to hurt my family. I guess that’s the one thing I shared with Jack Vanelle. He protected what was most important to him, as did I. This life I led was not easy. It claimed the love of my life. I would not allow it to claim anyone else I loved, especially my future niece or nephew. Simon and Nicolette would keep having their happily ever after, and damn it to hell to anyone who tried to prevent them from it.
I replayed the conversation with my father over and over again until my head pounded. I gauged his expression when he mentioned Jack for the first time. It was as if Jack was the obvious wrongdoer.
My father was no saint. He played hardball when he had to and had his share of favors to call on when needed. If he could dig up anything on Marino to help me with this case, I could gain some leverage on him. The fact that Marino mentioned Minela is still weighing heavily on my mind. He could have easily pulled my file and used what he read to his advantage and elicit the right reaction from me. He definitely succeeded when I nearly choked him.
I swallowed two Advil, followed by two bottles of water. I shouldn’t have had that scotch back in my father’s office, especially after the hangover I was still battling, but today had been a day of revelations. I needed something to take the edge off.
My mind retreated back to my night with Zoey. She was incredibly beautiful. Her cerulean eyes were so bright, I could almost see my reflection in them. That vixen could easily turn my head in any direction, hypnotize me with her eyes, and use my body for any pleasure she desired. Just thinking about her had my dick hard and pressed up against my jeans to the point of pain.
I could have pulled one off in the shower to get some relief. Yeah, right! That would give me pleasure for about a minute, and then I would be lost in my fantasy again, thinking about Zoey and how I was deep inside her all night long. She rode my dick and took all of me into her small frame. I don’t remember exactly when we finally passed out, but I remember her and how she made me feel. I also felt her loss when I woke up alone. These were all feelings I hadn’t felt in a very long time, feelings I wasn’t even sure I wanted to have again. I was really confused, convincing myself that it was just a hook-up and nothing more. Ugh! I can’t even go there right now. A cold shower was looking promising, but a knock on the door dragged me out of my thoughts.
I opened the door and blinked back a few times. Whoa, is this a dream? I was just thinking about her, and she appeared! In California! Zoey was standing on the other side of the doorway, looking like a hungry, vamped up tigress. She winked at me sexually. I was clearly her prey of choice. Again, my dick hardened against the inside of my jeans.
“Fuck me!” I whispered out loud.
“That’s the plan,” she said and smiled as she moved past me and made her way to my bedroom.
Oh holy hell! I closed the door and followed the beautiful Zoey into the bedroom.
“You sure do have a way of disappearing and reappearing into my life, don’t you, Zoey?”
“Oh, you sexy man! Disappearing is not my intention at all. And clearly by the looks of you, you’re happy to see me again. Am I wrong?”
I swear I could feel my face flush with heat, and I was seconds away from blowing my load. She wasn’t wrong. She’s all I’d been thinking about since the moment I woke this morning in New York to an empty bed. It’s clear that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her. I was done overthinking for today.
I watched Zoey slowly remove her trench coat. What was underneath took my breath away and left little to the imagination. Her petite frame was covered in leather and lace. Purple lace intricately ran down her spine in fine ribbons that tied at the base of her spine. She looked like a perfectly wrapped Christmas present about to be ripped open or a succulent piece of candy for me to unwrap and devour. Either way, I was going to taste her very soon, but not before peeling off her silk stockings that covered her sexy legs.
She seductively put on a private show for me. The bed in my suite was a king-sized poster frame, giving Zoey exactly what she needed to bring me to my knees. Climbing onto the bed, I loved how she left her shoes on, wrapped her legs around the pole, and sexily spun her body on it.
“Like what you see?” she asked as she worked the pole again.
“I do, very much. But I think we’ve had enough show and tell, don’t you agree? Lie down and place your hands above your head, interlocking your fingers together.”
Once again, her beautiful, oceanic colored eyes brightened and was ready to play.
“Have I been bad? Am I under arrest? Will handcuffs be involved?”
She smiled through her questions as I quickly got undressed. My arousal was evident. I wanted her more than anything else in the world right now. I was completely hers for the taking, but I wanted to play first.
“You are so beautiful, Zoey. And yes, there will be handcuffs to ensure you don’t run this time. I want to wake up tomorrow morning with you underneath me.”
It was just my luck that when I returned from seeing my father, I deposited my stuff conveniently in the same drawer. I opened the side drawer and retrieved the handcuffs and condoms. Dropping them onto the bed, Zoey was squirming with excitement. The way she was looking at me was making me so hard for her. It looked like I was expecting her all along, but her sudden arrival was a very welcomed surprise for me.
I took her into my arms and hungrily kissed her. I needed to taste her, roll my tongue with hers. She let out whimpers of pleasure as I gently leaned her back onto the bed. My knee parted hers, and I could feel the wetness between her legs.
“Stop teasing me, Jacob, and fuck me.”
“In due time, Ms. Steele. I need to get you ready for what I plan to do.”
>
“And what exactly are your plans?”
“So many questions, Ms. Steele. You can’t help yourself from always being a lawyer now, can you?”
“I guess not, just like the cop in you. We love the questions, but I see no need for negotiating right now. We both already know what we want, so why the questions?”
“I have many for you, but I’ll save them for later,” I said.
She smiled and pulled me down onto her. I loved what she was wearing, and it took all my control not to rip it off of her. I flipped her to her stomach and began untying the laces. Once they were undone, her flawless back was exposed. I held her shoulders down and kissed the back of her neck and worked my way down to her sexy ass. It was so inviting for me to take, but not tonight. I turned her over and removed her from her lingerie. Her delicate thong panties did not survive. One hook of my finger, and they were shredded. I plunged my tongue into her dripping folds, causing her to buck her pelvis up to me. My one hand held her two, as I continued to feast on her delicious pussy.
“Are you ready for me?” I asked as she rode out her orgasms, the evidence of which were all over my face.
It was so freaking hot, I wanted more of her. I quickly placed the condom on my ready to explode dick and entered her body. I was praying I could hold out for more than a few minutes, but Zoey wasn’t making it easy for me.
I took her deeper and deeper as she wrapped her legs around me like a snake. Her heels were digging into my bare ass, causing me to wince in pain, but it was a pain I would take from her. I wanted to take her from behind, but I knew it would be rough and tonight was not the time for that kind of play. I just wanted to feel her, hold onto the connection I felt the first time we met, to lose myself with her touch and quench my hunger for more. This is what I wanted from Zoey Steele, and I had full intentions of taking it all.
I rolled us over with her now on top. We were both panting. The way she looked at me enticed me in more ways than ever before. My heart was beating rapidly like I’d just run a marathon. My hands gripped hers as she rode me, bouncing up and down.
An Unfinished Life Page 4
