All the darkness of the room was gone. Light oak furniture replaced the dark cherry. To take more of the gloom away from the room, scenic paintings hung on the walls, and a large flower arrangement sat in the middle of the table. Even the heavy drapes had been replaced with lace curtains to let in the light.
“Damn, Blaine, Shyla sure is doing a number here,” Dane said.
Both Devon and Blaine stopped what they were doing to stare at Dane and Darius with open mouths. Darius knew why they were staring.
“What?” Dane demanded.
“I think they’re in shock that we’re in the same room together.”
“Oh that,” Dane chuckled. “Yeah, I do owe you one.” He turned so fast and threw a punch Darius didn’t even have the time to prepare for the blow. It landed on his jaw, knocking him down on his ass. Dane nodded in satisfaction. “Now I’m good.”
“Feel better?” Darius mumbled, holding his now throbbing face.
“Much better.” Dane smiled. He bent over with his hand out, helping Darius to his feet.
“Well, now that we’re all back together, how about a drink?” Devon asked. “Know Blaine can use another.”
Devon handed out drinks and they all sat down at the table. They drank in silence, and Darius could feel the tension in the room and for once, it didn’t have to do with him.
“So how is she?” Darius asked, breaking the quiet.
“Crying a lot,” Blaine answered with a tired sigh. “She thinks she’s failing me by losing the baby. Has this crazy idea that I need to have a child. I told her that I was more than happy with what I have now, but she still thinks I want one.”
“What about Nicolai?” Dane asked.
“I told her we already have a family and I don’t give a shit if he isn’t my blood or not. Hell, I think it’s better he’s not. Least he has a chance of turning out good.”
“Considering who his real father was, I’d say you’re doing a damn good job,” Darius said.
“Considering who all our fathers were,” Blaine said. “We all turned out pretty damn good.” Darius smiled and nodded. “So what’s your story? Dane said you had some heavy shit to get off your shoulders.”
Blaine reached into his shirt and brought out one of his thin cigars. He settled it in his mouth, lit it, then blew out a cloud of smoke.
“I thought Shyla got rid of those things,” Devon stated.
Blaine smiled. “So did she.”
“He’s got an uncle,” Dane said.
“Who?” Blaine asked. Dane thumbed toward Darius. “No shit! You got family?”
“Don’t think you can call him family,” Darius remarked dryly. “The bastard hasn’t had anything to do with me since I was born.”
“What’s he want?” Blaine asked.
“What does all long lost family want?” Darius smarted back. “Money.” He stood up, moved to one of the floor to ceiling windows and stared out at the night. “My father pretty much stole the family company right after he married my mother. That marriage was forced since he’d raped her and she got pregnant with me.”
“You lost me here,” Blaine said. “You said your uncle wants money.”
“He does. When my father took over the family business, he turned it into a billion dollar enterprise. He gave them all a very large sum of money, bought stocks with some of the money and sold the rest. If my grandfather and uncle would’ve done the same thing and invested they would’ve also been set for life. They didn’t.”
“So he’s broke and wants to sue you,” Blaine snickered.
“Yup, I’ve already been served.” Darius turned around took a deep breath and faced his three best friends. “He’s suing me for the fees and upkeep for my mother.”
“Whoa!” Dane cut in. “You’re mother? She’s still alive?”
“Regrettably, yes,” Darius answered.
“Okay, I think you need to tell us everything, from the beginning,” Blaine said.
“Okay, here it goes—”
* * * *
“Oh honey, it’s not your fault,” Kera said to Shyla who lay on the bed crying softly into the covers. Kera brushed her hand slowly through her blonde hair.
“I—I thought this one wouldn’t happen,” Shyla sniffed, sitting up. “I was farther along than the last one.”
“But it wasn’t meant to be yet,” Kera said. “Your time will come.”
Shyla shook her head. “I can’t do this again,” she whispered. “He needs to find someone that can give him children.”
Kera snorted. “I doubt Blaine is going to want anyone else. Honey, he loves you.”
“And no one else can put up with him,” Samara added.
Shyla sat up and wiped her eyes with her hands. Kera brushed her hair from her face and kissed her on the cheek.
Makayla remembered her sister telling her that Shyla had a very shaky past. That someone from her past, Nicolai’s father, tried at one time to get his hands on her when she was very young. He tried again years later only to have Blaine step in and stop him. Blaine never imagined that the little girl he saved so long ago would be the one woman he needed more than anything in his life. She completed him and brought a light to his darkness. Something that Makayla hoped to do for Darius.
“So are you happy?” Shyla asked Makayla.
“You know, I am,” Makayla said and smiled. “I always thought that going to the Compound would be the worst thing ever, but for me I think it turned out to be the best.” Kera snorted at that. “Hey, I’m happy to finally be able to stay home with my family. Always being gone and in hiding sort of made me feel like the days when our father was home. He never let us do anything.”
“Told you so,” Kera said to Samara.
“Kera told me you had a small run in with Beth White,” Shyla went on. Makayla nodded. “You all know she has a little sister Nicolai’s age.”
“You think she’s going to let the girl go up to the Compound?” Samara asked.
“Hell no!” Kera said. “You see how she feels about the Compound now. Everyone’s equals there and she’s all about putting the lower class in their place. Man I would love to kick her ass again.”
“Again?” Makayla laughed. “When did you do it the first one?”
“Right after me and Dane got married,” Samara said. “We were shopping and Beth opened her big mouth. She almost caused a bunch of trouble then.”
“Nic told me her daughter is pretty wild,” Shyla added “And his friend Zander is thinking about showing her just how much trouble she can get into.”
“Why do you let him around Zander,” Kera sighed. “That kid is going to get Nic in a lot of trouble.”
“Zander needs someone,” Shyla went on. “His father leaves him alone all the time. The staff is raising the boy. Blaine has been spending more time with him also.”
“Someone needs to. His damn father should do more,” Kera added.
“Hey, you hungry?” Samara asked Shyla. “Blaine mentioned you haven’t eaten much.”
Shyla rolled her eyes and fell backwards on the bed. “Has he been telling everyone?”
“Honey, he’s worried about you,” Kera said. “We know the loss of the baby is hard on you, but you can’t get sick over it. And please don’t shut Blaine out this time. He’s driving me nuts.”
Shyla smiled.
“Why don’t you take a hot shower? Kera will stay with you and I’ll go down with Makayla and fix you something to eat,” Samara said.
“I’m not hungry,” Shyla replied.
“Too bad,” Kera said. “You need to eat, and we ain’t leaving until you do.”
“Besides, I think we all could use something to eat. The food tonight wasn’t much and not very good.”
“Well, let’s go see what you’ve got,” Makayla said, tugging on Samara’s arm.
Together they left the bedroom. Makayla hadn’t been in the Cedric manor before, but she’d heard Shyla had redone just about everything in the house. She opened up
rooms that Blaine never had opened before. The walls had been freshly painted, new floors, installed and curtains hung. She’d brightened up the inside then the outside, turning the place into the fairy tale palace she always dreamed about, and Blaine let her.
“You think she’s going to be alright?” Makayla asked.
“Kera will snap her back, she did last time.”
“So what caused her to lose the baby?”
“My guess is stress and worry. She worried herself sick that something might go wrong like the last time, and it did. The doctor told her she needed to relax, rest a lot and not stress. I think Blaine also said her womb isn’t strong, so if she made it to the fifth month she would have to be put on bed rest.”
They found the kitchen and began hunting in cabinets and the fridge for something to fix to eat. Nothing too fancy and quick, Samara went to work to make a fresh chicken pasta salad by grilling chicken breasts and putting pasta on to boil while Makayla took some bread and grilled it with cheese.
* * * *
“Wow.” Devon slumped back in his chair, mouth open, after Darius finished his story. Not one of them had disgust in their eyes, only shock.
“Well, that sure does explain a few things,” Dane said. “Like why you are always so aloof.”
“Would you want your friends to know this shit?” Darius asked. Dane lowered his eyes. “Thought so. And I have this nagging feeling that this shit aren’t the only secrets being hidden. Something else is going on.”
“When was the last time you saw your mother?” Blaine asked.
“The day she stabbed me,” Darius answered. “My father had her committed, and to keep my mouth shut he shipped me off to school.”
“Hate to say this man, but I think you need to go to this institution and see her,” Blaine said.
“Why the hell would I want to do that?” Darius snapped. “The woman tried to kill me.”
“Because sometimes the crazy tell the truth,” Blaine told him. “You might get those answers.”
“Blaine I don’t really want any answers, I want to forget I even have a family left.” Darius rubbed his face, feeling that familiar dead weight settling on his shoulders. “As far as I am concerned, you guys and Makayla are my family.”
“And we understand that,” Devon said. “But he’s got a point. If your father put her away, then I’m sure he made the arrangements for her care for life. If so, then ask yourself why your uncle is trying to get money from you.”
“I’d see if she’s still there,” Dane finally said. They all looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders. “He could’ve taken her out and been pocketing the money for her care.”
“I never thought of that,” Darius said.
“Okay, guys, how would you like some real food?” Samara came in then with Makayla behind her, carrying trays loaded with food. The men got up quickly and took the trays.
“What’s this?” Blaine asked.
“Dinner for Shyla,” Samara answered. “Kera has her in the shower and she’s going to be down to eat.”
“Got to love, Kera,” Blaine said, giving Devon a smile.
Kera and Shyla joined the others. The moment Blaine saw her he strode to her side and pulled her tight into his arms. Darius saw the love and knew then he felt the same way about Makayla. But did she feel the same for him?
Everyone sat and ate. Blaine kept touching Shyla, holding her hand, and smiling at her. Everyone talked about different things. Devon talked some about his horses and how the ranch was starting to get a bit cramped and he might need to expand. Dane mentioned to Makayla about stopping by so Nana could see her. The woman hadn’t stopped complaining about her not being there since the night she was summoned to the Compound.
Makayla saw the bruise on Darius’s chin and she chewed Dane out. He laughed at that, kissing her on the cheek once she finished. They stayed for a few hours, relieved to see Shyla seemed to be feeling better, and then they called it a night. Once home, after the long, tiring day, Darius and Makayla headed up to their bed, hand in hand, Makayla still smiling.
Darius had a lot on his mind still, but he felt so much better when he had her in his arms. In bed, Darius held Makayla close, letting sleep take him. But before it did, the one thing that Dane said came back to haunt him.
He had to see if his mother was still where his father put her. It all made sense. Only with her removal would his uncle be trying to get money out of him. Come morning, Darius would take a trip to find out if his mother was still in the institution, or if some conniving bastard took her away, and if so, why, besides the money.
Chapter Ten
He hadn’t been here, he hadn’t been here, he hadn’t been here.
Darius kept telling himself that as he walked down the clean white, sterile hall of the hospital where his father sent his mother more than fifteen years ago, and yet he had this strange feeling he had.
Because you have!
Darius stopped in the middle of the hall, closed his eyes and let the buried memory hit. Yes, he had been here once and only once. The one time he needed to see his mother’s eyes to confirm that she indeed had lost it. He’d snuck away from school after hearing some other kids talking about his family. He heard about his father sending his mother away to a mental hospital because she was crazy. Learned that day how his father had enjoyed his new freedom by crossing the boarder where he took up with young girls. Discovering that part was what sealed his father’s fate, in Darius’s eyes. If the man would cross the boarder for underage girls then what happened to his sister could be blamed on his father. So Darius left school with the small hope that his mother wouldn’t be crazy, and that she would look upon him just once as a mother should look at her son.
But she hadn’t.
He walked into her room saw her sitting in the chair in front of the window staring at nothing, mumbling about the sins of the father, sins of the flesh. Her blank expression was enough to have him staying away from this place for a very long time. Now he’d returned.
Opening his eyes, he finished the walk to her room, opened the door and was stunned to discover the room was empty.
“May I help you, sir?” a nurse asked.
“The woman that was here. Where is she?” Darius didn’t bother to look at her, his eyes was fixed on the chair still in front of the window.
“I’m sorry?”
“The woman, Mary Alistair. Where is she?”
“I’m sorry, sir, but Mrs. Alistair hasn’t been with us for over two months now.”
“What?” This time Darius did turn to face her.
“Mrs. Alistair left our institution over two months ago. Her brother came for her.”
“How? He’d need permission!” Darius couldn’t stop from raising his voice.
“Can I help you, sir?” Another woman dressed in white rushed up to them.
“Yes you can tell me how the hell my mother was able to just leave this place.”
The other woman seemed taken aback. “Her brother came and picked her up.”
“I understand that part, but what I don’t understand is how the hell he could do that. He’d need permission. My father made damn sure of that.”
Her face reddened. “Sir, Mr. Verver had permission from his nephew.”
“What?” This time he gasped the question. “I did not give permission for my mother to leave!”
Her face paled. He walked into the room, slamming the door in their faces. With his anger boiling over he began to ransack the room, looking for anything that his mother might’ve left behind. He found nothing.
“Mr. Alistair.” He stopped pacing the room to glare at the woman who came in. “Sir, if you’re looking for her things, what was left we boxed up after a few weeks had passed and it seemed that your mother wasn’t coming back. We didn’t want anything to go missing. If you would please come with me to my office, I would like to talk to you about a few things.”
Darius ended up following the woman out of the room an
d into a small office. He took a seat across from where she had taken a seat behind a small desk. The walk down to her office cooled his anger some, but not much.
“First, I want to apologize for this. Your uncle was very convincing about you giving permission for your mother to leave and I’m afraid I wasn’t here when he took her out. We have been trying to get in touch with him and you, but the contract number we had for you was not in service. Anyway, since your mother had been in our care she’d been doing very well with coming to terms with her past without relapsing. In fact, right before your uncle took her out of here I’m told by her doctor she was making great progress with some of her repressed memories.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The therapy that your father requested for your mother seemed to help her deeply. Long suppressed memories came back to her, and I have to say we were impressed with how well she handled it all.”
“I’m confused...” He held his hand up to stop her. “Handle what? The fact that she tried to kill me?”
“Her abuse.” The nurse frowned. “Surely you’ve been reading the reports sent back to you. We even sent you the letter about your mother being gone all this time. Isn’t that why you’re here now?”
Darius closed his eyes in shame. Yes, the hospital had been sending monthly reports on the progress of his mother’s treatment. After so many of them with nothing new he just stopped reading them all. It felt pointless for him to keep that door open. So all the latest letters he had just tossed in the trash, never opening them.
“I’m sorry, but I haven’t,” he said low. “After reading letters with the same stuff, I stopped opening them.”
“I see.”
“What did they say?” He asked the question so softly that he thought he didn’t ask it at all.
“Maybe I should get the doctor that had been treating her.”
“Just tell me!” he snapped.
She swallowed and looked uncomfortable, but nodded. “It seems that her father and maybe even her brother had abused her at an early age. Only bits and pieces came out, but without a doubt, her father had been. In a few of her sessions, it was mentioned that he would have her undress and use her to teach her brother about the female sex.”
Forbidden Lust (Tales of the Forbidden) Page 10
