Beneath The Lies

by Riann C. Miller

  Gavin’s look is growing from intense to hungry, which sends a shot of lust throughout my body. His mouth quickly finds mine and that shot of lust turns into full-blown desire.

  Gavin’s arms reach around my waist, pulling my ass up and causing me to lift my legs and wrap them around him. We’re walking but our mouths are still attached to each other. I believe were heading to the bedroom but we’re stopped by someone banging on the door.

  “Argh. Go away!” I giggle out a laugh at his reaction to the unexpected guest, but my laughter quickly dies.

  “Open this door right now, you dumb mother fucker!”

  Gavin’s arms tighten around me and he groans into my neck. “Are you ready to meet Carly?”

  Carly? Oh lord...

  Gavin reluctantly opens the door and I discover I was correct. Carly was the woman who was trying her hardest to get Gavin’s attention that night at The Hill. Today, however, she’s not dressed up and doesn’t look nearly as attractive as I remember.

  “Hey, asshole. Did you forget to make a payment?”

  An evil smile crosses Gavin’s face. “Nope. I didn’t forget to do shit.”

  “My checking account says otherwise.” I start to take a step toward the hallway to leave the two of them alone when Gavin’s hand shoots out to keep me in place. This wasn’t missed by Carly, who turns her nasty sneer toward me. “Don’t get too comfortable, bitch. He always comes back to me. You’re just one of many.”

  Gavin warned me that Carly would say horrible things to me, but I still wasn’t expecting her words to pierce my shield as quickly as they did.

  “Cut the shit, Carly. When you picked up Callie yesterday, you informed me she wasn’t my daughter. After you left, I called the bank and stopped my weekly auto-payment to your account. Now, Callie is either mine, which means I’ll pay your worthless ass child support, which also means that I not only get to see her when I want, but I have a fucking say in what goes on in her life, or I’m not her father, as you so nicely said yesterday in front of my daughter. You can’t have it both ways.”

  Carly’s ugly expression causes a shiver to run down my spine. I can’t imagine what Gavin ever saw in her. “Like I told you yesterday, get rid of your whore and you can see Callie whenever you want to.” I suck in a shocked breath, causing Carly’s hateful attitude to turn on me. “That’s right, you are—”

  “Enough. Carly, like I told you yesterday, you don’t have a fucking say in how I live my life.”

  “Then why the fuck do you get a say in how I live mine?” she screeches back.

  Gavin looks ominous. He’s definitely not someone I would want to mess with right now. And when he speaks his tone is harsher than I’ve ever heard before. “I don’t give a fuck what you do with your pathetic life, as long as it doesn’t involve my daughter. Instead, you’re pawning her off on strangers and taking her around drug dealers, which, fuck yeah, I have a problem with.”

  Carly’s arms flap around while she responds to Gavin. “Really? You run an illegal fight club for God’s sake. Quit acting like you’re better than everyone else because you’re not.” Gavin’s chest heaves as he takes in her comment.

  “No, Carly...I run a business. A successful business, at that. I have a stable income and home, and if you think for one second that a judge won’t see I’m the better fit for Callie then you’re fucking crazy.”

  Carly is clumsily and hesitant with her reply. “You...you think a judge will take her away from her mother and just give her to some guy?”

  I gasp as Gavin starts right back in. “You think you have it all figured out? Well, think again. I’ve made weekly child support payments that transfer automatically from my account to yours. I’ve made sure I had proof of every cent I paid you for this exact reason. If you so much as try to prove that I’m not her biological father, then I’ll sue you for every penny I’ve paid you.”

  Carly changes tactics by turning to me. “Is this what you want? To come between a father and his child?”

  “Don’t you fucking dare make it sound like this has anything to do with Kate. You’ve been a deadbeat mother since the day Callie was born and unfortunately it took me this long to finally stop putting up with your shit.”

  I’m quietly standing next to Gavin while they continue to stare each other down. Carly breaks first. “I’m her mother. Not that whore over there. You better remember that.” Carly’s hands are shaking and she seems upset that Gavin didn’t bow down to her threats.

  “Then maybe you should start acting like it.” Carly huffs in frustration, but thankfully, she turns and walks out, slamming the door on her way.

  Gavin is standing halfway between the doorway and myself with his back to me. I don’t have to see his face to know how upset he is. My natural reaction is to leave him alone, especially while he’s angry, but I know he’s not upset with me, which gives me the courage to walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. After I give him a squeeze, I feel the tension in his muscles draining away.

  “I’m sorry. Please don’t listen to anything Carly has to say.” I can hear the pain in his voice.

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  I want to ask him what in the hell he ever saw in her, but I know now’s not the time. “When do you get Callie again?”

  “Right now I don’t fucking know. I’m supposed to have her every other weekend and two nights during the week, but lately I’ve had her whenever Carly is out whoring around. Needless to say I’ve had her more than my scheduled time, but it’s not worth arguing with her. Not as long as she gives me Callie when she takes off. Which, again, has happened a lot lately.”

  I’ve been working out some shit that’s going on in my life. Shit I didn’t want to blow back on you.

  That’s what he said that night he saw me out on a date with Devon. He was taking care of Callie and protecting me and Callie from Carly’s wrath. “I can handle Carly. And as long as we’re always honest with each other we’ll be fine.”

  Gavin turns and looks down at my face. “Lately I’ve had Callie a lot and with...with you moving in here, that will affect you...us, as well.” Sheesh he’s seems determined that I’m going to move in with him, which I’m not certain is a good idea.

  “I understand. And the only effect it will have on us will be a positive one. I love kids and Callie is adorable and more importantly, she needs you in her life. Without you God only knows what could have happened to her already.”

  Gavin’s eyes shut in pain. Without a doubt, that’s his biggest fear. “We’re a team now, remember? Together we’ll make sure Callie always has a safe place to land.”

  When Gavin’s eyes open, I swear I can see love shining in them. Love for Callie, or maybe if I’m really lucky, it’s love for both of us.

  ****

  “Leeta?” I left Gavin’s to come back to my apartment with the idea that I would start boxing up my stuff. Gavin is pushing for me to move in and I know it’s not completely due to my money situation but for now I’m going along with it. What I wasn’t expecting, especially after learning about Leeta and her possible connection to The Jentar Group, was to see her here waiting for me.

  “Darling, I thought I would stop by and see your new apartment.” I’m watching her closely for any signs that she’s the evil mother Gavin makes her out to be, but all I see is the same woman who’s been nothing but nice to me.

  “Oh, gosh. I should have invited you over by now. I apologize. Yes, please come up and we’ll visit.” Leeta smiles as she wraps her arm around my waist as we head inside.

  “My house has been terribly lonely without you. I wished you’d...” Leeta trails off as her eyes take in my small and probably crappy by her standards apartment.

  “Oh wow. This is...I mean...” Leeta’s nose is turned up as she gives me a fake smile. “This place is just peachy.” I bust out laughing, which in turn causes Leeta to relax.

  “I know this place leaves a lot to be desired, but I wanted to explore life o
n my own.”

  “I understand. I just miss you, is all.” I can hear Gavin’s warning in my head. Either Leeta is lying to me or she’s an extremely lonely woman because I didn’t spend that much time with her for her to miss me. Then again, she doesn’t have a relationship with her own children so maybe she really did enjoyed the idea of having me around.

  “Are you doing okay? I mean with school, friends, money, those sort of things?” I want to ask her if she actually owns stock in my father’s company but at the same time I’m not positive I want to know her answer. If she does and she’s never told me then maybe Gavin’s opinion of her isn’t far from the truth. But if she doesn’t then I’m setting Gavin up to look crazy when she asks where I got my information.

  “Everything is fine. No problems to speak of.” Leeta holds my stare, almost as if she wasn’t expecting my answer or is waiting for me to say something more.

  “How rude of me. Would you like a drink? Something to eat?” Leeta slowly licks her lips then shakes her head no.

  “I should get going, darling. I actually have a business dinner to attend tonight and God knows I can’t go like this. But we should get together again soon. Lunch, shopping, whatever you want, sweetie.” Leeta is dressed to the nines and could easily go straight to a business dinner, which leaves me to believe she’s looking for an excuse to leave.

  “Lunch sounds great,” I add as I follow her to my door. Leeta squeezes my hand.

  “Call me if you need anything. I hate the idea of you being all alone, but if you’re happy then I’m happy. That doesn’t mean I won’t be here in a jiffy if you need me.” My stomach starts to sink. I’m either allowing Gavin’s opinion of Leeta to bleed into my own or Leeta was just acting fake with me. The pitch of her voice was different. The way her eyes brushed over my face and the almost sour look she had when she told me she’d be here in a jiffy are all things she’s never done when speaking to me before.

  “Thanks, Leeta,” I barely say before she turns and walks out, leaving me completely confused.

  ****

  In the last week I’ve spent more time at Gavin’s then I have at my own apartment. Today was my first free day to really pack up things without Gavin and possibly Kiran’s help. After hours of working, I lie down for what I thought would be a quick nap but I’m brought out of my sleep hours later by a knock on my door. I sit up when I hear another firm knock.

  “I’m coming,” I shout as I’m heading toward the door. I quickly glance through the peephole but no one is there. Slowly I open the door, leaving the chain on, but again I don’t see anyone. Just as I’m about to shut the door I notice an envelope laying on the ground directly in front of my door.

  Instantly my body goes on alert. Briefly, I think about calling Gavin, but I heard him tell Kiran he’s getting behind at work due to having Callie all the time. I stick my eye back up to the peephole and wait a few seconds, checking for any movement. When nothing happens, I quickly pull the door open long enough to pick the envelope up and slam it shut before locking it again.

  I’m looking at the envelope like it might jump out and bite me when a thought comes to mind. This could be the letter Ned found in my father’s office. Pushing down my fears, I tear it open. Inside is a white piece of paper with something printed on it and an old newspaper clipping. The paper says, “Beneath the lies is a little baby with emerald eyes, but every truth comes with a price.”

  This is the second time someone has gone out of their way to say practically the same thing to me but this time it causes me to break out in goose bumps. There’s no way this came from Ned, not to mention he would have addressed the letter to me.

  I place the paper on my table and look at the old newspaper clipping. The coloring on the paper is faded and washed out but I’m still able to read the article about a baby that was kidnapped at a strip mall somewhere in Missouri. I look the paper over but I have no idea why someone would send me this. This baby was kidnapped a few weeks after I was born. Someone is trying to scare me, but why? How are my eyes connected to this newspaper article?

  I look both pieces of paper over again but I’m not able to come up with any ideas. The last time someone left me a note, I was on edge for weeks. People only have power over you if you allow them and this time I’m not going to. I place the paper and newspaper back into the envelope and set it off to the side then I get back to packing.

  ****

  Gavin gave me a key to his apartment, which is how I let myself in. He told me he was going to work late tonight so when I hear voices coming from the hallway I stop and listen to find out who’s here. Within seconds, I make out Kiran’s voice, and instantly I panic thinking he’s brought another one of his hookups to Gavin’s until I hear the cutest little giggle. I’ve only seen Callie a handful of times, but already she’s in my heart. I head to her room to let them both know I’m here and the second I spot Kiran, I burst into laughter.

  Just like I pictured, he’s dressed similar to the way Callie decked Gavin up for their tea party. At the sound of my laughter, Kiran turns and gives me a dirty look. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up while you can,” he practically sneers at me.

  “What’s so funny, Kate?”

  Apparently, today is salon day and not tea party day, because Callie is in the middle of painting Kiran’s finger nails a dark shade of pink. And if I’m not mistaken, that is Barbie doll nail polish she’s using.

  “Nothing, sweetie. I didn’t know you were so talented.” Callie’s face lights up at my compliment. She’s put in a lot of time working on Kiran. He has clips in his rather short hair, a tiara on his head, earrings clipped to his ears, and an unbelievable amount of necklaces around his neck.

  Before Kiran can tell me to fuck off, the apartment door opens and shuts, and seconds later Gavin is standing next to me. “Sorry, dude. I thought my call would wrap up faster than that.” The whole time Gavin was speaking he was fighting off a smile. Clearly, he’s more used to finding Kiran like this than I am.

  “Well, little lady, I have a date. If I go like this it will kill my street cred. So, as much as it hurts me to do this, I have to disrobe,” Kiran tells Callie as he quickly sheds everything she’s put on him.

  “That’s okay. Daddy’s home now and he has an appointment next.” I burst out laughing. Right or wrong, this little girl knows how to persuade the men in her life into doing things they’d never admit to.

  “Sorry, baby, my appointment isn’t today. How about we order a pizza from the place across the street for dinner?” Callie started to whine until she heard Gavin’s plans for dinner, then she perked right up.

  “Yay! Can we watch Frozen with Kate again?” Personally, I thought the movie was cute but both Gavin and Kiran groan. As far as either of them are concerned, they’ve watch the movie about a hundred times too many.

  “Yes, but only if you agree to take a quick bath.” My eyes scrunch. A bath before pizza? I think only a father would suggest that, but I’m going to keep my two cents to myself.

  “Well, as sad as I am about missing out on Frozen, I have plans I need to get to.” Gavin lifts his chin toward Kiran.

  “Thanks, dude, for helping me out.”

  “No problem.” Gavin disappears into the hallway bathroom when I hear water running for Callie’s bath. “Okay, pizza should be ready in ten minutes so Callie you won’t be able to take a long bath, if you want to eat the pizza while it’s warm.”

  For some reason, I suddenly feel like an outsider. Gavin needed someone to watch Callie and instead of asking me he asked Kiran, which makes sense. At the same time, he claims he trusts me with her, so why wouldn’t he have asked me, especially knowing I was coming here later today?

  “Are you okay keeping an eye out for her while I go get the pizza?”

  Without meaning to, I frown when I process Gavin’s question. I don’t think he’s truly comfortable leaving her alone with me yet.

  “I’ll go get the pizza. You stay here in case she needs you.
I don’t have any experience with giving four-year-olds baths, anyway.”

  My comment was meant to ease his worries about me being here alone with her, but instead he gives me a strange, almost disappointed look. “O...kay. Here.” Gavin shoves a couple of twenties into my hands, I assume to pay for dinner. “The place is directly across the street, you can’t miss it.”

  I wish I knew what he was thinking right now. His jaw is clenched and while his tone is gentle, I think he was forcing himself to speak that way. I wait a second and instead of saying anything else he turns and walks back into the bathroom.

  I have no idea what just happened between us, but it didn’t feel good. No, if anything, I think I might have failed some test Gavin gave me and I’m not sure what I said wrong.

  With Gavin’s money in my hand, I start heading toward the pizza restaurant. My mind is completely caught up in tracing the last few things we said to each other that I didn’t notice the black car that appears out of nowhere until it’s too late. I hear someone screaming, than I feel pain take over my body until finally everything goes black.

  My whole body aches and I can hear a beeping sound as I force my eyes to open. When they do, I see Gavin in a chair that’s pulled up to the side of the bed I’m lying in. As I take in the room, I instantly know I’m in a hospital¸ but I have no idea why.

  “Gavin.” My voice is soft, almost weak, but it was enough to wake him up.

  “Oh, God, babe.” He looks scared and tired.

  “What’s going on?” I whisper while I force my eyes to stay open.

  Gavin waits a beat before answering me but he takes my hand in his and starts rubbing his thumb back and forth. “You were hit by a car.”

  “A car?” I question. I force my brain to come up with some memory of what he’s referring to, but I come up empty. The last thing I remember doing was packing up my apartment.