NO SECRETS NO LIES (SIN CITY HEAT SERIES Book 3)

by K, S

  "Hi," Jerra answered. "I...um...just wanted to make sure you got there okay. You, uh, you said you would call..."

  "I just made it to my room about fifteen minutes ago. I was gonna call you after I finished talking to Marcus."

  "Oh. Okay." The silence stretched uncomfortably from the states to the Caribbean. "I'll let you go, then."

  Darrell took the phone away from his ear for about three seconds, lightly tapping it against his forehead. He wasn’t used to this awkward distance between them where everything seemed so forced. Taking a deep breath, he put the phone back up to his ear. "How did the day with Giselle go?"

  Surprise was evident in Jerra's voice. She'd expected him to take the opening she'd given him as an opportunity to hang up. "It was nice. No, it was great. I really enjoyed myself and I think Giselle did too. Matter of fact, she's here now. We decided to turn our girl's day into a sleepover. We picked up a movie and popcorn, and a lot of junk food to munch on later."

  "Good. You need that time with her. How's my li'l man?”

  Jerra smiled when she remembered how excited DJ had gotten when Giselle walked into the house. He'd immediately gone over to her and extended his arms for her to pick him up. "He's good. He and Giselle are playing together now. He's in heaven because now there's yet another person to spoil him rotten. But I have to admit it's mind boggling to see how much they've bonded in so short of time."

  "That's great."

  "Keisha stayed with him today, and Dom was here too when I got home. You know they'll use any excuse to see him. I keep telling them they need to have one themselves, but Keisha always gets that same terrified look on her face and changes the subject. I don't know what she's so afraid of. She's a great step-mother to Samantha and they practically have her with them all the time anyway..."

  Jerra paused to take a breath then realized she was rambling in order to avoid broaching the reason why Darrell was in Aruba in the first place. She hated this, hated how uncertain and insecure she felt. She was used to being in control, the one her friends came to when they had a problem or needed advice. But bottom line here was Darrell was her husband and they were still married. She had every right to question him.

  "When are you going to see her?"

  "In the morning."

  "Oh."

  "So, Giselle's spending the night?"

  "Mmhm."

  "And Giselle's father?"

  "Darrell -"

  "Is he there?"

  "No!"

  "Never mind, just...forget it. I shouldn't have even asked you that."

  "No, you shouldn’t have. Were you hoping I'd say yes in order to give you an excuse to sleep with Roni?" Jealousy and hurt made Jerra's tone accusing.

  "Let's just end this conversation now because I can see both of us are having issues that won't be resolved over the phone."

  "How long are you staying?" Jerra asked in a rush as if afraid he would hang up before she could get the question out.

  Darrell hadn’t really thought about it. "I only plan to stay a couple of days."

  Jerra nibbled on her lip. "You only 'plan' to? What does that mean, those plans could change? Depending on how things go, you might stay longer??"

  "Jerra..."

  "Never mind. You'll call me tonight?" She winced, hating how clingy she sounded. She'd never been that type of woman, and wanted to cry when she heard what seemed to be a slight hesitation on his part before answering.

  "Yeah."

  "Okay. Be careful."

  "Fa' sho'. Talk to you later."

  "Darrell?"

  "Yeah."

  "I love you."

  "I love you too, Jerra."

  After they hung up, Jerra tried to shake off the melancholy sadness that was trying its best to take over her soul. She knew her husband loved her, despite what they were going through now. She wanted to ask him if that love was stronger than what he felt for Roni, but something stopped her just in time by reminding her of something Darrell said yesterday:

  Don't ask questions about things you don't want to know the answers to.

  Chapter 34

  Early the next day, the security guard at the entrance to the gated community found Darrell's name on the list of approved visitors for Ms. Veronica Winston. After giving him directions on how to get to her residence, he waved Darrell through.

  The bright morning sun made a perfect backdrop for the luxury mansions in the exclusive area where Roni lived. Darrell made a right turn as the guard had directed and easily spied Roni's home. The two-story white beachfront property was located a ways back from the others on a double lot which had to be much sought after because of the privacy it provided. The home itself was spectacular, sleek, and elegant - just like Roni.

  After he pulled into the driveway, Darrell got out of the car and made his way to the front door. Taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts, he'd just raised his hand to ring the doorbell when the door swung open. And there she was.

  Darrell slowly reached up and removed his sunshades so that he could have a clear and unobstructed view of her. He really didn’t know what he'd expected, but she'd hardly changed - she was still breathtakingly beautiful. She looked almost the same way she had eight years ago.

  "Hello, Darrell."

  Darrell waited for the anger he'd been feeling ever since he found out from Bryan that it had been her decision to let him believe she was dead. He waited for it to surface like a suffocating wave and suck him under, but it never came. A host of other emotions surged up within him, but anger wasn’t one of them. Roni opened her arms and reached for him.

  Darrell took a step forward and closed the door before bending down to engulf her in a tight embrace. His eyes were clenched shut as he inhaled her familiar scent and felt the warmth of her body which let him know once and for all that she was indeed still alive.

  Her quiet sobs caused her slender frame to tremble from head to toe. Darrell lifted her up until her feet left the ground and held her securely in his arms. He found himself whispering soothing words of comfort as she continued to cry.

  "It's okay, baby. It's okay."

  Roni held on to him as if she never planned on letting him go. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." She repeated the words over and over again.

  Behind closed lids, flashes of their past played out as if it were yesterday. Darrell remembered the first time he saw her at the restaurant he worked in when he first got to Vegas. Even then, she'd been way out of his league...but he'd wanted her. With youthful arrogance on his side, he'd flirted shamelessly, determined to have her. That night ended with Roni offering him a job. After she and her friends "interviewed" him the next day for a position as an exotic dancer in the nightclub she and Bryan owned, the chase was on.

  She'd managed to elude him for another two years, but when he finally caught her, he'd held on tight. Roni taught Darrell what love was and gave hers unconditionally. He'd been drawn to her in a way he'd never experienced before. The connection between them had been deep and strong on every level: sexually, mentally, and spiritually. With her, he'd grown from a boy to a man.

  When she first "died", he hadn’t wanted to continue breathing. He’d all but gone on a suicide mission because for him, there was nothing else to live for. He should've died many times over from the situations he put himself in, but it seemed everyone had a guardian angel. Even him. He eventually got his life together and returned home to run the businesses left for him in Roni’s will. The driving force behind him to succeed had always subconsciously been her. In the back of his mind, he'd always wanted to make her proud of him.

  Sighing heavily now, he slowly lowered her to her feet. Darrell studied every inch of her face as he gently wiped the tears from her eyes. Roni smoothed a stray curl back into the tight bun that sat on the nape of her neck as she studied Darrell just as closely.

  She reached up and traced the high cheekbones in his face, let her finger follow the sensuous line of his lips, smoothed his naturally arched
brows with her fingertips, ran her hands down the silky texture of his hair which had a tendency to curl up if he didn't keep it cut low. "You are still such a beautiful man."

  Darrell broke out into a smile and shook his head. "No matter how many times I asked you not to call me that, you never could resist, could you? Men are not 'beautiful'. Just using the two words together is an oxymoron if I ever heard one."

  Roni laughed and lifted a delicate shoulder. "Sorry, but that's just the way I've always thought of you."

  Darrell's eyes roamed over her face again. "That's the way I've always seen you too. I thought so from the first - and the last - moment I saw you."

  The smiles slowly left their faces as they both remembered the circumstances surrounding that period of their lives. Roni stepped back but still held his hands in hers, needing to touch him. "Well, I still don't think it's fair that you've grown even more handsome while I've acquired a few more wrinkles and gray hairs."

  "You'll always be a beautiful woman, Roni. That'll never change."

  They stared at each other for endless seconds before Roni turned to walk further into the room, pulling Darrell behind her. "Are you hungry? I have cheese and fruit to snack on or if you'd like something more substantial, I can make us a light brunch –"

  "Roni." Darrell interrupted her nervous chatter and remained silent until she finally lifted her eyes to his. "Why did you let me think you were dead all these years? Do you have any idea of what I went through?"

  Roni pressed her lips together and brought her hands up to briefly cover her face before she took the fortifying breath needed to have this conversation with him. "Bryan said he told you –"

  "I don't care what Bryan said. I want to hear it from you. I think I deserve at least that much. Don't you?" For the first time, Darrell's voice had a hard edge to it.

  Roni nodded. "Of course, and I'll tell you everything. Come on. Let's go and sit out on the lanai."

  "Roni..."

  "I know I owe you an explanation and I promise to answer every question you have, but I'd rather we sit there if it's okay with you. I've always found the view of the water to be so calming and right now, I need that. Please."

  When he hesitated, she grabbed his hand and led him through the large, open living room. Darrell vaguely noticed the high ceilings and elegant furnishings which looked as if it could've been taken right out of the pages of an interior design magazine. The lanai was separated by glass doors which were open to allow that part of the structure to be an outdoor extension of the house. The covered space was furnished just as beautifully as the house, and was perfect for entertaining, especially with the large pool only feet away. As Darrell looked over the tropical lushness of Roni's back yard, he could understand why it proved to be a calming force. If he lived here, he'd never want to leave.

  He turned his head and caught Roni watching him. "You have a beautiful home."

  "Thank you. It's very...peaceful."

  The silence stretched between them until Roni told Darrell to have a seat while she got them glasses of iced tea. "Unless you would prefer something else, maybe a beer..." When she named the brand he drank, his forehead lifted in surprise that she still remembered. "I made sure I had some stocked just in case you wanted it."

  "Thanks. It's a little early but why the hell not." Roni smiled and told him she'd be right back.

  Darrell sat and took in the gorgeous setting of Roni’s personal piece of paradise. He still couldn't quite believe he was here talking to her. It was as if the years had melted away - almost like old times.

  Almost...but not quite.

  He was deep in his thoughts when Roni came back out and placed his beer in front of him then sat down. He smiled his thanks before taking a long swallow. When he brought the bottle away from his lips, he again caught Roni watching him before she quickly took a sip of her tea.

  "How's Marcus?"

  "Shocked as shit."

  A small smile crossed Roni's lips. "I have to say I understand. When I looked up and saw him staring at me, I thought I was seeing things."

  "Why did you run away at that point?"

  Roni shook her head and hunched her shoulders in a gesture of helplessness. "I don't know. I just panicked. Of course, I knew he would tell you. I called Bryan as soon as I got home."

  "Roni..."

  "Darrell, please..." She placed a gentle hand on his forearm. "Just let me tell you my way."

  Darrell looked as if he wanted to protest, but instead just nodded and sat back.

  "Thank you." Roni took a deep breath and looked out over the water. "I talked to Bryan last night after you left his house, and to be honest from what he said, he told you the majority of what happened. But Darrell, please, I don't want you to blame him. He was only trying to protect me. Before Frank died, the two of them had become good friends and were very protective of me even then. I told them I wasn't the fragile flower they thought I was. Bryan knew all about Frank's past and the people he used to be in bed with, so to speak. They were very dangerous and had initially made threats against Frank's life and mine when he first left the organization to be with me, but that entire thing was dealt with and we were able to live our lives in peace. But Frank remained cautious. In the back of his mind, he always held on to the fact that something could happen."

  Darrell nodded. "Of course."

  "The day I was shot, Bryan had no way of knowing the people who did it were actually after you at the time. His instincts kicked in and that's when he and a friend came up with the idea to fake my death. They felt it was the only way to keep me safe."

  Darrell's face stiffened at the memory. "You have no idea how much I blame myself."

  “It wasn't your fault. None of us knew how disturbed Luther was to actually set you up to be murdered like that. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm glad it happened the way it did. I don't think I could've gone on if something had happened to you.”

  "How do you think I felt?" Darrell’s hand was on the table next to hers. When he slowly opened it, she naturally laced their fingers together and held his hand tight.

  Their eyes were drawn together as if by magnets. Darrell was the first one to break the connection. He picked up his beer and took another swallow before prodding her to continue her story.

  "This…friend. Bryan said he was the same person who made it clear to the Sicilians that you and Frank weren't to be fucked with? He must be a very powerful man to wield authority like that and have it obeyed. Not to mention being able to make you just disappear like this without anyone being wise to what was going on."

  "Yes. He’s very powerful. He and Frank went back a long way. It's funny because Frank told me neither of them ever really trusted anyone, but something happened which caused them to have a deep respect for one another, and that respect turned into a life-long friendship. He and Bryan arranged for me to be transported to Switzerland for treatment. I was there almost two years. It was touch and go for the longest time."

  She reached up and absently rubbed a slight indentation on the side of her head where one of the bullets had penetrated her scalp. It missed her brain by inches and was still lodged there. The doctors felt it was too dangerous to go in and remove it because the bullet was in a precarious spot. If it shifted during the operation she could die or suffer permanent brain damage. Oddly enough, they determined the safest thing was to let it be. Sometimes, Roni felt as if she were living on borrowed time. But it also reminded her that each day was a gift and she treated it as such.

  Darrell leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers. "I don't care what Bryan said. Once he found out you weren't the target and that your life wasn’t in danger, he should've told me. When you were able to, you should've told me, Roni."

  Roni shook her head vehemently. "Darrell, no! Can't you see? Putting your life on hold to take care of me was not something I wanted for you. You were young and needed to concentrate on yourself, not play nursemaid to a woman who had the skill set of a two year old!
" Tears gathered in Roni's eyes. "I didn't want that! Bryan called me when you finally came back home. I know he was hoping the news would somehow change my mind about letting you know I was alive. It didn’t, but it gave me a sense of peace that you were there with Marcus and Bryan. I can only hope that you find it in your heart to forgive me. Do you think you can ever do that?"

  Darrell looked away from her and blinked rapidly. "Even then, alone and in a pain I can't even imagine, you were thinking about me and making sure I was taken care of."

  "Of course. I love you, Darrell. I never stopped for one moment. And before you say anything, I don't expect anything from you. I know you're married and have a family, but I'd never forgive myself if I didn’t tell you now while I have the chance."

  Darrell studied her for the longest time then placed his hand behind her head as he leaned his forehead down to touch hers and closed his eyes. For the first time, he admitted to himself that he loved two women - two very special women.

  And with such an admission, it was clear to him that he was only in love with one of them.

  Chapter 35

  Darrell raised his head, staring at Roni. His gray eyes reflected every emotion he was feeling. Roni smiled. She'd always been able to read his mind and now was no exception.

  Their lips slowly moved the few inches it would take to bring about the sweet, tender kiss they'd both wanted from the moment Roni opened the door. Her mouth allowed his tongue to enter and gently entangle around hers before they parted. They exchanged a look of understanding before wrapping their arms around each other.

  Darrell released a long, slow breath then framed her face with his hands. "You were, and will always be, someone I care about deeply. If you ever need anything, anything at all, you know I'm only a phone call away."

  Roni smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

  Darrell returned the smile, and for the next couple of hours, they talked and brought each other up to speed on their lives. Darrell pulled out his cell phone and showed Roni picture after picture of DJ, whom she instantly fell in love with. She complimented Jerra's beauty when she saw photos of her holding DJ.