“Honey, I’m sorry, I truly am,” Lee says sincerely. I don’t think he notices the endearment he’s let slip because surely, he doesn’t mean it—especially now. “But, regardless of what you think, I had nothing to do with whatever happened to her. And it was and still is standard protocol to make staff changes in companies you acquire. That would have especially been true of Wrenn Wear considering it was acquired through a hostile takeover. Draco wouldn’t have felt comfortable leaving anyone in major positions there with loyalty to Wrenn. That would certainly include your mother.”
“But why would he have wanted that company? I mean, you, yourself have admitted that you don’t understand it.”
He’s getting irritated with my questions. His normally calm demeanor is fraying. His movements are abrupt and jerky. Very out of character for the man I know. “I don’t fucking know,” he snaps. “It never mattered to me back then. I was a kid off the streets, so taking a fucking company from someone was what I considered clean work. Sure, some rich bastard might not like it, but there was no physical force behind it. I took control by digging through company records until I found a weakness I could exploit. I won because I was smarter. I could think of scenarios that a team of lawyers couldn’t come up with.”
“And you loved that,” I say as I begin to understand the side of the man he’s always kept hidden from me.
“You’re damn right I did,” he says flatly. “I came from nothing—absolute filth, shame, and hopelessness. That was how Pete and I grew up. We were dirt on the shoes of people like your father. He wouldn’t have given me a job washing his fucking car. So yeah, the fact I could think circles around Ivy League assholes and watch them look at me incredulously as I moved in for the kill was a fucking high unlike any I’d ever experienced before. I was their judge, jury, and executioner. But what I killed was their hope that they could possibly keep me from taking what I wanted from them at any time. I never made threats to families or them personally. I didn’t have to. There was always a loophole somewhere in their company that I could climb through. I simply searched for it.” I want to ask him to explain why he and Peter lived in such hopelessness, but I’m not sure I have that privilege anymore. I want to know him. Dearly.
“So you did this for Victor and Draco?” I ask, wanting to know more about the powerful men who had so influenced his life.
“In the beginning, yes. Eventually, I began to build my own empire. By the time Victor died, my holdings were almost as impressive as his. Then I combined them, and Falco was officially born.”
I wasn’t sure how to word this next question and finally settled on, “But it’s run—differently now, right? I mean, than when Victor was in charge.”
He doesn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Yes, I’ve spent a lot of time and lost money making sure of that. I have a daughter and a grandchild who I want my part of Falco to go to eventually. I don’t want them to encounter any difficulties when that happens. It’s my desire for Falco to be a company they’re proud of. I have earned and deserve the whispers and speculation that follow me—but they don’t.”
There is a pang in my heart at his words. It’s so apparent that he’s been to hell and back. His loyalty to a man who the rest of the world thought of a killer isn’t surprising, but the fact that Victor was apparently just as loyal to Lee is downright astonishing. “Whoever said that there is no honor among thieves couldn’t be more wrong.” There’s a code that goes beyond that of blood. These men weren’t related, but they were family just the same. I have no doubt that Lee would have given his life for the one man who believed in him. “What happens now?” I ask haltingly. Do I really want to know?
Lee nods, appearing surprised by my words, before his eyes drop to my neck and his lips tighten. “Did your father do that to you?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to lie, but I’m so tired of it all. Plus, he knows the answer; he always does. “Yes. I was summoned home last night. When I got there, he wanted to know what I’d learned since going back to work for you. When I told him there was nothing to find—that all men weren’t like him—he lost it.” I swallow hard as my fingers lift to rub the tender skin that is even more discolored today. “I thought… for a moment, I thought he would kill me. I’ve rarely seen him lose his temper like that. I mean, he’s been a verbal bully for years, but not physical.” I shudder, thinking of the look in his eyes as he held my throat. Took my ability to breathe away… “I’ve always been the outsider. My sister, Jacey, works with my father, and he doesn’t make a secret out of the fact he prefers her to me.” I drop my gaze in shame before saying, “A part of me was happy when he asked me to go to work for you. To help him get justice for our mother. It was the first time in so long that he acted as if I were worthy of being his daughter. It didn’t take me long, though, to realize what a mistake I’d made. And I wanted out. I tried to walk away, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Then some time ago, his interest in you became more crazed than it had ever been before. I don’t know what changed, but instead of Jacey contacting me, he was as well, almost daily. He was impatient, insulting, and even threatening. I just—couldn’t take it anymore. I cared about you, Lee, and there was no way I would be a part of anything happening to you.”
“So you quit,” he murmurs before rubbing his neck. He’s stressed. “Goddammit to fucking hell, Liza! I mean, Jade, shit.” He knocks a nearby book off his desk, and we both watch as it crashes into the wall and lands with a loud crash on the floor. It’s so apparent that it’s killing him to have it lying there ruining the otherwise tidiness of his office. Again, the tic in his cheek probably isn’t noticeable to anyone other than me, but I see it. I get to my feet and retrieve it, returning it to where it was just seconds earlier, before taking my seat once again. He doesn’t acknowledge the gesture in any way, but he visibly relaxes. I so want to know the rest of his story. The part that tells me why he can’t handle disorder of any kind. It goes beyond being a neat freak. There’s a driving force there and to know it would be to unlock an important piece of who he is. “I am so fucking angry with you that I honestly don’t know how to handle it,” he continues, as if the book thing has never happened. “You betrayed me in ways that no one has ever dared. I trusted you. I gave you access to files not many know exist. Falco is clean, so I’m not worried about that, but you’ve been lying since the very moment you walked into Falco. To me, it looks as though you were willing to do whatever was necessary to do your father’s bidding, up to and pretending to have feelings for me.”
“What? No!” I sit forward quickly, putting out a hand beseechingly. “I’d never do that. I fell in love with you, Lee.” I know this isn’t the time to hold back. “I could have witnessed you murder someone in cold blood, and I wouldn’t have been able to tell my father. I told you I never gave him anything, even when he really turned up the heat.” I point at my neck before adding, “This should show you that much. If I didn’t care, I would have told him anything to avoid having this, but I didn’t, and I never will.”
He snaps his fingers, and I flinch. “So, just like that you can turn your back on your family? For me? You knew nothing about me. That’s pretty convenient, don’t you think?”
I straighten my spine, willing him to see that I’m dead serious. “I don’t belong with them,” I say clearly. “I’ve been a Wrenn in name only, and they’d be the first to tell you that if they were honest. You’re the only one who’s ever seen me. Maybe you didn’t know my legal name, but I never pretended with you beyond that. You had the real me from the start. I found it impossible to be any other way. You always appreciated me—had confidence in my abilities when no one else did. They’re my relatives, and there’s nothing I can do about that, but my loyalty is to you. Surely deep down you know that.”
He gets to his feet and walks to stand before a large picture window. His hands are in the pockets of his jeans, and he appears lost in thought. I know his mind is running through everything he’s learned, and that I probably won
’t want to hear the conclusion he reaches, but what more can I do? Regardless of what happens now, a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Everything is finally out in the open. I know in my heart I’ll lose him. There’s no way he can be romantically involved with someone he doesn’t trust. Heck, he can’t have that in his life, period. And for a man in his position, can I really blame him? It’s not as if I’ve stolen company office supplies. No, I told a trail of lies for the sole purpose of ruining him. How could he possibly forgive that? “I’m at a loss here,” he finally admits. I hear the confusion in his voice, and I ache to comfort him. He won’t show any weakness, especially toward a woman he will want to destroy. “If you were anyone else… it would be so much fucking easier if you were. Part of me wants to destroy everything you hold dear—to burn it to the ground and watch as the ashes land at your feet. But a piece of me, that I don’t even understand, feels compelled to save you. Yet the fucked-up thing is that I’m now your biggest threat. So how am I to battle myself?” I open my mouth, to say I have no clue, but he holds up his hand as if sensing it. “Please leave my office. Not my home. For now. I’ll know if any exterior doors open, so don’t think of going anywhere. I need time to process this.”
I stay where I am for a moment as I consider pleading my case further, then decide against it. He’s too divided right now, and anything I say at this point will only frustrate him. Lee is a loner, and I need to respect that or risk pushing him in a direction I don’t want him to go. “I’m sorry,” I say quietly, hoping he can hear the sincerity of it, before I stand to do as he’s asked. I’m surprised that I’m not falling apart now that I’m away from him, but strangely enough, the sense of relief I felt earlier is still here. How long it will last, I can’t say, but for now, I feel some hope.
Part of me wants to destroy everything you hold dear—to burn it to the ground and watch as the ashes land at your feet. What he doesn’t realize is that he is the everything I hold dear.
LEE
I hear the door close behind her and allow my shoulders to sag. After all these years, I thought I was beyond being fooled to the degree that Liza—fuck, Jade—has fooled me. Of course, I knew something was off from the moment she was spotted going to Wrenn’s house. I even guessed a family connection. But dammit, I hadn’t seriously entertained the idea that she could be out to infiltrate Falco with the sole intention of discrediting me. And the horrific part of the whole thing is that I never suspected anything. Nothing about her had set off any alarm bells. And that was the scariest thing of all. I survived many harrowing years by instinctively sensing danger and deception. But fuck it all. Nothing. She never so much as caused a blip on my radar in either of those regards.
I pick up my cell phone with the intention of asking Pete to come over, then think better of it. I’d rather not have to worry about Liza—fuck, Jade—overhearing our conversation. So instead, I send him a text and ask him to meet me at the sports bar a few blocks away. I then send an identical message to Lucian. Since he’s the one who gave me the bad news earlier, I figure he may have some other information I can use.
Even though seeing her again right now is the last thing that I want, I can’t leave without telling her I’m going. And reinforcing my order that she not go anywhere. I’m standing in the hallway trying to decide where to look first when I hear her voice nearby. It sounds as if she’s in the bedroom—which irritates the hell out of me. I don’t want to be reminded that mere hours earlier I was inside her beautiful body driving us both to an explosive release. Goddamn you, little bird. I school my face into its usual expressionless mask as I stand in the open doorway taking in the scene before me. She’s lying in my bed propped up on a mountain of pillows with Rufus stretched out on her stomach. Even from here, I can hear her occasional bout of sniffles. Her face is wet, and her eyes are closed. It almost looks as if she’s sleeping, but the steady stroke her hand over the cat’s back says otherwise. Despite the anger I feel toward her, the urge to offer comfort is strong. Only, how can I? To do that will condone what she’s done. So I harden my heart and clear my throat loudly. She jerks, which elicits a meow of complaint from her feline companion. In a gesture that’s oddly childish, she wipes her eyes with the back of her hands before staring at my chest instead of meeting my gaze. Her avoidance is a relief, making it easier to remain aloof. “I need to go out for a while. If you need anything, dial one for the concierge, and he’ll take care of it. There’s also plenty of food in the kitchen, or if you’d prefer something else, then order takeout.”
She turns away to stare at the wall before saying quietly, “I know the drill, Lee. I’m not to leave. And you don’t need to worry about that. I haven’t the energy or desire to go on the run at this time. So you can rest easy.” I stay where I am for a moment longer, but she says nothing else. She’s dismissed me as surely as she uttered the words. Childishly, I feel the desire to have the last word but refrain. Haven’t we said enough to each other for now? There’s nothing I can add that will make her or me feel better about what’s transpired today. That will take a fucking miracle, and the last time I checked, those were in short supply. So I take my leave instead. I stop at the front desk and inform them that I’m to be called if she leaves. Then I walk the short distance to the sports bar where I’ve met Luc at a few times. The crowd is sparse due to the early hour, which suits me perfectly. I glance around and see that both Luc and Pete are sitting at a table near the back, laughing like old friends. They’ve bonded easily since Lia came in to my life. “Oh fuck.” I roll my eyes, before surveying my surroundings nervously. “Please tell me that insane bartender isn’t here. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. She’s scary as fuck.”
Luc laughs, while Pete appears lost. Surely, I’ve mentioned her before. “I haven’t seen Misty yet.” Luc smirks. “We can only hope it stays that way.” He nods toward Pete before adding, “She’d probably be thrilled to see some new blood. After Aidan rebuffed her, she hasn’t been the same.”
Now Pete really looks intrigued before it seems to hit him and he smiles. “Ah, I remember Kara mentioning her. I believe they’re friends now. She was at the cancer benefit we held. An interesting lady.”
“She’s crazy as a shit-house rat,” I deadpan as I pull a chair out and settle my large frame into it. “I’d like to be able to talk without her mauling me the entire time. The stuff she comes up with is downright disturbing.”
“True that, brother,” Luc agrees as he takes a sip from the beer in front of him. Even though we’re meeting during business hours, a few beers are nothing to any of us. If it were later, it would be scotch or bourbon.
“So what’s this about?” Pete asks curiously. “And why haven’t you been in the office today? Obviously, it’s not business related since you’re wearing jeans.”
This part is going to suck more than a little. I feel as if I’m betraying her trust by telling my brother, but considering all I know, how can I keep this from him now? There is simply no way to sugarcoat it, so I lay out the facts as I know them. “Liza’s name is actually Jade Wrenn. She’s the daughter of Hunter Wrenn. Twenty years ago, I took over Wrenn Wear for Draco, and apparently, Hunter has harbored a grudge since then. He concocted an identity for her and sent her to work for me to find anything he could use to ruin Falco. Well, me specifically. Only, apparently, she couldn’t go through with it and finally quit when he began turning the pressure up.”
Pete appears stunned as I pause, giving him time to process what I’m telling him. Finally, he asks, “How? Everyone at Falco is vetted thoroughly before they’re hired. It shouldn’t have been possible for her to get a job.”
“I have an answer to that puzzle,” Luc inserts grimly. “You hung up so abruptly earlier, Lee, that I didn’t get to tell you everything.” A sick feeling stirs in the pit of my stomach. “My guy found evidence that Sears was paid off to approve Liza’s background check. There’s also a good possibility that Jenkins is on the take as well. It’s far too conve
nient that they were both completely incompetent with anything pertaining to her.”
Pete curses under his breath as my rage hums through my veins. It’s unfathomable to me that Falco has suffered this kind of breach. He not only opened the door for our enemies, but he also rolled out the fucking welcome mat. Sears was fired for fucking up information pertaining to Lia. At that time, I had no reason to question anything related to Liza. But Jenkins—other than pointing out that she’d been to visit Hunter Wrenn, has given me nothing of value. He’s been stalling at every turn, so there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s been paid off. No one will ever hire him again, and he can only hope I leave it at that. I’d love to tear his fucking head off and spit down his throat, so firing and blacklisting his sorry ass will be far too lenient. I’ve been stumbling around in the dark for far too long and need the big picture. “Luc, can your guy dig up everything he can on Wrenn Wear? According to… Jade, her mother was running the company at the time of the takeover. She claims that after the management was replaced, her mother started drinking heavily and eventually died in a suicide car crash, thus spurring her father to seek revenge against me.”
Pete puts a hand over his face, muttering, “Goddamn. This is like some kind of soap opera. I don’t remember Wrenn Wear, but it sounds like an unusual company for Draco to want. Nothing like any of his other holdings that I’m aware of.”
I’ve been thinking the same thing. “All I was told was that it was payback for a business deal gone bad. It seemed strange to me at the time, but you know that both Victor and Draco could be eccentric. I never questioned their choices: he wanted it—I took it, end of story. As I told Jade, it was never mine, and I haven’t thought about it in years.”
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