Secrets and Lies

by Khardine Gray

  “God, Chloe.”

  She heard him but he sounded like he was miles away.

  She tightened her legs around him and moved with him, falling into the rhythm, but as the pressure built and he moved faster she couldn’t keep up. Like always he was too much, but there was more because she was so turned on and the pleasure that soared through her was almost painful.

  Her heart beat way past its limit as he pounded into her, over and over again, taking her to orgasmic bliss with every thrust.

  Nothing could quite describe how she felt as the first wave hit her. Heat streaked through her, robbing her of her breath as pleasure rocketed through her, scorching her body clean. The tension inside exploded and rained in a downpour of fiery sensations that sparked across her entire body.

  She writhed against him, hot and wild, every inch of her body alive with savage energy.

  But he wasn’t done with her yet. The salacious smile on his face told her that. Just when she thought she couldn’t handle anymore he moved back with her to the table, came out of her so he could set her down, and before she could catch her breath, plunged into her again. He took hold of her waist and buried himself to the hilt. He was nowhere near done with her. She cried out his name as he hammered into her once more, sending liquid fire throughout her body. Overwhelmed by passion, pleasure, everything, she gave into another wave of release. It sang through her veins, blissful and blistering, seizing her in a white-hot wave. She felt it to her soul, shivering from the impact, severing her from reality.

  Wade clasped her hips, pulling her hard into his final thrust, and came with a shuddering growl of pleasure that blew into her like a hurricane.

  When it was over they were both breathing so hard they could barely catch their breaths. Their naked bodies dripped with sweat from their frantic love making.

  He eased out of her and helped her get up, but then started kissing her again.

  “Wade.” She whispered against his lips with a smile.

  “No baby, I’m not done being selfish with you yet.”

  She giggled as he swooped her up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

  They didn’t sleep.

  Sleep didn’t even cross her mind, although she was certain that she must have been tired.

  She knew Wade had to be tired, too, but neither of them had so much as rested. It was like one wild sexual session after another, each time more intense than the next, as if they were making up for the days they hadn’t done anything. Or the years spent apart.

  Something was different about them, something she could only think was down to their declaration of love for each other days ago.

  It had to be that, because she didn’t feel like this before.

  Yes, in the weeks following them getting together everything had been reckless and turned inside out, but this was different. It was like there was something that had been set free from the restraint they placed on their feelings, and a tangible bond had knitted between them.

  A beautiful sunset graced the sky, filling it with the effulgent rays of the sun. It peaked through the blinds at the windows and washed over them, lighting up the room with the softness of the morning light.

  Wade kissed his way up from her thighs and slowly made his way up the flat planes of her stomach. He lingered at her breasts and kissed around each nipple before making his way up to her lips. She welcomed the energy she felt from the kiss and the bout of pleasure that surged through her, marveling at the fact that there was no end to the satisfaction this man gave her.

  He moved away from her mouth and nibbled on her neck as he rested behind her so he could pull her against his chest.

  “I don’t think I can go to work today.” Chloe had already decided to call Lisa and ask her to fill in.

  She’d been going into work to try and keep everything going as normal as possible. Her presence there helped Regina out, and it distracted Chloe from the worries and stress. This week had been awful and she was worn out from it.

  She needed to be with Wade. She needed the strength he gave her and the love she felt when she was with him.

  “I think that sounds like a good idea.” She turned in his arms to face him and rested her head back on the silky cream pillows.

  She locked her gaze on his gray eyes and handsome face. He smiled down at her, but then something troubling filled his eyes and he glanced down to her chest, away from her stare.

  “Chloe.” He met her gaze again.

  “Yeah?”

  He suddenly looked nervous. Him. Wade Vanderville, looked nervous.

  She didn’t think he was capable of the emotion.

  “Is it too soon… Is it too soon to ask you to move in with me?”

  Her jaw dropped and she had to ease herself up on her elbows.

  Now he looked worried. “It’s okay if you think it’s too soon. I understand,” he quickly said with a soft smile. “It is too soon, right? I was just hoping we could pretend that we’ve always been together. That would make it like 30 or so years. And, when you think of it that way, then it’s a long time.”

  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t believe what he was saying to her.

  “Wade, you want me to move in with you? Here?”

  “Yes.” He sat up.

  She pulled the sheets over her chest and sat up too.

  “I just hate when I’m not with you. I know you love living with Kelly and Taylor and you’re happy by the beach, but I just had to ask. I promise I won’t annoy you, and you can do what you want with the place. I just want you here with me, so I can take care of you, make you happy and protect you.”

  A troubled look filled his eyes as he said protect.

  She thought of how he’d acted over the last few days. Getting a new security system, taking her to work and staying with her practically the whole time. If she made the slightest sound he’d be at her side asking her if she was okay and inspecting everywhere to ensure she was safe.

  That had only been over the last few days.

  “Wade, do you think something’s going to happen to me?”

  The worried look on his face gave her the answer. She felt touched by it, and by his desire to be with her. She guessed that this was the effect of what happened to Taylor, but then there was that whole thing last weekend when he had this same worried look and he’d felt strongly enough to pack her bags and demand that she go with him. He was worried for her safety then too.

  “I just want to make sure you’re safe. And I want you with me. Please, will you at least think about it?”

  Think about it? She just did. Chloe had only dreamed of being with this man her whole life.

  “Yes,” she replied in an instant with a bright smile.

  “You’ll think about it?” He looked hopeful.

  “No, I’ve thought and I’m saying yes.” She giggled.

  “Really?” He looked so excited.

  “Yes, I will.” She laughed as he pulled her into his arms again and held her.

  “Thank you, beautiful Chloe.” He always knew how to make her feel happy and precious to him. He pulled back so that he could look at her face. “I love you, Chloe.”

  Only God knew how much she loved him too. Love was perhaps too meagre a word to describe what she felt for him. But since it was the only word she knew she said, “I love you, too, and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  He shook his head and rested his forehead to hers. “No baby, it’s you. It’s always been you.”

  Chapter 5

  Regina

  The police called earlier this morning to ask her to go down to the station. The detective hadn’t wanted to talk over the phone.

  Regina hated police stations just as much as she did hospitals. Both had that unpleasant feel to them that didn’t sit well with her. In the early days of her marriage to Ben she’d had to meet him at the police station for one thing or another. At that time he was an associate in the DA’s office.


  She’d hated it.

  Last night was horrendous and it signaled the seriousness of what was going on. She didn’t have to guess who was behind it. It made sense that to see all that this psycho had seen, they had to have been watching their movements through some sort of camera.

  Right now it was just notes and these creepy drawings, but the thought of what could come next worried her and gave her a real bad feeling all over.

  She didn’t know why she bothered but she tried to call Ben last night to tell him what was happening. She wanted to warn him that this person was most likely watching him the same way at his office too. His voicemail picked up the call just as it had on the night of Taylor’s accident. She didn’t leave a message. Didn’t see the point.

  Besides, she was sure he was doing what he had to to take care of himself. He hadn’t said anything further to her about the matter since she found the letters and the notes, and she didn’t think he’d be providing her with any updates any time soon.

  Regina hadn’t seen Ben since that horrible day at the hospital because she’d been staying with Brian at his hotel. Brian would have accompanied her here but was meeting with a realtor to view a house he wanted to lease. They talked extensively last night after they got back to the hotel, and he mentioned them moving away once this was all over.

  Of course, she agreed in a heartbeat. She also agreed to stay with him in the interim, despite her prior reasoning for staying at the mansion when she first saw him on Saturday.

  Things had changed drastically since and she didn’t think she could bear the thought of being in that house with Ben.

  She sighed and looked about her surroundings, wondering what the police had found. It would be nice if the detective managed to find this idiot from their discovery last night. It would be great if this could just be solved and over with. Then she could focus solely on Taylor. Nothing else should be stealing her time from her.

  Although it wasn’t even ten yet the station was buzzing with life. There were arrestees from the night before, officers booking them in, and various administrative staff milling about with paperwork and cups of coffee.

  A tall man about in his mid-to-late thirties approached her. The first thing she noticed was his piercing blue eyes. Taylor would have described him as dollsome.

  “Mrs. Vanderville, thank you for coming,” he said as he approached. “I’m detective Fray, we spoke on the phone this morning.”

  She rose from her seat to shake his outstretched hand. “Hi there.” She offered a small smile to be pleasant.

  “Follow me this way,” he instructed.

  He took her to an office that looked like one of those interrogation rooms you’d see on one of those police dramas. There was a flat screen TV on the wall attached to a mounted unit that held it in place, a wooden table with three chairs around it, and a water cooler on the opposite side of the room. The color of the walls were gray, the chairs were gray, and the light carpet that covered the floor was a dark shade of gray. It was only the table and the water cooler that were different, and the TV.

  Detective Fray pulled out a chair for her to sit.

  “Thank you,” she said, lowering nervously into it, bringing her hands together over the pleats of her beige skirt.

  “I’ve been investigating Taylor’s accident,” he began.

  She narrowed her eyes at him, feeling slightly confused. “Oh, I thought this was about last night’s incident at Runway.”

  “I have reason to believe that may be part of the same thing. I work in a special unit here, cases are passed to me when there’s something not quite right about an incident.”

  “Not quite right?” What did that mean? A terrible feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

  “Yes.” He sat down in the chair opposite her and rested his elbow against the table. “These cases are always difficult because they open up a variety of questions that we may not always be able to answer. This is why I have asked you to come here.”

  “I thought that my daughter crashed into the gorge.” It was as simple as that, right? Terrible, but simple.

  The look on his face, however, told her that it wasn’t that simple.

  “Mrs. Vanderville—”

  “Please, call me Regina.” She had to cut in because she hated that name so much. She’d always hated being called Mrs. Vanderville because the name itself was a constant reminder of the disaster her life was.

  “Regina, do you know anyone who would want to hurt your daughter?”

  She shook her head. “Taylor is the loveliest person you could ever meet. She’s smart and beautiful, kind, and has this heartwarming personality.” Taylor was a million things. All good.

  Regina couldn’t begin to think of anyone who’d want to harm her and…

  Wait.

  Why was she even thinking? Why did she have to think? Of course there was someone who wanted to hurt Taylor. There was someone who wanted to hurt all of them.

  She thought of last night’s incident, the letters and notes from their new psycho friend, the drawings, and now Detective Fray was suggesting that Taylor’s accident was the work of someone who wanted to hurt her.

  God.

  It was all part of the same thing. The same person was doing all of it.

  “I have to show you this, but I ask that you don’t share this information with anyone outside your immediate family.”

  She couldn’t even answer him. He retrieved a TV remote and pressed the play button.

  The TV came on and displayed an image of the road and the railing that separated it from the gorge. That was where Taylor’s accident took place.

  Within seconds Taylor’s car popped up on the screen as it careened down the road, but then a yellow car appeared. It came across the screen, top speed as if it was racing, and smashed into Taylor’s car, sending her straight into the railing, which broke on impact, and opened the way for her to drive into the gorge. The footage stopped after that.

  Regina shrieked and tears poured out of her eyes. She was shaking and gasping so much she couldn’t catch her breath.

  “My God.” She brought her hands up to her face.

  “I’m sorry, Regina.” Detective Fray got up to get her some water from the cooler and brought it to her with a box of Kleenex.

  “She was run off the road,” she cried, looking up at him. “My child was run… Someone was trying to kill her.”

  He nodded and set the water on the table before her.

  “I’m sorry. I can give you time to process this if you need it. I know how distressed you must be, but if you have any information at all, it would help.” He sat back down and looked at her but she was crying and shaking so much she could barely concentrate on him.

  Earlier she’d foolishly thought that all their psycho friend was doing was sending notes and drawings, but it was so much more. They had tried to kill Taylor.

  “I…” She covered her mouth as more tears came and she couldn’t find her voice.

  “Do you need time?” He sympathized.

  “No. I just need to catch my breath. Did you find the car?” She needed to hear all the details. She needed to hear everything.

  “No. There’s no license plate on that car and that is the only footage we managed to get of it.” He pointed to the TV monitor. “There are cameras along the length of that road, but for some reason they stopped recording at the time of the accident. We retrieved that recording from another source. Two days ago it was reported in that the cameras were hacked, and last night we got the call about the hacking at Runway. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.” He shook his head. “I’ve arranged extra security at the hospital, but I’m pretty certain that the other members of your family will need to take extra care.”

  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and she could see more than ever that it was time to start talking.

  “Someone’s been leaving notes,” she blurted, unable to get the words out quick enough.

  “Notes? Th
reatening notes?”

  She nodded. “And drawings of me, and my son’s girlfriend.” It was a small thing, but it felt good to finally tell someone who could help. She was certain that Gilly’s friend was as great as he was and most likely doing what they could, but Regina hadn’t had the chance to speak to them yet. She hadn’t even had the chance to tell Gilly about the drawings. Things got serious for her at that point, and that was when she should have called the police. That was when it changed, because that person was in the house with her, drawing her as she slept. Or maybe they drew her from what they could see of her on the cameras and delivered the note so she’d go crazy from the terror of thinking that they were inside the room with her the whole time.

  “Why didn’t you report this to us?”

  “I was hoping it would blow over.” Her voice quivered. What had terrified her even more was Ben not wanting to contact the police. But she should have come sooner. “I hoped we could deal with it.”

  “Can you bring them to me?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “Yes, I can.” She nodded with determination, her voice firm and final.

  Regina drove straight to the house. Ben always left later on Fridays for work so she was hoping to catch him there. He started at midday. It was nearly eleven now.

  She flew up the stairs, rage and anger propelling her forward. Her skin burned with it and her heart was full.

  Regina didn’t bother to knock on his door and she didn’t let the female sounds of pleasure coming from his room stop her from entering either. She just shoved the door and it flung open as if it was about to pop off the hinges.

  Inside was Ben and Selena, the young maid. They were both naked in his bed, she straddled him, riding him like a damn horse. Bile rose in her stomach. It was just like that first time she’d caught him years ago when they were first married, but unlike that first time she didn’t care. It didn’t bother her and break her heart. It didn’t affect her.

  They stopped when she stormed in and Selena shrieked, grabbing for the sheet to cover herself. Regina didn’t give her the chance, she reached for her arm and dragged her off Ben.