Shattered Lies

by Theresa Sederholt

  “Oh, Jackie, I want to be done with this, too. I had an idea that I talked to Jax about before we left Scotland and he was all for it. Maybe you and Max might want to be a part of it, too?”

  Max comes over and puts the plates down. I don’t know what it is, but it smells wonderful. “It’s a potatoes and eggs frittata on Cuban bread and a salad; simple, comfort food.”

  “Amazing what you two can do in the kitchen. Alright, Jackie, I’ll admit it, we are very lucky.”

  Max pours everyone craft beer, which goes perfect with the sandwich. “So, Raven, what is this idea that you came up with?” he asks.

  “I would like to set up some sort of foster child program. Young kids get adopted a lot quicker than the older ones. I think if we can give them a safe place to learn, and have Jackie introduce them to working with the horses, they might excel. The money that the government pays us to take care of the kids can go into a fund that we could match, if they keep their grades up. When they turn eighteen, they can use that money for a start in life. It would be a way of giving back. I haven’t worked out all the kinks yet, but it’s a starting point.”

  “Scotland’s foster care program is complex, but I’m sure we can figure out some way around it. What do you think, babe?”

  “Well, I would love to teach more kids on the horses. It really is good therapy for them.” She can barely keep her eyes open as she tries to stifle a yawn.

  “Jackie, get some rest. Jax and I can clean up here. We have a long day tomorrow.”

  They leave and we begin clearing the table. I know the housekeepers will do this for us, but I’ve never been comfortable with that. Just then, Antonia starts to fuss. “Jax, why don’t you change her while I get her bottle ready? I’ll be up in a few.” I smile as I throw the rag I was using in the sink. They leave and I go about getting Antonia’s bottle ready so Jax can feed her. Mick comes in, announcing the need for a snack.

  “Hey, Mick, how are you feeling?”

  “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I’m so sorry about your mom. She was a very brave, kind woman. Very easy to talk, too. I will miss her.”

  I’m trying not to cry but isn’t easy. “In such a short time, she touched so many people.”

  “What do you need me to do for you?”

  “Just keep my family safe. We are leaving for Capri and I need you to be with Antonia twenty-four seven. I trust you with her.”

  “I promise I will protect her, you don’t have to ever worry about that.”

  I hug him and he no longer pulls back from it. “Thank you. There are some leftover potatoes and eggs, if you want it. Don’t worry, I didn’t cook it. I need to go feed Antonia before she wakes up the entire house.”

  I head up the stairs, but then I stop when I hear Dylan and Jeff arguing in the drawing room. Normally, I wouldn’t eavesdrop, but after the last few days, I realize, lives are at stake. The argument is confirming what Tony said about Dylan being in financial trouble. I feel so sorry for Jackie. On top of everything we’ve been through, now she has to deal with this. I head up the stairs reminding myself, only one more night here. The sad part is, I used to love coming here. Now, I just want to get as far away as possible.

  WE HEAD UPSTAIRS AND she can barely keep her eyes open. She slept a lot today; I hope she’s not getting sick. The stress we’ve been under has taken a toll on all of us. I scoop her up and carry her the rest of the way.

  “I can walk; you don’t have to carry me.”

  “Nonsense, it gives me great pleasure to take care of you.” She snuggles into me, seemingly too tired to argue.

  When we get into our room, I begin to undress her. “You know, I can do this myself.”

  “I know you can, but I want to feel like I’m doing something, besides it calms me down.” I get undressed and climb into bed with her.

  “Max, I can’t have sex with you in this room . . . it’s creepy.” I spoon up against her and tuck the covers tight, just the way she likes them.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it, babe. Besides, you’re exhausted and tomorrow is another busy day.”

  “My body is so tired, but my mind keeps racing. I can’t seem to shut it off.”

  I run my fingertips gently up and down her side, singing Beyoncé’s “Halo” softly to help her relax.

  “You’re everything I need and more.” I look down and she is fast asleep.

  I could watch her sleep all night long; her golden hair, shimmering in the moonlight.

  Yeah, I definitely have my angel now. Oh how true. We just need to get through Capri. I wish Jax wasn’t going. I know he’s reached his limit, and I fear what he might do if James declines to be tested. We need to be strong and support each other. I haven’t seen An and I’m sure she doesn’t know we are going. I’m not looking forward to that conversation. At least Bella isn’t going, so we might have a shot of getting out of there quickly. Jackie’s tossing around in her sleep. Usually, she barely moves. I sing a little more, and she falls back to sleep. I just realized that I gave her the pendant for her birthday but I never gave her the wedding present I got her. I will give it to her first thing, so she can tell Junior all about it.

  I close my eyes and try to fall asleep. Fuck—tingle. Why? What the hell did I miss? I’m going through all the events in my mind and then, it hits me. Sometimes something is right in front of you, but you never see it. I shoot a quick text off to Tony with my question. I need to see Jax right now. I text him one word: tingle. Slowly, I wiggle out of bed, not wanting to disturb her sleep. I grab my sweats and race out the door. I find Jax and drag him into the kitchen.

  “What the fuck is going on? Can’t we have one night of uninterrupted sleep?”

  “Trust me, I would love nothing more, but that damn tingle sense kicked in. Look at Tony’s last message; it was staring me in the face the whole time.”

  He pulls out his phone and scrolls through his messages. His eyes look from the screen to mine a couple of times and then it hits him, just like it hit me. “Max, Who?”

  I pull up the notes on my phone, not sure if it’s safe to talk here. I feverishly begin to type my answer, however, my mind is moving faster than my fingers can.

  Yeah, that’s my question. Tony is looking to see if there is a connection. Remember what Hage said, Vincent’s reach was all over the world. The drug business usually is like that. What if he was in business with Vincent?

  Raven said that Dylan and Jeff were arguing about money when she came up to bed.

  Seconds seem like hours as we wait for Tony to get back with us. “Jax, I don’t feel comfortable not having one of us stay at the hospital tomorrow.”

  “Then maybe you should listen to me and stop arguing all the fucking time. Let me handle this. I promise you, I will not kill him . . . only because we might need him.”

  Tony’s message finally comes through.

  Tony: I went as far back as I could find, which was early into Gerhard’s career. There is no connection between them. Dylan dealt with Yakuza only. Jeff Gerhard has never had any connection to the Giaconna family. The Yakuza make Vincent look like a pussycat. It looks like Gerhard made a payment, but they want more. I don’t see this ending well for them. I suggest you tighten security around Jackie.

  “Well, that settles it, you are staying here. I’m going alone. Don’t argue with me on this, please.”

  “Okay, Jax, I agree with you; one of us needs to stay here. You must stay in touch with me the entire time. Better yet, I’m going to have you wear a wire.”

  “I’m not wearing a fucking wire. Go to bed, tomorrow is going to be a long day and I’m not looking forward to telling Mum what is going on.”

  “Either way, you know we will both get in trouble with her. Try and get some rest, I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  I quickly head back to Jackie’s old room. I need to be with her, even if it’s just to hold her. She comforts me without even trying. Hopefully she didn’t wake up while I was gone.

  THE SU
NSHINE IS PEAKING through the curtains and Max has a grip around my waist. I tilt my head up and he’s smiling at me. I should have known; this man never sleeps. “Good morning, how long have you been up?”

  “Not that long. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. I have a present for you.”

  “For me, why?”

  “Well, I got it for our wedding, but in all the confusion, I forgot to give it to you.”

  He pulls an envelope off of the side table and hands it to me. He has the most joyful smile on his face and I know this must mean a lot to him. I open it up and inside is an official certificate from Lamborghini stating that a purple Lamborghini Huracán GT3 is being custom made for me! “Oh my God! No way. Oh my God! Really? You really did this? A real car and not the golf cart?”

  “Yes, I really did this, and yes, a real car, not the golf cart. You have to promise me you will be careful.”

  “Oh my God! I’m speechless; a real purple car!” I guess now might be a good time to make a huge confession.

  “Max, I have to tell you something and you have to promise me that you will not blow a gasket. You have to swear, Max.”

  “Okay, what’s the problem?”

  “I don’t have a driver’s license.”

  “What do you mean, you don’t have one? You mean a current one or one for Scotland?”

  “Like . . . I never had one in my life.”

  “Wait, how can that be? I’ve never met anyone who didn’t have their license. Do you even know how to drive?”

  “Of course I know how! Sammy showed me in case there was ever an emergency and I needed to drive to safety. I never had the need for a license, since I was driven everywhere by security. Then, when I moved to New York, I took trains and cabs. Will you teach me the right way to drive?”

  “Well, I guess so, since you’re getting a purple car and I have no intention of driving it.”

  I leap out of bed, clutching my certificate. I can’t wait to show everyone. “Oh, Max, my very first car and it’s purple!”

  “Come on, babe, we need to get ready. I can’t believe you don’t have a license.” He shakes his head.

  We go about getting ready and I can’t think of anything else but my gift. I watch him shave as I finish side braiding my hair. “You are very handsome.”

  “You’re just telling me that because I bought you a purple Lamborghini.”

  I whip his towel off from around his waist and smack his beautifully sculptured ass. “Oh, trust me, it’s a lot more than the car. Hurry up and finish. I can’t wait to tell everyone.”

  We finish up and quickly head downstairs. I can barely contain my excitement. Everyone is gathered in the dining room for breakfast. I notice my brother is absent, which is good. I don’t think I can deal with him today. Everyone is lost in their conversations and I just want to shout from the rooftops. “Excuse me, everyone, I have a very important announcement to make.” The room falls silent.

  “Max ordered me my very own purple Lamborghini!” Why is no one saying anything? I’m so excited and they are acting like it’s no big deal. “Excuse me, did everyone hear me? My very own car and it’s purple!”

  Raven starts laughing, “You know you need a license, right?”

  “Yes, and Max is going to teach me.”

  Jax finally stops laughing, “Jackie, I only ask one thing of you, please take a picture of Max driving a purple Lamborghini for me.”

  The two of them start bickering back and forth until An pulls Max’s ear. “Ouch, what was that for?”

  “Jackie, am I to understand that you’ve never had a license?”

  “I never had the need for one until now.”

  “Well, it’s settled then. I will be the one to teach you how to drive.”

  Jax drops his fork and Max almost chokes on his coffee.

  “Why do you get to teach her? Jax and I are both capable.”

  “Jax has no patience, and you taught Bella how to drive; need I say anything more?”

  “She has a point, mate.”

  “It’s not my fault that she has no coordination.”

  They continue bickering throughout breakfast; I’m too excited and hungry to care. Besides, we need to get to the clinic. We finish up and head out to the waiting cars.

  WE PULL UP TO the clinic and the security that Tony arranged is waiting for us. “Before we go inside, let’s head into the garden area to talk.” I point in the general direction.

  Mick checks the area to make sure it’s clear, and we all have a seat. “I can’t get into details, but we will be moving into a private location this afternoon. Everything is already arranged and I need everyone to give your tablets to Mick. He will ship them to Tony. There are new ones at the house waiting for you. It’s just a precaution; everything is fine. Junior’s set up here is like a two bedroom apartment, so Bella and Michael have decided to live here. When Junior is not having treatments, he will be at the house with us. I will be leaving in a few hours for Capri—alone. Max will be staying here with everyone. I will not be gone very long; for all we know, he might not even be a match. Junior knows about Rose, I told him last night. As you can imagine, he took it very hard. We need to stay upbeat and positive for him.”

  Jackie’s upset, apparently Max never told her about the change of plans. “Jax, why are we staying behind?”

  “Jackie, I need to know that Antonia is safe. I also need to make the arrangements for Junior. I trust my brother; I know that my family will be safe.”

  My mum is not saying a word but she is giving me that look; it’s never a good thing. “Come on, everyone, we need to see Junior before his next chemo treatment.” I don’t give them time for any more questions. I hurry up and head into the clinic.

  When we get into Junior’s room, it looks like a toy store explosion. He is so happy to see everyone. He is going on and on about all the stuff that showed up in the middle of the night. I take Bella by the hand and go outside.

  “What’s wrong, bro?”

  I give her the quick rundown on the move and then tell her I’m leaving.

  “By yourself? Why?”

  “Safety reasons’ I need Max here with everyone. It’s quick and easy if I go alone. Don’t worry, I will be safe. I promise to touch base when I get there and when I leave. Now, I need to talk to Raven before I leave.”

  “Be safe. I love you.”

  “I love you too, sis.” We head back in the room and Jackie is telling Junior all about her purple car. Poor Max, he is going to have his hands full with her. I lean down and whisper in Raven’s ear. “Step outside.”

  “You’re leaving, aren’t you? Will you reconsider and let me go with you?”

  “No. I love you; please don’t make this harder on me. I promise I will come back to you. Take care of Antonia and watch over Junior.” I close my eyes and try to keep it together. If I see a single tear from her, I’ll lose it. I kiss her, turn around, and run out before I change my mind.

  I HEAD TO THE airport with my heart breaking. Having to leave my wife and daughter behind is killing me, but I have no choice. If there is a possible threat to my family, then the only person I would ever trust is Max. I need to do this for Junior. No matter what, I am determined to get this done and over with. The crew is getting ready to close up the cabin, but there is a commotion just outside the door. I hear her threatening everyone from the pilot to the guards . . . my mother.

  “Jaxson James Phillips, you might as well let me on here. You will not be leaving here without me.”

  She barrels her way past the guard and onto the plane. “How did you even know where I was?”

  “Your sister can’t lie her way out of a wet paper bag. There is no way you are doing this alone. Now, let’s get going; the sooner we get there, the sooner we get back.”

  Mick comes racing in the door, his hands tied together with ropes. “Jax, do you see what she did? An, you can’t tie me up and run away. I’m here for your safety, this is not a game! How did you even
learn to make these knots?”

  “My father worked on the docks, you would be surprised what he taught me. I’m sorry, but my son needed me.”

  “Mum, get him out of those knots and then both of you buckle up; we need to leave. Oh and how the hell did you get away from Max?”

  “You know when I put my mind to something, there is no stopping me. I assure you, the only thing that’s hurt is probably his pride.”

  She makes quick work of the ropes, and they both buckle up. “Jax, I swear she just doesn’t listen. She is going to be the death of me.”

  “Yeah, Mick, welcome to my world. It’s a quick flight, so we shouldn’t be too long. Any sign of trouble, you are to get her out of there. I don’t care if you have to throw her over your shoulder—you protect her, no matter what.” I close my eyes and reel in my temper. God only knows what she did to Max.

  Present Time

  NO MATTER HOW MUCH I try to wipe the images from my mind, I never can. This is my daily cross to bear. I open my eyes and Reynolds is still standing there, waiting for me to make a decision.

  “So if we are not running, sir, then, what exactly are we going to do?”

  “I am going to wait right here and face the music. You are free to go.”

  “Sir, we have been together all these years. Besides, I have no place to go.”

  The doorbell rings. Reynolds leaves, closing the door behind him. Old habits die hard. I get up and look out the window. The view from here always takes my breath away. There is a light tap on the door.

  “Come in, Reynolds.”

  “Sir, your guests have arrived.”

  I turn around and in walks An with Jaxson and a man I’ve never seen before. He appears to be a bodyguard. “An, you look beautiful. I wasn’t expecting to ever see you again.”

  “Who were you expecting to see, James?”

  “The rest of my children; you must be Jaxson.” I extend my hand out but he doesn’t take it. “Where are Maxwell and Isabella?”