Deceiving Bella: Book Eleven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series

by Beauman, Cate

  She closed her eyes, pressing her hand to her chest. How were they going to do this? How were they going to stay in this house together and not tear each other apart?

  ~~~~

  Reed sat on the front lawn, tossing tennis balls to Ethan’s golden mastiffs while Lucy lay curled up by his side. His phone rang and he snatched it up, eager to focus on work instead of how bad things sucked between him and Bella. At this point, he had no idea how to fix their relationship. Maybe he couldn’t, but he didn’t want to think about that right now. “What do you have?” he asked Skylar. It had been hours since he’d gotten an update.

  “Felipio’s dead.”

  He paused with the ball above his head. “What?”

  “Some club hoppers found him in a dumpster about an hour ago—a couple miles away from Bruno’s scene. Joe’s down there now.”

  “Jesus.” He chucked the ball and stood, walking to his truck, too restless to stay still. “What’s Joe saying?”

  “That Felipio looks a lot like Bruno—minus the note in his mouth and phone up the ass, but they did find a rat.”

  Reed frowned. “He’s not an informant—at least not mine.”

  “Maybe they felt like he was telling Bruno too much. It’s looking like their bodies are in the same state of decomposition—more than likely killed at the same time.”

  He steamed out a breath, leaning against the grill. “Where’s Matty during all of this?”

  “In his house, lawyered up and offended that anyone would be stupid enough to question him about two murders that have nothing to do with him.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Sounds about right.” He swung his arm in the air, swatting away a bug. “Did we figure out why Joe never got wind that Bruno was missing?”

  “His wife never reported it. Her official line is she thought he was out of town.”

  He nodded. “Smart woman. Hopefully she’ll pack up and get the hell out of there.”

  “What did you find out about the guy following Bella?”

  “Not a damn thing other than he has dark hair, an olive complexion, a stocky build, and a strong New York accent. He may or may not have a tattoo on his left shoulder.” Reed rolled his tense neck. “Bella’s coworker couldn’t tell me anything more than Bella did.” And now that Bruno was gone, there was no one to ask whom he should be looking for.

  “Keep me up to date if you get anything new.”

  “You know I will.” He glanced toward the house when a light turned on in one of the upstairs windows.

  “I talked to the DA before close of business,” Skylar said, jumping topics.

  He looked at his watch. Five o’clock in New York was hours ago.

  “You and Joe are being subpoenaed,” she continued.

  “I figured as much.”

  “They’re bringing in Isabella too.”

  “Bullshit.” He pushed away from the truck. “The fuck they are, Skylar. You fix this.”

  “There’s nothing I can do. I tried.”

  He walked down the driveway as his anger grew. “What are they thinking? Someone’s after her, for Christ’s sake.”

  “Someone’s after you. The prosecution isn’t going to back off on this because some guy bumped her cart at the grocery store and walked into her place of business. For all we know, it’s a coincidence.”

  “Fuck that,” he snapped.

  “Until we can prove otherwise, you know that’s what they’ll say, and even if there is a threat against her, they’ll still want her testimony. You’re coming, aren’t you?”

  He tossed a look over his shoulder, realizing all three dogs were following him. “That’s completely different.”

  “It’s exactly the same. That’s what the Marshals are for. Both of your protection.”

  He paced the width of the concrete, back and forth to the grass. “This is bullshit.” He wanted Bella here behind Ethan’s walls, where he had no doubt she would stay safe.

  “She’s Nicoli’s daughter.”

  “And she knows nothing,” he said, pointing to the air, punctuating every word. “You know she doesn’t know one goddamn thing.”

  “The DA wants to talk to her—see that for himself.”

  “And if we refuse?”

  “Don’t be an idiot, Reed. Don’t even think about blowing this whole thing and landing your ass in jail. We can keep her safe while you’re here.”

  He swore again, well aware that there were no choices.

  “The DA wants Alfeo staying right where he belongs as much as we all do,” Skylar reminded him.

  He doubted anyone wanted this more than he did, but he didn’t bother to say so. “When is this happening?”

  “Soon. I’m waiting on details. We all know we’re under a time crunch. If we want to keep Alfeo behind bars during the new trial, this indictment needs to happen now. We’re going to go after him with the bodies we can link to him with the most certainty and deal with the rest later.”

  “Fuck.”

  “I’m going to handle as much of this as I can—make sure the Marshals select men and women I know personally.”

  He stopped his pacing. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

  “It’s the best I can do.”

  He rubbed at the back of his neck and sighed. “I know.”

  “I’ll set up a team—”

  “No.” He shook his head, not liking any of this. “I want this kept quiet—all of it. You get me a date and time when he wants us to appear and I’ll handle the rest. This is between you, me, and Joe.”

  “Reed—”

  “You, me, and Joe.” He hung up and shoved his phone away, ready to explode. First his knock-down-drag-out with Bella a few minutes ago and now this. “Son of a bitch,” he said as all three dogs looked at him and wagged their tails. “This isn’t the way things were supposed to happen.” He let loose another long sigh and headed inside to Ethan’s gym. He needed a workout to clear his head so he could think everything through. He was going to be planning their arrival and stay in New York—in and out. He knew for a fact that he wasn’t dirty, and he was certain he could trust Joey and Skylar, but he couldn’t be sure about anyone else.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Bella gripped the railing tight while she stood on the first-story deck, letting the wind dry her tears. She stared out at the water, replaying the harsh words she and Reed had tossed at one another. Wasn’t it only moments ago that he’d sent her one of his sexy grins? Hadn’t it been a mere two weeks since they’d laughed together and made love? She tipped her head to the stars, still trying to figure out how they’d gotten to this place where they wounded each other every time they found themselves occupying the same space.

  “Bella?”

  She whirled, dashing at her cheeks as Linda walked her way, wrapped in a light cotton robe. “Hi,” Bella said, trying to smile.

  Concern filled Linda’s eyes as she stopped in front of her. “Oh, honey, look at you.”

  She wiped at another tear. “I’m just—I’m all right.”

  Linda frowned. “You don’t look all right. You and Reed shouting at each other didn’t sound all right.”

  She dropped her gaze, more than a little ashamed that she’d lost her cool to the point that she’d forgotten Reed’s family was staying here too. “I’m sorry you overheard that.”

  “Honey, I listened to the whole thing. My room’s right next door to yours.”

  She blinked, surprised by Linda’s honesty. “Oh.”

  “I know that was rude of me. Reed would certainly accuse me of meddling—and I was—but it was sort of hard to walk away, particularly when I was certain the two of you had patched things up.”

  She huffed out a miserable laugh as she rolled her eyes to the sky. “No, we definitely didn’t do that.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” Linda settled a supportive hand on her shoulder. “Did Reed ever tell you about the night his father died?”

  She wiped at a fresh tear as she shook her head
. “No.”

  “Let’s get some tissues and some of the nice cold water I spotted in the fridge.” Linda wrapped her arm around Bella’s waist and led her to the kitchen. “We’ll have ourselves a seat and talk about it.”

  Bella grabbed the box of tissues on the counter and sat down while Linda poured their drinks.

  “Here we go.” Linda set two waters on the table and took the chair next to Bella’s.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie.” She covered Bella’s hand with her own. “So, what has Reed told you about his family?”

  “Um, that his father was murdered.” She swiped her hair behind her ear. “His grandfather and uncle too.”

  Linda nodded. “The night Travis died was the worst of my life. A piece of me went to his grave right along with him.”

  Bella reversed her hand, gripping Linda’s as sympathy swamped her. She had no idea how Reed fit into her life anymore, but she couldn’t imagine her world without him in it. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Travis was working a lot, doing deep cover. Typically, he spent tons of time with Reed, but the job was getting the better of him—started to take over as he infiltrated the mob.”

  Bella plucked up a tissue and froze. “You knew?”

  Linda shook her head. “I had no idea what he and my father-in-law were doing at the time. I’m thankful for that, because I wouldn’t have been able to function whenever he walked out the door.”

  “I can believe it.” She wiped her nose and crumpled the tissue in her free hand.

  “Reed was very close to Travis—to his grandfather and Uncle Mason too. We all lived within a couple blocks of one another—spent a lot of time together as a family.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “It was. I miss our holiday gatherings and taking Reed and his cousin Kurt to the playground. Those two were inseparable.”

  “Special memories.”

  Linda nodded. “It was late May when we lost the men in our lives. Travis had a couple days off and decided he wanted to take Reed to a ball game for an early birthday present. The Red Sox were in town. Grandpa K. went along too. Unfortunately, they never came home.”

  Bella swallowed. “What happened?”

  “Travis was driving them home after the game. They stopped at a red light just outside one of the parking garages. Witnesses say a couple of men stepped off the sidewalks from opposite directions, came up to the windows, and shot them.”

  She felt her eyes go huge as her heart stopped. “Reed was there?”

  “Yes. Lying down in the back seat, covered up with a blanket. Travis had probably told him to get some sleep. He saved his son’s life.”

  Bella pressed trembling fingers to her lips, trying to imagine a sweet little boy experiencing something so horrific. Innocence immediately lost. “I didn’t—I had no idea.”

  “He was five. Not quite out of kindergarten. As two assassins were killing my husband and father-in-law, another two men walked into Bonnie and Mason’s house and shot him right in front of her in the kitchen.”

  Bella fought a fresh wave of tears, consumed by the guilt of knowing she was from the family who ended lives so brutally, so uselessly. “Linda—”

  Linda squeezed her fingers. “For a long time, Reed forgot about it—or put it out of his mind, is a better way to think about it, I guess. He never did say much about that night. He still doesn’t.”

  “Do you think he remembers?”

  “I have no doubt that he does.”

  She shook her head. She couldn’t help but cry, hurting for him—the child and the man.

  “As soon as the funerals were over, Reed and I moved. I was terrified the men who killed our family would come back for the rest of us, so I took him to Minnesota. When he was thirteen, we came out here to Los Angeles for a visit with Bonnie and Kurt. Kurt ended up saying some things to Reed about their fathers, and Reed soon became obsessed with figuring out why his dad died the way he did. We fought about it quite a bit as he grew older, but he was determined to find out every detail he could. Nothing gets in my son’s way when he’s set his mind to something.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  Linda smiled. “By the time Reed was eighteen, I think he knew as much about the mafia as the men who run the organizations themselves. He was so talented in sports—a football star—but he didn’t want the scholarships the Big Ten schools were throwing his way. He ended up choosing a college in the city. He was bound and determined to go to New York and right the wrongs he couldn’t fix when he’d been a five-year-old hiding under a blanket.”

  Bella dropped her gaze, staring at the table as her heart broke all over again.

  “I didn’t see him much after he left. I tried making it hard on him—cut him off financially, hoping he would come back—but he made his own way. After he graduated from the police academy and moved up the ranks into the Special Crimes Unit, he started to change. For seven years, I watched him grow colder, harder, obsessed with getting justice. My son became a shell of a man. Until you.” Linda lifted Bella’s chin. “You brought a light back to his eyes, honey. He started smiling again. I think he realized for the first time that there was something more for him. Something better.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Whatever has happened between the two of you, whatever truths he didn’t tell you, that’s real. You have a right to be angry and hurt. You have a right to your feelings of betrayal, but, honey, Reed’s not a liar.” She scooted closer and kissed Bella’s cheek. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. I have no doubt that Reed loves you from the very depths of his soul.”

  Her lips trembled. “My father’s family did this. I’m a Caparelli,” she confessed in a rush. “I don’t know any of them, but it doesn’t make it any less true. They killed your family.”

  Linda shook her head, pulling Bella into a tight hug. “Oh, honey, Reed explained. Or at least what he could. You had nothing to do with this. Nothing at all. You’re as innocent in all this as Reed. It just touched him differently because he was there that night, and you had no idea until just recently, sweetie.”

  She stood and walked to the counter, fiddling with a baby toy that had been left behind. “I’m so confused.”

  “Do you love him?”

  She turned, meeting Linda’s gaze. “I can’t put into words how much.”

  “Talk to him, sweetie. When there’s that much love between two people, there has to be a way to work it out.”

  She nodded, but she had no idea what to do.

  ~~~~

  Bella followed Metallica’s blasting guitar riffs down the hall to Ethan’s gym. She stopped in the doorway, watching Reed throwing a series of jabs at the heavy bag. Sweat dribbled down his muscled chest and stomach—flew off his powerful arms with every punch. She caught a glimpse of his ugly scars as she moved farther into the room and turned down the music.

  He glanced her way and got back to work.

  She folded her arms, clutching them tight. “You never told me you were in the car.”

  He stepped away from the bag and pulled off his gloves. “It never mattered.”

  She blinked, taken aback by his response. “How can you say that? You were just a little boy.”

  He grabbed a towel and wiped his face and chest. “Sympathy points. I don’t want any.”

  She exhaled a quiet breath. “Is that what you think this is?”

  He tossed down the towel and picked up his water bottle. “Pretty much.”

  She shook her head. “You want me to trust you. You want me to believe in you, but you leave out the most important parts.”

  His gaze whipped to hers—cold, edgy. “Does it matter anymore? You’re with Jed now, right?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “No—”

  “It looked that way to me.” He set down the bottle with a sharp slap and went back to the bag.

  She clutched at her skin as the
tension grew impossibly worse. “Jed’s my friend.”

  He huffed out a laugh. “I guess we have different ideas of what constitutes a friend.”

  “That whole thing was a mistake.”

  “Was it? Because it looked like you were kissing him right back.”

  She walked closer to him, trying her best to find a way, remembering Linda’s words about a love like theirs. “Do you know what I was thinking about that night? When he kissed me?”

  He punched in another rapid combination. “I couldn’t tell you.”

  “I was thinking about how he didn’t taste like you. He didn’t feel like you under my hands.”

  He tossed her a side glance as he shook his head. “You know how to mess a guy up.”

  Her eyes welled with tears. “I want you, Reed, but I can’t have you.”

  “I’m right here.”

  “No.” She pressed her fingers to her temple as her frustration grew. Why was this so hard? “I don’t know what to do anymore. What am I supposed to do?” She dashed at a tear.

  “I’ve said what I needed to say. I’ve apologized. You know who I am. Deep down, you know me.”

  She swallowed. “Do I?”

  “You’re the only one who does.” He punched again. “I want to fight for you. I love you. I can’t imagine spending another day without you, let alone the rest of my life, but maybe loving you means letting you go. Maybe me going to New York after we get this straightened out is the best thing I can do for you—for both of us. You can get on with things—build something new with someone who deserves you.”

  She turned away and burst into tears because she didn’t want to share her life with anyone else, but how did she let go of the terror of handing him her heart again?

  “Don’t cry, Bella. Christ, it rips me up when you do. Especially when you won’t let me fix it.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She took several steadying breaths and wiped at her cheeks, then turned back, facing him. “I don’t know how to do this with you anymore. I don’t know how I’m not supposed to feel guarded—like I need to protect myself from you. I let you into the deepest parts of me—my most shameful secrets.” She paused, clearing her throat when her voice trembled again. “When I was confessing all, telling you about my mother and father, you held me close and listened. You made me feel safe—like I could tell you anything. You told me I could trust you, and I believed you. I let you into my world in a way that I’ve never done with anyone else, and you had an agenda the entire time.”