Pure Illusion (Web Of Deception #1)

by Michelle Watson

  “Your dad was badass.”

  I nod. “He was.”

  Only a badass would teach young kids how to aim and fire.

  “Do you know why he killed himself?” Hero asks cautiously.

  “No. Why?”

  “Green Frog asked me to find out more information about your parents’ suicide. Green Frog said you were too fragile to take on the task.”

  My face contorts into bafflement. “My parents’ suicide has something to do with Tyler’s death?”

  “I think so. I guess it does in some way. You should rest. I’m gonna poke around here a bit until I find something.” Hero closes the box that holds my father’s nine millimeter.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “That’s the problem: I don’t know. But I figured it’s something from their past.” He sits the shoebox on the bed and I follow him inside the vast closet. He glances at the rows upon rows of stacked boxes. He points at the shelves. “I have a feeling that I should start there.”

  Nodding, I sit crossed-legged on the smooth white carpet that’s laid throughout their closet. I snatch my mother’s green sweater off a wire hanger and bring it to my face, inhaling her sweet scent that smells of warmth and sunshine. My eyes sting and fill with tears.

  I miss them so much.

  “Who do you think Green Frog is?”

  “Your guess is just as good as mine,” Hero says, rummaging through my parents’ stuff. “It’s someone we know though.”

  We remain silent for a while, and I note that Hunter and Max haven’t called once today. Hunter is most likely pissed at me for leaving and Max is probably upset with me for not calling him when I said I promised I would. My life is in such chaos. I don’t know which way is up or down anymore. I’ll call Max once Hero and I are through.

  “Hey, did you know your parents were friends with my dad and Smith, my dad’s older brother?” Hero asks as he flips through an old dark purple photo album blanketed with a thick layer of dust. I’ve never seen that book in my life.

  “No. Let me see.”

  He sits next to me on the floor and we look through the album together. There are many pictures of my mom and dad, Grace, Caleb and Smith. Caleb is Hunter’s and Hero’s and Naya’s father. Smith was Caleb’s older brother, but with the exact athletic built, crystal blue eyes, and blond hair, they could pass as twins. I can tell that they’re at Cherry High by the dark blue lockers and brick building in the background. They look young, too. With glittery scrunchies and pink bubblegum lips, my mother had to be at least sixteen in these pictures. But some of the poses don’t make any sense to me, like why my father’s arms are wrapped protectively around Grace as they gaze lovingly into one another’s eyes. They look like lovers. Smith and Caleb each have an arm thrown over my mother’s shoulder and the three of them appear content together. In other photos, my mother is either sitting on Smith’s lap or Caleb’s lap, but she is never with my father. My father is always with Grace.

  Were Grace and my father a couple?

  “This is weird,” Hero murmurs, running his fingers over the plastic cover of the pictures. “The way they acted towards one another you wouldn’t know that they were ever close.”

  “Why do you think they never told us?”

  Hero shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe my dad is ashamed that he shared your mom with his brother.”

  I jab him in the ribs with my elbow. “My mom wasn’t a whore.”

  He scowls at me, rubbing away the pain. Then he smiles. “I didn’t say that, Isabel. I just mean she seemed like she was with both of them at the same time.”

  “And your mama ‘seemed’ like she was with my dad. How could that be so when she hated his guts?”

  “Maybe,” he whispers conspiratorially, “maybe everything we thought we knew isn’t what it seems. Maybe it was just an illusion.”

  “You’re confusing me.”

  “Okay. Look at the evidence. My mom looks head over heels for Ivan and the feelings look mutual. Smith and Caleb were deeply in love with your mother. I can see it in their eyes. My guess is that she loved them both right back, but something happened between them all for them to end up with different people. There is a shared link here, a big secret that they all know and we have to figure out. Why else would they want to bury the past with one another?”

  “We should ask your dad,” I suggest.

  Hero vigorously shakes his head. “No. Caleb won’t be any help. He’s a drunk and his memory is shit.”

  “Where is he?”

  He shrugs, nonchalantly. “In his condo drinking himself silly before he leaves for another business trip.”

  Mr. Knight owns and develops properties throughout the states and Grace’s wealth comes from oil. With the two of them combined they are the most powerful couple in North Carolina, or was the most powerful couple.

  “Did Caleb ever hurt you guys when you were little?” I ask tentatively.

  Hero contemplates this for a moment before he whispers, “I think all parents end up hurting their children, but whether it’s intentional or not makes the difference.”

  He leaves the conversation at that. It’s evident that Mr. Knight has some kind of damaging effect on his kids. It’s time that I find out what it is.

  Chapter thirty-nine

  R Is For Bleeding

  After Hero leaves, insisting he walks home, I called Max. He agreed to have me over at his house. Now, I sit across from Max at his kitchen table. I told him everything I’ve been hiding: the cutting, Hunter giving me a concussion, Hunter spanking me, Hunter fucking me, Green Frog telling me to get close to Rex, the photo album in my mom’s closet. Once information starting spewing from my mouth I was helpless to stop it. I had to come clean about everything, except Hunter and Sally’s personal business.

  His periwinkle-colored eyes are focused on mine, his expression indecipherable. He doesn’t say one thing when I finish.

  My throat tightens and my heart constricts. Unable to take the deathly silence anymore, I reach across the wooden table and squeeze his hand. “Say something, Max. Please.”

  His brows furrow, forehead creasing as he stares down at where my hand is. “Just out of curiosity…what were you expecting me to say? Because what you are expecting and how I feel are probably two very different things.”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t really think about it.”

  His heated gaze flickers up to my face. “It doesn’t seem like you think a lot.”

  Swiftly removing my hand, I recoil away from him. “Ouch.”

  He sighs and irritably rakes his hands through his wavy hair that has grown a few inches from the last time I’ve seen him. The hair only adds to his allure.

  “Look, Max. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t know who to trust when all this madness flipped my world. You’re the only one who knows it all. I can use your help.”

  He eyes me for what seems like forever. “Fine, but we’re doing it my way. You’re staying here with me. Your safety in my priority now. You don’t talk to anyone else about what we just spoke about. In case you didn’t notice, someone is trying to kill you. I’ll go in my father’s office and see what I can find; if he has tapes of what happened on the bridge the night your brother died, he would hide them there. As for Hunter, stay away from him. Dude sounds obsessed. You should file a restraining order, but I know you never would.”

  “He’s not obsessed,” I mutter defensively, quickly coming to Hunter’s rescue.

  His eyes narrow slightly and then he surprises me by smiling, but his smile is a mocking and deceitful one. “I’ve been keeping a little secret as well, Isabel.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Just stay where you are.” He strolls out of the kitchen disappearing from my line of sight. Max reemerges with a faded piece of white paper in hands, smirking down at it. “Back in high school, Hunter kept notebooks by his side at all times. He was secretive about them, never let us read what he would spend most of his ti
me writing. But I think it’s time for you to take a look at one of his pomes that I tore out a long time ago.” Max passes the paper to me:

  I hate you.

  But I love you.

  I love you so much that my heart stops beating.

  The fact that you’re untouchable has my head fucking screaming.

  When I hear your name it’s difficult for me to breathe.

  I hate you.

  I hate you.

  I hate you.

  But I love you.

  The thought of you being with him makes me want to vomit.

  I see you and you kiss him.

  He smiles and kisses you back.

  It makes me sick with fury.

  I’d kill both of you just to stop it.

  Stop it.

  Stop it.

  Stop it.

  I love you so fucking much and you don’t even know it.

  I watch you while you sleep and you don’t even know it.

  I can touch you where he touches you and you wouldn’t even know it.

  I hate you.

  I hate you.

  I hate you.

  But I love you.

  When the time comes, I’ll make you mine.

  MINE.

  MINE.

  MINE.

  MINE.

  Look at what you’ve made of me.

  I’ve turned into a scary monster, but not really.

  I was born with a few screws missing, silly.

  Your skin is peachy soft.

  And your hair is dark silk.

  You smell like sweet berries.

  I want you so bad.

  I don’t think I can control myself any longer.

  A madman free from the crippling defect of a tortured mind.

  He’s delirious and he’s thirsty of forbidden hunger.

  I hate you.

  But I love you ISABEL.

  I love so much that my heart is bleeding.

  Bleeding.

  Red.

  Red.

  Red.

  Every time you cut yourself, I die a little inside.

  And each time the pain is worse.

  You are splitting my soul into shreds.

  Stop before you kill me.

  I’m hardly alive as it is.

  Please don’t hurt me like I hurt you.

  I’m sorry.

  I jolt out the chair and run to the bathroom, pressing the note to my chest. Max shouts and tries to catch me but I reach the bathroom and lock the door before he can. Tears stain my face as I lean my back against the door and sag to the cool tile beneath me. Soothing black wings wrap around my body and I pass out.

  Chapter forty

  Forgetting How To Breathe

  My eyelids fly open and my body sharply jolts forward, lungs desperately seeking air. I suck down as much of the precious oxygen I can hold. Every inch of my skin is drenched with sweat and badly trembling. I’m only in my bra and underwear.

  Max undressed me last night?

  A ball of warmth is comfortably nuzzled into the pillow next to my head. Birthday sleeps peacefully, entirely unaffected by my movement. I notice an empty wooden chair from the kitchen table at the head of the bed, dark grey duffel bag stuffed with my clothes in the corner of the room, and the pleasant aroma of cinnamon and bacon and coffee wafting from the kitchen.

  Max must’ve watched over me the entire night and called either Harmony or Falcon to drop my things off.

  Inhaling deeply, I lie back down and stare at the ceiling. I passed out last night. Seeing that note was just too overwhelming, knowing that Hunter knew everything about my cutting, understanding that I caused him pain each time I did it, crushed my world. Max knew how I would react and he did it anyway. He deliberately hurt me. He didn’t care that he caused me pain; Max’s sole goal was to hurt me. Every male in my life so far has harmed me one way or another. Will it always be like this? I’m always going to encounter and be surrounded by spiteful, sadistic men who only intend to damage me?

  I’m already fading into dust…

  “Morning. I brought peace offerings.” My eyes slowly flicker down to Max. He wears a simple white cotton shirt and dark jeans. Max has a pale orange plate that’s stacked with food in one hand and the other holds Tyler’s brown teddy by the arm.

  I swallow past the huge lump in my throat. “Is it really a peace offering if I own one of the items? And, let’s face it, your cooking really sucks ass. So I don’t think that counts, either.”

  He snorts, amused and smiling. “Touché, Isabel. The good news is that I didn’t cook a single thing. My mother is the responsible one, and for the bear, I thought you could use better company.” He passes the plate to me, careful not to let our fingers brush. Then he lays the bear in my lap. Max takes a seat in the chair that’s facing the bed, intently watching me as I devour the sweet cinnamon bun, crispy bacon, and cheddar omelet.

  Mmm.

  This food is heaven.

  Taking a huge chunk from a bacon strip, I yank it from my mouth, suspiciously eyeing Max, who is staring at me as if fascinated to witness a reclusive creature from the wild. “What?!” I snap.

  He cracks a smile. “Nothing. You can put it away for a little person.”

  “Well, excuse me if I’m not allowed to show my enthusiasm while I eat food that shouldn’t qualify as food but as delicious edible art.”

  He chuckles, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his knuckles. “I’ll tell her that you like her cooking. I’m sure she’ll be over the moon about it.”

  “I should tell her myself. Where is she?”

  “She came over before the sunrise to cook you breakfast because her son is an idiot and my cooking does quite suck ass.”

  Nodding, I take bites of the creamy egg and almost moan.

  “Isabel?”

  I glance at Max, feeding an eager Birthday a tiny morsel of bacon.

  He holds my eyes and swallows nervously. “I was a dick last night. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted so juvenile. It makes me look pathetically jealous, which I am.”

  Pushing the plate away, I grab Tyler’s bear. “What are you talking about?”

  Max shrugs. “Seeing you and Hunter back together is difficult. I truly think you should let him go, Isabel. And I would be lying if I said I’m not serving myself in the process, but there’s more to it than just my infatuation with you. I’m telling you to let him go for your sake. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  I do understand but how will I do something so impracticable.

  Letting go of Hunter Knight is like forgetting how to breathe. Once you take your first breath, it’s impossible to stop until one day you just do…until your last heartbeat.

  “I’ll try,” I say, giving him a ghost of a smile.

  “Can I touch them…your scars?”

  Shrugging, I thrust my arms on top of my lap.

  The bed concaves as Max settles next to me. He studies them before he traces the pale faint marks of flesh with the tips of his fingers. Little shivers ripple throughout my body. I try to stop it from happening but it’s useless to do so. I inhale sharply when Max holds both arms and kisses each scar. I try to shake him off but he doesn’t budge.

  His eyes fickler up to mine with a sudden extreme desperation that leaves me breathless, then he squeezes my arms. “Let me do this, Pumpkin.” Max’s extremely determined gaze moves down to my battered arms, he resumes kissing my wounds that are bare for all to see.

  I struggle with letting him do this. Tears stream down my cheeks and soft protest escape my trembling lips. Max rains tender kisses on my scored skin, shushing me at the same time. He speaks to me in what I think is Arabic and I’m instantly stunned into silence and fascination. Hearing his native tongue is like being wrapped in warm silky protective wings that caresses my very soul.

  Max is dealing with a person that he didn’t break.

  ***

  The days drag by as I am imprisoned in this rustic
haven. Every morning I wake with the same gasping and choking. No doubt that it’s trauma from surviving the cliff “incident.” I keep in minimal contact with Falcon and the crew. Max asked me to the Winter Ball, but I think he only asked out of guilt. I agreed to go to at least get out and experience joy, even if it’s not my own.

  Chapter forty-one

  Pure Illusion

  Isabel age nine

  Tyler age six

  Hunter and Hero dash to hide in my closet as my father opens my bedroom door. I can feel him smiling at me and Tyler as we lie cuddled in my bed, pretending to be asleep. “There are a lot of giggles in here. More giggles than two giggle monsters are capable of making.”

  We hear him crack the door and his heavy footsteps creak against the wood panels as moves towards us. “Hmm. Though my eyes see two, I wonder if there’s more giggle monsters hiding somewhere in this room. My children should know I’m always the winner when it comes to hide-and-seek. They better tell me now before it’s too late. Because when I win, the two extra giggle monsters will have to go home instead of staying the night.”

  I jolt up, breathing hard. “Dad, they’re in the closet.”

  Tyler sucks his teeth, pinching my arm. “Tattletale.”

  “Ouch!” I rub my stinging skin, scowling. “Dad would have made them go home. Now they can stay, right Daddy?”

  “Right, baby. Boys, out this second.”

  They come out of the closet with their heads bowed and their eyes downcast.

  My father grins down at him, sitting in the rocking chair by my bed. “All right. Don’t look so pitiful. You guys can stay the night. Climb in bed.” He scans my bookshelf as Hunter and Hero crowd us, snatching covers. “What will it be, guys?”

  “Pure Illusion!” everyone yells in harmony.

  “We seem to have a popular theme. Pure Illusion it is then.”

  Deep within the snowy mountains and green valleys, a twelve-year-old princess named Zel came upon a shiny golden egg while playing in the meadows of the deep forest. The egg was a tiny thing that could easily fit into the palms of her hands. She concealed the egg well within the fabrics of puffy dress and hid it if from the guards. In doing so, the princess was able to take it home to her lavish room within the stoned walls of the massive castle that ruled the sky and land.