by Ana Ban
Split:
Book 2 of The Mirror Trilogy
By Ana Ban
Split by Ana Ban
© 2017 Ana Ban. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author.
The author can be reached through Facebook @anabannovels
Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.
All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer:
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and coincidental.
1.Crime 2.Romance 3.Police Procedural
First Edition
Printed in the USA
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Selena
6 years ago
The night was my time. These streets were my domain.
As I walked towards my destination, I slipped past each camera, unnoticed. When you knew what you were looking for, it was easy to avoid detection.
Once inside the building, I nodded to the guard, Leroy, at the inner set of doors. He held them open for me politely before turning back to his post. Down the staircase, the raucous noise became clearer. The thundering beat of stomping feat ground into my system, made me hungry for blood.
The arena was a simple square platform, raised up for all to view. A cage of wire trapped the men inside, and depending on the opponent, could either help or hinder their intentions.
I stood alone above the melee, focus riveted on the man standing still and silent in the ring. The match had not yet begun, and while his opposition danced and waved, this man was stoic. His dark eyes missed nothing as they roved over the crowd, his bare chest, displaying each delicious muscle, gleamed in the light. His hands hung loose by his sides, deceptively motionless.
This was not about fame for him. It was about survival.
Licking my lips, I leaned forward in anticipation of the battle about to ensue.
Standing in the center of the cage, an umpire held a wrapped hand of each man, dropping them suddenly in a signal to begin. The man with the dark eyes brought his hands up to guard his face, his raptor’s gaze taking in each nuance of his opponent’s form. When his opponent’s shoulder dropped, screaming his move to a seasoned observer, the man flung his hand out, making contact with his opponent’s jaw. As he hurled backwards, the dark-eyed man followed, pummeling him like a jackhammer without pause.
The crowd went wild as the opponent dropped, out for the count. Less than five seconds, and the match was over.
Air moved quickly between my lips, short of breath in the presence of his raw power. Excitement coursed through me.
He was the one.
Chapter 2
Mia
Present Day
Kill him.
Those words had escaped my mouth.
My mouth.
What was I thinking?
Snapping back to reality, the cold, calculating calm that had descended over me suddenly lifted, seeping away into my concrete surroundings. Backing away from the cell, I placed a bracing hand against the wall, looking between the men in the room in horror. Where had that come from? No matter what this man had done, he didn’t deserve to die. That wasn’t self-defense, that was murder.
Struggling to remain focused, to remain in character, I straightened, taking a deep breath in. Donovan was watching me, his eyes wide, though I couldn’t read the emotion playing over his features. For the first time since we’d discovered who he was, Adam Malone, a man I had worked with and trusted, looked afraid.
Swallowing once, hard, I approached Donovan’s side again, eyes on the man behind the bars of the cell. A man who had just threatened to reveal who I truly was.
“We obviously can’t trust anything this man says,” I spoke aloud. “His whole life is built on lies.”
Donovan nodded, then gripped my arm lightly to lead me away. Once we were out of earshot of Adam, he paused to meet my eye.
“We can kill him,” he told me, “or, we can use him.”
Relief flooded through me. Having a DeLuca under lock and key could prove to be beneficial. Taking the out without having to lose face, I asked, “What did you have in mind?”
“Let’s get back to the safehouse,” Donovan suggested.
At that I nodded, following him through the long hallway. Upon leaving, Donovan spoke briefly with our security, then continued to lead the way out. Exiting into the dimly lit cavern, Donovan threw a leg over the waiting bike, pausing just long enough for me to join him. We sped off, my arms wrapped around his waist, down the tunnels that were slowly becoming familiar.
We were silent as we rode, my own thoughts whirring through my mind like a vortex. It was difficult to come to terms with the fact that sweet little Adam Malone was actually Adam DeLuca, part of the notoriously criminal DeLuca family and, now, the enemy of me. Not only to my façade as Selena, but to my true identity.
This situation had to be handled carefully. Donovan’s trust in me would be put to the test.
Our silence continued as we parked at the safehouse building, making our way through security and up the stairs. Once inside, I leaned against the kitchen counter, staring despondently across the room.
So much had happened in the last 24 hours; being attacked in the penthouse, Donovan’s injuries, our explosive kiss, chasing down Reggie, meeting with the DeLuca’s, and, of course, Adam. On top of that, a short doze in the chair had been my only sleep.
Now that we had a moment to pause, I felt all residual energy from the constant adrenaline escaping from my pores.
“You should get some rest,” Donovan spoke quietly.
Shaking my head, I looked directly at him. “I’d like to know the plan first.”
“All right,” Donovan sank onto the edge of the bed. Though I wanted to join him, distance was best for now. “At least two of the DeLuca’s are plotting against us. From our meeting, we can assume it’s Al and Marco. Tony won’t be happy to find out his brothers went against his wishes, but they are still family. So is Adam. The DeLuca’s will do anything for family.”
Letting out a breath, I said, “So, we make a trade.”
Donovan nodded. “It’s our best chance of getting through this unscathed.”
&n
bsp; After a moment of silence, Donovan spoke again.
“We’ll still move into our other home for the time being. Our offices are temporarily shut down, but we’ll get crews to work on them first before we begin to rebuild.”
“Makes sense,” I agreed, still refusing to move from my perch against the counter.
“Selena, please, come lay down. I know you didn’t sleep well last night. Neither of us will make good decisions without proper rest.”
I nodded, but made no move to leave my spot. Donovan stood, walking towards me. He stopped in front of me, a hand cupping my cheek, waiting patiently for my eyes to meet his. When they did, the well of emotion I was tamping down threatened to spill.
“Come on,” Donovan said gently, taking my hand.
He helped me remove my jacket, then knelt to untie and slip off the combat boots. Next were my pants, leaving me in just my underwear and t-shirt.
There was nothing sexual in his touch, though I was very aware of him so close to me, his hair brushing against my thigh as he carefully lifted each foot out of the pants. Standing again, he led me to the bed, pulling back the covers for me to slide in. After removing his own clothes, leaving nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, I watched him settle in beside me.
Laying on my back, I stared at the ceiling. The only light was from the glow of the clock on the oven. Now, in the dark, I faced my demons.
“I tried to kill a man today,” I whispered, barely loud enough for Donovan to hear. When I spoke again, my voice cracked. “Is that really who I am? Is that the kind of person I am?”
Donovan rolled to his side, bracing himself on an elbow, his eyes on my face though there wasn’t much to see in the near darkness.
“Selena,” his voice was full of some unnamed emotion. “You didn’t.”
“But I wanted to,” I interrupted him, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. I repeated the words, barely louder than a breath. “I wanted to.”
His hand brushed along my hair, pulling me to him. I went willingly, curling into his chest, and sobbed. When he wrapped both arms around my shaking form, I allowed him to console me, needing the contact more than I ever remembered needing anything.
He said nothing, just continued to stroke my hair, never loosening his grip. Cries wracked my chest, my breath coming in gasps. I let it all out, even as a voice shoved into the dark recesses of my mind screamed at me to stop. It was beyond my control.
Eventually, my tears dried and my breath evened out. Exhausted in every way possible, I drifted into sleep.
When I woke, I realized I hadn’t moved from the position I’d fallen asleep in, and neither had Donovan. I was trapped between his chest and his arms, our bodies pressed together in a way that was beyond familiar.
His breath was light, and I believed he was still asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, I allowed myself to enjoy the feel of each hard muscle that was now stamped into memory. The heat from his body had seeped so deep into my body, I felt it was lodged into my very soul.
Without any light able to come through the metal window coverings, I had no idea what time it could be. After my crying jag, I’d slept deeply, though it didn’t feel as if it had been a long time. Even so, I was wide awake and knew that sleep would now elude me.
In the limited space I had, a fingertip lightly traced against the definition of Donovan’s chest. The feel of him was so good, so familiar, I felt an ache down to my core.
I’d begun this mission to find out the truth behind Selena and Donovan’s business, but with each passing day Donovan had shown me nothing but care and respect. Since the first time I’d met him, I’d felt this undeniable attraction to him, and it had only become stronger. In this business, there was every chance I wouldn’t see tomorrow. So many things could go wrong. Just two days ago, we’d been targeted by men with semi-automatic weapons and grenades. Adam could spill my secrets at any time. Donovan could find out who I really was.
With as much risk as there was in my job, why shouldn’t I take the opportunity to find out what this craving would be like when finally quenched? Sure, Donovan loved Selena, not me, but right now he thought I was Selena, so what did that matter? I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone. Just once, I wanted to do something for me. Just once, I wanted to feel.
His breathing had changed, and I sensed his eyes were open and on me, though neither of us could really see. My finger continued to trace designs on his chest, even knowing he was awake and aware. A decision I knew I would come to regret had been made, and there was no going back now.
My lips pressed against his neck, breathing in his scent. He let out a shocked breath, but he didn’t pull away. If anything, he held me tighter.
Kissing my way to his ear, my head was suddenly yanked back by my hair, and Donovan’s lips were on mine. When I opened my mouth to pull in a breath, he used the opportunity to delve his tongue into my mouth, alighting each nerve ending as his fist tightened against my scalp.
One leg wrapped around his waist as his free hand slipped under my shirt. With a moan, I arched into him, all coherent thought escaping me.
He pulled his head back and I whimpered, not wanting to lose the contact. I could just barely see his eyes glittering down at me in the darkness.
“Are you sure?” He asked gently.
There was no hesitation on my end. Using words that were faintly familiar, I whispered, “Yes. I want you, Donovan.”
Chapter 3
Selena
6 years ago
In the dark alley adjacent to the building that held the fighting matches, I leaned against the wall, waiting. My heart beat quickened as the door opened, the light from inside casting the figure into stark relief. He began moving up the street, directly towards me. Waiting until the last moment to step out, I had the pleasure of catching him off guard.
For a moment we stood, each judging the other. Though a hood covered my hair, I had no doubt he could tell I was a woman.
“Do I know you?” His voice still held the lilting cadence of Ireland.
“No,” I answered him.
“Excuse me, then.”
He made to walk around me, but I stepped into his trajectory once again. His eyes narrowed just slightly.
“What is it that you want?”
“You,” I told him. “To work for me, that is.”
Crossing his arms, he studied me again, curiosity lighting the depths of his eyes.
“And what type of work is it that you do?”
With a smile, I held my hands out to my sides. “First, you’ll have to pass the interview.”
He glanced around him once, as if looking for a candid camera crew. With half a laugh, he spoke again. “All right, I’ll play along. What’s the interview?”
“Why, beating me, of course.”
“Look, I’m not sure what your game is here, but it’s been a long night for me. I think I’ll just get on.”
Still, I didn’t move, arms extended in invitation.
“Afraid to fight a woman?”
“Not if she attacks me first.”
With a shrug, I leapt forward, my fist extending towards his stomach at the last moment. He barely evaded the strike, and I slipped under his arm, now behind him. Using my momentum to spin, I back-fisted with my left, making contact with his cheek. He stumbled back, stunned, and looked at me in a new light.
“That counts.”
Fast as lightning his hand snaked out, gripping my wrist in an unbreakable hold. Spinning me into him, he wrapped his arms of steel around my waist, my back pressed against his chest. For a moment, I enjoyed the feel of him, but didn’t let it deter me from my purpose.
Dropping my weight and lifting my elbows out simultaneously, I broke out of his hold, scissoring his legs with mine as I rolled on the ground. He fell back hard, not expecting the move. Following my momentum, I knelt above him, one leg on each side of his waist, forearm pressed to his throat.
“Good move,” he managed through his c
hoked off windpipe.
Then, his right hand slammed into the bicep of the arm that was holding him down, his left hand reaching up to my own throat while his hips bucked. We flipped positions, his hand now on my throat. Quickly he shifted his legs so they were over my hips, pinning my hands against the ground.
With a smile, I spoke. “Congratulations, Donovan. You’ve passed.”
Chapter 4
Mia
Present Day
We lay in silence, our limbs tangled in the sheets. My head rested against Donovan’s chest, listening to the steady, reassuring beat of his heart.
Neither of us moved or spoke. I knew, as soon as we did, the fantasy bubble I’d created would pop and guilt would come crashing down.
Even with all the arguments against what I’d just done, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it. Donovan’s touch was pure bliss. If I could only have this one moment in time, if the rest of my life was spent alone, I would take the trade willingly.
It was a long time that we remained as we were. If not for the sudden piercing ring of the phone, we could very well have stayed there all day.
Donovan carefully extracted himself, rolling to his feet. I could see the silhouette of him in the strange blue glow, and suddenly wished all the lights were on so I could enjoy the view. His wide shoulders tapered down to his trim waist, every inch of him wrapped in muscle. Though he obviously trained hard, I knew they were not all gained in the gym.
“Yeah,” he answered the phone, listening for a few moments. “I understand. We’ll be moving into our second residence today. Please make sure it’s fully stocked.” Another beat of silence. “That’s fine. We’ll meet with you then.”
Hanging up, Donovan turned towards me. While he’d talked, I’d scooted up to a sitting position, my back against the headboard. I had no idea what to say, or do, and suddenly felt a crushing awkwardness.
“That was Bruce,” Donovan told me, referring to the head of security. “He’s going to meet with us later today.”
