Devastating Secret: Book 2 - Secret Series

by M Brereton

  “That’s why you being at home and having nothing to do is tantamount to killing you.”

  “Funny,” Noah replied. “It also why you get the best sex of your life.”

  “That’s debatable,” Eva replied honestly. “I have nothing to compare it to.”

  “Does that bother you? Never having sex with anyone else.”

  “Who said I never had sex with anyone else? You did ignore me for almost two years.” Noah pushed her off his lap and she laughed, “You should see your face!”

  “You don’t make those kinds of jokes Eva!”

  “So!” Eva pointed out. “You deserved to have another man inside me. Another man making me scream…”

  “Eva stop it!” Noah ordered then added softly. “I get it. I’m sorry.”

  “Answer me honestly, if sleeping with Cooper would’ve kept him alive would you let me do it.”

  “What!”

  “Just answer the question…”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean…I could’ve lied to him and told him I loved him and let him …have me and get him away from Daddy.”

  “Those were your options!” Noah stated in shock. “Why couldn’t you do it without the sex?” When she folded her arms and just looked at him, he recalled his feelings about sleeping with her when they just met and said finally, “Ok that wouldn’t have worked.”

  “So?”

  He hated himself for saying it. “No.” He whispered finally. Honestly, he felt sick just imagining it. He would have his best friend, but he would never be able to keep Eva.

  “Good.” Eva stated, “it would’ve never worked long term anyway. I could barely tolerate some random guy touching me, two; the things we do I could never imagine doing with anyone else and three…I would still want you.”

  “This is so fucked up. Why did our lives have to be so fucked up?”

  “It’s all Daddy’s fault,” Eva stated harshly. He got my mother killed, he ruined me, he ruined Cooper, he got the man who’s supposed to be my father killed…”

  “David Green?” I’ve been meaning to ask, who is he anyway?”

  “Wish I knew.”

  “Welker trusted him with you. He must be someone important. Maybe he was a family member.”

  “Daddy would have said…” Eva began, and her face fell. Of course, he wouldn’t say if she had other relatives. He wanted to keep her to himself. If David Green turned out to be family, maybe she had more. “You are so amazing sometimes!” Eva said with a smile as she hugged him. “I could have a family! Imagine that! Oh, Noah! You’re the best!” She began pacing excitedly around the room. “You’ll help me look for my family, won’t you?”

  Repeating her earlier sentiment, he said, “I’ll do anything for you.”

  20

  Searching the Past

  Eva practically walked on air for the first few weeks, she was so excited about the prospect of having relatives. Noah asked Alex to start the preliminary investigation as discreetly as possible, the last thing Noah wanted was for her to become excited over nothing.

  That was the same thought coming to Eva when three months had passed and nothing. She was worried they weren’t aware of her and then there were the potential links to her father she didn’t want. She prayed her mother still had family and imagined what her life would’ve been like had her father just given her to them.

  Another month passed, and Eva swept into the Oval office. Noah had just returned from overseas and Wayland was discussing him running for reelection.

  “They still love you,” Wayland stated. “We can do it again.”

  “This is a tough job and I don’t know if I’m up for another four years,” Noah responded. “I feel like I’ve aged 10 years here. Then it’s the stupid policies they keep pushing at me. I can’t pass these things, they don’t represent the common man. They represent a bunch of bored crazy rich people that want to force the rest of us to accept whatever crap shoved at us.”

  “Well tell them that,” Wayland stated. “You are being touted as the next Honest Abe. They’ll take that from you.”

  “I hope so,” Noah said dejectedly, “because I don’t need a civil war when I may have to fight a world war.”

  “There’s gonna be war?”

  “According to our sources, he has long range missiles ready for testing.”

  “Let’s hope they blow up in his face.”

  “Noah?” Eva called tired of listening to them talk shop. “Excuse me, but did you get anything?”

  Noah hated disappointing her yet again. “These things sometimes take years….”

  “I know, you said that two months ago.” She retorted angrily. “Can’t you speed it up?”

  “Eva, I know how you feel…”

  “No, you don’t! You had parents that loved you. No one made you feel like a tolerated guest everywhere you went. You always belonged to someone…” Eva ranted tears filling her eyes.

  Noah crossed the distance between them and enfolded her in his embrace stroking her hair. “It’s gonna take some time baby. But we have to be careful. Rumor the First Lady looking for her family brings all sorts out of the woodwork and we don’t need that.”

  “Going to the press may speed the process up.” Wayland pointed out.

  Noah and Eva looked at each other. The press was out of the question. The risk of someone of Welker’s association knowing Eva was too great a risk. Her mother’s family was the better bet, which is why they concentrated their efforts there.

  “Not if you want to do a re-election campaign,” Noah stated, leading the older man away from the topic. “Plus, Eva’s rich, who wouldn’t want to be related to her?”

  “Right.” Wayland agreed.

  “It’s better this way,” Noah stated. “Maybe I should check missing persons.”

  “Why?” Eva asked, lifting her head off his shoulder. “My mother wasn’t missing.”

  “You know nothing of your family. Not even a picture of your family, that sorta thing happens with runaways.” Noah pointed out. “And knowing your….” Noah paused as he acknowledged Wayland’s presence. “any keepsakes may have been lost or destroyed.”

  “THAT BAST…” Eva began but stopped when she caught Wayland looking at her. “That makes sense. I should’ve known. Why didn’t I think of this?”

  “Maybe I should let you two figure this out,” Wayland said, feeling like an outsider to a secret. “Noah, make a decision fast we have to start preparing for the re-election.”

  Eva closed the door behind him and muttered angrily as she paced the floor. “He always said I had no other family but him and never even said if I had a dead grandmother someplace. He purposely kept me to use me and never even gave me options for a normal life. I was his daughter! Didn’t he ever love me?”

  “Maybe he had other reasons for doing what he did.” Noah hedged.

  “Like what!!!”

  “Protecting you…”

  “I could’ve done without his brand of protection!” Eva hissed at Noah. “The man who killed my mother was dead! He should’ve just let me go.”

  “How long have you wanted to leave your life?” Noah asked her suddenly.

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “You wanted to get away from your father for years. Still, there’s the lingering feeling of looking over your shoulder. Imagine someone that deep, I don’t think your father could’ve escaped the world he created so he did what a paranoid overprotective father would do. He trained you to protect yourself, so you wouldn’t end up like your mother. In his own twisted way, I think he did love you.” Noah stated finally.

  “You think you know him better than me?” Eva huffed.

  “I tried to catch this guy for years. I came close enough for him to send you. What do you think?” Noah responded sarcastically.

  Eva stopped her pacing and looked at him. Finally seeing her father through his eyes. “And I killed him.” She whispered sadly.


  “I’m sorry,” Noah whispered, hating being the reason she had to make that choice.

  “I’m so fucked up,” Eva said tearfully. “What if this family hates me?”

  “They won’t hate you,” Noah said then smirked. “No one hates the rich relative.”

  She smiled as he intended, punching him softly in the arm.

  “Better?”

  “It’s sneaky the way you stop me from crying.” Eva retorted as she hugged him. “I made the right choice.”

  “We’ll find them, Eva. I promise you, I’ll find them.”

  * * *

  BIGFORK MONTANA

  “Mama I told you that’s not Suzanne!” That’s the First Lady. She’s too young to be Suzanne.” Rosalind repeated for what felt like a hundredth time to her frail mother. “Simon! She keeps calling the First Lady, Suzanne. Please tell her that’s not Suzanne!”

  Rosalind and Simon were brother and sister who came over every Sunday to have lunch and check on their eighty-three-year-old mother on the family ranch in Montana.

  “I already told her Rose,” Simon replied. “Maybe if I got the First Lady to come tell her herself that might help.”

  “She’s not related to us, Simon!” Rose argued once more. “You almost got arrested for trying to go near her. You’d have better luck talking to the President himself.”

  “That’s what I’ll do!” Simon agreed, ignoring Rose’s sarcasm.

  “Talk to the President!” Rose stated incredulously. “Are you crazy, Simon?”

  “Her security wouldn’t let me speak to her. They think I’m a crazy with a crush. The woman could be my daughter!” Simon argued, “The President, now he listens to the little guy. If I get to talk to him, maybe he’ll understand.”

  Rosalind had to admit it didn’t seem so stupid a plan. Sometimes her younger brother wasn’t a total idiot. “Then what? We DNA test the FLOTUS?”

  “What else are we supposed to do?” Simon asked then dropped his voice to a whisper. “She’s lingering because of Suzanne, if anything she might get closure.”

  “She should have gotten closure when the letters stopped, and the cops showed up to say she’s dead,” Rose remarked bitterly, still not forgiving her younger sister for choosing a stupid man over family.

  “The body was identified by her necklace. We barely got a corpse to bury. Maybe if she saw her properly one last time…”

  “Suzanne was always flighty. Idiot ran off with the first man that smiled at her.”

  “At least she seemed happy…”

  “At first…I don’t wanna talk about this no more.” Rosalind declared, her emotions overwhelming her.

  “We all still miss her Rosalind,” Simon whispered.

  * * *

  PRESIDENTIAL NURSERY

  “So, what have you decided?” Eva asked as they watched their children play in the playroom.

  “On one hand, I want to do what I can, on the other, there are the selfish psychopaths I have to deal with to get anything done.

  “I vote no.” Eva said “We should take our family and move far away from here. I never liked this country anyway.”

  “Woah!” Noah said. “What brought that on?”

  “A lot of things, your opinion poll being the latest. Some people say you have the makings of a wartime President.”

  “I’m definitely not that,” Noah pointed out. “because if I were, I’d be obligated to be the first man on the front lines.”

  “They don’t know you’re stupid like that.” Eva teased then continued soberly “We have everything we ever need. We don’t need this.”

  “Plus being constantly watched is irritating.” Noah put in.

  “And the kids should have a normal life.”

  “Still, I feel like I’m gonna let some idiot ruin the country after I’m gone.”

  “Eric was always going to be your replacement. He has a good shot. He would keep your policies and Liv was born to be First Lady.” Eva argued, but when she looked at him he still didn’t look convinced. “What is it, Noah?”

  “It’s the impending threat of war I’m worried about.” Noah admitted “Eric knows politics, but not battle. He would be useless if something happened.”

  “That’s what the generals are for. They’d advise him.”

  “The final decision is still his. He wouldn’t know what to do and, in those situations, delay costs lives.”

  “Is it that bad?”

  “He doesn’t care about anyone Eva. I even offered to go to him, against my advisors, so we can discuss this rationally. I don’t want war, but if he tosses so much of a pebble anywhere, I’d be on his ass.”

  21

  A New Secret

  Eva whispered, “I should prepare the kids in case. I wish I could send them to the bunkers now.”

  “This is why it has to be us, Eva. Together there’s no way we’d lose this country.”

  “So, we’re going to be heroes then. I don’t have much experience in that area, but I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

  “Thank you, Eva.” Noah responded soberly then smirked, “Batman makes Catwoman a hero. I like it!”

  “You would.” Eva replied dryly then added, “Frankly, I wanted to be Wonder Woman.”

  “Yeah, being an all-powerful goddess would appeal to you more.” Noah teased.

  “Plus, her father was also an all-powerful asshole.”

  “True.” Noah agreed as he watched Amelia and the boys, “I’m worried about them though.” He stated, jutting his head towards the children, “You’re right, they need normal lives. The twins’ first day was a media circus with at least twenty Secret Service men having to shield us from reporters. In another four years, they’ll be six and maybe able to recover from all this. Amelia on the other hand will be almost nine. This life would be all they know.”

  “Dropping them off to school is always a big show.” Eva muttered angrily, “You think they’d be bored of it by now.”

  “Are you sure you’re willing to put up with another four years of this?”

  “I’m a survivor. I’ll be fine.”

  Noah’s phone rang and checked the ID. It was Alex. He got up and walked away not wanting Eva to be excited.

  “What did you find?”

  “Nothing,” Came Alex’s reply on the other end, “but there’s a guy all the way from Ohio who has a sick mother who wants to see Eva. Don’t worry I checked his story, the sick mom part is legit. She claims Eva looks like her daughter Suzanne who ran away three years before Eva was born. What do you suggest, sir?” Alex finished, lapsing into protocol.

  “Get a DNA sample from the man and I’ll send you one from Eva and if it pans out we go see the mother if not, I’ll write him a letter or something offering regrets.”

  “Will do,” Alex said and hung up.

  “What did he find?” Eva asked from behind him.

  Noah glanced at her loafer covered feet and sighed. There were no keeping secrets from someone who could sneak up on you like that. “I need a DNA sample from you.”

  “How do you intend to collect?” Eva teased and when Noah just looked at her, she said, “Talk first.”

  “Eva let me do it my way. This could be another dead end.”

  “Fine!” Eva huffed, “What do you want, hair?”

  “Saliva will do.”

  She kissed him then laughed, “I couldn’t resist.”

  “I’ll call Suzanna to come collect,” Noah responded seriously.

  “Can you have her destroy it after?” Eva asked, and Noah looked at her strangely. “It’s better if my DNA doesn’t remain on the system.”

  “You’ve been in hospital’s before…”

  “Chosen by me. And with good reason.” Eva explained.

  “Does it need to be destroyed? Noah asked, suddenly curious if she was careless.

  “No!” Eva declared understanding. “I just like having it that way as a backup.”

  “Doesn’t it bother you that you need to
be always aware of things like that?”

  “After a while, you get accustomed to it.” Eva replied, “I’ll go to Suzanna, she can do it at the lab.” Plus, she could plant her backdoor into their database from there.

  “I guess that’s the reason I never found hair down the drain.”

  “And why I kept your apartment clean.”

  It fits the profile, Noah mused. Professional killers were always well organized. How did he miss all that? Then Eva bent over and picked up Nate and Noah got a prime view of her assets. Oh! That’s why he smirked internally.

  Eva straightened and caught him staring and remarked, “You are going to grow up someday, aren’t you?”

  “Why should I? I’ll be staring until my eyesight fades from old age. So, you’ll just have to put up with my brand of appreciation.” Noah teased as Will walked up.

  “Daddy!” He exclaimed and punched Noah in his thigh.

  “Why did he do that?” Eva exclaimed.

  “No reason.” Noah evaded quickly, and Will threw another at him and Noah picked him up whispering, “Not now.”

  “What have you done?” Eva asked and when Noah remained silent she called over Amelia. “Amelia, what has your father been doing with the boys?”

  Amelia glanced at Noah whose eyes widened as he tried to signal her not to answer.

  “Ignore him, tell me.” Eva demanded without turning, “Now Amelia!”

  “Sorry, Daddy,” Amelia began as she caved, “Daddy teaches the twins to box…”

  “And?” Eva prodded, knowing that wasn’t all.

  “And kick. He’s been teaching me too.”

  “Has he?” Eva responded coldly as she put down Nate. “Thank you, Amelia,” Eva said as she dismissed her.

  “You said we’d train Amelia…” Noah explained.

  “Eventually.” Eva countered. “I want my kids to be kids, Noah! The boys are barely three, you’re teaching them that to do what?”