Devastating Secret: Book 2 - Secret Series

by M Brereton

  He continued laughing until the video ended.

  “I don’t think he likes what he got himself into,” Noah said worriedly.

  Eva said nothing but clicked on the next video. Terrance appeared once more this time dressed in a three-piece business suit, thick gold chain around his neck and rings on all his fingers. Big aviator glasses on his eyes.

  “Hello again sweetie, I wish I could watch you grow up. From the picture the Molino’s sent, I see you’re looking more and more like your mother every day. They tell me you’re the top student in your class, so you got your old man’s brain. That’s good. I miss you, pumpkin.” He paused, taking the glasses off, then continued as he leaned towards the camera. “I’m making plans for us. A secret island where no one will find us. I have to bring Ethan as well. I’ll tell you who he is later.” He brushed it off. “I owe David. I’m gonna do right by his boy. Now about our island…” He whispered then a knock came, and he whipped out a gun so fast then called, “What is it? I asked not to be disturbed!”

  Through the door came a muffled reply, “We have a problem boss.”

  “Fuck!” Terrance cursed, “Oh, excuse me, baby.” He apologized to the camera, “Sorry to cut our chat short, but Daddy has business to take care of. Love you, pumpkin.”

  Then he turned off the recording.

  He was making video chats to her. Eva thought sadly. He checked up on her and he missed her.

  “Eva?” Noah called softly as he watched her, “I think that’s enough…”

  “No!” Eva said as Noah tried to turn off the computer.

  “Baby, you’re crying,” Noah stated carefully. Eva swiped angrily at the tears she hadn’t realized she was shedding and clicked on another video.

  “Pumpkin, you’re getting too pretty. You’re gonna make me kill a few boys, aren’t you?” Terrance began glancing at a picture of her. I told Molino to keep those little shits who come sniffing in line. My little girl isn’t some two bit who…ah…what I mean is only the best for my baby. Any guy interested got to meet my standards. No losers… like her father. A good man… Let’s hope I can at least come to your wedding…” He sighed tiredly. “Don’t grow up so fast, pumpkin. The training you’re getting will help you …it may seem like I’m doing a bad thing, but this is for you. You are all that’s left of her …I can’t …lose you too.” He sighed, running his hand over his face. “I’m getting old. I can feel them circling. Always circling…It never ends. It’s too late for me. Maybe too late for you… You get strong sweetie and we’ll take them on. Together we’ll be unbeatable. I’ll work it out you’ll see. I promise you. We will be a family and you’ll be safe. I promise.”

  She immediately clicked on another and she watched him age another year as he spoke tearfully.

  “You hate me! I knew you’d hate me! That fucker Molino… how dare he touch you! He was supposed to keep you safe! They tried to keep it from me, but I got connections! I wish I didn’t have to make it look like an accident and that bitch stood by! Don’t worry baby, she’ll get hers too! She should have told me! I messed up, but Daddy stopped him in time. He’s not gonna hurt you anymore. He’s lucky the fucking Marchesi’s are so picky about people getting killed on their territory. I am so sorry baby. Daddy’s gonna do better. We’ll be together soon don’t you worry. I love you, baby.”

  Eva was weeping copiously as she clicked on the next video. Her tears flowed as she watched video after video of her father professing he missed her and loved her. The videos after the meet were filled with apologies, wishing he could do it over. Hoping one day she would understand.

  In the final video he looked tired and fed up. He griped to the camera.

  “I knew this day would come. You’re going to leave me. You choose him. I knew you would. You look at him the way your mother looked at me. You try to hide it, but I know it’s real. I can’t even hate the fucker. He’s a good boy…man. He’ll make you happy,” He paused, and a huge smile spread across his face, “My baby is getting married! And I can’t walk her down the aisle because…she can’t be seen with me! All this money, everything, I’d give it up to be able to walk you down the aisle. I’d pay good money to shake Noah’s hand too.

  The way he defended you at the brunch, I knew the boy was worthy. But it’s a good plan and if this goes well baby we’ll be unstoppable! Bringing him on might be difficult. He seems to have ‘ideals’. That may be a problem. I don’t want to make you a widow, honey, but if he can’t toe the line…I may have to break him down to our level. Maybe his ‘friend’ can help him see our cause. Once on our side and as President, the world will be ours.”

  His eyes glinted fanatically as he uttered, “We’ll destroy them all the cartels, the mafias. All of them. It would be a one world order – my order! You’ll be a princess…wait a queen. I’ll be a God! Just picture it. No more of these penny ante schemes with that loser or even the Marchesi. Ha, ha baby! We’d be the boss of all bosses! I can’t wait!” Looking heavenward he closed his eyes and said, “Not too bad for a broke nobody huh, Suzie. Our baby is getting married and becoming First Lady. I did good, didn’t I Suzie? You be there for both of us. Make her understand its best this way,” He sighed with his head hung low and muttered finally, “I’m doing the right thing, aren’t I? This will be good…right? Too late anyway,” He switched off the camera.

  Eva collapsed in Noah’s lap weeping. Her father wasn’t evil. He was trapped as she was with no way out. He was doing what he had to do to protect her, and she had killed him. If only they had both spoken of their feelings, he would’ve been alive today. If she had told him she loved him and actually meant it maybe he would’ve done things differently. She made her father evil. She was the monster. She was the murderer.

  “Eva STOP!” Noah’s voice and hands held her in a vice grip, “Please baby, drop the knife!”

  It finally occurred to her she was trying to slit her wrist. Where and when she picked up the knife she couldn’t say, but the strength of Noah’s arms and the pleading in his voice had stopped her, but should she stop?

  She was tainted. Everyone around her, she poisoned. She was no good. She killed her own father and cousin. Her mother died protecting her and everyone she’s ever known was killed. She needed to get away from Noah and the children before she hurt them too.

  “Get away from me!” Eva ordered.

  “No. Not until you drop the knife,” Noah protested.

  She dropped it and he picked it up quickly then searched her for more and removed them. He tossed them onto the desk and when her eyes went there he said sternly, “No,” before enveloping her in a hug, “This wasn’t your fault. You made a judgment call based on what you knew. You didn’t know he thought that way. He should have explained everything. He expected love and loyalty when he showed none. It was not your fault. You didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t know him at all,” Eva whispered.

  “And you have family and real friends that will be devastated if you do what you’re thinking Eva. Amelia and the boys will lose their mother and maybe their father too because I don’t want to live without you,” Noah admitted tearfully as he held her tighter, “Promise me you won’t do it Eva, swear on my life you won’t!”

  “I swear. I’m sorry,” Eva cried, “I’m so sorry, Daddy!”

  “It wasn’t your fault. He dropped you off to live with strangers and never told you he loved you. He made decisions without telling you. And never showed he cared. He was so focused on keeping you safe he forgot you needed to know he loved you too.”

  “I should’ve talked to him. But I was afraid. He didn’t like any show of weakness. If he’d just explain…. God, I didn’t even want to talk to him and barely listened when he did! I acted like a spoiled brat and schemed to rid myself of him.”

  “You didn’t know. This isn’t all on you…”

  “I KILLED HIM!” Eva groaned, “He was trying to be a father and I killed him!”

  40

  The Nightmare
s Begin

  There was no consoling Eva. She was a shell. She did her duties during the day and cried herself to sleep at night. Waking up screaming for her father. After her first scream, Noah had to inform the Secret Service that she was having nightmares and that she had them before and they were back. It was only a partial lie.

  Her lack of sleep was beginning to affect her otherwise flawless appearance. Dark circles formed around eyes that were perpetually red-rimmed from crying and she wasn’t eating properly. To combat this, Noah had many family mealtimes, so she had to eat in front of them. She always harped to the kids about eating properly and cleaning their plate, so now she had to do the same.

  Noah was also glad he wasn’t returning to the Oval office. The way Eva was behaving they needed to be more low key. He planned a family trip to visit the Decker’s for Christmas and invited Ethan along. He needed all the help he could get, and Eva would have the support she needed.

  He couldn’t wait for the elections to be over. Eric ate up the attention like a pro. There was no doubt he was winning; the competition had assumed they’d be going up against Noah and didn’t bother to put up much of a fight. The switch shocked them, and they were unprepared giving Eric a better chance.

  In a month, he would be out of this political nightmare and could focus on his wife and kids. God, he missed Eva. Even though she slept next to him, it was like she was in another planet. She cried silently whenever she thought she was alone until her grief was building a wall between them.

  He held her when she allowed him to and tried to offer comfort as best he could, but she continued to pull away. Noah knew why too. She thought she would hurt them. She thought she was a monster. Fucking Welker! Shit…his name was Green wasn’t it? He gave Eva his real last name. Why didn’t he just talk to her? No, that would’ve been something he would do. Any attention he showed her would’ve seemed like a show of weakness and he wouldn’t want anyone to know he cared that much about her. He protected her, but didn’t let her know he cared and as a result she didn’t.

  What a mess! It never ends. The man was dead and still they couldn’t get out from under his shadow. He wished he killed him or arrested him at least, then Eva wouldn’t be in this state right now. How were they going to get over this one? Noah really hoped the family trip would show her she had a lot to live for and her father was the problem, not her. They should leave him where he is dead and buried.

  “That’s it,” Noah cried out. He would take her to her father’s grave. Maybe she’ll get to apologize in person and finally get closure. He called Suzanna, “Moss I need to use the ME van. We’re making another cemetery trip.”

  “I already put Gwendolyn back…”

  “No. Not for that. Hopefully we’re going to bury Eva’s father once and for all.”

  “Is something wrong? She hasn’t returned any of my calls.”

  “Very, but I’m hoping a trip to see her father will close the door on all his demons.”

  “He’s been dead almost four years. What damage could he possibly do?”

  “You’d be surprised,” Noah responded drolly, “Can tomorrow night work for you?”

  “It’s died down over here since you had us busting heads left and right. Probably the calm before the storm…so tomorrow is fine.”

  “Glad to know it worked,” Noah replied before repeating, “Tomorrow at 1 then. Thanks.”

  “Tomorrow,” Moss repeated and hung up.

  He really hoped this worked because he had no more ideas. Just once he’d like them to catch a break. Their life was a roller coaster that they never wanted to ride, but somehow ended up on and now they can’t seem to get off the damn thing! Just when he thought it was over and they could enjoy their life together some crap happened. Eva was right, he should’ve left things alone, but the agent in him never liked loose ends and Welker was one huge loose end. Well, he finally got his answers, at the expense of his wife’s sanity.

  He should’ve stopped digging after he found her family. She said it was enough he should’ve let it be enough, but no, he had to dig deeper. He had to know and now Eva knew something she should‘ve never known, not after what happened.

  Fuck! Noah suspected Welker’s actions weren’t crazy. He always wondered what his motivation was, now he knew. Eva was his motivation. She was the reason he did all that he did. His revenge for her mother made him a mafia boss. A job he never wanted, but once there he had to stay strong and powerful enough to ensure no one would dare hurt his little girl. Then he made her strong enough to survive in his world, so they could be together. The things he did and knew ensured he could never leave that life unscathed. No wonder he smiled in death. He was finally free.

  Maybe he should tell Eva that. Yeah, he could already see how that would go down, “Baby when you slit his throat you actually did him a favor. He wanted to die and doing him quick like that was the best thing you could’ve ever done for him.” Noah would be lucky if she didn’t slit his own throat for that statement.

  He wondered if she regretted her choice now. She chose to protect him over a father, she thought, thought nothing of her, but now she knew differently. “I wonder if she blames me.” Noah thought. After all, if she had done as ordered she would still have her doting Daddy. Then he suddenly had a disturbing thought, what if she decides to set things right by killing him? His Eva would never hurt him but in her current state of grief who knows what she’d do?

  He had to talk to Eva. She only gave nods and non-committal murmurs when she replied, but they needed to talk. He had to stop her from overthinking this thing before this thing with Wel…Green spelt more trouble for them.

  Suddenly, Noah wanted a drink and bad. His head ached, and he was sure he got a few gray hairs since this thing started. He wondered what else was on the flash drive? Noah walked over to the minibar and poured himself a drink. He pulled the flash drive out of his pocket and glared at it. He had been carrying it around since he forced Eva to open it. Boy, did he fucking regret that move!

  He sipped the whiskey and continued to stare at it. Should he? It was right to wait on Eva, but when would that be? Fuck it. It was better if he saw it alone, who knows what other surprises he had. Tossing back the rest of the whiskey. He went to the computer and put it in and opened the Instructions file.

  “I’m glad you’re older when you get this or else it’s going to get confusing real fast.” Green began. “You have a cousin named Ethan. He is the one that gave you this. He is David’s true son by his girlfriend, Gwendolyn. Your second cousin, Cooper’s father, Lucas was my cousin on my mother’s side. These boys you can trust. Lucas, unfortunately, wanted out and I had to trim our family tree a bit.

  Anyway, Ethan has all the paperwork and my official will. He can’t open it without your retinal scan. It’s currently in a bank vault in Belize. It also has the coordinates to our island, burn after memorizing. Besides the business, you’ll notice there is no expensive artwork or jewelry at the houses or in the vault for that matter. Get to the island, you’ll know why.

  The house was purchased under the business, so it’s not tied to me. In fact, as of eight years ago, I’m just a figurehead for my own company. I stopped signing stuff on the legal side and handing everything over to Ethan in trust until you collect the will.

  Ethan can run the company indefinitely, but in essence, it’s not his. There was a clause in everything he signed that the business belonged to you as a silent owner. With a decent lawyer, he can cause problems, but you know how to deal with that, don’t you, baby?

  All in all, if things got too crazy, I made us an exit. Get to Belize, use the key that came in the box it was hidden under the flash drive. You’ll need Ethan’s key as well. Tell Cooper you’re related, maybe that will kill his little infatuation with you and I’m proud you did Antonio in. The crazy little fuck had it coming. I am sorry you had to put up with him for so long.

  I had a plan for him too, but…plans change. Wish I could join you. You’re gon
na take that Agent with you, aren’t you? He’s a good guy…I suppose. Okay, I’m proud he’s my future son-in-law, but why did he have to be on that flat foot! I mean… there are so many rich fucks you could marry, and they’d have a heart attack the next week. Oh no, you had to choose the one bloodhound on my ass! I sent you to give him the kiss of death! Not kiss him to death!”

  He took a deep breath and sighed, gathering his composure as he continued, “I know you’ve fallen for him. You try to hide it but damn, I see the way you look at him. Why can’t you look at me that way? So much love and worship. He treats you right doesn’t he? Of course, he does, you won’t take anything less. That’s my girl! Make him earn you. He’s a fucking hero. Born from a hero and now your hero. I wish I was your hero. All I wanted to be was your hero.

  I hope in death I’m at least deserving of that. I love you, baby. I’m gonna give your mama a kiss for you. Then again, maybe I’ll just wave…” Green chuckled sadly. “I know I wasn’t the best of fathers, but I did do my best. I’ll be seeing you… or let’s not. We’re not exactly heavenly material, maybe your mama’s been praying for us. I’ll pray for you. Whatever good it will do. Love you, Pumpkin.”

  Noah’s head was reeling. That’s why when he died there were no assets to freeze, nothing had his name in it. Bloodhound? That’s what he thought. Noah smirked, pleased to know he made a dent enough to be noticed.

  “I wonder where the island is.” Noah mused aloud.

  “What island?” Eva asked.

  41

  I Miss You

  “Ugh…” Noah groaned.

  “What island?” She repeated.

  “I need to talk to you,” Noah said instead.

  Eva’s eyes narrowed and she folded her arms under her breasts. “About what?”

  He looked around the desk, pulling out drawers. “First…where’s the box the flash drive came in?”

  “In the case …why?