Betrayed (The New Yorker) (8 page)

Lisette had
resented her mother for a while after that. She didn’t speak but respectfully
did as she was instructed. When they crossed the border into the United States,
she thought everything would be better. It didn’t matter where they went; the
evil of Ricardo followed them. Lisette remembered feeling safer when her mother
started working in Adrian Ross’s house. Rosalinda kept Lisette out of sight and
all she had were books that helped her learn English.

She had
watched the motherless boy grow attached to Rosalinda all the while Lisette was
supposed to hide. But one day she was fed up with it. She went into the
gigantic kitchen and began making herself a meal. That was when Adrian Ross
walked in. Lisette was obviously scared, but she was too stubborn and hungry to
run from him. Adrian watched her for a second before sitting at the dining
table with her. They ate in silence, a silence that was quickly disrupted by
the sound of a plate breaking. Lisette turned to find Rosalinda behind her,
shattered ceramic at her feet and her hands trembling over her lips.

“I’m so
sorry, sir. I will take her away,” Rosalinda said and Lisette snorted in reply.
Staring at her food she continued eating, and when her mother tried to pull her
away she locked her legs around the legs of the chair, and held onto the table
for dear life. She wasn’t moving, and no one was going to make her leave.

“Maybe you
should let her finish her food.” Adrian came to her defense. Lisette glared at
him suspiciously, waiting for him to ask for something in return. But he
didn’t. Instead he put a piece of bacon on her plate. Lisette could feel a tear
prickle her eyes. She had vowed never to let anyone to see her weak. So instead
of saying thank you she pushed the plate away and left the dining room.

She found
herself welcome in the house. The little boy was always trying to play with
her, and no matter what she tried he wouldn’t leave her alone. Then she
realized that something else was going on between her mother and Adrian, and
there was this other man who kept on bringing his mother flowers. Months flew
by and Rosalinda announced to her that she was marrying Adrian Ross. Lisette
threw a fit, a tantrum that lasted a week. She would refuse to sleep in her new
room, no matter how magnificent it was, she vowed not to let herself succumb to
its beauty.

Lisette
wasn’t going to let her mother go through the beatings she went through with
Ricardo. Adrian had tried to reach out to her, but even his gifts and care
never softened her already hardened heart. A week later her view of Adrian
changed. Ricardo had been served with divorce papers and decided it was time to
reclaim both his wife and his child. Like the darkness that he was, Ricardo
crept into the house. Lisette only knew he was there when his hand covered her
mouth and he hauled her out of bed.

Lisette wasn’t
one to be defeated. She kicked and bit him, until finally his hand fell from
her mouth and she let out the loudest scream she could muster. The first one to
come to her rescue was AJ. He was only a year older and taller, and there was
nothing he could do could save her from Ricardo. Her mother and Adrian soon
appeared. She screamed while Adrian charged. Somehow Adrian had managed to get
her free. But Ricardo was soon overpowering Adrian—

“Ricardo was standing with his back
turned to the stair case. I could see him take something out of his pocket. I
remember thinking that if Adrian could just push him a little
bit,
Ricardo would fall down the stairs. But Adrian wasn’t
moving, so I pushed him.” Lisette took a deep breath as a tight knot of nerves
settled in her throat. “I ran as fast as I could and I pushed him with all the
strength I could muster. I was about to tumble down the stairs when AJ caught
me. When the police arrived AJ took the blame. I was so scared when they took
him to the police station. They wanted to leave me behind, but I wouldn’t have
it. I never left his side.”

“You never said anything?”

“Every time I would try he would
pinch me under the table.” She chuckled. “Adrian stepped in when he was finally
cleared by the EMTs. After a while they took us back home.”

Lisette waited for what she thought
would happen next. A horrible dread tugged at her as she waited for Reno to
stand up and run away from the girl who killed her father. But he never left.
He sat there in silence, staring at the brightening horizon, his expression
closed.

“I—” Lisette knew it was too much,
too soon. She should have waited to tell him later, maybe after they were
married and already had their first child, or on her death bed, just before the
life was about to leave her body. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you.”

She began to stand up when Reno
pulled her down onto his laps. His arms circled her as her head rested on his
strong chest. “You were just trying to protect your family. You were so little
and so protective.”

“That doesn’t turn you off?”
Lisette murmured as she let the tears drop freely.

“Now I’m confident that you are
capable of protecting our family.”

Chapter Five

From everything that Lisette had
told him the night before, only one thing had stuck in his mind. It wasn’t what
she had told him but what he had said to her,
you can trust me with anything you tell me.
He adored her even
more. That was a big secret for her to carry around the past few years. He
couldn’t imagine the strength it took her to tell him. He felt guilty because
he couldn’t even admit to her that Dennis was his biological father.

“Papa!”

Reno’s lips curved into a smile as
he watched Lisette launch herself into Adrian’s arms. His heart melted even
more when Adrian twirled Lisette around the room. Adrian was the kind of father
that he wanted to be, the kind he wished he had.

“Hey! I’m the youngest and the
favorite. Where is my hug?” He heard
Catalella
demand.

Reno felt a lump grow in his throat
as he watched Adrian with his two daughters. Although technically one wasn’t
his, he showed her equal love. So why couldn’t Dennis extend that love to his
own children?

“Morning,
Reno, how did you sleep?”

Reno’s heart froze at the sound of
Dennis’ voice. But the anger quickly thawed it out as he whipped his gaze
around to meet his. “I’m alive, so I guess that’s a good thing.” Reno smiled,
hiding his true feelings.

“That’s a great thing, to be alive.
It means you get the chance to right the wrongs of yesterday and look toward
the future.”

One black brow raised as Reno
studied Dennis suspiciously.
What the
hell was that supposed to mean.
Reno didn’t get a chance to ask when he was
attacked from behind. “What’s up, Reno?” DJ’s hot breathe tickled his eardrum.
“I was wrestling champion three years in a row. Do you think you can get me off
you?”

Reno chuckled, as he felt DJ’s grip
get tighter. “I think I can take you.”

“Get off, DJ,” Lisette barked.

“Don’t worry, babe, I can take
him,” Reno reassured her with a smile.

“Oh please do, because if I have to
listen to him brag about it again, I swear I’m going to scream,” Daniela said
as she sauntered into the room.

“That’s not fair. You are on his
back. Get off and start it over again. Uncle Dennis can referee,”
Catalella
piped in.

“No wrestling until after
breakfast,” Rosalinda declared as she signaled them into the dining room. “DJ,
don’t make me get my wooden spoon.”

“Yes, Aunt Rosa.” DJ let go and
took a step back and just as Rosalinda exited the room he said. “I would have
beaten you. You are just lucky Aunt Rosa came in when she did.”

Reno was so preoccupied with what
DJ was saying he didn’t see Lisette creep up behind him. He heard a yelp of
pain from DJ as he dropped to his knees. “You are not so tough.” Lisette said
as she dragged him along.

“My hero,” Reno murmured in her ear
as he kissed her.

“Maybe you could give me a reward
later,” Lisette said with a suggestive wink.

* * * *

“Are you sure?”
Issadora
paced around their bedroom her teeth biting hard on her nails.

Dennis watched as a sensation of
regret slammed into him. He had kept the existence of his other two children a
secret for the past twenty-four years. But now that he was sure Reno was his,
he had to tell his wife.
Issadora
didn’t believe him.

“He’s my son. I met his mother,
Kono
, a long time before I married you. I loved her and we
had two beautiful children.
Rhyne
is the same age as
DJ,” he confessed.

“You left them for your
inheritance?” Fury burned in her eyes as she glared at him. “You chose money
over your children. I don’t think I could ever understand that. Why didn’t you
just bring them to live with us after your father had died?”

“I couldn’t. Reno was already ten
and living with his mother and
Rhyne
had
disappeared.”

“What do you mean disappeared?”

“After father died I asked someone
in Hawaii to keep an eye on them. I was sure now that I was CEO no one would
question me about where the money was going.” He swallowed hard. “I stayed with
them for as long as I could,
going
back and forth for
two years.”

“Your
business trips?”
Frustrated and stymied, she stared at him.

“When you grew suspicious and had
the dangerous pregnancy with Daniela, I made a choice,” he said in a low
shame-filled voice.

“And you chose wrong!” She barked
at him. “So where is
Rhyne
now?”

“She disappeared when she was two.
Apparently
Kono’s
boyfriend gave her away or
something.”

Dennis watched as
Issadora
shook her head in disbelief. She was ashamed of
him, but no amount of shame she felt could shadow his own. His oldest daughter
was nowhere to be found while his son was in the backyard, playing touch
football with his brother. How could he explain this to everyone when he didn’t
have a way to justify his actions?

“You should be ashamed of yourself,
Dennis Kent.”
Issadora
stuttered through a cloud of
tears. “How could you abandon your children?”

“I was young and stupid. All I
wanted was to take over my father’s empire. When he threatened me I made a
decision. I can’t say it was the wrong decision because I have DJ and Daniela,
and I am happy with you,” he defended himself.

“How about
Kono
, Reno and
Rhyne
.
How do you
think they felt about your decision?” she cried. “At least you know where Reno
is, but what about
Rhyne
? She could be dead or stuck
in a place she doesn’t want to be. What if she’s with an abusive man or she’s
doing drugs? What consequences is
Rhyne
facing just
because of your decision?”

“I want to believe that she’s all
right.”

“What you want to believe and what
is actually happening are sometimes two different things, Dennis. I’m ashamed
of you.”

Dennis watched as
Issadora
stormed out of the room. He decided to follow her,
but when he stepped out into the hallway he came face to face with his eldest
son. Lost for words, Dennis just watched Reno as the glare in his eyes told him
that Reno knew the truth. But why was he here? Why now?

“Can I talk to you for a second,
son?”

“First of all I am not your son and
second, you and I have nothing to talk about.” Reno growled at him.

Dennis was just about to say
something when he heard Daniela call out for Reno. His heart broke at the
familiarity in her voice. Reno had come to New York with a plan in mind, but
because of Daniela and DJ he seemed to have either cancelled his plan or put it
on hold. Dennis watched as his son walked away from him. He promised to make it
right before the mess he made turned worse.

* * * *

“Are you all right?” Lisette
watched as Reno tried to hide the scowl that had claimed the hard planes of his
face. She could see and feel the anger that radiated from his slit eyes, as his
taut body was clenched as tightly as a fist.

“I’m fine,” he said in a firm
voice.

“I don’t believe you. When you are
ready, I’ll be here to listen.”

“Hello? Is anyone in here?”

Lisette turned her gaze to the
front door.

Lisette let out an oath and a groan
as Michael walked into the house, a stack of files in his hands. “Why are you
here? This isn’t the office, where I have to tolerate you.”

“Hallo to
you too, Lisette.”
Michael smirked. “I just brought some
files your father requested.”

“You’re lying. We both know my
father doesn’t work during the holidays.” She stared at him without blinking,
studying him suspiciously.

“Why would I be here on the Fourth
of July if it wasn’t true?”

“I don’t know, you worm. You might
have found a way to wiggle yourself back into my life.”

“Reno, Papa wants you to man the
grill. AJ and DJ keep on burning the burgers,”
Catalella
said.

Lisette watched as Michael’s gaze
left her and landed on her little sister. She recognized the look in his eyes
anywhere. It was lust and desire, the usual response
Catalella
seemed to get from men. But she wasn’t going to let this man anywhere near her
little sister.

“Oh, who’s this?” The tone in
Catalella’s
voice was also something Lisette knew too well.
She had to nip
Catalella’s
interest in the bud.

“Put them on the coffee table and
leave, Michael,” Lisette said, stepping in front of
Catalella’s
path, facing her. “You should go back and help Mama.”

“Daniela and Aunt
Issadora
are with her,”
Catalella
whined.

“Let’s go,
Catalella
.”

Lisette breathed a sigh of relief
when Reno stepped in. At least she knew she could rely on
Catalella’s
crush on Reno to help her out. She would tolerate it, as long as it kept
Catalella
out of trouble.

“Why are you trying to keep your
sister away from me?” Michael smirked as he walked toward her. “I like
her—she’s pretty.”

“She also has an older brother who
would bash your face in if you hit on her,” Lisette spat out.

“I’m sure little
Catalella
gets whatever she wants. I’m sure she can wrap
her big brother around her finger.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Reading between the lines was something Lisette had learned when she began to
work with Dennis. She could hear Michael’s intentions.

“Maybe if you would go out with me,
my interest in the youngest Ross could be squashed.”

That was a threat if she ever heard
one. Lisette took a purposeful step toward him. She was going to rip him apart,
but her intentions were interrupted by her father.

“Michael,
Catalella
told me you were here. Do you have the papers we asked you to bring?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sweetheart, go call your uncle for
me.”

Lisette didn’t move for a while,
unsure whether or not she should out the creep to her father.

“Lisette?”

“Yes,
Papa.”
Lisette turned around and headed to the backyard where they were
all grilling. After giving Dennis her father’s message she sat next to Reno.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she lied.

* * * *

“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Adrian asked once he and Dennis were alone in his office.

Adrian had had his most trusted
associate draw up papers that stated Dennis was transferring his family
business to all four of his children upon his death, with Reno at the helm of
things. In his way he was making things right, and Adrian had to admire
Dennis’s attempt. But he didn’t think Reno wanted money. He wanted something
that he would never get—memories and a happy childhood.

“What about
Rhyne
?”

“I hired an investigator. For what
I am paying him, he’d better find my daughter tomorrow,” Dennis swore.

“I don’t think it will be that
easy.
Kono
and the boyfriend are both dead, and I
don’t think Reno will remember anything.” Adrian studied his friend’s broken
expression. “You could ask him.”

Dennis barked out a laugh and gazed
at Adrian incredulously. “Just after I told
Issadora
the truth I met him in the hallway. I made the mistake of calling him son. I
swear I thought he was going to break me in half.”

“What stopped him?”

“Daniela, he heard her voice and it
was like nothing else mattered.”

“He already loves his sister.”

“That is why I desperately need to
find
Rhyne
. I want to tell them the truth when all
four of them are with me.”

“I’m not judging you but—” Adrian
paused, his head shaking in disbelief. “I could never leave my children.”

“You are a better man than I am.”

* * * *

Reno watched how Lisette was
studying Michael and
Catalella
as they talked. He
noticed AJ watching them too, but couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t step
in. “If I were you I would get
Catalella
away from
that man.”

“No,” Lisette and AJ answered in
unison.