Broken Wings (A Romantic Suspense) (71 page)

I'm being silly. I don't believe in stupid things like love at first sight. I barely even know him. He lost his virginity to a stripper, even if he did make it sound… if not romantic, somehow exotic.

"Diana?"

Mom hasn't sounded this nervous in a long time. I walk over to the bedroom and peek in the door. She's sitting on the bed.

"How do I look?"

I'm not sure what she wants me to say. The way she's done up her hair makes more of the gray show, and she went light on makeup. She's pretty, looks ten years younger than she is, and she's pretty lean from her crazy hours and weird diet. She looks vulnerable, though. I've never seen her look like this.

She pats the bed next to her. I slip into the room and sit down at her side.

"Are you okay? You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"Of course I am. This is all so surreal. When I'm with him everything makes perfect sense, but my God, I married a man I knew for less than five days and now I'm going to reaffirm it in front of all my friends."

I grab her hand. "You know, it's easy to get an annulment on these crazy Vegas marriages."

I have no idea if that's true or not, but it sounds right, right?

She shakes her head. "No, I'm just nervous, that's all. I know you don't approve of this."

"I'm not sure what I approve of. I mean, if he's like his son…"

She smiles, but it's a wan, sad smile. "Oh, he is."

Oh my God. I turn beet red, feel the flush creeping up my face.

She laughs. "You will always be my daughter. I wish we could be close again, like when you were younger. What happened to us?"

"I grew up and you didn't like it."

I blink a few times, and my eyes are wet. Oh, come on. Not now.

She puts her arms around me and I have to scrub at my eyes with my fingers and try to hold back the tears.

"I didn't want you to leave me. I'm so sorry. For so long you've been all I have. I don't know how you came to think the museum was more important to me, but I'm sorry. I hope we can find a way to mend it."

"So, are you going on a honeymoon?"

She pulls back. "No, I don't think so. We sort of did that already." She sniffs, and grabs a tissue to rub at her eyes. "I'll be happy when this is over. It's just nerves. I don't even know why I'm doing it."

"You want him to be part of your life. Um."

"Yes?"

I sigh. "Are we moving in with them? Are they moving in with us?"

"I don't know about Apollo. Steven will move in here. His son is a grown man. I would hope he would have the sense not to, given…"

I fold my hands in my lap and look at the floor.

"He's not the only fish in the sea, Diana. At least you didn't discover he was wrong for you five years from now, or longer."

"Yeah. I just…"

"Yes?"

My sigh turns into a sob. "What if he
is
right for me? It felt so right. I've never felt like that with anybody before."

"I thought you liked Lucas."

My head shoots up. "Mom, where did you get that ridiculous idea? Lucas is a he-whore and he's
awful
. I don't trust him to be alone with me, much less date him."

"Why didn't you tell me."

"I tried. You weren't listening."

She rests her forehead against the side of my head. "I know. I'm sorry, sweetie. My ears are open now. What are you trying to tell me?"

"I don't know."

She sighs, and stands up. "The guests will be arriving soon. We need to be presentable."

I nod. "I just need my shoes."

"You look beautiful. I should have told some of my friends to bring their sons. You'll have ten of them sniffing after you by the end of the night."

I snort. "I'm not in the mood. Maybe after I have some college credits under my belt."

"Don't wait too long. I know we haven't had a real talk about this, but as long as you're careful and use protection, there's nothing wrong with some… experimentation."

I just stare at her. She stands up, and I flee the room before she explains what she meant. Back in my own room, I finish getting ready, slip into my own shoes, and head downstairs to greet the guests. Bob is the first to arrive. He chats with Mom while the caterers set up. Antonio's is taking care of the food. For that, I am very happy. Unfortunately I can't touch it until this farce is over. I try not to look bitter. I want some of that gnocchi they're warming up in a chafing dish. One by one by two, more guests trickle in, and then about fifteen arrive at once.

The groom appears last.

My heart skips when I see Apollo. He gets out of the car and looks at me for the briefest second before turning away to open the door for his father, and my knees go weak. A look of genuine anguish crumples his face as he turns away from me. His father walks into the house, beaming, as my mother runs off to hide. I'm going to have to go get her in a moment. I do the greeting.

"Hello, Diana," Apollo mutters, looking away from me.

"Hello, Apollo."

When he thinks I'm not looking he stares at me, and I swear I see a tear threatening to form in his eye. He looks like he's going to his grave.

There is something
wrong
here.

He brightens up when it's time for me to go get Mom. She's pacing the dining room, and grins nervously when she sees me. I nod and take her arm, and we walk out into the living room.

For a moment this feels real, and right. All her friends are here. Bob is going to officiate. The living room has never felt so bright, so full. I find myself smiling. I walk up to Bob with her, and she stands next to the man she's already married. Vows are exchanged, they sound like something on TV. He puts a ring on her finger, and there's clapping. I join in. So does Apollo.

He's the only one not smiling. I start to frown too, then force myself to perk up when Mom turns to face me.

Please, don't hurt her. Not now. Please don't hurt my mother, I beg you.

From there it's a simple matter of going through the reception motions.

My unease grows by the instant. I watch this stranger dance with my mother to an Elvis CD playing on her old boombox.

Fools rush in, indeed.

I just need to get away from Apollo and get my mind off of all of this. Dinner first, then cake. That steamer tray full of gnocchi has my name all over it. Antonio's makes the best, the sauce thick with ricotta cheese and bits of sausage, all stewed together to perfection.

Then Apollo grabs my arm.

"We need to talk."

"No."

"Please. Diana please, just give me a few minutes. I'm begging you."

"Fine. Where?"

"Outside. Anywhere but here."

I slip away from the revelry and Apollo follows. I can feel his eyes on me, drinking me in, pulling me to him. I try to make myself full of cold fury directed at him, but I just can't. Sooner or later people are going to see us talking.

'This way."

I lead him through the back door and out behind the house. As soon as the door closes, I round on him.
 

"What is it? What do you want?"

"We need someplace more private."

"Not a chance in hell. You're lucky I went this far with you."

"Diana,
please.
You need to hear what I have to say. Please."

Damn him to hell.

"Fine," I sigh. "This way."

There's a path that leads away from the old house, towards the viewing pond. There's a bench and a stand of trees here, a perfect place to talk about whatever this is.

"You can't mean to make a play for me," I snap at him. "You’re my brother now. Stepbrother. Whatever."

He rubs at his eyes. Why is there a big bruise on his jaw? How did I not spot that before? I almost reach for it
 
but clutch my hands together instead.

"Say what you have to say, or I'm leaving."

"I'm not who you think I am. Neither of us is."

I blink a few times. "What the hell are you talking about."

"There is no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

He tenses, drawing in a breath that doesn't come out. Something is happening here. I feel everything slowing down, the world thickening like oil in the cold. Something that's going to define the rest of my life is about to happen.

"My father and I are professional thieves. We're here to steal that Vermeer painting. The whole point of this is to get close to your mother so we can get the passcode and encryption key for the vault."

I snicker. Then I snort. Then I bust out laughing.

"Is this a joke? Do you think you can feed me some lame story so I'll forget what I…" I close my mouth and turn away.

"Diana please, listen to me. This is not a joke or a wild story or a prank. It's the truth, I swear on my mother's grave." His voice tightens. "Please."

When I turn back I see the wet in his eyes.

I haul off and slap him, hard. I throw my full body into it. When my hand connects to his jaw it snaps his head to the side and he stumbles. Then I do it again, knock him the other way. He falls to his knees.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let this happen. I should have done something sooner, but it was too late and… I couldn't. I couldn’t just use you and leave. I need you."

"Need me? Fuck you, Apollo. Do you think I believe this bullshit? Professional thieves? Do I look
stupid?"

"You… you don't believe…"

He rises to his feet so quick I jump back a step, stumble, almost fall, and he grabs my arms. His grip is like a pair of vices clamped on my wrists.

"Listen to me. What do you know about my father? About me? Think about all the times you asked me questions and I completely evaded them.
Think
, Diana. How long has he been on the donor list, do you know?"

"He's n-new," I choke out. Oh God, what if he's telling the truth?

"All the times you asked me about where I was from, how I grew up. We rehearsed fake stories but I couldn't make myself lie to you, so I just kept my fucking mouth shut instead. I wanted to tell you the truth. My father fucked my mother while he was doing a job, while he was stealing, and the condom broke."

He releases my wrists and points to himself. "Voila, me. When my mom got cancer and died he picked me up and started training me. He made me
like him
. That's why my first was a stripper. My first time was
almost
with an escort that lived with us in Prague. She was banging him, too, and offered to 'make me a man'. I've stolen so much shit, thrown so much money away on gambling and… and things, I don't even know where to start. I thought it was the only way. I thought we were robbing to the rich and giving to the poor, but the people that sent us here to steal that painting…" he trails off, scrubbing his hands in his hair and gritting his teeth.

"So it was a lie," I choke out. It feels like I swallowed a bag of cement. "It was all a lie, wasn't it? That was the plan. Get into my pants while they were in Vegas so you could rifle through my Mom's things and steal the codes for the vault. You
motherfucker
. I'm calling the police-"

"I didn't," he pleads, reaching for me. I just barely evade his grasp. "I didn't look, I didn't give him anything. I wanted to tell you the other day when you… when we were almost going to… I tried but I couldn't, he's my
father.
If we don't do this, they'll kill us."

"Very convenient. We'll find out if this is true when I go the head of security and get the police. The FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the FDA, I'm calling fucking everybody. I hope it's true and they put you two in prison forever, until you rot, you pig. It
 
was all a lie, wasn't it? Tell me? Tell me it was all a lie."

"It wasn't, just let me-"

"No."

I turn on my heels and stride towards the house. He throws himself at my feet, locks his arms around my waist and presses his face into my back.

"It wasn't. It was all true. I've never
felt
anything for anyone before. Not like you. I love you, Diana. I want to be with you, but I can't.
 
No matter what happens I have to go. You'll be in danger if I try to stay, one way or another. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me. Please."

"I…"

I hate you.
Say it!

I turn around and shove him back and tumble on top of him in the grass, under a tree. He pulls me to him and our lips meet in the deepest kiss we've ever shared, full of loss and hunger and desire.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't fix this. I can't make it right."

I silence him with another kiss, and another, and another. We can't do this here. Someone could see us.

It's too late. It's
going
to happen.

He grasps my shoulders, gingerly, and pushes me back, pulling me away from him. I try to kiss him anyway but he's too strong.

"We can't. Please. I can't stay with you. I can't be with you."

"Shut up," I snap at him, and wriggle out of his grasp to fall on him again, wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard.

His fingers find my hair. His other hand slides up my leg, under the hem of my dress. Just his touch on the outside of my thigh sends a spasm of heat flaring through my body.

I get up, tug his hand. He rises to his feet and I pull him along away from the path, where someone could see us. Behind the park bench, back, into the trees. There he seizes me by the waist and
 
pushes me up against the tree, driving my legs apart, around him, crushing against me, surrounding me, possessing me. It's the other way around. He's
mine
. The passion is here. This is my passion. I feel like this moment is the only reason I've existed at all. My future is in his arms.

"Did you ever hurt anybody," I murmur, so close our breath is one.

"No. Never hurt anybody. Never stole from anybody who couldn't afford it."

"What changed? Why us?"

"Dad got in deep. I didn't know. Bad people have something over him. I can't fix this, Diana. I have to go. It's the only way you can stay safe…"

"You're not getting rid of me that easily. You don't get to rip my heart out. I won't allow it."