Fatal Deception: Part I (13 page)

“But a few years later you did die, didn’t you, Poppa?” Geri whispered to herself closing her eyes and crying quietly.

Chapter 24

“
What?” Alondra asked at the top of her lungs. She then ran from the house with Marc close in pursuit. She wouldn’t get away from him easily.

Deidra looked on from the window.

“Honey, look at me,” said Marc, grabbing her by the arm and turning her to face him.

Cain stood at his bedroom window observing the scene while Blair lay on the bed with a warm cloth covering her eyes.

“How could you?” asked Alondra, her eyes burning with tears. “You always talk to me about being responsible, and here you go and do the most outrageous thing possible!” She screamed and cried.

Marc placed his hands on her arms trying to get her to calm down. “I know you’re upset. Just calm down and let’s talk about it,” he pleaded.

She saw Deidra staring from the window. She felt instant disgust for this woman. In just a few days she had destroyed her family. “I hate her! She ruined everything!” Alondra shouted. “I will never like her or trust her, and you know this! This is not you! Look what she turned you into!” She looked back into his eyes meaning every word.

“I know, Baby. But that’s just it,” said Marc. “I’ve been living this structured lifestyle for so long I forgot how I use to be. She reminded me how much I’ve missed.”

He tried to explain but Alondra couldn’t hear what he truly meant. She tilted her head to the side. At that moment he saw his brother in her.

“It’s good to know I brought you such a structured lifestyle and took all of your fun,” said Alondra. Her voice was low and quiet.

“I didn’t say I regretted my lifestyle, or the time I spent raising you,” said Marc. “That life was right for me at the time. But soon you’ll be off to college away from me. Maybe find some young fella for yourself? Then where will that leave me? Alone.”

“Uncle Cain and Aunt Blair will be here,” she said.

He shook his head and turned away, taking a small stroll away from her.

She crossed her arms over her chest glaring into the house at Deidra. Then he turned to look at her. She knew instantly she had angered him. His eyes were darkening.

“Your uncle and aunt will be having a baby in a few months. Hell, they may even decide they want their own place, and God forbid they should entertain that thought,” said Marc, glaring angrily.

She felt her heart sink. He had never looked at her in that way. She didn’t know what else to do so she ran to her motorcycle, jumped on and started it up.

Marc ran to stop her, but she was too quick. In an instant she was gone. He stood there helpless, and figured she would be going to Geri.

“Babe, don’t worry,” said Deidra. “She’ll come around.” She slithered up beside him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He shot her a hard glare. “Will she? I need to get out of here, myself,” he said. He snarled and headed for the garage.

Deidra started to protest, but thought better. She watched him vanish into the garage, heard his own bike start up, and watched as he sped away. She stood poised for a moment, the anger swelling up in her. Then she walked over to a random bucket, and kicked it as far as it could fly.

“That went well,” said Cain, leaving the window to sit next to his wife on the bed.

Blair removed the cloth from her face. She could tell from the sound of the two bikes Marc and Alondra had left the premises. “Alondra and Marc are gone?” she asked.

Cain nodded.

“Where is Deidra?” asked Blair.

“She’s down in the yard kicking things,” he replied.

She could tell something had just occurred to him. She rested a gentle hand on his arm. “What’s wrong, Cain? Something other than this whole fiasco is troubling you. What is it?”

He placed his hand over hers. “Look, you need to get some rest. You already gave me a scare,” he said.

She frowned and sat up in the bed. “I’ll be okay. But you had a strange look on your face. You’re worried about something, I can tell,” she continued.

He looked over to her, and rose from the bed rubbing his chin. “Maybe we should think about moving. Marc is just married, and we’re having our own child,” he said.

“No!” cried Blair. “I will not leave my home or my baby Alondra in that witch’s clutches!”

Cain stared at her strangely. He had never seen her so passionate about someone before.

“Honey, calm down,” said Cain. “I didn’t know you felt so strongly against Deidra.” He sat on the bed rubbing her leg gently.

“Oh yes, she is no good, and got just what she wanted!” said Blair angrily.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“She got Marc,” Blair scoffed.

“Marc? She didn’t even know Marc until Ben got us to do this shoot,” said Cain.

She looked at him and shook her head slowly. “She has known about his celebrity for years. And it just blew her away when both of you agreed to do this project. I wonder whose idea it really was,” said Blair.

“What are you talking about? Where did you get this?” Cain rose from the bed and walked over to the window to look out. Deidra was nowhere in sight.

“I got it from her crew members,” She nodded her head, and pursed her lips.

Cain shook his head. “Oh, Blair, that’s nothing but gossip. You have to ignore that kind of talk,” he insisted.

“It’s not gossip!” Blair corrected. “They didn’t even know I was there when they started talking. When she didn’t come back to her hotel room, and they saw that her Jeep was still parked here, they began to talk amongst themselves,” she explained.

“Still gossip,” he maintained.

Blair thought she heard a noise near their door, and quietly left the bed to go investigate. When she peered into the hall she saw no one, and closed the door.

Deidra leaned quietly against her bedroom door listening as Cain and Blair’s door clicked shut. She looked over to the bed where she had spent the most passionate night of her life with Marc. She could still feel him all over her body, taste him on her lips, and smell him in her hair. She moved onto the bed, caressing it with her hands, and laid on her back, longing for more of him. She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. “More obstacles!” she yelled. She then threw the pillow to the side. “Oh, dear Blair, you will be leaving my house… sooner rather than later,” she whispered.

Chapter 25

Alondra sped down the road trying not to cry. She didn’t know where to go. Geri had proved to be just as much as a phony as Deidra. And as it turned out, she couldn’t trust anyone but her aunt and uncle. They had always been honest and straight forward with her. She came to a familiar entranceway, and paused for only a second before turning onto it. She sped up the winding road, and upon entered the clearing, brought the bike to a standstill.

She sat looking at nothing in particular, void of any thoughts, and overcome with the emotion. She allowed the tears overflowing the wells of her eyes to fall. How long she had sat there she didn’t know. And she didn’t protest when she felt gentle arms surround her and assist her from the bike. She went freely into the house, and allowed Geri to guide her to the sofa, tears streaming down her face.

“Alondra, what’s wrong?” Geri asked affectionately. Receiving no reply, she began to fear the worst and went to the phone to call Marc. But suddenly both Alondra and Geri were startled by a deep male voice.

“I think I can shed some light on this,” said Marc. The rumble of his voice coursed through the room.

Alondra immediately came to life, hearing her father’s voice. She quickly got up and ran to the guestroom. The door slammed behind her, and they thought they heard a click of the lock.

“Wow! She must really be angry at you if she felt it was safe to come back here,” said Geri.

“I don’t get it. I thought you two were good,” said Marc nearing her.

She looked up and gingerly walked away, not sure how to explain. “We were fine until she found some things in my room while I was out jogging.” She didn’t look at him, and began to massage the back of her neck trying to relieve the tension building. This was becoming very difficult.

“What? It isn’t like Alondra to snoop in people’s bedrooms!” he boomed. He was shocked and outraged.

“Don’t be so harsh,” said Geri softly. “They weren’t put away, just lying out on my bed. I forgot and went for a jog. I guess she came looking for me, and saw them there.”

“Still, she shouldn’t have gone into your room. What has gotten into that girl?” his eyes ventured back down the hall contemplating going up to the door and demanding she open it.

“Which reminds me,” said Geri. “You were going to tell me what has her so upset.”

Marc took in a deep breath and walked closer to her. She studied his demeanor which had changed dramatically. Something was definitely wrong. It was the same look her father had on his face just before telling them he was selling the ranch.

“She’s pissed at me,” said Marc.

“Wait, have a seat,” said Geri. “You look like you need a drink.” She went to the kitchen, and emerged a few seconds later with two bottles of beer. She handed him one, and popped the top off the other downing quite bit.

Marc observed this closely as he popped the top on his own bottle. “When I’m finished telling you my problem, I intend to find out why my daughter has now turned on the woman she’s grown to care for so quickly.” He stared long and hard letting her know that was a promise, and that her little explanation hadn’t cut it.

Geri took another drink and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. This was not going to be good. How would she explain having pictures of Cain, Blair, Clarice and him, or baby pictures of Alondra, and pretending not to know them? Her dilemma, however, was pushed aside when Marc suddenly explained his story.

“There’s no other way to say this than to just say it. Deidra and I were married last night,” he said.

His words plowed through her ears thunderously. Geri jumped to her feet dropping her bottle of beer. Her eyes fell on him as the foaming brew poured all over the floor. Her body was paralyzed with shock.

What could she say? What was there she could do? This wasn’t supposed to happen. It was her he was supposed to love. At least that’s what she felt between them. Was she wrong? It didn’t make any sense.

Marc could see all of questions written all over her face and it suddenly made him reflect. A little wine, whiskey, beer, and beautiful woman can lead to stupid decisions. And led to one he was regretting sat this very moment. He was staring into Geri’s eyes, seeing the pain in them, the confusion.

All at once, Marc felt he’d betrayed her and something came over him; something greater than the both of them, and it was strong. What was between he and Geri couldn’t be denied, and he couldn’t resist her any longer. Something urged him to take a leap, so he did.

He rose to his feet, and with a single motion Geri was in his arms, and staring into his eyes. She was bewildered by his news, by this, but in his arms is where she’d always wanted to be. His mouth captured her lips. He kissed her deeply. She felt so familiar, yet so different. It was like holding his Clarice in his arms once again and yet he knew this was Geri. Yes, Geri, his mind called out her name over and over. She was the one who had imprisoned his heart as Clarice had many years ago.

At first, she tried to protest, but soon he could feel her melt into him, surrendering. She allowed him to probe her mouth freely, arousing sensations she had locked up for so long. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck. She moved more into him, wanting him, but tears fell from her eyes. She knew he wasn’t hers to have.

She slid her hands from around his neck and braced them on his chest. And with every ounce of strength in her, she pushed herself away. Their lips unlocked violently. He reached for her, but she walked quickly away.

“Geri, come back,” he pleaded.

“You have to go,” she said softly trying to catch her breath, and calm her racing heart.

He took a small step toward her but she looked at him with such pain in her eyes, such disappointment, that his heart sunk even lower than before.

“Go, now,” she insisted, pointing her finger at the door.

Geri listened as his bike roared away. Its sound faded in the distance until she was engulfed by silence, standing alone in the middle of the room. Her despair was greater than her legs could bear and she collapsed to the floor. She held herself tightly and cried for what should have been.

Marc left the scene, hurt and angry with himself for being so reckless. He knew he feelings for Geri. Why did he go and marry that woman? He has no feelings for her except friendship… and lust. That was the problem. He’d been drinking and wasn’t thinking with his brain.

He rode the bike harder than he had in a long time. In fact, not since the night Clarice died. It was like losing her all over again. Those eyes were so much like hers. He passed the rode leading up to his ranch. He couldn’t deal with Deidra right now. She would have to wait.