The Deception series boxset: FaCade, Cadence, Beneath Innocence (21 page)

I swallowed to remove the restriction in my throat. “No, to be honest I’m struggling.”

He gave me a sad smile then leaned into me, his soft lips kissing my forehead. “It’ll come, baby. Give it time.”

I nodded in return. He seemed so sincere, but I hadn’t imagined the evidence this room was not a studio where I’d worked, I knew it. “Yeah.”

He sighed then held up his phone, reminding me he had to go.

“I’m okay, better now. Go.”

He nodded and walked away but then paused near the door and turned back to me. “Listen, I’m sorry… about earlier.” I didn’t answer him, I couldn’t and if I was being honest with myself about how wrong it was then I needed to be as honest with him because there was no way I ever wanted a replay of what transpired earlier.

I released the breath I was holding trying to cover my anxious state by looking down at my feet instead of directly at him.

“I… I don’t like that side of you, Dante. You scare me.” It was the truth and since seeing this room and writing a completely different name to the one he and everyone used for me, that couldn’t have been truer.

“Mmm.” He nodded as if agreeing with me, stunning me. “I have to sort something but go put on a dress and meet me in the hallway in about an hour.”

I stared at him with a frown. “Why?”

“I think it’s about time I took you on a date.”

I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening. “You mean… on land?”

He chuckled, transforming his usual stern expression into light-hearted beauty. “Well, I have many things to cater for my personal side in the house but a restaurant is not one of them. So yes, we’ll be dining on the mainland tonight.”

I couldn’t contain all the emotions bubbling in my gut, relief to actually be leaving the house and excitement at actually being around other people. Maybe I could slip away, find somewhere to stay for a while until I could find out all the things not making sense.

I was trembling and annoyed with myself for it. He would notice my behavior and assume I was really sick, changing his mind about taking me. I schooled my meltdown. Inhaling a calming breath, I slipped a façade into place. “Thank you,” I said with a fake grin, one I imitated well according to his answering smile back at me, albeit soft.

His steps reduced the space between us, his fingers gently running across my lips. “You have such a beautiful smile.”

My heart swelled and then deflated with his genuine tenderness. I was so confused by everything. My emotions were shredded, I felt like just when I grasped onto something it was ripped from me to mock me, taunt me. Who was Star? Who was Faye? Who was Dante?

“That’s because you put it there.” I tried not to flinch at my own lies.

Maybe I was seeing too much into my name, maybe I used a pen name of sorts and everyone called me by that? My mind was trying to find a reasonable explanation but my heart pounding in my chest was telling me my instincts were correct… None of this was normal.

I needed to look for my passport or bank statements to confirm my identity before asking Dante to explain himself. I needed proof so he couldn’t feed me another story or deny my claims. He had a way of making me forget my questions. Forget the wrong in everything happening around me, to me. He made me feel responsible for taking away his apparently kinky and totally in love fiancé. I didn’t want to question his motives without proof and ruin the chance of him not taking me inland.

“Then I must remember to make you smile more often.”

His voice brought me out of my musings. He was studying my face. I nodded, biting my lip seductively to cover the doubt in my eyes as I pushed him towards the door. “Go, hurry with what you need to do. I’ll be waiting.”

He laughed, shaking his head at my eagerness before he turned and pulled the door to behind him.

I couldn’t breathe! I collapsed to the ground dragging air into my lungs. I startled when a shrill rang out into the room. Scanning the walls and surfaces for the ringing phone, I located a sleek black handset on the far wall.

“Hello?” I answered warily.

“Don’t get lost in any work Belle, you need to get ready!” The phone dial echoed down the line. That was it?

Oh god I was holding a phone… but who could I call?

Holding the phone I stared at the digits before my thumb worked over the keypad from memory, my eyes widening at the surprising recollection of numbers. Ringing sounded through the ear piece. My mouth dropped open, my ragged breathing almost dulling out the sound. Adrenaline pumped my heart harder.

Click

“Who’s this?”

Gasping I dropped the receiver. It was Dante. He sounded upset. I scrambled to pick it up.

“I’m sorry… I’m getting ready now.”

His intake of breath seized my heart. I quickly ended the call. I ran from the room towards our bedroom to get ready, my strides as fast as my heart beat.

Applying another coat of lipstick I studied the finished me in the mirror and practiced my smile. I hoped it would convince Dante.

My mind filtered back to earlier and the discovery of my real name. “Shit!” I hissed when I realized I’d left the paper on the table for him to find.

Rushing back to the studio, I snatched it up and tore it into tiny long strips, making it indecipherable, then went to drop the pieces into the bin in front of the window.

A movement outside caught my attention. A small brick building sat at the very back of the garden. It was virtually covered in ivy which was the reason I hadn’t spotted it earlier.

My stomach tightened when Dante stepped out with the doctor. Shit, what was her name? She was talking to Dante, her mouth moving rapidly as he buttoned up his shirt. She said something to him and he threw his head back and laughed. Dante never laughed; unless he just didn’t laugh around me. Even from far away I saw the lust in her eyes. She bit her lip and reached up to straighten his collar, rubbing her hand down the planes of his chest and abs. Tears sprung to my eyes but I blinked them back. Dante nodded at her then turned and locked the door, slipping the key into his pocket as the doctor slid her hand up and down his arm.

I winced when my teeth sank so far into my bottom lip I could taste the copper tang of my blood. He nodded again, saying something to her before she turned and walked towards the driveway as Dante ventured up the garden towards the house.

My heart skipped when her head turned up, her gaze colliding briefly with mine. Her step faltered for a second but then she stopped. I watched in mortification as she slipped something out of her pocket; panties. She stood right there for me to see as she slipped them up her legs back into place. What a skanky whore! She told me we were friends.

I screwed my eyes shut and turned away from the window before he spotted me. It was obvious what they had been doing. I didn’t like her when I first met her, and the bitch had claimed to be my friend. My vision blurred as my blood roared through my veins in fury. My fists clenched by my sides as my jaw tightened. I was so damn angry. How many fucking lies was he telling me? The first was my name, but why? Why hide that? Then there was a studio no one had ever used which didn’t make sense as I was supposed to be a renowned artist. And now the evidence of an affair.

Something was seriously wrong. I needed to know what was in that building. It was definitely important if Dante had the need to lock the door. My stomach churned when I thought of what could actually be in there. I knew he preferred the more kinky sex; maybe it was some sort of dungeon, a BDSM boudoir too extreme to have in the house. Holy hell!

I needed the key. And as Dante opened the door and smiled at me I made a promise that before the night was over, it would no longer be in his pocket, but mine.

SHE WASN'T SUBTLE WITH HER intentions as she sat across from me, her skirt skimming higher up her thigh. She further proved me right when she uncrossed her legs to flash me a pantyless pussy. If I didn't respect her as a doctor and for her discretion in our underworld dealings, I would have pitied her for being so desperate. She knew I was taken. Other men might jump at the chance to fuck her on the side, she was a fetish slut to the max, which I wouldn’t lie, appealed to me in the past but that was before Star. Before I felt the ecstasy I achieved in the warmth of her body. No one else had ever given me what she did. The thrill of release, the height of an orgasm so intense I was sure I would never recover after each one.

“Are we done?” I asked Delia when she purposely moved her arm behind her back, pretending to scratch so her breast thrust forward, the peak of a hard nipple pushing through the thin satin material of her shirt.

She blinked at me in confusion as I stood, bored with her relentless flirting. “Oh um, sure.”

I gave her a smile as I snatched my shirt from the back of the chair, wincing when the material slid over the small stitch on the underside of my arm. I didn’t give her another opportunity to hold me back as I walked through the door, giving her no choice but to follow me.

“I’m taking Star out to dinner,” I divulged, another warning for her to back off.

“Is that wise? She may run.” She pursed her lips then shrugged. “Although I think even Star would have a problem running on water.”

“I’m sure she’ll be safe with me.” Delia stared at me with a humorous expression. I couldn’t hold back the laughter at her look. “Well, maybe not.”

She nodded, running her hand up and down my arm, feigning sympathy. “Well, have fun. I hope it’s a good night for you both.”

I nodded my thanks before I made my way back to the house.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Malik. “Did you find anything?” I asked as soon as he answered.

“Well, there’s talk but that’s all.”

“Of?”

“Faye.”

My teeth clenched with her name. “What?”

“The tattoo.”

Fury bubbled through my guts but I pushed past it. “Right.”

He tried to say something else but I ended the call. I was still mad at the cunt. It was about time he learnt to keep his desire for his own women, not mine. A smile crept up my lips when a memory of earlier came to me, Malik’s lust when he saw me enter Star, his need and pain as he watched me take her in front of him.

Star wasn’t waiting for me in the hall and I knew exactly where she would be. The studio. She had surprised me when I found her there earlier. She hadn’t managed to create anything other than a mural of paint across one wall, but I knew it would come back to her. I was tempted to find her school art books and show her how fucking good she was. But that would divulge another secret, her name, and I wasn’t ready for her to find out yet.