The Truth Be Told (The Truth in Lies Saga #3) (25 page)

Her body quaked as she spoke, anger rolling off of her in waves.  “We’ve all been nothing more than pawns in your sick, twisted little game.  You care for no one but yourself.”

“Not anymore,” Nate proclaimed.  Without hesitation, he moved between McKenzie and Olivia.  “As of today, I hired an attorney.  There’s no way in hell I’m allowing my child to be raised by the likes of you.”

“Seriously?  As if any judge would grant you custody with you globetrotting like you do.  Face it.  I’m this baby’s mother,” she splayed her fingers over her stomach, “and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“On the contrary,” I piped up.  “You see, Nate has the best family lawyer in all of Florida, and believe me, I’ll gladly show a judge just how unfit a mother you will be.”

Olivia’s face turned deathly pale.  “You can’t represent him.”

“Actually, I can, and because I’m a nice guy, I’m taking this one on pro bono.  So you better get you a good attorney, lady, because you’re going to need it.”

Olivia balled her fists tight at her sides, her knuckles turning visibly white.  Her eyes moved from mine to McKenzie, then to Nate, almost as if searching for a chink in our armor.  She released her hands and let out a blood curdling laugh.  McKenzie jumped at the sound of her laughter.

“You don’t care, do you?” McKenzie questioned.  “All of your lies, all of your secrets are exposed, yet you stand here laughing.”  McKenzie looked up at me.  In her eyes, I witnessed a broken heart.  It pained me to see what this woman had done to her.  She’d destroyed the trusting, loving woman that made up my angel.  Innocence was lost because of Olivia and her deviousness.

“It’s funny.  What can I say?” Olivia smarted off.

“Find yourself a new patsy, because I’m done.”  She squeezed my hand.  “I’ll be right back.  I’m going to get my stuff.”  

“Want help?”

McKenzie pressed a sweet kiss to my lips.  Her hand cupped the side of my face.  “No.  I’m ready to go home with you, where I belong.”

“Oh fuckin’ A.  Really?” Olivia scoffed.

McKenzie turned to her.  “Shut up.  You, ah!” She exhaled, “You’re not even worth it anymore.”  McKenzie stepped out of the room to collect her belongings.  The three of us stood in silence, and when she returned with two bags hanging from her shoulders, I rushed to her aid, taking the bags.

“I’m parked downstairs.  Let’s go home.”

“I hate you!  You hear me?  I hate you.  You ruined my life!” Olivia wailed.  “I wish I’d never…”

Nate, McKenzie, and I left the apartment with the echoes of things breaking behind us as Olivia went into a tyrannical rage.  “She won’t hurt the baby, will she?” Nate asked with fatherly concern.

“She won’t.  Olivia might be heartless, but that baby does mean the world to her,” McKenzie stated.

“And you think I can really get custody?”

I wrapped my arm around McKenzie’s waist, escorting her from the elevator.  “I don’t think, I know you can and will.  Come by my office tomorrow. We’ll get the paperwork started.”

“Okay.”

McKenzie kissed my jaw and removed herself from my arms.  She stepped up to Nate and wrapped her arms around him.  “Thank you.  Thank you so much.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  “Be happy, Little one.”

“I am.”

“Then you’re welcome.”

We bid our goodbyes to Nate, and I helped McKenzie into my car.  My only thought was to get McKenzie away from that place as quick as possible.  It might’ve been a bad idea to leave her car where Olivia had access to it, but I figured with the weather and McKenzie’s broken heart, she wasn’t in any shape to drive.  Besides, if Olivia damaged the car in anyway, I’d simply buy McKenzie a new one.

The rain came down hard and thick, somber as the mood in the car.  Although it was mid-morning, the sky was as dark as night.  Heavy clouds floated through the air, crying along with my girl.  We were free, but it would take time to heal.  Olivia’s reign of control was over, but the memories would last a lifetime.  Sure, they would fade, but they would never go away.

“You okay?”  I reached over, taking McKenzie by the hand.  She linked her fingers with mine.

“I will be.”

“I love you, you know.”

“I love you, too.”

McKenzie

A loud rush of harsh rain pounded against the French doors.  Heavy winds roared outside.  My eyes flew open.  In my chest, my heart pounded like a jackhammer.  Covered in sweat, I swiped my brow with the back of my hand.  A strike of lightning brightened the windows.  Loud, aggressive thunder quickly followed, causing me to jump.  

I kicked my feet, disentangling myself from the sweaty sheets.  The memory of my dream was already fading away in my mind, but the images tickled inside my head. My first instinct was to try to hold on to the memory.  There was something important there I needed to remember, but with each fleeting moment, it faded away with the washing rain.

My eyes blinked, adjusting to the darkness in the room.  I stretched out; the bed felt familiar yet strange to me.  My hands rubbed the soft sheets, exploring the empty side of the bed.  That was when my heart thudded.  It all came back in an intense rush.  The talk with Nate, the dramatic argument with Olivia, both of their confessions, and finally a tear-filled night in Drew’s arms.  I clutched at my chest, warding off the pain that threatened to once again violate my senses.  More than anything, I was angry with myself.  Everyone had told me, time and time again, about the person Olivia really was, but I wouldn’t listen.  

The sound of purring came from under the covers.  Two little paws revealed themselves, followed by a little black head poking out from underneath the sheet.  Mackie yawned, her long pink tongue curling out of her mouth.  She patted the bed, her big yellow eyes honed in on mine.  I reached over, scratching under her chin.  “Where’s Drew?” I asked.  

Mackie meowed, letting me know she had no clue.  She’d been asleep just like I was.

“It’s okay.  I’m sure we’ll find him.”  She bumped my hand, urging me to scratch behind her ears.  I complied.

For a moment, I lay in that bed petting my kitten, the weight of the world bearing down on me as harsh as the rain hit the gulf outside.  Everything Olivia said, each sneer, the sound of voice, her body language, it all screamed out my foolishness.  I’d been blind, a blindness I’d induced on myself.  Tears burned the corners of my eyes, but they never surfaced, for there wasn’t a tear left in me to shed.

Drew had been more than understanding throughout the whole ordeal: my pillar of strength.  I was in awe of him.  There were times I thought my Neanderthal might appear, but Drew held him back, taking control of a volatile situation.  It pained him to watch Olivia attack me as she did, that much he admitted.  Of course, we both had a good chuckle about me slapping her.  Under normal circumstances, I would’ve been appalled at the idea of smacking a pregnant woman, but these weren’t normal circumstances.  In truth, I shocked the hell out of myself with that slap, but it felt good.

Still, so much had happened that my mind struggled to wrap itself around it all.

The crack of thunder echoed through the room.  Mackie hissed at the sound.  I picked her tiny body up and placed her on my chest.  It was the same way I held her my first moments back in this house during my conversation with Jared.  I wasn’t sure who called whom, all I knew is within minutes of us walking in the door, Drew handed me the phone.  The sound of Jared’s voice sent me into a wave of emotions.

“You could say you told me so,” I whimpered, sniffling.  “I wouldn’t blame you.”

“I’d never do that.”  He spoke with true sincerity.

“How could I have been such an idiot, Jare?  I let her use me.  I let her torture me.  All in the name of saving our friendship.  But what friendship?  They say hindsight is twenty/twenty, and boy were they right.  You, Drew, and even Andie all saw her for who she is, but me…how did I miss it?”

“You’re not an idiot.  You’ve got to stop beating yourself up for this.  The truth is out now.  Whore-livia will pay for what she’s done.”

“I know, but the hatred.  Jared, you should’ve seen the look in her eyes.  I’ve never seen anyone so full of malice before in my life.  And what she said about
our
kids—I’m such a fool to think she had a good heart.  She showed her true colors today.”

“You keep calling yourself a fool and an idiot, but she’s the fool, and one day she’ll wake up to realize the error of her ways.  She’ll look in the mirror and hate herself for what she’s done.  She lost a friend today, whether she wants to believe it or not.  You were truly her friend, even when she didn’t deserve it.  Now, dry your eyes.  I’m coming home.  I’ll be there in a few hours.”

“I’m coming with him,” I heard Andie call out from the background.  “Booking the flight now.”

“You guys don’t need to do that.”

“Yes, we do.  You and Drew need us,” Jared stated, his tone firm and decisive.  I liked the way he said
us
.  It was affirmative; Jared had found a place for his heart.

“You’re only there a few more days.  Please.  You deserve to enjoy yourself.  There’s no need for you to get wrapped up in my drama.”

“We’re coming home and that’s final.”

It was in that moment I realized how truly lucky I was.  True, Olivia had used me.  She manipulated me to get her way, but at the end of the day, none of that mattered.  Truth has a way of revealing itself, and the truth was, I was surrounded by good people.  Even if Olivia tried to spoil it.  Nate didn’t have to come forward.  He didn’t have to put himself out there for me.  He was content in life.  Maybe not as happy as he thought he was, but still content.  And while Drew might argue it, I knew in my heart of hearts Nate did love me at one time.  I was also certain he cared for me now.  His selfless act of admission was all I needed in order to forgive him.

I placed Mackie back on the mattress.  Sitting up, I swung my feet over the side and slipped out of the bed.  Mackie meowed her disapproval of my actions.  I rubbed behind her ears and murmured, “I’m going to look for Drew.  Wanna join me?”  She stood up, walked around in a circle, then pounced down.  “I guess that’s a yes,” I chuckled.  

Over the sound of the thunder, I could hear the soft melody of music floating on the breeze.  We sauntered out of the bedroom and followed the melancholy instrumental to the next room.  The door to the music room was cracked open.  Candlelight flickered in the darkness.  The fresh scent of the late summer rain permeated the air.

I peeked inside to see Drew slouched over the piano, his elbows resting on the closed lid that protected the ivories.  Wicket and Chewie rested on top, watching him.  Candles were scattered all around the room.  They lined the furniture, the floor, and around the open doors.  Each one flickering in the breeze that drifted into the room.  The sheer white curtains danced in the wind.  They whipped and circled around the floor in perfect rhythm to the beautiful song.  Rain blew into the room.  Each drop landed silently on the wooden floor, leaving tear marks across the honey colored panels.  It was as if the house cried in the presence of the elegant piece.

I gently pushed the door open and leaned into the doorframe, experiencing the passion that reverberated through the surround sound speakers.  Drew hung his head, his eyes closed, letting the music consume him.  My attention was glued to him.  He was gorgeous sitting there with nothing on but a pair of flannel pajama bottoms.  His bare, sculpted frame highlighted each time the candlelight flickered in his direction, reminding me of the magnificent man I fell in love with.  

He shifted on the bench, his muscles flexed under his skin.  A stir of desire bubbled inside of me.  I ached to touch his bare skin.  To taste him.  To breathe him in.  Drew cupped his face in his hands, rubbing them back over his masculine features to the crown of his head.  He hurt.  No matter how much he wanted to hide it for my benefit, I knew he hurt as much as I did.  He was relieved to discover the truth, but there was a piece of him, a secret part, that wanted a baby.

My mind drifted to our earlier conversation, lying in bed together before I drifted off to sleep.  Drew slowly brushed his fingers through my hair, my head resting on his chest.  Each beat of his heart was a perfect song all of its own.  The warmth of his blood pumping through his veins filled me with renewed strength.  He tugged his fingers through tangles, gentle but persistent.  It felt so good that my tired, weary eyes started to close.  “I’ve been thinking,” he prompted.

“Hmm?” My voice came soft, filled with exhaustion.

“What do you think about me starting my own firm?”

I glanced up at him through tear soaked lashes.  “You serious?”

His forehead pinched but his eyes confirmed his desire.  “I am.”

“I think it’s an amazing idea, but what about the family business?”

He touched his fingers to my cheeks, brushing away the remnants of moisture.  “While my father is in charge I have no place there.  On my own, I can do things the way I see fit.  I can take on more cases like Nate’s.  I can fight for the underdog.  All my father cares about is money.  I have money.  I want to make a difference.  Watching you today, it made me realize that my girl’s a fighter.  I like that about you.  You have a heart, but you didn’t take her shit lying down.  That’s the kind of person I want to be, and taking big money cases, while lucrative, doesn’t satisfy my soul.”

I reached up, trailing my fingers along his jaw.  “Then I say do it.”

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice that the song had ended.  The rain had silenced its weeping.  The thunder died and the lightning ceased.  All that was left was the sound of the gulf moving along the shore, and the salty breeze dancing with the candlelight.  

“Did I wake you, Beautiful?” Drew asked, the husky edge of his voice tingling my insides.

Our eyes met and he smiled that smile that somehow always made me feel alive.  I tilted my head to the side, admiring him.  His aqua blue eyes twinkled in the candlelight.  His soft, full lips were pursed ever so gently.  Stubble grew over his jaw line accenting it nicely, but didn’t cover his deep dimples that appeared when his smile crinkled the corners of his eyes.  Everything inside me screamed to be near him.  

I fought the urge to rush to him, to consume him.  I felt no matter how close we were, it would never be enough.  My skin prickled with desire.  I licked my lips, tucking the bottom one between my teeth.  I returned his smile, shaking my head.  “Nah.  The thunder did.”  I shrugged.

Mackie circled around my legs, weaving in and out.  Her silky fur rubbed against my skin.  Chewie and Wicket hopped down from the piano.  They approached Mackie.  Mackie slinked in between my legs, looking at them.  Wicket nudged her with his nose.  She looked up at me, almost asking my permission to join them.  I chuckled.  “Go, you silly girl.  Have fun.”  The three cats meowed at us and slithered out of the room.  

“She’s happy here,” Drew observed.

“She’s finally home.”

“How about her mother?  Is she home?”

I pushed myself away from the door, swaying my hips.  “She is.”

He patted the piano bench beside him.  Accepting his invitation, I crossed the room, careful to avoid the candles on the floor, and scooted in next to him.  He gently cupped my face in his hands and kissed me.  I parted my lips.  Without haste, his tongue met mine.  His taste was intoxicating.  I could breathe again with nothing but one kiss of his lips.  Fire burned inside me.  All of the pain, the hurt, and the anguish that lingered inside me vanished in the light of his love.  But a kiss wasn’t enough.  It was time to remind this man how much I needed him and how much he meant to me.  He was my home.  My everything.

I started to draw tiny circles around his navel, relishing the warmth and firmness of his stomach against my fingertips.  Just a slip of my hand down his flannel PJs and I could hold him in my hands, but I wanted more than mere sex.  Sex was wonderful with Drew, but I wanted to make love to him.  

My heart thrummed in my chest as I started to move my lips down the long column of his neck.  He dipped his head back, giving me access to his throat.  I dipped my tongue into the crevasse between his neck and collarbone, tasting a mix of raindrops and Drew on my tongue.  He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing against my nose.  I inched up, my lips meeting the bump in this throat.  “McKenzie,” he whispered.

I slipped my hands up his chest, finding his nipples hard against my touch.  Drew tilted my chin, my eyes meeting his.  He brushed his knuckles along my cheek, scooping my hair back behind my shoulder.  In this quiet moment, the earth stood still.  I truly was home.  His mouth found mine, and my arms wrapped around him, drawing him to me as close as possible.  It wasn’t enough.  Clothes, space, even air, put too much distance between us.  

He cupped my face in his hands, his tongue circling mine, slow and sweet, innocent yet devious.  The air ignited with each sweet caress.  He had no agenda.  He was in no hurry.  He seemed to want to savor every second of this moment as I did.  We were free for the first time.  Guilt didn’t linger between us.  This was our love, our hopes, our dreams, pouring out in a kiss that held so much power that even the gods had to turn their heads in reverence.  

“I love you so much,” he breathed against my lips.

Hearing those words set my soul on fire. I needed him.  Wanted him.  Just knowing he felt as I did was more than I could bear.  I let out a quiet moan, my eyes fluttering closed, allowing this moment to linger inside me.  

Drew slipped his hands around my waist and pulled me into his lap.  My legs dangled over the side of the bench, his fingers sliding up my outer thigh.  I glanced down at his hand, then back into the eyes that mirrored my soul.  I felt his need pressed into my backside, reminding me this man deserved every part of me.  I placed a kiss on his lips, tender and chaste, then moved off his lap.  Drew seemed confused by my movements until I stood up, pulled my nightgown over my head, and slipped out of my panties.  My breasts bare and my nipples hard, I straddled his hips and pressed my back into the piano, giving myself to him.