Date = 5 April
Place = San Francisco (Enrique’s home)
POV Aria
Mel hasn’t moved since she started reading what’s in her hands, making me a little queasy and I feel like shaking her back to reality.
But instead, I peer through the huge windows where storm clouds gather dark and looming – as if they know our secret. The sea is a somber gray; it matches the sky … and my mood – I’m dejected and drowning in uncertainty right now.
The first drops splatter against the glass. I examine how it breaks and then slowly trickles down in small streams; spellbound. A heartbeat passes and then the spell breaks, drawing my eyes back to the blonde.
She tosses the paper and moves her hands carefully over her tummy, her face still in a stock-still emotionless state … simply gazing ahead. I hold my breath; expecting the worst at any moment I pick up my phone, ready to dial 911.
“I seriously need a VERY big glass of wine right now,” she slowly turns her head and I meet her earnest gaze. I take a comfortable pained breath, dropping the phone. Thank the heavens above; she’s back. My heartbeat slowly returns to normal. Mel crept into my heart … I’m not sure exactly when, but she did, and I can’t let anything happen to her.
“Are you okay?” my tone is a touch harsh and unsure, but optimistic.
“Do you think this is true? Did my mother … ” she doesn’t complete the sentence but this time I’m her jam … this time I know what she’s saying without her actually expressing it. I take her hands in mine; they’re cold and tense.
“I’m not sure, Mel … ” I don’t want to deceive her, “but it seems that way.” I make a motion toward the documents, now strewn undignified on the ground. “But it can be fake.”
She runs her palm across her face, looking forlorn and tired. I encircle her in a hug.
“Brian gave me a week,” I say against her shoulder, “so let’s run a test tomorrow.” I feel her nod and then she pushes me away.
“Aria, we’re smart, right?” Is this a trick question? I’m no genius, but I’m for sure as hell not dumb either.
“Yes … ” I answer tentatively.
“So we …” she gestures with her finger from her to me and back; as if there are others in the room.
“We’re gonna come up with a plan to beat that son-of-a-bitch at his own game.” The fire in her eyes burns my insecurities. Fuck Brian Cruise. I’m not going to let him ruin me … or this family … and he’s for sure as hell not going to ruin Enrique.
“So what’s the plan?” I cross my legs and rub my palms eagerly together. Mel stoops to pick up the fallen papers. Then she holds them next to each other … one in each hand. A deep V develops between her brows, those blue eyes lacking the glint of mischief that always lingers there.
“One of these is a lie … ” she states the obvious, shaking the papers as if she’s torturing them to confess. “One is a lie … one … is … lying … ” she repeats softly probably to let the facts sink in. When you find out that the people you trusted the most in life, lied to you … that’s a bitter pill to take. Trust me I’m well-versed in the subject … my parents also lied to us … kept secrets. Secrets that were only revealed after their deaths. So, yeah, I know exactly what she’s feeling right now.
“Let’s assume the DNA report is accurate … ” I merely nod, not wanting to interrupt her, “then this birth certificate is a phony … ”
Now the certificate receives all her attention. I’ve looked at that thing a few times since Brian gave it to me … it seems legit. The names of her parents; the date of birth; everything is in place … as it should be. Even the doctor’s signature … nothing is wrong with it. If it’s a fake … it’s a pretty good one.
“Shit!” Mel yelps loudly and I almost fall from the sofa.
“What?”
“The doctor … that’s Deimos’s signature!” Her shocked eyes find mine. Deimos Grimm signed the birth certificate? That can’t possibly be a coincidence, right?
“Okay, I know he was the assisting doctor with all our deliveries … he told me that recently.” And things just got a whole lot more complicated. Melaena’s relationship just got dragged into this mess … so now we’re both in danger of losing our hearts. She must also be aware of this since she goes pale.
“Mel, you know what this means, don’t you?” I ask to confirm that she’s my peanut butter but it seems we’re not on the same sandwich this time.
“Yes, my father-in-law might be part of the cover-up.”
“True … but Mel, if he is … it may create an issue in your relationship with Damion,” I tell her straight and her face loses all color. She gets it now. She lifts the DNA report again.
“Half-sibling …” she mumbles the word, “my mom was unfaithful …”
“Mel, you don’t know that … maybe Brain is just trying his luck and he faked the DNA … ”
“Or my brothers are going to get the shock of their lives,” she finishes my sentence.
“So are we gonna ask Deimos?”
She gets up and walks to the window, peering out into the darkness, clutching the documents behind her back; the only movement is her fingers crumpling up the corner of the one paper. I give her a moment. This can’t be easy for her, and it only adds to my admiration for this tiny human she won’t let anything get her down. And the two of us are growing closer and closer. Will she still be my friend when she finds out about the contract? I don’t want to lose her too … she’s the best friend I’ve always wanted. Yeah, I know she and Kiara are like sisters, but I don’t mind sharing … and I love Kiara as well.
I notice the magazine, still folded in half; open at the article we were discussing earlier … and my eyes read the next item …
‘If he’s a super ambitious person and a diligent worker in life, he’s not going to be lazy in bed and won’t slack off during sex. He’ll have the stamina to ride you hard, over and over again.’
Rings true to me, and the tenderness I have down there confirms this. Enrique does not slack down.
“No … we’ll talk to him after we’ve done a test.” Startled by her sudden voice, I let out a faint swearword, an unavoidable blush searing my face for getting caught in dirty thoughts. But luckily she seems too preoccupied to catch onto my predicament.