The Truth of Never (The Never Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  "I've gotten mad at you several times."

  "No I mean, so mad that we have an argument, and then I start yelling and saying that I hate you, and then you glare at me and… pick me up and just.. screw my brains out?”

  He laughed. "That'll probably happen sooner than you think."

  "I don't think it will. You're the worst at fighting. You either just walk away, or avoid it altogether."

  "I don't think that's true. I've argued with you before."

  I shook my head. "You haven't. Not in boarding school, and not since we reconnected. I need to vent at someone once in a while to keep my world balanced, and I need them to vent back."

  "So who was your venting buddy before I came into the picture?"

  "No one. I usually keep it all in, that's why I'm so glad you're around."

  He smiled. "Have I ever told you that you remind me of my dad?"

  "Yeah you have." I replied. "At Elisa's dad’s bookstore.”

  "Your personalities are so similar. And also, Annie- my sister. Well Annie had my dad's personality also. Imagine, my three favorite people all have the same personalities. I clearly have a type."

  "You do." I replied, and tried not to think about the fact that I was the only one out of those three that was still alive. I imagined that his mind would go there too, so I quickly thought of something to divert his attention. I turned to him so that all his focus would be on me.

  "Let's play a game." I said.

  "What game?"

  "Um, how well we know each other?"

  "I don’t think that's a good idea."

  "Why? You don’t think I know you enough?"

  "That's not it. I think you've overestimated how much I know about you, so if I get it wrong, you're going to get upset."

  "I don't get upset that easily."

  His eyes widened. "Okay um, I think I'm going to win this game."

  "What? Do I easily get upset?”

  "80% of all the disagreements we've had, has been as a result of you getting upset too easily."

  "I don’t agree with that.”

  "You should."

  "You know what, let's play the game. I’ll ask you five questions about me, and vice versa. The person who gets the most answers right, wins."

  "What's the prize?"

  "Um, I don’t know. What do you want?"

  "I don’t know either."

  "C’mon.”

  He thought on it for a few seconds, and then came up with something. "I got it. You have to spend time with your dad before he leaves tomorrow.”

  "Wow! That makes me feel like a horrible person."

  "You know that's not how I meant it"

  "I know." I replied. “Okay, deal."

  "What do you want?" He asked.

  "Hm…. If I win, we’ll go back to Wendy’s office, and finish what you started.”

  I expected that he would refuse or at least argue with me a bit, but to my surprise, he agreed. So we began.

  "I'll go first.” I said. “What is my favorite color?"

  "Hm…” he thought. “I don't think you've ever told me before."

  I shrugged and planted a kiss on his lips, then I started trailing kisses along his jaw and then down his neck.

  "I think I’ll go with white."

  "You're wrong." I said. "It's turquoise."

  He laughed. "I was so close. That's the second major color your apartment is decorated in."

  "It is. Next question; what is.... my favorite meal?"

  "That's not fair. You've never mentioned any of your favorites to me."

  "Answer the question sweetie." I unhooked two of the buttons on his shirt, and then continued my trail of kisses.

  "Let's continue this game in Wendy's office." He said. "I need to concentrate."

  Giggling, I gave him my hand and he pulled me up. We went in search of Wendy and found her standing behind the counter, perusing through a magazine.

  "Wendy can we use your office please?” Nathan asked.” I want to speak to Lenora."

  She eyed us over the top of her rhinestone-embellished reading glasses. "Okay, but if your ‘talking’ progresses into something else, please have respect for your old aunt and use the wall. Avoid all other surfaces and that includes my desk, chairs and my couch. Especially my couch- I live there."

  "Relax.” I said to her.” Is it okay to leave our things in the booth?"

  "Sure, I'll keep an eye on them."

  "Thanks Wendy." Nathan said, and pulled me along. When we got to her office, he found a chair and sat down on it. Then he guided me to sit astride him.

  "Where were we?" He asked.

  "Favorite meal." I replied.

  "Okay, um... Damn. Nothing comes to mind."

  "Next question then."

  "Alright, but what is the answer though?"

  "I don't have a favorite meal." I replied.

  He narrowed his eyes at me, and it made me laugh.

  "If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

  "Hm," I thought. "It'll probably be pizza. What about you?"

  "Arroz de Pato.”

  The sudden Portuguese accent took me by surprise. “Arroz de …what?”

  “Arroz de Pato.” He repeated “Portuguese duck rice. It’s amazing.”

  "Will you teach me how to make it?”

  "Sure." He said and kissed me deeply. When he pulled his lips from mine, my head was spinning.

  "Next question." He requested.

  "Okay, um… what's my middle name? No! Wait! You already know that.”

  "Your middle name is Grace.” He instantly replied.

  "Nooo,” I groaned. “That was too easy.”

  He chuckled with delight.

  “Okay, last question." Putting my arms around his neck, I began a slow grind on his hips.

  His striking blue eyes were intently glued to mine but then gradually, his breathing quickened. A low moan escaped his lips, so I gyrated even harder on the strain against his pants, and slanted my head to slip my tongue into his mouth.

  After a few seconds, I drew my lips from his. “I don’t have any more questions. It’s your turn.”

  He nibbled on my neck. "I don't think I have any questions for you either.”

  "Okay, so does that mean I win?”

  "No way, I'll think of something.” He reached down to unbutton my trousers.

  "Look at me." He ordered, so I raised my eyes to meet his gaze. "What do you think I love the most about you?" He slowly pulled my zipper down.

  "My erratic nature?"

  "No, it’s your pure heart.”

  Sliding his hands within, he cupped me and a small gasp escaped my lips.

  "What's my favorite meal?" He asked. I knew that he’d told me the answer a few minutes ago, but at that moment I was completely focused on relishing what his hand was doing to me inside my pants. With my legs wrapped around his waist, he rose and carried me over to Wendy's table.

  He pulled my pants down my thighs and then slid a finger inside me. By then I’d completely forgotten what the question was.

  “Answer me!” he said and added another finger. With a gasp I replied. “I can't remember."

  He laughed, and then covered his mouth with mine. I reached down to his pants and started unfastening his belt buckle.

  "We’re not done playing," he said against my mouth.

  "Forget about the game." I responded. "We both win."

  Damian

  Lenora still hadn’t come home. It was almost midnight and I’d been waiting for her for the last three hours. I suspected that she was with Roque, and it made me so angry that I eventually just got in my car, and headed over to her apartment. However, she wasn’t there.

  I knew for certain then that she was with him, so I jumped back into the car and started heading for his place. As I drove, I kept trying to reach her cell phone but she wasn’t answering it. Eventually someone picked it up, but it wasn’t her.

  “Hello?
” the unfamiliar voice said.

  "Hi. I want to speak to Lenora please.

  "Damian this is Wendy. Lenora’s not here.”

  "Where is she? I need to speak to her.”

  "She's busy. I'll take a message."

  "Wendy.” I said slowly. “I need to speak to her. Tell me where she is."

  She was quiet for a few seconds and then she said. "You know what? She's in my diner; 85 Broadway, Brooklyn. Come over, I'm waiting for you."

  *

  Half an hour later, I arrived at the diner and met Wendy waiting for me at the cashier’s counter.

  "Where is she?" I asked, and she gave me a venomous look.

  "She's in my office. Follow me."

  She led me to a dimly-lit corridor, and then stopped in front of a bright pink door.

  "Lenora?" She pounded on the door. "Damian is here to see you."

  "What?" Lenora yelled from inside the room.

  "I said Damian is here. If you're not done with Nathan, you can take your time. He'll wait."

  My head snapped towards her. "What? Nathan?"

  "Of course.” she said, with a mischievous smile. "Things like this happen a lot when two people are in love. You wouldn't understand.”

  I pounded on the door "Lenora, open this door!"

  It took a few more seconds before she answered the door, and when she did, there was absolutely no mystery as to what had been going on inside the room. Her hair was a mess, her clothes thoroughly rumpled and her lips were swollen.

  Taking my gaze from her, I looked into the room to see that Roque was seated on a desk and watching me. His shirt tails were loosed from the waist of his trousers, and his belt was unbuckled.

  "What the hell is this?" I asked. I was so furious that I wanted to punch Lenora in the face.

  "What does it look like?" Wendy asked.

  "Wendy?" Lenora said. "What's going on? Why did you bring him here?"

  "He was looking for you, so I told him where you were."

  "Let's go!" I said, and reached forward to grab her hand, but she flung it out of my reach and took a step backwards.

  "Let's go!" I repeated

  "I’ll come on my own."

  "You're not going to his home." Roque said, and we all turned to him. "She's going to her own apartment, or wherever else she wants to.

  "She's my wife, so she's going back to our home."

  He got up from the table and started walking towards me. "As of right now, that joke of a marriage is no longer valid. Get ready for an annulment."

  A bubble of laughter escaped my lips. "You're funny." I told him and turned to Lenora. "Let's go home, before today becomes one of the days you’ll regret the most in your life.”

  “Did you just threaten her in front of me?" Roque asked, and I could see that his fists were clenched at his sides. He was furious, and at any second I expected his fist to come swinging my way. I prepared myself for it.

  “Wow!” Wendy mocked. “You’re still threatening her. Wasn’t it enough that you blackmailed her into marrying you, by threatening to falsely accuse Nathan of assisting his own mother in committing suicide? You even went as far as forging those letters. What is wrong with you?”

  “I didn’t falsely accuse him of anything.” I replied, my gaze on Roque. “He is to blame for that accident.”

  "Really?" He said. "And why exactly am I to blame for the accident?”

  "You knew she was fragile, and hurt, but yet when she called out to you, you ignored her. She couldn't even think straight at that moment, not to talk of paying attention to where she was going and you knew that. But you didn’t care. She was consumed by the pain that you and your father caused her, and in the end it’s costing her her life.”

  "The pain that I and my father caused her?" Roque repeated, and then smiled sardonically. "I'm wasting my time talking to you. Nora, let’s get your things. I’ll take you home."

  "Lenora, if you don’t come with me right now our agreement is over."

  "The agreement is already over." Roque said. "We were informed today that the charges have been dropped due to unsubstantial evidence. But this was always your plan wasn't it? You knew that this whole facade could turn against you if taken to trial since you fabricated the evidence, so you decided instead to use it to force Lenora into marrying you."

  "What?" "Lenora asked, "Nathan what are you talking about?"

  "I spoke to Stacy this evening, and she told me that he never planned to take it to trial. He just used it to blackmail you."

  I turned to see her eyes filled with so much hate for me. “You bastard.” She said. “I want an annulment."

  I returned my gaze back to Roque. "That's not going to happen."

  "If you don't give it to her I'm going to use everything I have against you, and you're going to regret it.”

  "You have nothing against me. You can't prove that those letters weren't yours because it has your handwriting, and you can't convince Stacy to testify either because that would be putting herself in trouble too. So, good luck trying to convince anybody with a brain to go forward with this case."

  "In the meantime Lenora, you can stay with him if you like, but you'll never be able to get married to him until I say so. So all you'll be is the woman cheating on her husband and sooner or later the press will carry the story. I'll make sure that your name is dragged through the mud. So have fun fornicating."

  "I always knew you were a piece of shit Damian, but right now I'm sorry I even ascribed that much value to you." Wendy said. "How do you expect your stepmother to feel when she wakes up to see what you're doing to her own son?"

  "That's none of your business." I snapped. "And all I did was pay him back for all the trouble he's caused me since I met him." I turned to Roque. "You should be happy I’ve only accused you for assisted suicide. If she dies, I'm going to make sure that you're completely destroyed.”

  With that I turned around, and walked away.

  « CHAPTER 17 »

  Nathan

  Lenora was hurt and afraid, but when she saw that I was watching her, she tried to mask it with a smile. I pulled her into my arms and gave her a hug. "Don’t worry," I said, “We’ll get the annulment and settle all of this.”

  She lifted her head and said to Wendy in an angry tone. "Why did you that?"

  "You'll find out soon enough." Wendy replied. “Nathan, I expect you to handle this."

  "I will." I replied, and she walked away.

  I dropped Lenora at home, and the next morning I was at Peter’s office.

  "We still don't have enough evidence to move this forward." Peter said.

  "If I get a testimony from Stacy, will it give us the push that we need?" I asked.

  His eyes slightly widened then. "It definitely will, but how are you going to do that?”

  "I'll find a way. Honestly, the main reason why I'm pursuing these charges against him is so that I can strong arm him into giving Lenora an annulment as quickly as possible, but if it's not going to be effective in doing that then I suggest you look for other avenues.”

  "Let me get this clear; you are not interested in taking this case all the way to trial if the evidence gathered is enough to obtain the annulment.”

  "That’s correct. As much as I'd like for them to pay dearly for all they've done so far, I'd prefer if it'd not be by my hand because they're both personally connected to me."

  "Will Lenora be okay with this?"

  "My priority right now is getting her out of that marriage as quickly as possible and ensuring that she's at peace again.”

  "Then let’s look for some other way to get him because this might take while. I don't see him readily admitting to any of these charges, and we could spend quite a while in legal proceedings alone before a trial date is even set.”

  "Okay, so what do you have in mind?"

  “We’re going to look into others aspects of his life. He has to have some dirt on him somewhere. We’ll get to work immediately, and see what we
can dig up."

  "I interviewed their gallery’s director -Matthew Lawrence- a few years ago. They'd just moved into a town house on East 71st street and the rent, I remember, was quite a hefty sum of money- about $160000 per month. Not long after, I heard rumors about them running into debt and being sued but then, it all died down. I’ll get on it and see what I can find- maybe we can uncover something that will give him quite a scare."

  *

  After leaving Peter’s office, I decided to stop by Lenora’s office to see how she was doing. I picked up some pastries on my way and wanted to surprise her so when I arrived, I told her secretary not to announce me. Just as I expected she refused so after apologizing to her, I bypassed her and walked in myself. She immediately hurried after me.

  "Lenora I’m so sorry.” She said as she came in behind me. “I tried to stop him but he refused. I'll call security."

  “No need.” Lenora instantly rose to her feet, a beautiful smile on her face. "As from now on please allow him to come in whenever he wants. No need to announce him unless I'm in a meeting.”

  I glanced back at her secretary just in time to catch the look of confusion on her face. “Okay.” She replied, and walked out. I made a mental note to send her an apology gift, later in the day.

  "What are you doing here?" She asked.

  I went around her desk and placed the bakery bag in front of her.

  “I thought I'd stop by on my way to work."

  "Oh, okay." She blushed.

  "How are you doing?" I asked, and lightly brushed her cheek with my knuckles. She looked so incredibly beautiful with her thick hair cascading down her shoulders, and her body encased in a beautiful white dress.

  "I'm alright." She replied, as I leaned in for a kiss. The moment our lips met, a weight on my chest that I'd unknowingly grown accustomed to over the last few weeks was immediately lifted. I felt the lightness instantly, and it stunned me. The realization escalated the intended simple kiss into an almost desperate one.

  Eventually, I pulled my lips away from hers but she tightened her arms around my neck and refused to let go. Before I could explain to her why any more of this would wreck my concentration for the entire day, she slanted her head and slipped her tongue into my mouth. This was a dirty kiss, and there was no way that I could refuse it. So grabbing her ass, I pressed her hips even closer to mine and drank her in.