Empire (Eagle Elite Book 7) (38 page)

It was impossible not to feel angry and hurt, but what was even worse, was I could see it, how easily she fell even if it wasn’t on purpose, and how much she must have loved him.

“What were you holding earlier?” Sergio asked. “In your bedroom?”

I stared down at my hands. “Letters.”

“Letters,” he repeated. “From Andi? Or Ara?” he corrected.

“No.” I frowned. “I have no idea who sent them, I was given a key to a security box at the bank and—”

“And you’re just telling me this now?” His voice rose an octave as he scooted closer to me. “Seriously! It could have been a trap! You could have gotten hurt. Need I remind you that there’s a pissed off Russian who wants to kill you?”

I shivered at the thought. “It was before I met you.”

“And that makes it better?”

“Stop!” I shoved at his chest. “I was lonely, okay?” Tears streamed down my face. “My best friend had all but abandoned me, Dante was distancing himself, and I was bored! I had nobody to talk to, and then suddenly I get this letter, assuming it’s from Ara, FINALLY, you know? Because she just stopped writing and I tore it open without thinking, and then, I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I don’t know what happened, suddenly I was in front of the bank and—” I frowned.

“And what?”

“And Mil was there…. and this other tall guy, who was really good looking and—” I vaguely remembered the guy with the easy smile. I blinked at Sergio and then let out a little gasp. “He looked… like you.”

Sergio tensed next to me. “A really good looking guy with Mil who wasn’t Chase and looks like me?”

“Yes. No. Maybe.” I pressed my fingertips to my temples. “But he was lankier.”

“Oh, that’s helpful.” He bit back a curse and shook his head.

“I’m sorry!” I snapped. “I didn’t know I was going to be getting profiled later!”

“Shit,” Sergio whispered out the curse. “I’m sorry, it just, none of this makes sense, and if I’m right, which I typically always am, that means my brother Ax has been in on this since the beginning.”

“Y-your brother?”

He clenched his jaw and then asked, “May I see the letters?”

“You’ve already seen one, on our wedding day, it came with the dress.”

The silence was tense.

“If you show me that one, I’ll show you mine.”

“No.” He didn’t even pause or hesitate.

So much for trusting each other.

Another curse escaped between his full lips before he pulled out his phone and pressed a button then barked out, “Mil, tell me what the hell is going on now, or I’m going to point a gun at your husband’s temple and pull the trigger.”

I didn’t hear what she said on the other end.

“Phoenix? What do you mean Phoenix?” Sergio’s eyes widened. “Frank too? Fine, send him over now.”

He tossed the phone onto the carpet and groaned.

“Good news?” I sighed, tugging at the carpet fibers.

“She said to ask Phoenix since it was he and Frank who were given the instructions.”

“Instructions?” I shook my head. “For what?”

Sergio hung his head. “Our love story.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Exactly.” He rose and held out his hand. “Phoenix was with Chase anyways, so Mil relayed the message, they’re on their way.”

“They?”

“Everyone.”

I suddenly wanted to crawl into the bed and hide, but not my bed, not even Segio’s, hers.

My best friend’s.

Because I knew if she were here, she could explain the method to her madness, and she’d also laugh with me and tell me everything was going to be okay.

And maybe, after she did that, I could apologize.

For falling in love with the same man.

Only I wasn’t sorry.

I would never be sorry.

And that made me the worst sort of best friend, the worst sort of person, because every time I thought about her touching him, a pang of jealousy shot through my chest. Cancer or not, if she were here, I’d still fight for him.

And I hated myself for it.

If we imagine no worse of them than they of themselves, they may pass for excellent men. –A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sergio

IT WAS RAINING
again.

I was angry again.

I was frustrated.

I was irritated.

And as much as I wanted to comfort Val, I was livid that she’d kept such a secret from me — for so long. How could I trust her in the future?

The division between us grew along with the silence as the gang slowly started to arrive.

They knew something.

And it pissed me off that they’d kept it from me right along with Val, then again, she was as much a victim as I was. What the HELL had Andi been thinking?

Maybe she’d been delirious, and Frank hadn’t the heart to tell her no, maybe Phoenix was desperate, maybe they were all worried I would jump off a cliff the minute she passed.

They’d had good reason to be worried.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it.

Phoenix was the last to arrive, and when he did, he slammed the door behind him with such force; the aftershock pierced the tension in the house with a knife, causing an explosion of emotion to boil in my chest. I surged to my feet and started to charge him, only to be intercepted by both Tex and Nixon.

“Stop,” Nixon hissed in an angry tone. “You attacking him accomplishes nothing, let him speak.”

I took a deep breath and nodded as Nixon shoved me back toward the couch where Val was curled up. The girls had stayed home. I really wished they hadn’t, because Val needed someone, something, and I couldn’t give it to her, not now, maybe not ever.

How do you comfort someone in this type of situation? I’m sorry that I was married to your best friend and didn’t know it? I’m sorry she abandoned you, may have betrayed you, and hurt you? I’m sorry that I loved her?

I’m sorry that I’m falling for you too?

Shit, it was messed up. And for the first time since Andi’s death, I felt anger toward her, actual anger.

I hated it.

Phoenix walked over to the sound system and popped in a DVD then grabbed the remote and pressed play.

The screen was black.

And then it was filled with Andi.

I bit out a curse as she smiled, her body so frail and worn from the cancer that she was almost unrecognizable. She had put on makeup, but the dark circles under her eyes were still noticeable, the glassy expression that she wore during her last two weeks, one where you could almost swear they were caught between heaven and hell. It was an expression of sadness and waiting, but it was also an expression of peace.

“Surprise!” she said in a loud voice as she spread her arms wide. “And don’t be mad,” she coughed out. “Sergio.”

And God I wanted to be mad, but she made it damn near impossible.

“First…” She shrugged. “I need to explain myself.” She bit down on her lip and frowned. “I was sent to New York first. I worked for your dad, Val.” Tears filled her eyes. “He saved me. I know you didn’t know that, but he saved me from my father. He used to work for the FBI, but my real dad was Russian Mob. Sergio can fill you in. Those details aren’t really important. What’s important is that you know, the moment I met you, I was jealous. Insanely, out of this world jealous. I knew who you were, and I knew who you were going to end up with. It was the perfect setup for the families, and while I worked for your father, I was supposed to be gaining intel on Xavier, who, newsflash, is bat shit crazy, so you guys better shut down whatever he’s brewing over there. Anyways, I was under cover, but as things started brewing between my family and the Italians, I was sent to Eagle Elite to start school, with the goal of infiltrating, so basically I’m like a bad ass double agent. That was around the time I found out my leukemia was back, and I knew it was kind of like one of those missions you go on where you know you’ll never make it back.” A tear escaped, sliding down her cheek.

She wiped it away and shrugged. “I didn’t want you to remember me like this.” She pointed down at herself. “Frail and diseased. You were and still are my best friend. The plan was never for me to end up with Sergio, I’m sure you know that by now. But my father was coming after me, and it was the only way. And I’m so sorry.” More tears fell. “I’m sorry that I stole his kisses.”

My heart clenched in my chest.

“I’m sorry I stole those moments from you, moments you should have had first.” She smiled. “But I can’t be sorry I had him. And I know you well enough to know, you probably feel the same way. If I was in that room right now, you’d slap me then hug me, then slap me again. I know you. You’re good. So maybe you’d just shove me or something, since good girls don’t slap.” She winked. I scooted closer to Val and wrapped my arm around her as she started to sob into her hands. “Please don’t be mad, Val. You were one of the best friends I’ve ever had. I wish I could have stayed in touch, but Luca made me swear to keep your identity a secret, and once he died, everything kind of… came to the surface. I did write you, just so you know. The letters were supposed to be delivered right before your first meeting with the beast.” She laughed. “Oh, by the way, Sergio, that’s you, both beast and prince, because if I know you well, and I’d like to think I do, you were all bark with very little bite. You had moments of tenderness and then regret. A process I’m sure you’re still struggling not to repeat over and over again.”

I squeezed Val’s shoulder as shame washed over me.

“So, the letters. There’s one more for you to read, Val. Phoenix will give it to you, and by then, I think you’ll know what you need to do. Please don’t be mad. This was the only way… the only way I could think of to give you guys a chance.”

Her eyes clouded with tears. “Sergio. I wrote you a letter on your wedding day releasing you, I hope you finally understand that you never needed my permission, you already had it, you have it. I want happiness for both of you but mostly, I made this video to ask for forgiveness, my intention was never to hurt anyone but to help heal.” She shrugged. “Sergio, you’re a smart man, kiss the girl, it’s so much easier then pushing her away and making her cry. And Val, let him love you, his love is great.” She sighed. “He has so much to offer, and I’d like to think this life right now, between you two, is just the beginning of something beautiful. Wouldn’t that be great?” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she smiled brightly. “Because, my ending, my favorite ending would be one where my best friend marries my best friend. I can’t imagine anything better than the love of my life falling for the only best friend I’d ever had. That,” She nodded. “Is pretty spectacular.”

With a heavy sigh, she hung her head and stared directly at the camera.

“I love you both. Be happy.”

The screen went black.

I didn’t know what to say, how to feel.

Because my concern was for the girl sitting on the couch with me, the girl quietly sobbing into her hands whispering over and over again, “She’s dead, my best friend is dead.”

With a curse, I wrapped my arms around her while she sobbed for my dead wife.

Not how I imagined the first few weeks of marriage between us, not at all.

I glared at the guys from over her head and nodded toward the door. I imagined they all came just in case they needed to keep me in check. I didn’t blame them. I’d been losing my shit a lot lately.

“Val.” I kissed her head. “Do you want me to call Dante?”

She shook her head.

The front door shut, blanketing the house in silence.

“Do you need anything to eat?”

What the hell? Like that would make her feel better? A hamburger? Her best friend just died, and I offered to make a McDonald’s run? I mentally slapped myself and hugged her tighter, trying to remember what had made me feel better after Andi’s death.

The door opened and shut again.

“Go away,” I barked.

Phoenix held a white envelope in his hand. “The last letter.”

Val pulled away from me but didn’t look up.

A clap of thunder shook the house as the sound of rain started pattering against the roof.

“Thanks, Phoenix,” I said gruffly, snatching the envelope out of his hands and handing it to Val.

Phoenix nodded and left.

And once again, it was just us.

Only this time the angry storm was our background music, like a reminder that everything had been ravaged, destroyed, tossed around.

“Can you read it?” Val asked in a small voice.

“Yeah.” I licked my lips, opened the letter, and read aloud. “Life is full of two-twirl moments — don’t allow her to settle for only one.”

Val frowned. “I thought it was for me? The last letter?”

I sighed, chest heavy, stood and held out my hand. “It was.”

“What?” She grabbed my hand as I pulled her to her feet and started walking us toward the front door. “What are we doing?”

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I pulled her out into the rainstorm as thunder bellowed. I kept walking.

Val followed.

I stopped once we were in the middle of the field and lifted my head toward the sky as rain splashed across my face, the cold both numbing and reviving me simultaneously.