Mine - A Stepbrother Romance (19 page)

She finally climbed to her feet and stared at me, eyes glittering with malice.

“You won’t kill me,” she said. “If you had it in you, you would’ve hit me across the head. You’re a little pussy.”

“Really?” I said, advancing towards her. “I’m the one holding the weapon, and that’s how you’re gonna talk to me? You really are fucking nuts.”

She slowly backed away to the side of the yacht. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, her eyes glazed over. “None of it does anymore.”

Before I could stop her, she launched herself over the edge and crashed into the water, and I ran over and stared into the deep blue. She surfaced a moment later, coughing and spluttering, and I grinned down at her.

“Coast Guard’s on their way! Don’t worry, they won’t let you drown. They’ll be happy to rescue you and haul your skinny little ass straight into the police department. Bitch.”

Right on cue, a horn sounded as another vessel approached us, and a helicopter whirred overhead a moment later. A voice called out from the vessel for us to stay where we were, and I waved at them. A ladder dropped from the helicopter, and a black-clad man with a Coast Guard insignia stamped on his sleeve climbed down as it locked onto the target in the water. Victoria. I would have loved to see her drown, but it was better like this. This way, she’d spend the rest of her life rotting in jail.

There was a scuffling sound behind me, and I turned to see Arizona. She must have heard the Coast Guard’s arrival and crept back upstairs. She stared at me, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and wonder.

“You’re here,” she said, almost as if she were trying to convince herself that it was real.

“Don’t say anything else just yet,” I replied. “Before you do, I just want to tell you…I was an asshole. I was a stupid fucking pussy. I should’ve just told you what was really going on instead of ending it like that. You don’t ever have to forgive me, but just know that I’m sorry.”

She was silent for a moment.

“What was going on?” she finally said in a small voice.

I filled her in on the situation with my mother, and she slowly shook her head. “You could have told me. We could have figured it out.”

“I know, I know. I was just worried that there was no solution and that the only way I could protect you from her was by ending it and making you hate me. But Arizona…you have to know. I love you. I’ve never said that to anyone before in my life.”

She stared at me in silence for a long time, and tears glistened in her eyes.

“I guess you don’t believe me,” I mumbled. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t believe me either.”

Suddenly she launched herself at me, grabbing my head in her hands and pulling me down into a tender kiss.

“I love you too,” she said after breaking away from my lips, her voice barely above a whisper. “Of course I believe you. You came all the way out here to rescue me. I know you’re scared of the ocean after what happened to your friend.”

“I was way more scared of losing you,” I said, squeezing her tight. “I knew something was up as soon as I heard you were out here with Victoria.”

Her face was still pale, and she buried her head in my shoulder. “I’m too stupid to live,” she said, her voice muffled. “I really thought she was my friend. She was so great for the last month or so. I should’ve known no one changes that fast.”

“You’re not stupid. You’re just too trusting and maybe a little naïve. You gotta realize that in a world like this, people don’t always have the best motivations. When you’ve got money or something else they want, you’re a target,” I replied in a soothing voice, stroking her hair. “And honestly, you couldn’t have seen this coming. I always knew she was a bitch, but I had no idea she was this fucking crazy. I don’t think anyone did.”

She drew her head back. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too. You’re like the oxygen I breathe, Arizona. I can’t live without you. And yes, I know how fucking clichéd that sounds.”

She gave me a watery smile, and I grabbed her hand. “I’ll do whatever it takes every day for the rest of my life to make this up to you. Anything,” I continued. “If you’ll let me.”

“Let’s concentrate on getting home first,” she replied before throwing her arms around me again.

Home
. I’d moved around a lot in my time, and nowhere had ever quite felt like a real home to me. Now I knew exactly what I’d been missing. A house was just a house, even if it was an extravagant mansion, and it didn’t become a home until you shared it with the person you loved most in the world.

Arizona was that person, so wherever she was…that was my home.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ARIZONA

I felt strangely disconnected from the world as Mason and I gave our individual statements to the police concerning what had happened with Victoria just hours earlier. It was as if I were having an out-of-body experience. The events of the last few hours just seemed so surreal; hell, the events of the last few
months
were surreal. How much drama could a girl take? My life was like one of those overly-theatrical Mexican telenovelas at the moment.

I was at least comforted by the fact that I had Mason back. At first I hadn’t understood why he’d left me when he tried to explain it to me, but I’d soon realized where he was coming from. Layla was out to get me either way, and he’d figured that breaking it off with me was the lesser of two evils, as much as it had hurt the both of us. She’d almost gotten her wish granted, too – I’d been
this
close to packing up and moving to Seattle before I’d found out the truth, just to put some distance between Mason and me.

Roy burst through the door of the police department just as the police were finishing up with me, his face pale.

“Arizona!” he said, racing over to me and enveloping me in a hug. “Oh, you’re okay…you’re okay. I’m so sorry this happened, darling. I’m so sorry.”

I hugged him back and then broke away. “I’m fine, Dad.”

His eyes widened. “You…you called me Dad.”

I hadn’t even realized I’d said it. It had just popped out of my mouth; it felt so natural all of a sudden. “Oh. I guess I did.”

His lips quirked up in a ghost of a smile. “I like the way it sounds. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Uh-huh. I guess I’m still in shock or something.”

“Well, you’re safe now. I promise I won’t let anything or anyone touch you ever again.”

He hugged me again and then drew back after what felt like an eternity. “Where’s the hero of the hour?” he asked.

“Mason’s still talking to the police,” I replied, leading him over to some chairs in the waiting area.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes as he sat down. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if he hadn’t been there to help you. When Jan called me and said something was going on, it felt like a stone was sinking in my stomach. I was scared stiff. I haven’t felt that way since you were taken as a baby.”

Tell me about it. When I’d first realized I was out at sea alone with Victoria, my insides had felt like absolute mush. It was strange how fear could have such a crazy effect on the body.

“Victoria told me she wasn’t feeling well,” he continued. “So she left New York early. I had no idea she would ever do something like this.”

“Of course you didn’t,” I said. “How could you?”

He put his head in his hands. “It’s my fault. I never knew she was so unstable. She did take some time off a while ago when her father died, but she seemed fine within a month. God, I should’ve known. I’m smarter than this. I should’ve seen it.”

“It isn’t your fault,” I said quietly. “Like you said, you had no idea she was so mentally unstable. It’s always those closest to us whose betrayal we can’t see, and you were close with her. She worked by your side for years.”

“I had her very carefully vetted before she took the job,” he said, staring off into space. “She even offered to submit to a drug test every six months, which she always passed with flying colors. She must have cheated somehow. If I’d even so much as suspected her true colors, there’s no way she’d ever have been working for me.”

“Mason said he suspected she was doing cocaine a while ago, and he told Layla to tell you.”

He shook his head and sighed. “I wish he’d just told me himself. Layla never said anything. There’s a lot that woman doesn’t tell me, so it seems.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it right now,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I think we need to get you a hot drink and then take you home.”

As his warm palm enveloped mine, a surge of guilt rushed through me. He probably thought Mason had gone out to the yacht to rescue me all out of brotherly duty, but it was time I told him the truth as much as it might upset him. Mason and I were in love.

“Dad…” I said, looking into his eyes. “There’s something I need to talk to you about. It’s about me and Ma….”

My sentence was cut off as an officer approached with Mason. “All right,” he said. “We’re all done here. Mr. Vierra, we might need to speak with you about your former assistant at some stage soon, but for now I think it’s best that you get your daughter home.”

He stood up and shook the officer’s hand. “Of course. Thanks very much,” he said before looking at me and Mason. “All right, you two…let’s get home. Mason, I know you’ve got your new apartment now, but you’re welcome to your old room at the house. I think it’d be nice if the three of us stayed together tonight, as a family. After all, you did just save your stepsister’s life.”

Mason and I exchanged glances, and I shrugged helplessly. We trailed behind my father on the way to the car, and I whispered urgently in his ear.

“I tried to tell him just then, but we got disturbed.”

“About us?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. We do need to come clean. He has a right to know.”

“How about we tell him together when we get home?”

He smiled. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”

***

Layla was sipping on a cocktail when we finally stepped into the house. When she saw us, she set it down on an end table and hurried over to us.

“Oh, Arizona, darling…I’m so pleased you’re all right!” she said, her emerald eyes lighting up. “When I heard what had happened, I was absolutely beside myself. That Victoria…I’ve always known there was something strange about her.”

“Cut the crap, Layla,” Roy said sharply. “I was going to wait to do this when the kids weren’t around to see it, but I can’t. I just can’t stand to listen to your bullshit for one more second.”

Layla’s smile faltered for a microsecond, but she maintained her composure. “Roy, honey, what’s the matter? I was just saying how happy I am that Arizona is safe.”

His eyes narrowed. “I very much doubt you care that my daughter is safe. I doubt you care about anyone other than yourself. I want you to pack your things and leave.”

Her eyes widened, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I have no idea what’s gotten into you, but I have to say that I’m…”

Roy held his hand up to shush her. “Quiet. I’m a wealthy man, Layla. I never need to worry about where my next meal is coming from, but that doesn’t mean I don’t comb through my account statements each month to see exactly where my money is being spent.”

Layla’s face froze, and Roy continued as Mason and I shot each other looks of incredulity. This was a twist we hadn’t been expecting.

“Several weeks ago, I noticed a transaction for a hefty down payment on a new waterfront villa on the account you have access to. At first I thought you were buying a first house for Mason or perhaps buying a house for some sort of charity thing, but when I dug a little deeper I found that the name on the deed was Emile Baker. I realize his services are valuable to you, but helping him buy a house? That seemed a little strange. So I hired a private investigator.”

“You had me followed?” Layla said, cold seeping into her eyes.

“Yes. Lo and behold, my PI discovered that you were sleeping with Emile. I’ve known for a while now, but I was waiting to gather up enough evidence to show the courts when I divorce you…evidence which I now have. You violated our pre-nuptial agreement with your affair, and you won’t see a dime of my money ever again.”

Layla’s mouth dropped open, and she stood there staring at us like a demented goldfish for a full minute without saying anything. Holy crap. I’d had some vague suspicions that their relationship had been on the rocks lately, but I’d thought I was just imagining things.

“I’ll have the staff help pack your things,” he said. “They can keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t leave with any of my more valuable pieces of artwork or anything else that belongs to me.”

Her face reddened so much that I thought she might explode, and she finally spoke in a low voice. “Fine. Mason, come with me right now.”

“I don’t think so, Layla,” Mason replied with a smirk. “I’m quite happy here without you.”

“And he is very welcome to stay,” Roy added. “Unlike you.”

If Layla were in a cartoon right now, there’d have been steam coming out of her ears. “You’ll regret this. All of you. Just wait till you see the papers in a few days,” she hissed.

She looked right at me when she said that, and Mason simply laughed. “No,
Mom.
Wait till
you
see the papers. I have an interview tomorrow night with Yani Calloway. Primetime spot. You’re gonna love what I have to say about you.”

“You wouldn’t
dare
,” she said, her eyes narrowed into slits. “I’ve given you everything, but I could’ve aborted you when I had the chance. You’re lucky I didn’t. You should be grateful to me.”

Holy shit. I’d never heard a mother say something so awful to her own child before, but Mason didn’t even flinch, let alone reply. I was finally getting to see the real Layla in the flesh; cold, cruel, and arrogant.

Roy waved his hands at her. “Time for you to go, Layla.”

“Fine. You might want this,” she said, pulling out an envelope from her oversized handbag and thrusting it into Roy’s hand before turning around to stalk away.

Roy called out after her, the sealed envelope dangling in his hand. “Oh, and by the way, my PI saw Emile filling a prescription for Valtrex the day before yesterday. You might want to have yourself checked.”

We all cracked up laughing at that for a good five minutes, and then Roy finally settled down and opened the letter. He stared at the contents for a little too long, and he didn’t say a word as his face blanched. I glanced at Mason, whose face had gone from amused to worried within the space of a few seconds as he watched Roy.

“Do you know what that is?” I whispered.

“If it’s what I think it might be, then we’ve missed our chance to come clean on our own,” he replied in a low voice.

Crap. Did that mean what I thought it did? I found out a second later as Roy held up a photo in the air. It was of me and Mason in the Jacuzzi a few weeks ago, passionately embracing. Double crap.

“So,” Roy said, his tone steely. “Is there something you kids would like to tell me?”