Worshipped (Worshipped Series Book 1) (22 page)

Karen seems to come out of her head. She insists on me telling her what the hell is going on, and why someone would kill a cat and drop it off on my porch. I look again to Conner, hoping he could tell me what to do. I don’t want to tell Karen, fearing she will be put in the middle and get hurt. Or worse, she would end up dead because of us.

Conner nods, telling me I should tell her everything. I sigh deeply, not wanting to relive the hell again. I start from the beginning and as Isaac and the detective talk, I tell Karen about Isaac and Conner’s dangerous past.

Karen looks at me with wide eyes the entire time I explain what is going on. Josh is tense but doesn’t seem surprised. That is strange to me. Shouldn’t he be showing some sort of remorse of the things Dominic did, especially to Cammie? Shock maybe? I don’t dwell on it, thinking it is just a “man” thing.

Finally, I finish telling Karen. She lies back on the couch letting go of a breath she’d been holding. “Holy fuck, Riley. How in the world did you get involved in something like this? And why am I just now finding out!”

“I didn’t want you to know because, hell, I thought it would be safer for you not to know. Trust me there were plenty of times when all I wanted to do was to tell you. Plus I didn’t think you needed to know. Who wants to deal with this fucked-up-ness?”

I really hope Karen understands what I was trying to do. “I get what you wanted to protect me, but don’t you think if they wanted to get to me they would’ve? They didn’t bat an eye with Cammie.”

Shit, Karen did have a good point. She was the big ticket if Dominic really wanted to know anything about any of us. Karen knew it all. She even knew my social security number and what my account number to my bank was.

Josh jumps up then and tells Karen they need to go. I’m confused by his behavior; he’s acting really weird. “Josh, what the hell? I’m not ready to go. Riley needs me right now.” Karen tries convincing Josh to stay, but he isn’t listening.

He all but drags Karen out while she says sorry and waves goodbye. Conner looks at me and I just stare. What the hell is going on here? Detective James and Isaac walk over to us. I want to ask Isaac why he was being so secretive with the detective, but decide against it. We all have enough to worry about for one night.

I ask the detective if he wants anything to drink, and offer him to sit down. He declines to the drink, but does sit down. Isaac sits on the other side of me and places his hand on my thigh. Conner takes my hand in his. I guess whatever the detective has to say isn’t going to be easy to hear.

“I’m going to get straight to the point with you three. I’ve never seen a case like this before. And I’ve had some pretty fucked up ones. This Dominic guy, he knows just how to keep you guessing. The cat was just another part in his sick games. Your friend, and the fire at the bar, it’s all a part of his sick and twisted plan. I’m still not sure what Riley’s part in all this is, but I promise I will figure it out. What I need from you two, is to tell me what your names were before witness protection.”

“If it will help my name before we went into witness protection was Thomas Williams. And Conner’s name was Grant Malone.”

I’m confused by this new information. Why hadn’t I known that? What else were they not telling me? Detective James nods and writes down the names and continues to tell us what his plan is.

“My idea is, if I read all the reports from your case then maybe I can get some kind of lead on this one. And maybe I can figure out what the hell that note meant...”

“What note are you talking about?” I ask him.

Isaac gives the detective a death stare and I think he realizes he told me something I didn’t need to know.

“Isaac, what is he talking about? What note?” I’m starting to get pissed. Isaac runs his hands through his hair debating on whether or not to tell me. Conner, thank the gods for him, actually took my side.

“She has the right to know, Isaac. I may not know what it said, but we said we weren’t going to keep anything from her.”

I think that got to Isaac. He looks at me, letting me know this is killing him to tell me. He takes a deep breath, runs his hands down his face and hands me the note.

I take the note from Isaac, shaking from the anxiety. Do I really want to see this? God it must be horrible if Isaac doesn’t want me reading this. I take a deep breath, and unfold it.

I know something you don’t, dear Riley. I know you carry not one but two babies inside of you. I know Isaac hasn’t told you about his abusive mother and what she let happen to him. I also know that very soon, you and I will meet. No one will be able to stop this. No one can protect you from me, dear Riley. I look forward to our conversation. Try as you might, but you will never catch me. Don’t panic, dear Riley. Our story has yet to be fulfilled.

I throw the note down, not wanting to read it again. What the fuck is he trying to do to me? I don’t even understand what this note means. Why is he talking about Isaac? Does Conner have any idea what Isaac went through? I need answers and I need them now.

“Isaac, what the fuck does this note mean? How is it that a psycho killer knows more about your past than I do? You obviously kept this from me on purpose! What was it you didn’t want me to know? I can’t trust you to protect me and our babies if you keep shit from me. I…fuck...I can’t deal with this. I am leaving, do not fucking follow me!” I yell at Isaac.

I storm off, going into my room to pack a bag. I can’t stay here any longer knowing Isaac kept things from me. Things that fucking Dominic knew that I didn’t! I can’t trust that Isaac will keep our babies or me, for that matter, safe anymore. Keeping me in the dark was not a part of the plan. He just proposed for, god’s sake! He should’ve told me. I was being the good girlfriend, fiancée, whatever you want to call it. I thought that in time he would tell me, but knowing the man who wants us all dead knows before I did fucking hurts.

I hear a soft knock on the door. I realized I didn’t start to pack a bag. I was just sitting on the bed, in complete and utter shock. I look up to see Conner slowly making his way to me. I know he is trying to see if I will even let him in the room with me.

Conner sits down beside me and holds me. The tears came on their own accord. I don’t try to stop them, because I know it isn’t worth the effort. Conner just holds me and rubs my back, offering all the comfort he can give me.

“He wanted to tell you.”

I wipe my eyes and ask, “What do you mean?”

Conner pulls me onto his lap and replies, “Isaac wanted to tell you about what happened to him as a child. It’s not my place to tell his story, but he didn’t intentionally keep it from you. I know now he was only trying to protect you from that note. He knew what it would do to you if you read it. Please, Riley, don’t leave. Or if you do let me come with you. Just let Isaac explain before you run off. This is what Dominic wants. He wants you to be upset and not thinking with a clear head. You will make it easier for him to do what he wants if you do.”

I know that Conner is right. Why are they always right?

But I don’t want to talk to Isaac yet. I need time to think about everything and figure out what to do. I know Isaac thought what he was doing was the right thing, but he could’ve at least given me a choice. That is the one thing I hated about him being so dominant and controlling. My choices were taken away and I went through that before with Robert. Maybe that is why I was freaking out so much. If Detective James hadn’t let it slip about the note, I wouldn’t have known anything about it.

I don’t mind at all when Isaac and Conner were dominant and controlling in the bedroom. When it comes to my life and if it affects me, I don’t want them controlling every single detail.

“I will stay. I won’t run, but I can’t talk to Isaac right now. I’m going to take a bath. Please make sure Detective James has everything he needs.” Conner gives me a gentle kiss and leaves me to my bath.

Maybe I can wash away this day. I put my hand over my belly, noticing I am forming a little bump. I have to do whatever it takes to keep my babies safe. I think it’s time I form my own plan. Just in case the shit hits the fan soon.

I don’t see or talk to Isaac until a week later. I don’t even bother asking Conner where he is or what he is doing. I’m not feeling the best today. I’m not sure why some days my morning sickness is worse than others.

Like today I am currently hugging the toilet, hoping and pleading that my nausea will pass very soon. I don’t know how much more I can handle of this. I tried calling Karen to see if it was normal to have so much morning sickness, but she didn’t answer. I was hearing less and less from my best friend. I didn’t have time to worry about her as bad as that sounds. But if I don’t hear from her within the next few days, I will send out the search party.

Conner comes in to check on me and fixes some soup for me. He has yet to leave my side. I’m grateful Conner stayed with me. He holds me while I cry, and listens to me yell and cuss about what a dick Isaac is. Even though I am super pissed at Isaac, I still miss him. I’m not supposed to miss him.

That just pisses me off more.

Conner comes back in the bathroom as I am washing my face off. “Isaac is back. He really wants to talk. You think you’re up for it?”

I knew I need to talk to Isaac. I don’t like the distance between us or how it is kind of awkward having Conner be the middle man. “Yeah, just give me a few minutes and I’ll go talk to him.” He nods, giving me a kiss on the forehead before letting me have a few minutes to myself.

I look at myself in the mirror, wondering how I got to this point in my life. Yes, I have it great with Conner and with Isaac. If you forget the shit with Dominic, I would say I have a perfectly good life.

I am tired of being pissed at Isaac. Yes, he lied and kept things from me, but then again, Isaac always has a good reason for what he does. I decide Isaac and I are going to work through this, and there are definitely going to be some changes within our relationship. I hope he understands where I am coming from, and also hope he doesn’t just tell me to go fuck myself and leave. I push my stray hairs from my ponytail down and head to go talk to Isaac.

I walk into the living room, seeing Isaac sitting on the couch. He looks as if he hasn’t been sleeping, and was scruffy. His hands are, as usual, in his hair. Even though he looks run down, he is still one sexy man to look at. I walk over to sit down beside him. He finally notices me and he instantly looks relieved.

“Riley…..” he doesn’t even finish what he was going to say. He pulls me to him, wrapping me in his arms. He kisses my forehead and my cheeks. I’m not sure if he is asking permission or not to kiss my lips, so I lean in and kiss him. He moans, and I notice his shoulders relax.

Even with all the fighting and misunderstandings between us, Isaac’s kiss still makes me want him. I can’t help it. He just has something special about him that makes my body automatically jump start for him.

He pulls away before I take it too far. I can easily forget about our problems for about an hour or so. I really want to smack myself in the head.

This is not the time to be thinking with my pussy. Isaac want to talk, we are going to talk.

No sexy time for me!

“Conner said you wanted to talk,” I say to try and get him started. I can tell he didn’t want to talk about his past, or any of this. His whole body tenses, and he has his hands back in his hair again. I grab his hands, holding them in mine, to let him know it is all right. I hope he sees that I will give him a chance to explain, and that I want to work this out. It must have worked, because he finally starts to talk.

“First, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for not telling you about the note. I wanted to protect you from seeing it, knowing it would do exactly what Dominic wanted. He wanted to make you upset with me, or Conner, perhaps both of us. I’m also sure he thought you would leave, and make his job easier.”

Isaac stares right at me and I can tell he is scared that will happen anyways. He takes a deep breath and continued.

“You have to believe me when I say if anything ever happened to you or to the babies, I would…hell, I would lose my shit. You are my life now, and I couldn’t stand to see you hurt again by our mistakes in the past.”

I squeeze his hand, letting him know I am still with him. I’m not going anywhere. “Secondly, I am sorry for not telling you sooner about my past. I wasn’t trying to keep that from you. I was waiting for the right time to tell you, but it just seemed every time I wanted to, something worse happened or we were dealing with Dominic’s sick games. My past is not pretty by any means. I didn’t want you to have to carry that burden like I do. I’m not even sure how Dominic found out about me.”

I can tell Isaac is getting lost in his past. I don’t want him to feel that pain, but at the same time, it is something I needed to know.

“Isaac, look at me.” He does and I tell him, “I don’t care how horrible your past is. No matter what happened then will not change how I feel about you. You can tell me anything, and I want you to confide in me. Like I have with you and Conner. That’s how our relationship will last, give and take. I gave, now it’s your turn to give.” I know that helped him. He smiles a small smile and gives me a sweet kiss.

“I will tell you my past but just remember this is not a happy story.”

I know he is trying to prepare me, but whatever it was, I will be there for him. He clears his throat a few times and starts at the beginning.

“My father left my mother and me when I was very young. I was never told how old I was when he decided to leave us. My mother, she didn’t take my father leaving us very well. She began to drink, excessively. I remember staying with neighbors a lot. When I was around five or six, that’s when she started the abuse. I think the more I grew, the more I reminded her of my father. She never told me his name.”

God, how could a mother do that to her child? I couldn’t imagine ever hurting a child.

“I remember as I got older, I had to help my mother after she would pass out. She would lay in her own vomit, and never knew it. I was always afraid she would choke or pass out and never wake up. She always had men coming and going. I didn’t know until years later, that my mother was a prostitute. She sold her body to pay for the alcohol. I would go for days without eating, while she spent all our money on booze. I think if our neighbors didn’t feel sorry for me, I would’ve died from starvation. The thing is, that’s not even the worst of it.”