White Lies (A Twisted Fate Series) (Volume 1)
Read White Lies (A Twisted Fate Series) (Volume 1) Online
Authors: Kristin Mayer
White Lies
Copyright © 2016 by K. Mayer Enterprises, Inc.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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To Timothy,
I miss you every single day. I thank God he brought you into our lives, but wish I could have had you here on earth for a little longer. We miss you, but talk about you often. Until we see each other again, know I will always love you.
Love,
Kristin
Table of Contents
T
he morning light kissed my skin as I stirred. The scent of his outdoorsy cologne brought a smile to my face as the memories of last night flashed through my mind.
Alex showed up after our fight—he came for me.
Me.
Through his kisses, I knew I still mattered. It was as if something awakened his need for me again… something that had been forgotten since we’d married.
I loved him.
He loved me.
We would figure everything out.
Last night was perfect; I treasured each memory. Each touch. Each murmured
I love you.
Through the night, he’d held me close. It felt like old times when we’d first met. My eyes fluttered open, and I turned over, ready to greet the love of my life.
The bed was empty.
Alex was gone.
Heart racing, I abruptly sat up. Had I imagined everything last night? Maybe he needed the bathroom. Impossible for last night to be a dream. No way. The connection I’d felt was too real, like our bodies connecting on a molecular level. From the moment I saw him, I was consumed. Nothing else mattered except Alex and me. I believed he felt the same way; I knew he came to talk, but our bodies demanded something else. From the instant our hands touched, the moment had enveloped us, all thoughts dissipating except for the need to have each other.
I stood still as I strained to listen for a sign of my husband in the room.
Nothing.
A defeated sigh left my lips. Why had he left? Last night had been incredible… the way it had been between us when we first fell in love, before Alex had been deployed. Alex had been in the military since he was eighteen until he was medically discharged seven months ago at twenty-seven.
I touched my lips, still swollen from our kisses. Last night, right before I touched him, Alex had begun to say something before he smashed his lips to mine. Had he changed his mind from what he was going to say?
I wasn’t sure.
The soreness between my legs confirmed my memories were real and not the dreams I normally had—wishing for what was lost between us. Last night Alex hadn’t been aloof or distant; he’d loved and wanted me. Me. I’d been enough.
The eerie silence served as a reminder that he’d left without a word.
“I’m such a fool.” The words echoed off the walls, mocking me.
This was probably payback for me leaving after our fight yesterday. Alex was cruel at times—playing emotional games, and I was done. Yesterday, I had finally reached that point and left the estate in the Hamptons to check into a hotel room in New York City.
On the way into the city, I’d made plans to meet with my lawyer midmorning to talk about a legal separation.
Our fight was the same it had been since shortly after getting married six months ago—Alex wanted me to talk to Nonno, my grandfather, about giving me control of my trust fund. I refused. Being my dad’s father, Nonno knew what Dad would have wanted. The trust set up by Dad gave Nonno the discretion to manage the funds and not hand over control until I turned thirty. At that time, the money automatically transferred to me.
That was still six years away.
The large inheritance totaled in the millions. Dad had made his money through good investments and his art. His side of the family had always been fairly wealthy, but he had taken it to a whole new level. His paintings were featured all over the world, including the Louvre in Paris. Money would never be an issue for me. I had plenty to live off. More than plenty. Nonno made sure, and I was thankful for the life I was blessed with.
I knew from when the trust was initially established that Dad simply wanted me to be ready to carry the burden of what large sums of money brought. It took a toll on people. I had seen it in high school with some of my friends. Sometimes it changed them… for the worst. The last thing I wanted was to be affected the same way. I never wanted to lose my morals.
Thank goodness Dad and I had discussed doing a prenup. Dad had it drawn up shortly after Alex and I met. We’d talked about it after he left. At first, I was hesitant about the whole prenup thing. When you married someone, it was supposed to be the merging of two lives into one. A prenup seemed to have the possibility to create a gulf between two people. In the end, Dad left the decision to me. I’d gone with my gut and asked Alex to sign it, which he did without any argument.
When he believed I was ready, Nonno would hand over my trust. I trusted him. My dad trusted him. I had faith Nonno had my best interests at heart and would know the right time.
My blood boiled remembering my fight with Alex yesterday. I was furious, thinking he only married me for the money. The thought had crossed my mind a couple of months after we married that he’d manipulated me in the beginning of our relationship.
But… something held me back from believing it entirely as I knew deep down our love started out pure before something changed. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think at times.
None of it made sense.
Last night, I thought we were done for sure until, after crying in my hotel room for half an hour, Alex showed up. Came after me. Apologized for not protecting me. All he wanted was to focus on us at the moment. Nothing else mattered. He told me we would talk through it all today.
Confusion filled me.
Today was here… and he was gone.
Cradling my head in my hands, I moved the gold down blanket, revealing a piece of paper. I heaved a sigh of relief at the familiar script.
Tracing my fingers over his words, I grinned. I felt bad for doubting him. It was easier to believe the bad over the good these days after all the events from the last six months. But maybe… just maybe, this time was different.
Things could have been different if it hadn’t been for his last mission overseas. When he came back, I sensed something was off, but he hid it well. It wasn’t until after we married that I realized how much he’d changed. War had that effect on people, which was understandable. We’d married so fast when he came back.