A Tangled Web (Dangerous Secrets) (3 page)

He grabbed her, and laying next to her, held her close to him, kissing her forehead—he didn’t want to let her go.

He happily lay stroking her hair, still coming down from that intense moment when eventually he realized she was crying—although trying to suppress it.

He continued holding and stroking her.

“Sh,” he whispered. “Don’t feel bad—I love you.”

It felt so good to say it again. He felt like he loved her a little more every time he said it.

He wished the moment could have lasted longer, but her phone rang, making them both jump and leave the moment for a bit.

“I’m not getting that,” she said, and he was relieved. “But we should...”

“Sh,” he said again. “We don’t have to do anything else right now. Just let me have one more minute. Please.”

He felt her relax against him.

Next thing he knew, they’d both fallen asleep.

She awoke in panic sometime later and got him up saying her dad would be home soon.

“You’re a grown woman...”

“Yeah but I don’t do that in his house...especially not when he’s in it! He doesn’t have to know about this yet.”

“What
is
this exactly?” he asked, watching her quickly grab pieces of clothes then disappear into the bathroom.

“This,” she said, returning, pulling on a pair of jeans, “is a beginning. A new beginning.”

She looked over at him with what looked like hope and it made him even happier. She looked happy herself in that moment—happier than he’d seen her since her breakup.

He got up and wrapped her in a hug.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been hoping and waiting for this. I never thought it would actually happen but here we are. You’re mine now.” And he kissed her.

She kissed him back briefly then reminded him to get ready to get out of there.

It was the happiest day of his life. Second even to her telling him she was pregnant later because although that blew his mind in a different way, he wasn’t fully ready like the day he took her for the first time. That day, it was about damned time.

He knew he shouldn’t have slept with her when he did—he knew it was too soon, but who expects a guy dying of thirst not to touch the glass of water you put right in front of him? And he definitely didn’t expect her to use it against him like this.

Kent left the bar to go for a drive, then decided to visit his favored brother Elliott—he needed to talk to somebody.

***

“Bro, I don’t even know where to begin. I mean I never expected this from Kimberly—she’s the last person I’d expect anything of this sort from. She was trustworthy, honest, had high morals, had this innocence about her...everything I loved about her, it was all a lie! I don’t understand how she could do this to me—she knew I loved her, why not trust me to support her and help her through this? Stupid me actually thought I’d won her over, believed she loved me. I just wanted her so bad—how could she do this to me? I loved her more than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything before. Even now I don’t understand how it happened—how she managed to capture my...everything. And the more I got to know her, the more I fell for her.” He sighed, realizing he was rambling. “I couldn’t be happier when I found out she was pregnant…” Kent stopped again, aware of his brother patiently waiting, pretending to follow along while he left out the biggest part of the story.

“Elliott, don’t tell anyone yet, but Kimberly only got together with me because she was already pregnant with Damien’s baby. You can guess the rest.”

Elliott’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Wait, what? Kimberly? That’s crazy! She’s probably literally the last person I’d expect to do anything like that. To tell you the truth man, she was so holier-than-thou...” His voice trailed off as if he thought twice about saying whatever he was going to say next. “Do you still love her?” he said instead.

Kent sighed. Despite everything, he still loved her. Truly. Madly. Deeply.

“Yes,” he said, his emotions kicking up into a whirlwind inside of him again.

“For what it’s worth bro, I think she really loves you too, so all that stuff you’re worried about—about it all being a lie—you need to stop. God knows you don’t need to go making up things to go all ‘woe is me’ about.”

Still, it didn’t take long for sad thoughts to assault him once he said goodbye to his brother to head home.

What about him was so unlovable? Was it merely being a Davenport?

His mother had hated him for being James Davenport’s son when their marriage went sour, and everyone hated his grandfather Luke Davenport—although him being evil probably had something to do with it. Not that Luke cared for being loved—he hated everyone right back. Even his grandmother, Luke’s estranged and long-missing wife, couldn’t care less about any of them—she had run off all those years ago with some man, never to be seen again.

Kent wondered, did merely being a Davenport make one evil? Did it carry some bad energy with it that spread wickedness, destruction, and negativity to anyone associated with it? Was it a cursed family name?

Kent chuckled to himself.

Boy was Elliott lucky—he’d gotten away from the apparent curse…but not before getting involved in a crazy love triangle, probably the only ‘bad’ thing that happened to him. But what was so bad about two women loving you with all they had? Kent would rather be on that end of a love triangle than the one he ended up on.

And why couldn’t even James love him? Did he not have enough room in his heart for more than one child? Sure, James had five children that they knew about—his womanizing ways one of the reasons his mom couldn’t take being with him anymore, especially after learning he’d gotten one of his side pieces pregnant. Still, Kent didn’t understand how not one person on this earth found him worthy enough to be loved unconditionally. Catherine claimed to love him now, despite her past actions, but didn’t actions speak louder than words? Kimberly had said she loved him and look what she did.

Kent had wanted to break the cycle and looked forward to being the best father in the world to his child with Kimberly Jordan, the woman of his dreams.

Kimberly
, he thought.
She had great parents. How could she turn out to be so cold, so ruthless?

Even as he said the words in his mind he knew them to be lies—Kimberly was neither cold nor ruthless. She just…

He sighed. She probably just wanted to be a good mother and protect her child, he was sure.

He let out another breath.

Why am I making excuses for her? What she did, it was
…He didn’t know what to call it.
I need to talk to her
, he thought.
I need to understand
.

He also, very simply, needed to see her.

CHAPTER FIVE

Kimberly was ecstatic to see Kent at her door but also terrified. Her father, aunt and sister weren’t home so she directed him to the couch to talk.

She could handle anger, barely—him screaming at her and telling her he hated her for what she did. She could even handle—barely—the way he’d called her name earlier—
his tone like that of a child calling out for his mother after waking up from a bad dream, and simultaneously, like that of a man whispering goodbye to his beloved at her grave.

She couldn’t quite handle him in tears, his broken heart laid bare, but she would have expected it.

What she neither expected nor could handle was the quiet nonjudgmental manner he approached her with, simultaneously emotionless and highly emotional, his feelings simmering just beneath the surface. She didn’t know which emotion would break nor when, leaving her completely unarmed.

He took a deep breath then asked:

“Can you tell me why Kimberly? Just…please tell me why.”

His words were gentle and pleading.

She wanted to take the chance to tell him again how sorry she was and how much she really loved him, how much it hurt her to have hurt him, how much she wanted to take that pain away. But she fought those impulses. She resigned to the fact that her best action would be to simply answer his questions.

“I suspected I was pregnant one night after feeling nauseous for a few days, so I took a pregnancy test and it came out positive. Then I found out—
right after
—that Damien was my half-brother.” She shivered in disgust at the memory. “Kent, I couldn’t let my baby grow up with any stigma—my child would just be a thing to people—a product of incest. Just a weirdo, a freak. I couldn’t let that happen! And I couldn’t bring myself to get an abortion—I tried. Then my sister said something that got me thinking: we were talking one day and she mentioned how you’d make a great husband and father, the way you were such a good friend to me. Since you seemed to be in love with me I thought…I thought I could just get with you and we could be a family.” She looked down, trying to block out the pain on his face at her words. “My baby would have a healthy, loving,
normal
family.”

She looked up again, trying to search his eyes but they were cast downward.

He let out a breath.

“Do you really love me Kimberly?”

She noticed his eyes were glistening. But what pained her was not the threat of tears in them—it was the expression on his face and the tone of his voice: so open, so vulnerable. Pleading, as if he were begging her to say yes even though there was no other answer.

“Yes Kent, I love you—more than I thought possible. I didn’t realize it when I first came up with this plan, but slowly it became clear to me that I loved you before Damien and I even fell apart, and since then, I love you more and more, every single day…”

“Kimberly, stop please.” He sighed. “Did you believe that I loved you when I told you I did? Over and over?”

“Yes Kent…”

“Then why didn’t you trust me to make my own decision about this? Why didn’t you trust in my love for you?”

“Kent I…”

“See Kimberly, I think you
did
believe me when I said I loved you, and it seems you didn’t love me at the time or you were in deep denial so I’m wondering: how did you manage to give it up so easily? I mean I know it was for the baby and all, but you seemed to have no qualms about it. Could it have been anyone else on top of you and I just happened to be at the right place and time?”

“Kent!” That accusation stabbed her. “You know that’s not true!” She couldn’t stop her tears. He was doing this deliberately—he had to know better. “Kent, I’m not like that and you know it. Damien was my first, and you were my second. What I did with you two...”

“It’s called sex Kimberly.”

“...It wasn’t out of curiosity or lust or anything.”

“So what was it out of Kimberly? For me that is.”

“I told you—I loved you Kent! Even if I didn’t know it at the time…”

“See that’s what I mean—at the time you didn’t think you loved me but you were able to let me screw you.” She flinched. “How easy was that for you?”

She stared at him disbelievingly.

“I mean I guess the baby made things easier but…”

“Kent, don’t do this!” she cried. “Kent, I knew I felt something for you and I definitely cared about you in a lot of ways. I thought you were a wonderful man, and you had become one of my best friends…Kent wait!” she called as she saw him get up and head to the door. “I was gonna tell you! I tried to tell you once, and then when I couldn’t, I’d decided to completely leave you out of it!”

She exhaled deeply, noticing he had paused in his beeline towards the door, although his back remained to her.

She continued:

“My other plan was to tell everyone I was going to teach English in China or Japan or something, leave the country, then put the child up for adoption—but that was the day you found my pregnancy test!”

He spun around.

“Oh you love making decisions for us don’t you Kimberly? But honestly, did you not think I’d try to come and visit you? As often as possible? Did you
really
think you could pull off just going away? I mean, even if you had broken it off with me—you think I would have just stayed away? I never planned to let you go Kimberly!”

His eyes glistened more.

He turned quickly and left the house.

“Kent!”

She cried into her hands as the door shut behind him.

Then she got up and swung the door open to follow him.

“Kent!” she cried. “Please don’t leave me—I need you! And it has nothing to do with the baby! Please Kent, listen to me! Kent…oh god…oh god Kent something’s wrong...”

She collapsed, her stomach cramping fiercely.

“Nice try Kimberly,” Kent said, but he was quickly at her side, bending to help her.

“Oh god I think—I think I’m losing the baby!”

“No,” she thought she heard him whisper as he scooped her up.

He took her to his car, laying her on the backseat, then hopped into the driver’s seat and pulled out his cell phone. Starting the vehicle, he asked Kimberly before dialing:

“Do you want to see your mother?”

She groaned and hoped he understood it was a no.

Still, she heard him say into the phone:

“
Ms.
Jordan, it’s Kent. I just thought I’d tell you I’m taking Kimberly to a hospital as we speak—she thinks she’s losing the baby!”

“What? Oh dear God…” Kimberly heard come through the device.

“Is there anything I can do? Anything you know of?”

Most of what her mom said next wasn’t clear to Kimberly, but she heard the word ‘relax.’

When Kent disconnected the call, he put on some soft music.

CHAPTER SIX

Dr. Lake looked at Kimberly with concerned dark eyes.

“Kimberly honey, you’re gonna have to take it easy or we’re going to have to put you on bed rest. Have you had spotting? Often?”

“Well yeah but that’s normal right?”

“Kimberly, you’ve probably been in danger of having a miscarriage before, you’re in danger now. I need you to listen to me: your baby tried to abort itself—you need to stay far, far away from stress, all right? At all costs! Hi Vivian…” she said suddenly.

Kimberly noticed her mother at the patient room entrance.

“Oh, Laura, I’m sorry to come in like this—I was just getting so impatient…”

“It’s okay Vivian. Look, your daughter, she’s all right—she just really needs to relax okay?”

She smiled wide, rubbing Kimberly’s shoulder.

“Her stress levels are way too high. Anyway, I know you’ll take care of her. Kimberly…” she pointed a finger at Kimberly in mock admonishment.

Kimberly smiled at her mom’s friend.

“I’ll try to take it easy doc.”

“You know we have psychiatrists…”

“I know, I know. I don’t think I’ll need their services.”

Kimberly smiled at Laura who smiled back.

“Well all right Kim. Check back with me at least once a week for the next few weeks okay? If you have any problems, any questions…”

“I know the drill Dr. Laura.”

“Okay hon. Now if everything goes as it should, you’re due in about
eighteen
weeks.”

“What? Shouldn’t it be like, sooner than that? I looked it up and it’s supposed to be about forty weeks total...”

“Yeah, and you’re about
twenty-two
weeks along—you expecting a premature baby?”

“No but listen—I took a pregnancy test about
six
months ago and it said I was pregnant then and that’s more than twenty-four weeks right? Like, I should be about to hit my third trimester. Plus my last period...”

“Honey, your test must’ve been wrong because it doesn’t look like you’re that far along—you’ve got a few more weeks in your second trimester yet. Look, stress does funny things to the body—it can cause chemical changes that could render a false positive. Doesn’t happen that often, but it happens. As for your period, again, stress, even low body weight or a vigorous exercise regimen can make you skip a period without you actually being pregnant.”

“But then that would mean…” she continued that train of thought in her head:
the baby could be Kent’s?

“Doctor, are you sure?”

Laura put one hand akimbo and cocked her head, looking at her like: you dare question
me
?

“Oh my god I can’t believe this! This is great!”

Kimberly felt a huge burden lifted off of her shoulders.

“You’ll be just fine if you stay like this!” Dr. Lake said, then checked her pager.

She waved goodbye and left, smiling.

Kimberly watched her mom approach her with a radiant smile.

“Oh baby, I am so happy for you—for all of us!”

It was a look she hadn’t seen on her mom’s face in a long time.

Kimberly herself felt ecstatic—not only did she realize she wanted the baby when she thought she was about to lose it, but it was probably Kent’s! She sobered up in regret over the neglect and maltreatment her baby received when she thought it was Damien’s.

Then reality hit her—what should she tell Kent? Should she even tell him?

Considering their current situation, it didn’t seem like a good time to take back what she’d said and tell him he was indeed the father.

When her cell phone rang, Kimberly silently asked her mom for a moment alone. Vivian nodded her head, still smiling and left.

Kimberly picked up the call, delighted to see her sister’s name on the caller ID.

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re all right! Kent called me and told me you were at the hospital.”

“Thanks Monique.”

“Hey Kim—can I ask you something?”

Kimberly felt a bit of unease—something in Monique’s tone put her on guard.

“What is it Monique?”

“Did you and Kent break up?”

Kimberly sighed.

“Yes.”

“How come? That seems kind of weird and not very timely...”

Kimberly let out another breath.

“To tell you the truth Monique, I actually thought I was pregnant with Damien’s baby and just kind of lied to everyone about it—including Kent. I was going to try to pass the baby off as his but he found out about my plan. Believe it or not though, I just found out the baby
is
Kent’s!”

She heard her sister take a deep breath.

“Kim, can you please tell me what the hell you were doing?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Lying to Kent like that about the baby! Kim, you’ve been around me way too long. What was that all about? I mean, didn’t you guys do a test at some point?”

“No. It’s a long story but only mother knew about my plan from the beginning so she kept up the lie with me. As you know, she’s good at that…”

“And the apples don’t fall far from the tree I guess. Kimberly, what’s wrong with you? You’ve got this fine man who’s head over heels in love with you, would do anything for you, he’s handsome, sweet, and did I mention handsome?”

Kimberly laughed.

“You sound like
you
want him.”

“Are you kidding me? He’s a bona fide catch.” She paused. “Why did you want to throw him away? I don’t understand—I thought you loved him.”

“Oh Monique I did…I do!”

“Then why…?”

“Why what Monique? Why not tell him the truth so he could leave me? There’s no such thing as unconditional love—he wouldn’t have stayed!”

“Kimberly, it doesn’t go anywhere, not that kind of love. You think you don’t love our mother anymore? Think again. You think our dad hates mom now and forever? Think again. You think you’re doing yourself any good by following your stupid theories, girl think again! As for you, the love you and Damien had is just going to have to evolve into a different kind—I know that’s not gone anywhere either. Don’t worry—you don’t have to lie to me about that but I think with time, it will. Look, Kent loves you Kim. And I know you love him. So stop thinking you should decide what’s best for the two of you! You’ve become…Damien or something!”

Kimberly couldn’t help but laugh.

“What?” she said, amused and confused.

“Come on Kim, you know how Damien was always like…” Monique deepened her voice and retarded her speech: “I think we should do this, it’s best if we do that…hey follow me Kim, the best thing for you is that...”

They giggled at her impression.

“You know what I mean Kimberly, always treating you like…I don’t know, a kid or something. Making decisions for you—leading you instead of walking beside you, you know?”

Kimberly smiled to herself, impressed by her sister.

“So what do you plan to do to convince him you guys can still work? When are you going to tell Kent?”

“Well now that’s the thing—I don’t know if I should...”

“Kimberly, don’t you dare...”

“Monique, look. Hear me out: I was thinking I should wait and see what Kent wants to do about us. I mean if I tell him about the baby now, he’ll feel obligated to stay with me, and I don’t want his obligation—I want him to take me back, all on his own.”

“Well that actually makes some kind of sense. But take you back? What makes you think he let you go?” Monique sighed. “Kimberly, don’t do anything stupid. Tell the man. He deserves to know. Hell if you don’t, I will.”

“Monique don’t you dare! Okay fine. I’ll tell him. Just give me some time okay?”

“Okay, Kim.”

As the call disconnected, Kimberly thought:
Monique’s wrong—I shouldn’t tell Kent, not now anyway.

Then she saw Michael Kent Davenport coming towards her.