Underground Secrets (The Underground #1) (32 page)

“Let’s not think about that, okay?”

I nod my head and look back down at the stack of letters. “I miss him so much. I can’t believe my father never told me. I have read all of these and Carter had told him everything.” I look up at Wes, “Well, what he told him was a twisted version to make me seem like I was pure evil, but none the less, he told him and my dad never said a word to me about it.”

He knits his brows and looks at me. “Do you think maybe your dad didn’t believe him and just felt like it wasn’t worth mentioning? I mean, I haven’t known you for long and I know that you are a good person. Your dad has known you your whole life, Marlie. So I am sure he knew that whatever Carter wrote, how he described you, wasn’t truth.”

Wes is probably right. I may have lived another life and still do, but I am not how Carter had described me to my father and my father probably knew that. Still, I don’t understand him not telling me, or even responding back to him.

I look at the letters again and pull out the last one from the stack that was sent. “The last letter was sent from the address of the warehouse. It states that Carter was going to come visit my dad. There is no date on it, but Carter hasn’t been out for long and…” I trail off hoping Wes gets the idea of what I am trying to say.

“You really think he’s capable of something like that? Hurting your father?”

I glare at him. “Not hurting him, Wes, killing him. And yes, he’s capable of just about anything. I have no doubt in my mind, especially now, that he had something to do with my father’s death.”

I get up and throw the letters in the trash, not wanting anything to serve as a reminder of Carter being in my home. It’s bad enough that I have to deal with knowing he was here, I don’t need reminders. I’ll probably burn my couch and get a new one as it is.

I don’t want to discuss Carter and my father anymore. I move to change the subject. Avoiding the unavoidable, that’s me. “So, you came here to try and convince me to come back?”

He smiles up at me. “Yeah, I did.”

I smile back at him. “Well, that’s why I’m here. I was coming to gather some clothes and was coming back, but when I got here…”

“So he was here before you got here?”

“Yeah, I spent the last couple of hours driving, trying to clear my head, then I went and switched vehicles. I was only home for a few minutes before you got here.”

“So he broke in then?”

“No. I let him in,” I say sarcastically. “Of course he broke in.”

“We’ll need to fix that,” he states.

“I’m already on it. I’m calling someone first thing Monday morning.”

Wes nods, “Sounds good.” He looks back towards my room. “You need help packing?”

“Sure.”

W
E BOTH EMERGE FROM
my room fifteen minutes later with a bag of my clothes and a few other things. The tension and anxiety from Carter’s intrusion is almost gone. He’s still lingering in the back of my head, but it’s more of a distant thought now.

I shut off the lights and make sure everything is locked up. I go to close the curtains of my bay window, when I notice the envelope Carter had left on my coffee table. Wes is already downstairs taking my things to my truck, so I grab the invite quickly and shove it into my purse. I want to look at it, but not with Wes around. He thinks I don’t have to do it, but I know that if I don’t go and race, the outcome will be much worse than if I do. I know what will happen when I go, my death will come. If I don’t go, not only will my life end once they find me, because they will, but so will everyone I have ever cared about end too.

I just can’t let that happen.

TWENTY-FOUR

Wes

W
AKING UP NEXT TO
M
ARLIE IS
something I will never take for granted, ever. I never thought this would happen, that this would be my life, that she accepts me for who I am and what I do, but here she is, sleeping in my bed. I am fucking lucky as hell the way I see it. I have laid here for the last twenty minutes or so, just watching her chest rise and fall. Her hair is sprawled out across the pillow and she looks like a goddess wrapped up, naked, beneath my golden sheets.

After yesterday, the night before, and her divulging her secrets to me, she appears to be doing okay. The thing about her appearance though, is that it can be deceiving. No matter how tough she likes to act, she’s more fragile than ever and I got a glimpse of it yesterday when she broke down after that piece of shit ex of hers left. I feel like it’s my fault she had seen him. I should have fought to get her to stay with me. I would’ve given her space, I would have bought her a new wardrobe and whatever else she needed from her place, so long as she stayed, but I didn’t want to push her. I had just unloaded a bunch of shit on to her when I, myself, had confessed my secrets to her.

Today is a new day though, and I want to do something for her. To help to at least get her mind off of the last few days, since tomorrow is Monday and we both have our businesses’ to run. I had a meeting in Huston scheduled for Tuesday to get things going on expanding my company to there, but I cancelled. I am not going to leave the city knowing Carter is out there somewhere and could get to her.

I am not good with the whole romancing thing, but I could give it one hell of a try. I want to give Marlie everything. These feelings I have for her are like nothing I have ever felt before and it’s about time I truly accept the damn things. They’re pesky fuckers, creeping up on me. I have told her things that no one knows besides Jenner and Jesse. Things that would make most women run, but not her. Well, okay, so maybe she did try to run a little, but after I had told her the reasons behind my secrets, she stayed and that’s something that blows my mind. I have a dark, tainted mind and I am taking this opportunity and grabbing it with greedy hands.

I quietly get up and walk out of the room, not wanting to disturb her and let her sleep. After all, I did spend most of the night keeping her up. Just thinking of last night’s sexcapades makes me want to turn around, wake her up, and do it all over again. I mean, fuck, the things she can do.

I walk out into the hallway and collide with Gemma.

“Hey, Wes,” she says, looking over my shoulder and into the room. “She’s still sleeping, huh?”

“Yep.” I confirm.

She arches a brow at me, “She never sleeps in. That must be one comfy bed.”

I close the door and I smirk at her. “Or… I just kept her up most of the night.”

She shakes her head and teases playfully, “Oh, I know. I could hear. Kept me up most of the night too, ya’ know.”

Now it’s my turn to tease, “Are you sure it was us and not Jesse?”

Her cheeks flush and she looks embarrassed. “Maybe…”

We both laugh and head in the direction of the stairs.

I like Gemma. She seems to be a good person and just like Marlie, she doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit either. I am surprised at how well she is handling the fact that she is a target and anyone could be after her, but I chalk it up to her feeling safe here. We’ll see how she is and how everything else goes tomorrow, when I leave some of my men from the company to guard them. I’m not going to lie, I even fear leaving them under the protection of someone else besides Jesse and me and fear doesn’t show up much with me.

“So…” I try to say casually. Fuck this is going to a hard conversation to have.

“So…” she mimics back to me.

I clear my throat, “I want to do something nice for Marlie today. Ya’ know, to help take her mind off of all the bullshit going on.”

She giggles, “And are you asking me for help or advice? Mr. I think I’ll deliver some soap anonymously to the girl I likes door step?”

I stop at the bottom of the stairs and stuff my hands into my pockets and shrug at her. I’m nervous as hell and I don’t like it. This isn’t something I just ask about in my everyday life. I don’t fucking like it.

She grins at me, “Well, I can tell you what I think she would like, but I need to do something first.”

“And that is?”

She rolls her eyes at me and starts to walk away. “Eat, of course.”

I laugh lightly and proceed to follow her. “Right.”

We sit down at the breakfast bar in my kitchen and sit while I drink some coffee and Gemma eats an English muffin.

“Alright, before I give any advice on how to
woo
Marlie, I gotta do the best friend thing and threaten to cut off your balls or something.” She points the butter knife she used to spread peanut butter on her muffin with at me.

I put my hands back and in the air to show in exaggeration that I mean no harm. “Whoa there, killer, I won’t hurt her.”

She smiles and sets the knife down, but then her carefree expression changes. “Look, Wes, I like you and I feel like you really are a good guy, despite your extra-curricular activities, but no matter what Marlie has told you, Carter really fucked with her.”

At the mention of that fuckers name I can feel my blood start to boil. Should’ve blown that fuckers head off yesterday when I had the chance. I’ll get that chance again, I’ll make sure of it. “I know, Gemma. And I can promise you that isn’t the kind of person I am. I would never do something like that to her, I get it.”

“No, Wes, I don’t think you do get it. You weren’t there when she met him. You weren’t there when she was living, what seemed like, a whole other life. You weren’t there when she was at her lowest point. Or when she was unconscious on the floor in a pool of her own blood from what he did to her. You weren’t there when she spent the last couple of years trying to get over it. You weren’t there to help her. But
I
was. I was there for everything and I don’t ever want to see that happen to her again. Ever.”

She gets up and places her empty mug and plate into the sink. She crosses her arms as she leans against the counter. “She has changed and grown so much in these last couple of years. Especially this last year when her nightmares had finally stopped, until recently.”

I knit my brows, “You think they are recurring because of me?”

She waves her hand at me, “Oh no, I don’t think it’s because of you. Actually, I know it isn’t because of you, it’s because of Carter. Ever since she found out he got out early, she has had them. You haven’t noticed?”

“No. Jesus, I want to murder that guy.”

“Join the club, bud.”

How does Marlie hide these things so well from me? I’m thankful the nightmares aren’t caused by me though. “Look, Gemma, I am so glad of how protective you are of Marlie, but right now, I am too, of both of you. I will show her, and you, that letting me in was not a bad decision.”

Gemma walks back over to the breakfast bar, opposite to where I still sit and leans over and places a hand over top of mine. “I can only be so protective, Wes. We both need you to help us, no matter what Marlie thinks or says. I don’t know if you have noticed, but she’s a stubborn one.”

I lean back and laugh, “I think stubborn might be an understatement when it comes to her.”

She laughs with me, “Yeah, I think you’re right.” She stands up and claps her hands, “So, now that I got the threatening out of the way, what do you need help with?”

“Well, I’ve never done this whole thing…”

She arches a brow at me, “You mean the whole girlfriend thing?”

“Yes. I mean, no. I’ve had girlfriends before, but it’s been a while. I just want to do something nice to show her I care and to help get her mind off of everything that has been going on. At least for a little while.”

She smiles at me, “Well, I can tell you this, she isn’t the kind of girl who enjoys the typical romancing. She is easy honestly. Want to get her flowers? Pick wild ones. Don’t get store bought. Want to take her out? Grab some horses or ATV’s and take her on the trails through the mountains. She doesn’t want to be fine dined, she likes things simple and original.”

“Original. Got it.”

“It doesn’t have to be original, Wes. Honestly, just show her you care and it won’t matter what you do.”

I nod at her, “Thanks, Gemma. I think I have an idea.”

I get upstairs after planning what I want to do for Marlie. Once I enter the room, I notice she isn’t in bed, but I hear the shower running and the sound of her voice singing. I sit down on the chair by my window and listen to her I as wait for her to come out.

She comes out wearing shorts and a basic grey t-shirt, her hair is still wet and she is wearing absolutely no make-up. She looks stunning.

“Hey,” she says with a smile, knowing I was checking out her fine ass.

“Hey.”

“Were you waiting for me?” she asks me while towel drying her hair.

“Yes, I was. Did you happen to pack any sneakers?”

She eyes me skeptically “Uh… yeah, why?”

I stand up and move towards my door, “Because, you’re going to need them. Meet me downstairs in ten.” I walk out before having to answer any questions she might have.

She gets downstairs and I’m waiting for her by the door. She arches a brow at me “You gonna tell me what we’re doing?”

“Nope.”

She scrunches her face at me like she’s mad. “Fine,” she says, but I know she isn’t mad. She can look grumpy all she wants, but her body tells me something different. When you’re mad, your movements match your facial expression and general mood, but she is walking like she’s excited and in turn it gets me excited and I have to tell my neighbor downstairs to settle the fuck down. He’s just twitching to see her again. But not today. Today it about making her feel appreciated by a man. Showing her how things can be, that not every guy is like the one she has been with. God, what a poor example of happiness between a man and woman. Not that I would know. I am shit at relationships, but I know that’s definitely not how it goes.