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“What warnings?” she finally asked.
Annalee smiled then. A soft curve of her lips, not a smirk or a sneer, merely an acknowledgment of Jaci’s disbelief.
“As I said, there are certain rules as you move up in society. One of those rules, once your relationship with Cam is cemented, is that your power here has the potential to match our own. There’s no hiding that from you, you’ll learn it in time. Courtney Sinclair’s power already outdistances my own. Richard’s position as congressman gives us only a slight edge. Because of this, we’re now willing to listen to your demands and put an end to our mutual vendettas. The gossip could hurt both of us if it continues, Jaci, and it could hurt the Falladay twins as well. So let’s end this now. ”
“My demands? Fine. Why? Why did you do it to begin with? What the hell made you think I’d play those games with you?”
Forget the confusion, she’d get the answers first. She wanted to know why she’d had to battle this couple for so many years, and then they’d move on to a few other questions.
Annalee sighed and stared at the floor for a moment before lifting her head and staring back at her. “That, my dear, was your own fault. If you hadn’t belonged to a gigolo and a man known for his ménage lifestyle, then I would have never considered it. ”
Jaci froze. She could feel her heart beating sluggishly, fear slamming inside her mind. She felt weak, torn, she didn’t want to hear what she feared was coming.
“You’re lying!” She threw the accusation back at them. “And you have no idea the hell he’ll bring down on the two of you for it. ”
“Cameron Falladay, for all his power in this town, is still a product of his unsavory roots. ” Richard sighed regretfully. “We do have proof, Jaci. Being a man-whore at age fifteen isn’t something to be proud of, but he did rise above it. His sharing with his brother, and your nearly lifelong association with them, led us to an erroneous conclusion that you would be agreeable to our lifestyle as well. We apologize for that. ”
Chase stood still outside the study, every bone, every muscle in his body tightening as he heard Richard Roberts’ statement. He felt a howl of rage, felt agony sear through his body as that twin bond opened just enough for a glimpse into his brother’s soul.
It only added to his own rage, to the pain that sliced through his guts and opened his soul to reveal the raw, aching center of agony.
His gaze jerked to Cam’s, where he stood on the other side of the doorway. His brother was staring into the study, his expression frozen, but his eyes enraged. Chase could see the rage, and he could see the grief.
How had he allowed that to happen to his baby brother? Cam had been his responsibility, his brother, all he had left to hold onto in the world at that time. And he had allowed that to happen.
He saw Cam shake his head. A quick little jerk as he flinched, a betraying flicker of raw agony as the truth was revealed to the
woman his brother loved more than life.
“You’re lying. ” Jaci wanted to scream the words, but could barely manage a whisper as she forced the words past her lips. “Cam never sold himself. He would never do anything like that. Not then and not now. ” For a moment, something like compassion flickered in Richard’s eyes, and he turned to his wife.
This wasn’t the couple she knew. Cold, hard, all icy distain and superior disgust. They had to be monsters. Pure evil. Only monsters could stand and lie like this with such convincing compassion. They couldn’t be real. This had to be a game being played out for the camera.
“No, actually, his aunt was the pimp. ” Annalee shrugged, sympathy flickering in her eyes as she continued for her husband. “I have it all in the investigative report we had made when you came to work for us. Richard, Margie, and I were very attracted to you, Jaci. We felt you would have fit in with our circle of friends because of the information we found on you, Cameron, and Chase. But once the mistake had been made, we were forced to control any damage it could have caused to Richard’s political career and my own place in society. ”
Jaci needed to sit down, but there was no place to sit, no way she could sit and still stay strong before them. But grief was tearing through her. Cam had fought to hide his past, and these two had known all along. They had known and they had used it to hurt her.
“Jaci. ” Annalee shook her head gently. “Were we the monsters you believe us to be, then we would have used that information, rather than controlling any retaliation you could make, as we did. We aren’t completely unfeeling, simply a bit self-serving, I’m afraid. ”
“I’m not a fool, Jaci,” Richard said then. “Cameron Falladay would have no problem killing a man who threatened his place in the world, or his woman’s. We assumed you called this meeting to discuss your demands. ”
She was in shock. Disbelief and pain were raging through her. This explained so many things, but more than anything it explained Cam’s refusal to discuss the pain in his past. Fifteen. Such a vulnerable age anyway, and he had been exploited in one of the worst ways. Exploited and nearly destroyed.
“I didn’t call this meeting. ” She finally shook her head, disbelieving, filled with grief.
Oh, God, Cam. She wanted to rock back and forth in agony. She wanted to race to him, to hold him, to scream in rage that anything so vile could have been done to him.
“What do you mean, you didn’t call this meeting?” Annalee straightened and looked to Robert. “We didn’t call it. ”
“No. I called it. ”
Jaci turned and stared at Moriah in shock. It wasn’t Moriah so much that shocked her, as the gun in her hand and the hatred in her eyes as she glared at Jaci.
“Moriah?” Annalee’s voice softened strangely, despite the confusion and fear in her voice. There was genuine affection, genuine caring in her tone. “Darling, what are you doing?”
“I called this meeting. ” Moriah slowly screwed a silencer onto the end of the handgun as Jaci stepped back, shaking her head, fighting to make sense of what was happening. “You see, Annalee, I can’t let her tell that nasty Cameron what happened that night. And she will. I know she’s going to tell him the moment she leaves here, no matter what you agree to. She told me she would. He might hurt you. I can’t let you be hurt. ”
Jaci’s lips parted as she fought to breathe. This couldn’t be happening. It didn’t make sense. The Robertses had terrified her, brutalized her as a child—hadn’t they?
