35
Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Alexandra was burstingwiththe good news about her job offer, but when she entered the living room, the tension radiating off both men waspalpable.
She rushed over to Colton. “It’s Mom, isn’t it? So much has happened in the past few days that Ihaven’t—”
“Mom is fine,” Colton said, cutting her off. “She’s settled in and loves the constant attention. That’s not why I’m here.” He picked up a shot glass and downed itscontents.
As she slipped off her winter coat, panic soared through her. “Did something happen to Sophia?” She’d visited Crockett’s sister in the hospital every day and had become very attached toher.
Her brother paced in front of the window. The V between Crockett’s brows wouldn’t go away. Her chest tightened and she couldn’t catch her breath. Lightheaded, she sat on the sofa. “Please, tell me. I feel like I’m going to passout.”
“I heard from Danny,” Crockett began. “Jase Payne has been on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for over a decade. His real name is RodneyJames.”
Alexandra swallowed. This couldn’t possibly be the reason Crockett had summoned her brother. “Okay.”
“Francois is Frank Robinson. No priors. Dracule is a man named Wilson Montgomery.” Crockett flicked his gaze toColton.
Colton sat on the coffee table across from Alexandra and clasped her hands. The pain in his eyes surprised her. “Last November, Wilson Montgomery attempted a hostile takeover of the Francesco Company. If he’d succeeded, Crockett and I would have lost the biggest deal of our careers. He wanted to ruin me professionally and he almost succeeded. I didn’t know who he was until I methim.”
“I’d never met Montgomery,” Crockett said. “And Colton never told me who hewas.”
Eyeing the two most important men in her life, Alexandra vented her exasperation. “I’m not following. Who is this Montgomery guy and what does any of this have to do withme?”
Crockett turned from the window. “If I had known, we wouldn’t have returned toIncognito.”
Alexandra flew off the sofa and stormed over to him. “Then I wouldn’t have found your sister!What could be more important thanthat?”
Colton rose, the anger rolling off him inwaves.
“Goddammit, tell her,” Crockett bitout.
Her brother stared into her eyes while her heartbeat raced like a locomotive. “Wilson Montgomery is Wilson Montgomery Mitus. He’s our father,Alexandra.”
The air got sucked from her lungs. For several seconds, no one moved. Or spoke. Orbreathed.
When she clutched the pillar for support, Crockett was by her side. Feeling like everything was happening in slow motion, she allowed him to guide her to the sofa. And there she tried to breathe. But shecouldn’t.
Dracule is a pedophile…and my father. The image of him removing his clothing popped into her consciousness. Her guts heaved and she choked back a gag. Little yellow stars blurred her vision. She slammed her eyes shut and pulled air into her lungs. Passing out was her way ofnotdealing with issues. This time she’d face it, no matter how difficult. She gobbled down a breath. And then another. Slowly, the nausea passed and she opened hereyes.
She had no idea how long they sat in silence, but eventually she found her voice. “He has a tattoo on his wrist. Cain’s initials. He told me he lost a son.” Colton’s eyes blackened with hatred, but he said nothing. “I have questions about our childhood, Colton. And you have theanswers.”
“I’ll give you two some time,” Crockettsaid.
Alexandra clasped his hand. “I’d prefer you stay, if Colton doesn’tmind.”
Colton eyed his best friend. “I don’t like talking about this, but I trust this conversation will stay betweenus.”
“Of course,” Crockett said. “You knowthat.”
Colton poured a shot of whiskey, tossed it back. Then, he stared out the living room window for a long moment. Alexandra let go of Crockett, but her stomach was tied in knots. She’d waited a long time to learn about their past fromhim.
“Wilson adored you, Alexandra,” Colton began, his back still to her. “Regardless of what he’s become or the way he treated Mom and me, he was kind toyou.”
“Goon.”
Colton turned, his eyes seething with hatred. “Even though Cain and I were inseparable, we were very different. He was loud and funny. I was quiet and shy. I developed a stammering problem. Instead of trying to help me, Wilson criticized and ridiculed me. So, I withdrew further. Kids bullied me, but Cain defended me. He’d beat the living hell out of anyone who dared tease me. Wilson stroked his ego and encouraged his aggression. But with me, he either poked fun or ignored me as if I didn’texist.”
