Page 30 of Tell Me Your Lies

I stare at him. “Can it get any worse?”

“Maybe you can add all the times Dad was being a bad boy and how my poor mother suffered to her memoirs. She’d love that.” Lucas chuckles. “Now you have a first-hand account. It would make good reading—the inside scoop of what really happened on the yacht.”

Suddenly hungry, I pour maple syrup over hot cakes and then nibble at the crispy bacon. It is a good idea. “Why doesn’t he care that people think he’s having affairs with young women right under his wife’s nose?”

“I’d tell you but if it ends up in the book or in some of those trashy columns you write for, he’ll sue you.” Lucas narrows his gaze at me. “I only know because he threw it in her face one time when they were arguing. I asked him and it’s true.”

I stare at him for a long moment, not sure if he’s lying to me. I’m an easy target right now and I think he knows it. I glance at my hands, still seeing the blood, and my appetite flees. I look up at him. “I wouldn’t stoop that low, Lucas, not after everything you’re doing to help me. I’m not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t found me.” I see him look at me and nod. “So why doesn’t Linc care what anyone thinks of him?”

“Because my paragon of all that’s right and just, Mother had an affair with her bodyguard, which resulted in Dad catching a nasty disease.” Lucas digs into a plate of scrambled eggs. “Luckily a few shots of penicillin fixed him but as he hadn’t cheated on her, he needed to know who’d taken his place the moment he went on tour. He had private detectives all over them. This is why she doesn’t have a bodyguard and none of the security guards are allowed inside the house. She could find herself another lover and he knows that but as far as I know, she hasn’t strayed since—but then I’m not here when we go on tour.” He sighs. “It cut him up real bad and he left for a time. He often does when she blows up at him, but he comes back. The guys in the band tell me, from that moment on, he flirts. She gives him hell and he just laughs it off.”

I can’t believe my ears. “So why does she stay—why does he?”

“Maybe it’s the devil you know?” Lucas shrugs. “I’m over trying to figure them out.”

THIRTY-NINE

Isabelle

There’s something going on. I can feel it in my bones. I could see actual fear in Lucas’ eyes when he came to wake me, and Alani was shaking all over. What are they trying to cover up and what was the urgency to check everyone was okay? This is the problem with Lucas; he never offers a convincing explanation. I hear strange things aboard the vessel many times, and it’s not just the gulls screaming. With the amount of people we have moving around, women scream all the time. It’s nothing unusual. So, what had them both terrified? I wanted to talk it out with Linc but the infuriating man went straight to the shower, no doubt to wash off any evidence I might find of his indiscretions. I know he’s cheating on me and has been for a very long time. I play along with his masquerades of being the perfect husband when he’s home with me but I know when he steps out onto the stage, he becomes a different animal. Marriage vows no longer exist and I’ve been fooling myself all this time that he has remained faithful to me. It’s only a matter of time before a stranger knocks on the door insisting that they’re his son or daughter.

“Okay, start yelling at me, I’m ready.” Linc steps out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, wearing a towel around his waist. His hair is still damp from the shower and sticks to his cheeks. He moves to the dressing table and takes out the hair dryer. He switches it on. “Get on with it.” He smiles at me as the dryer roars.

I open my mouth. Whatever I say to him will just roll over him like water off a duck’s back. It’s his way; life is a joke. I stare at him and the sight of him never gets old. Tattoos cover both arms, and his chest. A golden eagle spreads its wings across his broad shoulders, but on the top of one shoulder, I see a scratch undoubtedly made by nails. Anger bubbles up inside me as he moves the hair dryer back and forth. His hair has been cut so expertly that it falls into the stylish shaggy look that he prefers. I shake my head. It’s hard to believe that the cut muscular man, without one ounce of fat, standing in front of me is Lucas’ father. He could be an older brother. I wait for him to finish. He doesn’t need to brush his hair. He sprays something into his palms and runs his hands through his hair and then shakes his head, and it’s perfect. He sees me looking at him, and his reflection smiles a wicked smile.

I meet his gaze. “How many women did you have sex with last night?”

“Oh, it’s the green-eyed monster again.” Linc places the hair dryer on the dressing table and turns to face me. “Or did you miss me?”

I wet my lips. “Answer the question. It’s a simple one—or did you lose count?”

“Izzy, you didn’t cheat on me once, you cheated on me for two years.” Linc’s eyes bore into me. “You don’t have the right to ask me what I’m doing. Not anymore. You set the rules, darlin’, and when I’m home, I sleep beside you every night. I live two separate lives and after all this time you should know that. What is it now? Do you want me to leave, so everyone will feel sorry for you again? Maybe Alani can reveal what a depraved person I am and how bad I treat you? The fans would love it and it would sell. You do what you want, Izzy. Or maybe tell it like it really is?”

I shake my head. “No one would believe me so I guess having you beside me at night will do—but you can’t hold an affair over my head for the rest of my life. I was lonely and you were away.”

“I might have forgiven that but finding you with him in the hot tub.” Linc dashes a hand through his hair. “That tore my heart out and you laughed at me—laughed like it didn’t matter. Now I crawl into your bed each night like a loyal dog because I love you—well, loved you. I figure we’ve become bad habits. You can’t stand to see me happy and I’ll do anything to stop you alienating our kids and our friends—where are your friends, Izzy? Oh, that’s right, you frightened them all away.” He shakes his head. “I’m just trying to keep our family together. Stay or go but stop accusing me of things I didn’t do or maybe I’ll start doing them. It’s your choice, Izzy. I’m over it.”

I stare at him and say nothing. He has me in the palm of his hand and he knows it. I can’t leave. Not knowing what he’s doing would drive me insane. He’s mine and nobody is going to have him—not now, not ever. I head for the shower and hear him ordering breakfast. He believes he’s won again—but we’ll talk again when we get home. I’ll get my own way. He’ll do anything to keep the peace.

FORTY

Alani

Paparazzi bob around in their boats as we dock at the house. Cameras flash and zoom lenses point at us from every direction. We wait for what seems like forever for everyone else to disembark. Each passenger is checked on a list and it’s slow going. When it’s time for us to leave, Charlie knocks on the door. To my surprise as we leave the cabin, Lucas pulls on a long coat, and as we walk down the gangway, I’m hidden under his coat. He presses me close, giving me instructions on where to step.

“Keep your head down, Alani.” Lucas guides me along the pathway. “Charlie is beside you. I doubt anyone’s gonna get a clear shot.”

Moments later, we arrive at the house. Linc is just inside the foyer talking to the big guy I spoke to before boarding the yacht. Beside me Lucas stiffens and presses a finger to his lips.

“So, you’ve checked every member of staff, no one else is missing?” Linc rubs his chin. “Then take a security detail and go and check every inch of the yacht. She has to be there somewhere. Someone must have seen her during the night. I’ll go and ask Isabelle.” He turns and shuts the door behind the man as he leaves and then looks at us. “Have you seen Allison?”

A tremor of fear slides down my back. My hands are shaking and I lean into Lucas. “I did see her last night sitting in the hallway near the bar. I figured she was waiting there for Isabelle. I didn’t speak to her, she had her head in a book and I was looking for the bathroom. I haven’t seen her since.”

“I haven’t seen her at all and I was moving around all over.” Lucas drops his arm from around me and slides out of his coat. He smiles at Linc. “Alani fell into the hot tub last night, and she’s kinda strung out, so I hid her from the paparazzi—as Mom insists, she’s an employee and it wouldn’t look good if they saw us together. That’s a crock of shit. Her family and ours have been friends for years, and we went to the same school.”

“Yeah, well, your mom left without me, which will be interpreted as we’ve split, so I don’t believe she really cares what they think.” Linc shakes his head. “I hope they find Allison. Maybe we should check her room? She could have slipped past security.” He waves to one of the members of his band. “Hey, Pete. Go and see if Allison is anywhere in the house. Check her room and ask if Isabelle has seen her.”

“Is she missing?” Pete replaces a guitar on the wall beside the piano and turns to look at him.