Bitter Truths Read online

  She watched him tense up.

  “That’s what you said to your little friend. That my family were traitors.”

  The Denton men stood up, and turned toward Bruce.

  “What is she saying, Bruce?” Charlotte asked.

  “Not what am I saying? The words he spoke to his friend. Just out of curiosity, ten years ago, did Bruce here, have a partner?” she asked.

  “Yes. Awais,” Jacob said.

  “Where is good old Awais?”

  “We found his body in a hotel room. He’d OD’d,” Maddox said.

  “The perfect way to get rid of the evidence. Did he even know he wasn’t acting on Denton’s word, but yours?” she asked.

  Her hand wasn’t shaking as she stared at the man who had taken everything from her. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Ten years it had taken her to be here. Taking a deep breath, she stared at Bruce, knowing she was going to be the one to kill him.

  ****

  Oliver couldn’t believe it, and yet it made perfect sense. Bruce was the one person who they had believed had been loyal to them. He had been there ten years ago, and he’d stayed close to them.

  “No, tell me this isn’t true,” Charlotte said.

  Bruce didn’t say anything. His gaze was focused on the woman holding the gun, really steadily. Oliver admired her stance, and loved her even more.

  “It’s true. I’ve got the evidence with a friend of mine.”

  “Why?” Ruby asked.

  “Lionel knew, and I wasn’t ready to be killed.” Bruce turned his attention to Maddox. “It was my job to get close to the Dentons, and to bring them down. Gabriel’s father wasn’t prepared for your final attack in response to the Santos murder. I’ve been waiting for my call to come, so imagine my surprise when it did a year ago.” Bruce was moving toward the door, and Oliver wasn’t going to let that bastard go, but he also didn’t want his woman to have that death on her mind.

  Fuck!

  His jacket was on the sofa across from him. There was no way he was going to be able to protect her, and he couldn’t let her kill him.

  Fuck!

  Bastard!

  He should have seen this coming. They all should have seen it all coming.

  “This town. This city, it all belongs to Gabriel Colton, and even when I’m gone, there will be more to take my place.”

  “The Coltons are scum and should have stayed away where they were warned to. They come after me or my family, and I will fucking kill them,” Maddox said.

  “You took my brother, you traitorous bastard,” Ruby said.

  Her focus was absolute. He stepped closer to her, knowing his brothers were ready to pounce, and to rid them all of Bruce.

  “You don’t have to do this, baby,” he said.

  “He killed my brother. I know Lionel was disappointed when he arrived at the café, and he even tried to wait to take care of the problem. His waiting, his compassion, it got him killed.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “I know. It’s his fault. He killed my brother and took away one of the most precious things in the world to me. I loved my family, I did. I cared about my parents, but I loved my brother.”

  Before he could stop her, she fired the gun. No one had time to duck, and Oliver wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, knowing that there was nothing he could do. She fired the gun five more times, and pushed him away as she stepped up close to a gasping, dying Bruce.

  “Did they beg?” she asked.

  “He … called … me …. traitor.”

  Oliver held her hand as she pointed the gun, aimed, and shot Bruce directly in the forehead.

  Silence filled the air. It was like static was all around them. Oliver didn’t know what to do, and so he waited.

  Ruby dropped the gun, turned to him, and sobbed. He caught her as she cried for everything. Holding her close to his heart, he held her even as his family watched. No one did a thing as she broke down in his arms, crying the ten pent-up years.

  For ten years his woman had been all alone. The only thing she wanted more than anything to was avenge her brother’s death. She had done that, and now it was time for him to hold her, to comfort her, and to give her everything her heart desired.

  “Can I take her to my old room?” he asked, looking at his mother.

  “Go. Go.”

  Before he left the room, he caught sight of Landon holding a shaking Sarah. That was going to be a tricky situation, and he was thankful he wasn’t in his father’s place. Killing Sarah wasn’t an option, but keeping her silent was.

  Lifting Ruby into his arms, he carried her upstairs toward him old bedroom. Lowering her down to the bed, he brushed away each one of her tears even as more came. He didn’t care that his shirt was soaking wet, or that his head was pounding from her cries. All he wanted to do was hold her.

  Time passed, and he wondered if his father and brother had gotten rid of the body. There was no way they were going to leave a body in the sitting room.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice croaky and dry.

  “Why are you sorry?”

  “I shouldn’t have killed him. This is all my fault.”

  “Babe, it’s fine.”

  “I’ve never killed anyone before.” She pressed the heels of her hand against her eyes.

  He kissed her hands, slowly pulling them away from her face. “You don’t need to hide from me. You’ve never needed to hide from me.”

  “I killed.”

  “I know.”

  “It hurts.”

  “I know.”

  “Does it hurt you?” she asked.

  “Not anymore.”

  “You don’t feel it?”

  “I’ve been killing for a lot longer than you’ve been training. I had my first kill at seventeen. It wasn’t a planned kill, but I was at the casino when it was attacked. Three guys tried to get to my father, and I used a guard’s knife to slaughter them. Killing never gets easy. It’s always hard. You shouldn’t have had to kill Bruce.”

  “He killed my brother, and he was the one who arranged for Tamsin to be taken.”

  “We’ll make an example out of him.”

  “I want to go to sleep,” she said.

  “Okay.” He was about to leave when her next words surprised him.

  “Will you hold me?” she asked. “I don’t want to be alone, and I’d really like your arms wrapped around me.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Wrapping his arms around her, Oliver held her close as she fell asleep. He was going to be there for the rest of their lives, but he understood what she had to do.

  Chapter Twelve

  Everything always looks better after a good night’s sleep. For Ruby, nothing was better, just right. She had gotten the man responsible for killing her brother, and Lewis came by the Dentons’ house the next day to prove it as well. Bruce had been working for the Coltons for a long time, ever since he was a young boy, working for the great-grandfather, working up the ranks until he was giving the assignment to become one of them. His real name wasn’t even Bruce. It was Howard. There was so much they didn’t know about him, and Ruby was pleased no one else had gotten hurt.

  She had killed someone, but she had stopped him from killing anyone else. There was no going back from taking a life, and even after a week since it happened, the memory never faded.

  “What do you think of their proposal?” Ruby asked.

  Lewis was staring out of her family’s study window. She had brought her best friend to the place where it all went wrong for her, and her life.

  “They want me to set up division of security, and find fellow science nerds that would be willing to work for them.”

  “It was my idea. I hope you’re not angry.”

  “I’m not angry with you, sweetie. I could never be angry with you. I love you, you know.”

  “Oh.”

  “No, not like that,” he said, chuckling. “You’re like the sister I ne
ver had. It’s probably really selfish of me, but I’m pleased I got to know you, even if it meant your brother dying.”

  “Thank you.” She moved toward him, wrapping her arms around him. “If you’re loyal to the Dentons, they’ll be loyal to you. I know they’ll protect you as well.”

  “I’m going to take the offer. Hacking into government databases gets boring after a while.”

  She chuckled. “Don’t get caught. I only think their forgiveness goes so far.” She winked.

  He laughed. “So, you and Oliver?”

  Biting her lip, she couldn’t help the heat that filled her cheeks. “We’re a thing. You know, I have a thing now.” For the past week they had been like every other couple. She no longer slept in a separate room. Her place was in his bed, by his side, and her virginity was long gone. “I know it’s probably too soon to say this but … I love him.”

  “Why is it too soon?”

  “Shouldn’t love be something that takes time?”

  “Who says?”

  “The movies?” She snorted.

  “I think when it comes to love you should embrace everything. Don’t shortchange yourself. I’ve seen a difference inside you since you’ve been with Oliver. Don’t question it.”

  She went into his arms when he opened them up.

  “I’ve actually got an appointment with Maddox. Do you want me to drive you somewhere?” he asked.

  “Nope. I’m actually waiting for my man.”

  Lewis kissed her head, and she followed him toward the door. “I’m proud of you, you know that.”

  “Why?”

  “You didn’t allow your need for revenge to ruin a good thing. The Dentons, their legacy, their curse, whatever you want to call it. It has its uses. Oliver, he loves you.”

  The warmth from his words spread throughout her body. “I’ll be seeing you, Lewis.”

  “Yep.”

  He left her home, and she spun around, going into a different room. Opening the curtains, she allowed the sunshine to come in. The dust was thick, but she already had the number for a good expert cleaner, which she intended to use.

  Entering the kitchen, she folded her arms, seeing her younger self with Lionel. The images in her mind faded as the front door opened. Moving into the main corridor, she saw Oliver Denton, the man who had once been her enemy, now her friend and lover, the man she actually loved shaking off some of the snow that had fallen outside.

  “It’s fucking freezing.”

  “I want to get the gasman out before I even attempt to put any form of heat on.” She rubbed her arms. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Babe, when are you going to realize if you whistled I’d come to you?”

  She chuckled. Holding out her hands, she felt a calmness settle over as he took them. Locking their fingers together, she stared at them, bound together.

  “Do you love me?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  There wasn’t even any hesitation. Oliver Denton, the man that screwed other men’s wives, and laughed about it, had fallen in love with her. The ugly duckling, the plain Jane, the killer.

  “I love you, too.”

  She saw the shock in his eyes at her words.

  “I’m not saying them to make you feel better either. You should know by now that I’m not the kind of woman who does that.”

  “I already figured that out. Dad told me you were heading here even before I got your call.”

  “This is my home. This is where my family was, Oliver.”

  She released his hand, and pulled a ring out of her jeans’ pocket. Ruby didn’t know if anyone of the women had ever proposed to their man before, but she wanted to do something different. After trying to kill him, and keeping him at arm’s length, she wanted him to know that she was devoted to their relationship.

  Lowering herself to one knee, she took hold of his hand, and held in the laughter at the look of shock on his face.

  “Ruby, what the hell are you doing?” he asked.

  “Oliver Denton, you are the strangest person I’ve ever met, but you’re also the only one who has ever made me feel so complete. I love you, and I don’t care if it’s because some curse, or anything else. I know that what we feel, it’s real, and that is all that matters. So, Oliver, I’m asking, will you be my husband, and will you help me fill this house with beautiful children, and happy memories because that is what I want … so bad.”

  It was a dream she had years ago, of being a wife, mother, and chef. Her brother always told her she would make a change in their life, and she was going to start it now.

  “This is all wrong,” he said.

  She frowned. “What?”

  He went down on one knee, and he pulled out a velvet box. “I’m the one that is supposed to propose to you.”

  “Oh.”

  “My brothers are going to drive me crazy if they know you’ve proposed first. My answer is yes, but I won’t be telling them that I was too fucking slow for this.”

  She couldn’t stop laughing. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him close.

  “You love me?” he asked.

  “Yes, I love you.”

  Oliver took hold of her hand, and slid the ring he’d bought onto her finger, and she did the same with his.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him, plunging her tongue into his open mouth. He released a moan with his hand going to her ass. She tugged him down to the floor, and straddled his waist.

  “How about we strike a deal?” she asked.

  “What kind of deal would that be?”

  “We promise never to kill each other, but to give each other multiple orgasms, and I want kids.”

  “I want ten,” he said.

  “Ten?”

  “Yep, five boys, five girls. I want a big family.”

  She laughed. “Let’s start with two.”

  “Six?”

  “Four?”

  “Deal.”

  He sank his fingers into her hair, tugging her down. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

  “Nah, I’m the luckiest girl.”

  Oliver rolled her over so that she was beneath him. He ran his hand down her body, cupping her tit before going between her legs.

  “Are you ready for me to seal the deal?”

  “Hell yes.”

  He pulled his shirt over his head, and tore open hers. She fought to open his jeans, trying to strip him as fast as he was getting her naked.

  Minutes passed, and they were finally naked.

  “I’m clean,” he said, with his naked cock poised at her entrance. Ruby licked her dry lips.

  “I’m clean, but … I could get pregnant.”

  “I don’t care. I want you, and I swear on my very life that I’ll be by your side. We’re going to have to start early to fill this place up.”

  “You got that right.”

  He pushed the first few inches inside, grabbed her hips, and slammed every single inch home within her pussy. They both cried out, and Ruby scored her nails down his back, knowing there was no one else she would ever want to be with.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He took possession of her mouth, and Ruby found happiness in her home once again.

  ****

  “Are you sure it’s safe to let her go home?” Gideon asked.

  “I’m not about to kill a sixteen year old, and besides, Landon’s got his first assignment.”

  “What is it?” Damian asked.

  “Simple, he’s to make sure Sarah falls in love with him and keeps our secret. She fails, he’ll be the one that will have to pull the trigger.”

  Gideon smirked. “Kinky.”

  “Not kinky, and I’d appreciate it if both of you are a lot smoother in claiming your women,” Maddox said. “I’m sick and tired of dealing with this shit.”

  “You can’t complain. Look what Ruby Santos did for us. She caught our betrayer, and she kicks ass,” Abel said. “How
we find our women is not your concern.”

  “It is when it comes to the safety of our family.”

  Gideon rolled his eyes. “Are we done here?”

  “No. The Coltons are close. I want to arrange a meeting with Gabriel. I’m tired of this bad blood, and I want to know who I’m up against.”

  “I’ll get it done,” Gideon said.

  “Yeah?”

  “They’re not hard to find.”

  “Okay, then why don’t you go and arrange that meeting,” Maddox said.

  His father could be a bit of an asshole when he didn’t get his own way. Rolling his eyes, Gideon spun on his heel, and made his way out of his father’s office. He didn’t stop outside of the casino, and in fact went straight across the road, and knocked on the door. Glancing down at his watch, he wondered if he could get across town to his own woman in waiting. She wasn’t his. She was more like a mistress he kept that meant he could get away from the pressures of work.

  When no one answered the door, he pulled out his knife, working the lock until it popped.

  Entering the abandoned building, he sheathed his weapon, and took the stairs three at a time. He’d already been here three times already. Gideon had thought it was funny that their enemies lived just over the road.

  “You may as well come out. I know you’re here,” Gideon said, standing in the center of the third floor.

  Within seconds he was surrounded by four Coltons, guns raised, and looking a little surprised.

  “Please? You don’t think we have means of finding out where you are.”

  “I didn’t realize you were looking.”

  “Oh, I’m pleased I did, but I have to say, I’m surprised that you haven’t found my cameras, with sound. You had no intention of hurting Tamsin, but I’ve got to understand what the fuck you hope to achieve.”

  “This fucker invaded our privacy,” Wyatt said.

  Gideon stared at Gabriel. It was like looking at Jacob, the two were so much alike. “Dad wants a meeting.”

  “I’ve got nothing to say to him.”

  “You haven’t?”

  “No. A Colton has nothing to do with a Denton. We’re all that’s left.”

  Gideon burst out laughing. “You see, that’s funny.”

  “Why is it funny?”

  “Because you’re not a real Colton, are you, Gabriel?” Gideon asked. “Technically, there’re only three Coltons left.”