Secret: A Stone Billionaire Series Novel (The Stone Billionaire Series Book 5) Read online

  “Your father developed it for her, under duress. She was threatened to destroy his business if he didn’t do it. Once he was finished…” Levi trails off.

  Leigha holds onto the dining room table for support.

  “Oh, my God, why didn’t he tell me?” Leigha stumbles through her words.

  “I assumed that she threatened to kill his whole family as well. From what I know of your father, he wouldn’t do something like that if it just meant losing his business,” Levi says to Leigha.

  “I didn’t know,” Leigha mourns.

  “I’m sorry Leigha,” Levi apologizes.

  “It wasn’t prudent to tell you before, but now that we’re in such a precarious situation it would be wise for us to be aware of anyone trying to inject you with something, or put it in your drink,” he adds.

  Levi sips his espresso, and grimaces.

  He looks out the window.

  “Despicable woman,” Levi mutters.

  Leigha doesn’t even look at me as I clear up the trash from breakfast.

  Our plan is to go back to the building, have a look around, and see if we can find any sign of Merc.

  We take the boat, leaving it moored a few buildings down from where we will be exploring, just in case, and walk down the path towards the building.

  There are staff all around, cleaning up this and that, so it’s easy to blend in.

  We walk right in, boldly looking around.

  “Which way did Merc go?” I ask Leigha.

  “Down that hallway,” Leigha tells Levi, pointing.

  She ignores me.

  “Follow me,” she says.

  Leigha leads the way down a long hallway until we get to a door and a staircase that goes down several floors.

  “Keep your guns holstered; don’t spook any of the workers,” Levi instructs.

  I take point and bounce down the stairs.

  I see nothing but boxes and cleaning supplies behind the doors.

  It feels like a dead end until I open the last entry.

  “Is that blood?” Leigha asks.

  There’s a small dot of blood on the wall behind a waste bin.

  I move the bin to reveal much more blood splattered all over the wall - and the floor.

  “There’s not really a lot of it,” Leigha says, her voice detached.

  “Maybe they subdued him, to take him somewhere?” she suggests.

  “Well, Merc was here,” Levi says.

  He picks up Merc’s earpiece.

  However, it’s not smashed to pieces.

  “He could’ve easily gotten away, especially if they could’ve tracked him through the earpiece. Maybe he just disposed of it, and this isn’t his blood?” Levi rationalizes.

  We spend most of the afternoon searching the rest of the building, but turn up nothing else save Merc’s earpiece.

  It’s as much of a dead end as everything else has been.

  “What’s the plan?” I ask Levi as we walk towards the boat.

  “Merc had a list of property owned by Ventretti shell companies, and I’m betting she’ll be at one of those properties,” Levi replies.

  He always has a plan.

  We return to my father’s apartment, and open Merc’s computer.

  The monitor prompts us for a password.

  I try several things, but they all come up with no result.

  “Try EMETIB,” Leigha suggests.

  I type in the letters, and the welcome screen appears.

  I look at Leigha, astonished.

  “How did you know that?” I ask.

  “It’s ‘bite me’. Reversed,” Leigha laughs.

  “Merc’s password for everything really,” she adds, casually.

  It burns me that she knows this, but I don’t say anything.

  I glumly consider that I should really just let Leigha disappear with Merc.

  She doesn’t need my baggage to complicate her life even more.

  Levi sits down at the keyboard, and begins to search the files.

  After a few more minutes of this, he’s found a list in a prominent place for us to find.

  The name of the file is LOOKHERE.

  Just in case, I guess.

  Levi opens it, and we scan the locations.

  “Do you know where any of these places are?” I ask Levi.

  “Not a clue,” Levi admits.

  He brings up a Google map of Venice, and we carefully drop pins at all of the addresses from the list on the map.

  One location stands out to me.

  Burano.

  “I’ll bet she’s there,” I say, pointing to the screen.

  “Why?” Levi asks.

  “Instinct. I know my mother well enough. She’s not going to hide in Venice, and if she’s got someone she wants to hold on to, she’s going to wait until she has a perfect plan to deal with them before she goes anywhere. She knows we’re smart enough to have access to this list, since she has Merc, right?” I ask.

  Levi nods.

  “That’s true. She must reason that if we have the list the only property you would recognize would be Burano,” he says.

  “There’s a tour going there in about an hour,” Leigha offers.

  “We can get dinner and take some time to explore Venice some more. But, it might be prudent to blend in. It’s a small island; she could easily run again,” she adds.

  “I’m not a tourist,” I point out.

  “Evan, you’re what you have to be in this situation,” Levi scolds me.

  He’s right.

  Damn it.

  It’s like I’m being scolded by my father.

  I feel tacky.

  That’s the truth of it, in jeans and a sweater with a camera I look like a tourist.

  I feel like a tourist.

  But, isn’t that the point?

  What bothers me is that I don’t feel like myself.

  I’m Evan freaking Stone.

  I’m always in a designer suit; always looking my best; always looking for my next big venture.

  Now, I’m chasing my mother halfway across the world.

  The water is eerily calm, the air crisp, and the tour not even close to capacity.

  The island of Burano comes into view, and all the brightly painted houses are a welcome sight.

  I smile grimly.

  I’m one step closer to my mother.

  Leigha has her head stuck outside the fully open window beside her.

  I can hear her laughing, and for a moment I wonder if she hasn’t gone mad.

  I know telling her I couldn’t make love to her was the right decision.

  Even though every part of me craved her, if would have been unfair to her.

  Leigha is more to me than just a meaningless piece of ass.

  I’m too confused to sleep with her, anyway.

  I don’t want to fall in love with my best friend, and then lose her as well.

  I notice that my episodes have seemed to decrease their frequency.

  I take that as good sign.

  “Do you remember the spring formal?” Leigha asks, suddenly.

  “We were on a cruise. Yeah. I remember bits and pieces of it,” I laugh.

  “You came with Ashley, and every time you said two words to me, she’d freak out and yell at you!” Leigha reminds me.

  “Now I remember why I got so drunk!” I laugh.

  “Pretty sure you refilled that flask a couple of times,” Leigha giggles.

  “I still have that flask!” I tell her.

  “You do not!” Leigha gasps.

  “It’s in my room, at the family home,” I admit.

  Leigha laughs at this.

  Then, she’s somber for a moment.

  “Do you think we drink so much to try to forget?” she asks.

  “Forget what?” I kid with her.

  She smacks my arm.

  “Smartass!” she laughs.

  “As always, Bergmann, you are on point,” I acknowledge.

  Her smile m
elts my heart.

  “Does this mean I’m forgiven?” I ask.

  “No,” Leigha replies, shaking her head.

  She holds up her left hand, and the diamond glints in the sunlight.

  “Right. Wife,” I nod.

  We’re pretending to be husband and wife on vacation with my brother.

  I thought it was a stupid idea, along with the dark-haired wig on Leigha’s head.

  It suits her, don’t get me wrong.

  But, I prefer her blonde hair.

  I’m wearing a stupid baseball cap, just like Levi, who’s been silent.

  I notice that Leigha’s eyes stand out a lot more with the long brown locks that drift down her shoulders.

  Her off-the-shoulder sweater tapers at her waist, and flows down naturally, to where her tights begin.

  Smooth black tights.

  I want to run my hands all over them.

  And inside them, too…

  We all opted for sensible footwear, which prompted Leigha to buy a pair of brand new boots for the occasion.

  Leigha isn’t wearing a coat though, and when we get out of the boat, I offer her my jacket.

  “You know I don’t need it,” Leigha laughs.

  I know, but I do it anyway because it’s automatic.

  Leigha’s dad, Jack, has a cabin up north in Canada and they used to spend some of the winters there.

  I think he’s got a mini-laboratory there too or something; Leigha was never quite clear on that.

  “Did I mention that Dad’s up in Canada, now?” Leigha asks me, obviously reading my mind.

  Thank God for her dad’s dual citizenship.

  “The FBI said he could leave the country. He told me this morning,” she adds.

  “That’s amazing, that means…” I try to form words, but my mind is swirling too much to talk.

  “It means you’ll get your company back, Evan,” Leigha tells me.

  There’s is no person I’d rather hear those words from.

  “I’m sorry…” Leigha begins.

  I put a finger against her lips.

  “It was never your fault, remember that,” I say.

  Leigha nods.

  Slowly, I run my thumb along her lower lip and Leigha’s eyes close for a second.

  I contemplate kissing her, but I’m sure she’d slap me.

  “Hey, lovebirds,” Levi calls to us.

  “Let’s get going,” he says.

  The group has already started walking towards the restaurant where we are supposed to have lunch.

  The place is a little hole in the wall; it’s packed with tables and chairs.

  Since there aren’t that many of us, it’s a little empty.

  With old pictures all over the yellow-painted walls, it’s comforting and homey.

  We’re given wine with the lunch, which turns out to be the most incredible seafood lasagna I’ve ever had in my life.

  I believe Tinsley may have mentioned this to me once before.

  “This is amazing!” Leigha says, trying not to talk with her mouth full.

  She smiles, then swallows the delicious pasta.

  “It’s creamy, but not overpowering, and you can taste the seafood! Like, fresh seafood!” Leigha squeals with delight.

  She’s not very articulate when she’s eating.

  “This is excellent! Best lasagna I’ve ever had!” Levi agrees.

  We limit ourselves to one glass of wine, which blends perfectly with the food.

  “We may as well stay for dessert,” Levi elects.

  “It would look odd if we left now,” he explains.

  “That’s true. I’ve had quite a bit of tiramisu, also. So, I’m wondering if this is going to be just as good,” Leigha says.

  “I’ll bet it’s better, sweetheart,” I say with a wink.

  Leigha rolls her eyes.

  I get it, she’s burned.

  I just want a chance to talk about why I couldn’t do it, why I couldn’t make love to her like I wanted to.

  Sure enough, the tiramisu is better than any I’ve ever had.

  That’s when the tour guide comes to check on us.

  “Have you enjoyed everything?” Alfonso asks, his accent thick.

  “It’s all been lovely, thank you,” Leigha replies with a smile.

  I slide my hand over hers across the table and the diamond sparkles.

  “Oh, are you newlyweds?” Alfonso asks.

  “Yes, we’re traveling with my brother,” I say.

  “Congratulations! Where did you get married?” Alfonso makes polite conversation.

  “Fiji,” I tell him off the top of my head.

  “We eloped,” Leigha replies smoothly.

  “How long have you been together?” Alfonso persists.

  “Years, and years, we’ve known each other since our private school days,” Leigha explains.

  “High school sweethearts, how romantic,” Alfonso emphasizes the word ‘romantic’.

  “Let me take a picture for you,” he insists.

  We all pose clinking our wine glasses together, and I reach across the table to wrap my arm around Leigha.

  He takes the picture and gives us the polaroid.

  Leigha lets it dry, and when it develops, it’s a beautiful picture.

  She slides it into her purse without another word as we all file out of the restaurant for our free time in Burano.

  “Alfonso, can you direct me here? I have a relative I want to visit,” I ask.

  Alfonso looks at the address.

  “Yes, you just go over the bridge, down the road, and then your third right,” Alfonso replies, pointing out the way as he talks.

  Once we’re out of earshot, Levi checks that his Glock is still firmly hidden in his jacket.

  It is.

  So is mine…

  Leigha’s Glock is in her purse.

  I speculate that maybe that’s why many women carry such big purses.

  “I’ll go in from the back,” Levi says as we walk.

  “You two knock at the front,” he instructs.

  It sounds like a solid plan.

  But, the further we walk, the more I’ve got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  We reach the bright blue building and Levi goes around the back.

  “Should we really just knock?” Leigha asks.

  “Might as well,” I say.

  I knock on the door.

  Elizabeth answers, in all her glory, wearing that stupid black wig.

  “I’ve been expecting you,” Elizabeth tells us.

  “Come in,” she says, smoothly.

  I’m leery about this.

  I don’t say a word about Levi in the back of the building.

  We step inside.

  “You knew we’d find you?” I ask.

  “You’re my son, you’re intuitive, I knew you’d find your way somehow,” Elizabeth says casually.

  “Where’s Merc?” I ask.

  “I don’t know,” Elizabeth says, and ignores me for the most part.

  “Oh, what’s this?” she asks.

  She takes Leigha’s left hand and sees the diamond ring I took out of the vault in Venice.

  “You got married?” she asks.

  Out of spite, I lie to my mother.

  “Yes, we did,” I tell her.

  “That’s none of your business Elizabeth,” Leigha says.

  That’s when I realize that this is probably a distraction as we stand in her living room, filled with priceless things.

  I bet she calls this home.

  “Get rid of them,” my mother says coldly.

  Before I can react, there’s a cloth placed over my mouth, and suddenly, there’s no more.

  Just black.

  24

  Leigha

  March 18, 2018

  I’ve spent days in and out of consciousness, and when I finally find myself awake, I’m aware that we’re on a ship.

  I can hear the water outside the hull.


  “Evan?” I whisper.

  “I’m here,” his voice sounds pained.

  “Evan,” I sigh in relief.

  Evan moves, and I feel his hand brush against my knee.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  “I don’t know,” is all he says.

  My hands are cuffed together.

  I’m still wearing my wig, and I can feel the hairpins, although my head throbs incessantly.

  My eyes adjust better to the dim light, and I can make out crates around us.

  “Evan, can you get one of my hairpins?” I ask.

  “Yeah, lean closer to me,” he tells me.

  I lean closer, but it’s not enough, and Evan moves my head into his lap.

  He manages to get them all loose and pull the wig off, letting my hair flow freely.

  I need a shower, and a toothbrush, and a bed.

  I have to think.

  Now that my head isn’t itching like crazy, I get to work on the handcuffs, trying to find the right angle to get them open.

  But, it’s no use.

  Nothing I do seems to get them unlocked.

  “Any luck?” Evan asks as he works on his own handcuffs.

  “No!” I whine.

  “We’re going to die!” I tell him.

  “We’re going to die, and they’re going to throw our bodies overboard, and that’s it!” I say, frantically.

  I don’t want to die.

  Not now.

  I’m not finished.

  I continue to struggle with the handcuffs anyway.

  I refuse to die somewhere and drift off into the ocean like the ‘Titanic’.

  “Leigha…” Evan’s voice sounds heavy.

  “Evan, not now, we’re going to get out of here,” I tell him.

  “I just, I don’t want us to be fighting,” he says.

  “We’re not; it’s in the past. Let’s just forget it,” I say.

  “You want to forget it?” Evan asks.

  “Just move forward,” I insist.

  Even though I can’t forget that Evan told me no.

  Is it me?

  Am I not pretty enough?

  Is it because I’m not Vic?

  I know how much he cared about Vic; I’m convinced she was the love of his life and that’s why he couldn’t do it.

  Either that, or I’m just not the kind of woman he wants.

  Men like Evan Stone don’t date women like me - they have trophy wives.

  “Okay,” Evan says.

  “Forgiven, then?” he asks.