Beneath The Lies

  Beneath The Lies

  Copyright © 2016 Riann C. Miller

  Editing by Edee M. Fallon, Mad Spark Editing

  Cover Design, formatting and interior design by Jersey Girl & Co.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/ or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  ****

  Synopsis

  Beneath the lies are emerald eyes.

  Growing up an only child, Kate Reynolds lived a normal, almost sheltered life. When the unthinkable happens and Kate is left all alone in the world, and set to inherit her parents’ fortune, she discovers the evils that truly exist.

  Gavin Loman has a tumultuous past: losing his father at a young age, a mother with a destructive personality, and buried secrets even he does not truly understand the depths of. Striking out on his own, he is finally making a name for himself...until a green-eyed girl who haunts his dreams comes crashing into his life.

  When hidden truths are unveiled and pasts collide, Gavin must protect those he loves from becoming victims to the terrors of his childhood. However, not everything is as it seems...

  What would you do if everything you held dear was threatened? When the truth you believed is weaved with lies?

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Unlikely Love

  My childhood is proof that my sister is a fighter.

  Even with the rocky road ahead of her, I know she’ll continue to fight.

  I love you with all my heart.

  “Oh, my God, she canceled.” Like normal, my mother’s voice screeches over everyone else’s. “That little bitch canceled less than ten minutes before we’re supposed to leave!”

  “Leeta! Not in front of the children.” My mother’s arms flap around wildly in anger.

  “James, we have to go now if we’re going to make it on time and we can’t take them.” Not that I need clarification, but her hand shoots out and points at my brother and me sitting on the sofa.

  “I’ll call a neighbor to see if I can find someone to come over.”

  Before my mother can start yelling again, a calm, peaceful voice speaks up. “I’ll stay with them.” Everyone in the room turns toward the beautiful lady with long black hair who moments ago was snuggled up with my brother.

  “Mandy, don’t be ridiculous. You don’t want to stay home with three kids.” My mother practically sneers her comment from across the room.

  “Actually, Leeta, I was already feeling uneasy leaving Kate with someone I don’t know. Now that you’re asking random neighbors, I definitely feel uncomfortable. You three go and I’ll stay here.”

  Uncle Marcus walks up to the soft-spoken lady. He looks at her in a way I’ve never seen my father look at my mother. “Mandy, are you sure you’re okay with this? I don’t have to go—”

  “No. No. No. I’ll be fine. You go and enjoy the evening. You know how I feel about leaving Kate.”

  “Okay, it’s settled. We need to get going or we’ll be late,” my mother yells, sounding every bit her normal, irritable self.

  My dad picks up his keys from the table. “I left my car out front. We can just take it.”

  “No!” I watch the soft-spoken woman wince at my mother’s crazy behavior. “Sweetheart, we should take the Mercedes. I had it detailed for tonight.”

  My father, who for the most part tolerates my mother’s rude behavior, seems miffed at how she is acting. “My Jag is out front, Leeta. Like you said, we’re already running late. There’s no reason to take your car. Now let’s go.”

  My mother is shocked stupid, apparent by her gaping mouth and wide eyes. She almost looks like she has seen a ghost. My father gives her a solid push on her back then my parents and Marcus quickly head out the front door. I stay in the same spot on the sofa, closely watching the woman we have been left with. She’s smiling at the two of us, almost like she is happier to stay here with us than go out with my parents.

  “The time change is really messing up Kate’s sleeping schedule, but I bet she’ll be up from her nap any minute. What do you boys want to do when she gets up?”

  I turn my head slowly toward my older brother Tanner and see he is just as uncertain of what to say as I am. I’m only eight years old, but I don’t remember my parents ever asking me what I want to do. As the two of us sit here not saying a word, I hear a little voice coming from a monitor.

  “Just like I thought, Kate is awake. Stay here and I’ll be right back.”

  Mandy pops up then takes off up the stairs, leaving both Tanner and I confused in her wake. I’ve never seen a person that acts concerned and caring before, which has my guard up.

  “She seems...nice.” I live in a world where people come and go, and the ones that stick around aren’t usually nice unless they want something. I look over at Tanner, who seems just as unsure of this woman as I am, but I’m brought out of my thoughts when I hear her voice again.

  “Okay, boys, I want you to meet my baby girl. This is Kate.” I can hear the pride in her voice as I turn away from Tanner and back toward Mandy. She’s once again smiling, only this time she’s carrying a little girl on her hip. A mass of blonde, wavy hair covers most of her shoulder while the girl keeps her face tucked tight against her mother. “She’s not quite awake yet,” Mandy says in a singsong voice as she slowly rocks the little girl back and forth. Maybe Mandy is genuinely nice, or at least it’s starting to appear that way. I watch as she starts softly singing a song that I can’t quite make out.

  With her smile still in place, she looks down at her little girl. “Kate, can you say hello?”

  My eyes stay locked on the little girl as she slowly lifts her head. When her eyes find mine, I feel a jolt through my whole body. Her eyes look like emeralds—a shade of green I’ve never seen on a person before.

  “Her eyes...” I mumble as I feel my heartbeat thumping inside my chest.
<
br />   “Kate’s eyes are very beautiful, but then again, I love everything about my little girl.” Mandy’s eyes dance back and forth between Tanner and myself, like she’s waiting for one of us to say something.

  “Well, what do you want to do? Play a board game? Go swimming? Are you two hungry? We can have an early dinner.”

  Without thinking, I blurt out, “Why are you being nice to us?” Mandy pauses for a moment, her beautiful smile fading into a frown.

  “Why wouldn’t I be nice to you?”

  My eyes unconsciously narrow at her question, but Tanner speaks up to answer her. “Because people aren’t nice unless they want something.”

  Mandy’s eyes slowly drift shut. When they open again, I can see the fire in them. “Where I’m from, we’re nice to everyone because you treat others how you want to be treated. I’m nice to you because I expect you to treat me the same way.” Neither Tanner nor I say a word in return. That’s definitely not how life works here.

  “Maybe next summer you boys can come spend time in Colorado and we can get to know you better.”

  Mandy’s warm smile returns, and at this point I’m positive I will go anywhere this lady asks me to. “Let me go get you guys a snack and then we’ll go swimming. Can you boys watch Kate for me while I grab something from the kitchen?”

  Mandy kisses the little green-eyed girl on the forehead before placing her in a chair across from us then walks off.

  I look over at Tanner, but like normal, he’s staring off, lost somewhere in his own head while he avoids our surroundings. I sneak another look at the little girl only to find her closely watching me. My heart speeds up again while I draw in a deep breath of air. I’m doing my best to shake off the strange feeling I have as I tear my eyes away from hers. Looking at her is the same as looking directly at the sun. It’s hard to do for more than a few seconds. I lean my head against the back of the couch and close my eyes. While I’m doing everything in my power to avoid looking at this little girl, she hops down out of her chair and climbs up next to me. I didn’t know this until she slips her small hand into mine and gives mine a firm squeeze.

  I want to pull back. I meant to pull back, but her touch is soothing in a way I didn’t know was possible. My heart continues to beat against my chest as my mind starts to relax. I’m sitting here staring down at our connected hands when I hear her start to hum the same tune her mother had just a few moments ago.

  When I finally gain the courage to look up, I find those emerald eyes burning into mine, but it’s the way Kate is smiling at me that I know I’ll never forget. Like maybe...just maybe, I matter to someone.

  “Are you okay with this room? If not, I’ll have my housekeeper move your things to one of the other bedrooms.”

  I gasp as I slowly look around the room any normal person would love to call their own. A four corner, king size bed is the first thing my eyes spot, followed by a TV that’s at least fifty inches.

  “Wow. Leeta, this is amazing.” I can’t keep the smile out of my voice as I wander over and open a door to my very own bathroom. I glance around before walking back out, still taking everything in. This room is to die for at any age, but at twenty, I feel almost unworthy of my surroundings. “Leeta, I hope you didn’t go to all this trouble just for me,” I say as I run my hand over a dresser that looks brand new.

  Leeta smiles at me. “I didn’t go to any trouble, sweetheart. I couldn’t be happier that you agreed to stay with me. Since my boys moved out, this house has been quite lonely.”

  I inhale a breath as her words cause a sudden pain in my chest. Like Leeta, I feel extremely lonely and I wonder—not for the first time—if this pain will ever get easier.

  “Thank you, Leeta. I’m glad to be here.” My voice shakes slightly, but Leeta either doesn’t notice or is nice enough to pretend otherwise.

  “Any time, my dear. You have my cell number if I’m not home. I don’t want you to hesitate to call me for anything. I’m your family now and family takes care of each other.”

  To my surprise, I’m able to give Leeta a small smile. After the reminder of losing my parents, I wasn’t sure it was possible. Leeta walks over and wraps me up in a hug before she turns, and without another word, leaves me alone in my new room.

  My parents were wealthy, but most people don’t know that. They were down to earth in every possible way, and that included the type of home I was raised in. The Lomans, or maybe it’s just Leeta, seem to flash their money. My bedroom is a prime example. My mother would hate this room, probably as much as she would hate the fact that I’m living here. Like it or not, Leeta appears to be all I have.

  Four years ago, the world dealt me my first harsh blow when my mother was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer then died a few months later. My second blow came six weeks ago when my father unexpectedly died from a stroke. Here I am, at the age of twenty, with no parents and no siblings. The only blood relative I have left is an aunt that lives in Maine that I’ve only seen a handful of times.

  My Aunt Leeta isn’t really my aunt. Leeta married James Loman, my father’s childhood best friend. From what I have been told, my dad and James were inseparable from the time they were little boys until sixteen years ago when James died in a car accident.

  The two grew up in a wealthy suburb of San Francisco, but they both crossed the bay and graduated college from The University of California, Berkeley. That’s where my parents met, and where my father and James’s friendship began to change.

  Uncle James and my dad started a company together straight out of college. My dad was the brains of the operation, and James provided the deep pockets they needed to get it up and running. During this time, my dad fell head over heels in love with my mother, who was a few years younger than him. When my mom graduated, she planned to move back to her hometown of Littleton, Colorado, and my dad left everyone behind to follow her, moving the company to Colorado as well. By that time, he was able to buy James out, which later became a sore subject anytime Leeta was around because my dad’s company skyrocketed and less than five years later my parents were millionaires.

  Life can be a tricky bitch sometimes.

  Where money is concerned, I’m set for life, and the only thing I really want is something money can’t buy: my parents. Instead, I’m here in Berkeley Hills living with a woman I barely know because she did a wonderful job convincing me she is all I have left. I don’t really know at what point in my life my parents and Leeta stopped communicating, but I assume it was after Uncle James died. What I do know is Leeta hasn’t been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, but now...she is.

  ****

  “We’re not taking no for an answer this time. You’re going with us, Kate. Besides, what else do you have going on?” My head slightly jerks with the knowledge that I can’t hide my lacking social skills for long.

  I’m in my second week at Berkeley and my second week of friendship with Alyssa Green and Gabby Moss. Alyssa and Gabby have been best friends since high school, and for whatever reason they claimed me as their third amigo the moment they saw me.

  If I had family to call and talk to about my new friends, I’m sure their first concern would stem from whether or not these girls are using me for my money, but no one here has any idea that I’m only a few years away from becoming a millionaire, and I’m not about to tell anyone.

  Last weekend they tried hard to get me to go clubbing with them, but I turned them down flat. I don’t have the foggiest idea what to do at a nightclub thanks to my sheltered upbringing. Instead of going out with my friends, I spend my nights held up in my room at Leeta’s watching old movies, because sadly that is more my speed.

  My mom once told me she was put on this earth to be a mother. She always knew that was her destiny, but when she was unable to conceive a child she panicked for a few years until my parents adopted me. That was when she knew her destiny wasn’t to be a mother but to be my mother.

  I don’t know if it was my parents company,
money, or the fact that I was the center of their lives, but either way, I ended up living a very sheltered existence. I went out on a few dates, and even had a boyfriend for almost two years, but nightclubs never factored in.

  I say through a sigh, “I don’t know...”

  Alyssa’s eyes narrow at my answer. “We’re going to a house party. No clubs, and yes you are going!” she states in a demanding voice. My body instantly relaxes. While I’ve only attended a couple of parties, I’ve gone to enough to have an idea of what to expect.

  “Okay. I’ll go.”

  “Great. Why don’t you come home with me and I’ll find you a spicy little outfit to wear.” Gabby is already nodding her head, agreeing with Alyssa’s idea. I have plenty of clothing in my closet, but I’m positive none of it will be considered spicy by Alyssa and Gabby’s standards.

  I shrug. “Sure, why not.” Alyssa lets out a squeal of excitement, which has me already regretting my answer. If she’s this happy at the idea of playing dress up, I can only imagine what else she has in store.

  ****

  The party they drag me to isn’t any different than I was expecting: loud music, alcohol everywhere, mass amounts of slutty looking girls, and couples going in and out of bedrooms together probably swapping STDs. I don’t hate being here, but it’s just not my thing and probably never will be.

  As soon as we walk in, Gabby ditches us to go find her boyfriend Noah, who texted her he was somewhere in this hell. “Want a drink?” Alyssa asks. Without meaning to, I scrunch up my nose at the idea of drinking whatever this place is offering. “I’ll take that as a no.”

  I grab Alyssa’s arm before she’s able to walk off. “Wait, I’m sorry. I’m...I’m not really a big drinker, but if you’re going to have one then I will too.” Her face softens with a half-smile. We lace our hands together and forge through the partygoers until we arrive at a keg of beer that’s surrounded by guys who look pleased to see us. I’m positive that has everything to do with the outfits Alyssa has us dressed in. I’m wearing a tight and very short skirt, paired with a low cut and equally tight tank top. I refused the five-inch heels Alyssa was trying to force on me. Without a doubt, I would have broken my neck if I tried to walk more than a foot in them. Heels or no heels, right now my boobs are pushed together and clearly on display. And Alyssa is somehow showing even more skin than I am.