Chapter Thirty-Three
He wanted me.
And apparently, he was convinced I would want him, too.
That thought alone made me sick. I clutched my stomach and willed my food to stay down.
Inside my head, the fog cleared and full-blown panic set in. My hands shook, which didn’t go unnoticed. “Come. There’s something we need to handle first. Then you need some sleep. No more questions for now.”
I remained frozen, unable to move.
“If you force me to, I will carry you.”
“I’m coming.”
The last thing I wanted was for him to touch me. I stood and followed him down another hall. Two guards stood on either side of the door. Navarro cocked his head to the side, and one of the guards nodded.
“Everything is as you requested.”
Navarro pushed open the door and strode in confidently. I froze halfway across the threshold. Vivian was there, dressed for a business meeting. Her mouth dropped when she saw me. The sneer on her face clearly expressed her hate for me.
Navarro spoke first. “Vivian. What brings you here at this time of night?”
“You promised if I helped deliver Carrie Duvall, I wouldn’t have to worry about this!” She pointed in my direction. “She’s still alive!” she spat.
All those dinners I had with her when I was with Dylan seemed like a lifetime ago. I never imagined life would bring us here.
“Come in, Knoah. Have a seat.” Navarro curled his finger, but I hesitated. His voice turned cold. “Now.”
I moved across the floor on leaden feet, afraid of what he might do if I disobeyed.
Navarro picked up his desk phone as he pointed for me to sit in the chair just behind him. “Send her in.”
The door opened, and the girl from the bistro walked in. Where was Marlena? She saw Vivian and blanched.
“Carrie?” I asked without thinking.
Vivian’s cackles filled the air. “Stupid, stupid girl. I don’t know what Dylan ever saw in you. You know this woman as Marlena.”
Carrie is Marlena.
Marlena is Carrie.
Everything about her had changed since the day in the bistro.
The blue hair was gone. The nose was different. Her makeup simpler. There were no similarities in her face. Her body shape and size, yes, but not her face. “You don’t look like Marlena.”
Vivian cackled again. “We had the very finest of prosthetics made. Even Hastings Monroe never recognized her. Trust me, we tested it out.”
“Carrie?”
“Yes.” She looked at the ground, shame in her voice.
Betrayal hit me like lightning. “How could you? How could you do this to Mom and Dad?”
Carrie refused to look me in the eyes.
“Are you going to finish her? That was our agreement,” Vivian screeched.
I whipped my head around to stare at her. “Why do you hate me so much? I loved Dylan with my whole heart.”
“Until you killed him. I’m glad you lost the baby.” Vivian gave me a smug smile. “That baby would have been doomed from the start with a whore like you as a mother.”
Flinching, I took a step back and my legs hit the chair. “Please don’t say that.” A tear slipped down my cheek as my voice caught.
“I’m—”
“Enough.” Navarro’s voice boomed across the room. “You will not speak to Knoah that way.”
Vivian seethed. However, Navarro sat in his chair without a trace of tension. He moved his right hand under his desk.
What is he doing?
Carrie looked heartbroken as she stared at me. I had truly liked her as Marlena. In fact, I had inquired about ways to help her and her daughter anonymously. I had to know how much of her story was true. Was everything a lie?
“Do you really have a child?” I asked.
“Yes. That’s why I agreed to help Navarro.”
Navarro stepped in. “Not another word. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Carrie looked down at the floor. Tears fell down her face.
The air left my lungs. Carrie had a child. Mom and Dad had a grandchild. With a quick glance to Navarro, it was clear that he wasn’t pleased.
“I want this finished,” Vivian sputtered. “I want to be rid of the woman who killed my son. You promised!”
Dylan. I closed my eyes. He would be heartbroken to know the evil that truly resided within his mother.
Navarro shifted in his seat. “There’s been a change of plans. I’m going to take Knoah as my wife.”
What? Wife? I slowly sat in the chair. This had to be a bad dream. A terrible nightmare. And I was powerless to wake up.
Vivian’s eyes became enraged. “I won’t let you do this. I’ll tell Garrick Shaw everything.”
That seemed like a remarkably bad thing to say.
“I don’t take threats well, Vivian. You should know this.” In one swift move, he stood and pointed a gun at her.
Bang!
I jumped at the sound of the shot. Vivian dropped to the ground, unmoving. Blood seeped from her head.
He’d shot Vivian.
Right there.
In cold blood.
In front of me. She was dead.
It was only then I realized I hadn’t stopped screaming.
Navarro turned and pointed the gun in Carrie’s direction. Her eyes shot to mine, her terror apparent.
No! No! No! No one else!
I screamed, “Please. Don’t.” Navarro lowered his gun marginally and looked my way. “I’m begging you—please don’t kill her. She has a child. She’s my parents’ daughter. Please.”
Cocking his head, he said, “She kidnapped you. Twice. Betrayed you. She stole the life you were meant to lead.”
Yes, she had done those things. “But she gave me the gift of two sets of parents who love me. She gave me the gift of not growing up in the mob. She gave her parents the gift of a second chance after all the terrible things that happened to them.”
“She robbed Evelyn of her daughter,” Navarro quipped.
Yes, she had. And that was a terrible thing. I remembered some pointers my therapist gave me. “If I looked at all the wrongs in the world, there would be no forgiveness. I had Dylan in my life because of Carrie. I’ve known love twice because of her. I can’t take that back or wish it never happened.”
The gun lowered. “My wedding gift to you will be her life.” He turned to Carrie. “There will be conditions. If you step out of line…I’ll torture your daughter in front of you before I kill you. Understand?”
This man was a monster. Truly evil.
I caught sight of Vivian’s body on the floor and had to look away. Navarro remained calm, the body not bothering him in the slightest.
“Y-yes, sir. Whatever it takes.” Carrie shook as tears ran down her face.
He picked up the phone. “Escort Carrie to her room. Post a guard until further notice. Knoah and I will be leaving shortly. Make sure the transportation is in order.”
Men in suits came in and took her out. She mouthed, “Thank you.” All I could do was nod woodenly.
With deliberately slow steps, Navarro walked around Vivian’s body. “She wanted you dead. In fact, she put out a hit on you. I intercepted the message and took the job myself.”
Taking a lily from the vase, he laid it on top of her body.
“Contract killer?” My eyes were glued to Vivian’s motionless form. No matter what had happened between us, I’d never wished her dead.
“Yes. I’m not your condemner, Knoah. I’m your savior.”
This man was twisted beyond belief.