Between Truth & Lies: An Age Gap Romance (Rosavale Book 2) Read online

  A noise came from my phone and I hadn’t realized that someone was talking on the other end. My eyes were fixed on the fallen and bloody man in front of me. My enemy momentarily defeated.

  “Just give up already,” I murmured, shaken by his state and injuries and also his strength. But hate dominated and throbbed painfully inside of me.

  I picked up the phone and saw the missed call. I dialed again and a lady answered straightaway. I assumed it was Lola, the governess of the Farm who practically raised the Ashford children.

  “Ashford Residence,” she said.

  “Ashford?” I echoed as if surprised.

  “Yes. Do you want to speak to someone?”

  “There’s a man here who gave me this number, I don’t want to scare you but he’s hurt and bleeding. I tried to get him to my car to take him to the hospital but he refused and now he’s passed out again. Maybe I should’ve called an ambulance. I’m going to hang up.”

  “Don’t. Wait,” The woman yelled and called for Aiden. There was panic in her voice. “Is it Devan?”

  “I don’t know.” I was sure he didn’t have any ID on him. Luther had stolen everything to forge the assault. “He’s injured, let me call for help then I’ll get back to you.”

  “Oh my God! What happened? Where is he?”

  “Here on the highway a few miles from Rosavale.” I got up and rushed to the middle of the road as a car neared. With the phone pressed to my ear, I waved and the car slowed down. “Someone’s coming, I’m going to ask for help.”

  “What happened to him?” The lady was crying. “For God’s sake, is he alive?”

  “He is, but I think he was shot.”

  “Oh, dear Lord. Aiden get here quick!”

  “Listen I’ll need to get help. I’m taking him to the hospital in Rosavale.”

  “I’ll call the boys and run over there. Please help him. Help my boy.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’ll help him, don’t worry.” And I hung up.

  Thankfully the person driving the car was a man, he got out and stood at a reasonable distance. I could understand his hesitation. It was dark and we were close to Rosa. Locals knew that this side was dangerous and carjacking had become a common thing.

  “There’s an injured man.” I ran toward the car. “I need help to get him to a hospital.”

  “Maybe you should call the police or an ambulance?” he suggested.

  That wasn’t an option. I couldn’t call the police or an ambulance because I had to be the one saving him. “He’s lost too much blood. There’s no time. Please help me.”

  The man glanced back, raking a hand through his hair vacillating. Then he met me halfway. “Where is he?”

  “He’s over there.” I pointed to where Devan was and he cursed at the sight.

  “Is that your car?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Move it closer so I don’t have to drag him that far.”

  I ran into my car and moved it closer to them, then I opened the back door and helped the man load Devan into the car.

  “You better get going,” the stranger said, staring down at his now bloodstained shirt.

  “Thank you so much.” I settled behind the wheel and he went back to his car wishing me good luck.

  When we arrived at the hospital the ER nurse recognized the bleeding man in my car and almost the entire hospital came down. In a matter of seconds, he was placed on the stretcher and wheeled inside.

  I was told to sit in the waiting room. Due to the nature of his injuries, the sheriff’s department had been contacted and they would need my statement. A guard was placed at the door to watch me and I scoffed.

  I paced the slate gray floors staring at the walls. Above, the ceiling was made from those polystyrene squares laid on a grid-like frame. The light was too bright for my eyes after the darkening gloom outside, I found it abrasive and sat down hanging my head.

  My white sneakers were soiled with blood. His blood. My shirt and jeans were also dirty and I wanted to rip them off my body. With a sigh, I tied my long hair in a ponytail and leaned back on the seat.

  An uproar was foreshadowed with the arrival of the rest of the Ashford family. Lola, Aiden, Ethan, Talon, and Navia were agitated, seeking news at the reception.

  My gaze was fixed on the woman with long copper hair who was flushed and her eyes filled with tears. I had seen her around town, but when the nurse pointed at me and they turned around, all I noticed was her brown eyes clashing with mine.

  My younger sister. Mom sent her away when I was five and she was three. I had a few memories of us playing together and her giggling. When she was gone, I was lonely and sad because I had no one to play with and I missed her. But Navia was adopted by the Ashfords and now was one of them.

  Embracing Talon, the youngest of the brothers and her lover, Navia advanced toward me with the others by her side. Inhaling a silent breath, I stood up. I allowed the emotions that came with being face to face with my sister flow freely. I grasped onto its genuineness to be able to face this family while pretending to be rattled up by the accident.

  I looked away from Navia when Lola spoke. “Was it you I spoke to on the phone?” I nodded and unexpectedly she embraced me. “Thank you, child. You saved my boy’s life.”

  Guilt sat on my chest. I felt bad about her suffering because I was partly to blame and gently pulled away from her. “You shouldn’t thank me. I did what anyone would have done in that situation.”

  “We’re still grateful,” Navia said with tears streaming down her face. When she hugged me, I almost stopped breathing.

  Her touch and tenderness were akin to a painful blow. I hugged her back, my hands brushed over the tips of her hair. I was invaded by a cluster of disturbing and intense sensations. For a moment, I gave myself into the embrace and absorbed it.

  I wondered what it would have been like if we grew up together. Would we be friends? Would we be on the same side? Right now, we were in antagonistic positions.

  Navia decided to stay with the Ashford family when I started sending her anonymous notes proving that they were murderers. She chose to side with our opponents which also made her an enemy.

  She moved away, wiping away her tears. I watched as Talon drew her to him and comforted her. “Devan will be fine. You can’t be upset like this, Navia.”

  “I’m fine,” she assured Talon although tears welled up in her eyes.

  I noticed that everyone was devastated and worried. They seemed to truly care about their brother. Remorse consumed me even more. But then I reminded myself that they had done much worse. Navia included.

  “Can you tell us how it all happened?” Ethan asked and held out his hand. “Ethan Ashford.”

  “Belvana Roberts.”

  I shook his hand and he introduced the others. I waved to everyone, feeling surrounded, closer to them than I dared to imagine. But I had to get used to it. I was going to be their new friend.

  “How did you find my brother?” Aiden pressed.

  I knew Aiden and Ethan were twins but were as different as they came. Ethan seemed to be easygoing and approachable while Aiden had an air of arrogance.

  “I was going home after my shift. I work at Uncle Sam’s at the flea market. And, um, as I drove home, I saw what appeared to be a person laying on the side of the road. I stopped to check and I found a man covered in blood.”

  “Oh my God,” Lola began to cry again. “Poor Devan.”

  “Then what happened?” Aiden looked at me seriously, almost as scary as his older brother.

  I explained what happened to them and I could sense that Aiden was mistrustful.

  “Did you see his car?” Aiden asked, his eyes holding mine.

  “No, it was just him. I even looked for an ID, but he had nothing on him. I think he was mugged.”

  “Knowing Devan, I’m sure he reacted,” Navia lamented. “He should have given them what they asked for to avoid all of this.”

  “I always tell these boy
s to get bodyguards, but they never listen to me,” Lola exclaimed.

  “This had to be an outsider.” Talon frowned at his brothers. “The folks here wouldn’t mess with us.”

  I wanted to laugh at their egotism. They thought they were invincible. So powerful that no one would dare to touch them. One day they would realize that they weren’t untouchable.

  Then a short man arrived, wearing a white hat on his head. He wasn’t in uniform, but I recognized the sheriff. I didn’t react; however, I felt a little anxious. He greeted the family and looked me up and down, scrutinizing me. Ethan summarized what happened and told the sheriff who I was.

  “How are you?” He held out his hand to me. “I’m Sheriff Garcia.”

  “Hi. I’ve seen you around.” I shook his hand, speaking as naturally as possible.

  “I think I’ve seen you too. Can you tell me exactly how it all happened?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  And there I went again describing how I found Devan. At the end of everything, the sheriff asked, “Do you think it was someone from Rosa? It all happened a couple of miles from that neighborhood.”

  I shrugged. “I have no way of knowing.”

  “Could you accompany me to the place where you found Devan and walk me through it one more time?” His gaze was attentive but difficult to read. I needed to be careful around him.

  “Yes, but it’s late and I’m covered in blood. I’d like to go home and get cleaned up first.”

  “I didn’t mean now. We can do it tomorrow.” He handed me a small notepad and I jolted down my contact information and address.

  A nurse came in and updated the family. Devan was doing well and would soon be out of surgery. I observed as they interacted effortlessly. I had expected a different dynamic from this dysfunctional family.

  I picked up my bag from the seat and adjusted it on my shoulder. “Now that everything’s fine, can I go? I really need a shower.”

  The sheriff ran his hand over his gray goatee. “Of course. One of my deputies can take you home. I have to talk to Devan and get his statement.”

  “That’s alright my car is outside.”

  Navia, my sister, touched my shoulder. “We need to thank you properly. Come have dinner with us tomorrow or whenever you’re available.”

  It was a great opportunity, but I needed to seem as naïve and uninterested in them as possible. I smiled, deep down enjoying the feel of her fingers on mine. I was angry that Navia preferred to stay with them, for not even wavering or thinking about defending her family. But it was my mother that had made the mistake of letting her be raised by the Ashfords. It weighed heavily on her decision.

  “Thank you so much, but it’s not necessary. I’m just happy that everything ended well.”

  “It would be an honor to have you in our house,” Lola added. “I’m sure Devan will also want to thank you.”

  “It really isn’t necessary. No good deed goes unnoticed, I believe God saw what I did and, in his way, he’ll repay me.”

  “Amen, my child,” Lola agreed.

  “C’mon tomorrow is Sunday.” Talon insisted. “I’m sure you can join us.”

  “I work tomorrow and I have a date with Sheriff Garcia,” I joked. “Look, you don’t need to thank me. I wish Mr. Ashford good luck and will pray that you find out who did this to him. It was nice to meet you all, but I honestly just want a shower.”

  They inspected my clothes stained with blood and said nothing further.

  “Thanks, Belvana.” Navia hugged me again.

  There was a lump in my throat, a pang of guilt that disturbed me. I never wanted this revenge to resort to violence. Two people had died at the hands of Devan and that enraged me, but at the same time, how could I blame him for defending himself? He had been injured too and had been close to death.

  No, it’s all his fault. He should have surrendered.

  I needed space. Some time away from everything to put my thoughts in order and try to get rid of that guilty feeling that was gnawing at me.

  I would do anything to recover what was ours, to make that family pay, but without more deaths. It was too much to bear. A heaviness that weighed a ton on my shoulders.

  I said goodbye to them and Sheriff Garcia escorted me out of the hospital. While walking beside him, I realized how hard it was to pretend to be someone else.

  I had to get used to it because this was only the beginning.

  Two

  Devan

  We were standing on the side of the road, between Rosavale and Rosa, where I was attacked last night. It was past noon and the day was cloudy, almost cold, without the hot sun of the last few days.

  As soon as I could walk on my own, I left the hospital against medical advice. Lola and my brothers tried to convince me otherwise, but I couldn’t stay put on that bed. I needed to find out what happened.

  My shoulder and arm that were in a sling pained and any movement of my face ached. Even blinking. Half of my face was swollen and my right eye couldn’t fully open, but the pain meds helped and I didn’t feel as bad as I looked.

  Standing between Ethan and Aiden, I took in the scene while my mind reanalyzed everything. On the asphalt, there were tire tracks and blood, mine and the men I shot, bullets, and shell casings. Sheriff Garcia isolated the area with a barrier tape and had directed one of his deputies to regulate traffic while the forensic team searched for evidence.

  “Very strange all this,” Garcia murmured, taking notes.

  “At first, I thought they wanted my car.” I pointed to a spot on my left. “The rusty truck crossed the road right there. They probably did it on purpose to catch anyone who drove by or they were waiting for me.”

  Talon furrowed his brows. “For that, they needed to know exactly when you’d drive by.”

  “And where I was coming from which leads me to believe that they were watching me.”

  “Devan,” Navia called, and her voice faltered. “Could it be… them?”

  Navia, my sister, over the past few months had received notes, emails, and phone calls from people who claimed to be her biological family. They even dared to sneak into my home and left a threatening note on my sister’s bed. Even though these people had been silent, the thought had crossed my mind.

  “Maybe, but why didn’t they kill me? They had me at gunpoint and even shot me.”

  “Maybe they just wanted the car,” Ethan said. “It’s worth a small fortune and they did take it even with the flat tires.”

  “Yes, possibly. They could get away with selling the parts.” Garcia looked around thoughtfully. “I have two theories. The first being that it was just a carjacking. They wanted the car and your stuff. From what you said, they also took your phone and watch. Since you drive back home every day around the same time, setting up a trap was easy.”

  Garcia continued and I listened, a little irritated when I remembered everything, but he was right. It could have been a trap from someone who had been eyeing the car for a while.

  Aiden crossed his arms and asked, “What’s the other theory?”

  “That the people from Navia’s family are behind this. They made threats and then disappeared for the past three months. All of a sudden there was another theft on your farm and now Devan was attacked. A lot of coincidences. And I can’t understand why they left you out here in the open?” Garcia asked and then replied to his own question. “Rosa is close by and out of sight. They could have tossed you there and it would have taken longer to find you. That would have given them time to get away before the police was called or someone discovered you. What would they gain from it?”

  Aiden exhaled. “I can’t understand it either.”

  “Maybe they panicked,” Ethan suggested, “Devan did say that he took the first shot. They probably just wanted to get away.”

  The whole scene passed through my mind tirelessly, from the moment I left the city until the blonde girl found me. When I regained consciousness and saw her, I thought I was dead because a
creature as angelic as her couldn’t be real. But then I held her hand and realized that I was alive. At that point, I thought I had been kidnapped.

  Her face was clear in my mind. Her eyes were huge and a pale blue, scared like a puppy’s. The whole time she kept that look on her face as if she feared me.

  “When you were here with the girl,” I spoke to Garcia, “did you find anything else?”

  Pouting, he shook his head. “Nothing. Just the blood on the pavement.”

  “What did you think of her?”

  “I liked her,” Navia chimed in. “We have to be grateful that she found and helped you.”

  “I know. I’ll thank her,” I guaranteed, but I was waiting for Garcia’s answer.

  Scratching his goatee, he said, “I thought of the possibility of Belvana Roberts being, in some way, connected to all of this but the more I looked into her, the less I think that’s likely.”

  “But how would she be connected to any of this if she rescued Devan?” Navia squinted, coming over to me and stroked my good arm.

  I draped my arm around Navia’s shoulder. “It’s nothing against the girl, but it’s best to consider all the possibilities,” I said. “What do you know about her, Garcia?”

  “Everything there is to know. Her full name is Belvana Julia Roberts.”

  Aiden snorted. “That sounds like a fake name.”

  “But it isn’t. She showed me her ID and I ran it. She’s legit. I also had a friend of mine in the city check her out since that’s where she’s from. She was very forthcoming and answered all the questions I asked. She gave me her work address, phone number, and her email. I even went to her home.” He shook his head and his dark eyes met mine ruefully. “Her place is just outside of Rosa, but the conditions aren’t any better.”

  I understood. She must have been poor. I had seen some of the shacks and the awful housing conditions in Rosa. Some didn’t even have basic amenities.