Secrets and Lies Read online

  Vandervilles

  Secrets and Lies

  Khardine Gray

  Vandervilles: Book 2 Secrets and Lies

  Copyright © 2017 by Khardine Gray

  All rights reserved.

  This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  The author asserts that all characters and situations depicted in this work of fiction are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design : Erin Dameron –Hill

  Editing: Enterprise Book Service

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Books In The Vandervilles Series

  Important Readers Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Books In The Vandervilles Series

  Final Readers Note

  Books by Khardine Gray

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  To my dear family, friends, and my readers. To my team of angels that always help me: Lori K, Bobby, K, Anne J-L and Tivia H.

  Where would I be without you….

  This one’s for all of you. Hope you enjoy it.

  Books In The Vandervilles Series

  Book 1- When Beauty Met the Beast

  Book 2- Secrets and Lies

  Book 3- Into the Rabbit Hole

  Important Readers Note

  Important Readers Note- These are not standalone novels. All books must be read in order as this is a continuous story which concludes in Book 3.

  Chapter 1

  Wade

  5 years ago

  The gentle breeze swished through the air and rustled around him, carrying the salty scent of the sea along with the vibrant music that boomed from Jared’s beach party.

  It was a housewarming party to christen the new beach house Jared, Steven, and Quin had leased last week. They’d decided to relive their college days: the good old days when they lived together and got up to all sorts of madness.

  Wade was impressed with the place. Aside from being quite tastefully decorated with the gable-end roof and heavy, wooden beams that formed the frame, the two-story, water-front house was in the perfect location and offered a scenic view of Santa Monica Bay.

  The back of the house led out to a paved terrace and straight on to a private section of the beach where he sat with a mixture of their friends. It was definitely perfect for a party like the one they were having now.

  Wade could just imagine the sorts of crazy things the guys would get up to. He’d roomed with them at UCLA and had a complete blast. Every day was crazy meets crazier and a new adventure. Eight years on and the guys were still the same. The forecast didn’t see them changing, either. He imagined they’d be that way for the rest of their lives.

  They’d asked Wade to join them. It sounded like a good idea for several reasons, but he had to decline.

  Unknown to everyone his life was about to change dramatically, and in a few months he’d not only have to live with a girlfriend he’d previously been planning to break up with, but he’d be a father.

  Wade straightened up in his chair and looked over at Merissa. She was standing by the shore talking to her friend Brittany. She was nearly six months pregnant but barely showed. They hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet, but planned to this weekend.

  She’d been wearing baggy clothes, similar to the shapeless dress she wore now that concealed her ever-growing stomach.

  He’d seen it, felt her stomach, felt their baby kick, and listened to his baby’s heartbeat at the first appointment where she had an ultrasound.

  It was then that the truth of responsibility weighed down on him and he knew he had a lot to think about. Before Merissa told him she was pregnant he wanted to break up with her. It wasn’t that anything was wrong with her. No. She’d fascinated him just as much as when he’d first met her with her wild streak, great body and stunning beauty.

  It was just that she was starting to get that look in her eyes that told him she saw more to their relationship than what he wanted.

  Wade had never been serious with anyone. He loved women too much and definitely couldn’t see himself tied down to one person. He’d met her at a party eight months prior to that, got together after he decided that he liked sleeping with her too much, and, somehow, they stayed together for longer than he had with most women.

  When he got bored and saw how much she was into him he knew he had to call it a day. Then she hit him with the news that would change everything.

  He still couldn’t believe that he was going to be a father, and actually be responsible for a human being that would depend on him, rely on him.

  Something switched on inside when she told him. Every day since saw him trying to get himself to adjust to the new future that lay before him.

  That may have sounded easy for most people but for him it would be different. He didn’t need to be told that the drugs he took, mixed with the alcohol, were bad for him. Wade knew it. He knew it even as he took it that it was bad for him. It was all bad.

  But could he stop? He wasn’t sure. Good fathers weren’t supposed to be addicted to drugs. They were supposed to teach their children about healthy eating and how to take care of themselves.

  His father was the worst kind, but to his knowledge his old man had never touched drugs and he rarely drank. Wade considered stopping and changing his habits, but he didn’t know where he’d begin. He’d been using for such a long time that he wouldn’t know how, or what his life would be like without a little assistance. His parents had tried to check him into rehab many times. In fact, right now, they thought he was doing the outpatient program they’d booked him on weeks ago. Wade went for the first day deciding to give it a go, but left halfway through because he thought it was too intense. He paid the organizer a handsome sum of money to keep his departure under wraps because he didn’t want to deal with the bitching he’d get from his parents. If and when he decided to quit it would be on his own terms, not anyone else’s, and he definitely wouldn’t be forced to do it as if he were a child.

  Merissa looked over to him, said something to Brittany, then made her way over. He watched her walk towards him, with her dark mass of long silky hair flowing behind her against the wind.

  Her smile brightened as she approached and he held out his hand to take hers. She lowered to his lap and kissed his forehead, then slipped her arms around his neck.

  “You ready to go?” He thought he should ask because they’d been here for a few hours and lately she’d started getting more tired during the day.

  “Is that okay? I know it’s only four, but feel like I could use a nap.” She chuckled.

  He kissed her forehead and held her closer. “Of course we can. Baby, you have to tell me when you need to rest. I don’t want you on you
r feet too long.”

  He knew she loved him, and he… Well, he was trying. He was trying to love her. Wade didn’t know how to do that, either, and that almost seemed harder than anything else. He would take care of her, though, and he would try to love her. He’d try his very best.

  She deserved it. It wasn’t her fault that he was a first-class jerk who didn’t deserve her or their baby. If nothing else he’d try to love her for their baby’s sake.

  “Thank you.” She answered, her eyes twinkling as she gazed at him.

  “I’ll take you home and we can pick up some of that strawberry ice cream you like so much.”

  “Wade you are too sweet.” She looked like she was about to cry.

  “But not sweeter than you, right?” She giggled when he kissed her and hopped off his lap.

  He stood up, too, and looked over to the barbecue where Jared and the other guys stood. Jared was tending to the burgers on the fire while Quin placed the ones that were ready in buns so that the guests who were lined up could just take as they approached the table.

  “Hey dude, you leaving?” said George from behind Wade.

  Wade turned to see him. George looked like he’d been on cloud nine, literally. He had that buzzed-up look and his pupils were wide. It was the look of someone who was high.

  “Yes, my girl wants me to herself.” Wade smiled.

  George was not only an addict, he was a dealer too. He could get anything someone wanted, whatever it was. He hung around parties like this because they attracted the rich and well-to-do who would always be able to afford his price. Whatever that was.

  If someone saw George and he spoke to them, that was the cue for a sale. Wade had used him many more times than he cared to count and knew the way things worked.

  “Alright, how about a little chat about that investment we spoke about.”

  Investment. That was a clever ruse.

  Merissa clutched onto Wade’s arm. The gesture made him look at her. She shook her head and pleaded with him with her large brown eyes. She knew about his bad habits, but she still put up with him. Probably hoping he’d stop one day.

  “I’ll just be a minute. Then we can go.”

  “Can we just go now?”

  George smiled at her attempts, probably catching on that Merissa knew what was going on.

  “Seriously baby, I’ll be back before you can blink.”

  He moved away from her before she could protest. George followed behind and gave him that spaced-out smile when they went inside the house. They went into the kitchen where they could be alone.

  “What have you got?” Wade asked, ignoring the bad feeling he got from this whole scenario. Since finding out about the baby, his conscience went into overdrive when it came to his bad habits and made him question himself and his actions.

  “Voodoo magic, man.” George cackled, rubbing his bony hands together. His blond dreadlocks bounced as he nodded his head. “Plenty of voodoo magic.”

  Voodoo magic was a new mixture on the market that was guaranteed to keep you jacked up for days. It was Wade’s favorite cocktail. Difficult to get a hold of but worth the wait.

  “Seriously?” Wade returned the smile. It would be just the thing he needed to help him focus and deal with this whole baby thing.

  “Yeah man. I have a sample for you with a kick I added myself. The full delivery comes in next Friday.”

  “I’ll wire the money to you tonight.” Wade nodded.

  Talk of money always brightened George up, even more than he already was.

  “Cool. Here’s the sample, it should keep you going till Tuesday.” He produced a very small sachet and gave it to him. Wade stashed it inside his jacket pocket immediately. “The kick I gave it will make you feel on fire. Try some of mine.” He took out another sachet from his pocket.

  “I’m driving. I’ll just have the sample later,” Wade replied.

  “Nah man, it’s safe. This is just something to prep the brain. You don’t want to have to wait longer than necessary.” George tore open the sachet, dusted some of the white powder into the palm of his hand, and raised it to his nose so he could inhale it. “Sweeeet. Come on, man, have some. Just a little for the road.”

  Wade liked George because he could trust him to sell him the real deal. He wasn’t like some others who would sell you anything. However, Wade had found himself taking extra care when he was with Merissa. He took even more care when he was driving with her.

  “I think I’ll wait, bro.”

  George rolled his crazy, ice-blue eyes and to Wade’s horror blew what was left of the dust in his hand straight in his face. It all happened so quickly he couldn’t move away.

  “George, what the fuck?” Wade retorted, but almost immediately what little he’d breathed in started to take effect. It was heroin, or something like it. Had to be to work that fast and give that kick. Wade had only had it once before and suffered for it after the buzz wore off. When he found himself lying on the rooftop of the Pegasus Hotel dressed in nothing but his boxers and a tie he decided he’d never try that drug again.

  George was laughing, and suddenly Wade started laughing too.

  “You’ll thank me later, man.”

  “You idiot,” Wade chided and tried to compose himself. He was supposed to be mad at George but found he couldn’t be. Instead he laid his hand on his shoulder and left him in the kitchen. Wade had to get back to Merissa.

  He found her waiting for him on the porch. “Baby, let’s go.” Wade smiled.

  She looked worried when she saw him and looked him over. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Of course, baby, come on.” He took her arm and pulled her outside, practically dragging her to his car.

  “Wade, slow down,” she winced.

  “Sorry baby.” He shook his head at himself and released her, giving her the chance to take her own time to get to the car.

  Wade pulled in a breath as he watched her. The fresh air cleared his head a little and he felt like he could think past the buzz. George hadn’t blown that much in his face, but he didn’t know what the hell mixture the man had concocted.

  Merissa got into the car and Wade jumped in, too, revved the engine, and set out down the drive.

  “You just took something, didn’t you?” Merissa looked over at him with sad eyes.

  “No baby. I would never.” He put his hand on his heart and shook his head.

  “Don’t lie to me. I know when you have.”

  “Merissa. That idiot George just blew something in my face. I told him no but the fool must have thought it was funny.”

  “Wade, that isn’t funny.” She looked even more worried now.

  “I know, right. I told him I have to drive and the idiot thought it was hilarious. Who does something like that?” He laughed off key and knew that he wouldn’t be himself for a while, and just maybe—maybe—he shouldn’t be driving.

  “What did he blow in your face?”

  “Something white with voodoo magic in it,” Wade replied. He couldn’t focus on what he was saying.

  “That doesn’t mean anything to me,” she retorted.

  “That’s aaaaaaallll I can tell you,” he laughed.

  “Wade, pull over and let me drive.” They’d just gotten onto the highway. He couldn’t pull over for at least another twenty minutes.

  “Baby, how must I pull over?”

  “Pull over as soon as you can.”

  “Okay, can you chill till then?” He was trying to concentrate on the road and on making her feel safe. “Let’s talk about happier things, like baby names.”

  “We don’t know the sex of the baby.” Their baby had been facing an awkward position during their scan so the obstetrician hadn’t been able to tell them.

  “Okay then let’s talk about telling our parents and the world about our baby.” He smiled.

  He knew his mother would be happy. He didn’t really care what his father thought. Taylor would be ecstatic she was going to be an aunt an
d probably order them everything they’d ever need within the hour.

  Merissa still looked worried. “Are you sure your parents will be happy?”

  “It doesn’t matter what they think. I’m happy and you’re mine, that’s all that matters.” That was true.

  She gave him that look again, the loving look that told him all she felt for him. The one he wished that he could return.

  When she reached over to him he took her hand and kissed it quickly before turning his attention back to the road. He’d pull over as soon as he could because he was starting to feel strange.

  He could kill that idiot, George. Why the hell had he thought it was okay to blow his crap in Wade’s face?

  “I’m yours?”

  “Yes baby. If I can have you.”

  “You have me.” She smiled at him.

  “Lucky me, and you come with a bonus.” He quickly reached over and touched her stomach. “We should move away from here. We have to get a house with a white picket fence and a dog.”

  Her face lit up when he said that.

  “You want to move?” She narrowed her eyes.

  “Yes. L.A.’s too much for me. I want us to have our own lives.” Because he always felt like he was living in his family’s shadow.

  He wanted to just be Wade. Not Wade Vanderville, or a damn Vanderville for the matter. That name didn’t have any good connotations. It didn’t. Sweet as his mother was at home, to the world she was the ruthless, fearsome owner of Runway Magazine, one of the best fashion magazines in the world. Being the wife to the state’s attorney only added to her magnificence.