Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Three
Marley, Milana and Andrea sat around the kitchen table having finished lunch a while ago. Steel stood in the corner trying to blend in but however much he tried Milana couldn’t forget his presence. She wondered briefly if Marley knew her mother was on her way. They’d been on the island for eight days and even though every care had been taken with their comfort in mind, she didn’t want to be there.
She missed waking up next to Kelley, she even missed the mornings he wasn't there because she always knew that he wasn't far. She missed watching him sleep and the feel of his arms around her. It had happened so fast, the hurtling of emotions inside her. One day she was still contemplating her feelings and the next day she loved him with an intensity that scared her.
Milana was pulled back to the present conversation when Marley's fist hit the table and she jumped slightly. The things Andrea was saying sounded almost too far-fetched to be the truth, but she knew it was.
“I can’t believe Marcus Holt is an even bigger asshole than I thought!” Marley’s fists were clenched as they listened to Andrea’s story.
Andrea lowered her head and sniffed. “The worst part is he has Grace. I can’t even imagine what Mason is going through.”
“If I know my brother, and I do, they’ll find a way to get Grace back.”
Milana nodded her head. “They will. Kelley’s said as much.”
Marley turned her head to look at Milana, a small smile appearing. “Looks like you two are cozying up.”
Milana shrugged as she looked at Marley. “I don’t know, he did drug me.”
“I haven’t even spoken to Mason about everything. He must hate me.” Andrea lowered her head again and Marley gripped her hand.
“Mason doesn’t hate you, Andrea. If he did, you wouldn’t be here.”
Andrea wiped her eyes and nodded her head. She had no idea why Mason had saved her, if he even still felt anything for her. She’d ruined his life, Grace’s life. “I’ve pieced some of it together but I don’t think I know everything … like …”
Marley looked questioningly at her. “Like what?”
Carey joined them in the kitchen and sat down next to Andrea. “Like how this all started.”
“A girl.” Marley glanced at Milana and wondered if she knew about her.
“It’s always about a girl.” Carey smiled at them.
“What girl?” Milana asked.
“Juliana.” Marley’s voice was soft, as if saying her name out loud could disturb the energy in the room.
Milana's frown told Marley that she'd never heard the name before. “Who’s Juliana?”
Carey narrowed her eyes at Marley but she decided to ignore it. There were too many half-truths in their lives and her brother was in the centre of it all, keeping it all together.
“What? It’s true. Kelley lost his head the day she died.”
Milana looked up at that. “Kelley?”
“Marley!”
“It’s time she knows who she married, Carey. I love my brother but he’s no angel. He started this whole thing when he put Petey Johnson in that wheelchair.”
“Kelley put Petey in the wheelchair?” Andrea’s eyes were wide now and Milana looked intently at Carey who was glaring at Marley.
“It started long before that. It started the night Charles beat him unconscious and threw him out of the house.”
“You don’t know everything, Carey.”
“I know enough, Marley. Kelley lived in my house for a year. I know more than you think.”
Marley sighed and shook her head. “I think we all know some of it but none of us know all of it. Kelley keeps his secrets close to his heart. He never tells one person everything and despite what you think Carey, Kelley loved that girl and her death nearly ripped him apart. I know my brother.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Carey folded her arms on the table and looked at Milana. “It’s in the past, sweetheart. Kelley’s come a long way from the boy he used to be.”
Andrea stood up and brought out a bottle of scotch from the pantry cupboard. “We might as well drink and share since we’re not going anywhere real soon.”
“Juliana died when Kelley was almost eighteen. They’d been at a party and on their way home they were in a car accident. Juliana died and Petey Johnson, the boy who was driving the other car, got away with it even though he was drunk.”
Marley nodded her head. “Six years later Kelley cut Petey’s brake lines and watched as he crashed his car and Petey ended up paralyzed.”
“How did Petey get away with the accident if he was drunk?”
“That part I’m not sure of but I do know that Charles had a meeting with Kelley and after that meeting, Kelley kept quiet, didn’t say a word about the accident.” Carey thought back to that day. Marley wasn't lying, Juliana's death broke something in Kelley that day.
“So this war between them is because Petey’s paralyzed?” Andrea looked questioningly at them.
“No. This war is because of The Club.”
Andrea visibly flinched at the mention of The Club and Carey watched her. “When this is all over we can ask all the questions we want. I trust my son and I trust Kelley and Lee, you guys should too.”
“Did Kelley love her?”
Marley looked at Milana and didn’t like what she saw in her eyes. Pain. “He did. Juliana was his first love. But like Carey said, my brother’s come a long way and you’re his wife, Milana.”
“A contract wife.”
“I’m going to say the same thing to you that I said to Andrea earlier.” Marley’s voice lowered as they heard movement in the hallway. “If Kelley didn’t love you, you wouldn’t be here. I’ve seen the way my brother looks at you. Trust me, Milana, that man loves you.”
Milana nodded but they could all tell she wasn’t convinced. She stood up from the table and pushed her chair back in. “Excuse me.”
She left the kitchen with Steel half a step behind her. He followed her into the bedroom where she sank to her knees in front of the bed and Steel scooped her into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and sat her down.
“Please don’t go.”
Steel sat down next to her as her hands covered her face. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”
“I’m sorry Steel … it’s just … I wish I knew what the future held.”
“Talk it out, Milana. I might not look it but I’m actually a good listener.”
