Disillusioned (Swept Away, #2)(4)
“Bianca.”
“My name is not an answer,” I grated out.
“Just trust me.” His eyes bore into mine as our fingers held on to each other. My body wanted to believe him with everything that I had, but my brain was being smarter this time.
“That’s not an answer either.”
“What do I need to do for you to trust me?”
“Let me go,” I pleaded.
“That’s not safe.” He shook his head.
“I don’t feel safe being here with you.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” His fingers dug into my skin. “I didn’t count on this, Bianca.”
“You didn’t answer my questions. Did you know Steve and were you kidnapped?”
“You know the answers,” he said simply, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Is David your brother?” I asked softly, not even allowing myself to breathe as I waited for his answer. Please say no, please say no, please say no. Even as I expected the answer, I prayed he wasn’t my ex-boyfriend’s reclusive brother, Mattias.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Yes, David is my brother.”
I was distracted then by a sudden movement on the ground below us. A group of people walked toward the hotel down a narrow pathway.
“Help!” I screamed. “Help me!” I yanked my hand away and tumbled to the floor. “Help!” I screamed again, needing them to hear me, but as they looked around in confusion, a bird flew past them and distracted them, and my faint cry was forgotten.
“Bianca, stop it!”
“Leave me alone!” I wanted him to know that I wouldn’t be silenced.
“Bianca, we had something special. Please, give me the chance to explain.”
“We had nothing,” I spat. “It means nothing. You ruined it all with your lies.” Tears ran down my face as in shock I made the transition from anger to complete and utter devastation.
“I’m coming over.” Jakob stood on the top of the balcony railing, balancing like an acrobat before getting ready to jump over, and I felt myself stilling as he stood there.
“Get down.” My heart was in my throat as he balanced without moving. “You could fall.”
“So you still care.” He gave me a satisfied smile as he stepped back onto his balcony.
“Why didn’t you come over here?” I was confused. He could easily have grabbed me if he wanted to. All he had to do was make one small jump. Why hadn’t he?
“Have you ever seen The Talented Mr. Ripley, Bianca?”
“The movie with Matt Damon and Jude Law?” I frowned at his randomness. Why was he bringing up movies? That was my thing. “Yes, a long time ago. Why?”
“I want you to trust me, Bianca. Everything isn’t as it seems.”
“Yeah, you’re not as you seem, Jakob.” I paused. “Jakob Bradley, right?”
“My last name is Bradley.” He nodded solemnly. “It’s not a name I carry with pride.”
“I wonder why.” I glared at him. “I assume you hate it as much as you hate your first name.”
“Life is complicated, Bianca. Sometimes we have to make decisions we don’t want to make. It’s just what life brings us.”
“Like when Ripley kills Peter at the end of the movie?”
“Ripley loved Peter.” Jakob sighed. “But he had to do what he had to do.”
“Are you telling me you have to kill me?”
“I would never harm you.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want the same thing you want, Bianca.” His face changed and he looked away. “We’ve both come so far.”
“Do you want me to cede my father’s patents to Bradley Inc.? Is that what this is about?” I asked bitterly. “Is this what everything has been about? Your family screwed my father over and stole his inventions. Now that he’s passed away, you’re worried that I’ll take your family to court. If I win, you’ll have to give me a huge share in the company and that will give your family a bad name.”
“This is about more than that, Bianca. There are things you don’t know about those patents. I don’t care, but . . .” His voice trailed off as he stretched his arms up and I could hear the tiredness I felt reflected in his voice. “You haven’t been totally truthful with me either.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know about the other letters.”
“What?” I frowned as I stared at him in shock. “What do you mean?”
“I know the secrets you’re hiding. I know what your father did. I know the truth behind his guilt.”
“My father felt guilty because my mother died and he didn’t put the pieces together soon enough to get justice for her death.”
“Do you really think that’s the only reason he was upset, Bianca?” Jakob’s eyes searched mine. “Are you seriously trying to tell me you didn’t know about the affair?”
“What?” My jaw dropped as I gazed at him, my mind racing. With that one word, everything I thought I knew was called into question. I remembered the label on the box that had held my father’s papers. It had read “divorce papers.” I hadn’t thought much of it when I’d seen it. I figured it was a box from one of Larry’s old clients, but maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was a box that had held divorce papers for my parents. Maybe they hadn’t been as happy as I’d thought they’d been. Had there really been an affair? My stomach dropped as a surge of pain ran through my veins. I didn’t want to believe that either of my parents could have stepped outside of the marriage.