Stone: The Ties that Bind (The Forbidden Love Series Book 4) Read online

  I wanted to strangle her with my bear hands.

  “I’m not. Alyssa is Sly’s.”

  “What about Daniel?”

  “He’s some other guy’s kid,” she wiped her tears with the napkin near her plate. “Why are you so interested in all of this?”

  “Madison killed Sly and Stone killed Andrew, my other brother, because of you.”

  “I don’t know who the fuck Andrew is. You don’t understand! I did what I thought was right! My life was in danger. Please, don’t. She’s innocent. Don’t hurt her,”

  “I saved Madison from going to jail for killing Sylvester. I protected her. You never cared about Madison or those kids,”

  “That’s not true, I gave her my car and money when she needed to feed the kids. Please, don’t hurt her. She needed to defend herself.”

  “She. Killed. My. Brother. He had a daughter!”

  “She was Alyssa’s mother. Ana was a mess. She just gave birth to them. I didn’t mean to do what I did! I ruined their lives. Kill me. Please, I want to die.” She shrieked.

  “That’s too easy, Melanie. You deserve to die a slow, painful death. You never loved Ana or Madison, or yourself, so why do you care?”

  “Madison is innocent in all of this. I never protected her. I ruined her life. Please, I beg of you, don’t hurt her.” She pleaded.

  I finally blew my stack and jumped across the table and grabbed Melanie by the shoulders.

  “You bitch! You think you’re going to make me feel guilty with your sob stories? Do you?” I shouted.

  “They were just kids! I ruined them! I did!” she shouted.

  “Then you’ll have to live with the blood of Madison and Daniel on your hands!”

  “No, don’t do this! Don’t do this!” She grabbed onto me and wouldn’t let me go.

  I pushed her off me. The pancakes, coffee and eggs went flying into the air and the waitress came running towards us. Melanie fell on the floor on her knees crying and screaming. I glanced at her, threw money at the waitress and walked hurriedly towards the car. Frank, startled, ran to open the door.

  “What’s going on?” he shouted.

  “Let’s get the fuck out of here, now!” I shouted.

  Frank stepped on the gas and the car swerved out of the diner parking lot.

  I sat with my hands between my legs. For some reason, I was exhausted. Emotionally and mentally. This meeting didn’t go exactly as I planned. I was frustrated and angry. I wanted to kill Melanie, but I knew I had to think. I needed to get my head straight and go back home.

  “Frank, back to New York City. I need a drink.” I grabbed a bottle of wine from the mini fridge, opened it and drank straight from the bottle.

  “Yes, Sir.” Frank replied.

  Frank drove and drove through dark roads and highways back to New York City. All of this information made me think. It began to fuck with my head. I drank the whole bottle until I passed out hoping to forget about the conversation with Melanie.

  Chapter 5

  Alyssa

  We finally arrived at the airport in Syracuse. Momma ran to us as soon as she saw us; wrapping her arms tightly around me.

  “Daniel are you okay?” she grabbed him around his shoulders and he flinched.

  “I’m not,” he whispered.

  “Let’s go straight to the hospital,” she said grabbing his bags.

  On the way to hospital, I prayed for Danny. We were so close. We only had each other. When Uncle Kevin was killed five years ago in a car accident, Joanna moved to Oklahoma with her family and took the kids with her. They really weren’t family but, we grew up together and it hurt like hell when they left. Patricia begged her to let her go to college with me, but Joanna needed the help with her younger son.

  “Momma?” Danny whispered as he leaned his shoulder on mom.

  “Danny, whatever you think is going to happen isn’t, so stop,” she whispered in his ear and kissed his cheek.

  I swallowed hard. Momma held in her tears, but she was ready to burst. I didn’t remember anything about Bryan but, I did know that Bryan’s death destroyed daddy and momma, she blamed herself. I grabbed her purse and placed my hand to try to find her pill box without her noticing it. I grabbed onto it and reached out to grab her hand.

  “Momma, take it .” I whispered.

  She glanced up at me and nodded her heard. In one breath, she opened the pill box and swallowed the Valium without hesitation.

  “What would I do without you, Lyssa?” she whispered.

  “Nothing, because I’m never leaving your side…ever. I’m coming back home to stay.” I said.

  She shook her head.

  “No…Stone never wanted that for you and Daniel. He always said that we would make sure you both went to college…” she was interrupted by the doctor.

  “Excuse me, Mrs. Stone?”

  “Yes,”

  “I’m Dr. Adams. We’re going to take good care of your son,” he said smiling.

  “Thank you,”

  “Just wait in the waiting room and we’ll get you up to date as soon as we find out what’s going on, okay?” momma nodded.

  The doctor walked away, and momma and I sat down. We were nervous and not knowing what was wrong with Daniel made my stomach upset. He took care of us and we needed him.

  “Momma was Bryan sick like Ana?”

  “He was. We just didn’t know.”

  “Daniel’s not sick, momma. There’s a logical explanation for Daniel not feeling well.”

  “Of course, I’m not worried.”

  “Yeah, you are.”

  “Momma?”

  “Yeah.”

  “There was this man in Miami. I bumped into him while I was jogging.”

  “Lyssa, did someone hurt you?” She stood up from her chair.

  “No momma. He was weird. I mean the situation was weird. He was a stranger and it almost felt as if I knew him from somewhere.” I grabbed her hands and sat her down next to me.

  “That happens all the time, sweetie. He’s just a stranger. He can’t harm you. He’s gone, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I answered.

  I glanced up and looked into her gray blue eyes. She was so beautiful and even though she wasn’t my mother, everyone said I looked like her because well, she was my sister. The time seemed to stand still and we both tried to entertain each other by sharing funny youtube videos on our phones and taking selfies together. The valium finally kicked in for momma and she leaned her head against my shoulder and fell asleep. I held her hand and closed my eyes. I knew Danny would be okay. He had to be.

  Chapter 6

  Jackson

  I didn’t sleep at all last night. Sly and Andrew’s face popped into my head all night long. I walked downstairs to the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. I stretched my arms over my head in front of my floor to ceiling window. The view I had from my New York City Penthouse apartment was astounding; even I couldn’t believe it. Almost losing my job at the agency over my brother and his bullshit ,Madison and Stone, made me realize everything could’ve been taken away from me in the blink of an eye. I’m not sorry about anything. I’m just sorry Andrew didn’t get to kill Madison like he wanted to. I went after my own brother to destroy him, knowing he wasn’t mentally stable. I live with that guilt every day.

  After speaking to Melanie, my head was fucked up. I knew why Sly was involved with a woman like Ana. He was a junkie and so was she. But, he was a small-time drug dealer. I remembered the name Melanie mentioned and I hoped to God she got the name wrong. Jacob Lewis was a suit and he was my best friend, but it couldn’t be him. It had to be a mistake.

  Even though Melanie gave me her sob story and it was hard to believe, I needed to verify everything she told me. I wanted an answer to all these questions and I knew the database would answer them all for me. I needed a valid reason to start digging up information on that family, especially where birth certificates were concerned. I texted Jacob and ask
ed him if I could use the database in his office. I needed to do some research on some birth certificates. I waited but he didn’t respond.

  I finished my coffee and headed towards my bedroom. I looked in my walk-in closet and stared at all the suits I had. Over one hundred suits sat meticulously along the huge walk in closet on no slip hangers. I thought to myself how ridiculous it was to have so many suits I didn’t even wear. I put on my most expensive suit, walked out the door and walked towards the garage. I got in my BMW and drove to the FBI headquarters in New York City. I usually drove to work in case I needed to head out to an assignment immediately, then I would meet up with Frank later. Traffic in New York was the worst and in this area, it wasn’t any less. I parked my car in the garage and headed towards the building.

  “Mr. Turner,” The security officer said as he nodded his head.

  “Morning Mike,” I said as I walked through the metal detectors.

  “Hey, Jacks,” I heard someone say.

  “Oh, Morning Mr. Lewis,” I extended my hand for a handshake with a sarcastic smile.

  He was my best friend and hated formalities.

  “We need to talk,” he said sternly, leaving my hand to grasp the air and the embarrassment plastered on my face. “Follow me,”

  I walked at a fast pace to follow him. I didn’t know what was going on and I felt anxious, so I grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him from walking.

  “What’s going on Jacob?” I said angrily.

  “I’ll tell you what’s going on. I got your text message. What’s this about?” he barked.

  “What’s with you? Got your period?” I said jokingly.

  “Why do you need to go into the birth certificate database?”

  “I met with Madison’s grandmother, Melanie Stone.”

  “Why?”

  “You know how I feel Jacob. I can’t let Madison live her life with my niece anymore. I can’t let her live, period.”

  “You’re not very smart are you. Every message you send me is recorded asshole. What were you thinking? If something happens to her, they’ll go straight to you.” He shook his head. “I thought you were going to let this shit go? We already busted your brother for the sex trafficking and the ten other illegal things he was doing. He’s dead. The case is closed. What are you doing?”

  “What does it matter to you?” I snapped.

  “Jacks, Andrew was in deep shit. At one time, you didn’t give a fuck about your brother, now all the sudden, you want some type of revenge. Those two kids didn’t deserve what happened to them. Sylvester was a heroin addict and Andrew was a psychopath. Do you really think we all need to be dragged into this once again? I had your back until you decided that Andrew should be cleared of all charges. That young woman already paid her dues with that psycho brother of yours. What is going on with you?”

  “She has my niece. She’s the only family I have left.” I shouted.

  “Fuck that twenty-five year old girlfriend of yours, Jacks, and get her pregnant. Keep the legacy going but leave that woman alone and her kids.”

  “Those kids are her brother and sister. I’m just looking at the birth certificates to make sure I can walk away from this with a conscience and my niece.”

  “Oh, now you want to walk away with a conscience? Your brother was a criminal and Sly-a drug addict. You were the only one in your family that did the right thing. Now, you’re going to let your brothers’ ghost haunt you? This is ridiculous, it’s been seventeen or eighteen years. That little girl doesn’t know you nor does she care to want to know you. She’s what, eighteen, nineteen years old. Leave her alone. Let her be. She’s not the reason Andrew was a fuck up nor does she deserve to know her father was a piece of shit. I was there for you. We grew up together. You escaped. You left. Why do this to yourself? Start fresh Jacks, it’s me, Jacob, are you listening to me?” he barked.

  All I could hear were the words, you escaped, you left and the guilt that consumed me and stabbed me in the gut a thousand times over. It was my fault my brothers were fucked up. I left them there with him. I left them.

  I shook my head and walked away from Jacob and headed towards my office.

  “Sharon, get someone from the Bureau of Vital Statistics on the line.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Sharon said picking up the phone.

  I sat in my chair and swiveled around to face the oversized window. The phone on my desk buzzed. It was my secretary.

  “Mr. Turner, you have a phone someone on the line from The Bureau of Vital Statistics here in New York City,” Sharon said.

  “Transfer it through,” I said quickly. “Hello?”

  “Mr. Turner, this is Genevieve Darling, how can I help you?”

  “I need information on a birth certificate regarding my niece Alyssa Stone.”

  “Her date of birth?” she asked sweetly.

  “I’m going to give the information to my secretary. I have another phone call. Please hold.”

  “Sure.”

  “Sharon!” I called out.

  “Yes, Mr. Turner. Give this information to the woman on the phone. Don’t let her hang up. I have to answer this phone call.”

  I placed the call on hold and answered the other phone call.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s me Melanie.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I don’t want you to hurt Madison and Daniel.”

  “How dare you call my office and say such foolish things. I never said that.” I said through gritted teeth.

  These phones were tapped. Anyone with a brain new that.

  “His name is Jacob Lewis. Check him out. Don’t let him get away with it.” She said calmly.

  “I have to go.” I hung up quickly and thought about the old bat for a moment until Sharon walked in.

  “I’m sorry Mr. Turner. Mrs. Darling says she can’t wait all day.”

  I gave Sharon a dirty look and motioned with my hand to close the door. I picked up the phone.

  “I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

  “Well, Mr. Turner, it looks like your brother Sylvester Turner, did sign the birth certificate, but there’s another signature here on another birth certificate, A Mickey Shelton.”

  “Wait, what are you talking about?”

  “Umm…Sir, I really would like to meet you in person. I can get in trouble talking about this over the phone,”

  “I see. Can you meet me tomorrow morning at nine?”

  “Umm…sure. Where?”

  “You tell me,”

  “Let’s meet at the Square Diner,”

  “Sure, I’ll be there. See you then,”

  I didn’t care what Jacob said. I let my brothers down once before, I wasn’t going to do it again. Besides, according to the old bat, Jacob is involved somehow. I believe that’s why he’s trying to shut me down.

  Chapter 7

  “Mrs. Stone?” The doctor whispered. I shook my mom to wake her up.

  I stood up and held moms hand.

  “Is…he okay?” momma asked.

  I inhaled deeply waiting for the doctor to give us bad news.

  “I’m Dr. Stevens. He’s going to be fine, Mrs. Stone. He’s anemic. He needs to stay in the hospital, so we can get him better,” momma squeezed my hand and I placed my head against her chest and sobbed.

  “Can we see him?” I asked as I lifted my head from her chest.

  “He’s asleep and stable. Maybe tomorrow?”

  “I’d like to stay with him,” momma said.

  “Well, only one of you can stay,” he glanced over at me.

  “It’s okay, momma, you stay. I’ll go home and get the house ready for both of you when you get home,” I said happily.

  “Lyssa, are you sure?” she grabbed both of my hands.

  “Yes, I’m sure,” I said yes, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted Danny to come home. I wanted us to be together.

  “Okay, I’ll see you soon,”

  “It shouldn’t be more than a couple
of days,” Dr. Stevens escorted momma and they both walked down the corridor together.

  “Lyssa!” I heard momma shout.

  “Take a cab home. Here’s some money for food shopping and anything else you need,”

  “I have money, it’s okay,”

  “Just take it and call me as soon as you get home,”

  I nodded my head and walked to the front desk and asked the nurse if she could call me a cab. She called a cab for me and asked me to wait near the entrance of the hospital. I walked towards the entrance and waited.

  “Hey, you called a cab?” This guy shouted from his car.

  “Um…yeah, are you citycabs?”

  “Yes, you’re going to 15 meadow lane?”

  “Yes,”

  “Hop on in!” he shouted.

  I opened the door, slid in and sat near the window behind the driver.

  “It’s a nice night, right?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Is everything okay at the hospital?” his eyes met mine through the rear view mirror.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  I was beginning to feel uncomfortable by the cab driver’s questioning.

  “Who’s sick?”

  “Um…make a right, I’m right on the corner,” I answered quickly; he eyed me again.

  “Yeah, sure…” he replied.

  He drove to the corner and stopped in front of the house.

  “thanks,”

  “Hey, here’s my card in case you need a ride again. I’m sorry about all the questions. I get lonely sometimes,” he said as I exited the car.

  “It’s okay. Thanks,” I closed the door and walked towards the house.

  I heard the car drive away as I opened the front door. I felt scared for some reason; as if I were being watched. I turned around and locked the door quickly. I texted momma and turned on the kitchen light.

  I sat at the table and prayed for Danny, something I did every night with momma and Danny since I was five years old. We prayed for Daddy and Bryan. My father and brother that I barely remembered only from pictures and stories that momma and Danny told. Our life was complicated, according to Uncle Kevin and Aunt Joanna, Momma and Daddy went through hell. My visits with my father were in prison until he got out. He killed some guy that wanted to hurt my momma. He was fifteen and she was twelve.