Sins, Lies & Spies (Black Brothers #2) (6 page)

I nodded. “Good.”

“That’s where things went south. He said he’d do whatever it took to take us down.” He cocked his head to the side. “Well, you in particular. Apparently, I’ll be collateral damage if I continue to associate with you.”

I balled my hands into fists. “Yeah, well, I feel the same way about him. I won’t be happy until I find a way to put him behind bars for the foreseeable future.”

He tipped up the bottle of beer, emptying the last half in one swallow. I shook my head. Jack rarely drank like that. “I know,” he finally said. “Just be careful. I think he’s getting desperate.”

“We’ve talked about this. It means we’re getting close.”

“Possibly.” He wiped a hand over his mouth. “He also told me to tell you to stay the hell away from Trinity.”

“That’s too bad because I have plans for her.”

“Dammit, Knox,” he muttered under his breath. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

My grin widened. “Don’t worry about it. Just keep reviewing the documents from Lang’s computer and I’ll take care of the rest.”

He shook his head. “Miles is going to freak. Remember what happened with his ex-wife.”

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “That was a mistake. I didn’t have a clue who she was, and nothing happened. She’s crazy. She sought me out because of Miles’s never-ending need to compete with me.”

Jack pursed his lips. “I know, but Miles probably doesn’t see it that way.”

“Miles is a jackass.”

He burst out laughing. “I’ve never heard truer words.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Trinity

For twenty-four hours, I avoided everyone.

Miles.

Faith.

Leslie.

Knox.

I locked myself in my townhome and refused to answer my phone. I didn’t have a choice. After Knox left, my mind wouldn’t stop spinning in circles, and for the first time in over six months, I knew I needed to talk to Speaker Derrick Benton, my half-brother. We didn’t talk much any longer. Recently, he hadn’t made much effort to stay in contact. It wasn’t unexpected. We didn’t grow up together. In fact, I didn’t even know he existed until right before I turned twenty-one.

He sent me letter after letter. When I didn’t respond, he showed up at my uncle’s house. Basically, he’d been nominated for Speaker of the House, and he didn’t want me to reveal our connection. I nearly laughed in his face. Before he made contact with me, I didn’t even know anything other than my dad’s first name, Richard, and I didn’t have any interest in seeking out a man who didn’t want to be part of my life.

In short, I promised to keep our parentage a secret, and in exchange, Derrick helped me out financially on occasion. At his insistence, I relocated to D.C. He found my townhome and paid the security deposit. He gave me enough money for a down payment on a car three years ago. Simply put, he handed me the rare opportunity to reinvent myself without the demons of my past nipping at my heels. For that alone, I owed him even if he decided he didn’t want to be a part of my life anymore.

When I started dating Miles, I occasionally ran into him at political events, but we never acknowledged each other in public. It was better that way. He didn’t want to call attention to our dad’s infidelities, and I didn’t want to call attention to myself.

I had to call three consecutive times before he answered.

“Hello.” His voice was stiff and icy.

“It’s Trinity,” I blurted out, my voice shaky.

“I know. Hold on one second.” I heard a puff of air as his hand or something else muffled the speaker of the phone.

I bounced my leg up and down, watching the clock on my nightstand as I waited.

One minute.

The toe of my flat echoed loudly on the hardwood floors. I should’ve invested in a rug, but I never bothered. For almost six months, I believed Miles and I would get engaged and I’d move into his house. Once our relationship fell apart, I couldn’t bring myself to commit to anything. Emotionally, I was stuck in the mud, not wanting to move forward, but knowing things would never be the same between Miles and me.

Two minutes.

“Asshole,” I mumbled under my breath. Derrick had been a complete jerk since I started working for Miles. Our bi-weekly phone calls turned into monthly calls and then stopped almost altogether in the past year.

Three minutes. I pulled the phone away from my ear, intending to disconnect the call when his voice echoed through my bedroom.

“What’s going on?” he barked.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“Because I’m in the middle of an important meeting.”

“I’ve called you at least ten times in the last twenty-four hours. I’ve left you at least three messages. You haven’t returned any of my calls,” I said, doing little to hide my growing frustration with him.

“What do you need? Money? Help finding a job?”

I squeezed the phone so hard I was surprised it didn’t crumble. “No. I have a job, and I sure as hell don’t need your money. I mailed you a check two months ago repaying you for everything plus interest. You still haven’t cashed it.”

“I don’t want you to pay me back. The money was a gift. It was the least I could offer, considering…” He fell silent like he couldn’t bring himself to utter the words teetering on his lips. He hated talking about the circumstances of my childhood. It was almost as if he couldn’t stand to taint his beautiful life with the ugliness of mine.

Sucking in a deep breath through my nose, I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle the urge to blurt out a sarcastic response. “Cash the check, Derrick.” Despite what he said, I knew the money wasn’t intended as a string-free gift. I considered it hush money even though he’d never admit it. “I’m not going to tell anyone that your dad couldn’t keep his pants zipped. I have no interest in being associated with
him
.”

Richard Benton, my biological father, made a fortune talking and writing about the importance of being an honorable person. He preached and preached until he was blue in the face, but he didn’t think it was necessary for him to heed his own advice. I was proof of it—a walking, talking, breathing stain on his shiny legacy, my half-brother’s career, and the illustrious Benton family.

“Then what’s going on? I don’t have time to chat right now.”

Anger fired inside my chest, but I pushed it back. “You haven’t called me in months, and you still don’t have a few minutes to spare for me?”

Heavy breaths puffed through the phone, and I could imagine the frustration lining his normally serene face. “Just spit it out, Trinity,” he hissed. “I’m not in the mood for games. I’m having a bad week.”

“Fine.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I ran into someone a couple of days ago, and your name came up in conjunction with Representative Lang. I got the impression something problematic was going on. Is there anything I should know?”

“Are you asking me this or does this question come from your boyfriend?” he snarled.

I dug my free hand into my duvet cover. “We broke up.”

“Are you still working for him?”

“Yes, but I didn’t hear anything from him.”

For a moment, he didn’t respond, and I thought he hung up. “Tell me, Trinity. Did you tell Miles that we are related?”

“No,” I yelled, irritation mixed with sleep deprivation making my voice sharper and angrier than I had intended. “Absolutely not. I told him I never met my biological father. He didn’t ask anything else.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Derrick could be such a pompous ass. I didn’t know why I bothered with him.

“Yes, Derrick. I have never told anyone about our connection, and I have no intention of sharing that little detail anytime soon.” I shook my head. “I don’t want anyone’s pity.”

A weary sigh whistled through the phone. “Okay. I believe you.”

I cleared my throat. “Does someone know about me? Is that why you’re asking?”

“Yeah.”

My heart stuttered. “Oh shit,” I whispered. “What are you going to do?”

“My people are working on it, but I can’t promise anything. I might need you to publicly deny our connection at some point.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “What does this have to do with Miles? Do you think he knows about us?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t trust him. That’s why I’ve limited our contact over the last year.”

“You’re the second person to tell me that in the last week,” I mumbled, mostly to myself.

“What’d you say?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I answered.

“Just be careful what you say to people.”

I stood, pacing back and forth along the side of my bed. “And why’s that?”

“I’m just trying to warn you to be vigilant,” he said, his voice flat.

“Did something happen?” I lowered my voice like someone could overhear me on the street outside of my townhome.

“I can’t talk about it on the phone.”

“Oh.” I chewed on my lower lip. “Do you want to meet in person?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want anyone to see us together right now.”

I rubbed the sudden ache in my chest. I understood why Derrick didn’t like to be seen with me, but it hurt. I didn’t have much of a family. Despite my best attempts, Faith and I had never been close. I worked hard to give her the things I didn’t have growing up, but lately, she seemed more entitled than grateful for all the sacrifices I made for her. My uncle only called me on holidays and birthdays, but I’d do anything for him. When I met Derrick, I thought he’d fill the hole in my heart. For a while it seemed that way, but like everyone else in my life, he had disappointed me.

“Yeah, sure. I get it. Don’t worry about it.” My voice trembled despite my attempts to pretend it didn’t matter.

He exhaled loudly. “I’ll stop by your apartment tomorrow night. It won’t be until late. After ten. Maybe later.”

“What about Ellen? Won’t she wonder where you are?” Ellen was his wife of eight years. I’d never met her. I’d seen her in pictures, but our paths had never crossed. Not that it’d matter. As far as I knew, Ellen didn’t know about me.

“She’s going to her parents’ house for dinner tomorrow night. I’ll tell her I have to work late.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He disconnected the call without responding.

CHAPTER NINE

Knox

“How are things progressing with Trinity?” Jack asked.

He looked a little worse for the wear this week. He had bags under his eyes and more than his customary day or two’s worth of whisker growth on his face. His clothes were wrinkled, and I could swear he’d been wearing the same jeans for the past week.

I scooped up my keys and jammed them in my front pocket. “They’re not.”

He snickered. “Why not?”

“She hasn’t gone anywhere in days.”

Sharp creases dented the skin between his brows. “Why not?”

“I don’t know.” I crossed the room. “I won’t be in the office tomorrow. I have a security update I need to do for Black Investments.”

“No problem.” He closed his laptop and stuffed it into his tan messenger bag. The thing was ancient. Threads dangled from the seams, and the bottom looked more black than tan. He’d been carrying it since his days in the Navy. “You want to grab a drink at the bar down the street?”

“I can’t.” I opened the door, and Jack followed me out.

“Do you have a date?”

“Nope.” I pressed the call button for the elevator. “I’m going to swing by Trinity’s place.”

“What for?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m going to do a little surveillance.” I winked as we stepped into the elevator. “See what she’s been up to.”

He rolled his eyes. “We have people to do that shit. You don’t have to do it yourself.”

“I know, but it’s not that far out of my way.”

He smirked. “Uh-huh.”

I shoved his shoulder. “Back off. We need her help.”

“There are alternatives.”

I stepped off the elevator and pressed the unlock button on my key fob. “Yep, and I’ll pursue those if this doesn’t work.”

***

I sat in my car outside of Trinity’s home. She lived on the main floor of a gray three-story brownstone near the National Mall. An hour into my surveillance, a man in a long, black overcoat jogged down the street with his head angled toward the sidewalk. A dark fedora shaded his face from view.

He took an abrupt right and ran up the steps to Trinity’s home. Without hesitating, he knocked on her door. Seconds later, she opened the door and waved him inside. He handed her his hat and glanced over his shoulder.

“I’ll be damned,” I muttered, leaning forward to get a better view. “What the hell is he doing here?”

After the door had closed, I filled the inside of my car with a string of colorful curses. What was wrong with me? My gut ached like someone had dropkicked me in the stomach, and I knew exactly what I was feeling—jealousy. I could ignore it. I could dismiss it. I could pretend it didn’t bother me, but I knew the truth. From the first moment I saw her, Trinity had become an obsession. Regardless of what I did, I couldn’t get her out of my head. Either I was intensely attracted to her and needed to fuck her out of my brain or she brought out something in me I hadn’t felt with any other woman. I didn’t like either scenario. Being dependent on anyone for any reason didn’t sit well with me.

Ten minutes ticked by like an hour, and I broke down and I called Jack. I needed to talk to him because I felt like I was coming out of my skin.

“Hello,” he said, answering his phone after the first ring. I heard the rumble of voices and pounding music in the background.

“Can you talk?” I asked.

“One second. Let me step outside.” When the music and voices faded, he continued. “What’s going on?”

I squeezed the steering wheel with one hand until my knuckles whitened. “I’m not sure, but Benton just showed up at Trinity Jones’s house.”

“What the fuck? What’s going on?”

I shook my head. “I don’t have a clue. Either Miles is using Trinity to communicate with Benton or Trinity is working with Benton.”

“Or she’s having an affair with Benton.”

“I don’t know. Benton and his wife seem pretty solid. Other than the blackmail scandal brewing around him for the past year, he’s kept his nose clean.”

“This is ridiculous, Knox. Do you hear yourself? We both know Benton is up to his eyeballs in shit. He refused to bring up another bill for vote in the House just this week. Getting involved with this woman who may or may not be backstabbing Miles or fucking Benton on the side is a bad idea for so many reasons. There are other ways to unravel this mess. We don’t need her.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.” I rubbed my temples, my gaze glued to Trinity’s home. I didn’t know what I thought I’d see.

“Not maybe. I am right. This girl is trouble. First, she’s connected to Miles, and that’s reason enough to stay away from her, but now she’s fucking Benton and—”

“We don’t know that,” I snapped, interrupting him. “They could be friends or she could be working with him.”

He exhaled. “A man only drops by a single woman’s house at ten-thirty at night for one reason and it’s not to paint each other’s fingernails or share stories about their day at work.”

I glanced at the yellow light glowing like a beacon from a large picture window at the front of her townhome. The possibility of catching a glimpse of her tonight made me decline Jack’s invitation to go out for a drink. What had this woman done with my balls?

“I’m not stupid. I realize that,” I muttered as the shiny red door of her townhome opened. Shadows shrank as the interior light spilled onto her front steps.

Benton stepped over the threshold. Her head moved up and down, and he leaned in, whispering something in her ear. Almost immediately, he engulfed her in a one-armed hug, which didn’t offer any insight into the nature of their relationship.

“He’s leaving,” I said.

“Are you going to follow him?”

“No.”

“There’s still time to meet me for a drink.”

I tapped my fingers on my thigh, staring at Trinity’s townhouse. “Where are you? I could use a drink.”

“I’m at Mercy.”

Trinity closed the curtains of her front window, and her home faded to black. “No,” I said, changing my mind instantly. “I have a shit load of work tomorrow, and I need a clear head.”

“Are you going to look into the connection between Trinity and Benton?”

“I will.”

“Good. Call me tomorrow if you need anything.”

“Will do.” I disconnected the call.

I sat in the car for nearly an hour before something compelled me to go inside. I needed answers, and somehow I convinced myself seeing her would tell me what I wanted to know.

Not long after, I stood at the foot of her bed watching her sleep. She had left her closet door cracked open and a bar of light lit the lower half of her face. One of her legs had slipped out from beneath the white sheets. She wore a faded black t-shirt that barely covered her panties. Her mink colored hair fanned her pillow. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, and a small smattering of freckles dusted her nose.

For a fleeting second, I pictured sliding into bed next her and stripping off her clothes.

I imagined what she looked like naked.

I wondered how her hair smelled.

I speculated how she’d taste as I explored every inch of her long, toned body.

Then I shut down the fantasy as fast as possible. I was treading a slippery slope. I needed to snap out of it and stay focused on the end goal.

Slipping out of her room, I quietly searched the house, investigating all areas I failed to check the previous time and double-checking others. Empty-handed, I snuck out the front door nearly an hour later.