32 - Accusations

I woke to the sounds of beeping, and for a moment, I didn’t remember where I was. Then it all came back to me in a crashing wave, and I jolted upward in bed.

“Hey, it’s okay,” came a familiar voice, and I looked over to see Luca in the seat next to my hospital bed. “Just lie down, and I’ll let the nurse know you’re awake.”

As he stepped outside, horror-filled me at the memory of everything that had happened. Max had drugged me and tried to sexually assault me! My own brother. But what was it he’d said? “You’re not my sister. You never were.” What the heck did that mean?

The nurse soon came into the room. She was a short, stout woman with a gray pixie cut, and she wore purple scrubs with yellow ducks on them. “Hello, Mrs. Lush,” she said. “Welcome back.”

“It’s Miss,” I corrected, not wanting to be associated with Owen.

“Oh, I apologize.” She looked down at my chart. “You came in with some date rape drugs in your system. Your boyfriend here has been with you since you arrived last night.”

Last night? How many hours had passed since … it … happened? “He’s not my boyfriend,” was all I managed to say to that, blinking slowly.

“I beg to differ,” Luca interjected.

“We went on one date.” I glared at him.

“It counts as dating.” He smirked.

“No, it really doesn’t.” I groaned, leaning my head back against the scratchy hospital pillow.

“Do you want him to leave, Miss Lush?” the nurse asked, giving Luca the stink eye.

“He’s fine. Annoying but still fine.”

“Did you hear that?” Luca joked. “She called me fine.”

“Don’t make me reconsider,” I warned.

The nurse looked at us both like we were crazy, and I can’t blame her. “Are you sure he’s not your boyfriend?”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she wisely said nothing further. As she went toward the door, she turned to me and added, “I’m going to let the doctor know you’re awake.”

I nodded and closed my eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Luca murmured.

“Thirsty but otherwise okay.”

“I’ll get you some water.” Luca moved to stand, but I grabbed his arm.

“No. Stay,” I whispered.

I didn’t know why, but he made me feel safe. The thought of being alone right now filled me with anxiety; I needed him here.

Luca sat. “Okay.”

The doctor soon came in to examine me. “Hello, I’m Dr. Martin. You had quite an experience, but you look to be doing better. I want you to drink plenty of fluids and take it easy. We will monitor you for a bit longer, and you should be released today.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

Before Dr. Martin could leave, Luca asked, “So, does that mean she can have some water now? She mentioned she was thirsty.”

“Most definitely. I’ll have the nurse bring some in.” Then he walked out.

“Thanks,” I said, offering Luca a weak smile.

“You know, I’ve never killed anyone, but when I found him over you like that last night, with you in the condition you were in … I considered breaking my rule,” he growled. “If he hadn’t run, I’m not sure I wouldn’t have.”

I swallowed thickly. “Well, it’s a good thing he did, then.”

I wasn’t sure if I said it because I didn’t want Max to die or because I didn’t want to see Luca go to prison. Maybe both. There was no love lost between Max and me, but I didn’t want him dead. I also couldn’t imagine not receiving Luca’s flirtatious texts anymore. But it was somewhat sweet … in a violent sort of way.

“Hm,” he grunted, like he wasn’t sure he could agree it was good.

The nurse came in with water then, and I slurped it down greedily, finishing the entire cup. It was cold and soothing for my parched throat. Luca gazed at me silently, concern written all over his features. After a long moment, he said, voice soft, “I would have killed him.”

Was it wrong that I was touched?

Alex walked in at that moment. “You’re still here?” he said to Luca, his tone unfriendly.

“I never left,” Luca replied.

Alex looked guilty for a moment, then he turned to me. “I would have stayed, too, but I had class. It’s finals week.”

“It’s okay,” I said, smiling at him to show I didn’t mind.

“How are you feeling?” Alex asked, sitting in the only other chair in the room and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Better. A bit shocked but otherwise unharmed.” I shrugged and glanced away because if I made too much eye contact, I might actually break down. “Thank you guys for saving me.”

“When Dad and I saw you stumbling away with that man, we knew immediately that something was wrong. This one”—he gestured to Luca—“actually left the stage during the middle of the auction to follow. Got some evil glares, too.”

I looked at the—former—mob boss. “Is that true? You left the auction as it was in progress?”

“It was my turn, too,” he proudly affirmed. “No one harms my girl.”

Alex glanced from me to Luca, aghast, until I lectured, “Again, I am NOT your girl.”

“You keep telling yourself that.” He smirked.

I groaned again. This was becoming a habit, it seemed. Just then, a police officer entered the room. “Are you Fay Lush?” he asked.

“I am,” I said, and Alex and Luca moved to the walls of the room.

“May I take a statement from you on what happened last night?”

I nodded, and the police officer stepped forward. “Tell me what you remember.”

I remembered everything, and I recounted all of it, starting with the embezzlement and money laundering evidence I’d found, moving on to Max spiking my drink and leading me away, and ending with my rescue. The police officer’s face had varied expressions of shock and concern as I told my tale.

When I finished, he thanked me and assured me they would be launching an investigation. Then he left.

“What time is it?” I asked Max and Luca.

“It’s three in the afternoon,” Luca said.

“We have to go.” I threw off my covers.

“What? Now?” Alex asked. “You need to stay in bed. The doctors haven’t cleared you.”

“I need to get ready for the auction tonight. Max and Owen will both have to be there. It’s the silent auction of items and vacation packages, the most important night. I want to expose them.” I moved for the door, my IV still connected. “Nurse!”

The nurse from earlier rushed over. “What seems to be the problem, Miss Lush? You should be resting.”

“I’m leaving,” I stated.

“You can’t leave. The doctor hasn’t cleared you yet.”

“I’m going to leave, so I need you to take this IV out of me,” I repeated.

“You realize that you’ll be leaving against medical advice,” she continued.

“Yes, and that’s fine. I need to go. So, can you please remove this?”

The nurse wasn’t happy, but she obliged. “One moment,” she said once the IV was out. “I need you to sign some AMA paperwork stating you’re leaving.”

She left and returned with a clipboard, which I signed. Then I turned to Alex and Luca. “Do you want to help me take down a crime ring, just like in our movie?”

Alex and Luca glanced at each other, then they said, “We’re in.”

* * *

We arrived at the auction right on schedule. It had taken us some time to get home and dressed, but we did it. I’d arranged for the police to be there, out of sight, to witness the ordeal. When we entered, I saw Max and Owen right away. They were seated together, heads bowed as they spoke.

The auctioneer hadn’t taken the stage yet, so I approached him. “Excuse me, but I need that microphone,” I said.

As one of the event organizers, he couldn’t object to me, but he wasn’t pleased as he handed it off. Then I took the stage.

“Attention, please, everyone,” I said into the microphone. “I have a rather important announcement. If you’ll kindly listen up.”

The room quieted, and I smiled what I hoped was a trustworthy smile. “We have in our midst two people who have committed atrocious crimes against this company.”

Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd, and Owen and Max shifted uncomfortably in their seats. But I continued, “Owen Wilde and Max Lush have been embezzling from Lush Productions and money laundering on top of that. We have uncovered evidence to prove these accusations, and now the police will make the arrests. Max also committed an attempted sexual assault yesterday.”

Gasps filled the room, and all eyes turned to my husband and brother. Max jumped to his feet. “That’s a lie!” he shouted. “I have done no such thing. In fact, I have evidence to prove Owen has embezzled from the company and committed acts of money laundering. It’s all in this flash drive.” He pulled a small object out of his pocket. “And I couldn’t have assaulted anyone last night. I was with my father the whole time!”

Owen turned red in the face. “You can’t be serious!” he bellowed at Max. “You would pin this on me?”

“Arrest him, officers!” Max yelled, pointing at Owen.

The police looked confused about what was going on, but they strode forward and arrested Owen, confiscating the flash drive. “Is your father here to confirm your alibi?” one asked.

George Lush walked calmly over to the scene, glaring at me, as if I was the one in the wrong. “I am. He speaks the truth.”

My jaw dropped. I sputtered, unable to speak. Was my dad really going to side with Max, to lie for him? I had no words for this.

The police thanked my father and took Owen away. Everyone in the room glanced around with wide eyes until my father said in a loud voice, “Now that the drama is over with, I think it’s best we get on with the auction. Fay, would you come down please? You’ve caused enough of a scene. Let’s not tarnish the night any further.”

Numb and unable to believe any of this, I descended the steps of the dais, handed off the microphone, and walked over to where Nolan, Alex, and Luca sat. The host walked back on stage. “Well,” he said, “how’s that for entertainment?”

The crowd laughed awkwardly, and I turned to Nolan, who was trying to get my attention. “Fay, I have some news.”

What else could I possibly handle tonight? Sighing, I looked at him. “Let’s hear it. It can’t possibly get any worse.”

Nolan swallowed audibly. “My lawyers have discovered that Owen took out a life insurance policy on you worth twenty million dollars.”

“What could he possibly need that much for?” I wondered.

“Their suspicion is he wanted to commit insurance fraud, kill you and make it look like an accident,” he continued.

I was wrong. It could get worse. Thinking back on all the times Owen had been violent toward me when I was stuck in the cycle of fate’s design, I recalled when he’d pushed me down the stairs, poisoned my cake, and other things. It was like everything fell into place to reveal the truth of the claims.

“No,” I whispered.

“I’m sorry, Fay.” Nolan patted my arm.

This was entirely too much. Owen wanted me dead? I knew he couldn’t love me because he was cheating on me, but to want me dead? That was a new low.

I hadn’t even begun to process my father’s betrayal yet, nor had I accepted that Max had gotten away with everything either. As I sat through this unbearable auction, I knew one thing in my heart: this wasn’t over.