Shattered Trust, Stolen Hearts
by Martine
Chapter 16
"Ricardo!" I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life.
"You seem surprised to see me, Meg." He sounds confused. "Didn’t Ben tell you he had asked me to come?"
"Of course he did." I look at him strangely as a warning for him not to say anything about Derek. I see he understands as he winks at me. "We didn’t expect you so soon, that’s all."
"Where is Ben?" Ricardo asks.
"He’s outside, he just wanted a few minutes. I think he had some business with Gregory Richards to sort out." I smile as I see Mom and Daddy giving each other strange looks.
"What’s going on, Meggie?" Dad comes over and looks me straight in the eye
"Nothing, dad. Why are you asking?" I try to avoid eye contact with him. I hate lying to him, but I don’t want to worry him unnecessarily."Well, there’s a detective here, and Ben’s outside being very unsociable. We’re not stupid." Dad sounds hurt.
"You’re right. There is something going on...." I begin to tell them, but suddenly I’m interrupted by loud voices coming from outside.
"You stay here, Meg." Ricardo urges me, but I need to be with Ben. For the first time, I physically ache for him, it is as though he’s a part of me.
I move forward. "I’m sorry, Ricardo. Ben needs me." I go out, Ricardo follows behind. To my horror, Derek is wearing the same clothes as Ben. This man is so clever.
"Ben?" I shout out in the darkness. "Where are you?"
"I’m here, Meg." Ben rushes forward and embraces me. I look at his left arm, his watch is like a beacon in the darkness, showing me the way back to Ben. "Are you okay?"
"I’m fine. Ricardo’s here....."
"Oh how nice, all the family is here. What a nice surprise!" A familiar voice booms out. "It will save me making a trip to see you all. To kill you." He waves a gun around and points it randomly.
"Derek, think first." Ben lets me go and takes a step towards his brother.
"Like you, you mean?" Derek laughs evilly. "How boring, how noble. Hasn’t anyone ever told you what a complete waste of space you are?" He pauses. "And yet, you get everything. Not one, but two beautiful women. Money, power, respect. I don’t think I need to go on, do you?"
"You could have those as well, Derek." Ben tries to calm him down. "If you put the gun down, I’ll help you."
"Ha! I don’t need your help, Brother dearest. I’ve got everything I need. Ricardo has probably told you that I’m wanted in Tennessee for multiple murders, so what difference will five more make?" Derek shocks me with his revelation. I am too stunned to speak.
"I haven’t seen Ricardo, Derek." Ben’s voice is steady. "I blame myself for you. I wish things could have been different."
"No, you don’t. You’re pathetic. You act so good, but you’re not. At least I own up to my crimes."
"What do you mean?" Ben asks.
"You’re a murderer, Ben. You murdered Maria. At least you tried to." Derek comes closer to Ben.
"It was an accident." Ben’s voice is very clear.
"That’s right. Console yourself with that lie if it helps. The truth is I slept with your wife and you felt threatened. Because you knew that your innocent little wife couldn’t tell the difference between us. Oh, she whispered sweet nothings in my ear that night, she told me that I was more exciting than ever that night...." He taunts Ben with his cruel words.
"You...." Ben lunges towards Derek.
"See Meg, that’s the true Ben. He feels threatened by me." Derek pokes the gun in Ben’s side. "I’m a more experienced lover than he’ll ever be. I bet you were his first since Maria."
I say nothing. I’m so angry. "Don’t be shy, Meg. We’re all adults here, Meg. We have no secrets, Meg. In fact, I have a secret, Meg. Do you want to hear a secret, Meg?" He is laughing at me. He really enjoys repeating my name.
"I’m not interested in anything your sick little mind thinks of, Derek." I spit at him in anger.
"That’s a shame, because your lives depend on it." He says, pulling the trigger.
"Don’t kill him!" I shout at him. "My baby needs a father." I am lying. I’m just glad I can’t see my parents’ faces. "I’m pregnant, Derek."
"So, little Meg has a secret. I bet you didn’t know that, Ben." He relaxes his hold on the gun.
"I knew. Meg told me this afternoon. I’m very pleased." He gives a weak smile. "You couldn’t kill an innocent child, Derek. You might be evil, but you’re not that bad."
"Don’t bet on it, Ben. It’s your child. I think the baby would rather die than know you." He laughs in his face. "But I’ll tell you my secret...."
I can hear Ricardo moving around. "Go on. Tell us your secret."
"Maria didn’t die in that accident, Ben. I rescued her. She was pregnant with my child." Derek smiles. "But she is dead now. She served her purpose. I have a son and daughter. They are just like me...."
Suddenly a shot is heard, and the next sound I hear is silence....
Chapter 17
Blood is dripping from Ben’s body. The bullet from Derek’s gun has injured my Ben. I can feel his warm, steady breath on my face as I put my head on his chest to check his breathing.
I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, Meg. Dad has phoned for an ambulance. Ben will be fine. You’ll see. Have faith."
And all the time Derek stands there, laughing, mocking his brother. Ricardo has hand-cuffed him, he can do no harm. I take my chance and lunge at Derek. I know that anything I say to him won’t change the way he thinks, but I need to do this. For me and for Ben.
"How can you do this? To your own brother?" I shout at him. "Do you really hate him that much?"
"Yes, I hate him. He has everything I’ve ever wanted, and we have the same face." He laughs at my anger. "Even when we were children, Ben had it all. The music lessons, the extra penny in his pocket money, the bedtime story, the hug. I had nothing."
"Is all this really worth it, Derek?" I ask, looking back at Ben.
"Oh yes, it’s worth it. To see the look of pain on your face, because now you know what pain feels like." His voice unnerves me. "I have felt like that all my miserable life, and I hope you do too." He gives a sinister smile. I strike him, the sound of my hand clasping the cool night air.
"You are sick, Derek. I hope you rot in jail." I say, turning away. Ben is all that matters now.
"And I hope you rot away with Ben." He laughs, as Ricardo takes him away.
"They’ll throw away the key." I hear Ricardo say. Derek laughs. I think he’s deranged.
I take Ben in my arms and rock him. I pray. I don’t want him to die, not now, not when I’ve just got to know him properly. "Ben, I need you so much." I hear the ambulance roaring up the drive way. Mom leads me away. She holds me close, but I can take no comfort in her love now. Not while my Ben is dying.
The paramedics swarm around Ben. A few minutes later, they approach me. "Ms. Cummings?"
"Yes. How is he?"
"Mr Evans is fine. The bullet missed him and it just grazed his shoulder." I burst out crying. I am so happy. "He is unconscious, but we’re pretty sure that he’ll come round soon. We need to take him to the hospital to check him out. Do you want to ride with us?"
"I do. Thankyou so much." I turn round and hug Mom. "He’s going to be okay."
"I knew he would be, honey. I see that he loves you too much to leave you." Mom smiles. "Now, stop crying, you don’t want to hurt your baby."
"What baby?" I had completely forgotten about the lie I told Derek, and that my parents were standing there, listening to me. "Mom, I’m not pregnant. I just told him that to stop him shooting. Unfortunately it didn’t work..."
"Meg, where are you?" I hear Ben calling me.
"I’m here, darling." I run to him. Derek is looking at his brother while Ricardo waits for the police car to take him away.
"It’s not over yet, Ben." He sneers. "It will only be over when you’re dead."
"You’ll be in jail for a long time, Evans." Ricardo pushes him away. I get into the ambulance, holding Ben’s hand. Out of the window, I see Derek’s face. I am so afraid that he’ll be back, but I’ll never let him near my man again.......
Chapter 18
Time moves very slowly, so they say, when you’re waiting for something important, as I find out as I pace the floors of Ludlow Country Hospital, waiting for news about Ben.
"Meg, sit down, you’ll wear those floors out with all the pacing you’re doing." Mom tries to make me smile. I don’t think Dad knows what to make of it. I’m not sure I do. The look of pure hatred in Derek’s eyes and all over such petty things. Sara and I used to argue about those things, but we always made things up.
"I’m so worried about him, Mom." I shake my head, tears trickling down my cheeks.
"You really love him, don’t you?" Dad puts his arms around me for the first time since this started.
"I didn’t know love like this existed, Daddy. I just want to hold him in my arms and make all this hurt go away, but I don’t know how." I confide in my father.
"You’ll find a way, Meggie. You’re very special." Dad looks me in the eyes. "Ben knows that you love him...."
"Is this sweet?" Derek walks into the waiting room, handcuffed to Ricardo. "A family reunion, but you are so wrong about dear, darling brother, Mr Cummings. Oh he’ll provide for your daughter, but if she wants excitement and passion, I’m her man, sir. And I look like Ben, so there’s an added bonus."
"What are you doing here, Derek?" I go up to him, unafraid. "Ben doesn’t need you here!"
Ricardo opens his mouth to explain, but as usual, Derek answers first. "On the contrary, Meg, Ben does need me. He needs my blood. Is it funny? I tried to take his life, now I am saving it. Rather ironic, if you ask me."
"I’m surprised you know the meaning of such a complicated word, Derek." I laugh. "Oh I know, Ricardo gave you a dictionary to read last night."
"And I see you’ve mastered the art of sarcasm, Meg." He smiles. "But I don’t suppose you get much chance to use it, with my one-dimensional brother."
"Sit down, Evans, and shut that mouth." Ricardo pushes him into a chair.
"No, Ricardo, he’s not staying here." I put my hands on my hips. "He tried to kill Ben, I can’t bear to see his face."
"He has to stay here. I’m sorry, the doctors might need more of his blood and there’s nowhere to sit. I don’t like it any more than you."
"I’m sure there’s a sewage plant around here he can inhabit." I say. Mom and Dad look shocked, but I can’t help it. It makes me mad to think that Derek can help Ben more than I can.
"I thought you were so sweet, Meg." Derek smiles. I hate him so much, I want to kill him so that Ben can be free. "I know you love me, really."
"Me, love you? Now you are joking." I literally spit out. "I despise you, Derek. I didn’t even think I was capable of such hatred until I met you. I love Ben."
"Maria loved Ben, and she slept with me." Now it is Ricardo’s turn to look like he wants Derek dead.
"She thought you were Ben." I put him right.
"Now I have a beautiful daughter and a handsome son who take after me..." Derek says, but the doctor comes into the room, and I stop listening.
"Doctor, is he okay?"
"Relax, Ms Cummings. Mr Evans is fine, he’s asking for you. He lost some blood and is very weak. He’ll need rest and no stress." He looks at Derek.
"I’ll see to that." I follow him out of the room, to Ben. He looks very pale. I take him in my arms. "Ben, I was so worried, I thought you were going to die."
"I’d never leave you, Meg. I love you." He runs his fingers through my hair. I look up, and my lips meet his, expectantly, into the most passionate kiss I’ve ever experienced.
"That was worth waiting for!" I exclaim. His blue eyes look tired, but they are full of love. "How do you feel?"
"I am tired, but I’m so relieved to be alive. You know, there were times when I wish I could die, but since you came into my life, I have had so much to live for. I know it’s not been easy for you, but I know now more than ever before that you’re the one I want to spend my eternity with."
"I was hoping you would say that." I am more determined never to leave his side again. "The doctor says you need rest. How do you feel about taking a vacation with me?"
"I’d love that, but what about the businesses?" Typical Ben, always worrying about something.
"Mark is supervising the rebuilding of The Deep. There’s nothing for you to do." I reassure him. "And Derek’s going to jail for a long time."
"What about his children?" He asks. Ben is the kindest man in the world to worry about Derek’s children. There are so many men who would just cast them aside.
"They’re with a foster family now, and have been for a while, so there are no more excuses." I hold him tight.
"One more question, when do we leave?" He laughs.
"As soon as you like..."
Ricardo enters the room, with Derek at his side. The brothers look at each other, each one looks so alike, but I know they are different. Inside, where it matters.
"I don’t hate you, Derek." Ben is the first one to speak. "I pity you, as you’ll never know true love."
"I pity you, Ben. You are so boring. At least I have some fun..."
"I’m sorry. I only thought he wanted to apologise to you, I would never have brought him in here if I had known about this." Ricardo turns to take Derek away, but he just stays and laughs maniacally in Ben’s face.
"I know. It’s okay. Just go." Ben is shaking.
"I’ll visit you in Sunset Beach..." Derek’s final words haunt my very soul.
"Everything will be okay, Meg." Ben reassures me. I am suppose to be the one doing the comforting.
"I know..." I put on a smile. "And we’re going on vacation so he can’t hurt us, do you know where I want to go?"
We both speak at once. "Venice!"
Chapter 19
Venice - the most romantic city in the world. I remember our long cyber chats about our favourite things, our love of sunsets and Venice. I smile to myself as I lean back on the hotel bed, waiting for Ben. He’s supposed to be resting, but he can’t keep still. I think he’s still worrying about Derek, but everytime I ask him if he needs to talk, he clams up and changes the subject. He rushed out of the room, saying that he had to run an errand, but I know that was just an excuse. Well, if he needs to talk, he knows I’m here, and I guess that’s the most important thing.
I hear his key in the lock and I sit up. He comes in, smiling, carrying a massive bouquet of white roses. "For you, madam."
"Ben, they’re wonderful!" I take them from him and put them in water. "But I should be spoiling you, after all you’ve been through."
"Meg, I’m okay, really." Ben looks at me and takes me in his arms. I literally melt as he caresses my neck with whisper kisses. "All I need is here. You are my reason for living."
"I was just so scared that you were going to die, Ben." I admit to him.
"I am not going to die. I couldn’t leave you. Not now." He smiles, and very gently pushes me back on the bed. He slowly unbuttons my blouses, his hands feel cool on my hot skin. I can’t help but kiss him back. We make love very slowly, with the scent of the white roses in the background. Soft classical music is playing on the radio to set the mood. Everything is perfect.
"I love you, Ben, so very much." I say as we lay in each other’s arms, exhilarated by our love-making. He leans over and kisses my lips. I take his fingers and kiss them. "If you only knew how much."
"I do, Meg. The way you stood up to him showed me just how much you love me."
"You can’t even say his name, can you?" I ask.
He shakes his head. I can see the tears in his eyes. "I don’t want to. It hurts too much."
"I understand, and you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to." I put my fingers to his lips, reassuring him of my endless love for him.
"I want to forget about him, Meg." Now that I can understand. What I can’t understand is how someone so gentle, is related to such a monster, and how Maria was fooled into believing that Derek was Ben. "Please help me forget." He finally breaks down, weeping tears which should have been wept years ago.
"You’re safe, Ben." I hold him close to my chest, running my fingers through his hair. He cries for what seems like hours, and then he goes very still.
"I hope you don’t think I’m weak, Meg, crying like a baby all over you."
"Actually, I think you’re incredibly strong, Ben. It takes real strength of character to be able to cry like that." I smile, fighting back my own tears. "I love your vulnerability, and if you think you’ve scared me away, you couldn’t be more wrong. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not."
"I like it very much." He smiles, the old Ben returning. "I need to weep, and I do feel stronger now."
"You do know that Derek isn’t coming back? That he’s in jail for the rest of his life?" I look into his eyes, searching his very soul for answers.
"Nothing’s certain where Derek is concerned, Meg." Ben shakes his head. "I only know that he can’t hurt us now, because we know the truth."
"I love you, Ben Evans." I roll onto his chest, kissing him passionately. Our lips meet, and once again, we are making love, with renewed strength in our bodies. We kiss, our tongues meeting and playing with each other, sensually.
"I love you too, Meg." He whispers in my ear. "If only we could stay like this forever."
"We can, Ben." I sigh, "If my parents taught me anything, it was to have faith in love, to believe that love overcomes all obstacles."
"Well, your parents are living proof of that." He laughs, swinging his legs out of the bed. "It’s a beautiful evening, do you want to go for a walk before dinner?"
"Do you even have to ask?" I grab my robe and run to the bathroom.
Soon after, we are dressed and ready to go out. Ben looks exceptionally handsome in his suit. "You’re one sexy man, Ben."
"Hey, you look beautiful too, Meg." His blue eyes are glistening with love as he holds open the door for me.
We walk hand-in-hand down the roads as the sun is setting in the sky. We sit at a cafe by the canal watching the red and orange hues of the last glimpse of the day disappear. It has been a wonderful day.
"Shall we go to dinner?" Ben takes my arm. We walk to the restaurant when I stop suddenly. "What’s wrong, Meg?"
"Look, Ben, it’s a little girl. She is so cute." I smile.
"I didn’t know you wanted to have children. Every day, I learn something new about you." He squeezes my hand.
"I love you so much that I want to have your children, Ben..." I say. "Does that scare you?"
"Of course not. But the timing’s not right, Meg. What with Derek and everything."
"I understand. I just keep thinking about his children. Your nephew and niece, they are stuck in a foster family..."
"That is out of the question, Meg. I couldn’t adopt them. They’re Maria’s and his children, for goodness sake!" He raises his voice slightly.
"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. Forgive me."
"There’s nothing to forgive. You were just being the amazing woman you are, and I was thinking of myself. But please understand that I can’t do anything."
I turn to Ben, and surprise him with a gentle kiss. "Let’s go eat. I’m hungry, and not just for food, if you know what I mean...."
Chapter 20
I can’t stop thinking about that little girl. She was so vulnerable, and sweet, but I do know that we’re not ready for a family, just yet. We’re not even engaged yet, and here I am, thinking about children. What’s so ironic is that I’m lying in bed, having just made love to the most gorgeous guy in the world in Venice. I shouldn’t be thinking this way.
"We will have children, Meg." My thoughts are interrupted by Ben.
"How did you...."
"How did I know?" He finishes my question for me. "Ah, you forget, we have a connection between us. It works both ways. So, would you like to talk about it?"
I snuggle closer to him. "I’ve never really thought about children before, Ben. It’s just that we have this incredible bond between us. What’s it been? Two weeks since we were locked in that wine cellar together."
"Two glorious weeks, apart from being shot and hunted down by Derek. Go on. Tell me what’s in your heart."
"I want to have your children, Ben. I think you’d be an amazing daddy." I smile at the image of Ben playing with our babies. "Do you want children?"
"That’s the ten million dollar question, Meg. To be absolutely honest with you, I’ve never thought about it, until this afternoon when you brought it up." Ben sighs. "I do want a family, but it’s too soon. I know you’re the one for me, you’re my soulmate. Everything has been complicated, once we get back to Sunset Beach, back to our normal lives and routines, we can reassess the situation."
"It will be weird, living at Surf Central with the guys, rather than seeing you twenty four hours a day..."
Ben sits up straight. "Will you move in with me, Meg? Share my life and my bed?"
"Do you mean that?" I am so happy, but I want him to be sure.
"I couldn’t stand life without you. Don’t you know that by now? You’ve stood by me faithfully." He says, with tears in his eyes. But this time I’m not worried because I know his tears are the happy kind. "Just thinking about waking up without you leaves me cold."
"In that case, Ben Evans, I will move in with you. I promise that you’ll never feel alone ever again." I lean over to him and kiss him. "And I promise never to leave the cap off the toothpaste."
"I hate to tell you this, Meg, but I’m a slob. If anyone is going to leave the cap off the toothpaste, it’s going to be me!" Ben puts on this deadpan expression so I’ll think he’s serious, but he can’t keep a straight face. I hit him playfully. "I am so happy that you’re going to live with me, Meg. It’s as though all my dreams have come true."
"Mine too, Ben." I wrap my arms around his sensuous body, feeling very safe and secure. "Do you know what I’d like to do?"
"If it’s the same thing I want, I’d say we’re a perfect match." He laughs.
"Is that all you men ever think of?"
"Yes." He smiles. "What do you want to do, Meg?"
"I’d like to go to the Bridge of Sighs and watch the sun come up." I feel very blessed to have Ben in my life, and I want to toast our new beginning.
"I always knew you were a romantic." He kisses my hand.
"Well, it takes one to know one, Ben." I tease this handsome man. I just know that things are going to be okay.
The morning sky is beautiful, it’s as though the heavens are blessing our decision to stay together forever. Maybe they know what we’ve been through durinng our short time together, and they want us to know that true love is always rewarded. There is a slight chill in the air, so Ben puts his arms around me and holds me tightly.
"Mmm, that feels good, Ben." I look up into his eyes.
"Do you remember talking about soulmates over the Internet?"
"How could I forget? I remember all of our conversations." I take his face in my hands and kiss his precious lips. "Intimately."
"I wasn’t sure I’d find mine. I didn’t think I deserved it, after the way Maria died, but I know now more than ever before that you are my heart’s desire, Meg." I close my eyes to concentrate on those beautiful words. "I would ask you to marry me, but I just want to stay in the moment. Meg and Ben, two of the world’s greatest lovers in history."
"And you said I was the world’s biggest romantic!" I laugh.
"Let’s just say it’s rubbing off on me. You’re good for me, Meg." He says, rubbing my shoulders.
"Never, Ben. You’re really special. You’ve just got to love yourself a bit more. I’m here to help."
"I need all the help I can get." He sighs. "I’m getting hungry. Shall we get breakfast?"
"I thought you’d never ask!" Ben is enough to satisfy me, but I do feel hungry.
We walk back to the hotel. As we enter, I feel a chill down my back, as if something is going to happen. It’s probably nothing.
"Mr. Evans, there is a phone call for you." The manager approaches us. "It’s a Ricardo Torres."
Ben takes the phone. I wait, nervously. It could only be about Derek.
"Ben, what’s wrong?" I go to him.
"It’s Derek, Meg. He’s kidnapped his children. Ricardo wants us to go back....."
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