Trust Me

Chapter 31

Ranalla slowly became aware of voices whispering around her. She couldn't recognize any of them as they were too low. Slowly her eyes flickered open. A moan escaped her lips as she shifted on the leather couch. The coolness of it helped her come around.

As the blurriness faded, Margaret's smiling face appeared. Ranalla felt her mother's cool hand brush her cheek.

"How are you feeling?"

Ranalla slowly shook her head. She worked her mouth trying to form words.

Margaret nodded. "Yes. You did." No words needed to be said. Margaret knew the questions flying through her daughter's mind. "Let's get you up."

After Ranalla was sitting on the edge of the couch, she looked around for the other voice. The room was empty. Margaret smiled. "Get your bearings and go on the porch."

Ranalla took a deep breath. Nodding, she slowly stood up. Margaret stayed nearby until she knew Ranalla was steady. She then left the room to find her son.

Left alone in the room, Ranalla turned to gaze at the closed front door. Just moments before she had opened it before fainting. Now, she was to open it again. This time she knew what would be on the other side.

It felt like the longest walk of her life from the couch to the door. She moved slowly because she didn't trust her legs to hold her up. When the door was just a reach away, she stopped and started at the doorknob. That is all that stood between her and her future. Like something from a movie, she reached out and touched the cool metal of the knob and slowly turned it. She stepped out into the bright sunlight.

Leaning against the porch railing was a lean body that she had been yearning for. Hearing her step, Vince turned around and faced her.

He was a different man than the one she last saw. Yes, it was Vince, but he was different. A tired look hung around his eyes, making him look older. He was dressed in dress slacks and a button down shirt with a tie. Vince didn't look like a contract killer or a kidnapper. He looked like a business man who had just got off work. A suit jacket lay over the railing of the porch.

"You're alive." Her words were breathless.

He nodded. "It was close, but I'm alive." He smiled as he looked her up and down. "You're looking good." She saw a strained a look on his face as he spoke.

"I tried to find you." Her heart was racing.

His smile faded, though he still looked at her tenderly. "I know. I didn't want you to know where I was at first."

"I looked for you." Her voice grew stronger.

"You didn't need to see me in the hospital."

"They told me you didn't exist."

"In a way I didn't. Officially, Vincent Demarte died that day."

"You left me."

"So I could come back."

"Do you ever give straight answers? Who are you now? Are you playing me like you play everyone else?"

"Ranalla, I understand your anger. None of this was simple." He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere until he told her everything.

"I was born Vincent Demarte in Trenton. I joined the FBI. Nine years ago I was on the team who extracted your mother. We got a tip from an informant in our department who was playing the double agent that your father was going to kill Margaret. We had been talking to her already. So, we faked her death. That meant our inside person was now out of the picture, and she was adamant not to approach you. She wanted to protect you as much as possible. I was chosen to go in. I was given a past and sent in. Your father took a shine to me and I rose quickly in the ranks. Sheldon saw this and began his courtship of pulling me over to his side. I saw an opportunity to get more information. Gradually, I allowed Sheldon to convince me to work for him and spy on your father. I could tell from your father's conversations with me that he knew of it and was using it to his advantage. I dropped information here and there to help him and not let him know I was aware of his part."

"You left home and really caused problems between the two men's relationship. Sheldon used me to get information on your whereabouts. Your father had me spying on you in case you spoke with the FBI. Without knowing of the other one's plans, they each ordered me to take care of you. For Sheldon I was to kidnap you so he could have you. For your father, I was to kill you to protect his secrets."

"What secrets? I didn't know anything."

"You knew more than you realized. All you had to mention to the feds was seeing a particular person at the house at a certain time. That could be enough to start deeper investigations. You saw a lot of activity. What your father didn't know was that your testimony was not needed because I was seeing more than you were. That's when I kidnapped you. You know the rest from there."

Ranalla shook her head. "This is too unreal." She turned and walked to the edge of the steps. "So, you did save our lives."

Vince nodded his head.

"What about us? Was that part of your undercover act?"

"That's probably the only true actions of myself I have allowed in close to ten years." He moved closer to her stopping just shy of touching her. "Ranalla, I fell in love with you the first time I saw you seven years ago."

She turned around and gaped at him. "What?"

"You came home from college and walked in like a ray of sunshine in that dark and dismal world. Your father was a fool for not wanting you. I watched you from a distance. It was easier when both Sheldon and your father made that part of my job. I didn't mean to scare you, but taking you was the only way to save you while maintaining my cover a little longer. I just didn't expect everything else to go the way it did."

"You love me?"

He smiled and reached out with his hand touching her cheek lightly. "More than you possibly understand."

"You left me."

"I followed your father out of the cabin knowing you'd be fine. The confrontation didn't go the way I had planned. He shot me in the side as other agents came in and took him down. He'd have made his mark and killed me if they hadn't showed up when they did. I went to the hospital while all the loose ends were wrapped up. You had to get to safety. He had to go away. I had to finish up things with the agency."

"Finish up?"

"Yes. I resigned from fieldwork. I wanted to move to being a consultant for them and not an active agent who was always undercover."

"What does all this mean?"

"It means that I'm standing here on your porch as a man who finds himself changing careers and looking to settle down with the woman he loves."

She shook her head. "I have been wanting this moment for so long, but are you sure? Is this for real?"

"It's for real. Ranalla, will you marry me and spend the rest of your life trying to keep me honest?"

She smiled with tears in her eyes. "Yes."

He pulled her to him kissing her deeply. Pulling back, she looked up at him rubbing her hands on his face. "I was afraid you were gone forever."

"Nope. Just tying up loose ends."

"Speaking of loose ends. I have a few of my own."

Fear went through him. "What?" Was she really not in love with him? "Should I be worried?"

She whispered against his lips. "Trust me."