The Lies Layla Was Told (The Layla Duet #1) Read online

  Copyright © 2021 by L. Aquila

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover: Aisling Magie-Pretty Indie cover designs, [email protected]

  Formatting: Champagne Book Design

  Editor: Kim Huther, [email protected]

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1: Missing them

  Chapter 2: An unexpected find

  Chapter 3: We meet again

  Chapter 4: My heart beats for him

  Chapter 5: Trying to escape

  Chapter 6: Finding out the truth

  Chapter 7: Holding on

  Chapter 8: Later that night

  Chapter 9: Someone is following me

  Chapter 10: Capture

  Chapter 11: Living with guilt

  Chapter 12: Vivid dreams

  Chapter 13: Are you asking me or telling?

  Chapter 14: Consumed by dreams

  Chapter 15: Feeling whole

  Chapter 16: Hunger pains

  Chapter 17: We need to talk

  Chapter 18: Fighting for me

  Chapter 19: Tension in the air

  Chapter 20: He returns

  Chapter 21: The final plan

  About the Author

  I would like to dedicate this book to all the readers, I could not have done this without you! I would also like to thank my dear friend, Shannon. She named this book and has been so supportive. Next, I would like to thank my mom, she pushed me to keep going and make this dream of becoming an author a reality. Lastly, I would like to thank my husband for always pushing me to do my best, and putting up with my long days and nights of ignoring him so I can write.

  The smell of dirt hits me in the face as I stare aimlessly at the ground where my parents are being buried. Yes, you heard correctly. Both my parents were alive five days ago, and now I am at their funeral with a blank expression on my face. No emotion, no actual feelings. My brain has gone into a state of shock, I think. I didn’t cry, didn’t utter a word to anyone. There is nothing to say, nothing that anyone can do, because I lost the only family I ever had at the age of seventeen.

  Someone comes over to place a hand on my shoulder, but I choose to ignore them. My gaze is unwilling to part with the ground.

  “Layla?” I hear my name. My aunt from Rhode Island made an appearance at her sister’s funeral, even though they hadn’t spoken in years. Supposedly, my Aunt Sara dated my dad first before my mother caught his eye. Well, you can imagine how that went down.

  Being closed off is out of character for me. I was always so happy and carefree. Needless to say, I had the best parents in the world and now they’re gone. One break-in changed my world in the blink of an eye.

  “Layla, we have to go,” she insists in an almost harsh tone. She shed tears throughout the funeral, which I was surprised about. From the stories I heard she was completely and wholly in love with my dad. My mom? Well, she hated her.

  Finally, I turn to face her and the look on her face is one of disgust. This woman is such a bitch, and if I wasn’t at my parents’ funeral I would consider slapping her in the face.

  “We have to go,” she says.

  Moving to Rhode Island is the only option for me because she is my only family. So until I turn eighteen in a couple of months, I’m stuck with her.

  In the corner of the cemetery, I notice a shadow near a tombstone. My heart starts to beat fast and I close my eyes, then shake my head. When I open my eyes it’s gone. Over the years I have had this very consistent nightmare of a shadow man—as I would call him—leering over my bed at night. My body would freeze in fear. I can’t even begin to tell you how terrifying that was. Every now and then I would get this feeling of being watched. I think it’s all in my head, but who knows.

  Never once have I tried to approach the man I thought was following me; I was always too afraid. Over the years I tried my best to tell myself I’m not crazy, that no one is following me, that my dreams are all in my head.

  I nod and start walking to where her car is parked. She doesn’t speak the entire ride to the airport, which I’m grateful for.

  Moving from South Carolina to Rhode Island is going to be life-changing, and I know from here on out I’m on my own.

  The weather in RI is cold, but not too bad. It’s January 2021, and if I had known last year would be my last holiday with my family I would have savored every moment with them instead of hanging out with friends every day. Who would have thought Christmas morning I would wake up to gunshots instead of presents.

  Even being seventeen didn’t stop my mom and dad from putting an obscene number of gifts under the tree.

  My dad was a dentist and my mom was his assistant. They fell in love many years ago. Aunt Sara was with dad before mom started working at the office. She didn’t mean to catch his attention, but they couldn’t help themselves. It was like love at first sight. To say Aunt Sara was pissed would be an understatement.

  “Will you at least say something?” she sneers.

  “I have nothing to say to you,” I tell her with distaste.

  “Well, you better start talking soon, because people will think you’re weird,” she huffs.

  “I wouldn’t want people I could give two shits about thinking I’m weird, now, would I?” I say in the most sarcastic tone I can muster.

  “Don’t be a smartass, Layla!” she shouts.

  “Now, you will be meeting your cousin Tommy for the first time, so I suggest you be on your best behavior.” Oh, how I wish the shadow man would pop up and take Aunt Sara. I laugh to myself. She married some rich doctor shortly after leaving South Carolina to start her own family. I never met my uncle or cousin. I can only assume they are as nasty as she is.

  “And while you are here you should do something about that hair of yours, good grief.”

  “What the hell is wrong with my hair?” I ask her.

  “First off it’s so blonde it hurts my eyes. And second, it’s so damn thick and wavy it needs to be tamed down.”

  “I like my hair and, to be honest, I don’t give a rat’s ass what you or anyone else thinks,” I retort.

  She huffs and shakes her head. “Layla, you are an ungrateful brat! How dare you speak to me that way after I so generously took you in!”

  That was it, the final blow.

  “Look,” I turn towards her in the cab. “You are just my aunt by blood. When I turn eighteen in a couple of months, I will be out of your hair. My parents left me more than enough to start over, and as soon as I turn eighteen and can legally touch the money I’ll gladly leave! You’re nothing but a cold, heartless bitch!” I yell.

  She clenches her fists, and if looks could kill I’d be dead. As she stares me down in her perfectly pressed off-white suit, groomed from her light brown hair to her designer shoes, she turns red. The driver seems to be latching on to our conversation with interest.

  “Everything okay, ladies?” he asks.

  With clenched teeth she answers “Yes” and turns towards the window. The drive to the house was fast as we pulled up. I notice the house is a lot bigger than the one that I lived in growing up. It’s a white, two-story colonial ranch-style house with black shutters, a red door, and a huge porch. “Layla, when we get out of this cab you will be on your best behavior or so help me,” she says.

  “Just show me my room and I’ll be out of your hair, okay?” I retort.

  “Well, first I’m going to introduce you to Tommy. Your uncle is out of town on business, so he will not be here to meet you until next week.”

  “I can’t wait,” I say sarcastically.

  She gets out of the cab and slams the door. I start to follow and notice the U-Haul truck with all my things. “Let’s go get this over with so I can get my things,” I say, my disgust for this woman quite clear.

  As we enter the house I get this feeling of apprehension. I hear voices as I follow my aunt to the main living area.

  This house is way too nice, and I feel like I’m walking through a museum.

  Nothing personal on the walls or anything, they have paintings with ridiculous and unnecessary swirls in them. Antique furniture is the first thing I notice. Beautiful, but not something that looks remotely comfortable to sit in. Everything is shiny and crisp.

  “Well, it looks like your cousin and his friends are in the rec room.”

  Rec room? Is this lady for real?

  “Tommy!” she yells way too loudly.

  “In here, Ma!” he yells back.

  Walking a few more feet down the hall, there is an open door. This is where all the voices are coming from.

  I instantly notice a huge leather sectional, l
arge flat screen TV, and a pool table with four guys around it. As soon as I walk through following my aunt, all four heads turn in my direction. One guy’s eyes widen, and I’m instantly struck by how handsome he is. Black hair, green eyes, and a body only an athlete would have.

  Another boy, with blond hair and green eyes, and also built like an athlete, catches my eye. The other two are the same. One has black hair as well, with brown eyes the other guy, standing beside him, has a smirk plastered on his face. He has dirty blond hair and blue eyes. All of them are very good looking. Enough to make me feel quite inferior, to be honest.

  “Boys, meet Layla, my niece. She will be staying here for a while. Layla, this is your cousin, Tommy.” She points to the boy with the blond hair and green eyes. He smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back. I never had a cousin before.

  “These are his friends—Jared, Trevor, and Cade.” She sounds bored as she introduces them all. Cade, I realize, is the one whose eyes widened at my approach and made my stomach flutter. A throat clears and Tommy walks up to me.

  “I am so sorry to hear about your mom and dad,” he says, sounding sincere.

  “Thanks,” I croak.

  “Anyway,” my aunt huffs. “Tommy, please help her with her things and show her to her room.”

  He rolls his eyes at his mother as she turns and heads out of the room in a hurry.

  “Is she always that pleasant?”

  He laughs, and I hear the other boys snicker, but when I turn to look at them Cade is giving me an all too intense gaze.

  “Come on, Layla; I’ll help you with your things.” Turning towards the other three boys, I say bye and follow Tommy.

  When we walk out someone says, “Holy shit, she’s hot!” I hear a couple of laughs and a very fierce growl and a “Shut the hell up, have some respect,” comes out of who I assume is Cade.

  The shock I feel at his protective tone is making me feel giddy inside.

  “Don’t mind them,” Tommy says. Then he laughs. “And sorry about my mom. She’s a little bitter when it comes to her sister, for reasons I don’t understand.” He sighs. “I never knew my aunt and uncle; I always wanted to but Mom wouldn’t budge on the subject.”

  “Well, there is a lot of history there, Tommy. History that I just can’t get into at the moment.” He seems to understand because, he nods and doesn’t broach the subject again. Tommy leads me down the hallway and to the left, only to find a staircase to the second floor.

  “Wow, your house is huge,” I exclaim.

  “Yeah, it’s a little over the top if you ask me,” he says, and I instantly love my cousin and know that we are going to get along just fine.

  He shows me to my room and, as to be expected, it’s huge. I have my very own balcony and private bath, for heaven’s sake.

  “Holy lady balls, this is huge!” I say in amazement. “I might not like Aunt Sara, but her choice in décor is awesome.”

  I instantly regret my words when I look over at Tommy, but he thankfully has a huge grin on his face.

  “I’m so sorry,” I apologize right away.

  He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it, I know she can be difficult.” He sighs.

  “Difficult is an understatement, no offense.”

  He laughs. “None taken. Okay, I’ll have the guys help me bring your things up.”

  “No, that’s okay, I can do it,” I stammer.

  “Nonsense, you unwind and we’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks, Tommy; I appreciate it.” He smiles and walks out.

  This day started terribly, but in the end I gained a cousin and hopefully a new friend.

  I may not like my situation, but what choice did I have? Go live in foster care? No thank you.

  I place my bag on my new bed and open it, and immediately regret that decision. A picture of me with my mom and dad in a frame placed neatly in my bag brings tears to my eyes.

  A knock sounds at my door and I wipe away the lone tear that has fallen. When I turn around my stomach flip flops as Cade approaches me with concern on his face. He quickly covers it up so I don’t see the look of pity.

  “Hey, Layla, where would you like your things?” His voice is deep and sexy. He is a year or two older. My guess is nineteen or so.

  “Um…yeah thanks, Cade. Over there is okay.” He gently places the box on the floor. When he turns his full body to me my heart stutters.

  “You okay?” he asks, his voice sounding gruff.

  I nod because that seems like the only thing I can do at that moment. Holy hell, he’s hot.

  “Well, the guys are bringing the rest of your things up, so if you need anything I’ll be here for a while.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I admit, even though I’m a shit liar and I can tell he knows this. He gives me a heart-stopping smile and heads out the door.

  When he’s gone I can finally breathe. The guys come to bring the rest of my things, telling me that Aunt Sara ordered pizzas.

  The last thing I can stomach is food, so I decline their offer and hunker down in my room. I take a relaxing shower in my ridiculously large bathroom. Taming my natural curly blonde hair is always a process. I choose to let it air dry tonight. Wearing booty shorts and a tank, I lie down and get lost in my book. My mind is reeling from the events today. The memory of burying my parents is still fresh in my mind.

  Meeting my cold, heartless aunt, seeing my cousin for the first time, and having my whole body heat from just one look at Cade.

  In no way am I ready to start a relationship, but he’s nice to look at. Tommy and his friends have been super nice and accommodating so far.

  After an hour of reading, I decide to check my phone that I turned off hours ago. I just didn’t feel like answering any calls or texts from friends in South Carolina, who are probably wondering where the hell I went.

  A fresh set of tears starts to form in my eyes as I open up my messages to condolences from my friends back home. Some said they were at the funeral, but I was too zoned out to remember.

  Having had enough of that, I hesitate checking my social media. I just bypass checking it all together.

  As I lie there with tears still streaming down my cheeks, the memory of the break-in comes crashing down on me.

  When those men broke into our home and I heard my mom scream for my father, a feeling of complete hopelessness took over. I was powerless that night. I rushed to the stairs, only to find them both tied back to back with tape across their mouths. My father looked me in the eyes with complete and utter terror. He shook his head in a pleading way, telling me not to come down. I knew in that instant I couldn’t save them. There were five masked men in the living room, so I quietly rushed upstairs as fast as I could to grab my cell phone and dial 911.

  Seconds after I dialed I could hear pounding up the stairs.

  Someone slammed into my room. I screamed, dropping the phone. He covered my mouth with his gloved hand and told me to shut up.

  What I will never forget is the last thing he said after he tied me to my bed. “It’s your lucky day, young lady. We were told to make sure you stayed alive.”

  That man beat me that night, but the pain from the beating was nothing compared to the pain I felt from what I heard downstairs.

  The shock on my face was palpable. I couldn’t believe my ears. I heard two gunshots. I knew my parents were dead, and whoever ordered them dead wanted me alive. No matter what, I would find who that is if it’s the last thing I do.

  Morning came fast, I slept all but thirty minutes. Every time I close my eyes I see my parents’ bodies in a pool of blood. The police didn’t let me see them, but I can’t help the graphic images that play through my mind.

  Checking myself out in the mirror, I flinch. My eyes are swollen and puffy from crying and my curly blonde hair is so wild I look like a crazy person.

  Throwing my hair up in a loose messy bun and splashing cool water on my face is good enough for me.

  Walking over to my boxes I grab clean underwear, my bra, blue skinny jeans, and a Pink Floyd hoodie that my dad got for me. He had the same one, and I always used to steal his hoodie because it was comfortable. So he bought me my own. I shake my head and swallow the lump about to form in my throat. Dressed and ready, my stomach begins to growl.