Passion & Lies Read online

  Passion & Lies

  Copyright 2018 © by Michelle Iannarelli

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above author 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. This book contains sexually explicit material and is for a mature audience. The author acknowledges the 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 Model: BT Urruela Facebook.com/AuthorBTUrruela

  Photographer: Golden Czermak Facebook.com/FuriousFotog

  Design: Dynamic Design Team www.dynamicdesignteam.com

  Editor: Out of the Blue Editing

  Formatting: Champagne Book Design

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Passion & Lies

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Other Books

  This book is dedicated to BT Urruela.

  Heroes don’t wear capes,

  They wear dog tags.

  You are my hero.

  Thank you for your service.

  Passion & Lies

  Undercover Love Series—Book 4

  By

  Michelle Iannarelli

  You only get one shot…make it count.

  DANE STEPPED OFF THE elevator expecting to see Lacey at her desk but she wasn’t there. In fact, her desk was completely empty. He opened Miguel’s door and walked in.

  Miguel looked up from his desk. “Three months in the desert and you forgot how to knock?” Miguel got up and walked toward Dane.

  Dane extended his hand. “I missed you too much to knock.”

  Miguel shook Dane’s hand. “Yeah, right.”

  “So how’s that beautiful daughter of yours?”

  “Emmie has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.”

  “I bet she does. How’s Alex?”

  “I’ve never seen her so happy…or tired.” Miguel smiled.

  “I’ll stop by and visit.”

  “How’d everything go with Jakey and Smitts?”

  “Jakey’s doing well. Smitts thinks he knows his shit but let me tell you, he almost got us all killed.”

  “Did you talk to Simmons?”

  “Jakey and I both did after our debriefing.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He couldn’t say much because Smitts is his stepson.”

  “Shit.”

  “I’m telling you Migs, he’s going to get himself or someone else killed.”

  “Maybe this is a sign that you should retire.”

  “And do what?”

  “Have you forgotten that I gave you a position here with a title and a six-figure salary?”

  “No, and I appreciate it, Migs, I do, but sitting behind a desk just isn’t for me.”

  “Visiting you at a cemetery isn’t for me.”

  “Ok, enough about me. What happened to your secretary?”

  “Why, do you miss her?”

  “No, I noticed that her desk is empty.”

  “She took some time off and I decided to get her new office furniture.”

  “How long has she been gone?”

  Miguel shook his head. When was Dane going to admit that he had feelings for Lacey. “A week.”

  “Is she on vacation?”

  “Dane, why don’t you call her?”

  “I haven’t talked to her in three months. Besides, she’d probably hang up on me.”

  “Lacey knows that you travel for work and can’t call while you’re away.”

  “We uhhh…had words before Ryan’s wedding and…”

  “Ahhh, you had a fight.”

  “I was a jackass.”

  “Why don’t you just apologize. Lacey does not strike me as the type of person that holds a grudge.”

  Dane shrugged his shoulders. “I will if I see her before I leave again.”

  Lacey couldn’t wait to pick up Molly from her parent’s house. She missed her terribly while she was away. It was, however, a wonderful week away with Alex, Eden and Faith at the spa. A week she never would have been able to afford had Miguel not given her a very generous bonus. He was so grateful to her and Miles for all they did while he was on paternity leave.

  Lacey pulled into the driveway and Molly bolted down the front steps to Lacey’s car. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

  Lacey put the car into park, opened the door and was tackled by Molly. “Oh my sweet, Molly. I missed you so much.”

  “I missed you more, Mommy.”

  Lacey gave Molly a big squeeze before letting go and grabbing onto her hand. “So tell me what did you do this week while I was away? I need all the details.”

  “Grandma and Grandpa took me to the zoo and to the movies. Oh, and they even let me stay up late and watch that bear movie.”

  “They did, did they? Hmmm, sounds like they spoiled you.” Lacey smiled.

  Molly smiled back with her adorable toothless smile. “Oh, did they ever. We even ate cookies AND ice cream one night for dessert.”

  “Let’s go get you all packed up and I will take you out for some pizza and then we can go home and play games all afternoon.”

  “YES!” Molly let go of Lacey’s hand and ran back inside the house to pack.

  Faith hid behind Ryan’s door waiting to surprise him. His secretary told her that he was just grabbing a cup of coffee.

  Ryan pushed the door open and before he even had a second to spot Faith she attacked him. “Surprise!”

  “Faith, Baby, I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I missed you too and you know what else I missed?” Faith kicked the door closed and dropped to her knees.

  Ryan looked down at her as he helped her open his pants. “Faith, come up here.”

  “You don’t want…”

  Ryan leaned down and kissed Faith. He lifted her up while he pushed her skirt and panties out of his way and impaled her with his cock.

  “Ohhh, Ryan!”

  Alex and Eden arrived at Alex’s house and were surprised to find Miles there with Cruz and Emmie.

  “Hey, Baby!”

  “Look, Cruz, Mommy’s home.” Miles leaned around Cruz and kissed Eden.

  Eden grabbed Cruz and kissed him. “I missed my boys.”

  “We missed our girls.” Miles patted Eden’s belly which was getting bigger by the week.

  Alex stood looking down at her precious, Emmie. She was sound asleep in her bassinet. “She looks bigger than when I left her last week.”

  The baby nurse, Elena, smiled at Alex. “They grow a lot in a week.”

  “I ju
st want to pick her up and kiss her.”

  “Why don’t you go freshen up and call Mr. Cruz and I bet she’ll be awake by the time you come back.”

  Alex leaned down and gave Emmie a quick kiss on the forehead. “I’ll do just that and if she is still asleep when I get back I will just have to wake her.” Alex winked at Elena.

  “It’s already been nearly two hours so I suppose a wake up would be in order if she is still asleep, Mrs. Cruz.” Elena smiled at Alex.

  “I have no idea how you talked me into this, Molly.”

  Molly looked up at her mother, batted her eye lashes and smiled. “Because you love me so much, Mommy.”

  Lacey leaned down and kissed Molly on the top of her head. “Yes, I do.”

  “Can I have the chocolate cookies this time?”

  “I suppose, but next time I get the chocolate ones and you get the vanilla ones.”

  “Ok, Mommy.”

  The waitress placed down the mini campfire kit and then a basket of cookies, marshmallows and chocolates. “You’re all set. Enjoy!”

  “Thank you.” Lacey lit the fire while Molly split up the cookies, marshmallows and chocolate.

  “I can’t wait to taste them.” Molly smiled.

  “I’m going to wash my hands. They smell like sulfur from these matches. Do you want to come too?”

  “No, my hands don’t smell.”

  Lacey shook her head and smiled. “I will be right back.”

  “Hurry, my tummy needs to eat those yummy marshmallows.”

  “Your tummy had better wait until I get back.”

  Lacey wasn’t gone for more than a minute when Molly grabbed a skewer, pushed a marshmallow onto it and started toasting. The marshmallow was getting nice and toasty. Molly tried to pull the marshmallow from the skewer and it was so hot it stuck to her fingers…she let out a yelp and shook her hand. “Ut-oh!”

  “What the hell!” Dane grabbed the back of his head as he sprung up from his seat. He looked around and saw the child at the next table drop down under the table. Dane walked over to the table and squatted down so that he could see the hiding child. “Why, may I ask, did you throw a marshmallow at my head?”

  Molly’s lip started to quiver. She was so afraid the man was going to yell at her and that her mother was going to punish her. “I’m sorry, Mister, I touched the marshmallow and it was hot and stuck to my fingers. It burned me. I shook my hand and that is when the marshmallow came loose and hit you.”

  Dane blinked a few times. He reached his hand out for the child to take. “Is your hand alright?”

  “I think I’m having a blister.”

  Dane looked at her hand. “Yes, you do. Come out from down there and…”

  “Molly!” Lacey darted over to the table when she saw a man leaning under the table Molly had been sitting at. “Molly!”

  Dane turned and Lacey’s eyes were looking into his.

  “Dane.”

  “Hi.”

  “What’s going on here? Molly, why are you under the table?”

  “I hit him, Mommy, but it was by accident.”

  “Mommy?”

  Lacey looked at Dane and nodded. “This is my daughter, Molly.”

  “You know my mommy?”

  “I do.”

  “Molly, climb back up into your seat.”

  Molly climbed out from under the table and sat back down.

  “She needs some ice for her burn.”

  “Burn!” Lacey grabbed Molly’s hand. “What happened?”

  “I tried to cook the marshmallow and then when I touched it, it stuck to me.”

  “That’s when she shook her hand and hit me in the back of the head with her marshmallow.”

  Lacey was mortified. She leaned back and looked at Dane’s hair and neck. It was covered with splattered marshmallow. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s ok.”

  “Mister, do you want to eat s’mores with us?”

  Dane looked at Molly and then at Lacey who looked away. “I need to get home and shower out this marshmallow. Maybe another time.”

  “I’m really sorry.”

  “Take care of that burn and enjoy your s’mores.” Dane looked back at Lacey. “Lacey…”

  “Not here, not now.”

  Dane didn’t say another word; he turned and left.

  DANE SMILED WHEN HE stepped off the elevator and saw Lacey sitting at her desk. It had been a week since he last saw her. He knew she’d probably be less excited to see him but it didn’t stop him from walking right over to her desk in an attempt to start a conversation. “Good morning, Beautiful.”

  Lacey looked up and then quickly looked back down. “Good morning. I’ll let Miguel know that you’re here.” Lacey stood up and walked around her desk toward Miguel’s office.

  Dane stepped in front of her. “Lacey, I said I was sorry. When are you going to accept my apology?”

  “I have.” Lacey looked away.

  Dane reached his hand out and grabbed Lacey’s. “It doesn’t seem that way.”

  “Miguel is waiting for you.”

  “Have lunch with me.”

  “Dane, I said that I forgive you, you don’t have to take me for lunch to…”

  Dane crashed his lips down onto Lacey’s. At first she kissed him back but then she pulled away and without a word she stepped to the side and opened Miguel’s door. “Dane is here to see you.”

  “Thank you, Lacey.”

  “Can I get you anything before I leave?”

  “No, thank you. Dane, come in.”

  Dane reached his hand out toward Lacey but she scooted by him.

  Lacey walked into the bathroom and splashed cold water onto her face. Dane got to her. She swore to herself that she wouldn’t let him get to her. He already hurt her once and she didn’t want to feel that pain again…from Dane or anyone else.

  “Oh, Sweetie, what’s the matter?”

  Lacey looked up at Eden. “Is it that obvious?”

  “Only a little.” Eden rubbed her hand up and down Lacey’s arm.

  “Dane kissed me.”

  Eden’s mouth dropped open. “Wow!”

  “Wow?”

  “I always thought that you liked Dane?”

  “I do. That’s why I’m so upset.”

  “Lacey, you’re not making any sense.”

  “I know. As much as I like him, I’m scared.”

  “Of Dane?”

  “Not just Dane, any man.”

  Eden grabbed Lacey and hugged her. Lacey started to cry. “Shhhh.”

  “After I lost Dirk, I didn’t think that I’d ever be able to even look at another man. I loved him so much. But…Dane came along and stirred up these feelings that I thought were buried with Dirk.”

  “Lacey, I never met Dirk but I can’t imagine that he would want you to stop living your life because he lost his.”

  Lacey pulled back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You’re right. He made me promise him that if anything ever happened to him that I’d move on.”

  “Then give Dane a chance.”

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  Dane dropped down into the chair. “Miguel, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, you know you can. What’s up?”

  “I think I have feelings for Lacey and I don’t know what to do.”

  Miguel smirked. “Well, at least you finally realized that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Dane, we’ve all known.”

  “All?”

  “Alex, Eden, Miles and I.”

  Dane stood up and started pacing. He ran his hands through his hair. “Fine. I have feelings that I don’t want to have and even if I did…she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

  “Lacey told you that?”

  “Not in so many words.”

  “What exactly did she say?”

  “I kissed her and she pulled away.”

  Miguel exhaled. “Did she smack you?”
r />   Dane rolled his eyes. “No, she didn’t. She didn’t say anything.”

  “Then you need to talk to her.”

  “And say what?”

  “Tell her how you feel.”

  “I can’t.”

  Miguel stood up and walked over to Dane. “Do you mean to tell me that little ole Lacey scares you?”

  “Migs, I’ve never been rejected before.”

  “I don’t think that she’s rejecting you. Lacey hasn’t been with anyone else since her husband was killed. Maybe she’s having a hard time. It’s obvious that she likes you.”

  “Maybe.”

  Miguel patted Dane on the shoulder. “Talk to her.”

  “There’s my prego wife.”

  Eden turned around and smiled at Miles. “My Baby Daddy.” Eden giggled.

  Miles leaned over and kissed her.

  “Lacey, is Migs free?”

  “He’s with Dane.”

  “Good, then I have time to take my wife for coffee.”

  “Coffee, huh? I was hoping for donuts and a milkshake.”

  “Well ok, then. Lacey, would you like me to bring you back something?”

  “No thank you.” Lacey sat down at her desk.

  Eden leaned over and whispered to Lacey. “Tell him how you feel.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Miguel opened his office door and poked his head out. “Lacey, can you come in for a minute, please.”

  Lacey reluctantly replied. “Yes, I will be right there.” Lacey took a deep breath and walked inside Miguel’s office.

  Miguel motioned for Lacey to sit. “Have a seat.”

  “Is everything alright?” Lacey was feeling nervous. She didn’t see Dane and Miguel was acting weird.

  “Yeah, everything is alright.”

  “Migs…” Dane came out of the bathroom and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Lacey sitting there.

  “Ok, well now that Dane is back, I’m going to leave you two alone to TALK.” Before either of them could reply Miguel shot out the door slamming it behind him. He stood there smiling.