Page 147 of Dark Duet: Platinum Edition

“Yes,” Felipe said. “When Rafiq discovered his sister was pregnant and Vladek was the father, he strangled his sister in a murderous rage.”

“I don’t believe you!” Caleb hissed. Rafiq wouldn’t murder his own family, no matter how angry he might have been.

“Don’t interrupt!” Felipe said. “It will all make sense to you in a few minutes. Rafiq’s mother tried to protect her, and she met the same fate. Rafiq was riddled with guilt, and he blamed Vladek. Rafiq was out to find him, but Vladek was gone, so he went after their business contacts.”

“How do you know all this?” Caleb asked. He was increasingly suspicious.

“My boss wouldn’t help him, so he came to me. In exchange for what I knew, he helped me rise to power. I’ve always been an opportunist, Caleb. I thought he would lie in wait for Vladek, but what he did instead was…well, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Caleb snorted. “I still don’t see what this has to do with me. Rafiq lost his temper – he wasn’t himself. Vladek still deserves to die.”

“It has a great deal to do with you, Caleb,” Felipe said.

Caleb studied Felipe and the unease in his eyes set the hair on Caleb’s body on edge. “What did he do?” Caleb asked, and for the first time, a tendril of pure fear raced down his spine.

“Vladek had been a bit of a ladies’ man. Women swooned over his blond hair and blue eyes, but I remembered he once spoke longingly about an American woman he’d met at college. She’d left him suddenly, and V had said she was the one who got away. I pointed Rafiq toward her.” Felipe paused, apparently lost in thought.

Caleb had heard enough. Felipe had said nothing to sway Caleb’s loyalty and Livvie was waiting upstairs. Their time together had dwindled to a few precious hours and he was done wasting them. “So, Rafiq was a killer long before I knew him. So what?” Caleb stood. “Keep your secrets, Felipe. And keep mine as well, at least until tomorrow night. I promise to do the same.”

“She had a son!” Felipe spat. “The spitting image of Vladek: blond hair, blue eyes.”

Caleb slowly sat back down. He swallowed bile and broke out in a cold sweat. He didn’t want to hear anymore. “Wait. Stop.” He waved his arm.

“No one knew. Not even Vladek, I think. When Rafiq couldn’t find Vladek, he went after the boy as a means to flush Vladek out.”

Not fucking true. He’s lying, Caleb. Kill him. He’s lying!

Felipe didn’t relent. “Vladek went deep into hiding. He had heard about A’noud and knew Rafiq was searching for him. He never came to claim his son, even after Rafiq put him to work in a brothel.”

“Stop!” Caleb said.

“No!” Felipe insisted. “The truth, Caleb. Hear it.”

“It doesn’t make any sense! He’s the one who saved me,” Caleb insisted.

“All he’s done is claim Vladek’s son for his own and use him to carry out his ultimate revenge,” Felipe whispered.

Blond hair. Blue eyes.

Images of Vladek flashed through Caleb’s mind. He was older, and his hair had turned grey, but his eyes were blue.

He’s Russian! They all have blue eyes!

Caleb had always wondered why he’d been taken. Why he’d been dragged so far away from home to be a whore. Why Rafiq would savehimand not the others. Why?

“You’re saying…” Caleb couldn’t get the rest out. It was too unspeakable to even consider what Felipe was saying. Caleb’s chest felt tight and his stomach churned.

“He left you there, Caleb. You were his revenge. Everyone knew it. The war came and he left you there to rot. No one crossed Rafiq after that, not once they knew what he was capable of. Even criminals love their families, their children.”

Caleb felt himself burst open like a dam. Every emotion, every memory involving Rafiq sifted through his mind. There was nothing Rafiq wouldn’t do to have his revenge. Nothing. Caleb fell to his knees and vomited. For the first time in years, Caleb cried. He couldn’t stop. He screamed and he cried. He heaved for breath.

He rescued me. He clothed me. He fed me. He calls me brother.

“Liar!” Caleb cried. He reached for his knife and lunged toward Felipe, intent on cutting out his lying tongue.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Caleb woke. His head hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain inside his chest. He pushed himself back onto his heels and raised a hand to his head. It came away bloody. He stared at the blood on his hand. There had been so much blood on Caleb’s hands over the years.