Texas…Now and Forever by Merline Lovelace Read Free Book Online Page A

debated how much to tell her mother. Shewasn’t sure whether Isadora knew about her husband’s involvement with the mob. Her parents had never talked finances or business affairs in front of their children. Haley herself would never have known about the shady side of the family business if curiosity hadn’t made her dig deep during those two summers she’d worked in the offices of the Mercado Brothers Paving and Contracting.
    As it turned out, Isadora was all too aware of her husband’s involvement in his brother’s schemes. Her fingers gripped Haley’s brutally as she pinpointed the reason for her daughter’s flight with uncanny accuracy.
    â€œFrank threatened to expose your father, didn’t he?”
    Still, Haley hedged. She’d given up her family and the only home she’d ever known to protect her dad. It went hard against the grain to admit the truth, even now.
    â€œTell me, Haley.”
    â€œYes, he did.”
    â€œI knew it had to be something like that. You wouldn’t just disappear without good reason. Thank God you got away from that bastard. At least you’re safe. Frank can’t beat you to bring your father into line.”
    Haley reeled in shock for the second time in less than ten minutes. “Frank did this to you?”
    â€œOh, it was made to look like a mall parking lot mugging, but Frank was behind it. He wanted to let your father know he couldn’t disobey orders from the family anymore.”
    No wonder one of Frank’s goons sat outside the door. He was there to make sure Isadora Mercado didn’t tell her story to the police. Resolve hardened inside Haley. Cold. Unwavering. Lethal.
    â€œI’ll see he pays for this. Whatever it takes, I’ll see that he pays.”
    â€œFrank, or your father?”
    The bitterness in her mother’s voice shocked Haley into silence.
    â€œYour father dragged us into this mess,” Isadora said, baring her soul to her daughter for the first time. “You. Me. Ricky. All of us. I’ve been telling him for longer than I can remember that anyone who swims with barracudas will eventually get bloodied. Your father’s in deep now, Haley. Too deep for you or Judge Bridges or anyone else to save him.” Pain that had nothing to do with her bruises crossed her face. “So is Ricky.”
    â€œOh, no! Ricky’s working with Uncle Carmine?”
    â€œI think so. He won’t talk to me. He won’t talk to anyone. He’s turned so hard and distant since he broke off his friendship with Luke and Tyler and the others.”
    â€œThis is all my fault. I should never have tried to get away by faking my death. I’ll come home, Mom. I’ll make things right.”
    â€œNo!” Isadora’s voice rose to a frightened croak. Clutching her daughter’s fingers in agitation, she protested vehemently. “No, you can’t come home. I can’t bear it if Carmine and Frank sink their claws into you like they have Johnny and Ricky. Please, Haley. Please go back to London. Today. Tonight. Let me know at least one of my family is safe and happy.”
    Haley tried to calm her.
    â€œI’ll be careful, Mom. But I need to try to straighten out the mess my disappearance caused.”
    â€œYou can’t. Don’t you understand, it’s too late for you to save your father. Too late for Ricky. Go back to London. Promise me you’ll go back to London.”
    In her heart Haley knew her mother was right. If she came home now, Frank would wreak a diabolic revenge for her attempt to escape him. Not just on Haley, but on her family. She was caught in a trap of her own making.
    â€œAll right,” she promised, her throat aching. “I’ll go back to London.”
    â€œToday?”
    â€œTomorrow. Today I’m going to spend as much time with you as I can.”
    Â 
    Mother and daughter said goodbye at nine-thirty that evening, with whispered