Coming Home For Christmas

Lacey's P.O.V.

Wow, everything looks so beautiful and expensive.

I thought to myself as I looked through the glass cases in front of me which featured everything from jewellery to fine China sets and even antique dolls which looked creepy as f**k if you ask me but there's always a market for these types of things so I believe they're gonna be a big hit.

One of the things that caught my eye was a beautiful bright red floral brooch which has been labelled as an antique from Spain. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

A voice from behind me spoke startling me.

I turned and briefly looked at the man before looking back down at the brooch.

"Yes, it is"

"I believe this brooch dates back to the Spanish Armada"

"I doubt it, the Spanish Armada was in 1588, this says it's from the 1700's"

I say whilst pointing to the tab next to it.

"You know you're history?"

The man asks sounding happy and proud.

"I've got a daughter who is interested in the British Royal family and not just the current one, she loves to tell me everything about them"

"But the British had nothing to do with the Spanish Armada"

"Actually they did, they stopped it"

Wow, I really need to stop hanging out with Teddy.

"That's impressive, so...you've got kids?"

"Mmm-hmm, seven"

I say with a smile as I look the man in his eyes which looked strange, they looked real but didn't at the same time. What the hell? that's so weird. "You've got seven children? you don't look it"

He says whilst eyeing up my body, his eyes paying particular attention to my a*s.

Urgh!!, men.

I turned to face him and crossed my arms over my chest as I looked at him annoyed.

"It's called a good diet and great workout regime, not to mention seven children, four of whom are toddlers and a HUSBAND is enough to keep the weight off any woman"

I said while making sure to put as much emphasis on the word husband so that he'd understand I'm not available.

"You're married? figures"

He scoffed.

"Yes, happily married"

I said whilst looking at him suspiciously.

There was something about him that seemed very familiar to me but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"What? why are you looking at me like that?"

He asks amused.

"I don't know...you seem familiar to me but I...

I drifted off as I tried to figure out why he was so familiar to me.

"Do I know you?"

"I don't know, do you?"

He asked with a smirk as he stepped closer to me.

"You're even more beautiful than I remember, Lace"

"What?"

He looked me in my eyes with a bit of panic before his expression turned stoic again.

"How do you know my name?"

I asked but before he could answer me, my husband appeared out of nowhere looking like a bomb that was about to explode. "Lacey babe, who's your friend?"

Logan asked while wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

"I erm..."

"My name is Juan Herrero"

Juan Herrero?.

Does he think we're stupid?.

"Really? well, Juan, do you mind if I take my wife back? the auction is about to start"

Logan said whilst putting as much emphasis on his name as his tone dripped with annoyance.

I knew he didn't believe him and neither did I but what I want to know is why? why is he lying about his name? and why do I feel like I know him when I don't? or at least I think I don't. "No, of course...I'll see you around, Lace"

Juan said with a smile before walking away leaving me feeling confused and suspicious.

"Are you ok, love?"

"I'm fine, let's go and take our seats"

Logan led us over to our table which was still empty but thank god there was champagne because lord knows momma needs it.

"Are you sure you're ok, love? John Smith over there didn't do or say anything to upset you, did he?"

Logan asks me and I chuckle.

"I knew you didn't believe him"

"Oh come on, babe, to anyone who doesn't speak Spanish, Juan Herrero seems like a perfectly normal name but to peopl like us, it sounds strange" "What sounds strange?"

Cassie asks us as she sits down at the table with Klayton, his parents, Logan's parents, Vanessa and Kat.

My parents were supposed to come tonight but my dad still felt weak from being stabbed, so they decided to stay home and make a contribution instead. "Oh nothing just some drunk flirting with my wife"

"And that's strange?"

Cassie asks confused.

"Dude, have you seen your wife? it would only be strange if nobody flirted with her hot a*s"

"Cassidy, language"

My auntie chastised my cousin-in-law who smiled cheekily at her.

"Sorry mom, I meant to say hot culo" (A*s)

"That's better"

"Can we stop talking about my principessas a*s, please? it's disgusting"

Klayton growls in annoyance.

"Thanks, cousin"

"You're welcome"

He says with a wink and I chuckle.

The auction eventually started and at first, it started off with only a few pieces that weren't that extravagant or expensive but guests still paid top dollar for them.

The next portion of the auction was filled with items that people were willing to spend well over six figures for which absolutely blew my mind because some of the items were things I wouldn't spend a couple of hundred dollars on let alone hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Next up for auction is this 18th-century brooch which was handmade in Spain"

The auctioneer announced immediately drawing my attention.

I wasn't interested in the brooch and I didn't want it but I knew it would attract the attention of the creepy guy from earlier and I was right but it wasn't just him who wanted it.

Several people were interested in the brooch which isn't surprising because it's a beautiful piece and the battle went on until it was only down to two people but ultimately it went to the creepy guy. "Sold to Mr Juan Herreros"

The auctioneer said and everyone clapped, well, everyone except for Kat who seemed startled by the name.

"I'm sorry, what was the name of the guy who won?"

"Juan Herreros, baby"

Vanessa said whilst caressing her fingers over the back of Kats hand.

"Sounds exotic in Spanish but in plain old English John Smith is just boring"

Klayton said nonchalantly as he scratched the back of his head.

I narrowed my eyes at Katerina who looked like she was about to piss her panties in panic, her eyes were filled with fear

and from where I was sitting which was a few chairs away from her she looked like she was shaking.

"Are you ok, honey?"

"I'm fine"

"Are you sure? you're shaking"

"I'm fine, I promise you"

Kat said with a smile but it didn't look authentic to me.

"Excuse me guys, I need to go to the lady's room"

"I'll go with you"

I say slightly starting her but she covered it up with a smile and a nod of her head.

We got up and headed towards the lady's bathroom, I didn't need to go but I wasn't gonna waste this opportunity to speak with Kat and find out what was going on with her.

We went and did our thing and I washed my hands as I waited for her to come out.

When Katerina came out of the stall, she looked at me nervously as she made her way over to the sink.

"Care to share what's going on with you, Kat?"

"What do you mean?"

She asks me and I narrow my eyes at her.

"You know exactly what I mean and don't even try and get out of this by using your self-defence mechanisms like you don't know me to judge me because it won't work"

"But you don't know me"

"Don't I?"

I ask and she shakes her head defiantly.

"Ok then, if I don't know you Katerina then explain to me how I know that you're a very loud and extroverted person, hmm how do I know that you're usually a very focused and intuitive person who pays attention to every single detail even the tiniest because any piece of information is considered useful to you? how do I know that you're not a scared little girl, in fact, you're a badass who isn't afraid to use her mouth or her fists but lately, you've been anything but"

I said as I stepped closer to her.

"Lately Katerina, you've been acting like a scared little puppy, you're constantly looking over your shoulder, you're forever on edge and you yelp or scream if anyone unexpectedly touches you including your wife which means you must be lost i Katty land which is a big no-no in the mafia, oh and let's not forget you're always silent and acting nervous and or shifty, you'd better spill and tell me what's going on right now before I go back out there and get my cousin and reignite my doubts to him that you're our mole" "You wouldn't dare

"Try me"

She's right, I wouldn't and even if I did, Klayton would probably just pat my head and tell me to let it go but she doesn't have to know that.

"I can't tell you, I'm dead if I do"

"You'll be dead if you don't, now spill"

Katerina nods her head and lets out a breath.

"I don't even know where to begin"

"The beginning is usually the best place, Kat"

"Ok"

Katerina leans against the sink and crosses her arms over her chest.

"For the past few weeks, I've been getting harassed by my brother's best friend Antonio"

"What do you mean you've been getting harassed?"

"It started a few weeks back...I was out in town when out of nowhere, I was approached by Antonio, I couldn't believe ho bold he was but I was more shocked at the way he was acting...he was acting like we were old friends who had no bad times or tension between us" She stopped to take a breath before continuing.

"I thought it would be a one time thing but then he started calling and messaging me all of the time"

"Calling you?"

I ask suspiciously.

"Like the other day at Klayton's barbeque?"

I ask and she nods her head.

"Sorry about how I acted...I was on edge"

"Why haven't you told Klayton about any of this?"

"Because he wouldn't believe me"

She said with a scoff.

"I mean, you automatically thought I was the mole as soon as Klayton told you about Trevor and him being my brother" "Yeah because I barely knew you, Kat and I had just found out that not only is there a crazy asshole after me but the craz assholes sister was in my cousin's mafia which has also got a mole in it, are you really surprised that I'd suspect you?" "Honestly, no" She says with a sigh.

"And do you know who it was that defended you against my suspicions? it was Klayton"

I say shocking her.

"I may not know you, Katerina but Klayton certainly does and I think you underestimate how much he truly trusts you"

"I still can't tell him, Lace, I just can't"

"And why not?"

I ask with annoyance in my voice.

"Because telling Klayton about this would mean that I have to tell him and Vanessa about my biggest secret and I can't do that"

"What secret?"

I ask her but she doesn't answer me.

"I'm getting Klayton"

"No, please don't, Lacey"

I turned around and headed towards the door but a very frantic and panicked Kat stopped me.

"Then tell me what's going on, Kat?"

Kat paced up and down for about a minute as her hands went from covering her mouth to shaking next to her side like she was shaking water off them. "When I was fifteen...on my fifteenth birthday, I was....I was raped by Antonio repeatedly"

"What?"

I gasped in shock.

"That's not the worst part either"

What?.

What could be worse than being sexually assaulted as a child by your brother's best friend? unless...

"What's the worst part?"

I asked her and she was silent for a few seconds before she said something which made me want to vomit but it wasn't what I thought she was gonna say.

"My brother watched the entire thing"

Holy f**k.

I thought to myself as bile started to rise in my throat.

"Lace..."

"I think I'm gonna be sick"

I managed to say before darting over to the sink and throwing up my food from earlier as Kat held my hair back for me. "Are you ok, Lace?"

"I'm fine"

I swilled my mouth out with some water before looking up at a nervous Kat.

"You have to tell Klayton, Kat"

I tell her and she shakes her head.

"Kat..."

"I can't, Lacey, I just can't"

"Why not?"

I ask through gritted teeth.

"Trevor and Antonio can't hurt you anymore, Kat, they..."

"They're here"

She cuts me off shocking me.

"They're what now?"

"Trevor and Antonio...they're here"

"Wait, are you sure? how do you know?"

I asked her and what she said next completely knocked the wind out of me.

"Juan Herreros...it's Trevor's alias which he's always used ever since he was a teenager to get out of trouble or to get awa from our family....when I heard the auctioneer say that name out there, I almost pissed myself"

Yeah, I noticed.

I thought to myself as I let out a breath.

"But wait, Trevor can't be Juan because I spoke to that guy and he looked nothing like your brother"

"That's because Trevor's a chameleon, Lace, he can't go a single week or a month without changing his look, one minute he's a blonde with blue eyes and the next minute he's got bright blue hair and green eyes, the only thing that never changes about him is his dark soul and black heart"

She says while rolling her eyes.

"Ok, now we definitely have to tell Klayton"

"Lacey no"

Kat shrieked as she tightly held my wrist.

"I can't tell him, Lace, he'll kill me"

"Yeah and if we don't tell him then we'll both be dead along with everyone here if your brother attacks us...stop being so f*****g selfish, Kat"

I said as I opened the door to the bathroom only to be met with a fist to my face which caused me to fall to the ground. f**k.

Did the love child of The Hulk and Iron Man just attack me?.

"AAHHH!!, f**k!!"

I yelped in pain when whoever it was that attacked me grabbed me by my hair and slammed my head against something hard before throwing me to the ground.

I could feel myself slowly losing consciousness as I heard a dark, husky voice whisper in my ear and felt the back of someone's rough fingers gently caress my cheek. "Nice to see you again, beautiful"

This was the last thing I heard along with Kat's pleas as I succumbed to darkness.